23 what are you

Aliyah

I wasn't a believer, but what I'd seen today defied all logic. It was a monster, no mask, no prank.

I drew in a shaky breath, fear constricting my chest. I could feel them, a pack of them, surrounding me. They were hidden in the shadows, their presence like a suffocating blanket.

“Please, anyone! Help me!” I screamed, my voice raw with desperation. But I knew, deep down, that no one could hear me, no one could save me.

My whole body trembled uncontrollably. I leaned against a nearby tree, my foot giving way. I’d sprained it. I couldn’t even walk properly. I prayed, because I knew, with a chilling certainty, that I wouldn’t survive this.

Then, a moment later, one of the monsters emerged from the shadows, revealing itself. This one, however, was different from the ones that had been pursuing me. This was a man.

My heart pounded in my chest. How many of them were there? How many had been lurking in the dark, how many were still after me?

"What are you? Why are you doing this? I haven't done anything to you!" I cried out, my voice filled with a desperate mix of confusion and fear.

He was a man, but his face... It was the same as the first monster, the one in the dress.

I closed my eyes as I saw the monsters, their forms shifting and blending into the darkness, bearing down on me.

I waited, every muscle tense, expecting the attack. A minute passed, maybe more, but there was no sound of claws, no snap of teeth. Instead, I heard something else, a faint sound, the clang of metal on metal. Was it a sword, or was my fear playing tricks on me?

“Hey, are you ok? Are you hurt or something?”

I heard a man's voice. It was a concern, but I couldn't easily dismiss it. I had seen what I saw, it was real. Either I would die, or they would play with their victim first.

“Hey, I'm asking you, we have to go." The voice repeated.

I slowly opened my eyes. If I was going to die, at least I could see the face of my killer, right?

The first thing I saw was a pair of brown eyes, a thick eyebrow, and a striking, angular jawline.

His face wasn't the same as the monsters I had seen earlier. This was a real human face, a face that had never been stained with the darkness of those creatures.

"Where are those things?" I asked, my voice trembling.

“Don’t worry, they’re gone,” he said calmly.

“Are they? Are you sure? How did you know they were gone?” I questioned, my voice laced with disbelief.

The man laughed, then helped me to my feet. Seeing I couldn't walk properly, he offered his arm, supporting my weight.

“We have to go. It's too dangerous to stay here any longer.”

I nodded, too drained to argue. We started walking, but then...

A booming voice, filled with thunderous power, echoed through the trees. My blood turned to ice. Raige? He was here? He was looking for me?


“How in the world did you end up here?” Raige’s voice boomed, his power radiating through the air. “Come here, love.”

He grabbed me, pulling me away from the man who had been helping me.

“Do you know him?” the man asked, his voice cool and steady. I nodded, my eyes still wide with shock.

“I’m her boyfriend. Do you have a problem with that?” Raige said, his voice laced with a low growl.

The man just smirked. “If that’s the case, why haven’t you taken better care of her? Do you know she was almost attacked by some…”

He stopped, then looked directly at me. “You saw it too, didn’t you? They were… they were sort of like monsters, right?”

I blurted out the question, my eyes wide with fear and a desperate need for confirmation. Technically, he had seen it too, hadn’t he? Although I’d closed my eyes, so I wasn’t completely sure.

Wait a minute. Did Raige just confirm to this guy that he was my boyfriend?

My head spun. This night had been a whirlwind of terror, a symphony of chaos. Then, as I met Raige's gaze, the world tilted, spinning even faster. Darkness swallowed me whole.

******

Ryan

We emerged from the woods, a trio of figures silhouetted against the moonlight. Aliyah was between us, her boyfriend carefully supporting her as she walked. He insisted on carrying her, but she refused.

I knew the man was a vampire. I could feel it in the way he moved, the subtle shift in his energy. Aliyah, however, seemed oblivious, although I could see the flicker of doubt in her eyes. She was still processing what she had seen, trying to determine if it had been real. I imagined telling her the truth, the shock it would bring, the possibility of her collapsing, or worse.

Before we could discuss it further, before I could even open my mouth, Aliyah stumbled, then crumpled to the ground, unconscious.

I heard the man curse, a sharp, guttural sound. His gaze turned on me, a chill emanating from his eyes.

“What did she see?” His voice was a low rumble, firm and commanding, a voice used to issuing orders.

I shrugged, my gaze fixed on Aliyah. I didn't care what kind of monster he was, how powerful he might be. My focus was solely on the woman in his arms.

“Let’s not pretend here. I know what you are. But let me be clear, I’m not afraid of you, or how many of your kind would surround me. All I care about is the girl.”

The man instantly scooped Aliyah into his arms, cradling her protectively.

“What are you? Damn it, I don't care. If you hurt her, I assure you I’ll unleash hell itself to kill you.”

I laughed, a dry, humorless sound. “Oh, a vampire obsessed? That's a first for me. She's a human. Why would you…?”

“That’s none of your business. And to be clear, I’m not obsessed. I love this girl with all of me. Now tell me what you are? I know it wasn’t a coincidence that you were with her. I sense you’re human, but there’s something…different about you.”