Chapter 31

[RUBY] "Welcome to the Camorra, Mia Kaufmann," the Boss finally announced, lifting his glass of crimson wine. The room followed suit, the soft clink of glass punctuating the silence. Mia undergone the ritual, pricking her finger just as I had done before, her face unreadable as the dark liquid beaded on her skin. Of course, this was all for show—an elaborate dance to keep suspicion at bay, especially from Luna’s watchful eyes. Mia was not yet a part of the Camorra. Not until her mission was complete. As the meeting wound down, I leaned closer to her, dropping my voice. "I need to talk to Luna after this," I murmured. She shot me a knowing glance, the kind that said she was already one step ahead. I furrowed my brows. "Stop imagining things. I’m just giving her my painting," I added hastily, trying to keep my tone casual. "Alright. I wasn’t thinking of anything, Ab—" she caught herself, nearly slipping up. "Ruby," she corrected herself. "And for the record, you're the one overthin

Chapter 32

[LUNA] Maybe I should stop thinking about her. It’s the rational thing to do, after all. But the lump in my throat grows thick as I recall the way she averted her gaze, the silent rejection etched in her every movement. Every time she looks at me, she sees Xanthe. And that—it’s unbearable. The worst kind of torture. Foolish of me to fall into her web, only to find myself ensnared by a love that was never meant for me. Now, I’m trapped, struggling in vain to break free. My heightened senses, sharp as a blade, can perceive many things—but not her thoughts. Her heart, though, betrays her. It skips a beat every time I speak Xanthe’s name, a telltale sign of who truly owns her heart. It’s as though her very pulse is tethered to someone long gone. I press harder on the throttle, urging my bike to speed up, as if the rush of wind against my skin could numb the ache festering within. But it’s futile. This strange, suffocating feeling clings to me. I shouldn’t feel this way—I'm a vampire, a

Chapter 33

[LUNA]Here I am again, at the bar, trying to drown myself in liquor. But this isn't just any liquor—this one is different. A darker brew, gifted by the elder vampires themselves. I don’t know what’s in it, but it grips me, sends a shiver down my spine, makes the room spin just the way I want it to. Life as Luna Salvatore isn’t something you wish for. People think they want to be me, but they don’t carry the weight I do. They wouldn’t last a day in my skin. I don’t even know who my mother is—never had the chance to ask. Normal? That’s something I’ve never been. While other kids were playing with dolls, I was given weapons. A gun in one hand, a blade in the other. My father made sure of that. I was trained, forged in fire, taught to be self-reliant, never to trust in others' strength. Wisdom, leadership—those were my toys. I used to watch the other children from a distance, laughing and chasing one another, wondering what it felt like to belong to something as innocent as that. But I

Chapter 34

[RUBY]I arrived at the bar, my eyes immediately finding her. She was sitting on the pavement next to her motorbike, her back slumped against the wall. The sight of her like that—head buried in her knees, arms wrapped tightly around herself—made my heart twist painfully. She looked so small, so lost, like a child who didn’t know where to turn. I had never seen her this vulnerable before.I rushed toward her, my footsteps quick and quiet. Kneeling beside her, I gently reached out, running my fingers through her hair, brushing it away from her face. “Luna,” I whispered softly. Her head lifted slowly, and when she finally looked at me, her face was streaked with tears. The sight of her like this, broken and raw, hit me harder than anything ever had. Without thinking, I knelt down fully and pulled her into a tight embrace. Her arms wrapped around me instantly, her face pressing into the crook of my neck. I could feel her shaking, feel her breath cold against my skin as she tried to stif

Chapter 35

[LUNA]I woke up with a heavy head, the weight of last night’s decisions crashing down on me. I need to remind myself to never drink like that again. But then the memories flooded back—was it all just a dream? I quickly checked for my medallion, my fingers grazing my neck. Nothing. Shit! It wasn’t a dream. Panic twisted in my gut as I found the medallion lying on my bed. Frustration bubbled up inside me; Ruby now knew my secret. I imagined her fear and shuddered—of course she would be scared. I bet she wouldn’t dare step foot in the mansion again, and maybe that was a good thing. Perhaps she would walk away from the Camorra and return to being Abbie Gomez, living a life untouched by the darkness I inhabited.I sighed, feeling oddly empty. What the hell was I so sad about? I shouldn’t be sulking over the fact that I scared Ruby just because she discovered I was a vampire. Kylie had reacted similarly, and look at her now—she was in love with me. So why was I worried at all?Resolutely,

Chapter 36

[LUNA]I never expected Ruby to step foot in the mansion again. Yet here she was, sitting in on our Camorra meeting. I anticipated it being awkward. After everything that had happened, she should have still been panicking. Instead, she was perfectly calm—she even smiled at me. What the hell happened? Had James enlightened her? Had she finally accepted me for who I am? I glanced at James, and he was just as unbothered as the rest of them. It felt like I was the only one on edge in the entire room. Ruby was driving me crazy and turning my life upside down. Just being around her threatened to ruin all of my plans, but I let it happen anyway. That was the worst part.I decided it was time to get myself back on track.I raised my hand, catching everyone’s attention. My father gave a curt nod, permitting me to speak. "What are our plans for expansion?" I asked. Confusion rippled across the room. My father’s expression rema