Chapter 3

"You don't like talking. Are you shy?"

"No. Just different."

"Oh, I'm Caleb, I like to paint. What do you like?"

"Flowers. Plants. Vegetables."

"Vegetables are disgusting, especially broccoli, my mama makes me eat them."

"You are disgusting if you don't like broccoli." 

"What's your name?"

"I don't tell people that hate plants my name."

"I'll call you broccoli then."

Caleb (10) to Ally (9). 

_________________________________________________________

ALLY’S POV

Though I hated to admit it, Raymond was the best party-thrower ever. Maybe if I could look past the horrible sex and his awful personality, I'd be ecstatic to be at this party. As I got to the door of his house and saw two people already doing it at the front yard, I groaned. Maybe not. 

I couldn't believe I'd let Caleb talk me into attending a party when there was a supposed killer on the loose. I couldn't believe there was even a party in the first place.

"Don't you even think about turning around. You can't back out now." Caleb tugged at my arm and I frowned. I couldn't even remember the last time I attended a social gathering,not to talk of the wild parties that was my escape after Kara passed. Looking back, I sighed at how irresponsible I really was. Maybe my father was right. What was I even doing here?

"Woah, woah, where do you think you're going to, broccoli?" Caleb yelled and dragged me further into the full house. The smell of alcohol and sweat filled everywhere, let's not even talk about the face-sucking. How these people could breathe in all of that with hyper senses and not want to run out the door immediately was beyond me. 

"Why are we even here? Isn't there like supposed to be a curfew or something?" I said to Caleb, only to turn around and see myself alone. Just great. Exactly what I needed. Note the sarcasm. 

I turned around and bumped into the hard body of Raymond. "I thought you swore to never enter my house again." He slurred and I rolled my eyes. "It so happens that I have to babysit and probably restrain Caleb from smacking you in the face, so kindly shoo away, please."

"Feisty. One of the many reasons why I like you, Ally." Well, if he wasn't going to move, I was. Turning around, I headed for the kitchen to get a bottle of water when I perceived a scent that I'd recognize anywhere.

Menthol.

It was very faint, plus the full house wouldn't have made it easy for anyone to pick up the scent. But I wasn't just anyone and that scent was all too familiar to me. 

Vampire.

Like I was drawn by a magnet, I followed the scent out of the kitchen and into the crowd of people, my curiosity greater than the terror that gripped my bones at the thought of what a vampire could be looking for in wolf territory. 

Had they found me again? 

"Excuse me, Make way, coming through"

Not the time to be courteous, Ally.

My eyes scanned the room and then I saw the tall figure lurking in the shadows. Definitely not a woman.

Walk away, Allyson. Hide, the reasonable part of my brain warned. 

I moved towards his direction and it was as if he'd waited for me to almost get to him before disappearing. Looking around, I saw that people didn't even notice that there was a vampire in their midst. They were either too drunk or too tired to care. I could literally smell the sex and endorphins in the air. It didn't help that Caleb was also busy as well.

Busy doing what? 

Getting his hands up a girl's skirt and please note, No girl has ever just left once his hands make their move.

Well, at least I know that I'm alone. 

Praying that Mr Vamp came alone, I concentrated on the almost gone scent and finally found it. My wolf screamed at me to be cautious and not go alone, but I just ignored her, like I always do. Besides she was more excited than I was when it came to vampires.

I looked around again, searching for anyone who wasn't as oblivious as the lot, but it seemed like I was the only one who could smell the mystery man. Well, at least I tried looking for help. Time to do this.

As I climbed the stairs, I figured that I was going the right way because it kept getting stronger, but the worst part was that I wasn't at all irritated by this particular scent. I didn't know why, but the mere thought was terrifying. In the past, whether rouge or relatively sane, well as sane as any vampire could be, their scents often made me appalled. Maybe it was the perpetual animosity between us and them that had just made our noses react like that. 

Cinnamon, fresh snow, musk and menthol, my wolf picked up. 

I squinted my eyes to see inside the attic. He was definitely in here.

I could smell him and when I entered, the door was shut.

