Set You Free, My Lord

My blood-bonded mate, Prince Dorian, despised me. I was just a mortal to him. A girl with filthy blood. His eternity was already promised to a pureblood—Cordelia. When she died in an accident, he blamed me. Hated me for ten years. But when rival vampires attacked our castle, he saved me. Bleeding out in my arms, he used his last breath to push my shaking hands away. "Odette... if only the Bond had never tied us together." At his wake, they kicked me out. So I climbed to the top of their family’s skyscraper—a place they arrogantly called "Heaven's Needle"—and jumped. When I opened my eyes again, I was back. Back to the night the ancient Blood Bond chose me as his mate. This time, I'm setting him free. And myself along with him. Chapter 1 I am Prince Dorian's fated human mate. He hated me for ten years, yet died saving me from a silver bomb. The coven drove me to suicide. Now, I’ve woken up in the past. Back to the night the Bond paired us. "A human?! A pathetic mortal is my mate? What kind of sick joke is this!" Dorian’s roar echoed through the dark gothic hall. I froze, my heart pounding. I was back. Ten years ago. The night our fates intertwined. The legends were clear. A vampire prince and a human are fated only once a millennium. It’s the call of the ancient Blood Bond. Reject it, and a deadly curse backfires on you. Unless the human willingly sacrifices everything. "My Prince, the ancient Bond has chosen," the Head Elder warned softly. "To hell with the Bond!" Dorian ripped the black rose—the symbol of our tie—from his chest. "I will never accept a filthy mortal as my mate!" The vampires around us whispered. Cordelia, his pureblood childhood sweetheart, stood nearby. A smug smirk played on her lips. I took a deep breath. I’m not making the same mistake this time. "I request an Unbinding." My voice rang out, loud and clear. The hall gasped. Dorian froze. Disbelief flared in his crimson eyes. "What did you say?" "You heard me." I looked him dead in the eye. "I want to sever the Bond. I ask the Elders to let Dorian and Cordelia take the Blood Oath instead to strengthen the coven." Chaos erupted. This was unheard of. A fated mate asking to break the Bond? "Hah. So you do know your place." His words were a dagger to my heart. But I refused to let the tears fall. A voice from my second chance echoed in my mind: You have one day. Fix his three greatest regrets to change his fate. But every rebirth has its price. Regret number one: Mating with Odette. Consider it done. "An Unbinding requires preparation," the Head Elder said, his brow furrowed. "It will take three days." "Then don't waste time." Dorian glared at me, turning to leave. I reached out and grabbed his jacket out of habit. "Wait..." "What now?" he snapped, turning around. "Before... before we officially break it, can you take me to the top of the tower? Just to see the city at midnight?" I asked. It was my biggest regret from my past life. He had never said yes. Dorian frowned, looking confused. I knew what he was thinking. Why play so nice, ask for an Unbinding, and then want a date? Surprisingly, he nodded. "Tomorrow night. Don't make me wait." I stood there watching him walk away. "You foolish girl." A soft voice came from behind. The old Blood Witch. The coven's seer. "Why do you say that?" "Your eyes betray you," she whispered. "You sever the Bond, but your heart is still his." I couldn't lie. "His father told me to prep the ritual for tomorrow," she sighed. "They've wanted this for a long time." "I know." She handed me an ebony box. "The scrolls and herbs you'll need. Study them. The ritual takes absolute focus." "Thank you." I took the box. Leaving the hall, I heard the whispers behind me: "At least she knows her place..." "A mortal ruling us? Please." "The Prince and Cordelia belong together." I walked faster. The tears finally fell. Late that night, I opened the box. Looked at the dark runes. "An Unbinding... No, I'm not doing an Unbinding," I whispered. "I'm doing a Blood Blessing instead." The Blessing would let Dorian forge a political alliance with Cordelia’s family without me. He gets everything he wants. Without me in the picture. I pulled a fake passport and a ferry ticket from the bottom of my suitcase. Got them the second I woke up in this life. Looking