“Who is here?” I asked Luka, his imposing figure blocking my view, a solid wall of unwavering presence.
He stood in front of me for what felt like forever. I watched the tension in his shoulders slowly ease, like he was forcing himself to relax.
“It’s just the Holloways,” he finally said.
I studied him. “Did you sense something else?”
“No…” He shook his head slightly. “But I am uneasy about what has been going on around you. I just wanted to take an extra minute to be sure.”
“Oh.” I looked down, rubbing my hands together.
“You are safe here,” he added, voice firm. “Tell me if anything feels wrong. It’s better to be cautious. Vampires and others can be cunning.”
The word vampires settled in my chest like a stone, but I didn’t get the chance to question it.
Footsteps approached. They
