Page 42 of Vampire Bite

I swung wildly as it lunged, the blade slicing into its shoulder. It howled in pain but didn’t stop, its claws swiping toward me. I stumbled back, falling to the ground.

“Annika!” a voice roared through the chaos.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Lucas

The chaos around me was a mind-numbing blur of snarling teeth and shifting bodies. I could smell the metallic scent of blood in the air. I focused on one thing: reaching Annika. She was surrounded, holding her ground, but I could see her falter. My instincts took over, propelling me forward like a predator zeroing in on its prey.

I reached her just as a shifter lunged at her, claws extended. My arm shot out, slamming the beast to the ground. Its body shifted mid-air, fur retracting as it reverted to human form. It was unconscious but alive… for now. Annika’s eyes met mine, wide with fear but also with trust. I didn’t linger on the connection. There was no time. Instead, I turned to face the onslaught around us.

“Stay close!” I barked, positioning myself between her and the remaining attackers.

Then I heard it. A voice cutting through the chaos, commanding, familiar. My entire body froze for a fraction of a second as I recognized the cadence.

“Enough!”

The shifters paused as if their strings had been cut, retreating a step back. Emerging from the shadows was a man I hadn’t seen in decades but could never forget. His dark hair was streaked with silver now, his frame heavier with age, but his presence was as sharp and commanding as ever.

“Damien,” I whispered, disbelief slicing through my anger. I thought he was no longer among the living. I thought that thesame shifters for whom he had betrayed his own kin had ended his life a long time ago. Now, it seemed that I was wrong.

He smirked, his eyes gleaming with the predatory satisfaction of a cat toying with a mouse. “Lucas. How poetic to find you here.”

Annika stepped closer, her voice trembling. “Who is he?”

My teeth clenched, the memories clawing their way to the surface. “My uncle,” I said bitterly. “The one who betrayed my family and our entire clan.”

Damien’s laughter was cold, a dagger of sound that pierced the tension. “Betrayal is such a harsh word. Let’s call it... survival.”

He turned his gaze to Annika, his expression shifting to one of fascination. “And you must be the healer. You’ve caused quite the stir among my allies. I must admit, I underestimated your... potential.”

Annika stiffened behind me, but I raised a hand to keep her from responding. I wasn’t going to let him manipulate her the way he had manipulated so many others in his path.

“Why are you doing this, Damien?” I asked in a steely voice, trying to hide the whirlwind inside of me.

He spread his arms as if addressing an adoring crowd. “Because, dear nephew, times have changed. The old ways are dying, and alliances must shift if one is to thrive. The shifters have their uses, as you’ve no doubt learned.”

The rage building in me was dangerous, a storm I barely kept contained. “You sold out your own kind for power,” I spat.

“I ensured my survival,” he corrected with a sneer. “Something your father never understood.”

His words were a match for my fury. My grip on my blade tightened as I prepared to lunge, but Annika’s hand on my arm stopped me. “Not here,” she said softly, her voice pulling me back from the brink.

Damien’s smirk widened, sensing the restraint. “Wise choice. For now. But this isn’t over, Lucas. You and your little rebellion have been amusing, but your time is running out.”

With a sharp whistle, he signaled the shifters. They retreated, melting into the darkness as quickly as they had appeared.

As soon as they were gone, I turned to Annika. Her face was pale, her eyes full of questions, but I couldn’t answer them. Not yet. Not while the ghosts of my past still clung to me, dragging me under.

“Let’s head back,” I said quietly.

The journey back to the headquarters was silent. Our every step was burdened by what had just happened. I kept glancing over my shoulder constantly. We couldn’t afford to be followed by Damien and his hordes. The others did the same, their makeshift weapons ready to be drawn at any moment.

Annika walked beside me, her face pale and her expression unreadable. I wanted to say something, anything, to reassure her, but the words stuck in my throat. What could I say? That it was going to be okay? That I hadn’t just been blindsided by my past, dragged into a nightmare I thought I’d buried long ago?

We reached the headquarters without incident, slipping inside and sealing the doors behind us. Everyone moved quickly, securing the perimeter, checking weapons, ensuring that everyone was still safe and accounted for. It was only once we were gathered in the main room, the door locked tight, that the tension snapped like a taut string.

“What the hell was that?” Callum demanded, breaking the silence. His eyes were sharp, cutting through the group until they landed on me. “Lucas, who was that guy?”

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