When Separate Worlds Collide

Chapter Seventy-One

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Emily drifted into an uneasy sleep, the exhaustion of childbirth and the first two weeks, finally overtaking her despite the whirlwind of fear and uncertainty. The twins lay nestled in their crib, side by side. Zach remained by her side, his fingers laced with hers, his presence a steady anchor in the storm.

But as sleep claimed her, Emily’s mind slipped into a dream—or something far more real.

She stood in a grand, candlelit hall, its walls adorned with ancient tapestries depicting scenes of battles and blood. The air was thick with the scent of aged wine and something metallic—blood. At the far end of the room, seated upon a throne of blackened wood, was a man.

No, not a man.

A vampire.

Orfeo.

Her father.

He was not the withered ancient she had imagined. No, he was young, devastatingly handsome, with sharp aristocratic features and eyes like polished onyx. His dark hair fell in elegant waves, framing a face that could have been carved from marble. He wore a tailored suit, the deep crimson of his waistcoat matching the wine in the goblet he lazily swirled between long, pale fingers.

"Emily," he purred, his voice smooth as velvet, yet carrying the weight of centuries. "My daughter."

She should have been afraid. She should have woken herself up, fought against the dream. But something in his presence held her there, as if he had woven the threads of her subconscious to keep her in place.

"You’re not supposed to be here," she whispered, though she wasn’t entirely sure where here was.

Orfeo’s lips curled into a slow, knowing smile. "And yet, here I am. Blood calls to blood, Emily. Did you really think I wouldn’t feel the moment my heir took his first breath?"

Her stomach twisted. "You mean Stephan."

His smile deepened. "Ah, you’ve named him. How fitting. A strong name for a strong boy." He took a sip of wine, his gaze never leaving hers. "And Katherine… such a delicate name for a little wolf."

Emily’s hands clenched into fists. "Stay away from them."

Orfeo chuckled, the sound rich and dark. "You misunderstand me, Emily. I do not wish to take them from you. I wish to unite us." He leaned forward, his eyes gleaming with something that might have been sincerity—or deception. "The child is mine by blood, just as you are. And you… you are more than just a human now. You carry the legacy of both worlds within you."

She shook her head. "I don’t want anything to do with your world."

"Yet you are already part of it," he countered smoothly. "Stephan is a vampire. He will hunger, he will thirst, and he will need guidance—guidance Zachary and his pack cannot give him."

Emily’s breath hitched. She had seen the mark on Stephan’s neck, the undeniable proof of what he was. But she refused to accept that Orfeo had any claim to him.

"You’re lying," she said, though the doubt crept in. "He’s just a baby."

Orfeo’s expression softened, almost pitying. "He is more than just a baby. And he will grow faster than you expect. The blood calls to him already."

A chill ran down her spine. "What do you mean?"

Before he could answer, the dream shifted violently—

She was back in the bedroom, gasping awake, her heart pounding. Zach jolted beside her, his grip tightening on her hand.

"Em? What’s wrong?"

She opened her mouth to speak—

Then a sharp, metallic scent hit her.

Blood.

Her head snapped toward the crib where the twins had been placed for the night. Katherine was stirring, her tiny face scrunched in discomfort, her little body trembling as if caught in the throes of a fever. But Stephan—

Stephan’s lips were stained red.

And the nurse, one of the elder’s mates, who had been checking on them, was clutching her wrist, her eyes wide with shock.

"He—he bit me," the woman stammered.

Zach was on his feet in an instant, his wolf surging forward in alarm. Emily’s stomach dropped as she saw the droplets of blood on Stephan’s mouth, his tiny fangs—fangs!—just barely visible.

The blood calls to him already.

Orfeo’s words echoed in her mind as horror and realization crashed over her.

Their son had just tasted human blood for the first time.

And their daughter—

Katherine let out a whimper, her body shuddering violently. Then, before their eyes, her skin rippled, her bones cracked—

And for the briefest second, her eyes flashed gold.

Emily’s breath stopped.

The twins weren’t just different.

Instead of the normal eighteen years before awakening, they were hearing the call now.

And there was no stopping what came next.