The Wicked Ones: Destiny of a Vampire

Consequences

"How strange to see you eating normal food," Keira remarked, watching as Arius chew a bite of steak and washed it down with wine. "Did Anastasia cook it for you?"

"No, but she brought it back from the city," he smirked. "Wanna try some?"

"No," Keira replied, sipping blood from her glass. "I prefer my steaks a bit more... raw."

Arius grinned, wiping his lips with a napkin. A strange tension hung in the air between them. They were both still simmering with unresolved anger, making a normal conversation feel awkward. The silence was broken by the vibration of Arius's phone, immediately catching Keira's attention.

"Aren't you going to pick that up?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

Arius glanced briefly at the phone before setting it back on the table. Anastasia was calling, but he had no intention of answering in front of Keira. Anastasia had been worried that Keira might hurt him and had tried to convince him to leave the hotel with her, but Arius resisted.

He would never leave the hotel, so as much as he liked Anastasia, the idea sounded ridiculous to him. That’s why he was determined to settle things with Keira in a calm and rational way—ensuring neither of them would have to walk away.

"How did you two manage to get so close recently?" Keira asked, placing her hand on the table and resting her chin on her palm.

"We're not close, Keira. She's just a good friend," Arius replied with a sigh. "You’ve known her from the beginning, and you know there’s nothing going on between us." He paused, his tone shifting. "I’m more interested in what’s happening between you and my brother."

"We’re just friends," Keira responded with a sarcastic smirk. "But Zaidh gives me what I need most right now."

"Friends with Zaidh?" Arius scoffed. "What could he possibly offer you that made you decide to befriend him?"

"Support," Keira shot back, her expression darkening as she stood up. Her voice turned sharp.

"He trusts me and supports me more than you ever have, and I can’t understand why." She glared at Arius, her eyes blazing with accusation. "All you ever want is for me to follow your rules and do what you say."

"Keira, you're bringing this up again? I thought we had already settled it. There was no other way," Arius said, running his fingers through his hair in frustration. "Stop provoking me like this. You know I'm just worried about you."

"Of course," she replied curtly, giving him a sharp nod. "We’ll talk tomorrow. I’m sure you have other plans for tonight."

With that, she disappeared from his apartment in a rush of wind. Arius sank into a chair, burying his face in his hands. Exhausted from all the drama, he felt utterly lost. He knew Keira too well and that her stubbornness wouldn’t let her drop this until he agreed to become a hybrid.

The thought of becoming a hybrid filled Arius with unease. Since hybrids were half-vampire, he feared the possibility of becoming immortal again. That fear was enough to hold him back—for now. He needed more information about hybrids before making such a monumental decision. Running tests would require finding someone to experiment on, and conducting them would take time which he didn’t have. Keira wouldn’t wait forever and if he didn’t act soon, she might leave the hotel. The fact that Zaidh was slurking around her all the time made Arius worries ever worse. Yet it wasn't enough to change his mind.

Meanwhile, Keira stormed into her apartment, slamming the door behind her. She yanked off her jacket and threw it aside. Frustrated, she collapsed onto the couch, clutching her head as she tried to contain the storm of emotions building inside her.