at my tired face in the mirror, I whispered, "Tomorrow, it’s over." Chapter 2 "Dorian! Help!" A scream shattered the quiet dawn. Dorian and I had just stepped out of the castle, heading for the tower. Heaven's Needle. The desperate cry made Dorian freeze. "Cordelia?" He whipped around. A disheveled young vampire stumbled toward us. It was Myra, Cordelia's blood servant. "Your Highness! It’s bad! Lady Cordelia is losing it! Her bloodlust is out of control!" Myra cried. "She knows the Oath can't replace the Bond. She... she just snapped!" Dorian went pale. "Where is she?" "The family estate..." He turned to leave without a second glance. Then, after three steps, he froze. "Wait for me," he commanded, his voice cold as ice. Then he dissolved into black mist. I stood there, shaking my head with a bitter smile. Classic Dorian. Ten years, and she always came first. Back in my room, I grabbed the stuff under my pillow. The fake passport. A ticket for an 8 PM ferry to a port town 500 miles away. A tiny note slipped out—Ticket confirmed. First class. Safe travels, Odette. Signed by the Blood Witch. She knew. She always knew everything. I took a deep breath. Time for the hard part. The Elders' hall was suffocating. I stood before the former Prince and the Duchess, feeling their cold, crimson stares dissect me. "You asked for a private meeting. Speak." The old Prince’s voice was ice. "I came to say goodbye." I met his eyes. "I’m leaving the territory tonight. I’m never coming back." The Duchess sneered. "Finally know your place? But do you really think the Bond breaks that easily?" "I’m not here about the Bond." I shook my head. "I’m here to warn you." "Warn us?" Both frowned. "I have seen a vision," I said, my voice flat. "A prophecy. If the Bond between Dorian and me remains, in ten years, he will die a brutal death in a pointless war." The room went freezing cold. "What nonsense are you spewing, girl?" the old Prince roared. "He dies saving me." My voice shook from the pain. "Rival clans. They'll use a silver-laced bomb." I pointed to my own heart. "It will pierce him here. The silver will rot his heart from the inside out. He will burn to ash before my eyes." I was too specific. The old Prince’s anger turned into pure shock. "I don’t care if you believe me, but I’m not risking it," I pushed on. "Let Dorian have Cordelia. I prepped the Blessing Ritual, not the Unbinding. That way, they still get your rock-solid political alliance, even without the Bond." The Duchess gripped her husband’s hand tight. "A vision like this... we can't ignore it." "Where are you going?" he asked. "Far," I smiled sadly. "Let him forget me. Forget the mortal." Walking out, I felt light. Regret number two: Never standing up to the Elders. Done. Night fell. I went to the top of the tower alone. The moon was just rising, spilling silver over everything. Our meeting spot. But I knew he wasn't coming. He was with Cordelia. "Beautiful..." I whispered, looking down at the glowing city. "At least I got to see it this time." "You betrayed me." The icy voice behind me made me whip around. Dorian stood there. His eyes were burning red. He oozed lethal danger, glaring at me in the moonlight. "What the hell did you tell the Elders?" He stepped closer, his voice like a blade. "They've changed the terms! Now the Blessing will only make Cordelia his subordinate, not his equal!" I stepped back. "I just told them the truth..." "Liar!" he roared. "Do you know what happened to her? She used the Withering Curse to erase your Bond! It’s forbidden! The magic backfired on her!" My eyes went wide. The Withering Curse? The dark magic that rots your own veins? "Why would she do that?" "Because of you!" Pure hate in his eyes. "That garbage prophecy you fed the Elders shattered her! She knew a simple Blood Oath would never be enough to make her my true mate!" I froze. That didn’t make sense. She should’ve been happy with the Blessing. But no. Her toxic pride couldn't handle being a fake. She wanted to be me. Dorian slammed his fist into the railing. A loud crack. "If she dies, I swear I’ll make you pay!" His glare sliced right through me. "Tell me..." He crowded me, his cold breath hitting my face. "How do we save her?" Chapter 3 "There is a way." I bit my lip and met his gaze. "How?" Dorian stared