“Goodnight, Seattle,” Nick signed off. He took off the headphones and stood from his seat. He put his jacket on as he said “Bye, Patty.” She gave a polite wave from behind the desk and went back to her crossword.

  He stepped out into the Seattle rain, his hood up, his hands shoved deep into his pockets.

  Sure, I’m a god, but I can’t let down my fans. He chuckled to himself.

  Ah, that Nelson girl. Drew. She was such a headache. How dare she run away and hide from me! Of course I was going to find her again, the dumb bitch. The really annoying thing was Syla. Thought that after a century under my thumb she could just leave? Ha! Dampening the bond to lower their guard was the perfect move. Just as well that I cut her off, I feel so much lighter without that weight.

  He hummed as he remembered the taste of that energy. It was simply delectable. I knew that her stubborn streak would make the taste marvelous. The flavor was rich, deep, strong, and perfect for godhood. He knew that he’d still have to play things smart, lay low while Ms. Nelson’s friends continued to poke their noses where they didn't belong.

  He thought of someone else with a stubborn streak who tasted delicious. His half-sister, who he never bothered learning the name of – oh how she had fought him. He smiled at the memory, another victory.

  It won’t be long now; soon enough, those disgraces of vampires will be under my control. It really was a shame that Ms. Nelson had to die. If she had become a vampire, she’d have been a force to be reckoned with.

  ? ?? ?

  I stood up, wiping my mouth. I hated how good human blood tasted. The man at my feet had been following me for over a block. I had ducked into an alley with a large dumpster, the light almost nonexistent. He had turned onto the dead-end alley like it was just part of his walk.

  Ambushing him was satisfying. I jumped onto his back, biting his neck from behind. He dropped quickly with little fuss, sprawling on the ground when I let go. Sometimes, I felt bad enough to make sure they were at least face up or sitting up before I left, but this guy? I heard his intentions loud and clear in my mind, and I was not going to be his victim.

  Thank goodness that came in fast. I thought about my powers. Antun had been right, both about the increase in mana and about mind-reading being a bit of a doozy, but it did come in handy at times like this.

  No flying yet, although my senses were beginning to enhance. And if I thought I was a coffee snob before, I was sorely mistaken; no amount of cream or sugar or even sorcery could fix the coffee at the office, even though it was the same beans that we had always gotten.

  And my favorite scarf, the green infinity scarf, somehow felt even softer to me after, when I would’ve expected the opposite. Smells and sounds were amplified, and my vision was better than 20/20. It was crazy watching a moth’s wings flap; it was almost as if it was in slow motion, but it was still somehow in real time.

  I walked away from the sleaze, leaving him lying face down on the ground, a puddle under his shirt. He’d be soaked when he woke up, but he deserved it. Coming out of the alley, I turned left, heading home, mana needs met.

  I turned the key in the lock and heard the scratching of cat feet on linoleum before I had even opened the door. Once I had come inside and taken off my coat and shoes, I padded quietly over to the couch. Husker was shaking under the bed, looking at me, his eyes wide and scared.

  “You’re a good boy, Husker. Mama loves you still, even if you don’t recognize her anymore. I’ll keep on loving you no matter what, my sweet boy.”

  He continued to quake, but I hoped maybe not as harshly.

  Tonight, Michael had wanted to spend more time studying the journal after work, so he wasn’t around. I decided that it would be a perfect night to relax with a show.

  After Thanksgiving, Michael had helped move the TV to the living room. Finally; I had wanted to do it myself, but wall-mounting solo wasn’t happening. I turned it on, scrolling through Netflix until I found a mystery show that seemed alright. Before I started it, I went to the kitchen to get mine and Husker’s food ready.

  I made myself a plate of Thanksgiving leftovers and put it in the microwave. While that went, I got out Husker’s kibble, putting a beef gravy topping over it before setting it on the floor. Once my food was ready, I turned to go to the table to eat. Husker’s head was sticking out of the bedroom door before I had left the kitchen. That was improvement!

  “Good boy, Husker. Such a good boy.” I tried to keep my volume and excitement down, barely managing to do it.

  His head stayed out and he watched my every move, from me setting down my dinner to me sitting. As soon as I sat, he fled to the kitchen, crunching on the topping and kibble quite loudly. I laughed inside at him, proud that he had made some progress towards maybe loving me again.

  Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  The show proved to be quite engaging, the plot following a female from the late 1800s who solved crimes, including murders. After eating and clearing my dishes, I ended up laying on my side on the couch to watch it. Before the next episode had started though, I was yawning.

  I’ll need to go to bed soon, I thought as I clicked ‘Next Episode’ anyway, my interest in the show higher than my interest in sleeping. I’m not sure how many more episodes I made it through, but before long I was asleep on the couch, my short legs scrunched up to fit on the loveseat, one arm under my head.

  ? ?? ?

  Michael went to unlock the door, grateful that Drew had a spare key for him to use. His night at the library was moderately productive…ish… Okay, it was a slog but he felt like he had learned all there was from what was available to all of them.

  What he really wanted to do was look for Nikola and kill him. He wished Antun had stolen the yew sword from the exhibit, too. From what they could find, yew wood was the only type that was specified as harmful to vampires.

