The glass of whiskey sat empty on his desk. An empty bottle lay beside it. It had been a long time since Theo had miscalculated, though his ego wasn’t allowing him to admit it just yet. He had been so preoccupied with trying to find answers, with keeping Elena safe, that he had neglected his most basic need—he hadn’t fed in days. He had tried to dull the pangs of hunger with alcohol, but it was becoming increasingly obvious that no amount of whiskey could quell the rising thirst within him. No—what he craved couldn’t be found in a bottle.

Theo paced his study, his hands clenching and unclenching as he went, each step feeling more agitated than the last.

Where is she? She should have been back by now.

He paused by the window, peering out into the dark night. She was late. He had told himself he would wait for her, that he wouldn’t leave until she returned. But that had been hours ago. His patience was unraveling, and with it, his control. He had tried calling her, texting her, but there had been no response. His jaw tightened with the effort to keep the panic at bay, though it was not only worry gnawing at him now.

The need for blood surged again, sharper this time. Theo gritted his teeth. He couldn’t put it off any longer. He needed to feed, now. If Elena was still gone by the time he got back, then he would go find her. But he had to leave, before—

Hurried footsteps broke the stillness of the night outside. Theo froze, his ears locking onto the sound instantly. He heard the rhythm of her heartbeat even before he saw her shadow move past the window. Elena.

Relief washed over him for a brief moment, but it was quickly swallowed by something darker, something far more dangerous. Dread.

She was back.

And he was starving.

Theo’s breath caught in his chest, his body tensing as if every muscle instinctively understood the danger before his mind fully grasped it. He had pushed himself too far, waited too long. His fangs ached with the need to descend, his throat burned with the hunger that had been clawing at him for days.

I can just greet her and leave, he told himself, trying to steady the mounting tension within him. He could slip out, hunt, and return before she even realized something was wrong.

But then the door creaked open, and with it, her scent rushed toward him like a wave. Warm, sweet, alive. It hit him full force, crashing over him before he could brace himself against it. His vision tunneled for a moment, the hunger roaring to the surface, relentless.

For the first time that night, he allowed the full weight of his miscalculation—his recklessness—to hit him. He had waited too long.

Her footsteps echoed in the hall, hurried and uneven. When she appeared in the doorway, her face was flushed, her chest rising and falling quickly with frustration. He could see it in her eyes—the storm brewing behind them, ready to spill out.

“Theo,” she snapped, not even pausing as she moved into the room, “I need answers, and I need them now.”

Her voice was sharp, full of fire, but Theo’s focus had already begun to slip. The scent of her filled the room, fresh and warm, the blood pulsing just beneath her skin. His hands clenched at his sides.

“I—” His voice cracked, barely audible, as she stormed closer, her frustration radiating off her in waves. She was so close now, too close.

“You’re not telling me everything,” she said, her voice trembling with restrained anger. “David... the artifact... what the hell is going on, Theo?”

Her words swirled around him, but he could barely process them. The hunger had begun to cloud his thoughts, every instinct in his body screaming at him to close the distance between them. He tried to concentrate on what she was saying, but his eyes kept drifting—kept locking onto the pulse in her neck, the soft line of her throat, the flush of heat rising to her skin.

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Just a little, the thought whispered dark and unbidden. I’ll only take a little...

His gaze flickered to her neck, where her pulse beat steadily beneath her skin. It would be so easy, so simple to take what he needed. She was here, practically walking right into his arms. He could taste her before he even touched her.

She’ll like it… want it even...

Theo’s breath caught, his eyes darkening as the thought slithered through his mind. He took a step toward her, drawn in by the overwhelming scent of her, by the hunger that gnawed at his control.

And then her voice cut through the haze.

“Theo, are you even listening to me?” Elena’s tone was sharp, but there was a tremor of concern beneath it.

Her words snapped him back to reality like a bolt of lightning. He froze, the realization hitting him all at once. What was he doing? His heart pounded in his chest, the weight of his actions sinking in as he stared at her, wide-eyed.

Elena had no idea how close she had come to danger.

He stumbled back, his body rigid with tension, his eyes darting away from hers as shame and fear began to creep in. He had almost lost control. He had almost—

“Elena,” he breathed, his voice tight with strain. “You need to leave.”

She blinked, her brow furrowing in confusion. “What? No, Theo, I’m not going anywhere until you tell me what’s really going on.”

Her insistence, her anger—he couldn’t handle it. Not now, not with the hunger clawing at him, threatening to break free. He needed her to leave. Now.

“Elena, please.” His voice was rough, barely holding on to his composure. “You have to leave. I can’t—”

“Can’t what?” she demanded, stepping closer. “Why won’t you just tell me the truth?”

Her proximity was unbearable. The heat of her body, the scent of her—it was all too much. He backed away again, his hands shaking as he fought to hold on to the last threads of his control.

But then she reached out, her hand brushing his arm. That simple touch was enough to unravel everything.

His body moved on instinct. In one swift motion, he grabbed her, his hands locking around her wrists. Elena’s eyes widened in shock, but before she could react, his head dipped, his fangs extending as the hunger roared to life inside him.

Her pulse. Her blood. He could hear it, feel it, taste it. The need for it consumed him, blotting out every rational thought.

“Theo!” she gasped, her voice laced with fear. “What are you—”

But her words were lost to him. All he could think about was the blood, the sweet, intoxicating warmth of it just beneath her skin. His fangs grazed her neck, the temptation too great to resist.

Just one taste. Just a little—

And then, just as suddenly as it had come, the realization hit him again. He pulled back, his eyes wide, horrified at what he had almost done.

Elena stumbled away from him, her hand flying to her neck, her chest heaving with panic. She stared at him, her eyes filled with disbelief—and then she saw his fangs.

Her expression shifted from shock to terror.

“No…” she whispered, her voice trembling. “No, this isn’t real. You can’t be…”

Theo took a step toward her, his hands outstretched. “Elena, I didn’t mean—”

But she backed away, her breath coming in quick, shallow bursts. “Stay away from me.”

“Elena, please,” he pleaded, his voice raw with desperation. “I can explain—”

But it was too late. She had already turned, bolting for the door, her footsteps echoing in the silent house. Theo’s heart twisted in his chest as he watched her go, his mind reeling with the weight of what had just happened.

He moved to follow her, but before he could reach the door, something hit him from the side

with the force of a freight train. He slammed into the wall, his vision blurring from the impact.

Dazed, Theo tried to push himself up, but before he could get his bearings, a familiar voice

cut through the haze.

“Well, that was quite the show.”

Celeste’s cold, mocking tone sent a chill down his spine. He looked up, his vision clearing

just enough to see her standing over him, her eyes gleaming with amusement.

“You really should have known better, Theo,” she purred, leaning down to meet his gaze. “You’ve always had such a hard time controlling yourself, haven’t you?”

Theo’s body screamed in protest as he tried to push himself up, but Celeste was faster. She struck him again, and darkness swallowed him whole.