Theo collided with Celeste, knocking her away from Elena with a ferocity that left the air humming with tension.

Celeste hissed, fangs bared as she spun to face him, still clutching the knife. “Well, well,” she snarled, recovering quickly. “I was wondering how long it would take.”

“Celeste,” Theo greeted her, his tone cool and steady.

“Tell me, Theo,” she sneered, “did you have to beg to be let out?”

“Not everyone enjoys being on their knees, Celeste." Theo replied sharply.

A flash of irritation flickered across Celeste's face before a wicked smile curled her lips. "Now that you’ve reminded me, how is Isab—"

She didn’t get to finish.

Theo struck again, but there was something different about his movements. Elena could tell—he wasn’t as fast, wasn’t as fluid. He was hurt, she realized with a jolt of panic. He was already weakened.

“You’re slowing down,” Celeste teased, ducking beneath one of Theo’s swings and cutting him across the chest with the knife. Theo barely winced, but Elena could see the blood staining his shirt, soaking into the fabric. Her heart pounded wildly in her chest.

“Maybe Lucian broke you after all,” Celeste sneered, slashing at him again, her knife catching his arm this time. Theo’s jaw clenched, but he didn’t retreat. He pressed forward, landing several blows in quick succession and then a kick to her side that sent her stumbling back.

Elena’s breath caught in her throat as she watched the battle unfold. Theo was holding his own, but she could see the strain in his movements. He had been injured—badly—and the fight was taking its toll. Every strike, every blow seemed to sap more of his strength.

Celeste lunged at Theo, aiming for his throat with the knife. Theo dodged the attack but just barely. Before he could strike back, she threw out a kick to Theo’s chest that sent him flying into a nearby tree almost breaking it in two. Theo's body slumped against the tree, struggling to rise. His breath came in ragged gasps, and Elena could see how much the fight had taken out of him. He was hurt, his movements slower than they should have been, and Celeste knew it. She advanced on him, her steps slow, savoring every second of his struggle.

“Look at you,” Celeste purred, her voice dripping with mockery. “Always so weak.”

Theo gritted his teeth, forcing himself to stand, though his body wobbled under the strain. His hand pressed against his side where blood seeped through his shirt. He was trying to hide it, but Elena could see how much pain he was in. She could feel the panic rising inside her, knowing he couldn’t keep going much longer.

Celeste stopped in front of him, her lips curling into a cruel smile. “You couldn’t save your sister then, and you won’t save this one now.”

Her eyes flicked toward Elena, lingering for a moment before locking back onto Theo with a vicious gleam. “I’d like to say she won’t suffer long,” she added, her voice dripping with cruelty. “But you know how Lucian can be.”

Theo’s face twisted with fury, but he was too weak to stop her. Celeste raised her knife, aiming directly for Theo’s throat, her fangs gleaming in the moonlight as she prepared to deal the final blow.

Elena’s heart seized in her chest. No. No, no, no!

Desperation flooded through her. She couldn’t let this happen. She couldn’t just stand there and watch Theo die. Her eyes darted wildly around, searching for something—anything.

Her hand landed on a rock near her foot.

Without thinking, without hesitation, she grabbed the rock and hurled it with everything she had. It wasn’t much, but it was her only option.

“Hey!” Elena screamed.

The rock flew through the air, hitting Celeste squarely in the side of the head with a loud crack.

Celeste let out a surprised snarl, stumbling back as the blow knocked her off balance. The knife in her hand slashed through the air, missing Theo by inches as she turned, fury blazing in her eyes.

“You little—!”

Theo didn’t waste the opportunity. With a sudden burst of energy, he surged forward, slamming into Celeste with a force that sent them both crashing to the ground. Celeste screeched, her body rolling as Theo’s weight pinned her down.

Elena’s breath caught in her throat as she watched Theo take control of the fight. Despite his injuries, he moved with precision, locking Celeste beneath him as he forced her arm back. The knife slipped from her hand and Theo knocked it away with a swift kick.

