THE AIR THICKENED WITH TENSION as Vivaldi's words dropped like a boulder in a still pond, sending ripples through the cave. I took a deep breath, my mind whirling with the kind of frenzy you'd find at a bustling bazaar. My heartbeat stuttered when I heard a name that echoed in the chambers of my heart — Cassius. His name wrapped itself around me, like a warm embrace or a suffocating noose, I couldn't quite tell. The taste of nostalgia filled my mouth, bittersweet and tangy, as I let out a sigh. There's a tale buried deep within me, a tale I never told, not to another living soul. Cassius, he wasn't just my master, oh no. He was my maker, the one who turned me into a creature of blood and moonlight, a vampire of the highest order. But, see, he did it out of love, or maybe fear. He wanted to protect me from others of our kind, from hungry beasts like Vivaldi who craved to bind me with the chains of a blood pact. Cassius, he was desperate, like a cornered wolf. He went to extremes, loc
THERE'S THIS GENTLE KNOCKING that cuts through the quiet evening, kind of like a woodpecker tapping away. Chloe's curiosity gets the better of her, and she gets up from her seat, walking towards the door all graceful-like. She wraps her hand around the cool doorknob, and as she opens the door, her eyes go wide with surprise, like she's staring at something out of a storybook.“Oh my gosh, Angel! Is that really you?” she exclaims, her voice all excited with a hint of disbelief. He smiles back at her, all warm and friendly.“Come on in,” she says, her voice bubbling with joy that practically hangs in the air. Angel hesitates, eyes locked on the doorway, looking a little unsure. It's like he's expecting something to stop him from going in. But he takes a deep breath, musters his courage, and steps forward. When nothing happens, a wave of relief washes over him, as refreshing as a cool breeze on a sweltering summer day.They hug, and as they touch, Angel's mouth waters, an instinctive rea
SO, THERE I WAS, CHILLIN' at the field in my slick tracksuit, just taking in the scene. The whole place was alive with energy—you could practically taste the adrenaline in the air. And, whoa, the smell of sweat! But that's just part of the deal when you're surrounded by a bunch of classmates pushing themselves to the limit.Sneakers were squeakin' and squawkin' with every step, and the sound just echoed through the entire place. All of a sudden, kids were zooming by me in this crazy blur of colours and motion. The coach's whistle shrieked through the air, telling us the race had began. And man, you should've seen the looks on those runners' faces! It was like they were pushing through hell and back.But then, outta nowhere, this one guy broke free from the pack like a cheetah on the hunt. It was Kylian—you know, that jerk who had the nerve to mess with Scarlett and even threatened Winter. He bolted across the finish line, shouting like he'd just conquered the world, his fist held hi
SCARLETT TOOK A SIP OF HER JUICE before she continued, “I wasn't actually there, but Winter sent me some pictures she took while Chloe was getting her wound cleaned.”Scarlett grabbed her phone off the table, saying, “Maybe I should show you.” But I quickly stopped her, letting her know that blood makes me queasy. She nodded, completely understanding my reaction.With concern in my voice, I asked, “Is Chloe doing any better?”Scarlett seemed to deflate a bit, like she was carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders. “I don't know if I can really say that,” she confessed, looking down at her juice. “Winter told me that Chloe's blood levels were way too low. Dangerously low, Casper. It was really bad—so bad that she needed a blood transfusion.” Scarlett let out a sigh, her sadness clearly visible. “I feel terrible that I haven't been to see her yet. My mom wants me to visit after school today.”As Scarlett shared the details, I couldn't help but feel uneasy—like someone, or somethi
SO, I STROLLED INTO MY PLACE and let my backpack just flop onto the living room couch. You know that feeling when you've got a lot on your mind? Yep, that was me. I made a beeline for the kitchen, popped open the fridge, and grabbed myself some of that sweet, tangy animal juice. I can't help but think about what went down with Chloe, man. Just couldn't shake it.Now, after Vivaldi shared his werewolf story in the cave, the dude actually offered to keep himself indoors ‘til the next full moon when he’d go full-on wolf mode for my viewing pleasure. He figured it'd be best to steer clear of humans to avoid any slip-ups that might mess with his chance to seal that blood contract deal. He was afraid of losing control and giving in to the ol' bloodlust, ya know? So, I let out a sigh, unscrewed the cap from the bottle, and slugged back the crimson goodness. But here's the thing – my brain was goin' into overdrive with these thoughts. Was it possible that it was Vivaldi who attacked Chloe? B
VIVALDI'S BROW FURROWED. “Well, you're making it sound like Chloe's in trouble or something. I mean, I don't really give a hoot about her, but for the sake of my freedom, I'm cool with keeping her safe.”I put on a reassuring smile. “Don't sweat it; she's fine.” I let out a laugh, hoping to throw him off the trail. The last thing I needed was Vivaldi poking around and possibly covering his tracks if he was indeed the culprit.The thing was, his voice didn't waver with guilt or worry, like he genuinely had no clue what had gone down with Chloe. I was baffled, man. Pinning the attack on Vivaldi felt like a stretch, especially since anyone could've framed him using our kind's mind control mojo. From then on, I decided to keep an even closer eye on the guy – couldn't be too careful.Trying to lighten the mood, I teased, “I was just checking to see if there's any shred of compassion in that cold, undead heart of yours. So, do you actually have feelings for Chloe, or was it all just mind con
Gabriel's chillin' in his small flat, minding his own business, when suddenly his phone goes off like a fire alarm. It buzzed and vibrated so hard that it made the whole countertop hum like a bee. Gabriel snapped out of his daydream, and his hand shot out quicker than a cat, grabbing the phone with a smooth touch.His thumb swiped across the screen, and his heart went THUD, like it just fell down a flight of stairs. The voice note made his chest feel heavy, as if someone had poured concrete in it. It was from Winter, one of his sister Chloe's besties.Winter's words hit Gabriel like a slap in the face: “Gabriel,” she said, her voice full of sadness, “I hate to be the one to break it to you, but Chloe's in the hospital, hurt pretty badly. She's got a nasty wound on her neck, but she's a tough cookie, and she made it. Still, it's pretty rough. The docs say she's lucky, but you know how it is. She needs you, man. I know you've been away, but she's been asking for her big brother.”Gabrie
ANGEL FINALLY CRUMPLED TO THE GROUND, and Noah rushed to Samantha's side, his breath catching in his throat at the sight of her pale, lifeless form. Tears streamed down his face, their warmth a stark contrast to the cold fear that gripped his heart. He gathered her into his arms, her blood soaking through his clothes as he cradled her against his chest. His sobs filled the night air, mingling with the gentle rustle of the wind through the trees. As he knelt there, his grief a palpable force in the darkness, a shadow fell over him, casting a chill down his spine. Noah's instincts kicked in, and he turned with lightning speed, his gun raised and ready to fire. But Angel was faster. His fangs glinted in the moonlight as he dove at Noah, his movements a blur of predatory grace. Noah fired wildly, the gun's blast illuminating the night in flashes of light and shadow. Yet no matter how many times he pulled the trigger, Angel's jaws remained locked onto his neck, those deadly fangs sinking