FORBIDDEN ATTRACTION

Karl pulled up to his mansion, he couldn't shake off the feeling of unease that had settled in the pit of his stomach. He had revealed too much to Mia, and now he was worried that she would uncover the truth about his nature.

What was he thinking when he had trailed her? He had been keeping an eye on Mia for weeks, ever since she had been assigned to work with him on their project. At first, it had been purely out of curiosity - he had wanted to know more about this human whose eyes were always on him like she was indirectly telling him, I know your secret.

But as he had watched her, he had found himself becoming more and more drawn to her. She was fierce and determined, with a spark in her eyes that he couldn't help but be captivated by.

And then, tonight, he had seen her in danger. Those creatures had been closing in on her, their red eyes gleaming with hunger. Karl's instincts had kicked in, and he had intervened without thinking.

Now, as he sat in his car, he couldn't help but wonder what Mia would do if she discovered the truth about him. Would she be afraid? Would she reject him?

Karl sighed, rubbing his temples. He knew he had to be careful. He couldn't let Mia get too close, not until he was sure she could handle the truth.

But as he thought about it, he realized that he might be too late. Mia had already seen him in action, had already witnessed his supernatural authority. It was only a matter of time before she started asking questions.

Karl's eyes narrowed. He would have to be careful, would have to make sure Mia didn't discover the truth about him. But as he thought about it, he couldn't help but feel a spark of excitement.

Maybe, just maybe, Mia would be different. Maybe she would be able to accept him for what he was.

Karl's heart beat faster at the thought, and he couldn't help but feel a sense of hope. Maybe, just maybe, he had found someone who could truly understand him.

No, what was he thinking?

He stepped out of the Aston Martin DBS Superleggera and walked towards the entrance of his mansion. As he approached the doorstep, he saw Zarek, his bestfriend waiting for him.

"Karl, what happened? Where have you been?" Zarek interrogated him.

Karl frowned, he didn't like being asked questions. "I had things to deal with." He asked.

Zarek looked serious at him with a raised eyebrow as they walked into the house. "What things?" He asked.

"Zarek, drop it." Karl said and walked to his room. Zarek followed.

"Karl, you are back late." Zarek said, his voice low. "It's unlike you." He said.

Karl was dismissive and silent, his expression unyielding as he walked towards the balcony in his room. Zarek followed close behind, his eyes fixed on Karl's back.

"Karl, come on," Zarek said, his voice low and persuasive. "You're not going to brush me off that easily. Where were you tonight? Where are you coming from?"

Karl sighed, his expression neutral. "I was coming from the Shadow Territory," he said, his voice low and even.

Zarek's eyes widened in surprise. "The Shadow Territory? What were you doing there? Why did you go there?"

Karl's expression turned grim. "I was taking care of something, Zarek. That's all you need to know."

Zarek's eyes flashed with concern. "Karl, you're not getting in over your head, are you? You know how dangerous the Shadow Territory can be."

Karl's jaw clenched. "I can take care of myself, Zarek. I don't need you to worry about me."

Zarek's expression turned serious. "I'm not just worrying about you, Karl. I'm worrying about the consequences of your actions. You're a rare vampire, Karl. You have a reputation to uphold. You can't just go around getting involved in those vampires affairs."

Karl's eyes flashed with anger. "I was not getting involved in their affairs. They were getting involved in my affairs."

Zarek's eyes narrowed, his expression skeptical. "What do you mean, Karl? What affairs?"

Karl's jaw clenched, his eyes flashing with anger. He was silent for a moment. He was contemplating in his head whether to tell Zarek about Mia or not. Then he decided to tell him. "Mia was in danger, Zarek. Those creatures from the Shadow Territory were after her. I had to intervene."

Zarek's expression turned serious. "Mia? The human from school?" He asked.

Karl was silent.

"Karl, isn't Mia the human from school?" Zarek asked seriously looking surprised.

"Yes." He answered seriously.

"What was she doing at the shadow territory? How did you locate her?" Zarek asked seriously, he was looking at Karl in disbelief.

"Zarek, the questions is enough." Karl said dismissively. He didn't want to be questioned further from fear of exposing his feelings.

