Raina's POV

I opened my eyes with a start to see the vampire leaning over me, his lips pressed to mine—again.

“Eww,” I jumped, shoving him away. “Stop doing that.”

“Doing what?” he asked, looking genuinely taken aback.

“Kissing me! It’s rude to do that against someone’s will.”

“You were unconscious. I don’t think you would've answered if I had asked. I only did it to save your life.”

“Oh.” I rubbed my arms, the wind biting against my soaked skin. “I didn’t know vampires could give CPR.”

He raised a brow. I shrugged.

“You’re dead. How can you give me oxygen when you don’t even breathe?”

“I’m a wind vampire. I manipulate air.”

Okay. That wasn't in any of the research I did last night.

“So, there are different types of vampires?”

“Yeah. Reaper, Augustine, wind—wait, you seriously traded your memories for this?” His gaze scanned me.

“Hey! This”—I gestured at myself—”is Windshade’s fastest and strongest fighter. I can have you on your ass in less than a second.” I bluffed.

He smirked. “Wanna bet?”

I ignored him, and got to my feet. Checking my watch—8:30 PM—I sucked in a breath. “Thank God you got here on time. That bitch cut my brakes!”

“Ah, there's the Mel I know.” He smiled, and leaned against the bridge railing, arms folded. “So, what do you want me to do—drain, torture to death, turn against her will? You name it. I’d prefer the first though. It’s been a while since I had a decent drink.”

“What the hell is going on?” I ran my hands through my hair, throwing my cap off in frustration. “You show up out of nowhere, kill one of our town’s elders, cover your tracks, and now you act like you know me?—”

“I do know you.”

I shot him a death glare, and he held up his hands in mock surrender. “Sorry. You were in the middle of a breakdown—please continue. It’s quite entertaining.” He smirked.

I fumed. “That’s it! I’m not Mel. I have no connection to you, and I certainly never made any deals, whatsoever. And for the love of God, my name is Raina!”

His expression hardened. “So you don’t remember turning me into a vampire?”

I staggered back. “What?”

He stepped forward. “You don't remember March 1874? When you were obsessed with your new plaything—the slave your father hired. You found me attractive, and I didn't want to die, but instead of letting me go, you turned me against my will. And then, ten years—just ten fucking years, not even a century later—you fell in love with a human and last I heard, you gave up vampirism for him.”

I blinked, my brain struggling to process his words. “I.. I… what?”

“Don't play dumb.” He closed the distance between us, anger etched into his features. “You turned me and didn't even have the decency to stay. Then you ran off to someone else. Do you know how much that hurt? You left me with an eternity of heartbreak. And now, after all this time, I finally find you, willing to forgive, willing to return to the way things were…. but you pretend not to know me.”

His fangs lengthened. Before I could react, his hands shot out, wrapping around my throat as he lifted me effortlessly.

“I loved you, Mel. But now I see I was just another one of your playthings.” His grip tightened, cutting off my air. “You think you're free from this curse? That you get your happy ending while others suffer?” His voice was a venomous whisper. “Sorry to burst your bubbles, but I intend to make you pay.”

He flung me across the bridge. Pain shot up my spine as I crashed onto the pavement. I gasped, my body refusing to move.

In a blur, he was in front of me again.

“Where is he?” He snarled.

“I don't know what you're talking about!” I clutched my waist, fighting back tears.

“Don't lie to me, Mel!” His voice boomed. “You're only alive because I haven't turned it off. Don't make me.”

“I swear, I have no idea what you mean.”

A smirk crawled onto his face as the wind coiled around him. He raised his arm and bit into it, letting black blood spill onto the ground in front of me.

“This is what you made me.” His eyes gleamed as he crouched beside me. “And I must say… thank you.”

He grabbed my hair, yanking my head back. My lips hovered inches from the bleeding wound. I thrashed against him, landing an elbow to his jaw, but his grip didn't loosen. If anything, it amused him.

“You're not stronger than me anymore, Mel. This is what you gave up for that human. I don't see him coming to save you now.”

I gritted my teeth. My fingers found the pocket knife tucked into my cargo shorts. With a desperate thrust, I drove it into his stomach.

He gasped, blood trickling down his lips. Summoning every ounce of strength, I shoved him away and bolted.

I barely made it three steps before he appeared in front of me. Casually, he plucked the knife from his stomach, twirling it between his fingers.

“Clever.” He lunged, his arm coiling around my throat from behind before I could flee, yanking me flush against his chest. The blade pressed cold against my skin as his voice slithered past my ear, too close, too steady. “Seems you're enjoying this humanity of yours. Tell me what I want to know, and I might just do the favor of killing you instead of returning the curse you gave me.”

“F.. Fine.” I rasped. “I'll tell you what you want to know.”

“Good.” He pressed the knife a fraction deeper, drawing a thin line of blood. “That's just for good measure.”

I flinched.

“Now,” he whispered, “where is that darling husband of yours? The one you gave up eternity for?”

“I don't know. I swear.” My voice trembled. “I'm not, Mel!”

“Wrong answer.”

He spun me around with dizzying speed, his fangs descending toward my throat. But before he could sink them in, the air shifted—intense, violent.

He was flung backward.

I gasped, collapsing to the ground. Relief flooded me—until I saw my saviour.

He stood between us, fangs bared, black veins pulsing beneath his skin. His nails elongated into lethal claws, his long hair rustling in the rising wind.

“Liam,” he growled, his voice carrying the weight of a storm, “if you want her, you'll have to go through me.”

My hands flew to my mouth, terror locking me in place. I swallowed the scream bubbling in my throat.

There were two of them now.