The Return of the Night Lord: Love and Betrayal

Deep beneath the walls of Manhattan, New York, lies a magnificent Gothic hall. This is the heart of the North American Vampire Council, and also the site of the greatest humiliation of my life tonight.

The crystal chandelier cast a dim, yellowish light, illuminating hundreds of arrogant faces in the hall. They were all nobles among the vampires, possessing bloodlines spanning hundreds, even thousands of years. And I, Alexander Dracula, once a descendant of the Night King, now stood here, a laughingstock.

"Distinguished fellow vampires," Council President Victor Cavendish stood on the high platform, his handsome face bearing a hypocritical smile, "we gather here tonight to witness a historic moment."

I knew what he was going to say. Three months ago, I entered into a marriage agreement with Isabella, the darling daughter of the Rothschild family. At that time, I thought I was just an ordinary descendant of a vampire noble, whose bloodline was still noble despite the decline of my family.

"But," Victor's voice suddenly turned stern, "we've discovered a shocking fact."

His gaze locked onto me like a venomous snake, and hundreds of eyes in the room turned to me as well. I could feel the contempt, mockery, and schadenfreude in those gazes.

"After bloodline testing, it was found that Alexander Dracula's bloodline had been corrupted. He was no longer a pure-blooded nobleman, and had even lost the most basic vampire abilities."

What?! My eyes widened. When did this happen? I can still clearly feel that dormant power within me...

"Therefore," a clear female voice rang out, and Isabella Rothschild slowly walked onto the stage. She wore a black evening gown, her long golden hair cascading down like a waterfall, breathtakingly beautiful. But at that moment, her gaze towards me was as cold as frost.

"I, Isabella Rothschild, in the name of the family, hereby declare the formal dissolution of the marriage contract with Alexander Dracula." Her voice echoed in the hall, each word piercing my heart like a sharp blade.

"The reason is simple," she continued, her voice laced with disdain, "The Rothschild family will not unite with a worthless person of impure blood and incompetent nature. Our bloodline is noble and pure, and cannot be defiled."

A murmur arose from the audience, and I heard people whispering:

"I've said it before, the Dracula family has long since declined..."

"Lacking even basic vampire abilities, yet you dare to dream of attaching yourself to the Rothschilds?"

"What an overestimation of their abilities..."

Victor's smile widened. He walked to Isabella and put his arm around her slender waist. This action made my heart clench—I understood, this was all part of their conspiracy.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I have another piece of good news to announce," Victor said loudly, "Miss Isabella has accepted my proposal, and we will be having a grand wedding next month."

Thunderous applause erupted as everyone congratulated the "perfect match." I, however, stood in the corner like a clown, enduring everyone's ridicule and contempt.

"As for you, Alexander," Victor turned to me, his eyes flashing with malice, "since you are no longer a vampire, then please leave our world."

He pulled a check from his inside suit pocket and tossed it at my feet. The check fluttered to the ground, and I saw it said one million dollars.

"This is a small token of my appreciation, a compensation for all these years. Take this money and go live a good life in the human world." His words were filled with an arrogant condescension.

The entire room erupted in laughter again, and the nobles looked at me as if I were a beggar.

"Master Vic is truly merciful, actually giving alms to a piece of trash..."

"One million is enough for an ordinary person to live on for a lifetime..."

"Hurry up and take the money and get out of here, stop making a fool of yourself..."

I stood there, feeling the malice and mockery coming from all directions. These vampire nobles who had once been so respectful to me had now revealed their ugliest faces.

But what they didn't know was that an ancient and terrifying power was slowly awakening within me.

I could feel the power that had been dormant for three hundred years in my veins trembling slightly, as if enraged by the foolish behavior of these idiots. My temples throbbed, and a long-lost sense of oppression rose from the depths of my heart.

No, it's not time yet. I took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the restless power within me. Revealing my identity now would only make things worse; I needed to figure out what was happening to me first.

"What? Not saying anything now?" Victor became even more smug when he saw my silence. "Or do you intend to stay here and not leave?"

I slowly raised my head and looked at the despicable couple on the stage. Isabella was pressed tightly against Victor, a victor's smile on her face. Her beauty was still captivating, but at this moment, she seemed as repulsive as a venomous snake to me.

"I will leave," I said, my voice surprisingly calm, "but not because of your expulsion, but because there is nothing left here for me to stay."

"Ha!" Victor burst out laughing. "Still trying to be tough at a time like this? How laughable!"

I didn't say anything more, and turned to walk towards the hall entrance. With each step, I could hear the laughter and whispers behind me, but my steps remained steady.

"Wait," Isabella's voice rang out behind them, "you forgot to collect your 'severance pay'."

I stopped in my tracks, without looking back. The check remained lying silently on the ground, like a final humiliation to me.

"No need," I said calmly. "I never accept charity."

After I finished speaking, I pushed open the door to the hall.

Stepping out of the Capitol building, the New York night breeze blew against my face, carrying a slight chill. Standing on the empty street, gazing up at the starry sky, I felt a mix of emotions.

Three months ago, I was a highly regarded noble descendant in vampire society, about to marry the most beautiful vampire princess. But now, I've become a banished "useless" person.

But what they don't know is that the power sealed within me is enough to make the entire vampire world tremble.

I could feel that power trembling slightly within the seal, like an ancient beast that had been provoked. Just now in the hall, when Victor humiliated me, the seal did indeed loosen slightly, and a faint wisp of primordial pressure almost leaked out.

Fortunately, I managed to control the situation in time. If those fools had felt the true power of the Night King, the entire council hall would probably have been awash in blood.

But now is not the time. I need to figure out what this seal is all about and how to completely break it.

I took out my phone and dialed a number.

"Marcus, it's me."

"Master? Why did you finish so early? Shouldn't the marriage ceremony last until midnight?" My old butler Marcus's worried voice came from the other end of the phone.

"The ceremony is canceled," I said curtly. "Get the car ready, I'm heading back to Brooklyn."

"What happened?"

"We'll talk about it when we get back."

After hanging up the phone, I took one last look at the seemingly ordinary office building behind me. Who would have thought that deep beneath its walls lay North America's largest vampire council?

And tonight, I experienced the greatest humiliation of my life there.

But this is just the beginning.

When I reclaim my rightful power, everyone who humiliated me tonight will pay the price.

Especially Victor Cavendish, that scoundrel who usurped my position and stole my fiancée.

I will show him what real fear is.

A black Rolls-Royce slowly pulled up and stopped in front of me. Marcus got out of the driver's seat and opened the door for me.

"Master, you look..." He hesitated, then stopped.

"I'm fine," I said, getting into the car. "I just need some time to take care of a few things."

The car started and headed towards Brooklyn. Through the window, I watched the New York cityscape rush past, silently vowing to myself:

One day, I will make these fools know what kind of existence they humiliated tonight.

Alexander Dracula, the Night King, is about to return.