# Blood Moon Rising
## Chapter 1: The Last Dawn
The blood moon hung like a crimson wound in the sky, casting everything in shades of rust and shadow. Maya Chen pressed her back against the cold brick wall of the abandoned grocery store, her breath forming small clouds in the frigid air. Three months had passed since the Awakening—the night when every vampire myth became terrifyingly real, and humanity found itself suddenly at the bottom of the food chain.
Her fingers tightened around the silver-plated knife her grandmother had given her, the only family heirloom that had proven useful in this new world. The irony wasn't lost on her that Grandmother's superstitions had become survival tools.
A soft scraping sound made her freeze. Footsteps. Multiple sets, moving with predatory grace through the debris-strewn street. Maya held her breath, counting the seconds until they passed. But they didn't pass.
"I can smell your fear, little rabbit." The voice was silk over steel, cultured and ancient. "Sweet as honey and twice as intoxicating."
Maya's heart hammered against her ribs. She'd been so careful, so quiet. How had they found her?
"Come out now, and we might let you live." A different voice this time, deeper, with a slight accent she couldn't place. "We're not like the others."
Right. Because vampires were known for their honesty.
She gripped her knife tighter and prepared to run. The abandoned mall was only two blocks away—if she could reach the hidden entrance to the underground tunnels, she might have a chance. Maya took a deep breath and bolted.
She made it exactly three steps before something slammed into her from the side, sending her sprawling across the broken asphalt. Her knife skittered away into the darkness. Strong hands hauled her to her feet, and she found herself staring into the most beautiful face she'd ever seen.
The vampire holding her had dark hair that fell in waves to his shoulders and eyes like storm clouds. His skin was pale as moonlight, and when he smiled, she caught a glimpse of fangs that should have terrified her. Instead, she felt an unexpected flutter in her stomach.
"Careful, Damien," said the owner of the first voice, stepping into view. "You're bruising the merchandise."
This one was tall and lean, with copper hair and green eyes that seemed to glow in the crimson light of the blood moon. He moved with liquid grace, every gesture controlled and precise.
"She's not merchandise, Adrian." A third figure emerged from the shadows—broader than the other two, with close-cropped black hair and skin the color of rich coffee. His voice carried authority, and the other two vampires straightened slightly when he spoke. "She's something much more interesting."
Maya yanked against Damien's grip, but his fingers might as well have been iron shackles. "Let me go."
The leader—it was obvious that's what he was—tilted his head, studying her with dark eyes that seemed to see straight through her soul. "What's your name?"
"Go to hell."
He laughed, a sound like whiskey and smoke. "I'm Marcus, and I've already been there. These are my brothers, Damien and Adrian. And you, little rabbit, are exactly what we've been searching for."
"I'm not your anything." Maya's voice came out steadier than she felt. "And I'm nobody special."
"Oh, but you are." Adrian circled her like a predator, his nostrils flaring slightly. "Your blood… it's different. Older. There are maybe a dozen humans left on Earth who smell like you do."
Maya's grandmother's voice echoed in her memory: *Our family is special, Maya. We carry something in our blood, something that makes us strong.* She'd thought the old woman was just telling stories.
"What do you want from me?"
Marcus stepped closer, and she caught a scent like sandalwood and copper. "Protection. The other covens will kill for what you represent. But we… we have a different proposal."
"Which is?"
"Join us willingly, and we'll keep you safe. Help us end this war, and we'll help you survive it."
Maya laughed, but there was no humor in it. "Join you? I'd rather die."
"That can be arranged," Damien murmured, his grip tightening.
"Peace." Marcus raised a hand. "She doesn't understand yet. Give her time."
"Time is something we don't have," Adrian said. "Konstantin's forces are moving tonight. If they catch her scent—"
"They won't." Marcus's voice cut through the night like a blade. "Because she's coming with us."
Before Maya could protest, the world tilted sideways. Damien had swept her up into his arms, and suddenly they were moving faster than physics should allow, the ruined city blurring past in streaks of shadow and red light.
## Chapter 2: Sanctuary of Monsters
Maya woke to the scent of old books and burning candles. She was lying on something impossibly soft—silk sheets that probably cost more than her old apartment's monthly rent. The room around her looked like it belonged in a castle: stone walls hung with tapestries, a massive fireplace crackling with warmth, and everywhere, books. Thousands of them.
