It takes a moment for their words to sink in, but when they do, the reality of my situation hits me like a freight train. The rain seems colder now, each droplet a sharp reminder that I'm standing on the edge of something far bigger than just a few strange murders. The rational part of my mind—the part that's always grounded me in facts and evidence—wants to call this a hallucination, maybe some elaborate prank. But deep down, I know it's real. I've felt it since the first body turns up.

This is what I've been chasing all along.

I just didn't know it would be chasing me back.

"What do you mean, 'part of this'? And I'm not…" I trail off, my voice faltering as a wave of uncertainty hits me. "I'm not yours. I'm just a journalist."

Nikolai steps closer, a predatory gleam in his eyes, amusement dancing across his features. "Not anymore, darling."

A retort springs to my lips, something sarcastic to mask my fear, but the words stick in my throat. Before I can respond, Dante speaks. His voice cuts through the rain, low and commanding, making the hairs on the back of my neck prickle. "We didn't choose this for you, Olivia. But we've seen the rogues—they are already watching you."

The lump of fear in my throat hardens. "Why? What do they want from me?"

"They want to take you," Lila answers, her voice soft but weighted with seriousness. "You've gotten too close. You've been asking questions in places you shouldn't have, and they see you as a threat."

A threat? Me? I'm just a journalist who's too curious for her own good. But as I stand here, surrounded by these vampires, my chest tightens with the realization that this is far beyond the dangerous situations I've handled before.

"So… what now?" I ask, glancing between the three of them, my voice shaky despite my efforts to sound steady. "Do you… do you kill me to keep me quiet? Avoid the problem entirely?"

Lila winces, as if the idea physically pains her. "No. We don't kill the innocent."

Nikolai's unsettling laugh breaks the momentary silence. "We're not those kinds of monsters."

The way he says monsters sends a chill down my spine. I can't pretend anymore that this is anything but real. Dante's grip tightens ever so slightly. I can feel my pulse thrumming in my wrists, a reminder of how fragile I am compared to them.

"So what's the plan then?" I press, my voice wavering. "Because if you're not killing me, I'm not seeing a lot of options here."

Dante's eyes lock onto mine, his gaze intense and unwavering. "You stay with us. We keep you safe."

"Stay with you?" I scoff, though the fear seeping into my voice betrays my bravado. "I don't even know you. How do I know you're not just as dangerous as these rogues?"

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His jaw tightens slightly, but before he can answer, Lila steps in, her voice soothing but firm. "You don't. But you don't have a choice, Olivia. If you go back to your apartment, they'll find you. They'll make sure you disappear. You're in our world now, and you need protection."

My heart pounds in my chest as her words sink in. I want to argue. I want to scream that I can handle myself, that I've faced danger before. But this is different. This isn't something I can write my way out of. There's no protocol for surviving vampires.

"You expect me to just… drop everything? My job, my life? Just like that?" My voice wavers as I stare at them. The weight of what they're saying is crushing. It's too much.

Dante takes a step closer, and the air between us grows heavier. His presence is overpowering, making the alley feel even smaller. "We're not asking you to drop everything. We're telling you, Olivia: you will die. We're offering you a chance to live."

My breath catches. "And what if I say no?" My voice is barely a whisper.

Nikolai's tone is deceptively casual as he shrugs, his grin sharp and playful. "Then you'll probably be dead by sunrise."

A shudder runs down my spine despite my best efforts to hide it. But I refuse to let them see how scared I am. "I've faced death before," I say, more for my own benefit than theirs. "I'm still here."

Dante leans in slightly, his voice dropping to a near-whisper, a calm storm brewing in his eyes. "But not like this. Not the way they'll come for you."

My chest tightens as I meet his gaze. I search his expression for a hint of deception, for any sign that this is all some sick game. But there's only cold truth in his eyes.

I'm out of options.

The rain picks up, the droplets turning the alley into a maze of glistening reflections. I can't go back to my apartment. I know that now. But staying with these vampires—these strangers—is an idea that's too surreal to fully grasp.

"What happens if I stay?" My voice is barely audible over the rain.

Dante exchanges a glance with Lila and Nikolai, something unspoken passing between them. "We teach you about our world. We keep you hidden. We protect you."

Nikolai steps closer, his breath brushing against my neck, and I flinch. "And you'll get to know us very, very well," he murmurs, his voice tinged with dark promise.

I pull away instinctively, my heart hammering in my chest. "And what if I don't want that?"

Nikolai's grin only widens. His eyes glitter in the dim light, hungry. "You will, soon enough."

"Enough," Dante cuts in, his voice sharp as steel. Nikolai steps back, though his mischievous gaze never leaves mine.

"We're offering you safety, Olivia," Lila says softly, her hand gently resting on my arm. Her touch is light, but firm. "The choice is yours."

It doesn't feel like much of a choice. Stay with them, trust these vampires, and hope they can really protect me. Or go back to my life and wait for the rogue vampires to find me—a death sentence, if what they're saying is true.

I guess I could probably run from them, but where would I go? I wouldn't want to put any of my friends in danger by showing up at their house babbling about vampires. If I stay, can I really trust that they aren't just going to kill me anyway? What if they are just toying with me? Would that even be worth it for them?

I'm dead-for-sure one way, and dead-maybe the other.

I guess dead-maybe, it is.

I take a shaky breath, the weight of the decision pressing down on me like a stormcloud. "Fine," I say, my voice barely steady. "Protect me."

Dante nods, his expression unreadable. "Good. Let's get out of the rain. We have a lot to discuss."

Lila gently guides me out of the alley, her touch both comforting and unsettling. Nikolai lingers behind, his gaze burning into my back like a flame I can't shake. I have the unsettling feeling that, whatever's coming next, he's already anticipating it.

We move through the city quickly, slipping between the shadows like we belong to the night. Dante leads the way, silent and focused, while Lila keeps close, her presence offering a strange sense of calm. Nikolai, on the other hand, seems to delight in every nervous glance I throw over my shoulder.

We stop in front of an old building, its Gothic architecture looming over us like a sentinel in the night. Dante pushes the door open, revealing a dimly lit interior, the smell of incense and aged wood wrapping around me like a cloak. It feels ancient, oppressive, and yet strangely… safe.

"This is where we'll stay," Lila says softly, sensing my hesitation. "It's safe here."

Safe. That word again.

I don't know if I'll ever feel safe again.

But for now, it's the only option I have.

And I know, with a sinking feeling, that my time with them has just begun.