Hunting Vampires

Chapter 6

Xyla trudged through the school gates, her head still spinning from the chaos of the previous night. Every step felt heavier than the last as the reality of her situation started to sink in. She wasn't just a normal teenager anymore; she was something else, something more... and dangerous.

"Xyla, wait up!" Kade's voice echoed from behind.

She paused, reluctantly turning to face him. His expression was hard to read, a mixture of concern and frustration.

"You can't just ignore this," he said, catching up to her.

"I’m not ignoring it." She crossed her arms, trying to keep her composure. "I’m trying to survive today. We’ll deal with everything else later."

Kade’s brow furrowed. "Survive? Xyla, this is bigger than you think. You need to understand what you’re up against."

"I get it!" Her voice rose, earning her a few curious glances from passing students. She lowered her tone. "I get that I’m different. I get that vampires are real. I get that I might be some sort of—"

"Queen," Kade interrupted, his voice calm but firm. "You might be the next Vampire Queen."

She blinked at him, her mind racing to catch up with the words. "Vampire Queen? That’s insane. I’m just a girl."

"You're not just anything, Xyla. And pretending to be normal isn't going to change that." His green eyes locked onto hers, intense and unwavering. "You need to start taking this seriously."

Xyla swallowed hard, trying to maintain her bravado. "And what if I don’t want this?"

Kade ran a hand through his messy hair, clearly frustrated. "It doesn’t matter what you want. The vampire council sees you as a threat. They’re going to come after you, whether you're ready or not."

She flinched at the word 'threat.' "Why do they care about me? I don’t even know them."

Kade sighed. "Because of who your mother was. Because of the blood that runs through your veins. Whether you like it or not, you’re part of their world now."

"Part of their world?" Xyla echoed, bitterness creeping into her voice. "I didn’t ask for this. I didn’t ask for any of it."

"I know," Kade said softly, stepping closer. "But you don’t have a choice."

She shook her head, the weight of everything starting to crush her. "Why didn’t you tell me sooner, Kade? We’ve known each other for years. Why wait until now?"

Kade's gaze shifted to the ground. "I was trying to protect you. I thought... maybe if I stayed away, you’d be safer."

"So you thought lying to me was the answer?" Xyla’s voice wavered, the hurt finally creeping in.

"It wasn’t lying," Kade said, his voice firm. "It was keeping you out of danger."

"Look how well that turned out," she muttered, turning on her heel. "I have class. I can’t deal with this right now."

"Xyla, wait—"

She stopped but didn’t turn around. "What now?"

"There's more you need to know," Kade said, his tone cautious. "I’ve been tracking someone. A vampire who’s been watching you."

Xyla spun around, her eyes wide. "What?"

"He's been following you for weeks. I didn’t think he’d act this fast, but after last night—"

"Why didn’t you tell me this before?" she snapped, panic lacing her voice.

"Because I wasn’t sure what his intentions were. But now... now, it’s clear. He’s after you."

Her heart pounded in her chest. The threat felt real, tangible. "And what am I supposed to do? Fight a vampire? I'm not trained for this."

"You're not alone, Xyla," Kade said, stepping closer. "I won’t let anything happen to you. But you need to trust me."

She studied his face, torn between anger and the urge to rely on him. "How can I trust you after everything you’ve kept from me?"

Kade's jaw tightened. "Because I’m the only one who can help you right now."

Before she could respond, a commotion from the entrance of the school caught their attention. Xyla’s eyes flicked over to a figure standing near the gate—a tall boy with dark hair, dressed in a black leather jacket. His eyes gleamed red for a second before returning to their normal color.

Kade cursed under his breath. "That’s him."

The air around them thickened with tension. Xyla’s pulse quickened as the stranger’s gaze locked onto her.

"Get behind me," Kade said, his voice low and deadly serious.

"I thought you said he was just watching," Xyla whispered, panic rising in her throat.

"Plans change," Kade muttered, moving in front of her.

The vampire smirked, taking a step closer. "You’re making this too easy, Kade."

"Back off," Kade growled, his hands clenching into fists.

The vampire's smile widened. "Or what? You can’t protect her forever."

Xyla’s breath caught as the vampire’s eyes flickered to her, a predatory glint in his gaze. "It’s just a matter of time before she’s one of us. You can’t stop fate."

Her stomach churned, fear gripping her. But she refused to let it show. Not now.

"I’m not going anywhere with you," Xyla spat, her voice stronger than she felt.

The vampire’s smile faded, replaced by cold determination. "We’ll see about that."

In a blur of movement, Kade lunged forward, intercepting the vampire before he could get any closer. The two clashed, Kade’s fists colliding with the vampire’s body as they grappled in a fierce struggle.

Xyla stood frozen, her heart racing, unsure of what to do. Kade fought like a warrior, his moves precise and brutal, but the vampire was stronger, faster. She knew Kade couldn’t hold him off forever.

"Run, Xyla!" Kade shouted between punches.

But she couldn’t move. Not yet. Not until she knew Kade was safe.

Kade dodged a vicious strike, rolling away just in time. "Xyla, go!"

Her legs finally obeyed, and she sprinted toward the school building, her mind reeling from everything that had just happened. She didn’t look back, not until she reached the safety of the entrance.

From the shadows, the vampire's voice echoed ominously, "This isn’t over, Xyla."

She slammed the door behind her, her heart still racing. This was far from over—she knew that now.

And the worst part? She wasn’t sure if she could trust anyone, even Kade.