The Vampire Lord’s Abandoned Thrall

I was Vampire Lord Bastian’s exclusive blood thrall. My blood was an addiction he just couldn't kick. But six years ago, an accidental blood pact left me pregnant. Yet, he never once allowed our half-blood son, Liam, to call him "Dad." After he blew off Liam’s birthday—again—for his pureblood companion Ophelia, I severed the pact. I took my son and walked out of his immortal life for good. The ever-so-elegant ancient vampire finally snapped. He tore into my empty lab, roaring, demanding to know where Liam and I had gone. But this time, neither Liam nor I would ever look back. Chapter 1 Completely done with my secret bloodmate, I handed in my resignation to his biotech company. It was time to leave for good. "Dr. Mercer, please reconsider." Mr. Hanson stared at the letter I slid across his desk. "You’re Evernight Biotech’s best blood chemist. Losing you would be a massive hit for us." I kept my professional smile. "I’m sorry, Mr. Hanson. But I’m transferring to the Supernatural Academy at our European headquarters next month." "Transferring?" He frowned. "Yes. My husband is stationed there, and I can’t keep raising Liam like a single mom." My voice was dead calm. "A six-year-old needs a real family." No one knew my real "husband" was Bastian anyway. Mr. Hanson’s face instantly softened. "I understand, Dr. Mercer. Being a single mom is hard. You’re our top blood chemist, but I won’t keep you from your family." He signed the paper. "Wishing you and your family the best." "Thank you." I turned and walked out, clutching the paper that would change everything. Six years of a secret blood pact. I was finally ending this pathetic one-woman show. Right outside the office, I ran into Bastian Thorne. The real CEO pulling the strings. Lord of the Thorne vampire clan. And the father of my child. Ophelia was right beside him. The stunning pureblood vampire was clinging tightly to his arm. In the human world, I was his perfect cover. To the public, I was Evernight's top blood chemist. But in the shadows, I was nothing more than his personal blood thrall. I had loved him in secret for five years, fully aware of the massive gap between our species and status. Until the chaos of the Blood Moon seven years ago. A rival clan dosed him with a poison that sent him into a blood-fueled frenzy. He pinned me down, and I lost myself in his desperate, frantic kisses. His fangs pierced my neck, sealing the ancient blood pact. That night gave me Liam. But for the six years since Liam was born, he never allowed the boy to call him "Dad." To him, Liam was just "that accident." As we brushed past each other, I couldn't help but gently tug at our blood bond. Bastian stopped and turned around. Those deep eyes looked at me. Ice cold. "Can I help you, Dr. Mercer?" Dr. Mercer. He used that title to keep me in my place. His subordinate. His employee. His dirty little secret blood bag. Nothing more. "Nothing." I gave a bitter smile and shook my head. "Sorry to bother you." Bastian gave a stiff nod and kept walking, like I was a total stranger. A bitter laugh died in my throat. I swallowed the words about my resignation. He wouldn't care anyway. A second later, my phone buzzed. A text from Liam. "Mom, is Dad coming home for my birthday today?" I looked up just in time to see Bastian gently holding Ophelia’s waist. They were laughing, heading toward his private blood vault. His entire focus was on her. I gripped my phone and texted him: "Bastian, it’s Liam’s birthday tonight. Are you free?" Down the hall, I saw him check his phone. Less than three seconds later, his expression went blank, and he locked his screen. Looking at the unanswered text, I just laughed at myself. Wake up, Aveline, I thought. You should’ve known there’s no place for you in his immortal life. What were you even hoping for? I shoved the phone in my pocket, took a deep breath, and walked away. You’ll be free soon, Bastian. Three hours later, I picked Liam up from school. "Mom! Is Dad coming home tonight?" He threw himself into my arms, eyes full of hope. My nose stung. I was on the verge of tears. I steadied my voice, trying to make an excuse. "Your dad is..." Before I could finish, my phone buzzed again. A short, cold text from Bastian: "Free. Will be home." My heart skipped a beat. "He's coming." I hugged my boy tight. "Dad said he’ll be home for your birthday!" Liam’s smile outshone the stars. "Really? He’s really coming?" "Yes." I nodded firmly. "Mom promises." I started prepping the second we got home. Liam’s favorite fried chicken and cake. And for Bastian, a rare delicacy: "living blood," magically