Page 33 of Vampire Bite

The child flinched, their body trembling as they leaned into her touch. That’s when I saw it.

A faint light. No, not light. It was... something else. It shimmered, tiny sparkles spilling from Annika’s fingers like fireflies breaking free from her skin. I blinked, certain my eyes were playing tricks on me, but it didn’t stop.

The sparkles danced in the space between them, clinging to the child’s frail form. For a moment, I thought the child would cry out, pull away in fear, but they didn’t. They held still, staring at Annika as if she were the only safe thing in the world.

Then it hit them both.

Annika jerked slightly, her body stiffening as if the sparkles had traveled back into her. The child gasped, their small chest heaving, and I thought they might collapse. But the trembling stopped.

The child straightened, their breathing steady.

I felt the air leave my lungs in a rush. The gashes and bruises marring the child’s skin were gone. No blood, no wounds… just smooth, unbroken skin.

What the hell had I just witnessed?

Annika sat back on her heels, her hands trembling as she pulled them away. She stared at the child like she couldn’t believe what she’d done.

And neither could I.

My grip on the tree tightened until I felt the bark bite into my palm. My mind raced, trying to make sense of what I’d just seen. It wasn’t natural—couldn’t be natural. But then, nothing about this place, about us, was normal anymore.

What was she? And how the hell was she doing this?

That was when the child’s head turned sharply, his wide eyes locking on me in the shadows. He noticed me.

For a split second, I saw nothing but terror flash across his face. Then, he bolted.

“Wait!” Annika’s voice rang out, echoing all around us.

She lunged forward, catching him by the wrist. The little one squirmed, but her touch was gentle and soothing.

“It’s okay,” she murmured in a soft tone. “He’s a friend. You’re safe, I promise.”

Her eyes flicked to mine, full of some unspoken plea.

I stepped forward slowly, keeping my hands visible, though my mind was anything but calm. Every instinct I had screamed to interrogate her, to demand answers about what I’d just witnessed. But the child mattered more… right now, at least.

“I won’t hurt you,” I said, my voice as steady as I could manage. “We just want to help.”

The child hesitated, his small body trembling with indecision. He looked back at Annika, who nodded softly. Whatever connection she’d forged with him was enough. The child stopped resisting, though he didn’t let go of her hand.

I crouched slightly as I approached, my gaze snapping briefly to Annika. “What’s going on?” I asked under my breath.

She bit her lip, glancing at the child. “I... I found him here,” she said quietly. “He was hurt—so badly. I—I just felt like I could do something.” Her voice faltered, and I could tell she was as baffled as I was. “And somehow... I did.”

Her eyes darted to her hands, as if they belonged to someone else.

I wanted to demand more, how, why, what the hell she’d done, but I swallowed the words. This wasn’t the time or place.

“We can’t stay out here,” I said instead, my voice firm. “It’s not safe. We need to get back. Now.”

Annika nodded, the fear in her eyes mingling with something else, something raw and uncertain. She pulled the child closer, protectively, and together we made our way back.

I kept my eyes scanning the forest, my body tense. Annika clutched the child tightly, her steps careful as if she feared breaking him.

I couldn’t shake the memory of what I’d seen. The sparkles. The healing. The power.

About half an hour later, we were back at the headquarters. The boy was sitting at the edge of the table, with a bowl of food in his small hands. I could see dirt and grime underneath his fingernails. His hair was short, it almost looked as if someone buzzed it off with an electric razor. His eyes were a deep shade of blue, not leaving his surroundings even for a second, even while he ate.

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