DAMIEN I paused in the middle of the room, my eyes scanning every corner. The window—my first suspicion—remained sealed, the latch untouched. No one had gone through it. Frowning, I stalked over to the bathroom, pushing the door open with a swift motion. It was empty, too, no sign of her, not even a wet towel hanging by the sink. My frustration deepened. Where could she have gone?I returned to the centre of the room, inhaling deeply. Her scent, usually vibrant and fresh, was fading. It lingered most strongly by the door and nowhere else. My fists clenched at my sides as confusion gnawed at me. Her presence vanished as if she had simply stepped through a wall. A low growl rumbled from my chest. "Where the fuck is she now?" I muttered under my breath. "It’s not like she’s a witch or a ghost to just disappear like—" I stopped mid-sentence, a thought, unbelievable and absurd, slipping into my mind.My eyes widened as the pieces clicked into place. Without a moment’s hesitation, I vanis
KEILAH Panic surged through me, the fog thickening around my ankles like a heavy shroud. My heart raced as I spun in place, desperate for any familiar landmark, but the mist enveloped everything, rendering my surroundings completely unrecognisable. “Where am I?” I whispered, my voice trembling, barely audible against the oppressive silence.The world felt unreal, like a strange dream I couldn't wake up from. I took a few hesitant steps forward, each one echoing in the stillness. The cold seeped through my clothes, biting into my skin and sending shivers racing up my spine. I hugged myself tightly, trying to ward off the chill that clawed at my body. “This can’t be real. It has to be a nightmare,” I muttered, though deep down, a nagging doubt festered.“Damien?!” I called out, my voice cracking. The only answer was the soft rustle of fog swirling around me, taunting me with its silence. My breaths quickened, and I could feel my pulse pounding in my ears, each beat a reminder of how ut
KEILAH I stumbled back, the jagged stone still lodged in my arm, my legs trembling as I tried to put as much distance as possible between myself and the group of vampires. "Stay away from me!" I shouted, my voice cracking with panic. But they didn't listen. They took slow, deliberate steps toward me, their movements graceful, predatory, as if savouring the fear that radiated from me in waves. Their glowing eyes tracked every shaky step I took, and I could feel their bloodlust thickening the air. I swallowed hard, my pulse pounding in my throat as the reality of the situation sank in. I was human. They were vampires. Faster, stronger, relentless. There was no way I could outrun them. They knew it, and worse, I knew it. One of them licked his lips, a chilling grin spreading across his face. “Oh, don’t be scared, darling,” he drawled, his voice smooth and taunting. “We won’t bite... too hard.” The others chuckled darkly, their steps unhurried, as if they were relishing the chase that
AUTHOR'S POVIn the dim, eerie silence of the castle, a mysterious figure emerged, stepping out from the shadows with an air of quiet authority. He was tall and broad-shouldered, with mid-length blonde hair flowing around his unreadable face. His sharp gaze drifted to the floor where droplets of fresh blood were, a trail Keilah had left behind. He knelt, his movements deliberate and graceful, studying the drops with a keen interest.Lowering himself to a crouch, he examined the jagged stone still smeared with Keilah’s blood. He lifted it, bringing it to his nose for a deep, appreciative sniff before lightly licking the blood-stained edge. A flicker of satisfaction crossed his features, the barest hint of a devilish grin tugging at the corners of his mouth as he stood.With a sudden burst of speed, he vanished from his spot, only to reappear at the far end of the castle, following Keilah’s bloody scent through every shadowed corner of the labyrinthine halls. Her blood, though faint, wa
KEILAH The bed beneath me felt soft, impossibly warm, like being wrapped in a cloud. I opened my eyes slowly, groggy, my mind drifting in and out of a haze as I tried to orient myself. The last thing I remembered was—my chest tightened, memories flashing back: that cold, dark castle, the vampires, the suffocating silence of that nowhere place. I looked around, my heart beating steadily as I took in my surroundings. I was back in my room, in Damien’s house. “Oh, my good heavens, you’re awake!” The familiar voice belonged to that old woman, her face a mix of worry and relief as she snapped her book shut, her gaze trained on me. I blinked, shaking off the last remnants of dizziness. “How… How long was I out?” She gave a light chuckle, her hand resting gently over mine. “Long enough to worry everyone senseless. I pushed myself up slowly and sat upright. The light in the room held no trace of the sun’s glow, yet everything was softly lit, as though daylight had snuck its way into a
DAMIEN I watched her as the weight of my words settled in, the flicker of fear in her eyes. This Veilshift was something neither of us fully understood, but I knew one thing with brutal certainty: she was playing with fire, and I’d barely managed to pull her from the flames this time. If she vanished again, there was no guarantee I'd find her.I forced my gaze away from her, needing a moment to suppress the surge of frustration clawing up from inside me. I couldn’t be angry at her—she hadn’t asked for any of this. But the idea of losing her so easily… it was more than I could bear.“Why don’t you head downstairs for something to eat?” I suggested, my voice more curt. She looked at me, eyes wide with uncertainty, and I felt the tension shift in the air.I turned, ready to walk out, but just as I took a step, a gentle tug on my shirt stopped me in my tracks. I turned my head slightly, glancing down to see her fingers grasping the fabric. "Damien," she started, her voice wavering with
