Six
1101 Words
Thea stood frozen for a moment, trying to process everything. Her head throbbed, her mind spinning. Just yesterday, she had been nothing more than an unwanted foster kid with a messed-up past. Ordinary. Invisible. Now these strangers were calling her non-human. She had to be losing her mind.
“You need to start answering our questions; this is no longer a game!” Lucius’ command cut through her thoughts like a blade.
“I need to answer your questions?” Thea snapped, stepping back. “Why don’t you go screw yourself, because I am getting the hell out of here! You can find your own answers, jackass!”
Lucius froze, his expression flickering with incredulity. Kate gasped. Jaen’s lips quirked with amusement. Thea, normally calm and controlled, had finally snapped—and the fiery man in front of her had pushed her too far. She moved toward the door, but before she could reach it, strong hands yanked her back.
His eyes blazed. No one had ever spoken to him that way. That tone, that insolence—it both infuriated and intrigued him. His grip tightened, pulling her flush against him. Thea’s small hands pressed against his chest, anchoring herself, but she refused to be cowed. Their faces hovered inches apart, and she could feel the raw strength coiled behind his taut muscles.
“You are not going anywhere,” he growled, his fangs flashing. “You will answer every question I ask, or I will lock you in the darkest corner of my castle until you comply. And do not—do not—speak to me in that manner again, or you will learn the true meaning of the word jackass. Do you understand?”
Thea’s chest heaved with both fear and defiance. Tears welled, but she blinked them away stubbornly. She wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of seeing her break.
Lucius’ grip eased, and he stepped back, though his presence still pressed against her like a living wall. Thea rubbed her arms, soothing the sting, and squared her shoulders.
“My lord, may I try?” Jaen asked cautiously. Lucius inclined his head, giving them space.
“Kate, please see if you can get something for her to eat,” Jaen added. “She must be starving.”
Nodding, Kate left the room. Jaen gestured toward the antique chairs in the corner. “Shall we sit?” His voice was soft, calm, a stark contrast to Lucius’ intensity.
Thea hesitated, then moved slowly, settling into the chair across from him. Jaen gave her a reassuring smile. “We’ve known each other only a few hours, yet we’ve not been properly introduced. I am Jaen, coven doctor and second-in-command.” He tilted his head toward Lucius. “The woman who left was Kate. And you, what is your name?”
“Thea,” she replied cautiously.
“Walker,” she added after a pause.
“Well, it is a pleasure to meet you, Thea Walker,” Jaen said warmly.
He leaned forward slightly, tone serious. “Do you know what a Dacian is?”
Thea shook her head. “Just stories. Myths. Popular tales about the supernatural.”
“Exactly. What I am about to tell you may challenge everything you think you know. I only ask that you keep an open mind. Can you do that?”
Thea hesitated, then nodded.
Before Jaen could continue, Lucius interrupted, voice sharp: “We don’t have time for mythology lessons. I need answers.”
Jaen’s calm authority cut through the tension. “She cannot answer questions she doesn’t understand. You see, my lord, she must first grasp the framework.”
Kate returned with bottled water and sliced apples. Thea accepted them gratefully, drinking greedily, the cold water running down her throat and chasing away some of the lingering nausea. Lucius’ gaze traced her movements, an unexpected stir of desire crossing him. He quickly looked away, breaking the spell of his own thoughts.
Jaen continued. “We are the elite Dacian coven. For centuries, we have protected humans from the Dhārians—a rival vampire faction that sees humans as food and property. The vampires who attacked you were Dhārians.”
Thea’s brow furrowed. “Vampires? Really? You expect me to believe that? This isn’t some sexy fantasy?”
Jaen chuckled. “Vampires have existed a very long time. The human mind often refuses what it cannot comprehend. And what it cannot comprehend… it breaks.”
She crossed her arms, unconvinced. “Even if I believe you, why should I trust you with anything about me? You’re a vampire too. Don’t give me the ‘we’re the good guys’ speech.”
Lucius finally answered, his tone measured but darkly resonant. “The first vampire was human, lord of the Dhār clan. He was cruel and unjust, slaughtering without remorse. One night, he and his brother destroyed a village. In retaliation, the lord was cursed into vampirism, abusing his new power to enslave humans. His brother, cursed as well, took it upon himself to protect humans from his sibling’s tyranny. That is how the Dacians and Dhārians came to be.”
Kate added softly, “We are the Dacians.”
Thea’s mind raced. “So, Dhārians enslave humans, and Dacians protect them? Why? Shouldn’t both want the same thing?”
“The first Dacian retained his humanity despite the curse,” Jaen explained, glancing at Lucius with something unspoken in his gaze. “And that humanity remains the cornerstone of our mission.”
He leaned back, voice solemn. “Recently, we’ve found bodies. Young women, drained completely of blood—eight in total. And it’s not just women. Men too.”
Thea’s stomach turned. “Why is that worrying? I thought that’s what Dhārians do.”
Lucius’ sharp tone cut in. “It’s the method that is alarming. Usually, vampires act in groups. Multiple punctures indicate cooperation. These kills… one vampire, one puncture. It was a sole predator.”
“And that’s a problem because…?”
“No single vampire can drain a human entirely alone,” Kate said.
“And no physical torture was inflicted,” Jaen added. “The victims were kept unharmed, suggesting the killer required them intact.”
Understanding hit Thea in a cold wave. “You think I could have been next?”
They all nodded.
She moved to the window, lost in thought. “I’m just a nurse… an ordinary foster kid. I don’t know why the Dhārians wanted me.”
Jaen’s expression softened. “One thing is certain, sweetheart—you are anything but ordinary.”
- Writer
