The Cryptic Text

CLAIRE'S POV

"There's a bet on me."

The thought wouldn't leave my head as I ran through the woods, my heart pounding as I gasped for breath. Branches scratched at my arms and leaves tore at my face. My legs ached too, but I didn't stop. 

Who would do something like this? Betting on how much they could hurt me, how much blood they could draw, was this a joke to them? 

Yes, I was the daughter of a hunter, but weren't they just being like the hunters they claimed to hate? 

I finally stopped running, leaning against a tree, my chest rising and falling too fast. My hands were shaking and so was the rest of my body. 

I threw my head back, thinking about my predicament. Ever since I got here, it had been one thing after another. I couldn't even take a damn shower without worrying about Zane barging in, and now this? 

A bet. To hurt me. It had not even been 24 hours yet in this school.

Was Skylar responsible or was it someone else? It had to be her. But was it because of Zane? Did she know about the mate bond? 

I exhaled slowly, running a hand through my hair. I needed to go back. Class would be over soon by 9:40, and the last thing I needed was to make things worse for myself by staying out here too long.

I glanced at my watch. 9:50 PM. 

"What?" I gasped, pushing myself off the tree bark.

That wasn't right. I had only been running for a few minutes. There was no way so much time had passed. My stomach twisted as I tapped my watch, shaking my wrist to be sure it was still working. 

"Oh no," I breathed. I only had ten minutes to get back.

So, I started to run again, pushing leaves away in panic while some tangled in my hair. 

I glanced at my watch again. Five minutes more. 

I finally stopped, gasping for air and bending forward with my hands on my knees as I looked around. Nothing looked familiar and my brows furrowed when I realized that I was lost. 

I swallowed back the lump in my throat as tears stung my eyes.

I needed to get back. 

But the more I walked, the deeper into the woods I seemed to go. 

I looked at my watch again. 10:07 pm. 

A shaky breath left my lips. "Oh goddess." What was going to happen to me now? 

Snap.

I heard a twig behind me and immediately spun around, my eyes searching the darkness.

My heart was beating so loudly that I could hear it in my ears but I knew I wasn't alone. The leaves shifted, rustling like something or someone was moving. 

I didn't wait to find out, so I broke into a run. 

I didn't know where I was going. I didn't care. My only thought was to get out. 

A sharp branch sliced across my face, but I barely felt it as I continued running. And then, out of nowhere, something slammed into me. 

The impact sent me crashing to the ground, knocking the breath out of my lungs. But as I opened my eyes, two pairs of vicious red eyes stared down at me while his hands pressed against my chest, pinning me in place. My heart nearly stopped beating. 

A vampire.

For a moment, I couldn't speak. My body felt numb, like it had shut down completely. I couldn't even open my mouth to speak or cry out. 

I managed to turn my head to the side, avoiding his gaze, my chest rising and falling in short, shaky breaths. 

Then he leaned forward, his tongue licking the cut on my chin. I flinched at the feel of his tongue but I remained still, trembling beneath him.

"Delicious," he murmured, inhaling deeply like he was savoring the scent of my blood. His fingers dug into my shoulder and I shivered at his icy touch. 

"Please…" I whimpered, barely recognizing my own voice. "I—I was lost." He grabbed my face, forcing me to look at him. 

And he smirked coldly, the kind of smile that looked like death itself. 

I knew that look. He was going to drain me. I was human, after all. And vampires couldn't resist human blood. 

"Please," I tried again, tears now streaming down my face. "Please don't kill me." 

Paying no heed to my pleas, he lowered his face, his breath on my skin as he brought his fangs closer. 

I squeezed my eyes shut, waiting for the pain but suddenly, a voice rang out. 

"Let her go!" 

The vampire above me froze and so did I but mostly because I was paralyzed with fear. After a few seconds passed, he slowly peeled himself away from me. I let out a sigh of relief, feeling like I'd just peed myself from fear. 

A shadow stepped closer and his voice came again. "I'll handle her." 

The vampire who attacked me scoffed. "We should drain her." 

"She's a werewolf," the other objected said. "And a student. We don't just go around draining people."

"She's only two percent wolf," the vampire that attacked me argued. "I can smell her human blood." 

"I said, I'll handle her." The other snapped. I swallowed, staying quiet as I listened to them decide my fate.

Finally, the one that attacked me huffed, turning to glance at me before vanishing into the trees. 

My heart was racing at that point and I stayed on the ground, too afraid to move. Just because this one saved me didn't mean he wouldn't change his mind. What if he saved me for selfish reasons? What if he drained me instead? 

I prayed silently to the goddess, hoping for some kind of miracle. 

"Get up." 

The voice wasn't harsh, but it wasn't gentle either. He extended a hand toward me. And after hesitating for a second, I reached for it. The moment our fingers touched, he pulled me up with ease. 

