Claimed by the vampire prince

Chapter 406: Chapter 406

Circe felt a chill crawl down her spine.

"You will replace your mother," Dena continued, extending one hand toward her in invitation. "That is what you were born to do. It is your destiny. You were meant for greatness, Circe. None of it involves being shackled to one of those blood-sucking leeches."

Her outstretched hand remained suspended between them.

"You do not belong in this realm," Dena murmured. "Take my hand and come with me. Once we reclaim our power, the three of us will rule together."

Circe lowered her gaze slowly to the offered hand. For a moment, she hesitated. Every instinct inside her screamed that this was a trap. But the images of Ragnar, her brother, and the others alone somewhere within this cave flashed through her mind. She had no other choice.

Slowly, she slipped her hand into Dena’s. The moment their skin touched, Circe struck. She tore the lid off her power.

Magic exploded out of her like a dam collapsing beneath a tidal wave. Raw, violent energy surged through her veins as she forced it outward, driving it straight into Dena with brutal force.

Dena’s smile had widened the moment their hands met, as though she believed the choice had already been made.

But the instant Circe called upon her power, the air between them shifted.

Dena’s smug expression faltered.

"What—"

Circe’s fingers tightened around her wrist.

"You really thought I came here to bargain?" She said coldly.

The ground beneath them shuddered as a wave of blackened magic burst outward from Circe’s body. The cerulean pool behind them rippled violently as if something deep within it had been disturbed.

The cavern trembled with the sudden release of power. This was more magic than Circe had ever wielded in her life. Even the devastating surge she had unleashed to kill Irah in the forest seemed insignificant compared to this. The power raging through her now was wild, untamed, and ferocious, an uncontrollable storm that lashed outward with savage intensity.

It slammed into Dena like a physical blow.

But Dena recovered quickly. With startling speed, she jerked backward and threw up a shimmering shield of magic between them. The barrier flared to life just in time to intercept the next wave of Circe’s assault.

Still, Circe did not relent. Rage had already consumed her. She drove her power against the shield again and again, each strike crashing against it with violent force. The impact cracked through the cave like thunder. Jagged fractures spread across the barrier, glowing faintly where Circe’s magic ate through it piece by piece.

Dena braced herself, both hands raised now as she struggled to hold the shield together. Her shield groaned under the pressure as the cracks widened rapidly.

Soon the barrier cracked and splintered beneath the strain of their clashing magic. The moment it collapsed, Circe rushed at her without restraint, the cave’s magic somehow fueling hers.

And with every harsh blow, something strange began to happen.

Dena’s once solid form began to flicker.

Her body wavered like a distorted reflection in rippling water, blinking in and out of existence as Circe’s magic battered against her defenses. frёewebnoѵel.ƈo๓

The death magic had already taken hold.

Dark veins of power crawled beneath Dena’s skin where Circe had held her moments ago, spreading up her arm like ink through water. The air filled with the sharp scent of rot as the magic began to drain the life slowly from her.

Dena gasped, her body jolting as the magic tore through her.

"You—"

Circe stepped closer, her eyes blazing with fury.

"You used my brother. You harmed those people. You dragged them here like livestock," she said, her voice steady despite the storm raging inside her. "Did you really believe I would willingly follow you after that?"

Dena’s free hand shot forward, trying to strike her, but Circe blocked the blow by grabbing her by the arm.

A sickening crack echoed through the cave. Dark tendrils coiled around Dena’s body, pinning her limbs as the death magic continued to spread. The glow in the woman’s eyes was slowly siphoned from her.

Dena struggled violently, her fingers clawing at Circe’s wrist.

"You... foolish girl," she rasped. "If I die... your husband will never leave this cave..."

Circe’s jaw tightened.

"Then I suppose you’d better start talking," she replied. The pressure of her magic intensified.

Dena’s scream tore through the cavern as the death magic dug deeper, ripping through her strength piece by piece. The pool behind them churned violently now, the water turning darker with each pulse of power.

Circe leaned into her slightly. "Where are they?" freewёbnoνel.com

Dena’s body trembled beneath the weight of the magic crushing her. For the first time since they had met, the smug confidence in her eyes was fully wiped off. She could no doubt see their odds and the chances of Circe over powering her now was high.

Dena broke from her hold and staggered back.

"You are acting recklessly," She hissed, though the words carried less certainty now. "You have no idea what you are meddling with."

"Answer me!" Circe snapped. "Why do you hate vampires so much? What have they ever done to deserve what you did to them?" Her breathing had grown slow and heavy, her chest rising and falling as the darkness that lived within her responded eagerly to her anger. The power in the cave swirled around her.

"Their existence is an abomination," Dena spat. "Those foul creatures are a stain on this land that must be wiped away. Do you even know how they came to live here in the human realm? How many people they slaughtered to seize control of this land? The ground itself is soaked with the blood of their victims. If you listen closely, you might even hear the restless fragments of innocent souls still lingering, begging for retribution, eager to see the monsters who harmed them destroyed for good."

The glowing lines of light appeared, only this time they seemed to be everywhere. They crawled along the stone floor and climbed the walls before gathering again around Circe’s outstretched hand, a sneer curling her lips.

Dena’s eyes widened slightly as she felt the shift. "No!" She snapped. "You would destroy everything here! Those captives you came to save will die with me!"

Circe’s jaw tightened. "I don’t believe you."

Dark tendrils lashed around Dena’s body, striking her with brutal force and sending her crashing back against the stone wall. The impact knocked the breath from her lungs. Before she could recover, another wave of power slammed into her.

She knew that Circe was going to kill her and if she stayed there, she wouldn’t survive the fight. Her form flickered again, her body blinking in and out of existence like a flame struggling against a strong wind.

"I gave you back your powers. I showed you how to use them and this is how you repay me?" Dena snarled, sounding like a caged feral animal.

"You started this," Circe said.

Dena retaliated with an attack of her own but Circe met it head-on and her power was stronger.

Dena was lifted clear off the ground before being hurled across the rocky floor. She landed hard, sliding several feet before coming to a stop.

After a brief moment, Dena slowly pushed herself up onto one knee.

Circe stood a few paces away. "You wanted me here," She said darkly. "Well... here I am."