The Vampire's Luna
Chapter 145: Bob Dylan - Masters Of War

Chapter 145: Bob Dylan - Masters Of War

"Yes. And then came the real battle."

"They were winning," Damien said. "They had the upper hand. Magnus was already weakened. The werewolf lines were falling, but then—then they retreated."

Luna’s brows furrowed. "So what was the point of the attack?"

Damien turned to her slowly. "That’s just it. What if the objective wasn’t the territory? What if it was the king himself?"

Luciver’s gaze darkened. "To kill Magnus?"

Damien nodded. "It would destabilize the wolves. And it did. Alpha Kyllian’s emotions have overridden his judgment. He’s hunting. Grieving. Blaming. He’s becoming vulnerable, reckless. If someone wanted to fracture both kingdoms from the inside... they did it."

Luna stepped forward. "You think someone wants war."

"I think someone wants chaos," Damien replied. "And they’re using both of our houses to get it."

"You can work with the commander of the army. I put them on high alert already," Luciver said, gesturing toward the settee near the far wall of the throne room.

Damien gave a curt nod but didn’t move immediately. Instead, he held on to Luna’s hand a little tighter, his thumb brushing across her knuckles. There was a flicker in his eye—a glint that meant this wasn’t just another military debrief.

"Actually," Damien began, glancing down at Luna before meeting his father’s gaze again, "we came to give you some good news." f .r e\ewebnov(e)(l).c om

The idea of anything remotely cheerful arriving at his doorstep in the midst of escalating tensions felt like a fantasy, a luxury he hadn’t dared hope for. "I would kill for some good news right now. Please, tell me." He sank into the settee.

"Luna is pregnant," Damien said simply, squeezing her hand. Even now, it didn’t quite feel real. But Luna’s smile was all the confirmation he needed.

Luciver’s sharp gaze widened. Then, his lips curved into a full, honest smile. A warm chuckle escaped him, shaking off the dust of grief and stress for just a heartbeat. "It is indeed splendid news," he said. "A child born of two of the strongest bloodlines. It is a blessing."

"Thank you, Father," Damien said, now guiding Luna to the seat beside him. She sat down, still somewhat hesitant, unsure how her pregnancy would be received in a kingdom where not everyone accepted her yet. But Luciver’s warmth was comforting.

"Two grandchildren! Ha ha! I am blessed." Luciver’s laughter echoed off the walls, a rare burst of genuine joy from the vampire king. He clapped his hands together once, a boyish gleam in his eyes. "Two!"

"Fuck," Damien muttered with a sigh, slouching slightly.

"What?" Luna asked, looking between the father and son.

"I totally forgot about Seliora," Damien said, dragging a hand down his face as though hoping it might erase the memory entirely.

"Well," Luciver said with an entirely too-casual tone, "I have been checking on her regularly. She seems okay. Handling pregnancy with grace."

"Thank you," Damien murmured. Beside him, Luna’s spine straightened a bit too much.

Luciver leaned forward, lacing his fingers together. "Since Seliora carries the heir to the throne, I guess there is no harm in announcing Luna’s pregnancy to the court."

"Of course," Damien agreed. He reached for Luna’s hand again, curling his fingers through hers. "We would still like to get married though."

"Oh thank the goddess...Immediately after your marriage, you both take the throne. I can’t wait to get some rest from all the madness."

He shook his head and added with dramatic flair, "May the goddess bless the two of you abundantly and your offspring even more—for their father has no idea what’s coming." He leaned back against the settee, rubbing his temple. "I am so happy for you both. We do need to find you a doctor familiar with werewolf anatomy."

"Ugh," Luna groaned softly. "I can’t think of any werewolf doctor that would want to be in Blood City especially now."

"True... true..." Luciver nodded, stroking his chin. "There should be someone in Blood City anyway. Someone who has some experience with werewolves."

Damien squeezed Luna’s hand and responded, "I will look around."

She turned her attention to Luciver, her eyes serious now. "Do you have word of when my father’s funeral will hold?"

Luciver sat up straighter, folding his hands on his lap. "Tomorrow night. Talon informed me," he said. "But as expected, we are not allowed in werewolf territory. I would have loved to pay my last respects."

Luciver sighed. "Your father was a great ally. One of the few who didn’t openly treat me like a monster. He helped keep peace longer than anyone expected. I hope this Kyllian figures things out quickly."

Damien leaned forward. "He won’t," he muttered under his breath.

Luna gave him a look. She knew Kyllian. But this wasn’t the time to discuss it.

Luciver rose to his feet and crossed to the window, peering out at the city beyond. "For now," he murmured, "let us plan joy where we can. A wedding. A baby. A future."

He turned back to Damien, smiling sadly. "Because the storm’s not over yet."

******

Luna stood at the top of the hill, watching the slow, mournful procession trailing through the heart of the werewolf kingdom. freew\ebno\vel..(c)om

From her vantage point, the entire kingdom bowed to say goodbye to their fallen king—her father. Alpha Magnus Sinclair. He had always been larger than life, a mountain of a man who led with both ferocity and reason, his presence thunderous even in silence.

She couldn’t let her father be laid to rest without seeing him one last time.

As the procession began its slow descent back toward the palace, Luna wiped a tear from her cheek and turned to leave the hill. The palace loomed beyond the treeline, and she’d need to take one of the old escape tunnels from the outer gardens if she wanted to slip in unnoticed. She knew every stone, every creaky board behind the walls. Childhood mischief had its advantages.

"I knew you would come," said a low, familiar voice, quiet as the wind rustling through the leaves.