I stumbled slightly, but he didn't let go until I was steady. He studied me, his gaze slowly assessing me, while I kept mine firmly on the ground. 

"Don't worry, I won't hurt you." He said. His voice held a hint of amusement, and that made me look at him. 

The first thing I noticed was his shining blue eyes. I couldn't make out much of his features, just the confident way he stood, and his athletic silhouette. 

"Tha—thank you for saving me," I stammered. 

"You shouldn't be here," he replied simply. "It's no place for a human." 

I swallowed. "I'm sorry. I got lost." 

"You must have had shifting class." He extended his hand again. "Let me get you out of here." 

I didn't hesitate this time. I placed my hand in his, and he led me through the woods, guiding me out of there. His pace was fast, and I had to cling to him just to keep up. 

"What dorm?"

"Raven," I answered breathlessly. 

He said nothing else as he took me straight to my dorm's gate, stopping just before the entrance. Now that we were under the dim glow of the campus lights, I finally saw his face clearly. 

He was gorgeous. Sharp features, blue eyes, pale skin, and a scar just above his eyebrow—the only imperfection to his otherwise perfect face. 

"I'm Claire," I said, feeling grateful. 

"I know," he replied. "I'm Prince Caius." 

Prince Caius? Like a vampire prince? That explained why the other vampire obeyed him so quickly. 

"Thank you for saving me," I said, smiling shakily. 

"You're welcome," he replied. 

Then, before I could say another word, he vanished into the woods again. 

*************

By the time my second class ended, it was almost lunchtime. 

I found myself wondering if I'd see Caius in the cafeteria. Maybe I could thank him properly for saving my life last night. Most people here wouldn't have saved me so what he did for me was big. 

I didn't have much to offer, but I thought of getting him a small gift or buying him lunch to show my gratitude. 

With that thought in mind, I headed to my locker but when I got there, I noticed that there was a photo taped to it. 

I moved closer and looked at it, immediately freezing up when I saw what it was. It was a photo of my family. 

Or at least, a photoshopped version of them looking pale, lifeless, with blood dripping from their skin like someone had killed them. 

I gasped, putting a hand over my mouth as I stared at it. My fingers trembled as I reached for the photo, my stomach twisting violently. 

Then the laughter came.

"How do you like it?" A boy yelled and others laughed.

I clenched my jaw, looking at him with a mixture of fear, anger, and hatred. Looking away, I ripped the photo off my locker and crushed it in my hands. 

Then I saw another one. This time, on the locker next to mine. I grabbed that one too, my heart pounding. 

The laughter grew louder and that's when I realized that the photos were everywhere. They tossed them like confetti, raining down on me, and each one was a twisted, blood-soaked version of my family. 

"Stop!" I choked out, squeezing the crumpled photos in my hands. "Please, stop." 

"Are you scared?" someone taunted, laughing as another picture hit the ground at my feet. 

Tears burned in my eyes and I dropped to my knees, gathering the photos, not wanting anyone else to see them. I grabbed all the photos on the ground and rose to my feet, tears staining my cheeks.

When I lifted my head, I saw Zane, standing a few lockers away with his arms crossed. He had a smug smirk stretching across his face and looked pleased, happy to watch me suffer.

Something inside me snapped. 

I clenched my fists and marched up to him with all the anger I was feeling.

"What is wrong with you?" I demanded, my voice shaking with rage. "Why are you doing this?" 

He barely reacted, just cocked an eyebrow like I was beneath him. 

"Doing what?" 

My lips trembled as tears spilled down my face. "You rejected me. You've already hurt me in every way possible. What more do you want from me?" I cried. 

His expression darkened. "Your father spilled our blood without hesitation. Now, I'll make sure his little girl drowns in her own suffering." 

I sucked in a breath, my throat closing up. Each time I was close to him, all I felt was pain and all I did was cry. 

"Please stop," I begged. 

"Beg if you want. Cry if you have to. It won't change a damn thing," he sneered. "I won't stop until your pain makes up for every drop of my father's blood." 

Then he turned and walked away, leaving me standing there, broken and humiliated, while the hallway buzzed with whispers and laughter. 

I wiped at my tears furiously. No. If this was his plan to break me, I wouldn't give him the satisfaction. Yes, it hurt to see him with someone else while he was my fated mate. It hurt that he wanted to punish me for what my father did. 

But I had to be stronger. I would be stronger. 

I turned to go back to my locker when my phone buzzed in my pocket. I pulled it out and my breath caught in my throat when I saw that it was a text from my father.

But as I read it, my eyes widened because it wasn't what I expected. "You're at Carnemore for a reason. Finish what I started. Begin with Zane."