Page 2 of Vampire Bite

I froze, every muscle locking up. He was dying. I should run, I should—

Then he moved. His hand twitched, reaching out toward me, his fingers trembling. His eyes met mine, desperate and hollow, but there was something else, something that pulled at me, something I couldn’t explain. I felt a tug deep inside, like an invisible thread drawing me closer, though my mind screamed at me to stay away.

He opened his mouth, but no sound came out. His lips moved silently, struggling to form words. I stared at him, heart thudding in my chest, my feet frozen to the ground.

“Blood,” he mouthed, barely moving, the word hanging in the air like a ghost. I blinked, not understanding.

His hand trembled harder, his fingers curling weakly toward me, pleading. He mouthed the word again, more insistently this time.

Blood.

My stomach dropped as it hit me. He wasn’t just dying—he was a vampire. And he needed blood.

That was when I remembered everything about the case I was working on. Vampires and shifters and people disappearing, never to be seen again. I thought it was just an old wives’ tale, that it would be easy money for me. After all, the client offered to pay in thousands, plus daily expenses. I would have been a fool not to accept that job.

Now, however, I wasn’t sure who the fool was.

I looked at the man again… well… man. If that was what he was.

Panic clawed at my throat, but something deeper, something primal, kept me from running. I couldn't tear my eyes away from him, even as fear twisted inside me. His need felt like it was pulling me in, like I was somehow bound to him. I took a step forward, despite myself, my heart hammering in my chest.

My hands shook as I knelt beside him, my breath coming in shallow gasps.

What am I doing?

I stared at the jagged scab on my arm, hesitating. This was insane. I was insane for even considering it. But his gaze held me there, pleading, like my blood was the only thing standing between him and death.

Another thought occurred to me. What if he was the same for me? The only thing standing between me and death?

Slowly, I picked at the edge of the scab, wincing as it peeled back, the sting sharp as the dried blood broke open. A thin line of red welled up, glistening in the pale light of the street lamps.

My hands shook harder as I held my arm over his mouth, trying to drip the blood onto his cracked lips. Just a little, just enough to—

Suddenly, his hand shot up with inhuman speed, gripping my wrist. I gasped, freezing in place as his fingers dug into my skin, like iron clamps. His eyes flared with a dark, hungry light.

I wanted to pull away, frightened by his reaction, but there was no time. Before I could do anything, he yanked my arm to his mouth and latched on. His teeth sank into my skin—not the gentle, controlled bite I expected, but rough, animalistic. I cried out, pain shooting through my arm, but I couldn’t pull away. His grip tightened as he drank greedily, his mouth moving over my skin like he was starved.

Panic surged through me, my vision blurring as the alley around me spun. My heart raced, fear clenching my throat. I tried to yank my arm free, but he was too strong. His eyes were closed now, completely consumed by the act of drinking, like I was nothing more than prey.

I couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think—he was going to drain me dry.

The pain was sharp, burning as he drank, pulling more and more from me. Each desperate pull from his mouth felt like it was tearing something out of me, something vital. I tried to pull back, but my limbs felt weak, like they weren’t even mine anymore. My head grew lighter, the alleyway tilting and spinning around me, becoming a deep, dark tunnel that was about to swallow me whole.

I could feel myself slipping. This was a mistake.

I shouldn’t have helped him. Why didn’t I run when I had the chance? My legs were trembling, but not from fear anymore—there was no strength left. He was draining me dry, and there was nothing I could do to stop him.

My thoughts grew muddled, my heartbeat a distant, fading thrum in my ears. Why didn’t I run? Why…?

A face flashed in my mind—my mother. Her voice, warm and soft, calling me home. The scent of her cooking filling the kitchen, the way she laughed at my childhood antics. The warmth of her hand brushing my hair when I was young, telling me everything would always be okay.

But nothing was okay. I’d never see her again. Darkness crept in at the edges of my vision, growing thicker, heavier. The world slipped further away, and with it, the last of my strength.

I was so cold, so terrified.

Regret pressed down on me, suffocating. I made a mistake, and now, it was too late.

My senses suddenly turned numb, and I fell into the all-consuming darkness.

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