Blood on Fire

Chapter15

I caught it mid-air and blinked, surprised. “Thanks,” I said awkwardly.

She turned to the fridge, pulled out a chilled blood pack, and strolled toward Wendy’s cell like it was just another day. Stephen stiffened the moment the blood scent filled the air. His eyes sharpened, and in a blink, he was beside Veronica, grabbing her wrist.

“She’s hungry,” Veronica said casually, looking down at Wendy who was barely conscious.

“I won’t let you feed her human blood,” Stephen said, his grip tightening.

Veronica raised an eyebrow, then yanked her hand away. “Hmph. Hero.” She shook her head and walked off like it didn’t matter.

She paused by the doorway and glanced back at me. “Are you just going to stand there watching us, or do you want to go home, Human?”

“Ah… yeah, I should go,” I said, slinging my bag over my shoulder.

Stephen looked at me, then at Veronica, and it felt like they were having some silent conversation I wasn’t part of.

Veronica smirked. “No problem. I’ll make sure no one touches your precious princess, Stephen.”

And with that, she turned and climbed the stairs.

“Take care, Selene,” Stephen said gently.

I gave him a small nod, still unsure how to feel.

As I made my way upstairs, I passed through the darkened halls of their strange, hidden house. The farther I walked, the more I could hear faint noises, soft gasps, murmurs. I turned the corner and froze when I reached the living room. There, on the couch, was Iris. And she wasn’t alone. A man sat close beside her, his face buried in the curve of her neck, kissing her skin slowly. Iris tilted her head back, eyes half-lidded, her lips parted in a quiet moan. Her fingers twisted in his hair, pulling him closer. One of his hands was on her waist, the other tracing the edge of her shirt, slipping beneath the fabric. Iris’s usually perfect hair was a mess, falling over her flushed cheeks, her breath coming in short gasps.

I looked away, my cheeks burning. I turned to walk past, pretending I hadn’t seen anything, but a voice stopped me.

“Enjoying the live show?” Veronica stood leaning against the wall, watching me with a smirk.

I rolled my eyes, heat still creeping up my neck. “Not exactly the exit I was expecting.”

She chuckled. “You’ll get used to it. Or not.”

I didn’t respond. I just kept walking toward the front door, my chest tight with everything I had seen, and everything I now knew. Behind me, I could still hear Iris’s soft moans and the wet sounds of kissing, fading into the background like a twisted soundtrack to the most insane day of my life.

The night air greeted me like a slap to the face as I stepped outside. Cool. Sharp. Real. Veronica followed close behind, silent as a shadow. Her footsteps were calm, almost lazy, like she had all the time in the world. We reached the end of the long driveway, where her sleek black motorcycle waited under a flickering streetlight. She grabbed one of the helmets slung on the seat and tossed it to me without a glance.

"Hop on. I’ll drive you home, human," she said, her voice flat and bored.

I caught the helmet, but didn’t move. “No thanks. I can walk,” I said, holding the helmet out to her.

She didn’t take it. Just looked at me from the corner of her eye. "You want to end up as street food? Because I’m sure by now, half the vampires in this city know you’re a hunter."

I rolled my eyes but didn’t argue. As much as I hated to admit it, she had a point. With a frustrated sigh, I climbed onto the back of her bike. She smirked as I awkwardly wrapped my arms around her waist. “Aw. This must be what babysitting feels like,” she muttered. I didn’t say a word. The bike roared to life beneath us, and she took off into the night like she was born for it. We sped through quiet streets, streetlights flashing by like memories I didn’t want to revisit. I couldn’t ignore how close we were. Her scent was the same as before, sweet roses, mixed with danger. I hated how comforting it felt.

We reached my apartment faster than I expected. She pulled up right outside, killed the engine, and took off her helmet. I quickly unhooked mine and handed it to her.

She didn’t take it.

Instead, she slid off the bike and started walking toward the entrance of my building like she owned the place.

“Wait!” I called, following her. “Take your helmet and go home.”

She stopped, turned, and raised a single eyebrow. “No.”

That was it. Just that one word. Then she turned again and kept walking.

I let out a groan and chased after her. “Can you just listen to me? You can go now. I can take care of myself.”

Suddenly, she was in front of me. Just like that. A blur of motion, and then those sharp, cold eyes were locked on mine.

“You listen, human,” she said, voice quiet but firm. “I brought you back, and I’m going to make sure no vampire drains you dry the second you walk inside. So just shut up and deal with it. Princess.”

My mouth opened, then closed again. What was I even supposed to say to that?

She stepped past me and headed to the elevator. I followed her silently, the weight of the helmet still in my hand. Every step I took felt heavier than the last. The events of today swirled in my mind. Stephen, Wendy, the truth about vampires, the fight in the bathroom, and Veronica’s strange mix of cruel and protective. I was exhausted, confused, and still angry.

And yet, a part of me felt... safe with her. As twisted as that was.

She stood at my door, arms crossed, scanning the area like she expected someone to leap out of the darkness.

“It’s clear,” she said flatly. “Go in.”

I fished out my keys, hands slightly shaking, and unlocked the door. The moment I stepped inside, the silence of my apartment greeted me like a warm blanket. It was familiar. Safe. Or so I thought. Then I heard her footsteps behind me.

I spun around. Veronica was already inside.

"Hey!" My voice came out sharper than I intended. "How did you get in? I didn't invite you in."

She walked in slowly, eyes roaming over everything like she was touring a museum.

That's when it hit me.

Wait.