Vladislaus and Katja (Crimson Embrace,The Beginning)

Previously

…The ancient forces were stirring, their disapproval a cold wind that threatened to extinguish our fragile flame. But in that moment, with Vladislaus by my side, I knew that I had made the right choice. My mortality was a gift, a precious, fleeting thing, and I would not squander it by living in fear. I would embrace the shadows, and the light that I had found within them, and I would face whatever came next, hand in hand with the vampire who had stolen my heart. The mortal's embrace was not one of surrender, but of a profound, unwavering commitment. And as the shadows deepened, I felt not dread, but a strange, exhilarating sense of belonging.