Crimson Bonds

Guess Not

Sleep doesn't come easily. I lie there, staring at the ceiling, my mind running in circles. The rain continues to patter against the window, a steady reminder of the storm raging both outside and inside me. My world has been turned upside down, and for the first time in years, I feel completely out of control.

I sit up in bed, swinging my legs over the side, the room dimly lit by the moonlight filtering through the curtains. I can't stop thinking about Nikolai's words—about how this world has a way of changing people. What did that even mean? And why did it feel like a warning?

The truth is, I have no idea what I'm getting myself into. Vampires. Rogues. A war I didn't even know existed until an hour ago. This wasn't just a story anymore—it was my life. And the worst part? I had no idea if I could trust any of them.

I get up and walk to the window, pressing my forehead against the cold glass. The streets below are quiet, the city lights reflecting off the wet pavement. It looks so normal from up here, like nothing has changed. But everything has. There are vampires out there. Real, dangerous creatures that could end me in an instant if I make the wrong move. And I'm standing in the middle of it.

A soft knock on the door breaks through my thoughts. I stiffen, my hand instinctively reaching for the lamp on the bedside table. It's probably one of them—Dante, Lila, or Nikolai—but the lingering unease in my gut doesn't let me relax.

"Come in," I say, my voice steadier than I feel.

The door creaks open, and Lila steps inside, her silhouette framed by the faint light from the hallway. She's changed into something more casual—jeans and a soft sweater—but there's still an air of grace about her, like she's completely in control, even in this moment of quiet.

"I thought you might still be awake," she says softly, closing the door behind her. "It's a lot to process."

I nod, not trusting myself to speak.

She walks over to the window, standing beside me, looking out at the same rain-soaked streets. "I know this feels overwhelming," she continues, her voice low and soothing. "But you're stronger than you realize, Olivia. You wouldn't have made it this far if you weren't."

I let out a small, bitter laugh. "I'm not so sure about that."

"You should be," Lila says, turning to face me. "You've uncovered more in a few weeks than most humans have in centuries. You're relentless. And that's why they're scared of you."

"Scared of me?" I shake my head. "I'm just one person. I don't even know what I'm up against."

"That's exactly why they fear you," she replies. "You have no ties to our world, no loyalty to anyone. You're unpredictable. And in this war, unpredictability is dangerous."

I glance at her, searching her face for any sign of deception, but all I see is sincerity. There's something about Lila that makes it hard to distrust her, but I still can't shake the feeling that there's more going on here than they're letting on.

"And what about you?" I ask. "Why are you helping me?"

Lila looks down for a moment, her expression softening. "Because I believe in balance. And right now, the scales are tipping in the wrong direction. If the rogues win, everything we've built, everything we've tried to protect, will be destroyed. And you, whether you like it or not, are part of the key to stopping them."

I blink, confused. Before I can ask what she means, there's another knock at the door—this one louder, more insistent. Lila tenses, her eyes narrowing. "Stay here," she says quickly, moving toward the door.

But I follow her, curiosity—and a healthy dose of fear—pushing me forward. "What's going on?"

Lila doesn't answer as she pulls open the door. Dante stands on the other side, his expression grim. "We have a problem," he says, his voice low and urgent.

Lila's face hardens. "What kind of problem?"

Dante steps inside, glancing at me briefly before turning his attention back to Lila. "The rogues. They've made a move. We need to leave. Now."

My stomach drops. "What do you mean? What kind of move?"

"They're coming," Dante says, his eyes locking onto mine. I feel like the floor has just dropped out from under me. My hands start to tremble, and I clench them into fists to hide it.

I glance at Lila, panic starting to rise in my chest. "What do we do?"

Lila's expression is calm, but there's a flicker of something—fear?—in her eyes. "We fight. And we run. We won't let them take you."

Just then, Nikolai bursts through the door, his face lit up with a manic sort of excitement. "We've got company," he says with a grin, like this is all some sort of game to him. "And they're not wasting any time."

Lila and Dante exchange a quick glance, something unspoken passing between them. Then, without warning, Dante grabs my arm, pulling me toward the door. "Stay close," he orders, his grip firm but not painful. "Don't let go of my hand, no matter what happens."

My heart is racing, adrenaline spiking through my veins. I can hear footsteps—too many footsteps—closing in outside. This is real. It's happening.

Before I can protest, the door flies open, and we're racing down the hallway, the sound of heavy footsteps growing louder behind us. I don't know where we're going, or how I'm supposed to survive this, but right now, all I can do is run.

Run and hope that these vampires really do know how to protect me.

Because if they don't, I'm not making it out of this alive.

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