The hunt extended well into the night, the nobles in high spirits as they tracked the mountain lion through increasingly rugged terrain. Despite Aleksander's early success, the main quarry—an extraordinarily rge elk rumored to roam these forests—had proven elusive. Baron Cassian had mentioned the creature during their pre-hunt briefing, describing it as a rare prize that few had even glimpsed.

  "We'll separate into smaller groups to cover more ground," Cassian announced, his military background evident in the efficient deployment of hunting parties. "The eastern ridge offers the highest probability for tracking the elk. Lord Aleksander, perhaps you and your group would prefer to pursue it?"

  Aleksander straightened with obvious satisfaction at being singled out for the most prestigious assignment. "An excellent suggestion, Baron. We've already proven our skill," he said, gesturing to the mountain lion trophy being prepared by attendants.

  Valentina suppressed a sigh, knowing she would now endure hours of Aleksander's self-congratutory commentary. As the nobles redistributed themselves into new hunting formations, she noticed Kieran standing slightly apart, his head tilted as though listening to something beyond normal hearing range.

  When the groups reformed, Valentina was unsurprised to find herself assigned to Aleksander's party. Her father's transparent matchmaking continued even in the midst of a hunt. What did surprise her was seeing Kieran quietly detach himself from the main group after a brief exchange with Baron Cassian. Instead of following any of the official hunting parties, he slipped away toward a northern path, moving with that same controlled grace she had observed earlier.

  "Our guide will lead us to the eastern ridge," Aleksander was saying, gesturing expansively as though he had personally arranged the terrain. "The elk will have nowhere to hide once we—"

  "A moment, please," Valentina interrupted with practiced aristocratic authority. "I need to make a brief stop before we continue. Privacy," she added with just enough emphasis to make Aleksander step back awkwardly.

  "Of course," he mumbled. "We'll await your return here."

  Valentina moved into the trees, maintaining the pretense until she was out of sight. Then, with a decisive pivot, she changed direction to follow Kieran's path. Her father's insistence on aristocratic education had included tracking lessons—ostensibly for ceremonial hunts, though she had secretly enjoyed the skills for their own sake. Now she employed those techniques, moving silently through the underbrush with careful attention to the faint trail Kieran had left.

  She followed for nearly fifteen minutes, keeping a prudent distance while wondering what would motivate him to separate from the official hunt. The forest grew denser, moonlight filtering through the canopy in silver shafts. Ahead, she caught glimpses of movement—Kieran's lithe form navigating the terrain with remarkable efficiency.

  He stopped suddenly in a small clearing, becoming so still that she nearly lost sight of him among the shadows. Valentina remained motionless behind a broad oak trunk, her vampire senses alert to his every movement. He seemed to be listening—or perhaps scenting the air, his head raised in a manner that struck her as curiously animalistic.

  What happened next defied everything Valentina had been taught about vampire physiology. Kieran moved toward a nearly vertical rock face, and without any apparent effort, scaled it with a fluid grace that no common vampire could match. His movements dispyed not just enhanced strength but a distinctly non-vampire quality—a preternatural connection to the environment that reminded her of something she had glimpsed but never fully observed.

  Valentina's aristocratic composure nearly cracked as she processed what she was seeing. Even the most physically gifted common vampires couldn't move like that. Only the highest noble bloodlines possessed such enhanced abilities, and even they didn't dispy that particur quality of movement.

  She followed cautiously, taking a longer route up a less treacherous part of the incline. By the time she reached the elevated area, Kieran was kneeling beside a fallen log, examining something with intense concentration. From her position, Valentina could see he had found a fresh trail—rge hoof prints that likely belonged to the elusive elk.

  Instead of returning to report his finding, Kieran continued tracking alone. This made no sense for a kennelmaster's assistant. Such a discovery should have been immediately reported to the noble hunting parties. His independent pursuit suggested either remarkable presumption or... something else entirely.

  Valentina maintained her distance, observing as Kieran tracked the elk with efficiency that surpassed any hunting guide she had ever seen. He moved with increasing speed, his earlier careful restraint falling away as he followed the freshening trail. When he finally stopped at the edge of another clearing, she could see why—the magnificent elk stood in a patch of moonlight, its massive antlers creating shadow patterns on the forest floor.

  From her concealed position, Valentina watched as Kieran simply observed the creature. He made no move to capture or kill it, though he could easily have done so. Instead, he remained perfectly still, seemingly content to witness the animal's majesty. The moment held a strange beauty—predator and prey in perfect tableau, separated by mere yards yet existing in momentary harmony.

  The spell broke when the elk suddenly raised its head, sensing danger. Not from Kieran, Valentina realized, but from her own presence. Despite her careful approach, something had alerted the creature. The elk bolted, disappearing into the forest with remarkable speed.

  Kieran turned instantly toward Valentina's hiding pce, his eyes reflecting the moonlight with an unnatural gleam. For a fleeting moment, she could have sworn they fshed gold rather than the crimson typical of vampires accessing their enhanced abilities.

  "You might as well come out," he said quietly, his voice carrying easily through the night air. "I've been aware of your presence since the rock face."

  Valentina stepped into the clearing with aristocratic composure, as though being discovered following a servant was a perfectly normal occurrence. "Your tracking skills are impressive," she said. "Most hunting guides would have immediately reported finding the elk's trail."

  "I'm not most hunting guides," Kieran replied, his carefully neutral expression returning. "Baron Cassian instructed me to locate the elk and report back with its position."

  "Without the hounds?" Valentina inquired, maintaining an innocently curious tone while watching his reaction closely.

  A slight tension appeared at the corner of his mouth. "I work with the hounds, my dy. I don't require them to track."

  "Indeed." Valentina took a step closer, noting how Kieran maintained a precise distance. "You move remarkably well for a common vampire. Almost as though you possess abilities beyond your station."

  His expression revealed nothing, but Valentina caught the almost imperceptible shift in his posture—a readiness that spoke of potential flight rather than confrontation.

  "I've had extensive training," he replied evenly.

  "Training doesn't expin what I just witnessed," Valentina said, dropping all pretense. "No common vampire moves with that particur grace. It's... distinctive."

  She took another measured step forward, observing the carefully controlled tension in his stance. "But I've seen that quality of movement before, haven't I? Just yesterday, in fact." She paused deliberately. "When Baron Cassian's wereanimal 'pet' moved through the dining hall."

  The fsh of arm in Kieran's eyes was instantaneous, though he quickly masked it. "I'm not sure what you're suggesting, my dy."

  "I think you understand perfectly," Valentina replied. Her education had taught her that wereanimals were basically animals in human form, only able to follow simple commands after extensive training, without any real intelligence or reasoning abilities. But Nara had been described by Cassian as managing territory operations - a task that would surely be impossible for an animal only capable of following simple commands. And now Kieran dispyed physical abilities that combined vampire traits with something distinctly different.

  "Your features," she continued, watching him closely. "They echo Baron Cassian's, but with something else—something not entirely vampire. And your movements..." She gestured toward the rock face he had so effortlessly scaled. "Those aren't just enhanced vampire abilities."

  The silence stretched between them, Kieran's expression unreadable in the moonlight. Valentina took a final step that pced her directly before him, close enough to see the subtle shifts in his expression as he fought to maintain his composure.

  "You're Baron Cassian's son, aren't you?" she asked directly. "His and Nara's. You're both vampire and wereanimal."

  Kieran's careful control fractured momentarily, genuine shock crossing his features before he could suppress it. "How—" he began, then stopped himself.