ETERNAL BONDS

ETERNAL BONDS

Gabi Cizzaro

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Blurb: Cassandra Duvall has dedicated her life to hunting down the creatures that shattered her family: vampires. Faced with a mission that deposits her in front of Julian Cross - a rogue vampire who is fighting against the oppressive rule of the ancient and vicious Valerian Arkane - she must decide whether to hold on to her desire for revenge or team up to confront a greater evil. As secrets are revealed and unlikely alliances are forged, Cassandra finds herself inexplicably drawn to Julian, despite her better judgment. But in a world of everlasting shadows, where betrayal waits around every corner, she'll have to choose if her blossoming bond with Julian is worth the ultimate sacrifice - or if she'll make the mistake of losing humanity's final chance of survival.

Chapter 1 Blood on Her Hands

Cassandra's boots made no sound on the cracked pavement as she moved through the alley, the flickering light from the streetlamp casting a weak glow on her path. Her senses were sharp, honed by years of training, and the air around her felt heavy with the stench of decay. The city, at least in this forgotten part, was a graveyard. Abandoned buildings lined the streets, their dark windows like dead eyes watching her every step.

She had been hunting for hours, tracking the scent of blood and the unmistakable presence of the creature she sought-a vampire.

Her grip tightened around the handle of her blade, the steel glinting in the dim light. It wasn't a weapon meant for subtlety or grace. It was meant for one thing: death.

Her family's death.

She closed her eyes for a moment, allowing herself the briefest of memories-her mother's laughter, her father's warm embrace, her brother's teasing smile. And then the fire. The screams. The blood. The vampires who had torn them apart. That was when Cassandra Duvall was born-no longer a daughter, but a hunter, a soldier in the war that raged between humanity and the creatures of the night.

Her target tonight was one of Valerian Arkane's most trusted lieutenants, a vampire named Aldric who had been causing havoc in the city. He was powerful, a brute who fed on fear as much as blood. She'd tracked him for weeks, and tonight, she would end it.

The alley opened into an abandoned warehouse, the door hanging loosely from its hinges. Cassandra didn't hesitate. She moved swiftly, her body pressed low against the walls, her eyes scanning for movement. The scent of vampire blood lingered in the air-faint, but unmistakable. She could feel him nearby.

A soft click echoed from behind her, and Cassandra spun around, her blade raised. But it was too late.

A figure stepped from the shadows. He was tall, dressed in black, with hair that fell in dark waves around his face. His eyes gleamed red in the darkness. A vampire. But not the one she sought.

"No need to be so jumpy, little hunter," the vampire said with a smirk, his voice smooth and cold.

Cassandra didn't lower her blade. "Who are you?" she demanded, eyes narrowing.

"I'm the one who just saved your life," he replied, stepping closer, his hands raised in mock surrender. "Aldric was about to crush your skull."

"You're lying," Cassandra spat. "I had him right where I wanted him."

The vampire tilted his head, as if considering her. "You think you can handle him? I know you're good, but you're not that good."

"I don't need your help," she shot back.

His smile faded into something darker. "I wasn't offering. I was just stating facts."

The vampire stepped closer, his gaze never leaving hers. "The truth is, you're walking blind, Cassandra. You think Aldric's the real threat? He's nothing compared to what's coming. And what's coming? It's bigger than you, bigger than anyone." He tilted his head, studying her like a puzzle he couldn't quite solve. "You think you're hunting vampires? You're playing a game you don't understand. You want to take down Valerian Arkane? You'll need more than just your rage to stop him."

Cassandra's grip on her blade tightened. "Don't waste my time with riddles. Who the hell are you?"

The vampire raised an eyebrow, unfazed. "Julian Cross." His name hung in the air, and something about it made Cassandra pause. It wasn't the name itself, but the way he said it-as though it meant something more than just an introduction. As though it held weight.

"Cross?" she muttered, her voice laced with suspicion. "I've heard of you. You're the rogue."

Julian didn't flinch. "You could say that. Rogue, rebel, outcast-I've been called worse." He stepped even closer, his shadow swallowing hers. "But in this world, we all have to choose sides eventually. You can keep fighting this war on your own, but you won't win. Valerian Arkane has been playing this game for centuries. And right now? He's winning. The longer you fight alone, the more people like Aldric you'll face. You'll die thinking you've made a difference, but you won't have even scratched the surface."

