Blood Dominion Council — Vampire POV
Deep beneath a mountain carved by centuries of shadow, the council chamber of the Blood Dominion stood silent.
Ancient stone pillars rose like blackened fangs toward a vaulted ceiling etched with runes older than most kingdoms on earth. Crimson flames burned in iron braziers along the walls, their light reflecting against the polished obsidian floor like pools of fresh blood.
At the center of the chamber stood a circular table of dark marble.
Five seats.
Four were occupied.
The fifth—at the head of the table—remained empty.
None of the vampires seated around the table dared sit in it.
That throne belonged to only one being.
Valerios Valdoz.
King of the Blood Dominion.
The first of the ancient pure-bloods.
The vampire who had walked this world for more than a thousand years.
And he had not been seen in decades.
The silence in the chamber stretched until finally one of the council members spoke.
