Nick

She was so adorable, her innocent blue eyes watching me as I left her at the church.

It wasn't just the ache of leaving her—it was the way my body rebelled, every muscle screaming to turn back.

My chest tightened like a fist wrapped around my ribs, urging me to scoop her up, take her home, keep her safe.

She was my soulmate the moment I met her.

My heart had stopped, then started beating again the second our eyes locked.

I couldn't explain it—only that I was drawn to her like a madman. And it was so hard to not take a drink of her. 

But something was pulling me away. Like something did not want me near her. And I cant put my finger on it. 

The moment was gone.

The warmth of Anna's presence was replaced by something cold—something ancient and unwelcome.

A presence I couldn't shake—one that seeped into my mind like an unwelcome whisper, demanding attention.

I turned right, passing a convenience store, and that's when I saw him.

Not ancient. Not legendary. But powerful.

Dangerous in a way that wasn't about age— It was about precision. Control. Intent.

The neon sign above him flickered like it sensed something wrong. Not with time, but with his presence. Like Allen didn't belong anywhere unless he was pulling the strings.

I pulled over, parking my motorcycle on the side of the road.

He walked toward me slowly, his movement deliberate, like a predator savoring the moment before the pounce. His dark cold grin replaced with a kind one, 

"Hello, Nick," he drawled, arms outstretched, that cocky smile plastered across his face.

He was just a tad smaller than me, his dark brown eyes gleaming with something sinister—like he was hiding a plot I hadn't been invited to.

His hair parted to one side, a few strands falling over the left half of his face. Light peachy skin, thick eyelashes—details that shouldn't disarm me, but tried anyway.

He had a round face with a sharp jawline, soft in structure but pointed in intention.

A brown leather jacket hugged his frame, worn over a black T-shirt. His blue jeans were slightly faded, tucked into scuffed brown combat boots. A chain wallet hung from his left side, clinking as he moved.

And at his throat, always present—a golden locket. He never took it off. Not even now.

His gaze flicked over me—lingering, amused, assessing like he already knew how this would end.

"How have you been, my boy?" "It's been ages since I last saw you."

I didn't fall for the act.

Not this time.

He was a straight-up manipulator. Smooth. Calculated. Dangerous.

I remained still, watching his every movement.

My fingers twitched at my side before I forced them still.

My stance widened—just slightly. Just enough to anchor myself against the invisible force pressing in around me. He was slightly stronger than I was—for now. Not because of age. Not just because of those dark rituals that left shadows in his wake. But because I'd stopped feeding. Human blood: the source of our strength. The thing I'd refused. I'd denied it. Starved myself of it. And now—he could feel it. He could smell it. It made him bold. But if I gave in—just a sip—I'd rise above him. And I knew it. I should've been wiser.

He could smell it.

My weakness. My restraint.

And the cruelest part? If I took just one sip... I'd surpass him. Outmatch him. End this.

I should've been wiser. I should've never stopped drinking human blood. But I was trying to be careful— Careful in this town. In my town. The place I finally found peace. The place I belong.

A girl I fell for. A job I love. A witchy best friend who's always had my back. They're my forever. And I'd rather weaken myself than risk ruining it. 

I raised my left hand, palm up—a silent warning.

His grin faded, replaced with something less amused, more calculating.

"Why so mean, Nick?" He clicked his tongue, shaking his head like I'd disappointed him.

"Come now. I thought we were past this."

I exhaled slowly.

"You don't strike me as the kind to drop by just for pleasantries."

His smirk returned.

"Join me."

"Let's make this a place where vampires reign. Where humans are nothing more than food... pets... delicious things kept at our mercy. A world without fear. No more hiding. No more being hunted.

You. Me. And our newest ally.  

We'll be the three rulers. The ones who rise. Who finally take everything back.

We'll wipe out the hunters. All of them. For the monster kind—our kind."

His hand hovered, waiting.

"What do you say?"

She was so damn adorable. Her innocent blue eyes followed me as I left her standing outside the church.

It wasn't just the ache of parting that tore at me— It was how violently my body rebelled. Every muscle screamed to turn back.

My chest clenched like a fist around my ribs, squeezing so hard I could barely breathe. All I wanted was to scoop her up, hold her close, take her home... Keep her safe.

Anna wasn't just a crush. Wasn't just a fleeting bond.

She was my soulmate. The moment we met, my heart stopped. Then started again— Not beating normally, Beating for her.

I couldn't explain it. Not scientifically. Not even magically.

Only that I was drawn to her like a madman. And sometimes... I wanted to taste her.

Not romantically. Literally.

Her blood.

