Forbidden Blood

Chapter 5: The Bite That Changed Everything

The rain in Evergreen had become a constant companion, a relentless downpour that seemed to mirror the turmoil building inside me, washing away the remnants of my old life in sunny California while introducing me to shadows I never knew existed, shadows that now followed me everywhere, in the form of two men who couldn't be more different yet pulled at my heart with equal force.

Lucian Voss remained a mystery wrapped in cold perfection, his golden eyes avoiding mine in the hallways of the small high school, yet I could feel his gaze burning into my back whenever I turned away, a silent warning or perhaps an unspoken promise that sent shivers down my spine even in the warmth of the crowded cafeteria.

Kai Black, on the other hand, was all heat and light, his laughter echoing through the halls as he sought me out every day, his strong arm casually draped over my shoulders as if it belonged there, his golden eyes sparkling with a warmth that made my stomach flip in ways I couldn't ignore, ways that made me forget the cold stare from across the room.

One afternoon, after a particularly grueling day of classes where the biology teacher droned on about blood types and genetics — ironic, considering what I would soon discover — Kai pulled me aside in the parking lot, his truck idling nearby, rain dripping from his dark hair as he leaned close, his breath warm against my ear.

"Bella, come with me," he said, his voice low and inviting, the kind of voice that made my knees weak without even trying, and before I could think twice, I nodded, climbing into the passenger seat, the scent of pine and rain filling the cab as he drove us out of town, toward the thick forest that surrounded Evergreen like a protective yet ominous barrier.

We parked at a clearing, the rain lighter here, a soft mist that clung to everything, making the trees look like ghosts in the fading light, and Kai led me down a path, his hand in mine, strong and reassuring, telling stories of the town legends — old tales of creatures in the woods, wolves that walked like men, beings that drank blood to survive — stories I laughed off as folklore, even as a chill ran through me.

We sat on a fallen log, his arm around me pulling me close against the cold, his body heat seeping through my jacket, warming me in ways that made my thoughts scatter, and when he turned to me, his eyes serious for once, he whispered, "There's something about you, Bella, something that draws me in like nothing else," before his lips found mine in a kiss that started soft but quickly deepened, his hands sliding under my jacket, tracing my sides, igniting fire wherever he touched.

I kissed back hungrily, my fingers tangling in his wet hair, pulling him closer as the rain picked up again, soaking us both, but we didn't care, lost in the moment, his mouth moving to my neck, teeth grazing just enough to make me gasp, pleasure mixing with a hint of danger that only heightened everything.

We stopped short of going further, breathing heavy, foreheads pressed together, and he smiled that warm smile, promising more when the time was right, driving me home with his hand on my thigh the entire way, a silent claim that made my heart race.

But as the truck pulled away, Lucian was there again, standing in the shadows of the trees near my house, his figure unmoving in the rain, eyes glowing faintly, and when I approached, trembling not from cold but from the intensity in his gaze, he stepped forward, his voice a velvet whisper that cut through the downpour.

"You can't keep doing this, Isabella; he will destroy you, just as I fear I might if I let myself get too close."

I stared, heart pounding.

"What are you?"

He hesitated, then pulled me into the darkness of the trees, his cold hand on my arm sending electric shocks through me, and before I could protest, his lips crashed against mine in a kiss that was nothing like Kai's — cold, intense, eternal, his tongue demanding entry, tasting of night and secrets, his body hard and unyielding against mine as he pressed me to a tree, hands pinning my wrists above my head.

I struggled at first, but then gave in, kissing back with a ferocity that surprised me, my body arching into his, craving the cold fire he offered, his fangs extending to graze my lower lip, drawing a drop of blood that he licked away with a groan that vibrated through me.

The pleasure was dark, overwhelming, different from Kai's warmth, and when he pulled back, eyes red now, he whispered, "Your blood sings to me, Isabella; it's rare, powerful, the kind that could save or destroy my kind."

I gasped, pushing him away.

"Vampire?"

He nodded.

"And Kai?"

"Wolf."

The world spun.

Two monsters.

Both wanting me.

Both loving me.

The bite on my lip healed fast — too fast.

The transformation beginning.

The choice impossible.

The rain poured harder.

And my human life ended that night.

With a kiss from the vampire.

And a promise from the wolf.

The forbidden love complete.

The war inevitable.