CHAPTER THREE

The scent trail was faint but distinct, guiding me out into the night. The thumping rhythm of the club faded behind me, replaced by the city's steady hum. A twinge of disappointment pinched me as I realized she had slipped away, lost in the city's vast anonymity.

"Kaelen, wait!" Seraphine's voice cut through my frustration. Her heels clicked on the pavement as she hurried to catch up. "Don't go chasing shadows. We have cameras, remember?"

I grimaced, the memory of the surveillance system's intrusive eye suddenly appealing. It was Dimitri's pet project, a necessary evil, designed to protect our interests. I usually despised the invasion of privacy, but tonight, I was grudgingly grateful.

"Right," I conceded, turning back towards the club. "Let's see if our little bird left a trace."

The control room was tucked away in a discreet corner, cluttered with monitors and blinking lights. Dimitri, naturally, was already inside, sipping something dark from a crystal glass.

"Ah, Kaelen. Changing your mind, are we? Always a pleasure to see a vampire embrace modern technology." He smirked, gesturing towards the screens. "I've already isolated the relevant footage."

He was infuriatingly efficient.

Seraphine took the lead, her fingers flying across the keyboard. "Okay, let's see... Here she is. Sitting at the bar... And there's our 'suit,' looking like he's about to swallow his own tie."

The video played out in silent grayscale. There she was. Her hair, a cascade of dark curls, framed a face that could launch a thousand ships. Even in grainy, low-resolution footage, her presence was captivating. The 'suit', as Seraphine so eloquently put it, was indeed harassing her, leaning in too close, his gestures too familiar. Her discomfort was palpable, even through the screen.

Then, the moment of truth. She subtly slid something across the bar to Dimitri. It was small, rectangular.

"Zoom in, Sera," I commanded, my voice low.

Seraphine manipulated the controls, magnifying the image until the object filled the screen. An ID. And with our enhanced vision, honed over centuries, the details were clear, impossibly sharp.

"Eleanor Marie Spencer," Seraphine breathed, reading aloud.

My heart quickened, a strange sensation I hadn't felt in decades. A name. A starting point.

"Address?" I asked, though I already knew the answer.

"Obscured," Dimitri said, shaking his head. "Angle's wrong. Clever girl."

I didn't care. The city held no secrets from me. I had a name. That was enough.

"Thank you, Dimitri," I said, a rare moment of genuine gratitude.

"Don't mention it, Kaelen. Although, I do expect a full report. I'm rather curious about what draws you to such... unusual prey." He raised an eyebrow, a hint of amusement in his eyes.

I ignored the jab. My mind was already racing, planning my next move. Eleanor Marie Spencer. I would find her.

"Sera, find her address. Now." The command was clipped, devoid of any room for argument. I was already halfway out the door of the control room, the images of Eleanor Spencer replaying behind my eyelids.

"Kaelen, wait!" Seraphine's voice, laced with concern, stopped me. "Think about this for a second. You know how these things end. Human-vampire relationships, in any capacity, are a disaster waiting to happen. Remember what happened with..."

"Don't," I cut her off, the memory of Anya a dull ache in my chest. "This is different."

"It's always 'different', Kaelen, until it isn't. This is reckless. You're playing with fire."

I didn't respond, just turned back towards the door. I could hear the unspoken words hanging in the air, the same fears echoed in every vampire's mind: exposure, chaos, death. But those were abstract worries. Right now, all I felt was a singular, burning focus on finding Eleanor.

Seraphine sighed, a sound of resignation. She knew me too well. She knew that once I had my teeth, figuratively of course, sunk into something, there was no dissuading me. "Fine," she said, her voice softer now. "Give me a minute."

I knew I should thank her, reassure her, but the words wouldn't come. My hunger, both figurative and literal, was overwhelming. I had fed only hours ago, but the frustration, the anticipation, was a potent fuel. It left me ravenous.

Instead of waiting, I stalked towards the VIP section, needing to burn off the excess energy thrumming through me. The pulsing bass and flashing lights were almost unbearable, but I ignored them, scanning the room until I found him.

Lucian sat at a corner table, surrounded by a gaggle of admiring humans. He was a striking figure, tall and powerfully built, his blonde hair gleaming under the strobe lights. At 350 years old, he carried himself with a confidence born of experience, a swagger that was undeniably British and undeniably Lucian.

I approached, the humans parting like the Red Sea at my approach. Lucian raised an eyebrow, dismissing his group with a wave of his hand. "Kaelen, my boy. What brings you to this den of iniquity?"

"Distraction," I said, sliding into the seat opposite him. "And maybe..." I paused, my gaze sweeping over the room, lingering on the pulse points of a nearby woman, "...sustenance."

Lucian chuckled, a low rumble in his chest. "Always with the brooding drama. You fed recently, didn't you? What's got your fangs in a twist?"

I hesitated, unsure how much to reveal. Lucian was more than just a friend; he was the closest thing I had to family. He had found me, a newborn vampire lost and terrified in the sewers of London, abandoned by my maker.

He had taught me everything, all the unspoken rules and brutal realities of our existence. We didn't have laws, not really, just a code: don't turn on your own unless completely necessary. Lucian had been my guide, my mentor, my anchor for centuries.

"There's a woman," I finally said, the words feeling clumsy and inadequate.

Lucian's eyes narrowed, a flicker of concern crossing his face. "A woman? Kaelen, you know better than to..."

"I know, I know," I interrupted, holding up a hand. "Believe me, I'm aware. But this isn't just... infatuation. It's different."

Lucian leaned back, studying me with those ancient eyes. "Different how?"

I opened my mouth, then closed it, unsure of how to articulate the strange pull I felt towards Eleanor Spencer. "I don't know," I finally admitted. "I just... do."

Lucian sighed, swirling the amber liquid in his glass. "Kaelen, you know I'm not one to stand in the way of your... appetites. But be careful. You're not the first vampire to be captivated by a human. And you won't be the last."

His words hung in the air, a warning and a reminder. I nodded, acknowledging his concern. But I couldn't shake the feeling that Eleanor was different. That this was different.