DAMIEN The wind roared in my ears as I tore through the air, my vampiric speed carrying me like a blur over the landscape. Shadows slanted and stretched as I neared the dark tower, the thought hammering in my mind: Had I left the portal open? Was that how Ralph’s wolf had crossed over? But the closer I drew to the ancient stone archway, the more obvious it became—the portal was sealed. Intact, untouched. How had Ralph’s wolf made it through? I pushed a hand against the stone, but its chill seeped into my skin, indifferent to my questions. My thoughts shifted, mind racing through the possibilities. There was another portal...one the outcasts used to slip between worlds. Could it be possible that Ralph’s wolf had somehow breached it without triggering any alarms? There was no logic to it, yet the appearance of a wolf—Ralph’s wolf—near the castle - meant that some magic was at work beyond what the outcasts could see, or even sense. But then, how did Seth see it? I clenched my teet
DAMIEN The weight of her words hit me like a blow, sinking into my chest, freezing my breath in my throat. A part of me had suspected something terrible, some hidden pain she'd kept buried for so long, but never… never this. The pieces began to click into place—the agony that seemed to cling to her like a shadow, the haunted look in her eyes every time I looked into her eyes.“My poor baby…” Her voice cracked, and I saw her fingers tremble as she pinched them together, as if trying to hold on to something long lost. Her jaw tightened, the strain of anger and grief pulling at her expression until it almost looked like a mask, one forged in anguish. “He was just a child…” she said, her voice trembling, her gaze unfocused as if she were staring into the past.A tremor overtook her, and suddenly, her hands flew to her hair, gripping it with a desperation that shook her whole body. She pulled, her fingers curling tightly in her hair as if she could somehow punish herself for her helplessn
DAMIEN I parked the car at the side of the road, the wheels crunching over gravel as I threw it into park. I turned to Seth, keeping my voice steady but firm. "Stay in the car. I’ll be right back."Seth didn’t say anything, just nodded as I got out of the car. I walked to the backseat, opened the door, and carefully lifted Marina into my arms. Her body was cold, unnervingly still.As I moved towards the woods, I noticed Ralph getting out of his car right behind mine. He didn’t say anything, just leaned against the side of his car, his arms crossed. He wasn’t trying to make this more complicated than it already was.James met me halfway as I carried Marina, walking quietly beside me, his eyes scanning the forest. We made our way towards the boundary where the barrier that separated the woods from Greenery Village stood visible, a shimmering line of magic hanging in the air. It felt like stepping into another world, one that was both calming and dangerous at the same time.When we reac
DAMIEN I clenched my fists so tightly that my nails cut into my palms, drawing blood. The scent of it filled the air, but I ignored it. The urge to destroy something—anything—coursed through me, but I forced myself to stay still. Losing control would get me nothing. Seth spun me around by my shoulder with a rough jerk, forcing me to face him. A guttural growl rumbled in his throat, his eyes burning with fury. "Where is Garbie? Did she go with the human?" His voice was sharp, laced with accusation and barely contained rage. A snarl erupted from Ralph before I could even respond. "She fucking has a name," he snapped, stepping toward Seth, his wolf flickering beneath his skin. Seth didn’t even glance at him. His glare stayed fixed on me as he spat, "To fucking hell I care about that." His chest heaved with frustration as he ran a hand through his hair before stabbing a finger in my direction. "I never liked that little thing from the first time you brought her here, and now look—she
KEILAH A deep, bone-chilling growl rumbled through the air, cutting through the steady downpour. My breath hitched. The creatures didn’t move, but I could feel their presence pressing in, watching.“How do we stop the rain?” I whispered, my voice barely audible over the storm.Garbie let out a frustrated sigh. “If I knew, we wouldn’t still be here!”I clenched my fists. My soaked clothes clung to me, making the cold settle deeper into my skin. I could barely tell where my trembling ended and the shivers from the cold began.I tilted my head slightly, careful to keep my eyes shut. “What if… what if we change the way we feel about it?”“What?” Garbie asked, confused.“The rain,” I said quickly. “What if it feeds off fear? I mean, think about it—when it started, we panicked. What if that’s what made it stronger?”Garbie went quiet again, then, after a moment, said, “That’s ridiculous… but I have no better idea, so let’s try it.”Before I could concentrate my mind, a strange, hollow soun