infused with pure life force. I even put on the dark blue dress he once complimented. "Mom, do you think Dad will like my gift?" Liam carefully placed a drawing on the table. It was a family portrait of the three of us. Bastian holding my hand, me holding Liam’s. All of us smiling. "He’ll love it." I stroked my son’s hair. "It’s the most beautiful gift in the world." But we waited all night. The food on the table got cold. The blood delicacy lost its fresh warmth. The birthday cake started melting. Liam sat in his chair, his tiny hands gripping the drawing, staring at the door. "Mom," his voice shook. "Does Dad have something more important to do?" It felt like my heart was being ripped apart, but I tried to comfort him. "Maybe it’s a clan emergency. He’ll be here soon." "Okay." Liam nodded, forcing a brave smile. "I’ll wait a little longer." At ten o'clock, I finally decided to light the candles. "Come here, baby. Make a wish." Just as I reached out, my phone pinged with a social media notification. Ophelia had just posted an update. "A wonderful date. Our shared full moon night." Chapter 2 The video showed a lavish private wine cellar. Flickering candles. I could almost smell the mix of red wine and fresh blood right through the screen. I stared dead at the familiar mark in the top right corner of the video—the mark on the back of Bastian’s left hand. It was supposed to be our blood pact mark. The sacred sigil every bonded vampire in the Thorne clan carried. But he had used an illusion to twist it into a black rose tattoo. It was his way of hiding our bond from the vampire elites—a public declaration to the entire supernatural world that he was single and ready for a more suitable match. On my son’s sixth birthday, Bastian was spending the full moon with another vampire. In that second, all my pain vanished into a weirdly numb calm. I opened the comments and casually hit "like." "Mom?" Liam’s voice snapped me back. "Come here, baby." I crouched down and lit his candles. "Make a wish." Liam closed his eyes and whispered, "I wish I could be with Mom forever." I snapped a picture of that moment. My thought of leaving just turned into absolute certainty. At 2 AM, a cloud of black mist materialized in our living room. Bastian stepped out of the shadows. A flash of regret crossed his eyes when he saw the leftover cake on the table. "Sorry. I forgot." His voice was hoarse. "Forgot?" I let out a soft laugh. "You’re getting quite forgetful, My Lord." I pulled the blood pact dissolution contract from under the coffee table and tossed it in front of him. I had paid a fortune to the witch coven for this parchment. The ancient rule was absolute: a pact between a thrall and their master could only be broken by the master's own blood. Before he could even look at the parchment, his phone rang. Ophelia’s panicked crying came through the speaker. "Bastian! My castle’s wards are broken! A rival clan is attacking! I’m so scared!" Bastian tensed up instantly, pure concern in his eyes as he stood up. "Don’t panic. I’m on my way." He didn't even glance at the contract. Assuming it was just some standard expense report or work file, he impatiently bit his thumb, dropped a drop of blood on it, and vanished into black mist. I looked at the glowing blood drop sealing the spell and shook my head with a bitter smile. Even breaking our blood pact was just a passing chore to him. The next day at work, Bastian handed me an exquisite ebony box. "To make up for Liam’s birthday." I opened the box and froze. Inside sat a dark-magic gargoyle amulet. Its wings fluttered, and its eyes glowed red. "Are you insane?" I slammed the box shut. When Liam was five, Bastian took him to the clan graveyard but got distracted talking to the elders. Liam wandered into the forbidden zone and was so traumatized by a rogue gargoyle that it permanently messed with his bloodline. He had been terrified of them ever since. And now, the man responsible was giving his son this. "What’s the problem?" Bastian frowned. "It’s the most sought-after amulet at the Old Market." I took a deep breath, fighting down my rage. "No problem. Thanks for the thought." "One more thing," Bastian said casually. "Ophelia’s castle needs repairs. She’ll be staying in the manor’s master wing for a few days. Take Liam on a trip. I’ll cover all expenses." "To avoid suspicion?" I glared at him. "Yes. We need to keep our distance in front of the other clan members." "Avoid suspicion?" I scoffed. "Or are my son and I just an embarrassment you need to hide away?" Bastian looked a little uncomfortable. "Aveline, you know that’s not what I