"You're awake." Adrian sat in a chair beside the bed, a leather-bound volume open in his lap. In the firelight, his copper hair gleamed like burnished metal. "You've been unconscious for six hours."
Maya sat up slowly, her head spinning. "Where am I?"
"Safe. That's all that matters for now."
She swung her legs over the side of the bed, noting that someone had removed her boots but left her clothes intact. Small mercy. "Where are the others?"
"Marcus is dealing with some territorial disputes. Damien is… hunting." Adrian's tone suggested she didn't want to know the details. "I drew the short straw for babysitting duty."
"I'm not a baby."
"No, you're not." His green eyes fixed on hers with an intensity that made her breath catch. "You're something far more dangerous."
Before she could ask what he meant, the bedroom door burst open. Damien strode in, blood spattering his dark shirt and a grim expression on his perfect face.
"They found the safe house on Fifth Street," he announced without preamble. "Seventeen dead. All of them drained completely."
Adrian's book snapped shut. "Konstantin?"
"His signature is all over it. He's getting bolder." Damien's storm-gray eyes found Maya. "And he knows about her."
A chill ran down Maya's spine. "Who's Konstantin?"
"Death incarnate," Adrian said quietly. "The oldest vampire any of us have ever encountered. He rules the Eastern Territories with absolute brutality."
"And he wants me." It wasn't a question.
"He wants what's in your blood," Damien corrected, moving to stare out the window at the blood-red sky. "Just like every other vampire in the city. The difference is, we want to keep you alive."
"How generous." Maya stood, testing her balance. "And what exactly is so special about my blood?"
Adrian and Damien exchanged a glance she couldn't read.
"It's better if Marcus explains—" Adrian began.
"No." Maya's voice cut through the room like a whip. "I'm tired of being treated like a child. Three months ago, I was a graduate student working on my thesis. Now I'm apparently some kind of supernatural commodity. I deserve to know why."
Silence stretched between them for a long moment. Then Damien turned from the window, his expression unreadable.
"You're a Bloodwright," he said simply.
The word hit her like a physical blow. "That's impossible. Bloodwrights are just stories. Fairy tales."
"So were vampires, until three months ago." Adrian's voice was gentle but implacable. "Your bloodline carries genetic markers that haven't been seen in over three centuries. In the right hands, a single drop of your blood can do things that would take most vampires decades to master."
"What kind of things?"
"Sunlight immunity. Enhanced strength even by vampire standards. The ability to create new vampires without the usual… complications." Damien's jaw clenched. "In the wrong hands, it could create an army of daywalkers. Unstoppable."
Maya sank back onto the bed, the implications hitting her like an avalanche. "And Konstantin wants to create this army."
"Among other things." Marcus's voice came from the doorway. The vampire leader looked every inch the ancient predator, but there was something in his dark eyes that might have been concern. "I apologize for the deception, but we needed to be certain of what you are before we explained the danger you're in."
"The danger I'm in?" Maya's voice rose. "I'm human. I'm supposed to be extinct by now, according to everything I've seen."
"Not extinct. Transformed." Marcus moved into the room with that same liquid grace they all possessed. "The vampires who survived the initial culling were the strongest, the smartest, the most adaptable. But they were also the most… civilized. There are others, older things, that view humans as nothing more than cattle."
"And you're different?"
Marcus sat on the edge of the bed, close enough that she could feel the coolness radiating from his skin. "We remember what it was like to be human. We remember love, hope, beauty—things worth protecting. Konstantin and his kind have forgotten such luxuries."
"So what are you proposing? That I become your pet human?"
"We're proposing," Adrian said carefully, "that you let us turn you."
Maya's world tilted. "What?"
"It's the only way to keep you safe," Damien said, his voice rough with emotion she couldn't identify. "As a human, you're vulnerable. Any vampire stronger than you can take what they want by force. But as one of us…"
"As one of you, I'm a monster."
"Are we monsters?" Marcus asked quietly. "Look at us, Maya. Really look."
