Noah Lorne walked aimlessly through the dark alleyways of the city, his feet heavy, mind burdened by the weight of his past. Each step felt like a burden, a reminder of everything he had lost. His heart felt like a broken puzzle, with pieces scattered in the wind, no longer fitting together the way they once did. The man he had been before the tragedy was gone, replaced by this hollow version of himself — lost, confused, and drowning in the regret of his choices.
The air was cold, sharp with the bite of late autumn. The city was silent around him, save for the occasional rustle of leaves and the faint hum of distant traffic. He didn't care about the world anymore. He had given up on everything — friends, love, even hope. What was the point in fighting anymore? His life had been consumed by the darkness, and now he was just wandering through it, waiting for it to take him.
As he turned the corner into a particularly secluded part of the city, his senses heightened. Something wasn't right. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up, and a primal instinct urged him to run. But there was nowhere to go. The narrow alley was a dead end. His heart raced as shadows seemed to stretch out from the walls, closing in on him.
Before he could react, a figure lunged from the darkness. A flash of teeth, an impossibly fast blur, and Noah was on the ground. He struggled beneath the weight of the predator, a vampire, its yellow eyes glowing like twin lanterns in the darkness. Its fangs gleamed as it bared them to his throat, the cold air rushing over his skin as he realized his blood was calling to the creature, thick with the scent of life.
He tried to scream, but no sound came. Panic flooded his chest, choking him as the vampire's breath fanned across his skin, hot and alien. The creature's tongue flicked out to taste him, its fangs inching closer to his jugular. Noah felt frozen, paralyzed with fear. He had heard the stories — the legends of the bloodthirsty vampires that roamed the night, but he never imagined one would come for him.
Then, just as the vampire's fangs were about to pierce his skin, a burst of force slammed into the creature, sending it sprawling off him with an inhuman shriek. The sudden release of pressure had Noah gasping for air, his chest heaving, eyes wide in disbelief. His head spun, and he struggled to sit up, unable to comprehend what had just happened.
The figure standing before him was taller than anyone Noah had ever seen, dressed in black, the moonlight gleaming off the sleek fabric of his coat. His eyes, a glowing amber, focused on the vampire with an intensity that could have shattered stone.
The vampire, stunned and clearly frightened by the newcomer's presence, growled and charged, but the stranger moved with a speed that defied everything Noah had ever known. He struck the vampire with a single, fluid motion, his hand a blur as he tore into its flesh with ease. Blood sprayed in all directions, but the stranger barely flinched, his movements as graceful and deadly as a predator of the night.
Noah's breath caught in his throat as he watched the chaos unfold, his pulse pounding in his ears. The stranger didn't hesitate, didn't waste any time. He simply destroyed the vampire with a savagery that shook Noah to his core, each strike more brutal than the last.
Finally, the vampire crumpled to the ground, dead.
The stranger turned slowly toward Noah, his amber eyes narrowing slightly. For the briefest moment, Noah thought he saw something flicker in those eyes — something predatory, something ancient.
But then the stranger's expression softened, and he stepped toward Noah, crouching in front of him.
"You should be more careful," he said, his voice low and smooth like the dark night itself. "There are things out here that want more than your blood."
Noah tried to speak, but his voice caught in his throat. He was trembling, unable to process the events that had just unfolded. He had seen the vampire's fangs, the bloodlust in its eyes, but this man — this stranger — he wasn't human either. There was something in the way he moved, in the way he spoke, that made Noah's heart skip a beat, and a shiver run down his spine.
Elias Blackthorne. The name came to Noah's mind unbidden, though he had never heard it before.
The stranger stood up and stepped back slightly, giving Noah some space. The cold air cut through Noah's skin, and he shivered, but it wasn't just from the temperature. It was the man — Elias, who had saved him — or was it the monster that now stood before him?
The man's eyes seemed to glow, almost golden in the dim light of the alley, and Noah realized just how much danger he was in. The predator had saved him, but what did that mean for him now?
Elias looked at him, his eyes darkening with something Noah couldn't quite place. There was a hunger there, a dangerous glint that sent a jolt of terror through Noah's chest.
"Do you know what you just asked for?" Elias said quietly, his voice like silk and poison, as his fangs flashed in the moonlight. The words were a warning, but they held an undeniable allure.
Noah, trembling and breathless, met his gaze, feeling the pull of something he couldn't explain. His heart raced, his body moving without his permission.
He didn't care anymore. He had nothing left to lose. If this was how he was going to die, then so be it.
"Do it," Noah whispered, his voice hoarse, but steady. "Make me yours."
The world seemed to hold its breath. Elias leaned in, his body nearly brushing Noah's. The heat between them was almost unbearable. Then, just as Noah felt Elias's breath against his neck, the vampire hesitated.
For a heartbeat, the alley was silent. Time seemed to stretch.
And then, Elias's voice broke the stillness, his words like a curse. "You have no idea what you're asking for, human."
Noah's heart skipped. Elias's eyes locked with his, glowing fiercely, as if the very act of being this close to Noah was tearing him apart. And then, Elias went to bite him, his fangs descending with horrifying speed.
But then, Elias froze. He didn't bite.
The air between them crackled with tension. The vampire's eyes darkened, his expression torn.
Noah's chest tightened. "Do it. Make me yours."
And just
as the words escaped his lips, the world cut to black.