The door creaked open, and there she stood—Luna Winters. Her silver hair caught the dim light, flowing in waves down her back. She was dressed in a sleek, black leather jacket, her face framed by sharp angles that were softened by an expression I couldn't quite read. Her eyes flicked to mine, but I couldn't tell if it was concern, calculation, or something else entirely.
If Luna wanted to come in, I wasn't exactly in a position to stop her.
The moment the door swung open, Luna Winters stepped into my room with the kind of confidence that would've made anyone else look cocky. Her silver hair shimmered in the dim light, and I could swear she was glowing. Or maybe it was just me losing blood—again.
"You look… terrible," Luna said with a smirk, eyes scanning me from head to toe.
"Well, that's flattering," I shot back. "Thanks for saving my ass last night."
"You've got a knack for getting into trouble." she said in a sarcastic tone.
She glanced at Sebastian, who was standing there, arms crossed, trying to look all serious. His face, however, gave away that he was more irritated than anything else. I wasn't sure if it was because of Luna or because I'd opened the door despite his 'don't trust her' warnings.
"Don't mind him," I muttered, gesturing toward Sebastian. "He's just jealous."
"Jealous of what?" Sebastian huffed, rolling his eyes.
"Of how much better she looks saving me," I said, grinning. "You try, but Luna's got the whole 'heroic entrance' thing down."
Luna chuckled softly, and for a second, the tension in the room lifted. It was the kind of laugh that made you want to hear it again. Despite everything—the madness with Deathreign, the whole ancient bloodline nonsense—there was something about her presence that made me feel… safe. Or maybe that was just the hormones talking.
"You two done?" Sebastian cut in, clearly not amused. "We've got bigger problems than your love life, Eli."
"Hey, I'm just trying to lighten the mood," I replied, raising my hands in surrender. "What's wrong with a little flirtation when the world's falling apart?"
Luna gave me a sidelong glance, her lips curling into a playful smile. "I wouldn't call this flirting, but it's cute that you think it is."
Sebastian groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose like he was regretting every life choice that brought him to this moment.
"Luna, we need to figure out what Deathreign's next move is," he said, cutting through the banter.
Luna nodded, her smile fading. "We're running out of time, Eli. The Order of the Black Veil won't stop coming for you."
I sighed, the weight of her words pulling me back into reality. "Yeah, I got that part. But why me? Why is everyone so interested in my blood?"
Luna hesitated, her eyes meeting mine for a brief moment before she looked away. "Because you're not just some random vampire, Eli. There's something in your lineage—something that could change everything."
I rubbed the back of my neck, feeling the weight of the situation sink in again. "Great. So I'm not just a target. I'm a prize. Perfect."
"You're not a prize," Luna said softly, stepping closer. "You're the key to stopping them. And I'm here to make sure that happens."
Her voice was firm but laced with something else—something that made my chest tighten. She wasn't just here because of some mission. There was more to it, something unspoken in the way she looked at me, the way her eyes softened for just a second.
"Do you always rescue guys like me, or am I just lucky?" I asked, trying to keep the mood light again, even though my heart was racing for reasons I didn't want to admit.
Luna smirked. "Let's just say you're special, Cain. But don't let it go to your head."
"Oh, it's already there," I teased, grinning. "But hey, I wouldn't mind more rescues if it means you show up every time."
She shook her head, but there was a hint of amusement in her eyes. Sebastian, on the other hand, was clearly done with my attempts at humor.
"We need a plan," Sebastian interjected, pulling us back to the serious side of things. "The Order is coming. We can't just sit here and flirt."
Luna glanced at him, then back at me. "He's right. We need to move quickly. There's a safehouse nearby. We can regroup there."
"Safehouse?" I raised an eyebrow. "Is that code for 'another place where I'll probably get ambushed and almost die'?"
Luna chuckled again. "Only if you're lucky."
I sighed dramatically. "Well, lucky seems to be my middle name lately."
As we started gathering our things, the room grew a bit heavier again. The humor had done its job for the moment, but we couldn't ignore what was coming next. The Order, Deathreign, my mysterious bloodline—all of it was crashing down on me, and I had no idea what to do about it.
But for the first time in a long time, I didn't feel completely alone. Luna was here, and even though I barely knew her, something about her presence made everything feel a little more bearable. Even if she wasn't exactly sold on my flirting skills.
"You sure we're safe?" I asked, slinging my jacket over my shoulder as we prepared to head out.
Luna's eyes met mine, and she gave a small nod. "As safe as we can be, for now."
"Cool," I muttered. "Then I'll just keep pretending like I know what's going on."
She smirked again. "You'll figure it out, Cain. You're tougher than you look."
"Tougher?" I grinned, shooting her a playful wink. "That's the nicest thing anyone's ever said to me."
With that, we stepped out of the room, and the weight of what was coming pressed down on me again. But as long as Luna was around, maybe—just maybe—I had a shot at surviving whatever was next.