The night wrapped around Theo like a velvet cloak as he moved silently through the darkened streets. His eyes were locked on the young woman walking ahead, her footsteps soft on the pavement, unaware of the predator following her. He had spotted her as she was locking the door to a cafe about half a mile from where she now stood. She was pretty, with her dark hair cascading down her back, and she had a grace in her movements that caught his eye.


    He watched her, letting his presence brush against her consciousness, just enough to make her glance over her shoulder. She saw nothing, of course, but her unease was well warranted. It was all part of the hunt, the subtle dance between predator and prey.


    When she turned into a quiet alley, Theo quickened his pace, appearing behind her in an instant. She gasped as he caught her by the waist, pulling her gently against him. Her breath hitched, and Theo leaned down, his lips hovering near her ear.


    “Don’t be afraid,” he whispered, his voice smooth, a dark promise lacing his words.


    She turned her head slightly, her eyes wide as they met his. There was confusion in her gaze, but also something else—a flicker of intrigue, of unexpected desire. Theo could feel the heat of her body pressed against his, her pulse quickening beneath his touch. She was lovely, her skin soft under his fingers, and for a moment, he indulged in the sensation, the subtle curve of her neck inviting him closer.


    His cool lips brushed her skin, and she shivered, tilting her head to the side in a silent invitation. Theo’s fangs elongated, the hunger surging within him. He could taste her already, feel the warmth of her blood on his tongue. The moment was charged, a dark seduction that danced on the edge of danger.


    But as he was about to sink his teeth into her flesh, a cold voice shattered the intimacy of the moment. “Enjoying yourself?”


    Theo froze, his grip tightening on the woman for a split second before he released her. He turned slowly, his gaze narrowing as he found Arthur standing at the mouth of the alley, his face the picture of serenity.


    Theo’s eyes flashed with irritation as he turned back to the woman, who remained still, caught in a web of fear and confusion, but Theo’s compulsion was strong.


    “Wait here,” he murmured to her, his voice layered with command.


    She nodded slightly, her eyes glazing over as she stood rooted in place, completely under his control.


    With that, Theo faced Arthur fully, annoyance flaring in his eyes. “You have impeccable timing, as always,” he muttered.


    Arthur stepped closer, his movements controlled, his gaze sharp. “And you have an impressive talent for being in places that you ought not to be,” he replied coolly. “But I didn’t come here to watch you play with your food.”


    Theo’s jaw tightened. “Then why are you here? To deliver another lecture?”


    Arthur’s expression darkened. “I’m here to warn you. I don’t know what they’ve put you up to this time Theo but whatever you’re planning with Elena, leave it be.”


    Theo’s irritation turned to curiosity. “What do you care about Elena?”


    “She’s more important than you realize,” Arthur said, his voice firm. “The artifact she found—don’t take it from her. Salvation hangs in the balance and there are more forces at play than you know.”


    Theo frowned, his eyes narrowing. “Ah, more redemption talk from the Almighty’s most obedient prisoner.” His voice softened on the last words, a hint of sadness seeping in. “The artifact is just a piece of stone, Arthur. It’s not going to save anyone…” his tone hardened again, laced with venom. “Not that we need saving by the likes of Him. Maybe you have something to atone for Arthur but as far as I’m concerned, he’s the one who owes me an apology.”


    Arthur’s gaze bore into him. “You don’t know that. And until you do, I suggest you tread carefully. Let Elena be.”


    Theo scoffed, turning away from Arthur’s intense stare. “And what if I don’t? What if I take the artifact and leave her in the dust?”


    Arthur’s voice dropped to a dangerous whisper. “Then you’ll have more than just me to answer to. Others are watching, Theo. They won’t be as forgiving as I am.”


    Theo glanced back at Arthur, a sneer on his lips. “You think I’m afraid of a few old vampires clinging to their lost glory?”


    “You should be,” Arthur said softly, but with a steel edge that cut through the night air. “This isn’t just about you, Theo. It’s about all of us. And if you take that artifact, you could doom us all.”


