The days leading up to the ritual passed with agonizing slowness. Thorne and Auron continued their preparations with obsessive precision, their focus so intense that they barely acknowledged Kole unless it was to remind him of his impending fate. The room grew colder with each passing day, the air heavy with an oppressive energy that seemed to seep into Kole’s bones.


    Laurent, on the other hand, was a constant but subtle presence. He rarely spoke to Kole, at least not in the others’ presence, but every now and then, Kole would catch the vampire’s sharp gaze darting toward him, a silent reminder that their fragile pact still held.


    Late one night, long after Auron and Thorne had left the room, Laurent slipped inside. His movements were silent, his figure blending into the shadows like a ghost. Kole, who had been lying awake, sat up quickly, his chains rattling faintly.


    “Shh,” Laurent whispered, holding a finger to his lips. “Don’t make a sound.”


    Kole nodded, his pulse quickening. Laurent crouched beside him, producing a small, jagged blade from his coat. Its edge gleamed faintly in the dim light.


    “What are you doing?” Kole hissed.


    “Getting you out of here,” Laurent replied, his tone brisk but low. He glanced at the door, then back at Kole. “Thorne and Auron are distracted. This is the best chance we’ll get.”


    Kole’s heart raced. “I thought you said I had to wait for your signal.”


    “This is the signal,” Laurent snapped quietly, his sharp eyes narrowing. “Now hold still.”


    Before Kole could respond, Laurent sliced through the chains binding his wrists with shocking ease. The links fell away with a muffled clatter, and Kole instinctively rubbed his sore wrists, wincing at the raw skin beneath.


    “Get up,” Laurent ordered, pulling Kole to his feet.


    “What’s the plan?” Kole asked, his voice barely above a whisper.


    Laurent smirked, a flicker of his usual arrogance returning. “Follow me and don’t get caught. Simple enough, right?”


    Kole glared at him but said nothing, his focus on keeping his steps as silent as Laurent’s. The vampire led him through a winding series of hallways, each one dimly lit and eerily silent. The further they went, the heavier the air seemed to grow, as if the walls themselves were pressing in on them.


    As they rounded a corner, Laurent suddenly froze, his hand shooting out to stop Kole in his tracks. He tilted his head, his sharp ears twitching as he listened.


    “What is it?” Kole whispered.


    Laurent didn’t answer immediately, his eyes narrowing. Then, in a low voice, he muttered, “Auron.”


    Kole’s stomach dropped. “What do we do?”


    Laurent turned to him, his expression deadly serious. “Stay behind me. Let me handle this.”


    Before Kole could protest, a shadowy figure emerged from the far end of the hallway. Auron’s crimson eyes glowed like embers in the darkness, his lips curling into a cruel grin as he took in the scene before him.


    “Well, well,” Auron drawled, his voice dripping with malice. “Looks like someone’s been busy.”


    Laurent stepped forward, his posture relaxed but his tone razor-sharp. “Auron. What a surprise.”


    Auron’s grin widened. “And here I thought you were loyal to Thorne’s grand vision. But this? This is treachery.”


    Laurent shrugged, his smirk unfaltering. “Maybe I just got bored of following orders. Ever think of that?”


    Auron’s expression darkened, and in a blur of motion, he lunged at Laurent. The two collided with a thunderous crash, their inhuman strength sending shockwaves through the narrow corridor.


    “Run!” Laurent shouted, his voice cutting through the chaos.


    Kole didn’t need to be told twice. He turned and sprinted down the hallway, his heart pounding as he searched desperately for an exit. The sound of the vampires’ fight echoed behind him—growls, snarls, and the sickening sound of stone cracking under their blows.


    As he rounded another corner, he spotted a heavy wooden door at the end of the hallway. His chest heaved with relief as he barreled toward it, throwing it open with all his strength.


    The night air hit him like a tidal wave, cool and crisp against his sweat-drenched skin. He stumbled into the open, his legs burning as he pushed himself further away from the fortress-like structure.


    Kole stumbled through the dense forest, his legs trembling with exhaustion. The towering trees loomed above him, their branches casting skeletal shadows in the faint moonlight. He hadn’t dared to look back since escaping the fortress; the memory of Auron and Laurent’s clash still echoed in his ears.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    Just as his strength began to wane, Kole spotted something through the trees: a faint, flickering light. His heart leapt, and he pushed himself forward, weaving through the underbrush until the shape of a small cabin came into view.


    The structure was old, its wooden walls weathered and moss-covered. A thin column of smoke rose from a rusted chimney, a sign that someone—or something—had been here recently. Kole hesitated at the edge of the clearing, his instincts screaming at him to be cautious. But his hunger and exhaustion overpowered his fear.


    He approached the door and knocked hesitantly, the sound hollow and weak. When no one answered, Kole pressed his ear against the wood. Silence.


    Taking a deep breath, he tried the door. It creaked open with a reluctant groan, revealing a dimly lit interior. A small fire crackled in the stone hearth, casting dancing shadows on the walls. A rough-hewn table stood in the center of the room, flanked by two mismatched chairs. Shelves lined one wall, sparsely stocked with canned food and dusty jars.


    Kole stepped inside, closing the door behind him. The warmth of the fire seeped into his chilled skin, and for the first time since his escape, he allowed himself a shaky breath of relief.


    The cabin was simple but functional. In one corner, a small cot was covered with a threadbare blanket. Near the hearth, a pile of firewood sat neatly stacked. Kole’s stomach growled loudly, and he made his way to the shelves, scanning the labels on the cans.


