A BITE IN THE DARK

The Bite Nears

The city was quiet now, but the shadows seemed alive. Every step I took, I felt eyes on me. My sketchbook pressed against my chest, my fingers tracing the edges nervously, I wished I could just disappear into the night. But I couldn’t. Not when Lucien was out there. Not when the pull between us burned hotter than anything I had ever felt.

I rounded a corner, and there he was—leaning against the lamppost, eyes gold in the dim light, coat brushing the ground. He didn’t smile. He didn’t move. He just watched. And I felt it—the hunger, the protection, the desire.

“You came back,” I whispered, my voice shaky.

“I never left,” he said, stepping closer. Close enough that I could feel the heat radiating off him. Close enough that my pulse screamed in my ears.

“Why do you keep following me?” I asked, my breath uneven.

“Because you belong with me,” he said simply. His eyes dropped to my lips for just a second, and my knees threatened to buckle.

“I don’t belong anywhere like this,” I said, trying to sound strong, but my voice betrayed me.

“Yes, you do,” he murmured, leaning just close enough that my hair brushed against his chest. My heartbeat thundered. The city sounds faded. Only him. Only this tension. Only the pull that made my entire body ache.

“I—” I started, then froze. A sudden rustle echoed behind us. Lucien’s head snapped to the darkness, muscles taut, his eyes glowing gold. His hand shot out, grabbing mine, pulling me behind a nearby wall.

“Rivals,” he said, teeth flashing in a faint snarl. “They’ve found us.”

I swallowed hard. “Rivals?”

“Yes. Pack enemies. They won’t stop until they take you… and me,” he said. The tension in his body made my skin prickle. Every step, every breath, every movement screamed danger. And yet, I couldn’t pull away from him.

“Then… what do we do?” I whispered, my voice trembling.

“You stay close,” he said, stepping even closer, pressing lightly against me. “And you trust me.”

I wanted to pull away. Part of me screamed to run. Another part of me—the part that had felt sparks when his hand brushed mine—wanted more. I wanted to lean in. I wanted to feel his lips. I wanted… everything.

He tilted his head, just a little, studying me. “You can’t hide from this,” he said, voice low and dangerous. “Not from me. Not from what’s coming.”

My breath hitched. “Coming?”

He smiled faintly, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “The bite. Your bond. It’s closer than you think. And soon… you won’t be able to resist it.”

I shivered. His words, his closeness, the heat radiating off him—it was intoxicating. My fingers brushed his hand. Sparks. Electricity. I wanted to move closer, wanted to let the pull take over. But the city around us was full of shadows, full of danger. I couldn’t give in… not yet.

Lucien leaned closer, his lips just brushing the shell of my ear. “Soon, it will be impossible to fight it,” he whispered. My body reacted instantly, every nerve alive with tension. “And you won’t want to.”

Before I could respond, a howl cut through the night. Claws scraped concrete. My heart raced. Lucien spun, protective, body low, eyes glowing gold. In a heartbeat, the danger vanished—but the warning remained.

“They’re out there,” he said, pulling me slightly closer, wrapping his coat around me. “And they’ll come for you again. Tonight, tomorrow… until the bond takes full hold.”

I swallowed hard. My lips tingled, my chest burned. My heart raced. I had never felt so alive—and so terrified.

“Why me?” I whispered, almost losing my courage in the heat of his gaze.

“Because you’re mine,” he said simply. His hand lifted to my cheek, brushing it softly, lightly, teasingly. Sparks ran through me again. “And I’ve waited too long to let you go.”

My knees felt weak. The air between us vibrated, tense, thick. I wanted to close the gap. I wanted the kiss. I wanted to feel the bite—just a trace—of what it would mean.

Then, a distant shadow moved. A dark figure leapt across the rooftops, watching, waiting. Lucien stiffened instantly, his body tense.

“They’re here,” he whispered, pulling me into the shadow of an alley. “You’re not safe. Not for a second.”

I shivered. My lips still tingled from his near-touch, my body on fire from the closeness. “Then… what now?” I asked, voice trembling.

He leaned close, just barely, whispering, “Now… you wait. And you feel it. The pull. The bite. And soon… there will be no turning back.”

Then he disappeared.

I was left trembling in the alley, heart racing, body alive with heat and fear. My sketchbook felt heavy against my chest. The city seemed quiet… but I knew better. Shadows hid dangers. And Lucien? He was already in my blood, in my mind, and in my heart.

And one thought, sharp and terrifying, ran through me as I pressed myself against the wall:

I had been claimed.

The bite in the dark was only beginning.