The tension in the room finally settles, but the quiet intensity between Dante and me still lingers. It's unspoken, yet understood. I'm not sure what's going to happen between us next, or even how to define the connection that seems to grow stronger with each passing moment.

Still, we can't stay in this moment forever. The danger hovering over us isn't going to wait.

"Time to go," Dante murmurs behind me, his voice low but commanding. The warmth of his arms disappears as he gently shifts me off his lap and stands, moving in that steady, purposeful way he always does.

Nikolai stretches lazily, flashing me a grin. "Alright, sweetheart, ready for another thrilling car ride?"

I shoot him a wry smile, rolling my eyes. "Just what I was hoping for."

Lila is already by the window, peeking through the curtains. Her expression is calm but serious. "The sun's almost up. We should get moving before we lose too much time."

I hesitate. Everything feels rushed, unsettled. "Can't we just stay here? This place seems safe enough, and… I thought we stopped to rest."

Dante's gaze meets mine, and for a moment, something unreadable flickers in his eyes before he answers. "We shouldn't stay in one place too long. The longer we're here, the more likely we'll be found."

The weight of his words hits me, and I realize why we've really stopped. It wasn't because it was safe, not for them. It was because of me. They paused the endless running to keep me comfortable, to give me a break.

A lump rises in my throat, but I swallow it down and nod. "Okay. Let's go."

Without another word, we gather up what little we have. The early morning light is starting to creep across the sky as we hurry out of the room and back to the car. The air outside is cool, and the first hints of dawn cast a pale glow over the empty parking lot.

We quickly pile into the car—Dante at the wheel, Nikolai in the passenger seat, Lila and me in the back. As the engine roars to life and the car pulls away from the motel, I can feel the tension in the air grow sharper with each passing minute. Dante's knuckles are white on the steering wheel, his jaw tight, and even Nikolai seems more tense than before.

I stare out the window as the road stretches on in front of us, the growing daylight filling me with a strange sense of dread. I can't shake the guilt that gnaws at me. We stopped for my sake, and now, as we flee into the morning light, I realize just how much I've slowed us down.

I don't want to be the reason we're in more danger. I won't let myself be the weak link. I won't let them regret keeping me with them.

The early morning light begins to creep into the car, the soft glow casting shadows over Dante's tense face. As we speed down the road, I can't shake the nagging sense of worry gnawing at my insides.

Then suddenly it hits me.

The sun.

I hadn't fully understood it before, but now, watching the light stretch across the landscape, something clicks inside me. Lila explained that the sun weakens them, but the urgency in the air makes it clear that the effect is much more severe than I'd imagined. Every second in this growing daylight puts them at risk.

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I glance at Nikolai, his usual cocky grin replaced with a more serious expression as the sunlight filters through the windshield. He rubs at his temple, trying to mask his discomfort, but I can see it—the strain etched into his features, the way his eyes squint against the light.

Lila, too, is quieter than normal. She shifts uncomfortably in her seat beside me, her eyes narrowing as she focuses on the horizon. Her usual calm is still there, but it's fraying at the edges, like she's holding herself together just enough to keep me from worrying.

But I am worried.

I swallow hard, watching as the sunlight pours across the empty road, each ray reminding me of how dangerous this is for them. And Dante—his grip on the steering wheel tightens, his jaw set in a way that tells me everything. They don't have much time.

"Dante…" I hesitate, unsure of how to voice my fear without sounding panicked. "How long can you stay out here? In the sun?"

His eyes flick toward me briefly before returning to the road. "We have a few hours before it becomes too dangerous," he says, his voice steady but tight. "But it's best not to push it."

Nikolai, ever the one to lighten the mood, turns slightly in his seat to flash me a grin, though it lacks its usual mischief. "We'll be fine, sweetheart. Just need a little shade before we start sizzling."

I don't laugh. The guilt is already pressing down on me like a weight. They had to stop because of me. If it weren't for me needing rest, we could've continued longer, found better cover from the daylight.

Lila reaches over and touches my arm gently, her fingers cool against my skin. "Don't worry, Olivia. We've done this before. We know how to handle it."

But I'm not convinced. Not anymore.

The sun is unforgiving, even through the tinted glass of the car.

Dante's grip on the wheel tightens, his knuckles bone white, his skin almost as pale as the light filtering through the cracks. I see the strain in his jaw, the way his eyes squint, trying to stay focused.

Beside him, Nikolai's usual energy is dulled, his body slouched against the seat. His hand rubs absently at his chest, his breathing heavier than normal.

And Lila—quiet, calm Lila—she's not calm at all. Her fingers grip the edge of her seat, her nails biting into the fabric. The sunlight is eating away at them, minute by minute, and I can feel the tension winding tighter inside the car, coiling like a snake ready to strike.

I feel the temperature rising in the car as the sun climbs higher into the sky, casting its golden light through the windows. My heart pounds harder with every mile that passes, and the more I think about it, the more helpless I feel. These three vampires—who saved me, who took me in—are now at risk because of something as simple as daylight.

I can't stop glancing at Dante's clenched jaw, at the way Nikolai's usual swagger seems dulled, at the tension building in Lila's shoulders. The sun is their enemy, and we're running straight into its grip.

The thought of them being weakened, of them suffering because of me, twists in my gut. I can't let them get hurt—not for my sake.

"Can't we find somewhere to stop now?" I ask, my voice coming out shakier than I intend. "It's getting worse. I don't want to risk it."

Dante's eyes meet mine in the rearview mirror, a flicker of understanding passing between us. "We will. Soon."

I lean back into my seat, trying to steady my breathing, but the worry won't go away. Seeing them fight, I thought they were invincible—that nothing could hurt them. But now, seeing them like this, vulnerable to something as ordinary as sunlight, it terrifies me.

We can't drive forever. The sun will win eventually.

I have to do something. I can't just sit here and watch them suffer, watch them push themselves to the edge for me.

"We're getting close," Dante says finally, his voice cutting through my thoughts. He points ahead toward the outskirts of a small, run-down town. "There should be something there. A house, a building—anything that can keep us out of the sun."

I nod, though my heart still pounds painfully in my chest. I can only hope we find shelter fast.

As the car speeds through the crumbling outskirts of the small town, the sun grows harsher, its rays slanting across the landscape, and the tension inside the car mounts. I feel it—Dante's focus as he scans the streets, Nikolai's silence, the strain in Lila's posture beside me.

The reality of the situation sinks in, and it hits me like a punch in the gut. They aren't invincible. I've seen them strong, fast, capable of things that seemed impossible. But now, the sun is draining them, making them weaker with every passing minute.

"We're here," Dante mutters, his eyes locked on a building that looms at the edge of the town—a large, dilapidated house with boarded-up windows and a half-collapsed roof. It isn't much, but it's better than nothing.

He pulls the car off the main road and into the overgrown driveway. Nikolai jumps out of the car, wrenching the garage door open, so we can pull in. He closes the door, leaving us in the safety of the darkness.

I get out last, my heart hammering in my chest as I follow them into the house. Dante pushes the door open with ease, and we hurry inside, the dim light of the interior a welcome relief.