Chapter 8

Aritzea POV

I was still fuming by the time I left the banquet with my brother. The nerve of that damn vampire—walking up to me like we were old friends, then leaning in close as if… Damn!

The smirking vampire had somehow managed to make a fool of me without even trying. He had teased me—played with ne like a cat toying with its prey—and I'd just stood there, frozen like an idiot.

I should have punched him. Right there! ‘Or at least done something’, I thought bitterly.

I'd had never let anyone get the upper hand like that. Not vampires, not even my stubborn brother. Yet that infuriating vampire had made me feel...off balance. And worse—my wolf wasn’t helping!

Every time I thought of his smug, lazy smile, there was a flicker of something, something I didn't want to acknowledge. It wasn’t just anger. It felt like a pull, maybe. Something primal. And this little whore that was my wolf kept bringing back the thought of him— his scent, his voice, the way he—

Nope, stop. Absolutely not.

I paused the thought right in its tracks, shaking my head as if I could physically rid my mind of his presence.

‘I don’t know him. I don’t care about him.’ I repeated to myself.

As I tried to banish him from my mind, I couldn't help feeling irritated. He didn't even do much and I was already so unnerved!

Beside me, Thorne had been droning on and on, since the moment we left, his words blending into one long string of complaints. Something about how what I did was "reckless," how I always acted without thinking, how I was going to get myself into trouble one day.

Oh, please.

I rolled my eyes, not even trying to hide it this time. "God, Thorne, can you stop? You sound like an old man."

He huffed, ignoring my jab. "You think this is a joke, Ari? What you did tonight—"

"—was necessary," I cut in, finishing for him. "I do not regret a thing."

Thorne’s jaw tightened as he glanced my way. "You need to stop acting so rashly. You didn’t even think about how that looked—jumping in like that, almost starting a fight. We’ve got enough trouble as it is."

I sighed dramatically. "Here we go again. I didn’t ‘almost’ start a fight, Thorne. I was handling it."

"You punched someone!"

"And he deserved it," I muttered, crossing my arms over my chest. The urge to punch someone was definitely still lingering, but it wasn’t about the werewolf from earlier. No, it was the damn vampire who kept creeping into my thoughts.

‘Damn it, Aritzea. Stop thinking about him.’

Thorne let out a heavy sigh, clearly exasperated. "Just, stay away from that vampire," he said, his tone more serious now. "There’s something strange about him."

"Strange?" I replied dryly, leaning my head back against the seat. "Really? A mysterious person in a room fool of people who drink blood? How shocking."

Thorne shot me a sharp look. "I mean it, Ari. Stay away from him. There's something off about that guy."

"Yeah, yeah. I've heard you. God, you're such a nag." I groaned, rubbing my temples. "And I don't plan on seeing him again, so you don't have to worry."

Except, I was lying through my teeth because I definitely plan on seeing him again. And when I did, it'll probably be his last day alive. And this stupid wolf brain that kept making me think of him.... ugh!

I needed a distraction. Anything to stop the conversation and my head from circling back to the vampire.

"So what was the event actually for, anyway?" I asked casually, glancing over at Thorne.

He immediately stiffened, the change was subtle but I caught it immediately. His face didn't change but something in the air shifted. He didn't answer.

I narrowed my eyes, sitting up. "Thorne?" I pressed. "What was this all for? Why were we really there?"

"It’s not important. Just leave it," he said, his voice too casual for the topic.

There was something about his dismissive tone that sent my instincts on edge. "You don't think I'm foolish enough to believe we went there to stare at the faces of those vampires do you?"

I’d originally been asking just to change the subject, but now I was starting to feel like there was something more to it. There definitely was.

The way he was shutting me down was unlike him. And if Thorne was being tight-lipped about something, it wasn’t good.

"It’s none of your business, Ari," he said finally, his voice clipped.

Now I was really suspicious. "It's none of my—excuse me? Incase you don't remember, I'm part of the clan too." I shot back. "You can't just throw that out and expect me to not care. What the hell's going on?"

Thorne kept quiet, his jaw clenched.

Great. He was doing his silent, stubborn routine. I wasn’t going to get anything out of him tonight, and that only pissed me off more.

He was hiding something.

When the car pulled up to the driveway, I considered trying to push him harder, but he was already ignoring me, getting out of the car without another word.

Fine. If he wanted to keep things from me, I’d let him. For now.

I stepped out after him, slamming the door shut loudly. The sound echoed through the quiet night and Thorne paused for a while before walking on.

I huffed following behind, the irritation I felt from Thornes frustrating attitude and that damn vampire still ending through my kind as I stalked towards the front steps.

Suddenly, something caught my eye and I froze.

The moonlight cast long shadows over the lawn, and there on the front porch was something dark— glistening under the porch light.

Blood. Thick, fresh blood.

Drip... drip...

My breath hitched as the scent of blood hit me full force. No.

I stepped closer, my eyes widening in disbelief as I finally registered what I was seeing.

Lying across the porch was a body. Mangled, mutilated and unrecognisable.

Blood pooled beneath it, seeping into the cracks between the stones, glistening in the pale light and my heart fell to my stomach.

"Laura!"