The night air felt heavier after those words.
"The Blood Council wishes to meet its king."
Valentina Draven stood at the doorway like a queen delivering a royal decree.
Elegant.
Calm.
And certain that the world would bend around her.
Behind her, the five enforcers of House Draven remained silent, unmoving like statues carved from shadow and blood.
No wasted motion.
No unnecessary aggression.
Professionals.
Dangerous ones.
Beside me, Father's presence felt like a drawn blade.
Silent.
Controlled.
Ready.
Seraphina's crimson eyes had narrowed into thin lines.
Liliana looked relaxed, but the slight tension in her fingers betrayed the truth.
Even she took the Blood Council seriously.
That alone told me enough.
I crossed my arms.
"And if I decline?"
Valentina smiled.
Not kindly.
"Then the Council will become… curious."
I almost laughed.
Curious.
Such a polite word for organised violence.
Father spoke before I could answer.
"He's not going."
His voice was flat.
Absolute.
Valentina turned her ruby eyes toward him.
For a moment, the room grew colder.
The Hunter of Black Cathedral.
Lady of House Draven.
Two monsters from an older world are looking at each other across the same doorway.
Interesting.
She tilted her head slightly.
"You always were stubborn, Rajveer."
Mother, still standing near the stairs with my sisters, stiffened at how casually Valentina used his name.
So she really knew him.
Personally.
That meant history.
Dangerous history.
Father's gaze didn't move.
"And you always enjoyed arriving where trouble begins."
Liliana muttered under her breath,
"That sounds less like enemies and more like divorced nobles."
Kavya, somehow still functioning in this madness, whispered loudly,
"I was thinking the same thing."
Even Seraphina looked like she was trying not to react.
Valentina actually laughed.
A soft, amused sound.
"Your daughters are delightful."
Father looked unimpressed.
"Focus."
She sighed dramatically.
"Fine."
Then her ruby eyes returned to me.
This time, there was no playful elegance.
Only seriousness.
"The Blood Council governs balance among vampire houses."
Her voice lowered.
"When a true king awakens, balance breaks."
She stepped forward slightly.
"Some want to protect you."
Her eyes flickered briefly toward Seraphina and Liliana.
"Some want to control you."
Then toward the dark street behind her.
"And some want you dead before you can take the throne."
That sounded more honest.
Better.
I preferred honesty.
I leaned against the doorframe.
"So this invitation is actually a test."
Valentina smiled.
"Good."
She nodded once.
"You really are different from what they expected."
Of course I was.
They expected a frightened boy.
A weak vessel.
Someone grateful to be chosen.
Instead—
They got me.
The assassin king.
I asked quietly,
"What happens if I go?"
Seraphina answered first.
"The Council will judge whether you are worthy."
Liliana added,
"And every major vampire house will be watching."
Valentina's voice was smooth.
"And if they decide you are weak…"
She let the silence finish the sentence.
No need for words.
Death.
Political execution.
Royal disposal.
Classic.
I looked at Father.
He said nothing for a long moment.
Then—
"If you go, I go."
Simple.
Firm.
Not negotiable.
Mother stepped forward immediately.
"No."
Her voice shook, but it was strong.
"Absolutely not."
All eyes turned to her.
For the first time tonight, Meera Malhotra looked less like a warm mother and more like the woman who had stood beside a monster and chosen to stay.
"I allowed silence for years," she said.
"I accepted secrets."
Her eyes locked on Father.
"But I will not watch you walk back into that world alone."
The room went quiet.
Father's expression softened.
Just slightly.
Enough to show how much her words mattered.
He walked to her and gently held her hand.
"I know."
His voice was softer now.
"But if I don't stand beside him now…"
His gaze shifted to me.
"…then I fail as a father."
Something tightened in my chest.
Unfamiliar.
Annoying.
Human.
I hated it.
And yet—
I understood it perfectly.
Riya stepped closer.
Her eyes were already glassy.
"So what?"
She looked at me.
"At breakfast, we were normal."
She pointed at Seraphina and Liliana.
"Now, apparently, my brother is vampire royalty, Dad is a legendary hunter, and beautiful, dangerous women keep showing up like this is some supernatural marriage proposal."
Kavya nodded seriously.
"Honestly, my biggest issue is still that nobody explained why Aarav suddenly became this handsome."
Even Ananya sighed.
"I would also like an answer to that."
For one second—
The tension cracked.
A real laugh escaped me.
Unexpected.
Short.
But real.
Everyone looked at me.
Even Father smiled faintly.
Interesting.
Maybe this was what normal people fought to protect.
Not power.
Not revenge.
Moments like this.
Warm.
Messy.
Real.
Valentina watched all of it quietly.
Then she spoke.
"The council gathering is tomorrow night."
Back to reality.
Of course.
She reached into her coat and pulled out a black invitation card sealed with crimson wax.
Ancient symbols were pressed into it.
A crown.
Ten circles.
The same design as the ritual.
She handed it to me.
The moment I touched it—
The crescent mark on my neck pulsed.
Recognition.
Authority.
This invitation wasn't symbolic.
It was tied to blood.
Valentina stepped back.
"If you attend, the doors will open."
Her ruby eyes darkened.
"If you refuse… they will still come."
She turned to leave.
Then paused.
Without looking back, she said softly—
"For what it's worth… I hope you survive."
Then House Draven disappeared into the night.
Silence returned.
Heavy.
Final.
I looked at the invitation in my hand.
The Blood Council.
A gathering of monsters waiting to decide if I deserved to live.
Perfect.
That sounded exactly like home.
I looked at Father.
Then my family.
Then at the two women standing beside me.
Ten wives.
Ten clans.
Hunters.
Councils.
Bloodlines.
War.
This world was trying to drag me onto a throne.
Fine.
Let it try.
I smiled slowly.
Cold.
Certain.
"If they want to test their king…"
My fingers tightened around the invitation.
"Then let's give them a proper answer."
And for the first time—
Even Valentina's warning felt too small for what was coming.