A vampire and a dragon?

Anne stood in the center of her room, her heart pounding in her chest. Her hands were clenched tightly at her sides, her nails digging into her palms as the weight of her mother's words settled over her like a suffocating cloak.

You're the daughter of a dragon and a vampire.

The words kept circling in her mind, over and over, like a chant. She couldn't make sense of them. She wanted to scream, to argue, to deny it all, but there was a part of her—deep inside—that knew it was true. It explained everything, and yet nothing at all. It explained the heat in her chest, the fire that burned brighter with each passing day. But it also raised more questions than answers. Who was her father? What had happened to him? And what did this mean for her, for her future?

Anne felt the fire stir within her again. It was almost like a living thing now, pulsing beneath her skin, urging her to let it out, to unleash it. But she resisted, her hands trembling as she fought to keep control. She couldn't lose herself. Not like Lucian had.

The thought of him sent a jolt through her. Lucian. The stranger in the forest. The one who had said she was more dangerous than she realized. He had to know something about all of this—about her, about her power. But how could she find him? And why had he left so abruptly?

Her thoughts were interrupted by a sharp knock at the door.

"Anne."

It was her mother's voice, softer now, but still laced with that unyielding authority. "We need to talk."

Anne didn't move at first. She didn't want to talk. She didn't want to hear more of her mother's explanations, not when they felt like more half-truths, like more walls being built around her.

But the silence stretched between them, thick and heavy. And eventually, Anne opened the door.

Bela stood there, her expression unreadable, her arms folded across her chest. She looked at Anne, her eyes filled with something that might have been regret— or perhaps it was something darker. Something that made Anne want to step back.

"I know you have questions," Bela said, her voice quiet but firm. "I know you're angry."

Anne's throat tightened. "Angry?" she echoed, her voice breaking. "How could you do this to me? For years, you've hidden everything. You never told me what I am. What I could be."

Bela's eyes softened, but the hardness in her expression remained. "I did it to protect you, Anne. I didn't want you to become like him." Her voice faltered, just for a moment. "I couldn't lose you, too."

Anne blinked, the mention of Lucian sharp in her mind. "Like him?" she asked, her voice shaking with curiosity. "What happened to him? Who is he?"

Bela hesitated, as though searching for the right words. "Lucian was a mistake," she said finally. "A warning. His powers were too great. He couldn't control them. He lost himself to the fire inside him. It consumed him."

Anne's stomach twisted. "Is that what will happen to me? Is that why you're so scared of me?"

Her mother's eyes flickered with something unreadable. "I'm not scared of you, Anne. I'm scared of what you could become. You have a choice. You can control the fire, or it will control you."

Anne shook her head, her mind reeling. "And how am I supposed to do that? You've never taught me anything. You've kept me locked away."

"I know," Bela said softly. "But now, things are different. You're growing stronger. Your power is awakening faster than I thought. I'll help you, but only if you're ready."

Anne stared at her mother for a long moment. The words felt empty, hollow. She wanted to believe her. Wanted to trust that Bela had kept her hidden all these years for her protection. But there was so much her mother hadn't told her. So much she didn't understand.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Anne asked, her voice barely a whisper. "Why didn't you prepare me for this?"

Bela's gaze hardened. "Because I didn't want you to end up like Lucian. Or worse."

The room fell silent, the weight of those words hanging between them like a suffocating fog.

Anne opened her mouth to speak, but before she could, a sudden gust of wind swept through the room, causing the curtains to flutter wildly. The fire inside her surged to life again, swirling in her chest like an uncontrollable storm. She gasped, her hands reaching out as the air grew thicker, charged with something she couldn't quite grasp.

A voice echoed in her mind—clear, but distant. You're not alone, Anne.

Anne's heart stopped.

It was Lucian. She knew it. His voice, familiar but strange, filled her mind like a ripple in the air. Her body tensed, the fire inside her flaring again, but she quickly pushed it down, the weight of his words pulling her toward something deeper.

Her mother's eyes darted toward her, concern flooding her expression. "What's happening?"

"I—I don't know," Anne murmured, her voice trembling. "I heard him. I heard Lucian."

Bela's face turned pale. "No," she said sharply. "You mustn't follow him, Anne. He's a danger to you. He'll only lead you down the same path he took."

But Anne wasn't listening. The pull was too strong now, like a magnet drawing her toward the unknown. The fire inside her was burning hotter, the voice in her head growing clearer.

Anne's mind was made up. She had to find him. She had to know more. No matter the cost.