Secrets Under the Moonlight
1424 Words
I tiptoed, with the silver knife in my hand, moving carefully around the room. Under the table, under the bed, inside every closet.
Nothing.
My fingertips brushed the edge of the desk, feeling the dust settled there. Exactly like yesterday. No one had been here? Or was the watcher just more cautious than I imagined?
I still grasped the knife tightly. The unease in my chest refused to fade. Those messages felt like an invisible hand, gripping my throat, tightening with each unanswered question.
Susanne Polzin. I searched the name over and over, but found nothing. As if this person had never existed.
Susanna Lynch. Who are you?
My phone lay lifeless beside my pillow, mocking my paranoia with its silence. I stared at the screen, unlocking it every five minutes, half-expecting a message, half-dreading it. But the other side seemed to know exactly what I was thinking. Nothing came.
The feeling of being watched still lingered. I hated things lurking in the shadows. That was supposed to be my role.
Eventually, exhaustion won over the anxiety, and I fell into an uneasy sleep.
The next day, I arrived at the company. According to my plan, Richard and Susanna would be in Durham for a meeting today. So, the perfect opportunity to act.
As soon as I stepped into the office, I handled three deliveries for Mr. Langston, answered two calls, and politely informed the callers that Richard wasn’t available today.
Just as I was about to sneak into Richard’s office, Jerry knocked on my door with a pile of documents in her arms.
“This is the revised project proposal from Mark. He made adjustments based on the meeting yesterday and hopes Mr. Langston can review and sign it. If everything goes fine, the HR department will begin selecting volunteers for the tests.”
“Oh, thanks.” I took the files. Perfect. I would have to drop them off at Richard’s desk later.
“Want some coffee?”
I wanted to say no, but... maybe in the break room there would be some useful information. “Sure.”
Jerry led me down the corridors, enthusiastically explaining various departments and company's bonus". “Our break room has a wide selection of drinks—different types of juice, wine, tea… Honestly, you won’t find another company in London with such a wild and wide selection.”
I wasn’t really listening, and my attention shifted toward the drink cabinet. Well, it's my bad habit of not listening to others while they are talking. What do we have—grape juice, pomegranate juice, cranberry juice… even the coconut juice was pinkish.
Hmmm. So many red and purple drinks?
For vitamin C supplements?
“Hey.” A coworker, Joe, walked over with a steaming cup of tea, greeting us with a polite nod. A short but energetic guy, always friendly. “Bro, it’s freezing today. Gotta warm up with some hot tea.”
Freezing?
The heater was on full blast in this building, yet he was wrapped up like we were outside.
I took myself a cup and made a latte, at the same time, my vision caught a small movement.
Joe flicked his wrist.
A tiny glimpse of his skin.
Two small puncture marks.
Almost unnoticeable. But they looked like bite marks -
like the mark of vampire fangs.
I knew these kind of marks so well.
But he didn’t even seem to realize it.
I took a slow sip of my coffee, my gaze following Joel as he walked away.
The day passed quickly.
I had booked Richard’s train ticket for 5 p.m. He wouldn’t arrive back in London until at least 8 p.m. No way he’d come back to the office this late.
That gave me time.
I waited until the office was completely empty, the building bathed in silence. Once I was sure everyone had left, I switched off the lights and carefully stepped into Richard’s office.
The files on his desk were exactly where I had placed them earlier, nothing out of the ordinary. I crouched down, checking the drawers. Locked. But that wasn’t a problem for me.
I took out my tools. With a quiet click, the lock gave way.
Just as I was about to pull the drawer open—
Footsteps!
Damn it.
I barely had time to react. Heart pounding, I scanned the dark room. Nowhere to hide—except—
The wardrobe.
I flew inside just as the footsteps stopped at the door.
Darkness enveloped me, the faint scent of Richard lingering in the fabric around me.
Two people entered.
They didn’t turn on the lights.
"What do you think is the right timing?" Susanna’s voice!
My breath caught in my throat. Wait—shouldn’t they still be on the train at this time?
"Not now." Richard’s voice replied, calm and unwavering.
"You know how dangerous a Blood Hunter can be."
Blood Hunter? Wasn’t that just a myth?
I pressed myself against the back of the wardrobe, straining to hear.
I gradually remembered, Michael mentioned once. “Those guys are insane... They let vampires drink their blood willingly. Some even... offer it on purpose, like bait.”
“And then, vampires get hooked. Addicted. And the worst part? It burns them from the inside. Once that bond is made... it doesn’t end until one of them is dead.”
But I knew what Michael said was just a story. An old legend. No one had actually seen or known a Blood Hunter in real life...
Then, what were they talking about?
"I know," Richard said. "But this is a rare opportunity. We have to succeed. Once Mark completes the clinical trials, we move forward. I won't let you disappointed. It’s all for you."
Susanna’s voice wavered. “Richard… I don’t know. I don’t know what you’re thinking. I feel uncertain. What happened before, I was wrong, wasn’t I? But now I’ve come back. I came back for you. I decided to stay this time, to be with you now and forever. At that time, I decided to leave because you never considered my feelings before you turned me into—”
Oh, keep going. I need to hear this.
But before she could finish, Richard interrupted, his voice unusually soft. "You don’t have to say it was your fault. You had your reasons. Whatever you want, I’ll give it to you. But..."
She sounded desperate. “I want things to go back to the way they were.”
Through the tiny gap between the wardrobe doors, I could barely see them. The moonlight illuminated their figures. She lifted a hand, pressing her fingers over his lips.
He caught her hand gently. “Once this project is over, I’ll give you an answer.”
Well, sounds like a toxic relationship. It’s worth being here, for the gossip.
I carefully tried to change my position a little bit, my muscles aching from staying still for so long—
Then, pain.
I sucked in a breath. Something sharp inside the wardrobe had stabbed into my finger.
Not deep. But warm liquid welled up instantly.
It bled.
Too fast. Too much. More than usual.
I clenched my fist, trying to stop the flow, but the scent was already in the air.
The room went still.
“…Fresh.” Susanna whispered. Her breathing became sharp.
She moved, slow but purposeful, step by step, around the office, near the wardrobe.
A shadow blocked out the silver of moonlight through the wardrobe gap.
I held my breath. My knife—I had left it in my office. Oh come on.
I closed my eyes, preparing for the worst.
Then—
Click.
A sound. A unlocking.
“You mean this?” Richard’s voice, perfectly steady and timely.
A faint rustling. A metallic scent.
“The blood pack from Durham got damaged.” He spoke lazily, as if discussing spilled coffee.
Silence.
Then, after a moment—
“I’ll take care of it.” Susanna’s steps receded.
“I’m heading back, too.” Richard said.
The door closed. Two pairs of footsteps.
I remained frozen, still processing everything I had just heard in my mind. The stinging pain in my hand reminded me—this was my chance to leave.
Just as I moved—
The handle turned.
No.
A voice, low and dangerous.
“Since you heard everything, why are you still hiding here?”
The wardrobe door swung open, too fast for me to react.
Richard stood there.
We were face to face.
- Writer
