Page 61 of Vampire Bite

“Yes,” she nodded. “I have to. She’s waiting for me.”

With that, she took a shaky breath, opened the door, and stepped inside, pulling me with her. The air was thick, carrying the faint scent of lavender and something more medicinal. The living room was sparse but clean, with worn furniture that spoke of simpler, happier times.

Annika led me through the small house to a back room. The door was ajar, and I could already sense the frailty on the other side, the quiet hum of a life clinging on.

Inside, her mother lay on a bed, her thin frame almost swallowed by the blankets. Her skin was pale, her cheeks sunken, and the soft rasp of her breathing filled the room. Annika’s grip on my hand tightened as she took in the sight.

“Mom,” she whispered, her voice breaking.

The woman’s eyes fluttered open, a flicker of life sparking at the sound of her daughter’s voice. She tried to smile, but it was faint, her strength too depleted to manage more.

“Annika,” she rasped, her tone both exhausted and relieved. “You’re here.”

Annika let go of my hand and moved to her mother’s side, sinking onto the edge of the bed. She took her mother’s hand, cradling it carefully as though it might shatter.

“I’m here,” she said, her voice trembling with emotion. “I came back.”

I stood back, watching the tender exchange, feeling like an intruder on a moment that wasn’t mine. Yet I couldn’t look away. Seeing Annika like this, with her walls down, her heart laid bare, it was both heartbreaking and awe-inspiring.

Her mother’s gaze shifted to me, her frail eyes narrowing slightly in curiosity or maybe concern.

“And… who is this?” she asked, her voice barely audible.

Annika glanced back at me, and for a moment, something soft and warm passed between us.

“This is Lucas,” she said. “He’s… my everything.”

The words were simple, but they carried a weight that struck me deeply. I stepped forward, inclining my head slightly in respect.

“Everything?” her mother echoed curiously, as a smile danced in the corner of her lips.

“Mrs. Thompson,” I said quietly. “It is an honor to meet you.”

“Same,” she smiled, then she turned back to Annika. “I do believe you have a lot to explain, sweetheart. Where you’ve been, what’s happened…”

Annika’s lips parted, then closed again. I could see her struggling, the weight of the truth pressing down on her. Her fingers tightened around her mother’s hand as if drawing strength from the contact.

“I…” she began, her voice faltering. She glanced at me, and for a moment, I considered stepping in, offering to help. But I knew this was her story to tell.

“I didn’t mean to leave you for so long,” she said finally, her words trembling. “Things happened… things I didn’t expect. There was danger, people, creatures, that I didn’t know existed. And I got pulled into it. I couldn’t come back.”

Her mother frowned slightly, confusion flickering in her tired eyes. “Creatures?” she asked weakly.

Annika bit her lip, her gaze darting down to their joined hands. “Shifters,” she admitted. “Vampires. There’s a… war going on, and I ended up in the middle of it.”

The room fell into an uncomfortable silence. Her mother’s frail fingers twitched in Annika’s grasp, and I saw her lips move as though trying to form words.

“You’re serious,” her mother said finally, her tone incredulous.

“Yes.” Annika’s voice was firm now, a quiet strength breaking through her hesitation. “It sounds impossible, but it’s real. And I couldn’t let them win, not when people’s lives were at stake.”

Her mother’s gaze shifted to me, her eyes narrowing slightly as though trying to piece together my role in all of this. “And him?”

Annika hesitated, then sighed. “Lucas… helped me. Protected me. He’s a vampire.”

The words hung in the air like a heavy weight. I braced myself for the inevitable reaction, for her mother to recoil or lash out. Instead, she simply stared at me, her tired eyes searching my face.

“You don’t look like a monster,” she murmured, almost to herself.

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