at me intently. "The curse must be cleansed with Lifeblood. And only the Bonded mate can give it." I kept my voice flat, though my heart was hammering. "How do you know that?" He narrowed his eyes, suspicious. "The Blood Witch," I lied. Truth was, I watched Cordelia suffer the exact same backlash in my past life. "Let's go." He didn’t hesitate. He grabbed my wrist, gripping hard enough to snap the bone. He pulled me into the shadows, and the world dissolved. We reappeared in the Witch's sanctuary. Dim candles lit up the room as she ground ancient blood crystals. "Witch, is it true?" Dorian cut to the chase. "Can mortal Lifeblood break the curse?" She looked up, surprised, then looked at me. A complicated look. "Yes, my Prince. But..." "But what?" "The extraction of Lifeblood... from a mortal..." she sighed. "It is almost always fatal. She will not survive." Dorian’s hand dropped from my wrist as if he’d been burned. He turned his back to me, his shoulders rigid. "No." "I'll do it," I stepped up, voice steady. He spun around, shocked and furious. "Are you insane? Why would you do that?" "I owe her," I looked right at him. "And I owe you." He opened his mouth to speak, but closed it. The conflict was written all over his face. "Prep the ritual," I told the Witch, cutting off his chance to argue. She sighed and got up. "My Prince, it gets gruesome. Are you sure you want to stay?" Dorian didn't answer. But his eyes said it all. He wasn't going anywhere. An hour later, it was ready. Red runes painted on the floor, surrounded by seven black candles. They brought Cordelia in. She looked horrific. Ghastly pale, veins popping black, dark blood crusted on her lips. "Let's begin." The Witch motioned for me to lie in the center. Just as the ritual began, Dorian stripped off his designer jacket and draped it over my face, blinding me. "Don't look." His voice was weirdly raspy. Through the fabric, I could feel his hand shaking just a little. "This is going to hurt," he whispered, his voice strained. In the dark, I felt him hovering. "I’ll make this up to you... I swear." The ritual started. The pain was absolute. A thousand silver needles, all dipped in fire, tore through my veins. I felt the dark magic crawling over my skin, draining me. Hot, thick blood streamed from my eyes, my nose, my mouth, painting crimson tracks on my pale face. In a blur, I saw a golden light rip out of my chest and shoot into Cordelia. Her agonizing roar mixed with my screams. And then... just black. I don't know how long I was out. I woke up to the faint dripping of a blood-stone clock. The room smelled of incense and copper. "You're awake." I turned my head. Dorian was sitting there, eyes bloodshot. He looked wrecked, his crimson gaze exhausted. "Cordelia..." I croaked. "She's fine now," he said softly. "Thanks to you." I closed my eyes. God, I was weak. My lifeforce was basically empty. The price of giving up Lifeblood. "Why did you do it?" he asked. He sounded confused, laced with something I couldn't read. "Now we're even," I managed a smile. "You can be with her guilt-free." Dorian frowned. "The Witch says you'll need months to recover. I could... turn you. As compensation." My heart ached. Same old Dorian. Arrogant pity. Not love. "No thanks, Dorian," I said quietly. "I'm leaving." "What?" He shot out of his chair. "We owe each other nothing." I looked right at him. "I hope you and Cordelia are happy." He opened his mouth, but his phone buzzed. He checked it, his face shifting. "It's Cordelia... she's awake." "Go," I told him, looking away. He hesitated, but he left. The second the door clicked shut, I forced myself up and got dressed. The Witch had everything ready. Fake discharge papers, meds, and my ferry ticket for tonight. I left a note for the Witch to give him: By the time you read this, I’ll be gone. Don’t look for me. This was my choice. My purpose is fulfilled. Live well, Dorian. At 7 PM, I slipped out of the medical wing. At 10 PM, when Dorian burst into my room, all he found was an empty bed and the note. By midnight, breaking news hit the vampire territory. A cross-sea ferry was struck by an unnatural firestorm. The boilers blew. Right there on the passenger manifest was the name Odette Morrow. The fire was so intense, the bodies were burned beyond recognition.