Against her better judgment, she did. Damien stood silhouetted against the window, moonlight turning his skin to marble. There was pain in his eyes, old and deep. Adrian sat forward in his chair, firelight dancing across his features, and she saw intelligence there, and something that might have been longing. And Marcus… Marcus watched her with the patience of eternity, but also with something very human. Very real.
"You're still people," she whispered.
"Exactly. Death doesn't have to mean becoming a monster. Not if you choose the right sire."
"Sire?"
"The vampire who turns you becomes your sire. The bond is… intimate. Permanent." Marcus's voice dropped lower. "We're offering to share that bond. All three of us."
Maya's mind reeled. "That's possible?"
"Not traditionally," Adrian admitted. "But you're not a traditional human. Your blood could theoretically sustain a triple bond."
"And if it can't?"
Silence.
"Then we all die," Damien said finally. "But if it works, you'll be stronger than any vampire Konstantin can create. Strong enough to fight back."
Maya stood and walked to the window, staring out at the ruins of Chicago. Fires burned in the distance, and she could see shapes moving through the streets—vampires hunting, feeding, killing. This was her world now. This was what humanity had become.
"If I say yes," she said without turning around, "what happens to me? Do I stop being human?"
"You'll be something new," Marcus said. "Something between human and vampire. Something that's never existed before."
She closed her eyes. "And if I say no?"
"Then we'll protect you as long as we can. But eventually, we'll fail. And when we do…"
Maya thought of her parents, killed in the first week of the Awakening. Of her best friend Sarah, who'd simply vanished one night and never came home. Of all the people she'd watched die while she ran and hid and survived by pure luck.
She turned back to face them. "How long do I have to decide?"
"Hours," Adrian said grimly. "Maybe less. Konstantin's forces are moving, and our scouts report unusual activity in the Western Territories as well. If word has spread about what you are…"
A distant howl echoed through the night, inhuman and hungry. Then another. Then a dozen more.
Marcus was on his feet instantly, every line of his body tense with alertness. "They've found us."
## Chapter 3: Blood and Shadows
The first explosion shattered the east wall of the mansion, sending stone and mortar cascading into the library. Maya dove behind an overturned table as debris rained down around them. Through the gaping hole in the wall, shapes poured in—vampires, but wrong somehow. Their eyes glowed with a sickly yellow light, and their movements were too fast, too violent, like rabid animals.
"Ferals," Adrian snarled, producing a sword from somewhere. The blade gleamed silver in the firelight. "Konstantin's been busy."
"What are ferals?" Maya shouted over the sound of another explosion somewhere deeper in the house.
"Vampires who've lost their humanity," Marcus replied, twin daggers appearing in his hands. "They're faster and stronger than normal vampires, but they can't think. Can't reason. They just kill."
A feral launched itself through the broken wall, and Damien met it halfway. Maya watched in fascination and horror as they collided in midair, moving too fast for her human eyes to fully track. When they hit the ground, Damien was already rising, the feral's head rolling away from its body.
"The basement," Marcus commanded. "There's a passage that leads to the old subway tunnels."
"What about you?" Maya found herself asking.
"We'll follow." But even as he spoke, more ferals were pouring through the breach. Too many to fight.
Adrian grabbed Maya's arm, pulling her toward a hidden door behind one of the massive bookcases. "Move!"
They plunged into darkness, feeling their way down stone steps that seemed to spiral endlessly downward. Behind them, the sounds of battle raged—inhuman shrieks, the clash of metal on bone, and underneath it all, the steady crack and rumble of the mansion being torn apart.
"This way." Adrian's voice was barely a whisper, but somehow she could hear it perfectly. His hand found hers in the darkness, cold but reassuring.
They emerged into what had once been Chicago's subway system, though the familiar blue and white tiles were now stained with things Maya didn't want to identify. Emergency lighting cast everything in a sickly amber glow.
"Where are we going?" she asked.
"There's a safe room two stations down. Reinforced steel, multiple escape routes. We can—"
Adrian's words cut off as shapes dropped from the tunnel ceiling ahead of them. More ferals, their yellow eyes gleaming with mindless hunger. Behind them, Maya could hear footsteps on the stairs—more enemies cutting off their retreat.