Celeste hissed, thrashing beneath him, but Theo was relentless. His hand gripped her throat, his voice a low growl. “I’ve had enough of you, Celeste.”

Celeste’s eyes widened in panic, her hands clawing at his grip, but Theo didn’t let up. He tightened his hold, his body trembling with exhaustion but still powerful enough to keep her pinned.

For a moment, everything was silent except for the sound of their heavy breathing, the tension in the air thick and suffocating. Celeste’s defiance faltered, and she spat, her voice strained. “You think this changes anything? Lucian will still—”

Theo silenced her with a brutal punch to the side of her face. Her head snapped back, and she slumped against the ground, dazed but alive.

Theo staggered to his feet, looked down at Celeste’s limp form. “Leave,” he growled, his voice hoarse. “And if I ever see you again, I won’t be so merciful.”

Celeste pushed herself up, her eyes flicking toward Elena’s purse before darting back to Theo. For a tense moment, Elena thought she might pounce again, but Theo took a step toward her, and Celeste backed away with a snarl.

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

“I’ll make you pay, Theo. Just wait,” she hissed before vanishing into the shadows.

Theo stood still for a moment, his chest heaving, blood dripping from his wounds. Elena rushed forward, her legs trembling with relief and fear.

“Theo,” she whispered, her voice shaky.

He turned toward her, his face pale and his eyes heavy with exhaustion. “I’m fine,” he said, though the words were clearly a lie.

“You’re not fine,” Elena said, panic rising as she took in the blood-soaked fabric clinging to his body. “You’re hurt, Theo. You need help.”

Before Theo could respond, his knees buckled. Elena caught him just in time, her arms wrapping around him as his body sagged against her.

“I’ll be... okay,” Theo muttered, and then he slipped out of Elena’s grasp and fell to the floor unconscious.

“Theo!”

She knelt to the ground, her eyes fixed on him, fully absorbing the sight of his blood as it pooled beneath him, spilling relentlessly onto the earth.

"Shit!" she hissed, her voice barely louder than a whisper, laced with urgency.

Elena pressed her hands hard against Theo’s wounds, but the blood continued to seep through her fingers, warm and sticky. Panic surged through her chest, her mind racing for a solution.

What do I do?

She had never been in this kind of situation before, not with a human and certainly not with a vampire.

Theo’s breathing was shallow, his face growing paler by the second. The fabric of his shirt was soaked through, and the pool of blood beneath him was growing.

“Shit, shit, shit!” Elena whispered again, her voice trembling.

Think, Elena, think!

Her hands shook as she tried to hold the wounds closed, but it was no use. She couldn’t stop the bleeding.

Her gaze darted around the desolate hilltop, the night too dark for her to see anything clearly but then she spotted something metal glinting on the floor and an idea came to her.

A desperate, terrifying idea.

Blood.

Theo needed blood.

Her heart raced faster at the thought. Could she do it? Could she trust him? What if he couldn’t stop? What if vampires simply can’t stop?

But if she didn’t ... Theo was going to die.

Her veins were ice.

Her stomach twisted as Celeste’s words echoed in her mind. Theo killed his family. What if he drains you dry, just like he did to them?

Elena bit her lip, fear clawing at her insides, but she couldn’t let that stop her. He saved your life. Twice.

She stared down at Theo’s pale face, his lips slightly parted, his breathing barely a whisper. He had risked everything for her. She couldn’t let him die. She wouldn’t.

“Fine,” she whispered, her voice trembling with fear and resolve. “Okay, Theo, I’m going to trust you.”

Her hands shook as she reached for the knife, still lying on the ground where Celeste had dropped it. The blade glinted in the dim light, and she felt a lump rise in her throat as she wrapped her fingers around the hilt.

She hesitated for a moment, her breath catching in her throat. What if this was a mistake?

But Theo’s ragged breathing spurred her on. There’s no time.

Biting her lip, she dragged the blade across her wrist, biting back a cry as the sharp sting tore through her skin. Blood welled up instantly, warm and thick.