"Karl, you can't just go around saving humans. It's not our place to interfere in their lives." Zarek said seriously.

Karl turned to him seriously. "I am not interfering in her life, Zarek. She was in danger."

Zarek looked into his eyes seriously. "Karl, what is this I see in your eyes?" He asked.

Karl turned away from him.

Zarek held his shoulder. "Karl, is Mia your business now?" He asked.

Karl was silent.

"Karl, you like Mia?" Zarek asked. His voice doubting. He looked like he knew the truth already but he was doubting.

Karl was silent.

"Karl, do you realise Mia is human? We don't get involved with them or their lives, Karl. Did you forget?" Zarek asked.

Karl's eyes blazed with anger. "You don't understand, Zarek. Mia is different. She's...special. And I'm not going to let anything happen to her."

Zarek's eyes widened, his expression shocked. "Karl, you're not falling for her, are you? You know that's impossible. You're a vampire, and she's a human. It's forbidden."

Karl's face twisted in a snarl, his fangs bared. "I'm not falling for her, Zarek. Don't be ridiculous. I just...care about her, that's all. She's a human, and she was in danger. I happened to be around, do you expect me to just watch those creatures hurt her?"

Zarek's eyes narrowed. "You could have done something else without getting involved. Karl, you're a vampire. You don't have a duty to protect humans. You have a duty to protect yourself, and your own kind. You could have helped her without getting involved with the shadow vampires."

Karl's jaw clenched. "How do you expect me to help her without getting involved? You wanted me to act like a backstage guide while she was getting hurt?"

Zarek's expression turned skeptical. "Karl, seriously? Why do you care, Karl? It's obvious you like her. I've seen the way you look at her. I've seen the way you react when she's around. You can't fool me, Karl. You're falling for her, hard."

Karl's eyes flashed with anger. "I am not! I'm just...concerned about her, that's all. And I just did what I did at that moment to help. She may be annoying and crazy but she didn't deserve that kind of death from those cruel....vampires."

Zarek's eyes widened, his expression shocked. "Karl, you're putting yourself at risk. You're putting our entire world at risk. You shouldn't get yourself involved in their matters. I mean the humans."

Karl's face twisted in a snarl, "I just did what anyone in my shoes would have done."

Zarek's expression turned skeptical. "Anyone in your shoes? Karl, you're a vampire. You're not like everyone else. And you know as well as I do that what you did was not normal. You risked your own life to save a human. That's not something that vampires do."

Karl's jaw clenched but he was silent.

Zarek was right. He risked everything vampires stand against to save Mia. What was he even thinking?

Zarek's eyes narrowed. "Karl, you like Mia. I know."

Karl sighed. He was silent.

Did he save her because he liked her or did he save her because she was helpless at that moment?

Karl's face twisted in a snarl, but he couldn't bring himself to deny the pull he had been having. He had been drawn to Mia from the moment he set eyes on her at the school orientation, he didn't know why but for the first time, in his immortal life, he had felt something when he looked into Mia's eyes. It was as if time had stood still, and all that existed was the spark that flew between them. Karl's heart, long thought to be frozen in eternity, had skipped a beat. He felt alive, truly alive, for the first time in centuries.

The sensation was both exhilarating and terrifying. Karl had grown accustomed to his immortal existence, where emotions were a distant memory. But Mia had awakened something within him, something he couldn't quite explain.

But he couldn't admit it, not even to Zarek. He was a vampire, and vampires didn't fall in love with humans. It was forbidden, and it could put their entire world at risk.

But what did it mean to have feelings for a human? And where would it lead? Karl's mind was a jumble of questions, but one thing was certain: he couldn't turn his back on Mia, not now, not ever. Yes, he was indifferent towards her but he couldn't deny how she made him feel whenever she was around him.

Zarek's eyes narrowed, his gaze piercing as he searched Karl's face for answers. "Karl, how could you allow this happen?" he asked, his voice low and even. "I know you too well. You're not just concerned about Mia's safety. You're invested in her. You care about her deeply."

Karl's jaw clenched, his eyes flashing with anger. But he knew Zarek was right. He couldn't deny the feelings he had for Mia, not anymore.