meant." "I know." I stood up. "I’ll take Liam and go. Keep your money. We have a place to stay." "Aveline..." His tone softened. "If you need any compensation..." "I don't." I cut him off. "We don't need a damn thing." Back at the manor’s side wing, I started packing immediately. Liam quietly helped me fold things, not asking a single question. Just as we packed up to leave, I saw Bastian and Ophelia walking toward us. He wore a black trench coat. He looked like the perfect, caring partner. With a snap of his fingers, Ophelia’s luggage appeared in our room. Our eyes met. I saw a split second of panic in his gaze. Chapter 3 "Aveline?" Ophelia looked surprised. "Why are you in the Lord’s private chambers?" I instantly pulled Liam behind me. Before I could speak, Bastian cut in. "They were just staying here temporarily," he said, his voice cold and distant. "She’s my employee, after all. Just a temporary arrangement." Employee. The word pierced my heart like a silver stake. A six-year blood pact and a child, and we were still just boss and employee to him. Just then, Liam, with tears in his eyes, spoke up first. "Hello, Lord Thorne." His voice was shaking but clear. He even gave a perfect vampire bow. "Mom, let’s go." It felt like someone had just crushed my heart. My son. My sweet six-year-old boy, choosing to call his own father "Lord Thorne." "Let’s go, baby." I forced a smile and grabbed Liam’s hand tight. As we passed them, Bastian suddenly grabbed my arm. "What did he just call me?" he asked, sounding shocked and in disbelief. "Lord Thorne." I gave a mocking laugh. "Isn’t this what you’ve wanted for six years? Liam is just drawing the boundary you never had the guts to." A messy mix of emotions flashed in Bastian's eyes. "Give me a few days to explain..." "Explain what?" I glared at him. "Ophelia is waiting. Don’t keep her." He let go, completely reluctant. I dragged Liam forward without missing a beat. Right by the door, Bastian called out to us. "Wait." He pulled out a fancy cake box. "Happy late birthday, Liam." Ophelia suddenly chimed in. "Wait, isn’t that the cake you bought me yesterday?" The air in the room froze. Liam looked up at me, the last bit of hope draining from his eyes. "It’s fine," he whispered, trying way too hard to be mature. "Can we... share it?" Bastian nodded. "Of course." I took the box, opened it, and cut a small slice. Out of habit, I leaned in to smell it. My smile vanished. "Liam, get back!" I swatted the cake out of his hands in pure panic, sending it crashing to the floor. "Are you crazy?!" Bastian snapped. "It’s a Blood Brew cake!" Tears streamed down my face. "It’s poison to half-bloods! It would have destroyed his veins, Bastian! It could have KILLED him!" Bastian’s face went dead pale. Blood Brew was a pureblood delicacy, but it was pure poison to half-bloods. "I didn’t know... I didn’t think..." His voice trembled, all of his signature elegance completely gone. "I’m sorry. I really didn’t know..." Liam stared at the smashed cake on the floor. His hope was completely dead. He buried his face in my chest and whispered, "It’s okay, Mom. He couldn’t have known." That simple sentence was more lethal than any accusation. I scooped up my son without a second thought and marched toward the door. "Aveline, wait!" Bastian chased after us. "Let me explain..." "No need." I didn't even look back. "From now on, we won’t bother you anymore." This time, facing Bastian’s panicked and regretful stare, we didn't flinch. The next day, I cleared out my lab at the company. Research data, recipe notes, lab gear—I packed it all. Finally, I left the signed blood pact dissolution contract dead center on my desk. "Mom, are we really leaving?" Liam stood quietly by my side. "Yes." I knelt down and hugged him. "We’re going somewhere new to start fresh." "Will there be a dad there?" "Yes." I stroked his hair. "A dad who actually loves us." We headed to the underground supernatural terminal on the edge of the city. The night flight to Europe glowed with a faint blue light. I pulled out my phone and permanently deleted Bastian’s number. I cut him out of my life completely—severing every tie on every channel, both magical and mundane. "Ready, Liam?" "Ready, Mom." The cabin doors closed, and we vanished into the night. ... At 9 AM the next morning, a restless Bastian showed up at Evernight Biotech right on time. He went straight to Aveline’s lab and pushed open the familiar door. An empty room. Spotless lab tables. Two documents sat in the dead center of the desk. Bastian walked over. He froze the second he saw what they were. "Resignation? Blood pact dissolution?"