PEACE HAS A PRICE

Everything was happening so quickly it left my head spinning. 

First, I was struggling with this overwhelming sensitivity to every sound around me, feeling like I'd never escape the constant buzz of voices, footsteps, and even heartbeats. Then, out of nowhere, I met another vampire—stronger, sharper, and infinitely more terrifying than I could ever imagine. 

To top it off, the blood I'd been buying to sustain myself? It turned out to be the blood of recent murder victims, connected to the brutal killings that had haunted the area.

Frustration clawed at me, and I ran a hand through my hair, tugging at the jet-black strands as if that would somehow clear the storm of thoughts. I wanted to scream, and do something to get this frustration out in my body, but I don't want to lose control of myself. 

I glanced through the glass at him—still there, talking with someone just outside the VIP Glass Dome here at the Argus Club. The sharp lines of his figure in the dim club lights made him look even more dangerous, almost like a dark silhouette against the glass.

Yes. We came back here. Or rather, I had no choice but to follow him back to this place that reeked of secrets. Only now, another piece of the puzzle clicked into place: he owned this club, a fact that unsettled me even more. The name they whispered as he passed wasn't even a real one—everyone simply called him "boss." Not once had I heard his actual name.

After a few minutes, he entered the Glass Dome, his face tense as he walked over to the table. He grabbed a full glass of tequila and drank it down in one go.

He looked at me, his eyes darkening even though they were already blazing red.

He's furious. Really furious. I couldn't tell if it was at me or someone else, and honestly, I didn't want to know.

"Another victim was found in a nearby district," he finally said, and my throat went dry at his words.

In an instant, he was in front of me, moving so fast that I barely registered it. I instinctively leaned back, pressing against the wall, my heart pounding from the shock and fear. Damn it! Why is my life spiraling like this? I still haven't fully accepted the whole vampire thing—maybe only around 60%. But this? This situation that could either expose me or genuinely end me?

"You…" His voice trailed off as he traced his finger along my jawline before firmly gripping it.

"What… I had nothing to do with that," I stammered, as if denying something I didn't even do. He knew I had no involvement with that victim found in another district—he'd been with me earlier.

I took a shaky breath, trying to regain composure, but his hand remained firm on my jaw, a reminder of the danger he posed. His piercing gaze bore into me, as if he was searching for answers that I didn't have—or didn't know if I even wanted to have.

He leaned in, voice low and edged with suspicion. "Then why does it feel like you're hiding something?"

I swallowed hard, my pulse quickening. "I'm not… I'm just trying to survive, same as you," I managed, hoping it was enough to break the tension between us.

For a moment, silence fell. His hand loosened slightly, though his gaze didn't soften. "Surviving doesn't mean ignoring reality. If you're in this world, you can't keep one foot in the human side and one in ours. You'll have to choose."

His words hit me like a warning, one that stirred every instinct to turn and run. But I stayed, fighting against the uncertainty twisting within me.

"Then I'm choosing peace," I said, steadying my voice, determined. His expression barely shifted, but I sensed a flicker of surprise, maybe even curiosity.

He narrowed his eyes. "Peace? In a world like this?" His tone was sharp, almost mocking, as if the word itself was a foolish concept.

I held his gaze. "Yes, peace," I repeated, firmer this time. "Even if it means I have to fight for it."

He scoffed, releasing my jaw and stepping back, his gaze lingering on me with a mix of amusement and exasperation. "Then prepare yourself," he warned. "Because in this world, peace has a price."