"What's going on, Karl?" Zarek asked, his voice softer now. "This is not the Karl I once knew. Is Mia the reason why you lost feelings for Ember?"

Karl sighed, rubbing his temples. He didn't know how to explain it, didn't know how to put into words the emotions that were swirling inside him.

"I don't know, Zarek..." Karl said finally. "I never really had feelings for Ember. But with Mia, it's different. I just feel alive." He wasn't good at describing his feelings.

Zarek's expression turned serious. "Karl, this is wrong. You can't fall in love with a human. It's not possible. What about Ember?"

Karl's expression turned calm, his eyes gazing off into the distance as he searched for the right words. "I'm...confused, Zarek," he said finally, his voice low and even.

Zarek's eyes widened in surprise, his expression stunned. "Confused?" he repeated, his voice incredulous. "Karl, you're never confused. You're always in control, always know exactly what you're doing."

Karl's gaze returned to Zarek's face, his eyes locked onto his friend's. "I know, Zarek," he said calmly. "But this...this is different. I don't know what's happening to me, or how to process these feelings. I just know that I feel something for Mia, something I've never felt before."

Zarek's expression turned skeptical, his eyes narrowing as he searched Karl's face for answers. "And what about Ember?" he asked, his voice low and even.

Karl's jaw clenched, his eyes flashing with anger. But he took a deep breath, calming himself before responding. "I...I don't know, Zarek," he said finally. "I care about Ember, I always have. But this...this thing with Mia, it's different. I don't know how to explain it, or how to reconcile these feelings. I just know that I need to figure it out, before things get any more complicated."

Zarek's expression turned serious, his eyes filled with concern. "Karl, be careful," he said, his voice low and even. "You're playing with fire here. You're a vampire, and Mia is a human. It's not just forbidden, it's dangerous. You could put yourself, Mia, and our entire world at risk."

Karl's eyes locked onto Zarek's, his gaze burning with intensity. "I know, Zarek," he said calmly.

Zarek's expression softened, his eyes filled with concern and understanding. He reached out, placing a hand on Karl's shoulder, his grip gentle but firm.

"Karl, I've never seen you like this," Zarek said, his voice low and encouraging. "You're always so in control, so confident. But now...now you seem uncertain, unsure of yourself."

Karl's eyes dropped, his gaze falling to the floor as he felt a surge of emotions rise up within him. Zarek's hand on his shoulder was a comforting presence, a reminder that he wasn't alone in this.

"I am uncertain, Zarek," Karl admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. "I don't know what's happening to me, or how to process these feelings. I just know that I feel something for Mia, something I've never felt before."

Zarek's grip on his shoulder tightened, his eyes filled with understanding and encouragement.

"It's okay, Karl," Zarek said, his voice soft and reassuring. "It's okay to feel uncertain, to not have all the answers. But what's important is that you're acknowledging these feelings, that you're willing to explore them and see where they lead."

Karl's eyes rose, meeting Zarek's gaze as he felt a sense of gratitude and appreciation for his friend's understanding and support.

"Thanks, Zarek," Karl said, his voice sincere. "Just talking to you, just being able to share these feelings with you...it helps. It makes me feel less alone, less uncertain."

Zarek's smile was warm and encouraging, his eyes filled with friendship and loyalty.

"You're never alone, Karl," Zarek said, his voice firm and reassuring. "I'm always here for you, no matter what. And if you need to explore these feelings, to see where they lead...then I'm here to support you, every step of the way."

Karl took a deep breath, feeling a sense of relief wash over him. It was a strange sensation, one he wasn't quite used to. As a vampire, he had learned to suppress his emotions, to keep them locked away beneath a mask of calm and control. But with Mia, he felt like he was losing his grip on that grip.

Karl nodded, feeling a sense of gratitude towards Zarek. He knew that his friend was right - he did need to explore these feelings, to see where they led. And with Zarek by his side, he felt like he could face whatever came next.

But as he turned to head back inside, Karl couldn't shake the feeling that he was walking into unknown territory. He was a vampire, and Mia was a human. Their worlds were different, their lives governed by different rules. And yet, he couldn't help but feel drawn to her, like a moth to a flame.

What did the future hold for them? Karl had no idea. But he was determined to find out.