The Blood That Binds

Helena ran.

The night air was cold against her skin, but the fire inside her burned hotter than ever. Her heart pounded—whether from fear or something darker, she didn't know. She just knew she had to get away.

Away from Xavier.

Away from Lucian.

Away from what she had become.

Her feet barely touched the ground as she sprinted into the forest. The trees loomed around her, their shadows stretching like clawed hands. The whispers in her mind grew louder, twisting, calling her name.

"You are more than this."

"You were never meant to hide."

"Accept what you are, and you will never be afraid again."

She squeezed her eyes shut, forcing the voices away.

"No. I won't let this consume me."

But the forest had other plans.

A barrier of energy flared to life before her—a glowing red wall that pulsed with the same power she had unleashed earlier. She skidded to a stop, breathing hard.

The realization hit her like a tidal wave.

She had created this.

Unconsciously.

Wild. Uncontrolled. Deadly.

"Helena!"

Xavier's voice cut through the night. She turned, finding him a few feet away. His golden eyes glowed in the darkness, filled with concern.

"Stay back," she warned, her voice trembling. "I don't know what's happening to me."

Xavier took a cautious step forward. "I do."

She shook her head violently. "No, you don't. You can't."

He held her gaze. "You think you're losing yourself. But you're not, Helena. You're waking up."

She hated how much she wanted to believe him.

"I almost killed Lucian." Her voice cracked. "I didn't even mean to—"

"And he would have killed you without hesitation," Xavier cut in, his expression hard. "Do you understand what this means? You're stronger than him. Stronger than any vampire or fae."

Helena's throat tightened. "That's what scares me."

Xavier exhaled, running a hand through his hair. "I know. But you can learn to control it. I can help you."

Something in his voice—so steady, so certain—made her waver. She wanted to believe that she wasn't a ticking time bomb waiting to explode.

But before she could answer—

A bloodcurdling scream ripped through the trees.

Helena's breath hitched.

Xavier's expression darkened. "That came from the village."

They locked eyes.

No more running.

Without another word, they took off toward the sound.

---

The Village Burns

By the time they arrived, the village was in ruins.

Flames licked at rooftops, smoke curled into the night sky, and the air was thick with the scent of ash and blood. Bodies lay scattered across the ground, unmoving.

Lucian's men had done this.

Helena's breath came in sharp gasps.

"All these people... because of me."

A sharp pain lanced through her chest—not from fear, not even from grief. From rage.

Xavier grabbed her wrist. "We don't have time to stand here. We need to move."

"But—" Her voice caught. She wanted to help, to fight back, to make them pay. But deep down, she knew—she wasn't ready.

Xavier's grip tightened. "If we stay, we die. He's watching."

The words sent a chill down her spine.

Lucian wasn't just trying to destroy the village—he was testing her.

Her blood hummed with unspent energy, still raw and unpredictable. She could feel it beneath her skin, clawing its way to the surface, urging her to unleash it.

"No. Not here. Not now."

She clenched her fists, forcing herself to breathe.

Xavier tugged her forward. "We have to go. Now."

Helena cast one last look at the burning village, at the people she couldn't save, and swallowed back the guilt.

Then she ran.

The Escape

They moved fast, darting through the trees, the distant glow of the burning village fading behind them. Xavier was silent—a shadow slipping between the branches. Helena wasn't as quiet, her heart still hammering from everything she had seen.

They didn't stop until they were miles away, the only sounds left were the chirping of crickets and the rustling of leaves in the night wind.

Helena slumped against a tree, breathless. "We should've fought."

Xavier shook his head. "We wouldn't have survived."

Helena's eyes burned, but she knew he was right.

"Then what do we do now?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Xavier glanced back toward the path they had come from, his jaw tight. "We go back to the safehouse."

Helena hesitated. "And then?"

He didn't answer. Not yet.

But she saw it in his eyes.

They would prepare.

Because Lucian wasn't done with her.

Not even close.