The cage

Darkness held her in its grasp. A heavy, suffocating weight pressed against her limbs, dragging her into a restless void.

Anne fought to surface, but the poison clung to her veins like frost, numbing every inch of her body.

She wasn't dead. But she wasn't free, either.

A dull ache pulsed at the base of her skull. Her wrists burned, the sensation raw and biting. The sharp clink of metal echoed as she shifted.

Chains.

Anne's eyes snapped open.

She was in a cage.

Thick iron bars surrounded her, reinforced with glowing silver runes. They pulsed with an unnatural energy, radiating a presence that made her skin crawl.

A dim, flickering torch cast eerie shadows against the stone walls. The air was damp, thick with the scent of mold, sweat, and something metallic—blood.

Her stomach twisted.

She wasn't alone.

Beyond the bars, several figures moved. Hunters. Their armor gleamed dully in the torchlight, dark and battle-worn. Some were sharpening weapons, others speaking in hushed voices.

And then she saw him.

Lucian.

He was slumped against the far wall, his wrists shackled above his head. Dried blood streaked his jaw. His chest rose and fell in shallow breaths, his body motionless—but not broken.

Anne's breath hitched.

"Lucian."

He didn't stir.

Her pulse pounded. She gritted her teeth and yanked at the chains around her wrists, but the metal burned at her skin, forcing her to bite back a cry.

Damn it!

"You should save your strength."

A voice. Low, gravelly.

Anne's head snapped toward the sound.

A man stood outside the cage, arms crossed. His face was partially obscured by shadows, but she could see the cold amusement in his dark eyes.

He was older than the other hunters, his presence commanding.

He studied her like one would a caged animal.

Anne glared. "Who are you?"

He smiled, but it was devoid of warmth. "Your captor."

Anne's jaw clenched. "Let me go."

The man chuckled, stepping closer. "Oh, I don't think so." He gestured toward the glowing runes on the bars. "Do you know what those are?"

Anne didn't answer.

He smirked. "Magic. Old magic. Designed to keep creatures like you docile." He tilted his head. "I imagine it must be strange, having your fire locked away. Feeling… powerless."

Anne kept her expression blank, but inside, anger twisted deep.

The man crouched, leveling his gaze with hers. "Tell me, do you even know what you are?"

She said nothing.

He sighed, shaking his head. "No, I didn't think so." He tapped a finger against the bars. "Your kind isn't meant to exist, girl. Dragons and vampires—two of the most powerful predators to ever walk this world." His lips curled in disgust. "And yet, somehow, you happened."

Anne's hands curled into fists.

The man leaned in slightly. "Your mother thought she could hide you. But nothing stays hidden forever."

Anne's chest tightened. They knew about her mother?

The man studied her reaction and smiled. "Ah, there it is. Fear."

She glared. "I'm not afraid of you."

His expression darkened. "You will be."

Without another word, he turned and walked away, leaving her alone in the dim glow of the torches.

Anne exhaled slowly, trying to steady her racing thoughts.

She glanced at Lucian again. He still hadn't moved.

Her fists clenched.

She didn't know how long she had before they did something worse. But one thing was certain—

She wasn't staying in this cage.