KEILAH The world spun violently around me as I tumbled down the rocky hill, my body rolling uncontrollably over jagged stones and patches of rough dirt. Pain shot through me with every impact, but I couldn’t stop. I had no control over my descent, and the speed at which I was falling only increased with every passing second.Above me, I could hear Garbie’s frantic voice, shouting something I couldn’t make out. My head slammed against the ground, sending a sharp, dizzying pain through my skull. I gasped, my arms flailing, trying to find something—anything—to stop my fall. But the hill was too steep, too cruel, and all I could do was brace for the inevitable.Then, suddenly, my body collided with a thick patch of grass, soft compared to the harsh terrain above. The impact still knocked the air from my lungs, but it slowed me enough to let me twist and dig my hands into the dirt. My fingers curled around a thick root, and I clung to it desperately, my chest heaving as I fought to catch
RALPH I watched her, every muscle in my body tense with a mixture of rage and something far darker—something I couldn't name. Her lips, soft and warm against mine, had been a shock to my senses. I could feel the bond snap into place the moment she kissed me, my wolf roared to life. It was everything I needed to reconnect with the beast inside me, but nothing had prepared me for the flood of emotions that came with it.I pulled away, gasping for air, my eyes snapping open to find Keilah still frozen in place, her expression unreadable. I saw it, though—the conflict, the confusion, the pain in her eyes. She wasn’t unaffected. She felt it, too. But her body was betraying her. She hated me. I could see it in every movement, in every cold, calculating glance she sent my way.I swallowed the anger rising in my throat, my chest tightening. “Damn it,” I muttered under my breath, pushing away from her.I needed to control myself. I couldn’t let her see how much it had affected me. My wolf was
KEILAH I let out a frustrated sigh and flopped back onto the bed, staring at the ceiling. My choice? Was it really?If I didn’t do this, Ralph’s wolf would never get back to him, and he’d slowly waste away. But why should I care? Why did it have to be me who saved him?A bitter laugh escaped me.I hated him. I wanted to hate him. But deep down, a part of me still ached at the thought of him suffering.Closing my eyes, I whispered, “Damn it.”I let out a tired sigh and got up, smoothing the sheets on Damien’s bed. It was a small act, but it kept my hands busy—kept my mind from spiraling. Once the bed was neat, I headed out and into my room to clean up. As I stepped inside, my lips twitched in amusement. Garbie was curled up on my bed, sleeping soundly. A quiet laugh escaped me. “I remember her saying she's a vampire who doesn't get tired,” I murmured to myself. “But look at her, sleeping like a peaceful tired toddler.” Shaking my head, I grabbed some clothes and headed to the
KEILAH I stirred, my body heavy with exhaustion. Even as I drifted toward wakefulness, the weight of last night pressed down on me. My mind felt sluggish, tangled in the strange events that had unfolded. With a quiet sigh, I turned over, reaching instinctively for Damien—only to feel empty sheets beneath my fingertips. My eyes snapped open. The spot beside me was cold. He had been gone for a while. I sat up slowly, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. My head still ached from the restless night. No matter how much I tried to push it away, the same question haunted me. What the hell happened to me last night?A sudden knock at the door made me jolt. My heart pounded as my mind instantly jumped to the worst possibility—Ralph. I swallowed hard, my fingers tightening around the blanket. I wasn’t in the mood for a fight, not after the night I’d had. If he saw me here, in Damien’s room, I already knew the argument that would follow. Then, a sharp wave of irritation hit me. Why am
DAMIEN Marina groaned as she sat up, clutching her head. Her fingers trembled as she reached for her dagger, the runes on its blade glowing faintly. “That wasn’t supposed to happen,” she muttered, her voice laced with both frustration and awe.Everyone scrambled to their feet, their eyes wide with alarm. “That surge… it wasn’t just residual magic. Something is on the other side.”Seth cursed under his breath, rubbing his shoulder where he had landed hard against the ground. “If we weren’t the ones stopping it, then who the hell is keeping it open?”I exhaled sharply, wiping the dust from my face. “We need to regroup. Marina, can you try again?”She hesitated, her gaze locked onto the swirling vortex. “I don’t know if that’s a good idea. If something is resisting me, then it’s either aware of us… or it’s trying to come through.”A deep, resonant sound echoed from the portal, like the groan of an ancient beast waking from slumber. The air vibrated with raw energy, and I felt the unmist
DAMIEN The morning was still draped in darkness when I woke, my body stiff from exhaustion, yet my mind alert. I sat up on the edge of the bed, rubbing a hand down my face before glancing to my side.Keilah was still asleep, her breathing soft and steady, her lips slightly parted as she let out the occasional quiet snore. My gaze traced over her, from the delicate curve of her face to the way the blanket draped over her form. She looked peaceful—so different from how she had been last night, trembling and bleeding in my arms.My jaw tightened as I remembered. My fingers curled into the sheets as frustration rippled through me. I had almost lost her, and to what? A vampire I didn’t even know. That fact alone made my blood boil. Someone had taken her, hurt her, and forced her to do something I still didn't understand. But I would find out. I had to.My thoughts drifted back to last night, to the way I had craved her so damn badly, only to suddenly lose all interest. It wasn’t normal. A