Nyx
"The beginning of your real problems." I stared at Adrian, still trying to process everything that had just happened. A vampire.
Another vampire. A fight that looked completely inhuman.
And somehow….
I was in the middle of all of it. "What does that even mean?" I asked quietly. Adrian didn't answer. Of course he didn't. He turned away from me, running a hand through his dark hair like he was trying to control his anger. Or maybe his thoughts. Either way, it annoyed me. "You know what?" I snapped. "I'm getting really tired of everyone speaking in riddles." That finally got his attention. His eyes met mine instantly. Sharp. Unreadable. Dangerous.
And yet…
I wasn't scared of him the way I probably should've been. That realization alone scared me enough. "You want answers?" Adrian asked calmly. "Yes."
"You won't like them."
"I already don't like any of this."
Silence. Heavy and tense.
Then finally…
He sighed quietly. Almost reluctantly.
"The vampire who came here," he began, "works for one of the oldest vampire factions."
Faction. Great. So vampires apparently had organizations now. Perfect. "And what does that have to do with me?" I asked.
"Everything." I folded my arms instantly.
"Try answering without sounding mysterious for once."
For a second…
I swear I saw amusement flicker across his face. Tiny. Gone almost immediately. But still there. "You're being hunted, Nyx."
The words hit harder than I expected. My stomach dropped. "Hunted… why?"
Adrian's expression darkened slightly.
"Because you shouldn't exist." Silence. Again.
I was seriously starting to hate silence. "What does that mean?" I whispered. This time, Adrian walked closer slowly. Not threatening.
Careful. Measured. Like he was trying not to overwhelm me. "You were turned," he said quietly, "but your transformation doesn't make sense." I frowned. "That explains absolutely nothing." "It means vampires don't change the way you did." His gaze stayed fixed on mine.
"You awakened too late." A chill ran through me. "What's that supposed to mean?"
Adrian hesitated briefly.
Then…
"Most vampires turn completely within days."
My chest tightened. "You lived seventeen years as a human." The room suddenly felt cold again. No. No, that wasn't possible.
"That's insane," I whispered. "I would know if I was a vampire." "Not necessarily." I shook my head immediately. "No. No, someone would've told me." Adrian looked at me strangely after that. Not pity. Something else.
Something almost conflicted. "You'd be surprised how far people go to hide the truth."
The way he said it made my chest ache unexpectedly. Like those words meant more than he was admitting. My thoughts immediately went to my family. My mom. My dad. The strange rules. The strictness.
The feeling that something had always been… off. A terrible thought crossed my mind. "What if they knew?" I whispered.
Adrian went silent.
And somehow…
That silence answered me. Anger rose inside me instantly. "No," I muttered, stepping back. "No, they wouldn't lie about something like this."
Would they?
My head started spinning again. Nothing made sense anymore. "They kept you alive," Adrian said quietly. I looked up sharply.
"What?"
"For seventeen years."
His voice became calmer. More serious.
"That alone is unusual."
Before I could ask what he meant…
A sharp pain suddenly shot through my throat again. I grabbed the edge of the table beside me immediately. The hunger. Again.
Adrian noticed instantly. "You need more blood."
"I'm not drinking blood again," I snapped quickly.
"You don't have a choice."
"Yes, I do."
"You'll lose control if you ignore it." Frustration exploded inside me.
"I said I'm not doing it!" The room fell silent.
Then Adrian stepped closer slowly. Too close.
My heartbeat immediately betrayed me.
Traitor. "You're afraid," he said quietly.
"I'm not afraid." A lie. A terrible one.
His eyes stayed locked onto mine.
"You think drinking blood makes you a monster."
The way he said it…
Soft. Certain. Like he understood.
And somehow that made everything worse.
"What if it does?" I whispered.
For the first time since I met him…
Adrian's expression softened slightly. Just slightly. "Then," he said quietly, "you're not the only monster in this room."