Barking

Damien Nevermore, The Vampire King

The car sped out of the Hearts Manor gates, leaving a trail of dust that settled like a shroud over the manicured lawns. I cast one final, desperate glance back at the house, the silhouette of Isabella a fading memory against the moonlit sky. Then, with a resigned sigh, I turned my attention ahead.

It was nearly an hour's drive from Lilac City to the Capitol. Leaving the Hearts Estate behind, the scenery morphed swiftly. Gone were the rolling hills and quaint farmhouses that mimicked Isabella's hometown of Meadow Brook. Here, the landscape transitioned abruptly into a sprawling urban center. Lilac City Central, the closest major hub to the secluded Hearts Manor, boasted modern, towering structures piercing the night sky. Their glass facade……