104

104

Ian’s POV

The night had started perfectly. Sophia and I decided to take a break from the madness that had become our lives. After everything—the Council, the hunters, the lingering threat hanging over her head like a shadow—I wanted to give her a night to forget all of that.

We hadn’t been able to just be together in so long.

We strolled through the quiet streets of the city, the cool night air wrapping around us, her hand warm in mine. Sophia looked beautiful as always, her red hair glowing under the streetlights, her laughter light and genuine.

She had straightned her hair tonight, so now it was even longer, flowing and shunung like silk.

I smiled, staring up at the sky briefly. It was the kind of night where nothing seemed wrong—almost like we could be normal, even though we both knew that was far from the truth.

“You know,” she said with a smile, “it’s nice to do something as simple as a walk, without vampires, witches, or ancient prophecies hanging over us.”

I chuckled, squeezing her hand gently. “You deserve more nights like this, Sophia. I’m sorry they’re so rare.”

She looked up at me, her eyes shining in the dim light. “It’s not your fault, Ian. I chose this life with you.”

Those words stirred something in me. The implications of her choice, the danger I’d brought into her life—it was always there, a constant reminder that her world had changed because of me. I’d turned her life upside down, made her a target for every vampire with a grudge and every hunter with a vendetta. And yet, she stayed.

She chose me.

Before I could respond, her smile faded slightly. She glanced around, her body tensing. I felt it too—a subtle shift in the air, the kind that made the hair on the back of my neck stand up. My senses flared, and I reached out, extending my awareness beyond the surface of the moment.

We were being watched.

“What is it?” she whispered, her voice barely audible.

I scanned the area. The street, which had seemed so peaceful a moment ago, now felt too quiet. Too still.

“Stay close to me,” I murmured, wrapping my arm around her waist.

She nodded, and we continued walking, though the carefree atmosphere had already evaporated. I could feel them now—several people lingering just out of sight, their intentions dark and hostile. They were waiting for the right moment.

Hunters.

We rounded a corner, and that’s when they struck. Four of them, moving with inhuman speed, weapons glinting in the moonlight. They were fast—faster than most humans had any right to be. These weren’t just ordinary vampire hunters; they were trained, enhanced, maybe even by magic. But they weren’t fast enough.

I spun, pushing Sophia behind me as the first hunter lunged. His blade, silver and etched with runes, sliced through the air toward my throat. I caught his wrist mid-swing, the force of the impact sending a sharp jolt through my arm. Without hesitating, I twisted, snapping his wrist with a sickening crack before driving my fist into his chest. He crumpled to the ground, unconscious.

Two more were on me in an instant. I shoved the first hunter aside, his body slamming into the alley wall with a thud, while the second one came at me with a stake aimed at my heart. I dodged, moving faster than he could track, grabbing his arm and twisting it behind his back until I heard his shoulder dislocate. He screamed, but I didn’t let up, tossing him to the ground like a rag doll.

“Sophia, stay behind me!” I shouted, but when I turned, I saw her already in motion. A hunter was advancing on her, and I moved to intercept, but before I could reach her, she ducked under his swing with impressive speed and delivered a well-placed kick to his knee. He staggered, and in a flash, she grabbed his wrist, twisting the knife from his hand and slamming it into his side.

She was stronger than she used to be. Faster, more skilled. She had been learning, adapting. But still, the sight of her fighting made something fierce rise up inside me. I needed to protect her.

Two hunters remained, circling us like predators. They hesitated, clearly realizing they were outmatched, but they didn’t retreat. They had come here with a reason, and they weren’t going to back down.

One of them lunged at me again, this time with a crossbow aimed directly at my chest. I moved faster than the eye could follow, disarming him with a quick twist and breaking his neck in one fluid motion. He dropped to the ground, lifeless.

The last one turned his attention to Sophia, his face twisted in fury. I could see the hatred in his eyes, the belief that we were nothing more than monsters to be exterminated. He raised his weapon—a silver blade—and rushed at her.

Time seemed to slow. Everything inside me screamed to protect her, to get between her and that blade, but Sophia wasn’t helpless. As the hunter charged, she moved with an eerie grace, sidestepping his attack and grabbing his wrist in a vice-like grip. With a swift motion, she flipped him onto his back, knocking the wind out of him. His blade clattered to the ground, and before he could react, I was on him.

I knelt beside him, my hand around his throat. His eyes were wide with fear now, the confidence drained from his face.

“Who sent you?” I demanded, my voice low and dangerous.

The hunter struggled, gasping for air as he tried to free himself from my grip, but it was no use. I tightened my hold, watching the panic set in. “Answer me.”

“They’ll keep coming,” he rasped, his voice weak but filled with hatred. “You can’t stop it.”

I growled, my fangs coming out as my anger surged. “Who sent you?”

But before I could get more out of him, his eyes glazed over, and his body went limp. I felt it—the magic in the air. Someone had cut off his life before he could reveal anything more. A failsafe, likely cast by whoever had sent him.

I stood up, tossing his body aside, my blood boiling. They’d sent these hunters after us, knowing we’d take them down, but not caring about the losses. This wasn’t just an attack—it was a message.

Sophia stood beside me, her breathing heavy but steady. I could see the adrenaline still coursing through her, but there was no fear in her eyes—just determination. She had handled herself well, better than I could have hoped for. Still, the thought of her in danger, of those hunters coming after her, ignited a fury inside me that I struggled to contain.

“Ian,” she said quietly, touching my arm, her voice pulling me from my thoughts. “I’m okay.”

I turned to face her, cupping her face in my hands, searching her eyes. “You shouldn’t have had to fight them.”

“I’m not helpless,” she replied, her voice firm but gentle. “You taught me how to defend myself. I needed that.”

I let out a slow breath, my thumb brushing over her cheek. She was right. She wasn’t the same girl I’d first met—the one who had no idea about the world she was stepping into. She was stronger now. But that didn’t stop the instinct in me to protect her at all costs.

“I know,” I said, my voice softening. “But that doesn’t mean I’ll ever stop trying to keep you safe.”

She smiled, leaning into my touch. “And I’ll always fight by your side. We’re in this together, remember?”

I nodded, pulling her into my arms, holding her close. The bodies of the hunters lay around us, but for a moment, none of that mattered. All I cared about was that she was safe, that she was here with me.

But as I held her, the weight of what had just happened settled over me. The hunters had found us too easily. They had known exactly where we’d be and when to strike. There was someone out there pulling the strings, and they weren’t done yet. This was just the beginning.

“Ian,” Sophia said, her voice barely a whisper. “Who do you think sent them?”

I clenched my jaw, anger simmering just beneath the surface. “I don’t know. But I intend to find out.”

And when I did, there would be hell to pay.