<b>Chapter </b><b>192 </b>


    I froze on the spot.


    I couldn’t move, neither could I have said anything. I just watched Eros.


    He looked–different. There was something sinister, dark, about him.


    Eros tightened his hands around Lord Shevek’s neck.


    The silence in the room was loud. Not even a squeak was heard from the crowd. Everyone was careful<b>, </b><b>as </b>if they knew that one wrong move, and Lord Shevek’s neck would be snapped in two.


    “Eden is mine.” Eros growled again. Then he raised a hand in the air to strike Lord Shevek, and I screamed.


    “Stop!”


    He paused but refused to look at me.


    His hand shook.


    It was like in that moment, he had a fierce battle with himself to decide if he should strike or not.


    After what seemed like forever, he dropped his hand and threw Lord Shevek over to the side.


    He turned around, breathing fast. He swept his gaze across the crowd and roared.


    It was unlike anything I had ever seen Eros do. He turned to me, his


    gaze


    fixed on where <b>I </b>stood unmoving.


    From the corner of my eye, I saw Beauty move away from Adonis and Arthur as she carefully walked up to Eros. He snapped at her, and she jumped back in surprise.


    “It’s me!” Beauty gasped.


    Eros lowered his head and bared his teeth at her. She raised her hand in surrender and backed away quickly. Adonis hurried to her side and shoved her behind him. He shielded her from Eros’s gaze.


    “Back off.” Adonis warned.


    That was dangerous.


    It was clear Eros would defeat him if he dared, but Adonis’s desire to protect his mate gave him unusual courage.


    I stepped in and took a step closer to Eros. He was my mate. There was no way he would not listen to me. The Eros I knew may be hot–tempered and sometimes act beastly, but he would always listen to my voice.


    “Eros.” I called. “Leave Beauty alone!”


    He looked at me. The red glow in his eyes was terrifying. But I didn’t <b>see </b>it as a threat. I stepped closer, and Eros watched This is from N?velDrama.Org.


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    There was no reaction on his face. He just gave me a nk look.


    “Eden!” Beauty shouted. “Stay back.”


    I frowned. “I need to calm him down.”


    “This isn’t Eros. Whatever <i>Eros </i>is right now, <b>it’s </b>something we have not seen before. Don’t touch him.” Beauty said quickly.


    I looked at Eros. He knows pec… he came for me, didn’t he?


    <b>Eros </b>sneered, one side of his lips lifted in a dangerous smile.


    I backed off. That was close.


    From the other side of the room, I saw Lord Shevek recover from his fall. He stood up, his movements a little shaky. He took a deep breath and red at Eros<b>. </b>He <b>was </b>annoyed.


    I was more worried about my mate. What happened to Eros that made him change so much? Why was he suddenly like this? “What a show stopper!” A shrill voice rang out from the doorway. I turned to <b>see </b>Susie with <b>a </b><b>sly </b>smile on her <b>face</b><b>. </b>


    My heart plummeted into my stomach.


    Susie?


    She slowly walked to the front, her movements calcted <b>as </b>she threw yful winks at several young male vampires<b>. </b>“What are you doing here?<b>” </b><b>I </b>asked. I grabbed a fistful of my gown and squeezed tightly. It <b>was </b>hard not tosh out at her.


    She made a gesture at Eros.


    “We came together. He was so fast he left me behind.” Susie rolled her eyes.


    Came together?


    I scoffed. I was right after all; Eros has something to do with Susie. He has been cheating on me.


    I felt Tiara get furious. My heart beat faster and my body grow hot from the anger I tried to control.


    It was as if everyone in the room suddenly sensed my fury. The vampires scrambled away, probably going back to their homes. The initiation ceremony was ruined after all, and the drama had be more dangerous than exciting.


    My eyes caught Ryker from a distance. He leaned against the wall and just watched on with a small smirk on his lips. I ignored him.


    I was already upied with thoughts of Susie and Eros affair than about Ryker’s presence.


    <b>I </b>stalked towards Eros; my ws elongated. I growled out.


    “How could you?”


    Eros looked a little taken aback before he came <b>closer </b>with a growl of his own.


    “How dare you do this to me?” <b>I </b>screamed and attacked him. I was so hurt. My ws swiped at his face, leaving a seratch. Eros roared. “Are you challenging me?<b>” </b>


    I snapped. “Go to hell. You and your whore.” I red at Susie. “I don’t care.”


    Eros grabbed my arm and pulled me in with so much strength that I fell against him. Before <b>I </b>could fight back, I <b>was </b>suddenly pulled away from Eros’s <b>grasp</b>.


    I looked up to see Ryker snarl at Eros.


    “She is mine. Don’t youy a finger on her?” Ryker announced.


    There was a short pause. <b>Eros </b>fixed his eyes on Ryker’s hands around me,


    then he charged up.


    My eyes widened. What has Ryker done?


    If I thought Eros looked wild a few minutes ago, it was nothingpared to what he looked like after Rykerid a im on


    me..


    He looked like pure evil.


    Ryker roared in response and shoved me behind him.


    I was taken aback when he shifted into a huge brown hybrid creature.


    Everything began to fall into ce.


    The power I had sensed in him.


    It was because he was more than just a high–ranking vampire. He was hybrid, just like us.


    But this only made me more confused.


    Ryker attacked. He threw himself against Eros, who was still in his half–human form. I thought that would have been a disadvantage for Eros, but it was theplete opposite.


    Eros caught him before he made an impact and hurled him to the ground. The pavement cracked, and everyone backed away in fright. The pirs shook.


    Ryker didn’t stand a chance.


    Eros emitted some kind of ck smoke like an evil aura.


    I shivered, feeling my chest tighten from fear.


    Ryker was unfazed. He gave Eros a taunting smile, which only made him mad.


    Eros roared and swiped his ws across Ryker’s face and drew blood. Then he delivered blows after blows until Ryker’s face was unrecognizable.


    I was repulsed at the sight of so much blood. Tears stung my eyes, and with eyes closed and my hands over my ears, I screamed.


    “Stop. Just stop it. Please Eros!”


    Eros growled in anger and flung Ryker away. Ryker’s body hit the pir as he released a loud cry.


    Everything went still except for Ryker’s whimpers. Then suddenly, it becameughter. Rykerughed in a way that sent a chill to my bones.


    It sounded strange.


    He coughed, spitting out blood as he wheezed out.


    “Like hell! Is that the best you’ve got? You should do it. I know you want to.”


    Eden growled, and in a sh he had Ryker in a tight chokehold.


    “Go on! Kill me, stepbrother!” Ryker bellowed.