"Stay behind me," Adrian commanded, raising his sword.
"Like hell." Maya spotted a piece of broken rebar on the ground and grabbed it. It wasn't much, but it was better than nothing.
The first feral rushed them, and Adrian's blade took its head cleanly. But there were five more behind it, and Maya could hear more coming from the stairs. They were trapped.
Then Marcus and Damien burst from the stairwell like avenging angels, moving through the ferals like death incarnate. Marcus's daggers flashed in complex patterns, too fast to follow, while Damien fought with his bare hands, tearing through their enemies with ruthless efficiency.
But even as they cut down one group, another emerged from a side tunnel. And another.
"There are too many," Damien growled, his shirt torn and bloody.
"The safe room?" Marcus asked Adrian.
"Compromised. They knew exactly where we were going."
Maya's blood chilled. "How could they know that?"
The three vampires exchanged grim looks.
"There's a spy in our coven," Marcus said finally. "Someone fed Konstantin our location, our plans, everything."
More ferals were closing in from both directions now. Maya counted at least twenty, their yellow eyes reflecting the tunnel's sick light like malevolent stars.
"Maya." Marcus turned to her, his dark eyes intense. "The choice we discussed—you need to make it now."
"Now?"
"As a human, you're a liability. We'll die trying to protect you, and Konstantin will get what he wants anyway." His voice was gentle but urgent. "But if you let us turn you…"
"I'll be strong enough to fight."
"Strong enough to survive."
The ferals were advancing slowly now, savoring their trapped prey. Maya could smell their hunger, rank and animal.
"If we do this," she said, "all three of you?"
"All three." Damien moved to stand beside Marcus. "It will bind us together permanently. You'll be part of our family, our coven, our lives. Forever."
"And if it kills me instead?"
"Then we die with you," Adrian said simply.
Maya looked at each of them in turn. Three vampires who could have simply taken what they wanted by force, but who were instead offering her a choice. In a world gone mad, that had to count for something.
"Do it."
Marcus reached her first, his hands framing her face with unexpected tenderness. "It will hurt at first. But we'll be with you through all of it."
His fangs sank into her throat, and white-hot fire raced through her veins. But before the pain could overwhelm her, Damien was there, his bite on the other side of her neck sending different fire through her—cooler, like starlight. Then Adrian, his fangs finding the pulse point at her wrist, and suddenly the pain transformed into something else entirely.
Power. Ancient and wild and completely intoxicating.
She felt their minds brush against hers—Marcus's steady strength, Damien's fierce protectiveness, Adrian's quick intelligence. And underneath it all, something deeper. A connection that went beyond blood, beyond species, beyond anything she'd ever imagined possible.
The ferals attacked just as the transformation reached its peak.
## Chapter 4: Rebirth
Maya's new senses exploded to life just as the first feral reached them. She could see everything—every detail of its yellowed fangs, every drop of saliva flying from its mouth, every fiber of its decaying clothes. Time seemed to slow as superhuman reflexes kicked in.
She moved without thinking, her hand closing around the feral's throat. Her new strength was intoxicating—she crushed its windpipe like crumpled paper and threw the body into two more ferals behind it.
"Beautiful," Damien breathed, and she realized he was watching her with something approaching awe.
The remaining ferals hesitated, confused by this new predator who smelled of human and vampire both. Maya used their uncertainty to her advantage, moving through them like a dancer, her movements guided by instincts she'd never possessed as a human.
Marcus fought beside her, their bodies moving in perfect synchronization as if they'd trained together for years. When a feral tried to flank her, he was there. When another leaped from above, she intercepted it before it could reach him. The bond between them was like a golden thread, connecting not just their minds but their very souls.
Adrian and Damien fought as a unit on her other side, their centuries of partnership evident in every move. But now she was part of that partnership, part of something larger and more complex than she'd ever dreamed possible.
The last feral fell in a spray of black blood, and sudden silence filled the tunnel.
"How do you feel?" Marcus asked, his dark eyes searching her face for signs of distress.
Maya took inventory of her new body. She felt strong—stronger than she'd ever felt in her life. Her senses were overwhelming but manageable, like suddenly being able to see colors that had never existed before. And the hunger…
"I'm hungry," she admitted.
