The Hunter's Snare

The cold night air bit at my skin as I stepped out of the car, wrapping my arms around myself instinctively. Trinity College loomed ahead, the familiar sight of the dorm building offering only a flicker of comfort.

"Thanks for the ride," I muttered, my voice wavering.

Xander didn't respond. He stayed in the car, his sharp eyes fixed on me through the rearview mirror. For a moment, I thought he might say something, but instead, he gave a slow, deliberate nod.

I turned and began walking, the sound of the engine idling behind me prickling at the edges of my awareness. Was he waiting? No. I was just being paranoid—right?

I barely made it halfway to the entrance when it happened.

A whisper of movement cut through the still night air, too fast and deliberate to be natural. My skin prickled, a cold shiver racing up my spine. Something wasn't right.

Before I could even process the thought, a figure launched itself out of the shadows with a snarl. It wasn't human—that much was clear. Its glowing crimson eyes burned with a feral intensity, and its unnaturally sharp teeth glinted under the streetlights.

I stumbled back, terror locking my body in place. My heart hammered in my chest as I tried to scream, but the sound caught in my throat.

The creature lunged, its claws swiping for me, but just before it could reach me, a blur of motion intercepted it. Xander.

He moved faster than my eyes could follow, colliding with the creature in a burst of raw force. The vampire snarled and twisted, but Xander was relentless, his every movement precise and deadly.

"Stay down!" he barked at me, his voice cutting through the chaos like a whip.

The feral vampire hissed, its blood-red eyes narrowing as it circled him. Xander didn't falter. With a flick of his wrist, a silver blade materialized in his hand, its edge gleaming ominously.

The creature lunged again, but Xander sidestepped effortlessly, his blade slicing through the air in a single, fluid motion.

The strike was lethal, piercing the vampire's chest. It froze, its crimson eyes widening in shock before its body dissolved into ash, carried away by the wind.

Silence fell, broken only by the sound of my ragged breathing. My legs gave out, and I sank to the ground, trembling.

Xander turned to me, his expression hard yet calm, as if this were just another routine night for him.

"Are you hurt?"

I shook my head, too stunned to form words.

He stepped closer, his dark eyes scanning me for injuries.

"I told you," he said, his tone low but edged with frustration, "you're not safe out here."

"What the hell was that?!"

I finally managed to choke out, my voice shaking.

"What was that thing?!"

"A vampire," he replied, his tone flat, as if the answer were obvious.

I stared at him, my mind racing to catch up.

"A... a vampire? Are you serious? Vampires aren't real!"

Xander's expression didn't waver.

"You just saw one. Still think they're not real?"

I couldn't respond. My brain refused to process what had just happened.

He sighed, running a hand through his dark hair.

"I knew this would happen. That's why I stayed close."

"You knew something was going to attack me?"

My voice rose in disbelief.

"And you let me walk out here alone?!"

"I didn't let you do anything," he snapped, his tone sharp.

"I gave you a choice, and you made it. But I wasn't going to let you get yourself killed because of your stubbornness."

I wanted to argue, to scream at him, but the weight of what I'd just witnessed crushed any fight I had left. I buried my face in my hands, struggling to steady my breathing.

Xander crouched beside me, his sharp features softening just slightly.

"I know none of this makes sense to you right now. But you have to trust me, Leighton. This world is darker than you realize," he said quietly, his voice unusually gentle.

I looked up at him, my voice trembling. "Why me?" I whispered.

"Why is this happening to me?"

He hesitated, his jaw tightening. "Because you're not just some ordinary human. Your blood... it's different. It's rare. And they'll do anything to get to you."

I swallowed hard, my throat dry.

"And what about you?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. "What are you?"

He held my gaze, his dark eyes glinting with something unreadable.

"I'm a vampire too," he admitted, his voice steady.

"But unlike the ones hunting you, I don't drink human's blood and I don't hurt people."

I stared at him, my heart pounding.

"A vampire... but you're helping me? Why?"

"Because I know what they'll do to you if they catch you," he said, his voice darkening.

"And because I'm not like them. I don't kill for blood. I don't hunt innocents. I protect them."

I wanted to run, to scream, to wake up from this nightmare. But deep down, I knew he was telling the truth. The feral vampire, the way Xander had fought—it was all too real to deny.

"Come on," he said, standing and offering me his hand.

"We can't stay here. I'll explain everything, but first, we need to get you somewhere safe—my place."

For a moment, I hesitated, staring at his outstretched hand. Then, reluctantly, I took it. His grip was firm but gentle, steadying me as he helped me to my feet.

As Xander led me toward his car, one thought echoed in my mind: if he was right—and if I really was in danger—I didn't have a choice but to trust him.

Even if he was a vampire.