*Gwen’s POV*This was it. Today was going to be the day that I finally got to write a piece that I was proud of—one that I could stand up and declare was mine. While prepping for my current piece, I found another that I was sure Mr. Jeffers, my boss, would find equally as intriguing. A modern-day Dracula inspired story. If that wouldn’t get the public invested in our paper, then I don’t know what would. My heels stopped clicking on the tiled floor as I came to a halt in front of his office. I took in a deep breath, adjusted my silk blouse and black pencil skirt, then knocked on his door.When I heard a grunt from inside, I slowly opened it to find Mr. Jeffers sitting behind his steel desk. He didn’t greet me, as usual. I walked in and closed the door behind me, then took a seat in the office chair across from him. I tucked a piece of my curly brown hair behind me ear before beginning."Thank you for taking the time to meet with me, Mr. Jeffers. I have s
*Gwen’s POV*I felt nervous as Mr. Jeffers roamed around the office, watching everyone like a hawk, even though my tracks were covered. To escape his gaze, I decided to take a break and go to the bathroom where I could practice some deep breathing exercises.Thankfully, luck was on my side as I discovered that the bathroom was unoccupied. Without hesitation, I took advantage of the opportunity to engage in some much-needed breathing exercises, finding solace in the solitude of the last stall.These moments of focused breathing had become increasingly crucial to me, as I couldn’t help but feel that my true potential was being stifled within the confines of this job. The lack of opportunity I was presented with was suffocating, and it was as if the walls themselves were closing in around me, leaving me feeling trapped and unfulfilled.In order to regain my composure, I decided to take a brief moment to center myself. I closed my eyes, placed my hand gently on my abdom
*Gewn’s POV*As I headed toward 154 Hollow Lane, the house where Darick lived, I felt a wave of excitement and thrill overtaking me. This was it! My mind was consumed by the fact that I was getting ready to capture the story of the year. My determination to prove my worth to Mr. Jeffers was unshakable, and I was certain that my phone would be ringing off the hook with offers pouring in from various news outlets across the globe once this story was released.As the sun started to dip below the horizon, I knew I had to pick up the pace if I wanted to wrap up my work before nightfall. I was almost at my destination, just a mere five minutes away, when my phone began to buzz. I took a quick glance at the missed call while waiting at a red light.Chelsea's number was on the screen, and I knew she was calling to check on me. I tapped the ignore button and shoved my cell phone back into my pant pocket. I wanted to tell Chelsea about my plans, but I knew she would ta
*Darick’s POV*The cool night air came through the open window to my left, brushing against my skin. I closed my eyes, letting it touch my face, as I breathed in its fresh scent. The sound of approaching footsteps caused me to snap open my eyes to see Viktor, one of my men, standing before me."What was Wendall yapping about earlier?" I asked Viktor rubbing my beard, concerned. "He said he heard something in the storage room," Viktor replied with a shrug, handing me a stack of papers. "Hmm. I’ll have to toughen that kid up," I sighed. I remember discovering Wendall a month ago in the alley, about to attack an older man.From the moment I saw him, I could tell he was one of us. His eyes were bloodshot red, and he had a look of desperation in his eyes. I shoved Wendall against a trash dump and told the older man he was getting ready to kill to run away. I asked Wendall what he was getting ready to do. He tried pinning me down and stuck his fangs into my n
*Gwen’s POV*As I stood in the poorly lit and unsettling house, I took a deep breath to steady my nerves. It was drawled out and shaky, but it worked.The longer I lingered within the murky confines, the more my apprehension escalated. Although I had never encountered the infamous mafia, I had witnessed sufficient portrayals of their threatening demeanor in movies to realize that they were not to be trifled with. Nevertheless, I couldn't shake the persistent sensation that someone might be in dire need of my help. I walked to the old dusty couch and sat down. My thoughts were consumed with weighing my options. One possibility that came to mind was reaching out to the authorities. I contemplated informing them of the spine-chilling screams that pierced the air and then making my exit from the premises in a discreet manner once they arrived.When I realized I needed to call the police, I tried using my phone but couldn't get any reception. Dammit! I couldn't believe
*Gwen’s POV*There was nothing I could do to help the man. He was already dead beyond what any human or medical intervention could do. My heart broke for him; no one deserved to die in a cannibalistic way, and I knew if I didn't get out of here, I would be next.I dropped my video camera and made a run for the door. I wasn't the fastest person in the world, but fear and adrenaline motivated people to do the unthinkable, and before I knew it, my legs were moving faster than they ever had before. I ran as fast as I could, but it was no match for Darick. Before I could blink, he was at the door. His speed was like the wind, and I knew then I wasn't dealing with any ordinary human. "Let me go!" I screamed as Darick wrapped his arms around me in a tight bear hug. I tried wiggling my body out of his grasp and kicking my legs, but it appeared that he was not only extremely quick, but also super strong. He flung my body over his shoulder, took me to a room near the
*Darick’s POV*I carried her still body up the stairs and gently placed her on the guest room bed. Even in her state of unconsciousness, her stunning golden curls caught my eye, resembling the vibrant rays of a breathtaking sunrise. As someone who must shy away from bright light, for it can be the death of me, I felt strangely alive at that moment. I ran my hands through my hair and shook my head in confusion. What was I thinking? I couldn’t develop feelings for her. After all, she snuck into my home and, for all I know, could be a spy.'I should kill her now,' I thought as a wave of rage rushed through my veins. No! I'll call a meeting with the gang and take a vote. Normally, I didn't care about someone else's blood being on my hands, literally, for that matter. But there was something different about this girl. I knew I had to bring this matter to a vote. Besides, it was in our oath that such decisions would be addressed in our council meeting. I ran
*Gwen’s POV*I awoke the next morning to an excruciating pain in my neck and brushed my fingers across my wound. It felt like Darick had taken a piece of my flesh from me. He wouldn’t—would he?My eyes widened at the thought but then returned to their normal size when I realized that the wound was too small and insignificant. Then it came back to me in a wave. Darick had bitten me…he drank from me. He actually drank from me. But how much did he take to render me unconscious? I was momentarily distracted from my pain by the surroundings of a dark and chilly room. Where in the world was I?“Hello?!” I called out, my voice loud enough for anyone with and without supernatural to hear. Did vampires have advanced hearing? Clearly not, since no one came for me. After waiting a few more minutes, I sighed and jumped out of bed. I stumbled in the darkness as I searched for a light of some sort. Eventually, once I found a small flashlight stored in the nightstand, I made