DRAWN TO MY SIRED VAMPIRE

chapter three

DEREK'S POV

“Why is she here? What does she want after all this time?” I muttered, taking a long drink from the bottle in my hand. The alcohol didn’t do much to calm the storm inside me. Irene’s return had stirred up memories I had tried so hard to bury. It felt like just yesterday that I’d been cast out of my coven for loving the wrong person. Irene’s father, the coven leader, had made sure I knew to stay away from his daughter.

That heartbreak had driven me from New Orleans all the way to California. Here, I built a quiet life, studied, and kept my head down. But then I met Dianne. She caught my attention, not only because she was quietly beautiful but because she reminded me of how I used to be: alone, rejected, yet still strong. Seeing her get picked on made me angry, and even though I knew I should stay out of it, I couldn’t help but want to protect her.

Now Irene was back. Her presence was dangerous, and the only way I could keep Dianne safe was to keep her away from Irene. Deep down, though, I felt an urge to shield her from whatever darkness was coming.

The smell of blood suddenly filled the air, strong and unmistakable. My grip on the bottle tightened. “What do you want, Irene?” I said, turning around.

There she was, walking gracefully down the street, her heels clicking like a countdown. Her smile was sharp. “Why haven’t you killed her yet?” she teased. “Or would you rather we do it together?” She laughed, and the sound made me want to stake her right then and there.

My jaw clenched. Irene had once saved me from death, made me a vampire, and given me immortality, something I never asked for. I loved her deeply back then, but it had never been enough. When she found someone more powerful, she left me without a second thought.

“Still angry, are we?” she taunted. “Is that why you’re clinging to a mortal like her?” Irene looked past me. I followed her gaze and saw Dianne walking by, holding her books, unaware of the danger nearby. Irene smirked. “Don’t tell me you’re not tempted. That heartbeat... so loud, so tempting.”

“Touch one hair on her head,” I warned, my voice low, “and you’ll see a side of me you won’t like.”

Irene tilted her head, mocking me with a smile. “Really? Do you think you can take me?” Her laughter cut through me.

Before I could reply, Amanda and her friends walked by, not knowing how close they were to a deadly threat. Irene turned her attention to them, which was never a good sign. She never involved herself with anyone unless she had something to gain.

I dropped into a chair at the café, my mind racing. The noise around me faded away. I had to find Dianne before Irene did anything. The thought of Dianne getting pulled into this mess made me feel sick.

The café door swung open, but it wasn’t Dianne. I stood up, my heart beating faster. Where was she?

I was about to leave when Vicky, one of Amanda’s followers, came over. She looked smug, too confident. “Looking for your little plaything?” she mocked, running her fingers over my jacket.

Anger bubbled up inside me, but I forced myself to stay calm. Most people knew better than to come near me, let alone touch me. People around us started to stare, wondering why Vicky was acting so brave.

“Did Irene put you up to this?” I asked, my voice cold.

Vicky laughed, and it grated on my nerves. “You really want to know where she is?” Her pulse was racing, and the smell of her blood made my throat burn. It had been too long since I last fed.

“Tell me,” I demanded, clenching my fists.

Vicky opened her mouth, but I didn’t have the patience to wait. I pushed her hand away, maybe harder than I meant to. She fell to the floor, her arm bending at an odd angle. Gasps filled the café, and people rushed to help her, shocked and frightened.

Ignoring the chaos, I bolted from the café. I had to find Dianne. Now. I closed my eyes and listened, tuning out the background noise, focusing on the steady rhythm of heartbeats. There—faint but distinct.

“Gotcha,” I whispered, and for the first time in years, I let my vampire speed take over. The world blurred as I raced to her.

When I turned the corner and saw what was in front of me, my breath caught. My blood ran cold, and I felt like the ground had vanished beneath me.