Vampire

We were somewhere new. A house—but this one was different. Its architecture was massive, regal, with high ceilings and intricately carved wooden beams. The air carried the faint scent of cedarwood and something else distinctly powerful: dominance. 

"Don't move," Kalix commanded, his voice low and edged with a dark promise. "Don't even think about running." 

The weight of his words pressed down on me, cold and heavy. I had no doubt he meant it. I didn't want to find out what would happen if I disobeyed. So I stayed put in the room he left me in, biting back the instinct to test my luck. 

I sat on the couch my body exhausted there was no energy left in me. This was such an epic fail. Everything ached I closed my eyes and took a deep breath for now let's see what will happen then I can decide what to do next. 

The house was eerily quiet, almost too quiet, like the calm before a storm. I strained my ears and picked up faint footsteps—the steady, rhythmic tread of guards patrolling the perimeter. There was only one other person inside the house besides Kalix and me, but outside... 

Several weres. Strong, vigilant, and making rounds. 

My brows furrowed as I pieced together the scene. From what I could see when I entered, this had to be the pack house—the heart of Silvermoon's territory. It was where all the pack members gathered, the most secure location in the entire region. 

But that raised a burning question: 

Why did Kalix bring me here? 

I rubbed my eyes taking a deep sigh. 

All of a sudden, the atmosphere shifted. A strange calm settled over the room, thick and unnerving. The scent around me changed, unfamiliar and ancient, making my head spin. My mind struggled to catch up with the sudden turn of events. 

Then, movement flickered to my right. 

Before I could react, someone was there—holding my injured hand. Their touch was cold, sending a shiver down my spine. The person lifted my hand to their face and took a deep sniff as if savoring the scent of my blood. 

That's when I saw her. 

A woman. Ethereal and breathtaking, with long black hair that cascaded down her back and eyes so luminous they seemed almost too large for her face. The moonlight streamed through the window, illuminating her pale skin and making her appear like a goddess descended from the heavens. 

I flinched, startled by her sudden presence. How did she get here? My eyes darted to the door—it was still closed. 

Panic tightened in my chest. No one had opened it. 

That's when I noticed something chilling. Her pupils were dilated, wide, and unnatural, as though she was... I couldn't place the expression. 

And there was no sound. 

Not a creak from the floorboards. Not the faint whisper of her breath. Not even a heartbeat. 

I swallowed hard, my instincts on high alert. Every werewolf sense in me screamed that this being was not normal. 

The realization hit me like a lightning bolt—she was a vampire. 

My heart raced, thudding wildly against my chest. The room seemed to shrink as dread took hold. Her eyes gleamed with hunger, and when she opened her mouth, the sharp gleam of her canines caught the light. 

I tried to yank my hand away, but her grip was unyielding, iron-like against my skin. My strength was no match for hers in my current state. 

Her other hand shot up, gripping my throat. It wasn't a painful hold—yet—but the implication was clear. She was reminding me how effortlessly she could end me. My breath hitched, fear clawing at my insides. 

What was a vampire doing here? 

There was no way a vampire could enter a pack house—or even step foot into werewolf territory. The borders were warded against them. The only explanation that made sense sent a chill down my spine. 

Had Kalix allowed it? 

"Did Kalix send you?" I rasped, my voice shaking. 

Her head tilted slightly as if considering my question. For a brief moment, it seemed to halt her next move. But then her lips curled back, and she leaned down again, her teeth dangerously close to my skin. 

Panic surged through me. Was this why Kalix left me here? To be a vampire's snack? 

I thrashed weakly, desperate to escape, but her grip remained steadfast. My vision blurred with fear as she opened her mouth wide to bite into my hand. 

"Diana." 

A low, commanding voice sliced through the tension. 

The vampire—Diana, apparently—froze, her fangs mere inches from my skin. Her head snapped toward the voice, her eyes flickering with irritation. 

He was stood in the shadows, barely distinguishable from the darkness around him. How had he even gotten inside? My gaze darted to the open window—the curtains swaying gently in the night breeze. Of course. Vampires didn't need doors. 

He moved with an unnervingly quiet grace, like shadows come to life. His presence was magnetic, radiating power that sent a shiver through me. He was tall, with pale skin and dark eyes that gleamed like polished obsidian. 

Another vampire. 

But this one seemed different. His very aura demanded control and obedience. 

Panic tightened my throat as reality sunk in. There was nothing I could do. I was trapped. I couldn't even call for help because the only person who might have protected me—Kalix—had abandoned me to become a vampire's snack. 

I struggled, twisting in Diana's grip, but she only tightened her hold, her fingers like steel bands around me. My breath came in short gasps. 

"She's not from his pack," Diana hissed, her voice filled with dark curiosity. Her dilated eyes gleamed with madness as she fixated on me. 

I froze. How did she know that? 

Her nostrils flared as if savoring the scent in the air. "Her blood smells so good. I wonder why…" she mused, her voice laced with hunger. 

Before I could react, she leaned down and licked the blood trailing from my hand. My stomach turned in revulsion, and I cringed inwardly, a cold shudder wracking my body. 

The door burst open with a deafening thud. 

The sound shattered the tension like glass, snapping everyone's attention to the figure now filling the doorway. 

Kalix. 

His eyes were wild, a storm brewing within their dark depths. Fury radiated off him like heat from a wildfire. 

In an instant, he moved faster than I could register. One moment, Diana had me in her iron grip. The next, Kalix yanked me free and pulled me behind him, his hand firm but reassuring around mine. 

He positioned himself like a shield between me and the vampires, his broad frame blocking me entirely from their view. 

Diana's lips curled into a twisted smile. "Kalix," she purred, clearly unbothered by his wrath. "You're just in time." 

Kalix's voice was low, deadly. "Stay away from her, Diana." 

I looked at him, I was so stupid to even doubt him. For some unknown reason, I knew, I knew Kalix would always protect me.