I land onto the cold concrete below, pain shooting up my spine and feeling the familiar ache from Shades kick. I cough up the blood rattling in my chest. wincing at the foul taste of iron. I really need to look before leaping through. I let out a pained gasp as I force myself up, feeling my insides knit themselves back together, the blood draining from my chest, the ache disappearing as it quickly came. I breathe easier, thankful for the supernatural healing. Maybe being a half breed isn’t so bad.

I shudder into myself as I feel the cold, brisk air sail through me. I let out a shaking breath, wrapping my arms close to my body and keeping the warmth internally as possible. I trudge through the dim streets, the buildings in ruin, bricks and metal painted in spray paint. I see a skull adorning a shield, with flames wrapped around spray painted on a large roller door, with the words Roderick Territory. I raise my brow as I continue pass.

I note the empty street, how all the storefronts are empty, decimated or poorly kept together with duct tape and hope. Another gust blow through, carrying the wondering trash that is left behind.

What happened in this world? Am I back in my world? Is it like this everywhere or just here? Where ever here is?

I continue my journey and note the half-torn traffic sign. ‘Los vegas 15 miles away.’ Great . . . I’m in America, lame.

I stop, my hearing picking up on the faintest note. I follow, weaving through back streets, and empty buildings, the notes become louder, clearer. Its soft, sharp and sad. An ache that feels familiar to my own, giving me an odd sense of comfort as I listen to the player. I feel their emotions play out with each note, long, sombre, and drawn out. They are aching inside, are they alone too? Do they feel trapped in this world?

A silhouette stood on the rooftop, playing to no one. The sound reached me before I climbed, thin and aching, the kind of music that didn’t beg for an audience. It spilled out raw, like it couldn’t stay caged, whether anyone heard it or not. I picked my way up through the ruined house, slipping past rotted steps and broken beams until I pushed open the hatch and stepped into the cold night.

His hair was black, unevenly cut, falling in jagged layers that caught what little moonlight broke through. Sharp brows shadowed eyes, blood-red, slit like a predator’s, faintly glowing against the dark. His face was all harsh lines: cheekbones sharp, jaw narrow, stillness carved deep. Yet the violin betrayed him. Every note screamed with pain, bleeding truth in a way his expression refused to.

He wasn’t bulky, but the way he moved said strength, coiled, controlled. The speed of a blade, not the weight of a hammer.

The rest of him was black-on-black: a fitted denim jacket over a deep-cut shirt, sleeves rolled high. One arm bare to pale skin inked in roses and thorns, curling over his knuckles, climbing his forearm in sharp bloom. The other left clean, as though he needed the contrast. Silver lined his ear, helix piercings climbing the rim, and a pendant shifted against his chest, catching the light with each movement.

The last note dragged out slow, reluctant, like it didn’t want to let go. When it ended, he lowered the bow and violin, gaze dropping heavy to the ground. Shoulders sloping, quiet resolve written in the way he stood.

I didn’t move. Couldn’t. Watching him felt like trespassing, like catching someone bleed in private.

“That was beautiful.” His head shot up, eyes landing on mine. A snarl protrudes from his lips, fangs glinting in the light. In seconds, he was in my face, reaching for my throat.

“Who the fuck are you? Were you following me?!” I hold on to his arm, trying to alleviate the pressure.

“No, I just heard the music.” I gasp, but his grip only tightens. The air is cut off and I am left dangling, my body begging for air, and the pressure off my windpipe. I felt my jaw ache and a growl rising in my chest, my hand gripping tighter on his wrist, tighter and tighter, before I hear a crack.

He drops me, snarling like a rabid animal. I gasp for breath, coughing up the air too quickly.

“What the fuck are you?!”

“A hybrid. Sorry to disappoint.” He stills, eyes widening and mouth opening ajar. Straightening himself, adjusting the bones in his arm, and it heals in seconds. He gives a cautionary glance before delicately placing the violin back into its case.