Okay, deep breaths, Ally. The worst that could happen is that this guy would be an old one or a Pureblood or a Gifted. You can defeat a young one. Or you can run away. 

The only difference was that there would be no one to take my place this time if I did run away. And I'd rather die than sacrifice anyone again. 

Purebloods were those that were born as vampires. You know when vampires mate with humans and ... They were stronger than the ones that were turned to vampires when bitten by one. Like wolves, vampires bit humans to turn them. The only difference between that bite and the bite during their feeding was that they released their venom into the body of the bitten who sometimes survived the change. Most times, they didn't. Moreover, only vampires who had reached fifty could produce the venom from their bodies, except in rare cases where some Purebloods could create the venom at a younger age. The most important and most dangerous of the vampires were the Gifted. Purebloods who had abilities. An anomaly that upset the balance of power in the supernatural world. 

At least they weren't hated by the entire supernatural community the way Unnaturals were hated. 

A gust of wind leaving my hair in a mess reaffirmed that he was here. And had just moved past me. My eyes glowed and even though I could see better now, there was no one in sight. By some miracle, my wolf eyes were amber and not blue. It made it easier for people to think the yellow that glowed in my eyes in human form were my wolf's since amber was a variant of yellow, sort of. Only Caleb had seen my eyes go from hazel to amber to yellow gemstones. Human, wolf and the other. Magic, my mother had said once. Witch. The only magic I had was burning things to ashes. 

"Who are you?" I asked and listened carefully, trying to trace his movements.

"I'm not here to fight, Allyson."

To say I was stunned was an understatement, but what threw me off balance wasn't the fact that he knew who I was but how his voice had sent chills down my spine. He wasn't even close yet it felt like he'd whispered in my ear.

Good God, Ally. Get your head out of the gutter.

I turned around, my stance like one ready to throw a punch. Not a flame. Even though I was positive that a flame was probably best at this point. 

"Why are you hiding then?"

"You have a penchant for throwing your fists at first sight. Promise to listen, and I will come out." 

I scoffed, but plastered a smile on my face. I knew exactly where he was standing and I dropped my fists, in a bid to deceive him that I was ready to talk, because if I could see him, he could see me. Damned supernatural vision. 

He didn't sound like a young one. Newly turned vampires were usually erratic and impatient. It didn't make me feel better knowing that. Especially when his voice, while sounding remote made all the hairs on my skin stand at attention. 

Reigning in my fear because vampires could smell it as well as wolves, I answered "You're a vampire, in werewolf territory. You don't get to ask for anything, except maybe death or punishment." To my dismay, he chuckled and I hated him for sounding good. Hated myself for liking the rich sound. 

"Are you using your powers on me?" I croaked, realising immediately that it was a stupid question. Vampires couldn't compel wolves. And except he was a Gifted and his power was mind games or seduction, he couldn't either. 

Even without seeing him, I knew the question had amused him. 

"Why? Are you feeling complacent already? Perhaps I do not need to use my powers after all."

Cocky bastard!

I got two things from that statement.

1.) He was most likely an old one from his manner of speech.

2.) He just implied that he had powers. Abilities. I was standing face to face with a Gifted. 

I rammed into him with all my strength, and pressed him against the wall, ignoring my wolf's and magic's protests to annihilate him immediately. 

"What do you want from me?" 

I seethed. I wanted to know who he was, why he knew who I was and what he wanted from me. 

"I want you to listen" And in the blink of an eye, I was the one with my back against the wall, my two hands caged above my head by large hands. Cold hands. His body was pressed against mine in ways that should've triggered dangerous signals in my brain, except that this felt oddly familiar. Like we'd done this before. 

"Let me go and we'll talk"

"Promise me. I don't want to have to kill you in self defense." 

I groaned, more annoyed with myself than him. "Cocky much?"

"Do I have your word?"

"What's a promise to a vampire?" I muttered and when he didn't budge, added "You have my word. I won't attack you." Yet, I added in my mind. 

He released me and the lights came on, blinding me for a second.

"Your skin, it's warmer than I'd ever imagined." 