    For a moment, the two vampires stood in silence, the weight of Arthur’s words hanging between them. Finally, Theo shook his head, a wry smile tugging at his lips. “You’re always so dramatic, Arthur.”


    Arthur’s gaze didn’t waver. “And you’re always so reckless. One day, that recklessness will be your undoing.”


    Without another word, Arthur turned and disappeared into the shadows, leaving Theo alone in the alley. The tension from their encounter lingered, but Theo shoved it aside, his mind already shifting back to the woman he’d commanded to wait.


    The hunger still gnawed at him, but now it was accompanied by a new unease, a sense of something bigger looming just out of reach. But that was a problem for later. For now, he had unfinished business.


    He turned back to the woman, who was standing where he had left her, her eyes still clouded with the effects of his compulsion. As he approached, her gaze lifted to meet his, and the fear in her eyes slowly melted away, replaced by a dull acceptance.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    Theo’s lips curled into a slight smile as he reached for her, his hand gently brushing her hair aside to expose her neck once more. “Now, where were we?” he murmured, his voice low and soothing.


    The woman’s breath hitched as he pulled her towards him, his lips hovering just above her skin. And this time, when he sank his fangs into her, there were no more interruptions. The taste of her blood was as intoxicating as he had imagined, the warmth spreading through him, sating the hunger that had driven him to this moment. His prey let out a soft moan of pleasure and he instinctively pulled her in closer, one hand sliding down to the small of her back.


    He drank deeply, but not enough to drain her completely. There was a fine line between taking what he needed and taking too much, and he walked that line with precision. When he finally pulled away, the woman was weak but alive, her pulse still fluttering beneath her skin.


    Theo released her, stepping back as she slumped against the wall, her body trembling from the effects of his bite. He wiped the blood from his lips with the back of his hand, his mind already shifting to the next step in his plan.


    “Sleep,” he commanded, his voice soft but firm. The woman’s eyes fluttered closed, and she sank to the ground, slipping into a deep, dreamless slumber. She would wake hours later with no memory of what had happened, only a vague sense of having been touched by something dark and otherworldly.


    Theo lingered for a moment, watching her, his thoughts a tangled web of desire, caution, and the words Arthur had left him with.


    With one last glance at the woman, Theo melted into the night, his hunger sated, but his mind troubled. The road ahead was fraught with danger, and he knew that every decision he made would carry consequences far beyond his own fate. But for now, all that mattered was the next step, the next move in the eternal game.


    The night clung to Theo like a shroud as he made his way through the city streets, the thrill of the hunt already fading into a hollow ache that the fresh blood on his lips couldn’t satisfy. The city around him was alive in its way, but distant—a pulse of life that he could observe but never truly be a part of. Neon signs flickered in and out of existence, casting strange, fleeting colors across the pavement. A group of late-night revelers stumbled out of a bar, their laughter echoing down the narrow alleyways, oblivious to the darkness that watched and controlled their world from the shadows.


    Theo kept to the quieter streets, where the hum of the city was muted, replaced by the steady rhythm of his footsteps. The buildings here were old, their facades crumbling under the weight of time, yet they stood defiantly against the encroaching modernity that was slowly reshaping the city. Above him, a tangle of power lines and fire escapes created a web of iron and steel, casting jagged shadows on the ground below.


    He passed a row of small shops, their windows dark and lifeless, save for the occasional flicker of a security light. A lone cat slinked through the gutter, its eyes glowing as it paused to watch him with a wariness that came from instinct. Theo returned the gaze for a moment, feeling a brief kinship with the creature—both of them prowlers in the night, existing on the edges of a world that was not their own.


    The further he walked, the more the city seemed to change, the buildings growing taller, and more imposing, as if they were trying to swallow the sky. The streets here were cleaner, the lights brighter, but there was a sterility to it, a sense that something vital had been stripped away. Cars hummed quietly as they passed, their occupants sealed off from the outside world, locked in their little bubbles of safety.