“Hybrid.” He mutters to himself. Rising from the ground and slings the strap over his shoulder, the case resting securely on his back.

“Why do you play up here?” I rasped, still catching my breath.

“For pace, Roderick members aren’t meant to bleed feelings.”

“Roderick? Like a gang?” he snorts and shakes his head.

“A coven. But I guess you could call it that, considering the number of buildings we burn.” He glowers at me and adjusts his jacket. Without another word, he jumps off the building's ledge. I run to the side and watch him walk off.

“Hey!” the vampire pauses, tilting his head in answer. “Where the fuck am I?!”

“You’re in Los Vegas.”

“I knew that! I meant world!”

“You’re in world Aether.” he waves his hand dismissively and keeps walking. I groan out and rest my head on the concrete wall.

“Great, just great.” I rise up and look at the non-existent stars. “You really want to fuck with me, don’t you?!” I shout out to the universe, hoping I would get a response from mother nature herself.

I look back down, judging the distance from the roof to the ground, I want to jump over and get to the ground quicker. I would heal; I would be ok but I can’t help but feel the rush of dread flow through me as I consider it. The human part of me telling me I would die. There is no coming back but then there’s the other part, the one telling me don’t be stupid, you’re not going to. I jerk my body forward but unable to get up the ledge, stopping myself out of fear.

I take a deep breath, feeling my heart beat heavily in my chest, and move away from the edge. I can do this, I can survive this. Will it hurt like hell? Yes, yes, it would, but it’s not far, I can jump. Nodding to myself, and with a final push, I vault over the ledge, feeling the rush of air blow through me as I fall. My heart picks up and fear screams at me. Asking why I did something so stupid. My feet hit the ground, and pain ruptured through as I fall forward and rolled with a heavy thud. I heard bones break and my skin tear into the concrete. My body aches, and thankfully, the rest of me is still intact. “Fuck.”

My bones and body mend and stitch itself together, the aching pain throbs, dulls and then to nothing. The world stops spinning and stills as look into the inky mass above. Illuminated by the city's lights in the distance. Such a shame. No longer can you see the stars at night.

I push myself up from the ground, feeling stiff from the fall. I breathe in, thankful to move once again. I don’t plan on falling off buildings every time, that’s for sure but I know I am not as squishy like humans.

Rising to my feet, I follow the same path as the vampire. All I see is the empty street, trash, empty buildings.

I keep walking. Following the faded signs closer to the city, passing the empty suburbs to the sleepy residences of the city, until I hit the bright chaos that is Las Vegas. My skin begins to crawl as I step into the sleazy streets. Neon lights flicker, music blares from open bars, and the heat of the city presses down like a hand on my back.

"Lost, sweetheart?" my heart skips a beat and sickening sweet scent of iron lingers to my nose. I clench my jaw and push forward.

A cold hand grips my arms. “Not polite to ignore people.”

“Don’t touch me,” I snap, jerking my arm back. The vampire’s fingers only dig in deeper, nails turning into claws graze my skin.

“Easy. We just wanna talk.” His grin shows baring his fangs. His grip tightens and the warm stream of blood flows down my arm. The second vampire circles me, a wide fanged grin on full display. A low growl rumbles from my throat.

I drive my elbow into the first vampires ribs. I felt the bone-on-bone crack, and he releases me with a gasp. He cradles his sternum, stumbling backwards a bit. I twist, swinging at the second one with all the weight in my shoulder. He catches my wrist mid-arc, his strength slams through my arm like hitting steel. “Cute.”

The first recovers fast. In a blur he’s behind me, arms locking around my torso like a vice. My lungs hitch from the squeeze.

“Feisty one.” Says the first, his breath hot in my ear, foul with copper and old beer.

I kick backward with my heel. It connects, my boot landing hard on his shin. He snarls and hauls me tighter. My nails rake down his forearm, drawing thin trails of blood, but he doesn’t let go.

