CHAPTER 235: I GOT THE INVITE TOO

[ Calareth - Newly established Bloodfang Headquarters ]

Alpha Velor sat hunched at his desk, the chamber lit by the subtle pulse of the scroll unfurled before him.

Its bluish glow washed across his face, highlighting the deep grooves of his frown. Shadows pooled beneath his eyes, making him look as though he hadn’t slept in days.

The scroll’s symbols shifted faintly, glowing brighter and then dimming as if alive, breathing. The glow crept across the desk, spilling onto his hands, making his knuckles appear like carved marble.

At his feet however, a lower drawer of the oak desk sat ajar, and from it, a different light seeped...molten red...dark crimson.

It too had a similar pulse, like the blue one from the scroll. The crimson glow climbed his boots, licking the hem of his trousers until his entire silhouette was bathed in both hues, blue and red warring over his brooding features.

Velor’s jaw tightened as he stared at the two lights reflecting against each other on his skin...ice and flame.

He reached down unconsciously, brushing his fingertips over the edge of the drawer where the crimson crystal hummed softly, as though calling to him... jealous because he was paying the blue more attention.

That’s when the muffled thud of hurried steps echoed down the hallway.

A sharp, familiar huff carried past the guards, followed by a flurry of fabric and the clink of jewelry. Velor stiffened, snapping upright. With a swift kick, he nudged the lower drawer shut, snuffing out the crimson glow instantly.

The room fell back under the cold dominion of blue.

"Niva..." His voice softened as the door burst open.

She stumbled inside, her cheeks flushed from rushing, strands of dark hair slipping loose from her high bun. The guards outside tried to follow, but she had already swept past them, slamming the door closed with a loud thud.

Velor rose at once, abandoning the scroll.

He moved forward, immediately enveloping her in his arms, pressing her against his chest. His warmth was uncharacteristic, and she leaned into it instantly, a small, hopeful smile tugging at her lips.

"What’s the matter, Velor?" she asked breathlessly, her palms pressing against his tunic. "I came rushing the moment I got your message!" Her laughter was almost girlish as her eyes searched his face. "I thought you were keeping me away from Calareth, shutting me out of everything... but here you are, calling me the moment you set foot here...I thought..."

Her words faltered. The smile froze on her lips as her gaze flickered past his shoulder. Her pupils dilated as the strange light drew her in.

The scroll still lay open on the desk, its bluish glow pulsing steadily like a beacon. The runes shimmered with an otherworldly rhythm, casting strange shadows across the study walls.

"What’s..." Niva’s voice trembled, her body stiffening in his arms. She leaned back slightly, her fingers curling into his sleeves. "What’s that, Velor?"

Her breath caught audibly. Her tone shifted...no longer filled with excitement, but with the weight of suspicion, dread curling at the edges of her voice.

Velor’s hand tightened reflexively on her arm, as though to anchor her where she stood. His eyes, dark as obsidian, flicked to the scroll, then back to her face as he took her hand.

Velor looked into her questioning eyes though his gaze betrayed the storm beneath.

His lips parted slowly, as if hesitant.

"It’s..." he began carefully, as his eyes drifted back to the glowing parchment. "It’s an invitation."

Niva blinked, confusion mingling with suspicion at this point. "Invitation? From whom?"

Velor’s jaw flexed as he released her hand and moved towards the desk. His fingers hovered just above the scroll, never quite touching the light. "From the Old World," he murmured. "From... a force recently awakened...and apparently already making a lot of noise."

The blue runes flickered as if in answer, casting their glow deeper into the lines of his face. His shoulders squared, though his voice softened. "It’s calling every power, every faction that still dares breathe. And it reached me too."

Niva didn’t move.

Her breath quickened as she followed the light’s rhythm with wide eyes, the pulse reflected in her irises. "Velor..." she whispered, her voice almost fraying. "That glow. Don’t tell me you haven’t noticed it."

He turned, his brows knitting, but she pressed on, her hand trembling as it lifted towards the scroll.

"It’s the same," she said sharply, her tone now cut with certainty. "The same as that ore you used to pull from the tunnels of Calareth...from that underground cave. That same... cursed substance." Her eyes snapped to him. "Isn’t it?"

Velor stilled.

His throat worked, muscles in his jaw tightening as though chewing on the truth. Finally, with a long exhale, he dropped his gaze.

"...Yes." The word left him like a confession. He turned back towards the desk. "It does indeed feel the same. The same pulse, the same allure.As if both are born from the same source...the same origin. "

He paused.Then he looked back at her, his eyes sharp with resolve. "That’s why I have to go, Niva. To this... gathering. To find out what ties them. And what it means for us."

Niva’s hands flew to his collar, clutching the fabric tight. Her voice broke with raw urgency. "No, Velor! You can’t go! Don’t you see? It could be a trap. A lure. What if they already know what you have been mining...and want to..." She pulled him down closer, her forehead brushing his. "Don’t go. Please. Don’t.It doesn’t feel too good. "

Her plea lingered in the silence. Desperate.

Velor’s lips curved slowly into a smirk. His hand rose, brushing a loose strand of hair from her flushed cheek. For a moment, his eyes softened...then hardened again with a dangerous gleam.

In one swift motion, he yanked her hands from his collar and crushed his mouth against hers.

He kissed her fiercely...all consuming, his free hand locking at the small of her back.

He subtly pulled away, his breath hot against her lips, his voice a low growl laced with amusement.

"I know.That’s why I need you to come with me. You can keep an eye on me while I flirt around. I am dying for some adrenaline, baby."

Before Niva could answer,he pulled her back into another violent kiss.