AVA POV
The night was thick with tension, the air still humming with the remnants of battle. Blood stained the damp earth, the scent of violence lingering like a shadow refusing to be cast away. Dominic had retreated, but we all knew it wasn’t over. It was never over with him.
Damon kept his grip on the gun, his knuckles white from the force. His jaw clenched as he watched the darkness where Dominic had disappeared, his mind no doubt calculating their next move. Lucas, standing close by, exhaled sharply before turning his attention to me.
"Are you okay?" His voice was steady, but I could hear the undercurrent of worry.
I nodded, rubbing at my throat where Dominic’s grip had left a lingering ache. "I’m fine."
A lie.
I wasn’t fine. None of us were.
This wasn’t a battle we could walk a
