THE HIDDEN CROWN

Chapter 1: The Eternal Watcher

The night air was thick with the scent of rain, the city below teeming with life as its inhabitants went about their business, oblivious to the ancient eyes that watched over them. From the penthouse suite of Blackwood Tower, Victor Blackwood gazed out over the sprawling metropolis, his sharp features illuminated by the soft glow of city lights. The rain streaked down the glass, blurring the world outside, much like the memories that haunted him.

Victor—or Aiden Thorne, as he had once been known—was not a man in the traditional sense. He was a vampire, an immortal being who had walked the earth for over a thousand years. In that time, he had seen empires rise and fall, had dined with kings and whispered into the ears of tyrants. Yet, as the centuries passed, he had learned to adapt, to remain hidden in plain sight. He had become Victor Blackwood, a reclusive billionaire with a reputation for ruthless business acumen and an enigmatic past.

Tonight, however, something was different. A sense of unease had settled over him, a feeling he hadn’t experienced in centuries. He could feel the weight of time pressing down on him, and with it, the foreboding sense that the carefully constructed life he had built was about to unravel.

His phone buzzed, breaking the silence of the room. Victor turned away from the window and picked it up, seeing a message from his assistant, Evelyn. She was one of the few people who knew some of his secrets, though not all.

Evelyn: The Order of the Dawn has been asking questions again. They’ve intensified their efforts. We should discuss.

Victor’s eyes narrowed. The Order of the Dawn was a persistent thorn in his side, a shadowy organization that hunted beings like him. They had been growing bolder in recent months, digging into his history, probing where they shouldn’t. It was only a matter of time before they got too close.

He typed a quick response, then put the phone down. He needed to think, to strategize. But as he returned to the window, his mind drifted to another, more troubling matter—Clara.

Clara had been a complication he hadn’t anticipated. A journalist with a sharp mind and a relentless curiosity, she had started poking around The Order of the Dawn. Their paths had crossed in a way that felt almost fated, and despite his better judgment, Victor had found himself drawn to her. She was unlike anyone he had encountered in centuries—fearless, intelligent, and unyielding. Yet, she was also a threat. The closer she got to the truth, the more danger she was in.

Victor clenched his jaw, his reflection in the glass almost unrecognizable. He had sworn off personal attachments long ago; they only led to pain and loss. But Clara… Clara was different.

A knock at the door pulled him from his thoughts. It was Evelyn, her expression serious as she stepped into the room. She handed him a dossier, her eyes betraying the urgency of the situation.

“They’ve made progress,” she said, her voice low. “The Order has found a connection between Blackwood Industries and a series of events dating back over a hundred years. They’re starting to piece things together.”

Victor flipped through the pages, his eyes scanning the documents. The Order was closer than he’d thought. Too close.

“They need to be stopped,” he said, his voice cold and commanding. “We can’t let them get any closer.”

Evelyn nodded. “I’ve already put some measures in place, but we may need to consider more… drastic actions.”

Victor looked up, meeting her gaze. He knew what she meant, but the idea of violence weighed heavily on him. He had spent centuries avoiding unnecessary bloodshed, preferring to manipulate events from the shadows. But now, it seemed he had no choice.

“Do what needs to be done,” he said after a moment’s hesitation. “But leave Clara out of it. She’s not involved with The Order, not directly.”

Evelyn raised an eyebrow but said nothing. She turned to leave, but Victor’s voice stopped her.

“And Evelyn,” he added, his tone softer, “keep an eye on Clara. Make sure she stays safe.”

Evelyn nodded once more and left the room, leaving Victor alone with his thoughts. He stared down at the city again, the lights below flickering like stars in a stormy sky. He had lived through countless storms, had weathered the tempests of time, but this one felt different. It felt personal.

As the rain continued to fall, Victor made a silent vow. He would protect the life he had built, the secrets he had kept hidden for so long. And he would protect Clara, even if it meant risking everything.

But deep down, he knew that the storm was coming, and when it did, nothing would ever be the same.