“Let go or I’ll—”

“You’ll what?” His voice slides cruel against my ear. “You’re weak like a human but you don’t smell like one.”

I writhe, twisting side to side, boots scraping asphalt as they drag me backward. The second one shoves me toward the curb, his smirk widening when I curse. My shoulder slams brick as they herd me into a narrow alley drowned in shadow.

The city noise dims. All I hear is my own ragged breath, their boots crunching gravel, and the clatter of a loose bottle rolling underfoot.

They angle me toward a stairwell yawning beneath a faded red neon sign that stutters in the dark: The Crypt.

I am forced down a set of stairs leading down deep underneath the old brick building. My nose is assaulted with the fresh scent of sweet iron, human sweat laden thick with alcohol. My stomach churns. Loud, angry music fills my ears as I am pushed through the thick wooden doors. A dimly lit grunge bar greets me. Vampires all wearing an assortment of thick leather or denmin jackets, studded boots and buckles, ripped up jeans, loose fitted singlets, tattoos painting their pale skin and enough piercings to set off the metal detector. While all their clothes are slightly different, one thing remains the same. A patch with a red, white shield and skull adorn on top with a crown, an arrow pointing up and flames swirl around.

Speakers on full blast, pool tables laden with freshly filled cups of blood and beer. A few humans nailed to the wall, still breathing, shaking from the pain inflicted upon them as the vampires continually throw darts into their bodies. A score board hangs above. Eyes are fifty points, head ten points, body five points, limbs ten points, jugular vein twenty points. The reigning champion is Andre. I hear them laugh whenever one human screams. I tear my eyes away as a sickness bubble in my chest.

“So!” I hear one vampire shout and jump on the table, uncaring if he knocked glasses of beer or blood onto his kin. He pulls out a remote and turns the music off, and a chorus of displeasure rings out. “Oh, shut the fuck up!” he snarls. “If you all don’t like, fuck off to a different bar. This place isn’t for you ungrateful fucks!” The vampire wore similar attire to his kin, shredded jeans, a loose fitted singlet, tattoos all across his arms, long raven black hair and sharp features you could cut paper with. He walks down the table. A cocky smile graces his lips, exposing his fangs for good measure. “Look at what we got here, everyone!” all eyes turn to me, with a hungry gaze, he jumps off the table and towers over me with a dangerous smile.

“She smells funny,” the one holding my arm hiss. His teeth too close to my neck.

“Wondering if you know anything, Ricky.” The vampire circles me, eyes raking over my form. I shoot him a glare, daring him to come closer. His hand grips the back of my hair, baring my neck to him. His nose trailing along my skin, taking a deep breath and before letting out a loud hum.

“Sweet, but artificial almost. Hard to describe.” He snarls, his hand gripping my hair tighter. I wince, refusing to give the bastard a single yelp. “What are you?” he purrs, his head moving closer to my chest. “Her heart beats slower, not normal for a human.” He lets me go; our eyes meet his red orbs staring into mine. Then they widen as if the pin finally dropped. He tilts his head back and let out a loud deep belly laugh. “So, the rumours are fucking true. If it isn’t the legendary vampire, human hybrid, or should I say . . .” he looms over me with a fanged smile. “Halfbreed.” I grit my jaw and I hear a deep laugh come from his belly. “If I was in what we call a pathetic excuse for a king's position. I would have killed you on the spot.” He turns away and shakes his head whilst throwing his arms up in the air. “But no, he let you live and now we’ll have to deal with the consequences of his decision.”

“If you don’t like it so much, why not talk to him about it?” the bar erupted in laughter.

“Oh, you’re funny. You don’t know how this all works, do you?” he approaches me again. “There are three covens. I’m sure you’ve heard of that pole up his arse Stirling?” he tilts his head, waiting for my answer. I shake my head. “Really?” he raises his brow. “Do you know anything?” silence. The vampire frowns and is looming over me again. “They kept you in the dark, haven’t they? Why bother? What is he worried about?” the room stills and all eyes land on me.