Bound to the vampire I must kill-Chapter 41: Surrender

Chapter 41

Holofira’s laughter rang through the air, raw and bitter. The sound seemed to cut through the Dragon King’s fury, his golden eyes narrowing in confusion as he halted mid-strike. Rhydian and Seraphina glanced at her in shock, both uncertain of what had just changed.

Holofira wiped the corner of her mouth, where a thin line of blood had begun to form, and looked straight into the Dragon King’s burning eyes. There was no fear left—only resignation.

"You never change," she whispered, her voice trembling but firm. "Still the same arrogant, possessive monster who thinks the world revolves around him."

The Dragon King stiffened, his jaw clenching. "Watch your tongue, woman," he growled, his voice low and deadly. "I have every right to reclaim what’s mine."

She scoffed, folding her arms over her chest despite the way her hands still shook. "I was never yours. You only wanted to control me—like a trophy to show off. You never loved me, not truly."

The air around them thickened with tension, and Rhydian could see the way the Dragon King’s hands trembled—whether from rage or something else, he couldn’t tell.

"You’re wrong," the Dragon King spat, his tone dripping with venom. "I gave you everything—power, immortality, a kingdom. And you threw it all away for a lowly vampire."

Holofira shook her head slowly, her gaze filled with both pity and determination. "You never gave me freedom. You never cared about my happiness. All you wanted was to keep me caged by your side, like some prized possession."

The Dragon King’s face twisted, his teeth bared as he took a menacing step forward. "You were mine to protect!"

"No," Holofira said firmly, her eyes glinting with a fierceness that hadn’t been there before. "I was mine to protect. You never understood that."

Silence stretched between them, and for a moment, the Dragon King’s rage seemed to falter, replaced by something almost vulnerable. But just as quickly as it came, it vanished, replaced by cold determination.

"I don’t care about your delusions," he hissed. "You will return to me, one way or another."

Holofira’s eyes softened, and she took a step closer, ignoring the dangerous aura that radiated from him. "You don’t get it, do you?" she whispered. "I was never happy with you. You never saw me as an equal, never asked what I wanted. And when I finally found the courage to leave, you hunted me down like prey. That’s not love. That’s obsession."

The Dragon King looked genuinely stunned for a moment, his fury wavering. Holofira took a deep breath, her shoulders sagging with exhaustion.

"If you really loved me, you would let me go," she said quietly, looking him straight in the eyes. "But you never did. And now... I’m done running. If taking me back means killing my son and his mate, then just kill me now."

Rhydian’s eyes widened, and he moved to protest, but Holofira shot him a look that stopped him cold.

"I won’t let you harm them," she continued, stepping in front of Rhydian and Seraphina. "They’re my family. If you truly have any love left for me, then spare them. I’ll go with you. I’ll do whatever you want."

The Dragon King’s expression hardened, and his eyes blazed with a mixture of pain and fury. "You’re willing to throw away your life for them?"

Holofira nodded without hesitation. "Yes. If it means they live, I’ll go with you willingly."

The Dragon King remained silent, his gaze flickering between Holofira’s resolute face and Rhydian’s defiant stance. Finally, he let out a harsh, guttural laugh, the sound bitter and defeated.

"You’re still the same foolish woman," he muttered. "Always putting others before yourself."

He took a step back, his form shifting as scales briefly shimmered over his skin. "Fine," he bit out. "But know this, Holofira—your choice will haunt you. I will take you, but if they interfere again, I will not hesitate to burn them alive."

Holofira bowed her head, tears welling in her eyes as she whispered, "I understand."

Rhydian stepped forward, fury blazing in his gaze. "You can’t just take her! She’s not your property!"

The Dragon King didn’t even glance at him. "You’re not worth my time, boy. Stay out of my way, or I’ll make sure you never get up again."

Before Rhydian could lunge at him, Holofira grabbed his arm, stopping him with a pleading look. "Please, Rhydian. Don’t make this worse."

He gritted his teeth, rage and helplessness boiling inside him. "Mother..."

She offered him a sad smile. "It’s okay. I’m not afraid. Take care of Seraphina. Live your life... and be happy. That’s all I ever wanted for you."

The Dragon King moved closer, grabbing Holofira’s arm. She didn’t resist, only giving Rhydian one last, loving look. Without another word, flames engulfed them both, and they vanished into the sky, leaving Rhydian and Seraphina standing in the smoldering remains of the forest clearing.

Rhydian stared at the empty space where his mother had just been, his heart shattering in his chest. He wanted to scream, to tear the world apart, but Seraphina’s soft, shaky breath grounded him. He turned to her, gathering her into his arms as she leaned against him, her energy waning.

"She... left to protect you," Seraphina whispered, her voice weak but comforting.

Rhydian pressed his forehead to hers, swallowing the lump in his throat. "I couldn’t do anything... I couldn’t save her," he choked out, guilt eating at him.

Seraphina cupped his cheek, forcing him to meet her gaze. "She made her choice. We’ll get her back... I promise."

Seraphina couldn’t help but stare at Rhydian, her heart twisting at the raw vulnerability on his face. She’d always seen him as this relentless, unfeeling monster—someone driven purely by rage and power. But now, seeing him like this, she realized how wrong she’d been. He wasn’t just some ruthless warrior. He was a son—a son who loved his mother just as fiercely as anyone else.

The realization struck her hard. How many times had she cursed him, convinced herself that he was incapable of feeling anything beyond hatred and violence? And yet, here he was, holding back his pain, struggling to maintain control when his world was falling apart. Maybe she’d been too blinded by her own anger and resentment to see the truth.

A war between their clans—a feud that had lasted centuries. She’d always believed it was justified, that it was simply their duty to hate one another. But looking at Rhydian now, she couldn’t help but wonder—what was the point of it all? Had they been fighting so long that they’d forgotten why they hated each other in the first place?

What was the purpose of all this bloodshed? Of tearing families apart? If someone as fierce as Rhydian could love, could break down like this, then what did that say about the war itself?

Seraphina bit her lip, guilt creeping into her thoughts. Maybe she’d been too quick to judge him. Maybe there was more to his story than she’d bothered to understand. He wasn’t just the enemy prince—he was a person, shaped by the same losses and heartbreaks as anyone else.

She glanced at his hand, still clutching hers like a lifeline. Slowly, she tightened her grip, grounding him. Maybe they weren’t so different after all. They’d both been caught in a war they didn’t start, chained to expectations they never asked for.

Seraphina swallowed the lump in her throat, determination hardening her resolve. She couldn’t change the past or undo the damage their clans had done to each other, but she could choose differently now. She wasn’t going to let hatred blind her anymore.

Rhydian finally looked at her, his eyes searching hers—maybe for reassurance, maybe for understanding. She gave him a small nod. They didn’t need to say anything, but something changed between them.