Chapter 4: The Voice at the Door

Veronica’s Point of View

The voice outside the door made my heart stop. I grabbed Jason’s arm, pulling him off the couch. His green eyes were wide, his stake already in his hand. The knocking came again, so loud the walls shook. “Veronica!” the voice yelled. “Open the door, or I’ll break it down!”

I pushed Jason behind me, my fangs sliding out. “Stay here,” I whispered, my voice sharp. Nobody should have found us. This house was hidden, protected by old magic. But that voice was familiar, like a bad dream I couldn’t shake.

“Who is it?” Jason asked, his voice low but steady. He wasn’t scared, not like he should be. That worried me more than the voice.

“I don’t know,” I said, creeping toward the door. My side still ached from Hilton’s claws, but I ignored it. I pressed my ear to the wood, listening. Heavy boots shuffled outside, and I smelled blood and smoke. Not human. Vampire. But not one of mine.

“Veronica Storm!” the voice roared. “You can’t hide forever. Give me the boy!”

Jason stepped beside me, his stake raised. “I’m not hiding,” he said, loud enough for whoever was out there to hear. I grabbed his shirt, yanking him back.

“Stop it,” I hissed. “You don’t know what you’re doing.”

He pulled free, his jaw tight. “I’m not letting you fight alone,” he said. “Not after last night.”

I wanted to argue, but the door rattled again, wood cracking. Whoever was out there wasn’t waiting. I took a deep breath, my hands shaking. “Fine,” I said. “But stay close.”

I unlocked the door and swung it open. A woman stood there, her dark hair tied back, her blue eyes gleaming like ice. She was beautiful, but her smile was cold, like a snake’s. I knew her. Chloe Nightshade. My best friend. My sister is in blood. But the way she looked at me now made my stomach twist.

“Chloe,” I said, my voice hard. “What are you doing here?”

She stepped forward, her boots clicking on the stone steps. “Hello, Veronica,” she said, her voice smooth. Her eyes flicked to Jason, and her smile grew. “And you must be Jason. You’re even prettier up close.”

Jason gripped his stake tighter. “Who are you?” he asked, his voice sharp.

Chloe laughed, a sound like glass breaking. “Oh, he’s feisty,” she said, looking at me. “No wonder you like him.”

“Cut it out, Chloe,” I said, stepping in front of Jason. “Why are you here? How did you find us?”

She tilted her head, her eyes narrowing. “You think you can run off with a human and nobody notices? The coven’s talking, Veronica. They’re not happy. And I’m here to… fix things.”

My heart sank. The coven. My people. I’d left them to keep Jason safe, but they’d found us anyway. “Fix things how?” I asked, my fangs aching.

Chloe’s smile faded. “You know how,” she said. “He’s a problem. A human who knows too much. And he’s… different. I can smell it.” She stepped closer, her eyes on Jason’s neck. “Let me have a taste, and I’ll tell you.”

“No,” I growled, pushing her back. She stumbled, but her laugh was sharp.

“Protective, huh?” she said. “That’s new. The old Veronica would’ve killed him by now.”

Jason stepped forward, his stake pointed at her. “Back off,” he said. “I’m not your snack.”

Chloe’s eyes sparkled, like she was having fun. “Oh, I like him,” she said. “But you’re in over your head, boy. You don’t know what you’re mixed up in.”

“Enough!” I shouted, my voice echoing. “Chloe, leave. Now.”

She didn’t move. Instead, she leaned closer, her voice low. “You can’t keep him, Veronica. The coven wants him gone. And Hilton’s coming. He’s not alone.”

My blood ran cold. Hilton. The First Vampire. If he was working with someone else, we were in big trouble. “Who’s with him?” I asked, my voice shaking.

Chloe smirked. “You’ll see,” she said. “Unless you give me the boy. I’ll take him off your hands. Keep him safe.” Her eyes flicked to Jason again, hungry.

I grabbed her arm, my nails digging in. “Touch him, and I’ll kill you,” I said. I meant it. Chloe was my friend, but Jason was… more. I didn’t know why, but I’d die before I let her hurt him.

She yanked free, her smile gone. “You’re making a mistake,” she said. “The coven won’t wait forever. Neither will I.”

She turned and walked away, her boots fading into the night. I slammed the door, my heart racing. Jason stared at me, his face pale. “Who was that?” he asked.

“My friend,” I said, my voice bitter. “Or she used to be.”

“Why’s she after me?” he asked, his stake still in his hand.

I sat on the couch, my head in my hands. “Because you’re with me,” I said. “And because you’re… special. Like I told you.”

He sat next to me, his knee touching mine. “Special how?” he asked, his voice soft but firm. “You keep saying that, but you don’t explain.”

I looked at him, his green eyes searching for mine. I wanted to tell him everything about his blood, his strength, the way he made me feel human again. But I couldn’t. Not yet. “You’re not like other people,” I said. “Your blood it’s strong. It’s why I can’t stop… wanting you.”

He touched his neck, where my bites were healing too fast. “You mean drinking my blood,” he said, his voice flat. “You’re saying I’m some kind of… freak?”

“No,” I said, grabbing his hand. “You’re not a freak. You’re… important. I just don’t know why yet.”

He pulled his hand away, standing up. “I’m tired of secrets, Veronica. First that vampire, then that demon, now your friend? I need answers.”

I stood too, my chest tight. “I’m trying to protect you,” I said. “If I tell you everything, it’ll make things worse.”

“Worse than this?” he snapped, pointing at the door. “Something’s haunting me, and you won’t tell me why!”

I opened my mouth, but no words came. He was right. I was keeping things from him. Like what I’d found in my father’s old books. stories about half-humans, half-something else. Something powerful. But I couldn’t say it. Not when I wasn’t sure.

Instead, I stepped closer, my hand on his cheek. “Trust me,” I said. “Please. I’ll figure this out. I’ll keep you safe.”

He looked at me, his eyes soft for a second. Then he pulled away. “I’m going to bed,” he said, walking to the stairs. “Don’t follow me.”

I watched him go, my heart heavy. I’d brought him here to protect him, but I was making things worse. Chloe’s words echoed in my head. The coven. Hilton. Someone else. I needed to know who.

I went to the library, a big room with dusty books and candlelight. My father’s old journals were on a shelf, hidden behind a fake wall. I pulled one out, flipping pages. There it was, a story about a boy with angel blood, stronger than any human, hunted by demons and vampires alike. My hands shook. Was that Jason?

A noise made me freeze. Footsteps, soft but sure, coming from the hall. I hid the book, my heart racing. Jason was upstairs. I was alone. Or I thought I was.

The door creaked open, and a girl stepped in. She was young, with brown hair and hazel eyes, her smile sweet but sharp. “Veronica,” she said, her voice like honey. “I’ve been looking for you.”

I stood, my fangs out. “Who are you?” I asked, ready to fight.

“Sage,” she said, stepping closer. “And I’m here for Jason. He’s mine. My father saw it in a vision. He’s meant to save my people.”

My blood ran cold. Another one after Jason. But this wasn’t a vampire or a demon. She was a witch. And the way her eyes glowed told me she wasn’t leaving without a fight.