Page 9 of Vampire Bite

His tone was cautious, almost warning. Isaac’s eyes met mine for the briefest of moments, intense and unreadable, before he looked away, muttering something under his breath. His presence was dark and unsettling, like he’d been here too long, like the fight in him was fading but still there, buried deep.

When introductions were done, he looked back to the others. “She’s here on a mission,” he said. His tone was firm, as if he was giving them an order by stating it. “She’s been investigating disappearances. Last night, the shifters almost made her one of them. They were planning to turn her, bring her into their army.” He paused, casting a glance my way that made me feel strangely… protected.

I waited for him to say more. To tell them about the alley, how I’d given him my blood, saved him when he was fading. But he didn’t. He simply let the silence settle, his words just barely giving them enough to trust me, to accept that I was supposed to be here. Part of me wondered why he didn’t say more, but maybe I understood. It wasn’t my blood that tied me to this place now; it was something else, something unspoken that passed between us in the quiet of that room.

The others seemed to take his word as enough. Lena glanced my way, her eyes softening a bit, a subtle shift that said she was willing to give me the benefit of the doubt. Callum gave me another nod, as if accepting me into their ranks, even if only temporarily. Isaac, on the other hand, seemed uninterested, his gaze distant, as if he had other concerns entirely.

I cleared my throat, uncertain what to say, but Lucas gave me a slight nod, almost as if he could sense my hesitation.

“Welcome to Nusquam,” he murmured, his voice low. “You’re among allies now.”

Chapter Six

Lucas

I watched as everyone gathered around the map spread out on the makeshift table, each of us casting shadows under the dim light. The tension in the air was thick, like the moment before a storm. I could feel their energy—different personalities, different strengths, but all bound by the same, relentless urge to fight back. This raid was our chance to hit the shifters hard, to reclaim some power. And now, with her here, maybe a chance to save more lives than we’d initially planned.

“We go in at dawn,” Callum said, his voice steady, pointing to a crumbling warehouse marked on the map. “They’re vulnerable there—shift change happens around then. And if we’re quiet enough, we can get in and out before the next wave of guards even knows what hit them.”

I nodded. “Agreed. But it’s not just about grabbing weapons.” My eyes shifted to Annika, watching as she followed the conversation intently, absorbing every detail. “There are prisoners held there. Humans, vampires… people who’ve been missing for weeks. If we’re careful, we could free some of them on our way out.”

Lena rolled her eyes slightly, fingers tapping a rhythm on her keyboard. “Freeing prisoners complicates things. We need to be fast, surgical. You start rescuing people, and you risk getting everyone caught. First, we get the weapons. Then, we arrange another attack to focus on the prisoners.”

“There’s no time,” I told her. “And that’s why we plan every little detail, no matter how insignificant it might seem. The shifters’ guards are predictable—they don’t expect anyone to hitthis early. But freeing people sends a message. It’s not just about a hit-and-run; it’s about them realizing they’re vulnerable.”

Lena’s gaze flicked to mine, skeptical but grudgingly respectful. “If we’re going to try, I’ll map out where they hold the prisoners. We’ll need you, Isaac,” she said, glancing at him. “You know those halls better than any of us.” Isaac sat quietly in his corner, listening. I could see something flare up in his eyes at the mention of the prisoners, though he kept his expression neutral.

He nodded once, his voice barely above a whisper. “The south wing. They keep them close to the loading dock. If we time it right, we could slip them out the back while everyone’s distracted.” His tone was haunted, as if he’d mapped those halls a thousand times in his head, dreaming of escape.

Annika looked between us, her expression determined. “So we go in fast and silent, split up once we’re in, get the weapons and the prisoners, and make it out before the shifters regroup. It sounds… almost doable.”

The trio looked at her.

“This is a special operation,” Lena expressed everyone’s opinion. “We can’t risk a newbie screwing everything up.”

“I know I gave you no reason to trust me, but I need to find someone, someone who may be among those prisoners,” Annika spoke determinedly. “I can help.”

Callum inhaled deeply. From what I could see, he trusted her. So did I.

I nodded at her. “You and Callum will cover the exits. Lena and I will handle the weapons stash. Isaac will lead us to the cells.” I glanced around the group, meeting each of their eyes in turn. “We’ve got one chance at this, and we’re not wasting it.”

Callum grinned, cracking his knuckles. “Sounds like a plan.” He looked at her with approval, clearly impressed with her quick thinking, and I felt a swell of pride for her that I hadn’t expected.

“We do this tomorrow, at dawn,” I tell them.

Suddenly, I noticed something was wrong with Annika. She swayed, her face paling. Then, without any warning, she dropped, crumpling to the floor before I could even reach her. My chest tightened, and I moved to her side in an instant, kneeling down as Lena and Callum shot each other worried looks.

“Hey,” I said quietly, my hand resting on her shoulder, trying to bring her back. Her breathing was shallow, her skin clammy. I didn’t like how fragile she looked—she’d been so strong since she got here. This wasn’t her.

After a few tense moments, she stirred, her eyes fluttering open, disoriented but slowly focusing on me. I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding.

“Are you alright?” I asked, more breathless than she was.

“It’s nothing,” she murmured, her voice soft but steady as she attempted to sit up. “Just… the stress and exhaustion.” She gave a faint smile, brushing it off as if it were nothing. But something about the way she looked—her skin almost translucent in the dim light, her eyes duller than they’d been before—told me there was more to it.

“You sure?” I asked, searching her face, looking for anything that might explain it. The others hovered nearby, concern in their eyes. She nodded, giving me a determined look, but it didn’t ease the gnawing doubt in my mind.

As I helped her to her feet, a thought struck me—a troubling one. It was possible she was starting to transform. I bit her, and though she hadn’t shown any signs yet, that didn’t mean it wasn’t taking root somewhere inside her. Normally, the symptoms would show within hours—irritability, heightened senses, a kind of wild, volatile energy. But she hadn’t shown any of it… until now, maybe.

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