Cassandra's heart raced. His words stirred something inside her-something she had buried for years. Doubt. She couldn't afford doubt. She wouldn't.

"I don't need anyone," she snapped, her voice hard. "I've been fighting this war since I was a child. Alone. And I've seen what happens when you trust vampires."

Julian's smile was cold, almost pitying. "You don't get it. The vampires you've been hunting aren't the real threat. Valerian is. And he's more dangerous than anything you've faced."

Cassandra hesitated. She could feel the weight of his words, could sense that there was more to this than just a rogue vampire trying to save his own skin. But she had no reason to trust him. None.

"I'm not asking you to trust me," Julian said, reading her mind. "I'm just telling you that you don't have much of a choice. If you keep going down this path, you'll end up dead or worse. And then Valerian wins. Again."

Cassandra's jaw clenched. She wanted to strike him, to end this conversation with a blow to his throat, but something inside her-something deep down-knew he wasn't lying.

"What do you want from me?" she asked, her voice quieter now, filled with suspicion and reluctant curiosity.

"I want you to survive," Julian said softly, his gaze intense. "And if you want to stop Valerian, you're going to need help. Mine."

For a long moment, they stood there, the sound of distant city traffic the only noise between them. Cassandra's mind raced. She couldn't trust him, not yet. But she also couldn't ignore the gut feeling that told her he was right.

"If I work with you," she said slowly, "I'm not doing it because I trust you. I'm doing it because you might be the only chance I have to stop Valerian."

Julian's lips curved into a faint smile. "That's a start."

Before Cassandra could speak again, Julian turned sharply, stepping back into the shadows. "We don't have much time. Valerian's plans are already in motion. Follow me, or keep hunting on your own. It's your choice, but remember-time's running out."

And just like that, he disappeared into the night.

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Chapters
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ETERNAL BONDS
1

Chapter 1 Blood on Her Hands

11/02/2025

2

Chapter 2 Reluctant Allies

11/02/2025

3

Chapter 3 Unlikely Bonds

11/02/2025

4

Chapter 4 Into the Abyss

11/02/2025

5

Chapter 5 The Web Tightens

11/02/2025

6

Chapter 6 Betrayal in the Dark

11/02/2025

7

Chapter 7 Secrets Beneath the Surface

11/02/2025

8

Chapter 8 A Web of Deception

11/02/2025

9

Chapter 9 Betrayal's Sting

11/02/2025

10

Chapter 10 Into the Lion's Den

11/02/2025

11

Chapter 11 Unveiling the Darkness

11/02/2025

12

Chapter 12 Bonds in the Shadows

11/02/2025

13

Chapter 13 The Revelation Beneath

11/02/2025

14

Chapter 14 The Chains of Destiny

11/02/2025

15

Chapter 15 Echoes of Betrayal

11/02/2025

16

Chapter 16 The Betrayer's Mark

11/02/2025

17

Chapter 17 Veins of Deception

11/02/2025

18

Chapter 18 The Guardian's Wrath

11/02/2025

19

Chapter 19 Betrayal in the Shadows

11/02/2025

20

Chapter 20 The Echoes of Power

11/02/2025

21

Chapter 21 Fractured Alliances

11/02/2025

22

Chapter 22 The Bargain in the Shadows

11/02/2025

23

Chapter 23 Unseen Ties

11/02/2025

24

Chapter 24 Secrets Beneath the Sanctuary

11/02/2025

25

Chapter 25 The Guardian's Test

11/02/2025

26

Chapter 26 unleashing the ties that bind

11/02/2025

27

Chapter 27 The Price of Power

11/02/2025

28

Chapter 28 Unveiling the Secrets

11/02/2025

29

Chapter 29 The Ties That Bind

09/03/2025

30

Chapter 30 The Heart's Reckoning

09/03/2025

31

Chapter 31 The Quiet Before the Storm

09/03/2025

32

Chapter 32 The Breaking Point

09/03/2025

33

Chapter 33 Price of the Abyss

09/03/2025

34

Chapter 34 The Threshold

09/03/2025

35

Chapter 35 The Mirror's Reflection

09/03/2025

36

Chapter 36 The Path Unveiled

09/03/2025

37

Chapter 37 The Final Choice

09/03/2025

38

Chapter 38 The Storm Before the Calm

09/03/2025

39

Chapter 39 Unraveling the Truth

09/03/2025

40

Chapter 40 The False Ally

09/03/2025