  Inside, the apartment was still. He noticed the ‘Are You Still Watching’ on the screen and walked in as quietly as possible. Husker was under the bed, glaring at him, Michael was sure. He peered over the couch and saw Drew curled up on the two cushion wide seat.

  He fought over what to do before nodding in decision. He knelt down intending to wake her, but upon seeing her face, he paused, suddenly unsure. She looked peaceful. She hadn’t looked peaceful while sleeping in a long time, but there she was. No crease between her brows, no racing eyes under her eyelids. Truly calm.

  He debated whether or not to carry her to bed. With how scary her world had been, he realized that leaving her on the couch was indeed better this time so she wouldn’t wake up confused. He used the throw blanket to cover her, tucking it under her chin.

  He kissed his first two fingers and pressed them to her temple. Not wanting to disrupt her further, he decided that missing his few hours of sleep would be fine. He left the apartment, locking the door, and headed to a 24-hour cafe, knowing that caffeine would be needed.

  ? ?? ?

  I was back on the terrace with the dark, climbing roses, the moon full and heavy in the water, reflecting so much light it may as well have been morning.

  “Drew.”

  I spun around. The beautiful woman was there again, looking exactly as she had before, complete with her gentle smile.

  I had to ask. “Who are you?” I prayed I’d get a real answer.

  “Selene.”

  I was so taken aback by it that I stood there like an idiot for way too long. I finally asked, “Where are we?”

  “Where do you think we are?”

  That was cryptic. “Uh, um… I have no idea. This place is gorgeous; it’s like it’s straight out of a fairytale! If this terrace weren’t on a cliff, I’d say it’d be perfect for that famous Romeo and Juliet balcony scene.”

  Her smile grew wider, whether in recognition of the reference or for another reason, I had no clue.

  “And look at these roses, they’re unreal!” I walked over to them, my hand gently holding one. “This color is so dark but you can still tell that it's red, it’s one of the prettiest colors I have ever seen.”

  I looked out at the sea, steps carrying me to the railing. “This view, it’s a masterpiece on its own. I have no idea where we are, where in the world a view like this could exist. I feel like I must be dreaming.”

  “You are, Drew.” I looked back at her.

  If this place wasn’t real…

  “I never said this place isn’t real.”

  I jumped back, nearly screaming.

  “I’m sorry for startling you,” she said with a small laugh. It was a delicate sound, soft and mesmerizing. But not as mesmerizing as her eyes. Silver like the reflections from the moon mixed with darker shades of grey, melting into deep pools of black…

  “Drew?”

  “You’re beautiful,” I blurted out. I slapped my hands to my mouth, but her smile somehow became even gentler.

  “Thank you, Drew. I know I tend to have that effect on people, but I can tell you mean it honestly. My eyes,” she gestured with her hands, “Tend to immediately entrance people into saying their true thoughts.” What else could this woman do? I still had so many questions.

  “Selene? You said that I’m dreaming. Is this place even real?”

  “It depends on your definition, I suppose.” Selene lifted and smelled a rose nearest to her, “It seems pretty real to me.”

  “Wait, are you even real? I’m so confused.” My mind was so fuddled.

  “I apologize, I don’t mean to confuse you. I mean to guide you.”

  Guide me?

  Her features turned grave. “A thief has taken something that is not theirs to have. You must stop his terrible plan before it is set into motion. He is laying low for now, biding his time for the perfect opportunity to unleash his power.”

  What?!

  I was instantly confused and scared. “But, I’m not some heroine! I’m a girl who works a desk job nine-to-five and, until recently, had no social life. A terrible plan? Who is this thief?”

  “You already know who he is, and what he has taken. This should feel very personal to you, considering he stole something very precious.”

  My energy!

  “Nikola,” I spat his name with venom.

  “The same,” Selene replied, her brows turned down. “You must stop him.”

  My mind was spun out; this couldn’t be happening. This couldn’t be real!

  “Calm yourself, Drew. You think I would send you out unprepared?” Her brows were creased in pain. “I am sorry that you believe such of me.” She sighed, a sad sound. Then her voice strengthened. “Even so, I will aid you. You need a way to stop Nikola. You already know how.”

  I went through my catalogue of what little we knew about vampire gods. “There’s only been one vampire god before Nikola, right?” She nodded. “The legends say that somehow, yew was used to defeat him, but they vary on the method.”

  “You have the resources. Utilize them.” She began to retreat into the room beyond the terrace.

  I knew that if I lost sight of her, I wouldn’t be able to find her again. “Wait!” She paused, turning so elegantly her dress looked fluid as it swished. “Selene, are you one of my resources?”

  She smiled, but her eyes looked sad. “I’m glad you’re clever, it’ll serve you well in defeating him. But I have aided you as much as I am able. I will see you again,” she said, answering my next question before I could ask. “But it is time for you to go now.” She turned heading into the dark room beyond.

  I wanted to follow her but somehow knew I couldn’t. As she retreated, my own vision began to fade, as if I couldn’t keep my eyes open. Her urgent words followed me as I began to drift.

  You must stop him.

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