Chapter 3 | Lurking in the Shadows
967 Words
Seraphine’s POV
The moon cast its pale glow over the landscape, illuminating the line where Mr. Moonshadow’s territory began. A boundary between two worlds. I had sworn to be nothing more than a student, but that promise dissolved like mist in the cool night air. Something darker, something far more compelling, urged me forward.
Hidden behind the thick trunk of an ancient oak, I watched as three wolves patrolled the perimeter. Their forms melted into the shadows, but their presence was unmistakable—sentries of the pack, bound by duty.
“Did you guys catch that scent?” one of them murmured, his voice taut with curiosity.
“What scent? What are you talking about?” another shot back, irritation laced in his tone.
“You seriously didn’t smell it? I swear I caught a faint trace of a vampire.”
A scoff. “You must be hallucinating.”
“He’s been away from his mate too long. Found her yesterday and already losing his mind,” the third wolf added with a laugh.
Their suspicions dulled under the weight of their own amusement, and just like that, they dismissed the threat. How naive.
I leaned against the tree, listening as their voices faded into the night. They had no idea how close they had been to something that could end them in an instant. If I wanted to, I could drain them before they even had a chance to cry out. Yet, I didn’t.
A phantom memory teased me—the taste of Lucian’s blood on my tongue. A sensation that had never happened but felt so vivid it might as well have.
Then the air shifted.
I turned sharply. Lucian stood before me.
The sight of him, disheveled yet composed, sent a strange thrill down my spine. His usual attire was gone, replaced by something more casual, more human. His bare arms were crossed over his chest, muscles flexing in a way that felt almost deliberate.
His gaze pinned me in place. “Seraphine, my eyes are up here. And besides,” his lips quirked in amusement, “this is inappropriate. A student shouldn’t be lurking around where I live like a creep.”
A creep.
The word struck harder than I cared to admit. Was that what he thought of me? My smug expression faltered for a split second before I recovered.
“I am not a creep,” I said, voice steady but edged with something unspoken.
His voice, saying my name, sent a ripple of something dark and intoxicating through me. My eyes burned crimson, a predator locking onto prey. My steps were deliberate as I closed the distance between us, watching him carefully.
He didn’t move.
A mistake.
Our eyes clashed, his dark against my glowing red, neither of us willing to back down. A slow, knowing smirk curled my lips.
“What do you think you’re doing?” he asked, suspicion flickering behind his gaze. “I know what you are, Seraphine. But let me remind you—I am the protector of this town. If I were you, I wouldn’t try anything stupid.”
Another blow.
Creep. Stupid.
It took everything in me not to lash out. Did he really think I was that reckless? That dangerous?
Well, maybe I was.
I let my smirk widen. “Who? Little old me?” I tilted my head, my voice dripping with feigned innocence. “I wouldn’t dream of getting on your bad side.”
Before he could react, I disappeared into the night, my vampire speed carrying me back to my home.
The familiar walls of my secluded cottage greeted me, filled with the kind of luxury that only centuries of existence could afford. Paintings by Van Gogh, Matisse, Dalí, Klimt—masterpieces most would kill to own. The scent of aged wine mixed with old books, a comforting blend.
I opened my wine fridge and selected a bottle of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, the deep crimson liquid swirling as I poured it into a crystal glass. One of the few advantages of being half-human—I could still indulge in earthly pleasures.
As the rich taste coated my tongue, the events of the night replayed in my mind. Lucian—his presence, his voice, his damn irritating arrogance. Something in my chest twisted at the thought of him.
Then, a flicker of something else.
A vision.
The glass slipped from my fingers. It shattered against the marble floor, the sound ringing through the silence.
Raindrops pattered against the windows, a storm rolling in. My breath hitched as a memory resurfaced—the sound of footsteps in the rain, a whisper of something lost, Lucian’s gaze burning into mine.
I exhaled slowly, shoving the sensation aside.
With a roll of my eyes, I grabbed another identical glass. I always had spares.
The next morning, school resumed as usual. I slid into my usual seat at the back of the classroom, letting the buzz of students wash over me. My fingers twirled a pen absentmindedly, my thoughts elsewhere.
Then something unusual happened.
The bell rang, but instead of settling into their seats, the students remained restless.
A football player sauntered toward me, confidence rolling off him in waves. He stopped at my desk, grinning. “Hey.”
I raised a brow.
Before I could respond, a sudden shift in the air made me tense. The scent hit me first, something familiar yet unwelcome. My stomach twisted in recognition.
Then his voice cut through the noise.
Smooth. Possessive. Dangerous.
“What are you doing talking to my fiancé?”
My breath stalled.
Across the room, Lucian stood behind his desk, watching. His expression unreadable, but his presence an undeniable force.
The day had barely begun, and it was already spiraling into chaos.
- Writer