"That's normal," Adrian assured her. "The hunger is always strongest right after the turning. But you won't need to feed for several hours yet."
"What do I feed on?" The question terrified her, but she had to know.
"Blood," Damien said bluntly. "But not necessarily human blood. Animal blood can sustain us, though it's not as… satisfying."
"And human blood?"
"Is like comparing water to wine," Marcus said carefully. "But many of our kind survive quite well on animal blood alone. The choice is yours."
Maya nodded, filing that information away for later. Right now, they had more immediate problems.
"You said there was a spy in your coven?"
"Someone had to have told Konstantin where to find us," Adrian confirmed. "The ferals went straight to your room, then straight to our escape route. That's not coincidence."
"How many vampires are in your coven?"
"Twelve, including us," Marcus replied. "But three are out of the city on reconnaissance missions. That leaves nine possible traitors."
"Or," Maya said slowly, "someone who isn't actually part of your coven but has access to your information."
The three vampires stared at her.
"You're thinking like a human," Damien said, but his tone wasn't critical. "Vampire society doesn't work that way. You're either coven or enemy. There's no middle ground."
"Maybe that's the problem." Maya started walking toward what she hoped was the way out. "What about humans who work with vampires? Servants, informants, anyone who might have access to your plans?"
"The Renfields," Adrian murmured. "Of course."
"Renfields?"
"Humans who serve vampire masters in exchange for protection," Marcus explained as they made their way through the tunnels. "Some do it for safety, others for the promise of eventual turning. They're not technically coven members, but they often know more about our operations than some of our own kind."
"How many Renfields work with your group?"
"Four that I know of," Damien said grimly. "Though if one of them is feeding information to Konstantin…"
They emerged into another station, this one clearly being used as some kind of base. Sleeping bags were scattered around the platform, along with weapons, supplies, and what looked like communications equipment. But the space was empty.
"Where is everyone?" Maya asked.
Marcus moved to the communications setup, his fingers flying over the controls. "Scattered. We have protocols for when a safe house is compromised. Everyone goes to ground until the all-clear signal."
Static crackled from the radio, and then a voice emerged—cultured, ancient, and full of dark amusement.
"Marcus, my old friend. I trust you received my message?"
Konstantin. Maya felt her new vampire instincts recoil from the sheer malevolence in that voice.
Marcus keyed the microphone. "I received your feral assassins, if that's what you mean."
"Oh, those were just a greeting. I wanted to meet your new pet properly."
"She's not my pet."
Laughter like broken glass echoed through the tunnel. "No? How fascinating. Tell me, little Bloodwright, what did it feel like? Taking the blood of three vampires simultaneously? I imagine it was quite… overwhelming."
Maya snatched the microphone before any of the others could stop her. "Why don't you come find out for yourself?"
The silence stretched so long she wondered if the connection had been lost. Then:
"How delightfully spirited. I think I'm going to enjoy breaking you."
The radio went dead.
"That was either very brave or very stupid," Adrian observed.
"Probably both," Maya admitted. "But now we know one thing for certain."
"Which is?"
"He's not going to stop coming for me. Which means running isn't an option."
Marcus's expression was grim. "No, it's not. But Maya, you've been a vampire for less than eight hours. Konstantin has had centuries to perfect his skills."
"Then I guess we'd better get creative."
## Chapter 5: The Art of War
The abandoned museum made an unlikely war room, but its underground storage areas provided the security they needed. Maya studied the map spread across the table, trying to process the information her three sires—the word felt strange even in her thoughts—had gathered about Konstantin's forces.
"He has at least forty ferals," Adrian reported, pointing to various red marks on the map. "They're not strategic thinkers, but they don't need to be. They just overwhelm through sheer numbers."
"What about actual vampires? The thinking kind?"
"Twelve that we know of," Marcus replied. "All old, all powerful. Konstantin doesn't suffer weakness in his inner circle."
Maya traced the cluster of marks representing enemy positions. "They're surrounding the city, cutting off escape routes. Classic siege tactics."
"You know military strategy?" Damien asked, looking impressed.
