I didn’t know when I burst into laughter. “Vampire? How ridiculous. Do I look five to you?”

His face turned serious. “Weren’t you just asking what I was a moment ago?”

“Yes, I was… but vampires don’t exist. So tell me something more believable.” I rolled my eyes.

“So, in other words, you don’t believe me?”

“Do I look like I do?” I replied, pulling out a chair from under the drink table and sitting. “See, your costume is convincing. And I don’t know what you’ve got on under that shirt of yours that made your chest hard as a rock. As for your skin, well… anyone can get that cold with just a little effort.”

“Hmm,” he said, bringing his hand to his chin. “I didn’t expect you to believe me though. But since we’re on the topic of introductions, why don’t you tell me more about yourself?” He pulled out a chair and sat next to me.

“Well, there isn’t much to know about me,” I said, taking a sip from my drink, at least it’s better to talk to a hot stranger than sit all by myself.

“How old are you?”

“How old do I look?”

“Hmmm, let’s see… twenty-two?”

“OMG, I’m offended. Do I look that old?”

He smirked and took my hand. “Not at all, baby girl.”

Shivers ran down my spine, but I quickly masked it by rolling my eyes. “I’m nineteen.”

“Well, that’s old enough.”

“Old enough for what?”

He smirked. “Trust me, you don’t want to know.”

His cold hand rubbed against mine slowly, sending another wave of shivers through me. His eyes raked over me—or more accurately, my neck.

“You have a beautiful neck. Can I touch it?”

“Umm… sure,” I stuttered.

That’s weird. People usually obsess over boobs or ass. But his thing is necks? How strange.

His hand met my skin. I wasn’t sure if I was reacting to how cold he was, or the idea of a hot guy with a bipolar attitude touching me. My eyes locked on his. As weird and otherworldly as they were, there was something… something I couldn’t quite place.

“Nice choker, by the way,” he said, pulling his hand back.

I swallowed hard, unsure how to respond.I turned another glass of drink, a red wine this time, and was about to sip it when someone bumped into me from behind, making the entire drink spill on me.

“Oh my God, I’m so sorry!” The most feminine voice I’d ever heard sang out. Her tone was almost melodic.

I turned around,and her looks were just as stunning. Blonde hair, tall… and wait…was she transparent?

“Hello? Are you okay?”

“Yes, yes, I’m fine. I’ll just find somewhere to clean up.”

I turned to Azriel, expecting some kind of reaction, but he looked completely uninterested. Unbothered. Wasn’t he just all over me a second ago? Now it felt like I didn’t even exist.

“Jerk,” I muttered, stomping off.

Even with my black costume on, the red wine still painted an obvious map down my dress.

I slipped out the back entrance of the tent. There were smaller tents nearby, probably for people who wanted to make out in the woods. Typical.

No one was outside. I stood by a tree and tried wiping off the drink stain. After nearly ten minutes, I’d managed to get most of it out.

As I walked back to the tent, the lights suddenly went off.

“That’s weird… what happened?”

I pulled out my phone, it was exactly 12:00 a.m.

Switching on my flashlight, I stepped through the back entrance. The red light was on, casting an eerie glow. Everyone stood in a circle.

No…not everyone. Azriel and his friends were in a circle. My friends were trapped in the middle.

“What the fuck is going on here, man? Are you trying to scare us?” a guy from inside the circle shouted.

Everything happened so fast, I could barely process it.

Azriel didn’t run,he blurred. One moment he was there, the next he stood before the guy who’d spoken. In a blink, he pulled him from the circle, opened his mouth,and two long fangs jutted out.

He sank them into the guy’s neck.

The guy’s scream echoed through the tent.

I nearly peed myself.

He wasn’t lying. He’s a vampire.

Seconds later, the screaming stopped. The guy went limp in Azriel’s arms, and Azriel tossed his lifeless body to the ground with a sickening thud.

Everyone screamed and backed away.

“Hush now… hush,” Azriel said, circling them like a predator. “You don’t have to scream. No one will hear you. That was only a lesson,don’t speak unless spoken to.”

He reached April, running his hand through her hair. “I love your red hair, you know. It reminds me of blood. How tasty it is. Makes me want to drink from you.”

He sniffed her.

Then, in one motion, he gripped her neck with one hand and lifted her off the ground. Her legs dangled as she gasped for air.

He brought her closer and sniffed again. Then he licked her neck.

April trembled, her whole body shaking.

“Please… please don’t kill me,” she whimpered, clutching at his hand. Her voice was barely a whisper.

Azriel laughed darkly. “How I love to hear that word…please… Did you all hear that?” He turned to face the other vampires. They didn’t speak. Didn’t move.

“Your voice is sexy when you beg, redhead. You should do it more often.”

He laughed again, head thrown back, the sound echoing across the tent.

What do I do? Run? But I can’t leave Zoya and the others…

God, help me. Why the hell did I come to this party?

Maybe I should run and get help. Doing something is better than nothing.

I looked back at the circle. The vampires were watching them like wolves waiting to feast.

I turned to run.

But then, I heard a voice in my head:

“Don’t even think about it.”

The next thing I knew, Azriel was standing right in front of me.