Before the fear could fully settle in, she pressed her bleeding wrist against Theo’s lips.

“Come on,” she whispered, her voice shaking. “Drink, Theo. Please, drink.”

Nothing. Theo remained still, his body growing colder.

“No, no, no, Theo, please!” Elena begged, pressing her wrist harder against his mouth. Tears blurred her vision. “Come on, drink! Please!”

A sob choked its way up her throat as the fear turned into raw desperation. But then, just as she was about to give up, she felt it—his lips parted. His mouth closed around her wrist, and his body tensed.

Theo’s fangs pierced her wrist, and the sharp sting of pain flashed through her, but it was brief, almost insignificant compared to what followed. The sensation of his bite flooded her senses, warmth spreading through her like a slow-burning fire.

Elena gasped, her body tensing at the sudden, overwhelming rush of pleasure that followed the pain. It was like nothing she had ever felt before—intoxicating, all-consuming. The world around her blurred, the hill fading into the background as the only thing that mattered was the pull of his mouth on her skin, the rhythm of his feeding.

Her blood pulsed into him, and with every draw, her body responded. The pleasure was so intense that it bordered on pain, the line between the two dissolving into something that made her head swim and her knees go weak.

Her heart pounded faster, trying to keep up with the blood he was taking. Her pulse thrummed in her ears, but with each beat, it grew slower, weaker. She felt the strength draining from her with every pull, but she couldn’t bring herself to care. The sensation of his fangs, his lips, was too overwhelming, too perfect.

A hazy warmth spread through her, clouding her thoughts, dulling her awareness of the danger. She should have been scared, should have been worried that he wouldn’t stop, but all she could feel was ecstasy.

Don’t stop. The thought came unbidden, drifting through her foggy mind. Don’t ever stop.

She leaned into him, her body relaxing against his as the pleasure overtook her completely. Her wrist was growing numb, the warmth of the blood loss spreading up her arm and into her chest, making her lightheaded. Her vision blurred at the edges, and the world around her seemed to dim.

Her pulse, once strong and fast, had slowed to a weak, erratic thrum, barely enough to keep her upright. She could feel it—her heartbeat faltering, the life draining out of her—and still, she didn’t care. If this was what it felt like to die, then she welcomed it. She would have gladly given him every last drop of her blood if it meant this sensation would never end.

Theo’s grip tightened on her wrist, his body tensing as he drank deeper, the hunger inside him pushing him to take more, to take everything. His feeding became more desperate, more frantic, and Elena’s heart gave another weak flutter, the blood slowing to a dangerous trickle.

She could barely feel the ground beneath her anymore, the world spinning around her in a dizzying haze. Her legs trembled, her body growing heavier, weaker, as her pulse grew fainter. The edges of her vision darkened, and for a fleeting moment, she wondered if this was the end.

But then, something changed.

Theo’s body jerked suddenly, his eyes snapping open, wide with panic. His mouth tore away from her wrist, blood dripping from his lips as he gasped for air, his chest heaving with the effort of stopping himself.

“Elena!” His voice was hoarse, ragged with fear. He stared at her in horror, his eyes filled with guilt and desperation.

Elena blinked, her vision blurry, her heart fluttering weakly in her chest. She could feel the absence of his fangs, but the pleasure still lingered, fading slowly as her mind struggled to focus.

She swayed, her body losing what little strength remained. Her pulse, faint and uneven, echoed in her ears as the blood loss took its toll. She felt herself falling, the world tilting around her, but Theo’s arms caught her before she hit the ground.

“I’m sorry,” Theo whispered, his voice thick with guilt as he held her close, his hands trembling. “I’m so sorry.”

Elena tried to respond, but the words wouldn’t come. Her vision darkened further, her body going limp in his arms. She fought to stay conscious, to hold on.

But it was too much.

The darkness crept in, overwhelming her senses, and she felt herself slipping, falling into the safety of his embrace.

And then, everything went black.