    Finally, he reached the outskirts of the city, where the noise faded to a low murmur, and the streets gave way to long, winding roads lined with old oaks. The houses here were large and stately, each one set back from the road, surrounded by sprawling lawns and guarded by wrought-iron gates. It was a place of quiet wealth, where the residents valued privacy above all else.


    Theo’s home was one of the largest—a grand, imposing structure with tall windows and stone walls that had seen more than a century. The house stood like a sentinel, watching over the surrounding grounds with a silent, stoic presence. It was far too big for one person, with more rooms than Theo had any use for, but it suited him. The space, the solitude, the isolation—it was all part of the life he had chosen, or rather, the life that had chosen him.


    He passed through the gates, which creaked slightly as they opened to admit him, and walked up the long driveway. The trees that lined the path cast long shadows in the moonlight, their branches swaying gently in the night breeze. The house loomed before him, its windows dark save for a single light in the foyer, which flickered on as he approached.


    Theo paused at the door, his senses extending into the shadows around him. The faint scent of jasmine from a nearby garden mingled with the distant sound of an owl hooting somewhere in the trees. Satisfied that nothing was amiss, he unlocked the door and stepped inside, the heavy oak door closing behind him with a solid thud.


    The interior was grand yet cold. High ceilings, stone floors, and ornate chandeliers added to the sense of grandeur, but the rooms were sparsely furnished as if Theo had never fully inhabited the space. It was a house designed for entertaining, for showing off, yet it was inhabited by a man who rarely had visitors.


    Theo moved through the cavernous halls with a practiced ease, shedding his jacket and draping it over a chair in the foyer. The quiet was a balm after the tension of the night, but it did little to ease the thoughts circling in his mind. Arthur, his old mentor, had always had a way of getting under his skin, of reminding him of things he’d rather forget. But there was no escaping the past, not for someone like him.


    He was reaching for a bottle of whiskey in the library—a vast room lined with bookshelves that reached the ceiling—when the faintest shift in the air told him he was not alone. He stilled, his hand hovering over the glass, his senses sharpening. The presence was subtle, almost imperceptible, but he recognized it immediately.


    Without turning around, Theo spoke, his voice calm but laced with a warning edge. “Is this how Lucian does things now? Sending his dogs to sniff around?”


    There was a brief silence before two men stepped out from the shadows, their forms materializing at the edge of the room. They were dressed in dark clothing, blending seamlessly with the night, but Theo could sense their unease. They were used to being the predators, but in this house, they were acutely aware of their place.


    “Just following orders, Theo,” the first man said, his voice smooth but lacking the charm to make it convincing. “Lucian wants an update.”


    Theo turned slowly, letting his gaze settle on them with a casual disdain. “Lucian seems to think I’m on his schedule. Remind him that these things take time.”


    The second man’s eyes narrowed slightly, his posture stiffening. “Lucian isn’t known for his patience. He’s expecting results, not excuses.”


    Theo let out a low, humorless chuckle as he leaned back against the counter, crossing his arms over his chest. “And I’m not known for tolerating interruptions. Tell Lucian I’m working on it, but if he wants me to get anywhere with this artifact, he’ll need to give me some space.”


    The first man stepped forward, his expression hardening. “Lucian’s getting the feeling that your heart isn’t in this. Maybe it’s time to show him some progress.”


    Theo’s eyes darkened, the room seeming to grow colder. “And maybe it’s time Lucian remembered who he’s dealing with,” he said, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. “I don’t respond well to threats.”


    The two men exchanged a glance, the tension in the room thick enough to cut with a knife. They had clearly been sent to deliver a message, but now they were reconsidering the wisdom of pushing Theo too far.


    “We’ll pass along your message,” the second man said finally, taking a step back. “But remember, he doesn’t like to be kept waiting.”


    Theo held their gaze for a long moment before giving a slow nod. “Tell him I’ll be in touch soon.”


    With that, the men turned and left, their departure as silent as their arrival.