"I was working on my master's in military history. Turns out studying ancient warfare has some practical applications in the modern apocalypse." She pointed to a gap in the enemy positions. "But he's made a mistake. Look here—the waterfront. He's left it relatively unguarded because he assumes we can't cross running water."
"We can't," Adrian said. "Moving water is… problematic for our kind."
"But I'm not entirely vampire, am I? I'm something new." Maya felt a grin tug at her lips—and was startled to realize she now had fangs of her own. "Maybe I don't have all the traditional limitations."
Before any of them could object, she was moving toward the museum's rear exit. They caught up with her at the loading dock, where the Chicago River flowed sluggishly past.
"Maya, wait—" Marcus began.
She stepped off the dock into the shallow water.
Nothing happened. No burning, no weakness, no supernatural revulsion. The water was cold and polluted and thoroughly unpleasant, but it was just water.
"Fascinating," a new voice said from the shadows. "The little hybrid has some interesting capabilities."
They spun as one, fangs bared and ready to fight. But the figure that emerged from the darkness wore the face of a friend.
"Elena?" Adrian's voice was full of confusion.
Elena had been part of their coven for over a decade—a vampire turned during the Industrial Revolution who specialized in information gathering and infiltration. Maya had met her briefly before the attack on the mansion. Now, looking at her with new vampire senses, something felt wrong.
"Hello, boys. And hello to our little science experiment." Elena's smile was cold as winter. "Konstantin sends his regards."
"You," Damien snarled. "You're the spy."
"Guilty as charged. Though I prefer 'strategic asset.'" Elena moved with lazy confidence, clearly not considering them a threat. "Did you really think your little love triangle would escape his notice?"
"Why?" Marcus's voice was raw with betrayal.
"Because I remember what the world was like before humans had to pretend they were the dominant species," Elena replied. "Konstantin offers a return to the natural order. Vampires as the apex predators we were always meant to be."
"By turning us all into monsters."
"By turning us all into what we really are."
Maya stepped out of the water, dripping and furious. "You sold out your own family."
"Family?" Elena laughed. "These three collected strays like some people collect stamps. Marcus with his noble ideals, Adrian with his books and his guilt, Damien with his pretty face and his tragic backstory. They're weak, little hybrid. And weakness is a luxury none of us can afford anymore."
"You're wrong," Maya said quietly.
"Am I? Tell me, how does it feel to be bound to three vampires simultaneously? Is the hunger tearing you apart yet? Are their personalities warring in your head, driving you slowly insane?"
Maya paused. How did it feel? She reached inward, touching the triple bond that connected her to Marcus, Adrian, and Damien. Instead of conflict, she found harmony. Their personalities didn't war in her head—they complemented each other. Marcus's strength steadying her, Adrian's intelligence sharpening her thoughts, Damien's fierce protectiveness warming something deep in her chest.
"It feels like coming home," she said honestly.
Something flickered in Elena's eyes—surprise, maybe even doubt.
"Impossible. The strain should be—"
"Maybe I'm stronger than you think."
Elena's expression hardened. "We'll see about that. Konstantin wants you alive, but he didn't specify what condition you had to be in."
She attacked without warning, moving faster than Maya's new reflexes could track. But she didn't need to track Elena's movements—she had three other sets of instincts to draw from. Marcus's tactical awareness told her where the attack would come from. Adrian's analytical mind calculated the trajectory. Damien's warrior reflexes guided her response.
Maya sidestepped the attack and grabbed Elena's wrist as she passed, using the older vampire's momentum to slam her into the brick wall of the loading dock.
"Impressive," Elena gasped, black blood trickling from her mouth. "But you're still learning to use that power."
She vanished in a blur of movement, reappearing behind Maya with claws extended toward her throat. This time it was pure instinct that saved her—she dropped low and spun, her leg sweeping Elena's feet out from under her.
Before Elena could recover, all three of Maya's sires were there. Marcus grabbed one arm, Damien the other, while Adrian pressed a silver blade to her throat.
"Where is he?" Marcus demanded.
Elena smiled through her pain. "Closer than you think. Did you really believe this was just about capturing your pet human? This was about drawing you out, making you vulnerable. While you've been playing house with your little experiment, Konstantin has been positioning his forces to take the entire city."
