Fangless: The Alpha's Vampire Mate-Chapter 310: An Offer Wrapped in Silk

Ol’gaz’s final shove had the opposite effect of what he intended. Instead of striking down the king as ordered, Florian jolted back to clarity.

The haze of rage lifted for a fleeting moment, leaving him standing at the edge of his fury. Disappointment and anger still surged within him, but for the first time, he managed to hold himself back.

"No," Florian said, his voice steady. He let his arms fall limply to his sides.

The crushing force around King Valentin’s throat vanished in an instant. Gasping, the king collapsed, his body wracked with violent coughs as he clawed at his neck, desperate to fill his lungs with air once more.

Florian said to Ol’gaz, "I’m not you. And I never will be."

Without another word, he stepped over the lifeless bodies and walked away.

As Florian stepped into the inner courtyard, he came to an abrupt halt. Someone was waiting for him—someone eager not to speak with him, but with the thing inside him.

"Florian."

He turned at the sound of his name and immediately recognized the man before him.

Tall, strikingly handsome, with silky silver hair cascading over his shoulders. His every movement was deliberate, almost effortless, exuding a grace that bordered on unnatural.

There was no mistaking him—no one else in the kingdom carried such an aura of dominance.

"Your Majesty," Florian said flatly, omitting the full title he should have used.

But Emperor Kaan didn’t care for formalities. Respect from the demon’s vessel was of no interest to him. What he wanted wasn’t Florian’s submission—it was the creature within. He wanted to bend it to his will, to make it his weapon, to rule through fear if necessary. To take what he believed was rightfully his.

"I’ve been looking for you," Kaan said, his voice smooth, measured.

His hands remained clasped behind his back, though they twitched with restraint. The vial of Riona’s blood lay hidden in his pocket, tempting him to act. He could use it now—force the connection, strip away the barriers—but his curiosity held him back.

He wanted to see what Florian and the demon were like without it.

Florian cast a glance back at the western tower, weighing his options.

By law and duty, he should honor the emperor’s wishes—Emperor Kaan was, after all, a diplomatic guest of the kingdom, no matter the circumstances. As a citizen of Eira, it was expected of him. But duty meant nothing now.

Kaan had strong-armed Eira into submission. His presence here was less diplomacy and more a veiled act of war. His soldiers stood like a looming threat, regardless of what King Valentin believed. The emperor was an enemy.

Then again, so was the king.

King Valentin had disappointed Florian beyond measure—ignoring his sacrifices, treating him as little more than a monster. Whatever loyalty Florian once had to Eira had crumbled. This was no longer his home. He would leave and carve out a life for himself elsewhere, far from all of this.

"I’m leaving," he said, his voice stripped of any politeness.

Emperor Kaan smiled faintly. "At least allow me to walk you to your room," he offered, though it was clear he had no intention of simply escorting him. He wanted a conversation, a moment to persuade—or manipulate. "If you don’t mind, of course," he added, feigning courtesy.

Florian met his gaze, unflinching. "I do mind," he said coolly. "And I’m not going to my room. I don’t belong here anymore."

That was when Emperor Kaan noticed something was off.

He didn’t let it show—his expression remained smooth, unreadable. Instead, as if everything were unfolding exactly as he had planned, he stepped closer to Florian and offered a nod, his most sympathetic smile in place.

"I understand. He can be... difficult at times." freewebnσvel.cѳm

Casually, he cast a glance at the western tower—the very place he had intended to visit to pressure King Valentin into another meeting with Florian. The sight that greeted him was unexpected. Parts of the brick walls had crumbled as if something had shattered them from within.

His gaze returned to Florian, studying him more closely now. His clothes were stained with dirt and blood. Fresh wounds marred his face and body. He had been in a fight—likely the cause of the destruction.

Emperor Kaan’s smile didn’t waver. He didn’t need the full story to play along. "I’d hate him too if he did to me what he’s done to you," he said smoothly, his voice laced with manufactured understanding.

It didn’t matter whether his words were true. His goal was simple: to align himself with whatever Florian believed, to lower his guard, to see just how close he could get—to both the boy and the demon—without the aid of Riona’s blood.

But Florian wasn’t fooled. His sharp glare darkened with suspicion.

"Don’t act like you understand!" he snapped, his voice edged with irritation. Without waiting for a response, he turned on his heel and strode away, putting as much distance as he could between himself and the emperor.

Emperor Kaan, however, had no intention of letting this be their final exchange. This was an opportunity far too valuable to let slip through his fingers. With an easy stride, he followed. Florian’s steps were quick, but his legs were shorter.

"What’s with this man? Do you know him?" Ol’gaz whispered in Florian’s mind.

Florian remained silent. A response would only draw attention to the demon’s presence—though he suspected Emperor Kaan already knew. After all, it was Emperor Kaan who had smuggled the witches and wizards into Eira to cast a summoning spell on Ol’gaz.

"I can feel his power, boy," Ol’gaz murmured, his voice dripping with intrigue. A wet, sniffing sound followed as if he were savoring the scent of something rare and exquisite. "How delicious."

"Shut up," Florian muttered under his breath, trying to silence the demon without drawing the emperor’s attention.

Too late. Emperor Kaan’s gaze was fixed solely on him, a smirk tugging at his lips as he studied the boy with undisguised amusement. A timid, frail thing like Florian—him—serving as the vessel for an ancient, overpowering demon? It was almost laughable.

If anyone was meant to bear such a force, it should have been him.

But Emperor Kaan knew better than to dwell on what should have been. Ol’gaz hadn’t chosen Florian. He had been forced into that body through a dark magic ritual. It was mere circumstance.

Had the demon possessed the luxury of choice, Emperor Kaan had no doubt he would have been the preferred host. His body had been honed, his mind sharpened, his very existence sculpted to wield power beyond limits.

He let the thought pass. There were more pressing matters at hand.

"Do you wish for Ol’gaz to disappear?" Emperor Kaan asked, his voice laced with amusement he barely bothered to mask.

Florian stiffened, alarmed. Instinctively, he took a step back, but Emperor Kaan was already in motion. He reached into his coat and retrieved a small glass vial. Riona’s blood.

Murmuring the incantation the scholars had taught him, Emperor Kaan uncorked the vial and drank it whole.

Florian watched, his eyes locked onto him with something unreadable. Emperor Kaan felt the spell settle within him like a spark waiting to ignite. Did it work? He couldn’t yet tell.

The empty vial slipped from his fingers, rolling away across the stone floor. He extended his hand. "Come with me," he said smoothly. "Join me."