The Von Horitzburg family gathering winds down like an old opera. What began as a formal event thick with tension and elegant side-eyes has turned into an impromptu reception for one person… Vanessa Moonblood.
Lucien stands at her side like a guard and a tour guide, gently ushering one black-clad vampire socialite after another to greet the new guest of honor.
It's become painfully obvious that Vaela is no longer just Lucien's guest. She's an exotic, radiant anomaly in a world of icy elegance, and they're all desperate to taste her sunshine.
"Vaela, this is my second cousin, Tobias. He runs the biotech arm of the family's pharma division," Lucien says, gesturing toward a tall man with crimson eyes and slicked-back hair.
"Enchanted," Tobias purrs, offering her a velvet box with an obsidian pendant. "A token of our appreciation. And perhaps a reason to visit the R&D wing sometime. It tends to get rather… lonely."