Vampire's Veil Of Obsession-Chapter 167: Chase

Rose’s body trembled slightly. She attempted to stand, but he held her tightly. His gaze darkened with displeasure as he noticed the fear lingering in her eyes—something he had never seen before. He had never seen that kind of look on her face since he met her, and there was no denying it: this now was fear. Then, he spoke quietly, a smile curling on his lips despite the tension.

"Are you scared of me now, bunny?"

She shook her head, lips trembling, eyes wide with shock.

She hadn’t expected that at all. She had been deeply caught off guard. Wasn’t she supposed to be glad that her intuition had finally been true? Yet, she hadn’t anticipated that the book was real—that everything in it had actually happened, meaning all her thoughts, all she had believed, all that had connected, was true.

She was scared because now she was wondering what she was. How could a thought hold such significance to even make something very unbelievable to society actually be real?

Not to mention, her now husband had witnessed those events firsthand. That book had stirred a whirlwind of emotions within her. She had cried, she had feared, and experienced so much more.

Only now had it deepened, realizing that they were all true.

If you asked her, one of the reasons her voice had been so soft earlier when she told him about it was because she was deeply attached; she hadn’t even realized she was actually that attached already—to that book.

Before Zethan could react, she moved, wrapping her arms around him tightly in a hug, whispering quietly, "I’m not scared. I know you wouldn’t hurt me." Her breath fanned his neck softly. Zethan’s jaw tightened at the feeling that swept through him—just her breathing was already making him react. Oh, this wife of his kept surprising him by the second.

Her voice was soft but firm. Then, something wet tapped against his neck as her body trembled softly.

Zethan’s body turned rigid.

Was she crying?

Rose whispered again, trembling, "How did you manage to survive that war?"

"That’s because I am Zethan Lyall," he said calmly.

There was a brief pause, her voice trembling with disbelief. "I had thought... I had thought you people were now extinct."

She had believed strongly that all of this had happened millions, even billions, of years ago—like some ancient apocalypse that wiped everything out. She thought humans had since given birth to something entirely different. The way her thoughts spun felt unbelievable yet somehow plausible, probably because her mind always wandered to the wildest possibilities. Maybe that was why she was such an over-thinker.

Still, she couldn’t quite believe that vampires truly still existed.

But why, now that it was all true,why did she still find it hard to fully accept? Deep down, doubt lingered—shaped by the many times people had dismissed her claims. Now that she was face to face with proof, it caught her completely off guard. It was one thing to believe; it was another to truly accept what was real.

"No, we aren’t extinct, but we are now on the safer side. No one knows, no war," he spoke.

To both her and Zethan’s surprise, she sat back and slowly clasped her hands, a small smile playing on her lips.

"May I see your fangs?" she asked pleadingly, curiosity shining through the doubt.

Zethan opened his mouth, and to her surprise, his canines began to elongate. Her breath caught at the sight before her. She noticed his dark eyes had turned a darkish red.

She stared at him, still in awe and disbelief, before he turned his face to the side, his expression returning to normal as his teeth drew back in. Her mouth opened and closed silently, as if trying to process everything. It all had happened so fast. How had things ended up like this?

Zethan moved as he gently cleaned her tear-streaked face with his thumb.

It was her curiosity that had led her here. For once, she was glad she had voiced it. All of this had begun when she had asked him if he was even human—by how perfectly he looked and behaved—and she could not help but ask that question.

Then Zethan spoke warmly interrupting her thought, "Go to sleep now. That’s enough for today."

No sooner had the words left his lips than there was a soft knock on the door. After a second knock, silence fell as a maid entered the room. She bowed respectfully and said, "Your Majesty, Queen Roselina. I have come to take the meal away."

Rose nodded slowly, her face turning aside. As the maid stepped away, Rose realized she was still sitting on Zethan’s lap, making her face burn even deeper.

The lady bowed respectfully as she moved, quickly yet perfectly arranging everything back onto the rolling cart before quietly leaving the room. The door closed softly behind her.

A brief silence hung in the air before Rose finally spoke. "But I don’t want to sleep now. I have questions—lots and lots of them." One thing Rose did not realize was how free she had become with him. She hadn’t even noticed that she rarely spoke with someone so freely, yet she felt so safe and secure around him, like nothing was going to happen to her.