    “Beans,” he muttered, pulling down one of the least dusty options. He found a can opener on the counter and clumsily pried the lid off, his hands shaking from hunger and adrenaline. He ate straight from the can, the lukewarm beans tasting like a feast.


    After finishing, Kole sat by the fire, his back against the wall. His mind raced as he tried to process everything that had happened. The vampires’ fortress, Laurent’s unexpected betrayal of his kind, Auron’s menacing grin—none of it felt real.


    As he stared into the flames, a sense of unease crept over him. The cabin was too convenient, its supplies too perfectly suited for someone in his situation.


    “Who built this place?” Kole whispered to himself, his voice barely audible.


    He scanned the room again, his eyes lingering on the little details: a half-burned candle on the table, a mug with a chipped handle, a pair of muddy boots near the door. Someone had been here recently, but there were no signs of them now.


    Kole’s thoughts were interrupted by a faint sound outside—a soft crunch of footsteps on snow or leaves. He froze, his breath catching in his throat.


    Slowly, he reached for the fire poker leaning against the hearth, gripping it tightly. His heart pounded as the footsteps grew louder, closer.


    The door creaked open.


    Kole held his breath, his eyes locked on the figure silhouetted in the doorway. It stepped into the firelight, and his heart sank.


    It was Laurent.


    “Kole,” Laurent said, his voice calm but strained. His clothes were torn, and a faint smear of blood trailed from the corner of his mouth. “You didn’t think I’d let you wander off alone, did you?”


    Kole tightened his grip on the fire poker, his knuckles turning white. “Stay back,” he warned, his voice trembling.


    Laurent raised his hands in mock surrender, his expression unreadable. “Relax. I’m not here to hurt you.”


    “Yeah, because that’s been working out great for me so far,” Kole snapped, his voice rising with panic.


    Laurent sighed, his shoulders slumping. “I just saved your life back there, in case you forgot. Auron won’t be far behind, and Thorne is already looking for you. If you stay here, you’re as good as dead.”


    Kole’s resolve faltered. “Why should I believe you?”


    “Because,” Laurent said, stepping closer, his gaze locking onto Kole’s, “I’m your only chance of making it out of this alive.”


    Kole stared at Laurent, his grip on the fire poker tightening as he weighed his options. He didn’t trust Laurent—how could he? The vampire was part of the same group that had kidnapped him, that planned to use him in some grotesque ritual. But Laurent’s injuries and the urgency in his voice made Kole hesitate. If what Laurent said was true, staying here wasn’t an option.


    Reluctantly, Kole lowered the fire poker, though he didn’t let go of it entirely. “Fine,” he said, his voice sharp with mistrust. “But if this is some kind of trick—”


    “It’s not,” Laurent interrupted, his tone firm. “I have no reason to trick you, Kole. Auron and Thorne will kill me too if they find out what I’ve done.”


    Kole frowned but said nothing. He couldn’t ignore the exhaustion weighing down his body, the gnawing hunger that even the canned beans hadn’t fully satisfied. Laurent stepped closer, his movements slow and deliberate, as though wary of spooking him.


    “We don’t have much time,” Laurent said. “Auron will pick up your scent soon, and Thorne is already furious. If we’re going to get you out of this, we need to move now.”


    Kole hesitated for a moment longer, then nodded. “Let’s go.”


    Laurent offered a faint smile, though it didn’t reach his eyes. “Smart choice. Follow me, and stay close.”


    The two of them left the cabin, stepping out into the cold night. The forest was eerily silent, the shadows between the trees stretching long and dark under the pale moonlight. Laurent moved with practiced ease, his footsteps silent on the forest floor. Kole struggled to keep up, his legs aching and his breath visible in the frigid air.


    As they moved deeper into the woods, Kole finally broke the silence. “Why are you helping me?”


    Laurent glanced over his shoulder, his expression unreadable. “Let’s just say I don’t agree with Thorne’s methods. Or his obsession with power.”


    “That’s it?” Kole pressed, his skepticism clear.


    Laurent’s jaw tightened, but he didn’t respond immediately. After a moment, he said, “I’ve done things I’m not proud of, Kole. Helping you is...a chance to make up for some of it.”


    Kole frowned, unsure whether to believe him. Before he could ask more, Laurent held up a hand, signaling him to stop. The vampire’s head tilted slightly, his sharp eyes scanning the forest around them.


    “What is it?” Kole whispered, his voice barely audible.


    Laurent didn’t answer, his posture tense. A low growl echoed through the trees, sending a chill down Kole’s spine.


    “They’re here,” Laurent muttered.


    Kole’s heart raced as the growl grew louder, followed by the sound of something large crashing through the underbrush. Laurent turned to him, his expression deadly serious.


    “Run,” he ordered. “Head north. There’s an old hunter’s cabin about two miles from here. Go, now!”


    “What about you?” Kole asked, panic creeping into his voice.


    Laurent bared his fangs in a fierce grin. “I’ll hold them off. Just go!”


    Kole didn’t wait to argue. He turned and ran, his legs burning as he pushed himself through the dense forest. Behind him, he heard the clash of inhuman forces—the growls and snarls of vampires fighting, the sickening sound of flesh meeting flesh.


    Fear and adrenaline drove him forward, his breath coming in ragged gasps. The forest seemed endless, the shadows closing in around him. But finally, after what felt like an eternity, he saw it: a small cabin nestled among the trees.


    He stumbled to the door and threw it open, collapsing inside. The interior was dark and cold, but he didn’t care. He slammed the door shut and braced it with his weight, his chest heaving as he tried to catch his breath.


    For a moment, there was silence. Then, faintly, he heard footsteps approaching.


    “Kole,” a voice called, low and smooth.


    It wasn’t Laurent.