It pulsed beneath her skin like a song I almost knew the lyrics to. And it took everything—everything—not to give in.

But something else pulled me away. Hard. Cold. Intentional.

Like a force didn't want me near her. Didn't want me close. And I couldn't put my finger on it.

The warmth of Anna's presence vanished. Like a flame snuffed out mid-breath. Replaced by something ancient... Something unwelcome.

A whisper clawed into my mind. One I hadn't invited. One that wanted me to listen.

I turned right—past a convenience store. And there he was.

Older than memory. More ancient than any vampire I knew. He stood beneath a neon sign that flickered like it recognized him. Like it shivered.

I pulled over. Parked the motorcycle. The rumble faded.

He moved toward me, slow and deliberate— Like a predator savoring its favorite part of the hunt: The wait.

His grin—dark, cold—shifted into something almost kind. Fake. Fabricated like a mask he forgot to take off.

"Hello, Nick," he drawled, arms open. That cocky smile didn't just sit on his face—it spread. Like poison.

He was a little smaller than me, but his presence towered.

Dark brown eyes—calm on the surface, chaotic underneath. A plot brewing. One I wasn't invited to. Or maybe I was always meant to be part of it.

His hair parted on one side, strands falling like shadows across his face. Peachy skin kissed by moonlight. Thick lashes framed eyes that blinked slow—but never innocent.

Round face. Sharp jawline. Every detail chosen with intention.

Brown leather jacket. Black T-shirt. Faded blue jeans tucked into combat boots. A chain wallet jangling against his leg. And hanging from his neck—

A golden locket. He never took it off. Not even now.

He let his gaze sweep over me. Lingering. Smug. Like he was calculating the exact point I'd break.

"How have you been, my boy? It's been ages."

I didn't bite. Didn't blink. Didn't fall for the act. Allen was a manipulator. Smooth. Calculated.

Dangerous.

I stayed still, watching his every movement. My fingers twitched—but I forced them still. My stance widened, just slightly. Bracing against the invisible force pressing in from all sides.

He was stronger than me. Not by much. But enough.

Not because of his age. Not just because of the rituals he'd tangled himself with.

But because I'd stopped drinking human blood. It was rare here. Harder to access without raising suspicion.

I had to leave town to feed— To protect my job. My secrets. My peace.

It had been over a month.

We can last a year without feeding. Technically.

But the longer we go, the more faded we become. The more prey we appear.

He could feel it. Could smell it on me.

And that made him bold.

The cruelest part? If I took just one sip— I'd surpass him. Easily.

But I was careful here. This town was mine. My safe space. My final try at normalcy.

Anna. My job. My witchy best friend. Everything here... Was mine.

And I'd rather live weak— than ruin what I'd finally found.

I raised my hand, palm up. A silent warning.

His grin faltered. Only slightly.

Eyes narrowed. Calculating.

"Why so mean, Nick?" He clicked his tongue, disappointed.

"Come now. I thought we were past this."

I exhaled, slow and sharp.

"You don't strike me as the kind who drops by for pleasantries."

He chuckled—dark and dangerous.

"Join me."

"Let's make this a place where vampires reign. Where humans are nothing more than food... pets... delicious things kept at our mercy. No more fear. No more hiding. No more being hunted.

You. Me. And our new ally.

Three rulers. The ones who rise. The ones who take it all back.

We'll wipe out the hunters. Every last one. For the monster kind. For us."

His hand hovered. Waiting.

"What do you say?"

I stepped forward, anger rising.

"Wait—what do you mean 'a new ally'? Kings? Rulers?" My voice scraped raw. Panic cut through logic.

"What the fuck are you up to, Allen? You can't do this. It'll collapse the order. The upper class will come for us."

His brow arched, slow and cruel.

"Upper class?" His voice tasted of mockery.

"You talk like you weren't one of them."

He stepped closer. Voice colder. Sharper.

"You forget, Nick... You were the true king once."

"Come on. Claim what was yours. Make a new order."

His hand still hovered. Waiting.

And that perfect smirk— Wavered.

Just a fraction.

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Hey, lovely readers 🖤

Nick's peace was never permanent. It was borrowed. Fragile. And in this chapter, we watch it crack.

Anna's innocence is his anchor—but also his temptation. And Allen? He's the storm that remembers who Nick used to be. Who he could be again.

Thank you for walking through the shadows with us. The rewrites are deeper now. Sharper. Hungrier. And this chapter? It's the first bite.

🕯️ Stay haunted. Stay watching. Stay bitten. —Luna-chan🥀

Next time...

She woke alone in a locked church. She came home to fury. But when Nick whispered through her window... She could breathe again. 

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