Shadow Born

A Man In The Shadows

Lucian stepped closer, his presence overwhelming as he loomed over her. “You expect me to believe that every time there’s a murder, you just happen to be nearby by coincidence?”

Rory’s frustration boiled over. “Yes! Because I was being hunted by those vampires. I don’t know what’s going on, but someone is using me to cover their tracks. You have to believe me. I don’t even have the power or influence to be involved in something like this!”

Lucian studied her for a long moment, his expression unreadable. Then, without warning, he slid his hand into his jacket and pulled out an envelope. He tossed it onto her lap, his eyes never leaving hers.

Rory stared at it for a moment before slowly opening it with her tied hands. Inside was a photograph, old and faded. Her heart skipped a beat as she looked at the picture. It was her, standing with two others—a vampire and a witch. The sight of it sent a chill down her spine. She had no memory of this moment.

“What… what is this?” Rory’s voice was barely above a whisper.

Lucian’s gaze darkened as he leaned closer. “That’s what I want to know. According to this photo, you’ve been involved with some very dangerous people for a long time. And I need to know why.”

Rory’s mind whirled in confusion. She didn’t remember the photo, the people, or the moment it was taken. How was this possible? Who had been watching her, tracking her for all these years?

“You’ve got it wrong,” Rory stammered, her voice trembling. “I don’t know these people. I swear, I’ve never seen them before.”

Lucian’s expression softened slightly, but his gaze remained sharp. “I want to believe you, Rory. But until I’m convinced you’re telling the truth, you’re staying right here. And you’re going to help me figure out who’s behind this mess.”

Rory’s heart pounded as anger surged through her veins. She was trapped, bound to a chair, accused of crimes she didn’t commit by a man who seemed both terrifying and impossible to reason with.

“You’re making a mistake,” Rory snapped, her voice rising with frustration. “If you keep me here, you’re doing exactly what they want. Can’t you see? They want us to turn on each other!”

Lucian didn’t respond immediately. His eyes narrowed, and then he let out a low chuckle. “Worry about yourself for now, Rory.”

He turned, his footsteps heavy as he walked toward the door, leaving Rory alone in the dimly lit room.

“We’ll continue this in the morning,” he said over his shoulder, pausing at the door. “Get some rest. Stop struggling—it’s pointless.”

With that, he was gone, and Rory was left alone, her mind racing. She knew she was innocent, but convincing Lucian wasn’t going to be easy. She pulled at the ropes again, but they were too tight, too strong.

She needed a plan. And fast.

*****

Rory’s heart pounded heavily in her chest, the sound echoing in the silence of the room. Her muscles burned as she struggled against the ropes, but they wouldn’t budge. Lucian had made sure of that.

Frustration and fear coursed through her veins, but she forced herself to stay calm. Panicking wouldn’t help. She needed to think. But before she could formulate any sort of plan, she heard a soft sound—a door creaking open somewhere nearby.

Her breath caught in her throat as she listened carefully. Footsteps echoed down the hallway, growing louder with each step.

Lucian? No. These footsteps were lighter, quicker.

The footsteps stopped outside her room, and for a long, tense moment, there was nothing but silence. Then, without warning, the door burst open, and a figure appeared in the doorway.

It wasn’t Lucian.

The person was smaller, more slender, with a hood pulled low over their face, concealing their features. Rory’s heart raced as the figure moved swiftly toward her, their movements graceful and almost inhumanly quick.

They reached out and pulled a small, sharp blade from their belt, slicing through the ropes around her wrists with ease.

“Who are you?” Rory whispered, her voice trembling as she rubbed her sore wrists. The figure moved silently, cutting through the ropes around her ankles.