The Heat of Midnight

Into the Fire

Chloe woke up the next morning, her bed cold and empty and Lucian was nowhere to be found. The sheets were a chaotic mess, the evidence of their night together lying in crumpled heap. The memories of last night raced through her mind, and she wondered if it had all been a dream. But the heat and fire that burned within her told her otherwise.

As she gazed out the window, the cold light of day flooded into the room. She glanced at the clock and realized that it was already past ten in the morning. The night with Lucian had vanished into the distant past, and she was left with unanswered questions and uncertain feelings.

Her mind was still filled with the memories of last night, but her body was beginning to feel the aches and pains of a night spent in passion and desire.

She got up, her body still feeling the effects of their night together. She made her way to the bathroom and looked in the mirror, seeing the evidence of their passion in her reflection. The bite marks on her neck, the passion-touched flush to her cheeks, and the fire in her eyes all told the story of a night spent with Lucian.  She fixed herself up, trying to make sense of what it all meant with little luck. She was confused and her emotions were all over the place, but one thing was clear: she was lost in the heat of the pureblood's kissed.

As she was done getting ready, she went to her kitchen and made herself a cup of coffee and sat down at the kitchen table with her laptop, beginning her research on the vampires who had been their target. She focused her attention on the task at hand, trying to ignore the memories of last night. She needed to focus and keep her mind occupied. The coffee was a comfort and she took a sip from her cup, as she tried to forget the heat and the fire that was still burning in her veins.

She couldn't help but think that she had only met Lucian a short while ago, but it felt like they had known each other for so long. She knew that she had been tasked with killing him, but being in his presence had made her let her guard down. She was consumed by him, by his touch, by his eyes and by his heat and intensity. She should have been angry at him, but she felt the opposite. How could she be mad at him when she felt so connected to him, so tied to him?

She took a deep breath, her focus broken by a ping on her laptop from her boss, calling for an emergency meeting at headquarters.

She quickly headed out and drove herself to the place, her thoughts racing with possible scenarios and reasons for the meeting. She knew that her boss rarely called meetings unless it was important, and her curiosity and concern only grew as she made her way to the office.

As Chloe arrived at the office, where the rest of the team had gathered, she immediately took a seat and listen closely as, Manuel, 'the head' briefed the team on a mission.

"Chloe," Manuel called. "You're heading to a small town in the north." He paused, looking directly at her with a serious expression on his face. "We've gotten reports of a group of rogue vampires who have been terrorizing the locals. They've been killing young people and torturing women, and bringing the entire town into chaos and fear" The room was silent as all eyes turned towards Chloe. Manuel continued "We need you to take them out."

Chloe paused for a moment, processing the assignment and what it all meant. She had, indeed, been playing with fire. A very dangerous kind.

As she nodded to Manuel, accepting the mission, her emotions and desires were a chaotic mess.

"You will lead Luca and the rest of the team that I've assigned to go with you," Manuel said, gesturing towards the group of hunters gathered around the table. Chloe took in the sight of the team, recognizing some faces but also seeing new ones as the team had been augmented for this mission.

Luca nodded at her, a somewhat detached expression on his face. They had run missions together in the past, but they hadn't been particularly close. There had never been any issues between them, but they had mostly kept to themselves and focused on their jobs. Chloe tried not to read too much into the nod and the distant look in Luca's eyes.

After the meeting, Chloe got up and began to issue final instructions to her assigned team. "We will leave tomorrow before sunrise," she said, "so make sure to get your gear in order and be ready to move out." She said maintaining a serious and composed demeanor.

After issuing the final orders to her team, Chloe left the office and made her way to the parking lot, where her car was parked. As she approached the car, she unexpectedly felt a sense of unease and foreboding, as if something was off or wrong.

Upon reaching her car, Chloe was surprised to find someone waiting for her inside her car. Her heart was pounding in her chest and she felt a rush of adrenaline as she scanned the parking lot for any signs of other hunters nearby. The parking lot was mostly deserted, but she couldn't take any chances. Was he unaware of the danger he was putting himself in by being here? This was a hunter's place, and he could easily be caught if he had been seen.

As soon as she entered the car and shut the door, she turned to look at Lucian and gave him a puzzled look. She cleared her throat and gathered her thoughts before speaking.

"What exactly are you doing here?" She asked. She remained alert and cautious, watching his every move and trying to determine what he was up to.

Lucian, just let out a deep chuckle, as if he found the entire situation amusing. A smile playing across his lips. But he didn't answer her question, and she felt a twinge of frustration. She didn't appreciate being laughed at or having her questions ignored. "Why are you here?" She repeated, her tone more forceful than before.

"I heard about your mission" he said casually, as if it was the most normal thing in the world. Chloe's heart skipped a beat. Her mission was supposed to be a secret, known only to the hunters and a select few others.

How had he heard about the mission? And what was his plan for interfering in their plans? Something was not right.

"How did you know that?" Chloe asked with a tense edge to her voice.

He met her stare with a confident and unfazed expression. "I have my ways," he said simply. Chloe felt a wave of unease wash over her. If she had not been so distracted by his presence, she might have sensed something in advance.

"Why are you going to stop me from killing your kind?" Chloe said defensively, turning to start the engine and preparing to drive away.

"What are you talking about?" Lucian raised an eyebrow. "Why would I stop you?" A faint smile crossed his lips as he watched her start the engine.

Chloe was thrown off balance by his response, and his calm and confident demeanor only made her all the more suspicious.

"You know exactly what I mean," she said, "The mission that we're going on is extremely important. So why are you here and what is your plan?" She asked her eyes fixed on the road.

"Well, my love, since you asked," Lucian said with a sly smile. He leaned back in the backseat, his arms crossed over his chest as he watched Chloe drive. "I have come to stop you from completing your mission."

"Stop me from completing my mission?" She asked, her tone rife with disbelief and confusion.

"It won't be easy to win over those rogues," He said, his tone playful and his eyes gleaming with mischief.

"I know. That's why they chose me to do it." Chloe responded confidently, meeting his gaze in the rearview mirror. Her expression was firm and determined, and she wasn't afraid to state her case. She had been chosen for the mission due to her skill and abilities, and she was confident in her ability to succeed.

Lucian watched her with a smile as she steered the car along the empty streets. Her confidence and fierce attitude reminded him of the first time he saw her following him, studying him closely before she finally show up and decided to challenge and kill him. He remembered how intrigued and fascinated he had been by her, and the way she had held his attention. Her wit and perseverance had sparked something in him, and in that moment he knew that she was special. A fire that he knew he wouldn't be a able to escape.