Bite of the Night

Chapter 12: Scarlett is Kinda Outta Luck

The events of the previous night haunted me as I lay in bed, the cold light of dawn filtering through the curtains. I couldn't stop thinking about the vampire Dimitri had killed, the way his life had been snuffed out with such ruthless efficiency. It made my stomach churn, and I knew I couldn't keep silent any longer.

I had to confront him.

I found Dimitri in his office, a grand room filled with dark mahogany furniture and lined with towering bookshelves. The air was thick with the scent of old books and the faint hint of Dimitri's cologne. He was seated behind his massive oak desk, engrossed in paperwork, the early morning light casting shadows across his sharp features.

"Dimitri," I called out, my voice trembling slightly as I stepped into the room.

He looked up, his eyes narrowing slightly as he saw the determination on my face. "Scarlett, what is it?"

I took a deep breath, trying to steady my nerves. "We need to talk about what happened last night."

His expression darkened, and he set his pen down slowly, folding his hands on the desk. "There's nothing to discuss."

I clenched my fists at my sides, feeling a surge of anger rise within me. "You killed an innocent man, Dimitri. He didn't deserve to die."

His eyes flashed with a mix of anger and something else, something more primal. "He was a threat, Scarlett. He was one of them, and he was getting too close to you."

I shook my head, my voice rising. "You had no right to take his life! He was just a vampire, like any other. Just because he was near me doesn't mean he deserved to die."

Dimitri stood, his movements deliberate and controlled as he rounded the desk to stand in front of me. "You don't understand the dangers of our world, Scarlett. I was protecting you."

I met his gaze, my eyes filled with tears of frustration and anger. "This isn't about protection. This is about control. You want to control me, to keep me under your thumb."

His jaw tightened, and for a moment, I saw a flicker of pain in his eyes. "Scarlett, those vampires weren't ordinary. They were energy-draining vampires, and they were sucking your blood magic. If I hadn't killed them, you would have been in grave danger."

I froze, the weight of his words sinking in. "Energy-draining vampires?"

He nodded, his expression grim. "They feed on magical energy. They were draining you, weakening your magic. That's why I had to kill them."

"But why didn't you tell me?" I asked, feeling a mix of anger and confusion.

"Because I didn't want to scare you," he replied, his voice softening. "And because it means I need to bite you again to restore your blood magic. But I knew you'd be against it."

I took a step back, my anger flaring anew. "So you just decided for me? You didn't even give me a choice!"

Dimitri's eyes darkened, and he took a step closer, his voice low and intense. "I did what I had to do to protect you, Scarlett. Whether you understand that or not."

I glared at him, my heart pounding with a mixture of fear and anger. "I don't want you to bite me again. I can't go through that again."

He looked at me, a hurt expression crossing his face. "If you really feel that way, then maybe you should stay away from me."

The words hit me like a physical blow, and for a moment, I couldn't breathe. The room seemed to spin around me, and I turned on my heel, fleeing from the office.

I didn't stop running until I was outside in the garden, the cool morning air a welcome relief from the suffocating tension of the mansion. I sank onto a bench, my mind racing with thoughts of Dimitri and the prophecy, and the blood magic that now coursed through my veins.

How had everything gone so wrong? I had thought that Dimitri and I could find a way to work together, to trust each other. But now, it seemed like we were further apart than ever.

As I sat there, surrounded by the serene beauty of the garden, I vowed to find a way to break through the barriers between us, to show Dimitri that there was another way. A way that didn't involve bloodshed and control, but trust and understanding.

But first, I needed to understand more about my own power, about the blood magic that now coursed through my veins. And I needed to figure out if I could ever trust Dimitri again.

I wasn't sure how, but I knew that I couldn't give up. Not yet. There was too much at stake. And despite everything, a part of me still believed that Dimitri and I could find a way to make this work.

Somehow, we had to.