My heart pounded as I waited for the vampire to let me go, but he kept me in his arms as he smiled at me, leaning closer into my face. I almost felt like he was examining me and I readied myself to fight if he tried to bite me. I had not just escaped the pack to let some vampire drain me dry, savior or not.

“Do you have a name?”

“K… Kira,” I answered cautiously, but my wolf growled inside me.

‘We don’t need to tell him anything! We should–’

“Well Kira, seeing as I have risked angering the wolves over you, I guess I have to take you home,” the vampire chuckled, and my fear spiked as he turned to walk deeper into the woods.

“Wait, no! That’s–”

“Not up for debate, little thing. My prince comes first, and what will be done with you is up to him to decide,” the vampire insisted, and my protests died away as he said the word ‘prince.’ We were that close to the high court? How had I never known, never realized how dangerous the woods were? “And seeing as we’re running out of moonlight, we’ll take the fast track.”

I clung to the vampire tighter as shadows started to rise from the ground and I squeezed my eyes shut as they enveloped us completely. I barely felt any movement before the vampire began to walk forward with me and I chanced a peek at my new surroundings.

We had to be in the oldest, most elaborate mansion I could have ever imagined, and if it wasn’t for the worry and fear in my chest, I might have found my curiosity peaked. I always enjoyed history and the walls around me promised aged secrets as the man holding me was accosted by another.

“Virgil, what have I said about picking up strays?” Another male voice called down the hall in a jovial tone, and the vampire holding me laughed in response. He clearly wasn’t worried about who the second person was, and he adjusted me in his arms again as he answered.

“Ya know, stray might be right for once,” he chuckled, pausing in front of this second vampire. I was quick to shut my eyes again, not wanting to see this ‘prince’, if that was this new man. “Where’s Viktor?”

“He’s out, hunting with the others,” the man dismissed, and I flinched as his hand brushed my shoulder. “Jumpy thing. Looks human.”

“Well, he had wolves chasing him, so I’d say so,” Virgil shrugged and the vampire next to him gasped.

“Wolves? Virgil, I know you like to take chances but don’t tell me you stole another–”

Another?!

“I stole nothing. He fell in my lap from a tree and then asked me for help,” he interrupted, adjusting me in his arms again. “Since it was on our side, I obliged the request. As far as I’m concerned, Viktor can give them back if he feels so inclined.”

“No!” I finally spoke, pushing against the vampire holding me as he finally dropped me from his arms. I quickly scrambled to my feet, panting as I looked at the pair in front of me. They almost looked like twins with their similar appearances, and I shook my head as I watched them. “I’m not going back!”

“Look, little thing, that’s not for us to decide,” Virgil sighed, giving me an annoyed smile as I growled, backing away from him. There was a hint of amusement in his expression, as if he enjoyed toying with me. “The prince will be the one who decides if you can stay.”

“What’s going on?” I turned as I heard another voice behind me, and I saw another group walking down the hall towards us. At their head was the most beautiful man I had ever seen, his dark brown hair flowing around his shoulders as his sharp green eyes watched the pair in front of me. His skin was rosier than I thought it would be for a vampire, but he completely ignored me as Virgil and the other vampire bowed.

“Prince Viktor, I found this man in our territory,” Virgil explained, all of the laughter and play gone from his voice as he spoke. I turned back as I heard the prince stop in front of me and I looked to the floor, not wanting to see his expression as my heart pounded. Even my wolf submitted under his authority, whining softly in my mind. “He was being chased by wolves from the Grave Crest pack, so I brought him here.”

“And? Is he one of them?” I flinched as his voice boomed over me and I heard Virgil’s uncertain reply.

“I don’t know, he doesn’t have the scent of a wolf on her,” I thanked the Goddess as I heard his words, my heart still pounding in my chest. My wolf had only just awoken, and I had yet to shift, which meant I didn’t have the mark of a werewolf on me yet. Until that moment, I would appear like a human to wolves and vampires alike. “They seemed pretty intent on getting him back.”

“You,” I jumped as the prince spoke again, and I turned to face him, although I kept my eyes on his dark boots. “Why do the wolves want you?”

“I…” I racked my mind for a good excuse, not wanting to reveal I was a member of the pack. He would undoubtedly send me back if he knew, and I needed more time to shift and sever my tie. “I was a servant to one of the Matriarchs and her favorite toy to abuse. I took the chance to flee, hoping to find safety elsewhere. I didn’t know the woods belonged to vampires.”

Silence filled the hall as I finished speaking, and I hoped I had weaved enough truth into my lie to avoid him catching it. There were rumors that vampires could tell a lie from blood flow, and I shook slightly under the intense gaze I knew was on me. My heartbeat was already spiked from fear; would he really be able to tell a lie?

“Put him in one of the human rooms,” the prince finally commanded, and I felt relief filling my chest as he turned to walk away. Even if it was a prison, it was better than being forced back to the pack. “And have the servants clean him up.”

“Yes, my prince.” I took the hand as Virgil offered it to me and the mischievous grin was back on his face as the prince left the hall. “Well, well, little one, looks like you’re safe for now.”

“Thank–”

“Oh, don’t thank me yet. Viktor hasn’t said what he’s gonna do with you,” Virgil laughed and something in his golden eyes made a new fear fill my chest. “Who knows, maybe there are worse things than being sent back to your owners.”

“C’mon Virgil, let's pass him off to the girls and be done with it,” his brother insisted, and Virgil rolled his eyes as he grabbed my arm roughly. “It’s getting close to sunrise and I wanna sleep in my own bed today.”

“Yeah yeah, Rowan,” Virgil scoffed and as I was dragged into yet another ancient hall, I started to wonder if this was really safe.

Well, it wasn’t home, so that was a start.