Lena felt like the ground had been ripped out from under her. "A vampire?"
Jonah nodded grimly. "I didn't want to tell you, but... I had to. Sebastian is dangerous. He might look human, but he's not. He can't be trusted."
Sebastian's expression hardened. "Jonah, you've never been a fan of me, but you're wrong about me. I haven't hurt anyone."
"Then why are you here?" Jonah demanded. "Why move to this town? Why get so close to Lena?"
Sebastian's eyes shifted to Lena, his gaze softening, and Lena couldn't deny that there was something in those eyes—a longing, a sadness that made her heart ache.
"I moved here because... I've been watching over you, Lena," Sebastian said quietly.
Lena blinked in confusion. "What? What do you mean?"
Sebastian took a deep breath, then spoke in a voice so quiet she could barely hear him. "Jonah's right about me being a vampire. But what he doesn't know is that I've been looking out for you for years. Before we even met, Lena. Your parents—" He hesitated, his eyes glistening in the moonlight. "They weren't just killed in an accident. They were murdered, and I was the one who tried to protect you."
Lena's blood ran cold. "What? No... that's not possible."
"It's true," Sebastian said, his voice barely above a whisper. "Your parents were involved in something much bigger than you realize. I've been trying to keep you safe ever since. And now, Jonah... he doesn't know this, but I'm not the only one keeping secrets."
Lena turned to Jonah, who looked as shocked as she felt. "Jonah, what is he talking about? What do you know?"
Jonah's eyes flickered with pain, but he didn't answer right away. Finally, after a long pause, he looked at her and said the one thing that would leave her speechless.
"Because I'm not just your best friend, Lena," Jonah said softly. "I'm also the one who's supposed to protect you. And the truth is... I'm not just human either."
Lena's heart stopped.
"Jonah... what are you?" she whispered, her voice trembling.
Jonah took a step back, his eyes filled with a sorrow she couldn't understand. "I'm a half-vampire."
YOU ARE READING
Between Shadows and Heartbeats
VampireLena Thompson's life was simple. She spent most of her time hanging out with her best friend, Jonah, and going about her daily routine in her quiet suburban town. That was until she came back from a short trip to find a new neighbor had moved in-a m...