If you didn't know the real situation, you'd think we weren't strangers. Not to mention the fact that the way he said my name made me all giddy and horrified at the same time. 

I turned, ready to tackle him, but my voice got lost somewhere, don't ask me why. You'll find out soon enough.

I was staring at the lightest shade of azure eyes I'd ever seen. No, not azure. Not even close. It was a combination of grey and blue that blended and melded into each other. Bluish-grey orbs that looked devoid of life and should have been all sorts of wrong but seemed to want to suck me into them. 

My eyes traveled up to his messy dark hair and then down to his pointed nose and my God, those lips.

It's bad enough that a vampire is standing in front of you and still breathing and yet you are thinking of rutting with him. 

I frowned almost immediately, ignoring that shrewd analogy and continued my assessment of the vampire. 

He was probably an inch taller than Caleb who was well over six feet although not as muscular, but his lean figure was toned in the right places and was even more intimidating.

And sexy. Definitely sexier. 

If Caleb was all rough edges, this man could've walked out of a modeling catalog. He was a breathing gargoyle. Stoic. Remote. 

He looked so relaxed, his hands in his pockets like he wasn't with someone he should feel threatened by and that felt so insulting. 

Maybe turning him to ash wasn't such a bad idea after all, even though the headache and extreme pain that came with using my gift was likely to kill me any day from now. 

As if he'd read my thoughts, he spoke "I'm not the enemy, Allyson."

"Oh, and I'm supposed to believe that because...? And it's Ally, not Allyson." Why did I add that part? 

"Because I'm here, asking for help."

Help. Why would he think that I would help him? A total stranger and a vampire at that. I stared at him and if I didn't know any better, I'd have assumed he was in his early twenties, but supernaturals aged slower than most. Even the witches reached a century or more before they died. Vampires born stopped aging at 25 and this man looked like he'd been 25 for a long time. 

"Why do you need my help?"

He took one step forward and on instinct, I moved back. A frustrated sigh escaped his lips and for a second, his features softened before they became cold again. Stoic. If I'd had any painting skill, I'd have photographed this moment in my head to paint it later. 

"The deaths. You can feel it right before it happens." My face paled at his apt description. 

"How do you know that?"

"Because I can feel it too. This evil has not only befallen your pack but our clan as well and has begun stretching into the human lands. I have gone to all the towns in the region, supernatural and otherwise, and there have been at least one death, with the same symptoms."

"Black liquid, blood foaming at the mouth. Defanged for supernaturals." I completed and he nodded grimly. 

"If you really need help, you should've asked a fellow vampire. You could be killed for even being here right now. My-" I paused. 

No need to tell him my father was Alpha of the Rocca Tribe.

"The Alpha of this pack doesn't like strangers, least of all vampires and he won't hesitate when he realizes what you are. I don't know why you thought I could be of help. I can't do anything. It could be that a serial killer is on the loose. You should check your kind. They're most likely to do something like this." 

I moved towards the door. "Please go while you still can." I whispered and was shocked at my behavior. I'd never let any vampire go before and when I remembered what they did to Kara, all my compassion disappeared and I turned the door knob, afraid that I would end up having to fight him. No not fight him. He was old enough to best me in a fight. Ashes, it was then.

"You did not ask what my name was or how I know who you are." 

I glanced at him. 

He didn't know I wasn't a typical werewolf, if not I was sure he'd have tried to capture or kill me. I was safe for now.

Plus knowing his name would only make it harder for me to forget he existed and that I'd let him go. 

"I won't need it."

"You might one day, Allyson. If you ever change your mind about working with me, you will need it to find me." 

I sighed. Name or no name, he was going to haunt my dreams for a while. 

"Okay. Blow my mind."

His eyes lingered on my face, blinking slowly before he turned, whispering his name before he jumped out the window, disappearing into the night.

"Thorne. Aiden Thorne"

My face paled as I looked at the spot where he had just been. 

Silence. 

It wasn't just any vampire. 

It was an old vampire.

A Pureblood.

A Gifted.

The infamous Aiden Thorne. 

Oh

My 

God

Two words "I'm fucked."

Could life get any worse?