"Lucien."
The moment Valerian uttered it, realization struck him like lightning. He gritted his teeth, his hands curling into fists as rage boiled beneath his skin. "Lucien? Lucien Blood? The lord of the noble Blood vampire households? Have you lost your mind, Stephany?!"
"Brother, please, just listen to me—"
"Do you even understand what you're saying?!" His voice rose like a storm, shaking the very air between them. "These creatures murdered our parents. Our ancestors! Thousands of our kind! And now you—" He took a sharp breath, struggling to contain the fury burning through him. "How could you betray us like this?"
Stephany's spine stiffened. Through her tears, she met his blazing gaze with defiance. "We killed them too, brother. Don't pretend we're the only righteous ones."
His head snapped toward her, eyes darkening with something dangerous.
"What did you just say?"