Zethan replied quietly, "We can answer those questions later. My wife, you need rest. I promise I will answer them tomorrow."

Rose looked at him, eyes searching. "You promise?" she asked again to be sure.

He nodded softly. "I will."

She returned the smile and tried to stand, but before she could fully move, Zethan scooped her up into his arms. Her eyes widened in surprise.

"Z... Zethan... I can walk."

A slow grin moved across Zethan’s lips as he whispered,

"No need, sweetheart."

He carried her to the bed and gently laid her down. "Sleep now. Go ahead," he spoke as he moved the duvet to tuck her in.

As he stepped away, Rose’s gaze followed him, worried he might leave.

Zethan’s voice softened as he stopped in his tracks, turning to her with a devilish smirk.

"If you want me to stay, just say the word, sweetheart."

Rose bit her lip, then whispered, "I want you to stay with me."

"As you wish," he replied as he moved, laying on the bed.

Rose’s heart began thudding in her chest. As Zethan pulled her close, she gasped softly as his scent wrapped around her like a warm blanket while he cuddled her gently.

"So, you know all about this... then why did you ask me what my favorite species were?"

Zethan chuckled deeply, his chest vibrating, making sweet shivers run down Rose’s spine.

"Remember, no questions until tomorrow."

She smiled shyly.

"Just this one, and then I’ll sleep."

He whispered, "I had no specific reason, wife. Let’s just say I was curious..., it seems you’re a very unique one. Saying vampires—I did not expect that. Such a smart bunny, huh? Just like me."

Rose rolled her eyes playfully and giggled softly. Zethan’s lips unknowingly curled into a smile.

"Now, sleep," he urged quietly.

Rose immediately looked up at him, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Promise you won’t leave. Promise you’ll be here until I wake up."

A slow grin spread across his face as he replied, "I promise."

Rose smiled softly before closing her eyes. She turned toward him and leaned in, resting her face gently against his chest as he parted her hair gently.

Rose’s eyes slowly closed as she drifted into sleep.

When she opened them again, she was in a dark forest. Shadows stretched endlessly around her, and the wind whispered against her skin, leaving goosebumps in its wake. She pinched her arm—hard. It hurt. Was this a dream? If it was, why could she feel pain?

Her breath hitched as she looked around. Towering trees loomed over her, their thick branches blocking the sky. There was no path, no light, no sign of escape—just a never-ending forest. She was barefoot, and the cold dirt beneath her feet sent a chill crawling up her spine.

Then, footsteps—slow at first.

thup...Thup...THUP...THUP.

The more she heard, the louder it sounded.

She turned instinctively—and froze.

Something was coming in her direction.

It wasn’t just an animal. It was a monstrous wolf-like creature. But calling it a wolf felt wrong. Its eyes bulged unnaturally from their sockets, and its fangs—two on each side—were too long, too sharp. It let out a guttural, disgusting growl that echoed through the trees.

Without thinking, Rose ran. Her heart pounded violently in her chest, her breath coming in sharp gasps. Branches tore at her arms and face as she sprinted blindly through the forest. The creature snarled behind her, the sound of its massive paws pounding the earth getting closer.

The forest didn’t end. No matter how far she ran, it felt like she was trapped in an endless loop. But then—something.

A light.

A burning bush flickered in the distance. She pushed her aching legs forward, running toward it, hope sparking in her chest. But just as she reached it, her foot slammed into something sharp.

She screamed.

Blood gushed from her foot, staining the ground. What hurt more was that she had to continue running despite the pain.

The wolf’s growl grew louder, hungrier—drawn by the scent of her blood.

She came to an abrupt halt as the trees in front burned wildly. There was no passing—it was as if there was no way through, as that line burned, blocking the other side. Yet, it did not just end—the fire blocked the view.

But when she looked back... it was gone.

The beast was nowhere to be seen.

Her breath caught in her throat. Her body trembled. Before her, flames roared, crackling wildly, while strong winds howled through the trees. The fire and wind clashed, yet neither overpowered the other—it was like they were locked in battle, and everything around them was being consumed in the chaos.

Then she saw it.

Something was burning in the fire.

No—someone.

Her eyes widened in horror.

It was Z... Zethan.

Burning.