The hall was circular, its ceiling lost in shadow. Five thrones of black stone formed a half-moon at the far end, each occupied by one of the Elders the most powerful vampire lords still walking the world.
They were not united by loyalty.
Only by ambition.
Lord Malrec Thorne sat at the center. Broad-shouldered, scarred, his crimson eyes burned with open brutality. He ruled through fear and bloodshed, known for razing human settlements simply to make a point.
To his right lounged Lady Seraphyne, now seated among them her earlier warmth gone, replaced by predatory calm. She was beautiful, brilliant, and lethal, rumored to orchestrate wars without ever lifting a blade.
Beside her sat Lord Vaelis Crowmoor, thin and sharp-featured, his smile never reaching his eyes. A master manipulator, he dealt in secrets, poisons, and whispered betrayals. Empires had fallen because Vaelis smiled at the right moment.
