Bite Me

Zadhie had spent weeks convincing her to “open up,” reminding her that not all men were the same. Sienna never agreed with that. As far as she was concerned, men were walking red flags wrapped in charm and she’d had enough bruises, literal and otherwise, to prove it. ’I’m not bitter, Just realistic,’ she told herself. She’d built her life around independence and sharp boundaries that made her friend, Zadhie tease her for being a “manhater.” Sienna preferred the term self-preserving. So here she was, sitting inside Shanora Café. It was a quiet place on the edge of town, where the walls smelled faintly of rain and roasted beans. The café should’ve felt cozy, maybe even romantic. But the shadows stretched long across the candlelit tables, and every flicker of the stained-glass windows made her feel watched. “Promise me you won’t run off this time,” Zadhie said while sipping her coffee through a straw. Sienna raised a brow. “You make it sound like I’m allergic to men.” “You are.” “Maybe for a reason.” Zadhie rolled her eyes. “Just one hour. If he’s weird, text me the code word.” “Which is?” “Run.” Sienna almost smiled. Then he arrived. He stepped through the door like he didn’t belong to this world. He is tall and composed. He has this kind of beauty and aura that felt unreal. His smile was polite, but his eyes were cold enough to make her shiver. “Sienna Foster?” he asked. She nodded. “Yeah. You must be Yaros Velastra.” He tilted his head slightly. “You say that like it’s a bad thing.” “I just never met anyone named that before.” “That’s a good thing right? Nevertheless, I’ll make sure you’ll remember it.” He said it like a promise. Or a threat. They talked. About school, the weather, and things that didn’t matter. She mentioned she was still studying journalism, though lately she wasn’t sure if chasing stories was worth the exhaustion. “I’m on my last year,” she said while tracing the rim of her cup. “Feels like I’m writing more about deadlines than truth lately.” He smiled faintly. “Deadlines are a kind of truth.” She looked up, surprised. “That’s depressing.” “It’s realistic.” “Realistic sounds like a word people use when they’ve already given up.” He tilted his head in amusement. “And you haven’t?” “Not yet.” She sipped her drink while her eyes narrowed. “But I’m close.” He listened too closely. She should’ve been flattered, but instead it made her uneasy. “So what do you do, exactly?” she asked while resting her chin on her hand. His lips curved. “Family business.” “That’s suspicious.” “Is it?” “Most people who say ‘family business’ are either running a bakery or laundering money.” He chuckled softly. “I don’t bake.” “Then I’ll take the second option.” “Maybe I just prefer working when the world’s asleep.” “Night hours?” She frowned. “What kind of job starts after midnight?” “The kind that never really ends.” She tilted her head and studies him. “You’re terrible at small talk.” “I’m better at listening.” “Creepy thing to say on a first date,” she muttered, but the corner of her mouth twitched before she could stop it. His eyes caught the movement, lingering just a second too long. Every answer he gave was polite but distant, as if he wanted her to know nothing real about him. Still, his voice carried that strange pull. It was low and steady, the kind that made people lean in without realizing it. “What?” she asked defensively when she caught him staring at her. “Nothing,” Yaros said. He leans back. “It’s just… the first time you’ve smiled since I got here.” “Maybe that’s a sign.” “Of what?” “That you should stop talking.” He chuckled smoothly. “You’re sharper than most people I meet.” “Maybe you’re talking to the wrong people.” “Or maybe I finally found the right one.” Sienna rolled her eyes, but her pulse betrayed her calm. There was something in his unblinking gaze that made the air feel heavier between them. Beneath every word was a quiet tension she couldn’t name. The way he looked at her made it hard to breathe. And yet, she didn’t look away. By the time they finished, the rain had stopped. She checked her phone and stood. “I should go. It’s late.” “I’ll walk you home,” Yaros said, standing almost instantly. “That’s not necessary.” She grabbed her bag while forcing a small smile. “I’m used to walking alone.” “I don’t doubt that,” he replied calmly. “But it’s dark. The streets around here aren’t safe.” “I’ll take my chances.” His expression didn’t change, but something in his tone did. It became heavier. “I wasn’t asking.” She blinked. “Excuse me?” He met her eyes. “It’s just safer if I go with you.” “That sounds less like concern and more like control.” He smiled faintly. “Sometimes they’re the same thing.” The words hung between them. His voice was soft enough to make her hesitate. The world tilted and her breath caught in her throat. The floor felt soft beneath her feet as the room began to spin. A strange heaviness filled her chest. Her pulse thudded unevenly and her thoughts slipped through her fingers like sand. Her mouth was dry. “What did you…” she tried to say, but her voice came out faint and broken. He reached out before she could steady herself. His hand closed around her wrist, gentle but firm, and his voice was low when he spoke. “Easy. You’re pale.” Her eyes darted to the table. The half-empty glass beside her still glistened in the candlelight. There was a sweet chemical taste on her tongue. A slow dread coiled in her stomach as the truth settled in. ’He drugged me.’ Her legs weakened, the sounds around her dulled, and her heartbeat thundered inside her ears. “You… put something…” she tried again, but the words dissolved before she could finish. The world blurred. His face hovered close. He brushed a loose strand of hair from her cheek as if she were fragile glass. “I told you I’d walk you home,” he said. Sienna tried to pull away but her body no longer obeyed. Her arms felt heavy, her vision dimmed, and a thick warmth spread through her limbs. Panic rose but her voice was gone. He leaned closer until she could feel his breath against her skin. His fingers tilted her chin and for a second everything froze. Then pain tore through her neck. It was hot and it’s spreading like fire beneath her skin. Her body arched in shock. “Ah—” The sound that escaped her was half gasp and half plea. Her heartbeat fades against the wet heat at her throat. Through the haze she saw him, his face was pressed to her skin. His mouth moves with an intensity that didn’t feel human. His eyes met hers for one fleeting moment before everything went dark. She woke surrounded by candlelight. Her throat burned like fire. Every breath came shallow and heavy. The sheets beneath her smelled faintly of cedar and smoke. Her body felt like it had been dragged back from somewhere dark. A man stood by the window, his back turned toward her. The dim light framed his silhouette. His presence alone made her chest tighten. “Where… am I?” she asked. “Somewhere safe,” he said without turning. She tried to sit up, but her head spun. “Who are you?” “Someone who stopped things from getting worse.” “What happened to me?” “You were attacked. I found you just in time.” His voice was too calm. It was the kind that belonged to someone who probably seen death before and no longer feared it. When he finally turned, she saw the faint scar on his neck,. It shaped like the wound still burning on hers. “You knew him,” she said quietly. He paused. “Not personally. But I know what he is.” “And what is that?” “He's the kind of creature that should’ve never touched you. You're lucky, the venom spread fast.” She blinked. “Venom?” “You were bitten,” he replied. “You’re halfway gone.” “Gone where?” “Between life and something worse.” His expression hardened. “Is there something I can do to stop it? What are my choices? “Either you turned completely,” he replied, “or you drinks my blood to stop the change.” She stared at him. “Your blood? That sounds—” He didn’t let her finished. He rolled up his sleeve, his movements are deliberate and unflinching. “What are you doing?” Sienna panicked. “I’m ending your suffering.” “I don’t even know your name.” “Ysander,” he said simply. Then he drew a blade across his wrist. The scent hit her like lightning. It was sweet, metallic, magnetic. Her throat ached, her hands trembled as instinct fought to surface. “Stop,” she whispered. “I can’t—” “You’ll die if you don’t.” “That’s much better than drinking your blood.” “Then your death is on me. Now suck it.” Her body moved before her mind could stop it. Warmth flooded her tongue. His blood tastes sweet. Shame and hunger twisted inside her, every swallow pulling her further from the edge and deeper into something else. When she finally stopped, Ysander stood over her. His eyes were unreadable. Sienna wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. “What… am I now?” “Alive,” he said. “For now.” “Why did you let me drink your blood?” Ysander looked away, his jaw set. “Because I couldn’t let him finish what he started.” A voice came from the doorway. “You shouldn’t have.” He turned. The red-haired woman stood there. Her are eyes cold. “Raine,” he said quietly. She stepped forward. “You know how this ends. You save her and she becomes your ruin. Just like before.” “It won’t happen again.” “How can you be so sure?” Sienna tried to rise but the world swayed around her. The woman’s gaze flicked to her. She look at her sharply. “You don’t even know what you’ve become.” “Enough,” Ysander said. His voice was calm, but the air shifted with it. “Leave.” “You can’t protect her from what’s inside her.” “I can try.” Raine’s mouth tightened. “Then you’re a fool.” She turned toward the rain. “History doesn’t forgive fools.” When she was gone, silence filled the room. Sienna looked at Ysander, confusion swimming behind her exhaustion. “What did she mean?” “You’ll understand soon.” Her lips parted. “When?” Ysander’s gaze held hers. It was steady, at the sama time heavy with something unspoken. “When the thirst comes,” he said quietly. “Don’t fight it.” She frowned faintly. “What will I do?” He leaned close enough that his breath brushed her skin. His voice dropped to a whisper. “Bite me.” TO BE CONTINUED...