"The other covens—"
"Are already dead or turned. You three are the last holdouts, and after tonight, you'll be nothing but a footnote in the new world order."
A new sound reached them then—the roar of engines, growing closer. Military vehicles, by the sound of it.
"Humans," Damien breathed. "The government?"
"What's left of it," Elena said with vicious satisfaction. "Konstantin has been very persuasive with certain key officials. Amazing what people will agree to when their children's lives are at stake."
Searchlights blazed to life around them, turning night to day. Maya's vampire vision adapted instantly, but the others flinched back from the sudden brilliance. Military vehicles surrounded the loading dock, and soldiers in tactical gear poured out, weapons trained on them.
"Stand down!" The voice came through a bullhorn. "This is Colonel Matthews, U.S. Army Supernatural Response Unit. Release the human and surrender peacefully."
"They think I'm still human," Maya realized.
"Because you still smell mostly human," Adrian murmured. "The transformation isn't complete yet."
"Colonel Matthews," Maya called out, her voice carrying clearly through the night air. "I'm not being held against my will."
"Ma'am, we have intelligence that you've been kidnapped by hostile supernatural entities. We're here to extract you safely."
Maya felt Marcus tense beside her. If the military took her now, before the transformation was complete, she'd be defenseless when Konstantin inevitably claimed her.
"Your intelligence is wrong," she called back. "These vampires are the only thing standing between me and something much worse."
"Ma'am, please step away from the hostiles. We can protect you."
"Can you protect me from an army of daywalking vampire super-soldiers?" Maya asked. "Because that's what happens if Konstantin gets his hands on me."
She could feel the confusion rippling through the soldiers' ranks. This wasn't the scenario they'd been briefed for.
"Colonel," Elena called sweetly, "perhaps I can clarify the situation."
And Maya realized with growing horror that Elena wasn't just Konstantin's spy within their coven. She was his liaison with what remained of the human government.
## Chapter 6: Unlikely Alliances
"The vampire known as Elena is working with the entity you're trying to capture," Maya called out desperately. "She's the real threat here."
Colonel Matthews's voice crackled through the bullhorn again. "Ma'am, our intelligence indicates that Elena Vasquez is a registered cooperative supernatural entity. She's been instrumental in our negotiations with the vampire leadership."
"Your negotiations," Marcus said grimly, "have been with Konstantin. Elena's been feeding your government carefully crafted lies while he consolidated power."
Maya could see the doubt creeping into the soldiers' faces. These were people who'd lived through the Awakening, who'd seen their world turned upside down in a single night. They knew firsthand how quickly things could change.
"Colonel," she called, her voice carrying the authority she'd never known she possessed, "ask Elena about the massacre in Detroit last week. Ask her why Konstantin's forces knew exactly where to find the civilian evacuation points."
Silence stretched across the loading dock. Maya could hear Elena hiss softly behind them.
"How do you know about Detroit?" Colonel Matthews asked, and now his voice held suspicion.
"Because I helped plan the attack," Elena said, abandoning all pretense. "Just like I helped plan this one."
The soldiers' weapons swung toward Elena, but she was already moving. Vampire speed carried her up the side of the nearest building before they could react, and her laughter echoed down from the rooftops.
"Kill them all, Colonel. Konstantin will be so pleased."
"What the hell—" Matthews began.
His words cut off as shapes began dropping from the buildings around them. Not ferals this time—actual vampires, moving with deadly purpose and intelligent strategy. Konstantin's inner circle had arrived.
"New plan," Maya said, her tactical mind working at superhuman speed thanks to her connection with Adrian's intelligence and Marcus's strategic experience. "Colonel, your men are about to be slaughtered unless we work together."
"Work with vampires?"
"Work with the vampires who want to keep humanity alive, instead of the ones who want to turn you all into cattle."
The first of Konstantin's vampires hit the ground and immediately went for the nearest soldier. Maya moved to intercept, her new speed allowing her to reach the human before the vampire could. Her claws—when had she grown claws?—tore through the vampire's throat, sending him crumpling to the ground.
"Holy shit," one of the soldiers breathed.
"Language, Morrison," Matthews barked automatically, but his eyes were fixed on Maya. "What are you?"
"Something new," she