The evening air had taken on a chill, the kind that hinted at the approaching winter. Elena’s breath puffed softly in front of her as she and the red-haired woman walked toward the edge of the city. The darkness had deepened, and the distant glow of streetlights did little to illuminate their path as they ventured farther from the lively streets and deeper into the quiet, desolate outskirts.

Ahead, the ground sloped gently upward into a hill covered in dense trees, their skeletal branches twisting against the night sky. A thin layer of mist had begun to rise, swirling around their feet, adding to the eerie stillness that enveloped the landscape. The soft sounds of the city faded behind them, leaving only the crunch of leaves beneath their shoes and the rustling of the wind in the trees.

Elena's heart pounded as she followed the woman, her body moving of its own accord, still caught in the compulsion. But, the fear that had taken root in her mind as the city fell away began to spread, breaking through the fog little by little.

This isn’t right—none of this is right. Her thoughts whispered to her through the dreamlike haze.

As they neared the base of the hill, the woman slowed her pace, her voice breaking through the silence. “Lucian is going to have so much fun with you,” she said with a cold smile, her words laced with malice.

The name sent a sharp stab of fear through Elena, cutting through the fog in her mind like a blade. Lucian. She didn’t know the name, didn’t understand who he was or why she was being taken to him, but the tone of the woman’s voice was enough to fill her with dread. Panic surged inside her, and for the first time since they had left the café, Elena tried to stop walking.

Her legs slowed for just a moment, but the woman walking ahead didn’t seem to notice. Or maybe she did and just didn’t care. Either way, the moment vanished quickly and Elena’s feet kept moving, following the invisible pull that drove her deeper into the outskirts of the city, closer to whatever fate awaited her.

But the unease persisted through the fog, scratching at the back of her mind. That dreamlike haze thickened again, pressing her thoughts down, but Elena’s breath quickened. No... something’s wrong. Her mind screamed it, but her body wouldn’t obey. Her fingers twitched at her sides, a faint echo of movement. It wasn’t much, but it was something.

"Fighting it already?" The woman mused, turning her head slightly, her red hair catching the moonlight. "I must say, I like a bit of fight. Makes things interesting." Her voice was calm, almost casual, but there was a glint of honeyed malice in her eyes.

Elena swallowed hard, her heart beating faster now. She couldn’t shake the feeling that she wasn’t supposed to be here. Not with this woman, not walking toward some unknown destination. Elena’s stride slowed again as she wrestled with the compulsion.

The woman turned her head fully now, smiling with an unsettling calm. “You’ve got some fight in those pretty green eyes,” she said, her voice dripping with amusement. “I can see why Theo’s taken a liking to you.”

Theo.

Elena blinked. The sound of his name pierced through the fog clouding her mind. Her heart thudded hard in her chest. How does this woman know Theo? Where is he? He was supposed to have met her at the cafe. She wasn’t supposed to be alone with this stranger. Elena scanned the forest almost willing herself to see Theo in the shadows and for a single heartbeat she nearly thought she did.

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The woman’s eyes flickered toward Elena’s movement, and she laughed—a light, mocking sound that sliced through the tension. “Oh, don’t be ridiculous,” she said with a smirk. “Theo’s not coming to save you.”

Another wave of dread rolled over Elena.

The fog shifted slightly, and she became aware of the small knife she had tucked in her back pocket before leaving for the café. It wasn’t much, but it was something. I need to get to it, she thought, her fingers twitching instinctively, moving closer to the handle. Her heart hammering in her chest.

The woman stopped walking. She stood still for an instant and then turned slowly to fully face Elena. A hint of glee colored her eyes.

Elena’s feet felt suddenly glued to the ground, her hand tightened around the strap of her bag.

The woman’s eyes trailed down to Elena’s throat. She had the look of a cat who had just spotted a mouse.

“There it is,” she purred. “You know, I can hear your pulse speeding up. It's cute. That little flicker of hope but I’m afraid there’s not much you can do to escape and poor Theo’s a little too…preoccupied to come to the rescue.”

The woman stepped closer, eyes still locked on Elena's throat." He got himself locked up in a dungeon." She said with a smile curling her lips.

Elena’s pulse pounded harder, her heart racing with fear. Theo’s locked up? The thought slammed into her, sending a wave of panic through her chest. Her mind pushed harder against the fog, and her hand crept closer to the knife. I have to get to it.

But the woman was watching her, amusement dancing in her eyes. "I wonder what Theo would say if I got to play with you first," she murmured, leaning in so her lips brushed Elena’s ear.

Elena’s stomach twisted in fear, but the horror loosened the compulsion just enough for her to take a small step back, her fingers wrapping around the knife. For the briefest moment, hope flickered.

But the woman smiled wider. “Relax, I won’t hurt you,” she cooed, brushing her fingers against Elena’s cheek. The command hit Elena like a wave, and her muscles slackened, her hand falling limp at her side.

No! She thought desperately.

“Tell me,” the woman continued, her voice like honey as her finger trailed down Elena’s neck. “Have you ever heard of a vampire’s kiss?”

Elena shivered involuntarily, and the woman smirked, revealing her fangs in the dim light. “You’d enjoy it, I think. Most do—until the moment they die.” Her words lingered, cruel and deliberate. “Your darling Theo almost gave you one, didn’t he?”

Elena could feel her heart pounding in her chest. The memory of Theo’s near-loss of control flashed in her mind.

“That’s right,” the woman whispered, her voice dark and teasing. “I was there. You were so close. I wonder... would you have moaned for him, the way his family did when he drained them dry?”

The shock of those words hit Elena like a physical blow, her body freezing in place. Theo… killed his own family? The thought paralyzed her, and for a moment, she stopped fighting altogether, her mind reeling in horror and disbelief.

The woman took full advantage, pressing herself against Elena now, their bodies touching, her lips brushing Elena’s ear as she whispered, "Oh, don’t look so surprised. The truth is always uglier than you expect." Her hand slipped behind Elena, into the back pocket of her jeans, her fingers grazing Elena’s skin as she retrieved the knife. "Now, what do we have here?" she mused, holding up the pocket knife, her eyes gleaming with delight. "How quaint," she said softly, twirling the knife between her fingers.

She raised the blade her smile widening. "Let’s see what fun we can have."

“Stay,” she purred.

Elena’s eyes widened in terror, but the command rooted her to the spot, the invisible fog locking her in place.

Just as the cold steel was about to press against Elena’s skin, a sudden gust of wind swept through the air. In an instant, a blur of movement struck from behind, and Celeste was thrown aside with bone-rattling force.

Elena blinked, her senses overwhelmed by the rush of energy. And then, she saw him.

Theo.