014

Chills skittered down my spine at the woman’s words, but as she continued, dread filled my every pore.  "You see, I intend to test Rook's blood lust. And who better to do that with than someone he holds so dear?"

I stood frozen in the dimly lit room, my heart pounding against my chest as the realization of my dire situation sank in. Sharella, with her flowing jet-black hair and porcelain skin, seemed to embody a haunting beauty that belied the darkness within her.

“Rook would never harm me,” I breathed.

Sharella's face was a twisted canvas of emotions, her lips pulled into a sinister smile. Her voice carried a malevolent lilt as she spoke, sending icy tendrils down my spine. "Oh, my dear," she sneered, "harm is but a pale word to describe what he will do to you."

Her eyes glimmered with an unsettling confidence, casting an ethereal glow upon her features. "You see, Rook," she said, her voice laced with an otherworldly charm, "is not quite what you believe him to be."

I leaned in, my curiosity overpowering the fear that coursed through my veins. "Who is he, then?"

A sly smile played at the corners of Sharella's lips. "He is no mortal, my dear, but a vessel bound by his own needs, his own darkness."

I stared at the woman, knowing she was insane, but I had to ask. "So, if he isn't mortal, then what is he?"

Sharella's laughter danced through the air, sending shivers down my spine. "Oh, my sweet innocent soul, Rook is a vampire—but no ordinary one. His bloodlust runs deeper than any vampire ever known. You see, when the creature comes alive within him, it awakens with an insatiable hunger."

I couldn’t help myself, I just gaped at the woman. What the ever loving fuck was she talking about? Rook a vampire! I didn't know whether to laugh at the woman's insane blabbering, or fear the measure of her insanity.

Taking in the size of the window, I debated my options. I could feel my darkness awakening within me, but though this woman was obviously insane, she, as yet, had done nothing to warrant what that side of me would bring. Maybe if I could stall the woman long enough, Rook would be able to break down the door. But, then again, I may just be sealing my fate by not acting. Doubts gnawed at me.

Taking a deep breath, I turned my eyes back to the woman. She stood there, a wicked smile on her face, as if reveling in my fear. "Why not leave while you can?" I suggested.

Her eyes narrowed, the smile slipping from her face. "Leave?" she scoffed. "Why would I leave when I have so much to gain from this?"

My heart thudded in my chest as she took another step closer. "But what do you want from me?" I managed to ask, though my voice trembled.

"Ah, Catriana," she cooed. "You are the key to everything. The bond you share with Rook is strong—too strong for his own good. I intend to use it to bring him to his knees."

The pounding on the door grew more frantic, and I knew Rook was desperately trying to reach me. But would he get to me in time?

Sharella’s eyes flashed with a dark hunger as she reached out a hand, her nails sharp as they grazed my arm. "You're going to watch as I tear him apart, piece by piece," she whispered. "And when he’s weak, I’ll take what I’ve been denied for centuries."

Panic began to take hold, and my thoughts raced. I had to do something.

The door splintered, and suddenly, Rook burst into the room. His eyes were wild, his fangs bared. I saw the rage in his gaze, and for a moment, I was afraid that Sharella’s words had been true—until he saw her.

"Get away from her," he snarled, his voice thick with a menace that sent chills down my spine.

The room was suddenly alive with a tension so thick it could be cut with a knife. The air grew colder as Sharella and Rook faced off, their eyes locked in a silent battle of wills.

With a sneer, Sharella stepped back. "For now," she murmured, her gaze flicking to me before she disappeared in a whirl of black mist.

I stared at the spot where Sharella had been, my mind reeling with the revelation she had just shared. Could it be true? Was Rook really a vampire? And what did she mean by a creature within him?

Rook's eyes searched mine, looking for any signs of fear, but all I felt was confusion and a burning need to know more.

"What was she talking about?" I whispered, my voice barely audible.

He took a step closer, his hand reaching out to touch my cheek gently. "It's not what you think," he murmured, his eyes pleading with me to believe him.

But how could I believe anything after what I had just heard? "Tell me," I demanded, my voice stronger than I felt.

He sighed heavily, his shoulders slumping. "There's so much you don't know, Catriana."

"Then tell me," I urged, my voice shaking with a mix of anger and fear.

Rook took a moment, his eyes distant as he spoke. "Her name was Nivea. She was the love of my life—my soulmate. We lived centuries ago, in a time of darkness and despair, when the plague ravaged through our lands. She was everything to me, pure and good." His eyes searched my face, as if looking for something—forgiveness, perhaps.

"When she fell ill, I was desperate. I went to Sharella, seeking a cure, not realizing what a monster she truly was. She offered me a deal: I would become a vampire, and with my newfound power, I could save Nivea. But there was a price—I had to leave her, to never reveal the truth of what I had become." His voice grew hoarse with pain. "I accepted, believing it was the only way to save her. But the transformation...it changed me. It unleashed something within me I couldn't control. A hunger, a rage. I was no longer the man she knew."

"And Marlowe?" I asked, my heart racing.

He nodded, the sadness in his eyes palpable. "My twin sister, Marlowe. She was there too. But she was human, and the transformation...it was too much for her. She didn’t survive. I killed her in my rage." His hand trembled as it fell away from my face. "When I came back to my senses, I realized the depth of Sharella’s betrayal. Nivea was already lost to me, and Marlowe was gone."

He took a deep, shuddering breath. "But the worst was yet to come. Sharella had bound me with a curse, one that would ensure my undying loyalty to her. Only Nivea’s blood could free me, but by then, it was too late. She had succumbed to the plague."

"And now?" I whispered, the weight of his words pressing down on me.

"Now, I am what you see—a creature of the night, forever bound by Sharella's dark magic. And Marlowe," his voice cracked, "Marlowe was reborn—human, with no memory of our past."

The room was silent for a heartbeat before I spoke, "And you've kept this from everyone?"

He nodded. "Except for Grandmother. She's the only one who knew the truth. And now, because of my bond with you, I've put you in danger." His gaze bore into mine, his eyes a storm of emotions. "But I will protect you, Catriana, with every ounce of strength I possess."

The gravity of his confession weighed heavily on my heart. Rook, the man I had come to love, was hiding a world of pain and darkness.

"But why?" I managed to ask, my voice barely above a whisper. "Why tell me this now?"

Rook's eyes searched mine, and for a moment, I saw the tormented soul beneath the cold, unyielding exterior. "Because you need to understand what I am. What I've done. And what I'm capable of."