Kian's head pounded, a dull throb at the base of his skull that slowly brought him out of unconsciousness. His body felt heavy, leaden, and it took a moment for his foggy mind to piece together his surroundings. Where was he?
The air was cold and still, far too cold to be anywhere familiar. He tried to move, but his limbs ached, as if every ounce of strength had been drained from him. His eyes blinked open, struggling to focus in the dim light that filtered through a high, narrow window.
His breath caught in his throat. The room was unfamiliar, stone walls, sparse furniture, and a silence so thick it felt oppressive. Panic surged through his chest. He shot up, gasping, but the sudden movement made his vision spin. He collapsed back onto the hard surface beneath him, gripping the edges of the bed as though the world itself might tip over.
Where am I?
His mind scrambled for memories, any explanation for why he was here, but the last thing he could recall was stumbling through the streets, heartbroken and drunk. Then… the attack. His hand instinctively flew to his neck. The skin was tender, but there was no searing pain like he expected from such an encounter.
Oh God. The vampire.
The pieces started to fall into place, but nothing made sense. He had been attacked, drained, even, and yet, here he was, alive. Alive, but definitely not safe.
His heart raced, and instinct kicked in. He had to get out of here.
Kian tried to sit up again, this time slower, more deliberate. His body protested with every movement, but he managed to prop himself up enough to take stock of the room. His pulse hammered in his ears, a rhythm of fear that kept time with his frantic thoughts. He was in some sort of old-fashioned room, everything made of stone and wood. There was a faint scent in the air, like dried blood and something colder, metallic.
He swung his legs over the edge of the bed and winced as his bare feet hit the cold stone floor. His hands shook as he gripped the bedframe for balance. His mind screamed at him to run, but his body refused to cooperate. He was still too weak.
Footsteps echoed from beyond the door.
Panic shot through him. He looked around wildly, eyes darting from corner to corner, but there was nowhere to hide, nowhere to run.
The door to the room creaked open. Kian tensed, pressing himself further against the headboard as a figure stepped inside. The same figure from the alley, the vampire. Tall, imposing, and utterly terrifying, his presence made the air in the room feel colder, heavier.
Viktor's pale face was emotionless, his gaze fixed on Kian as though assessing a fragile object. His eyes glinted in the low light, a strange mix of curiosity and something deeper, something unreadable.
"You're awake," Viktor's voice was smooth, almost too calm, considering the situation.
Kian's chest tightened, and he struggled to speak, his voice cracking as he forced the words out. "Where… where am I?"
"My home." Viktor didn't move any closer, but his presence was suffocating nonetheless. "You're safe here."
Safe? The absurdity of the word made Kian's blood boil. "Safe? You attacked me!" he spat, his voice trembling with fear and anger. "You bit me!"
Viktor's expression remained unreadable, though his jaw tightened slightly. "Yes. I did."
Kian's heart pounded in his chest. He wanted to get up, to run, but his body was still weak, and the vampire stood between him and any hope of escape.
"Let me go," Kian pleaded, his voice shaking. "I swear, I won't tell anyone. I'll disappear. Just… let me leave."
Viktor regarded him for a long, tense moment before shaking his head, the faintest trace of regret crossing his face. "I can't."
"Why?" Kian's panic grew, his voice rising. "Why are you keeping me here?"
Viktor hesitated, as though searching for the right words. His eyes flickered with something, conflict, perhaps? "You don't understand," he began slowly, his tone careful, as though speaking to a cornered animal. "What happened… it wasn't supposed to. But now that it has, there's no going back."
Kian's brow furrowed in confusion. His throat felt tight, his chest constricting with a mounting sense of dread. "What are you talking about? "
Viktor took a slow step forward, his movements deliberate, calculated. "You and I are bond now. By something much stronger than either of us. A bond that can't be broken."
Kian blinked, his mind reeling. "Bond? What does that mean? What did you do to me?"
Viktor's eyes locked onto his, the intensity of his gaze unnerving. "It means we're connected. And I have tasted your blood. Now...."
Kian stared at him, disbelief and terror warring in his mind. "Connected? What the hell are you talking about?"
"The mate bond," Viktor continued, his voice low but steady. "It's rare, even for my kind. Once a vampire drinks the blood of their mate… nothing else will ever satisfy them. No other blood will sustain me now. Only yours."
The weight of his words hit Kian like a physical blow. His throat tightened, and bile rose in his stomach. "You're saying I'm some kind of, what? Your personal blood supply?"
Viktor's eyes flickered with something Kian couldn't quite place. "It's not that simple," Viktor said, his voice strained. "It's more than that. You are my mate."
"Kian's voice broke, his panic rising again. "I don't want anything to do with you or whatever this is. I just want to leave. Please."
Viktor's jaw clenched. "You don't understand. It's not a matter of choice anymore."
"This is insane," Kian whispered, pressing his hands to his temples, trying to will himself to wake up from this nightmare. "This is not happening."
Viktor stood still, his figure looming over Kian. The silence between them was heavy, suffocating.
"I never wanted this either," Viktor admitted, his tone softer, though his words carried a weight that only deepened the dread Kian felt. "But now that it's happened, I can't let you go. Not without risking both of us."
Kian's eyes snapped up to meet Viktor's, fury burning behind his tears. "You can't just keep me here like some prisoner! You can't… I won't let you!"
His body moved before his mind could catch up. Kian launched himself toward the door, his legs wobbling beneath him, but Viktor was faster. He caught Kian by the arm, his grip firm but not painful.
"Don't." Viktor's voice was cold, but beneath the surface, there was a flicker of something, guilt? Regret? Kian couldn't tell.
"Let me go!" Kian shouted, twisting in Viktor's grip, his nails digging into the vampire's cold skin, but it was like trying to fight a statue.
"I can't," Viktor replied, his tone hardening as he pulled Kian back with ease, as though he weighed nothing.
Kian sagged against Viktor's arm, his strength completely drained. His breath came in ragged gasps, his chest heaving with a mix of terror and exhaustion.
"Please," Kian whispered, his voice barely audible. "Please, just let me go. I'll disappear. I'll never come back here. You'll never see me again."
Viktor's gaze softened, if only for a brief second. His hand loosened slightly, but not enough to release Kian. "I wish it were that easy. But the bond… it's not something I can break. "
Kian shook his head, the desperation rising in his chest. "No," he muttered, his voice trembling. "This isn't real. You can't just keep me here. I have a life. I have..."
"You have nothing now," Viktor interrupted, his tone final, though not unkind. "Your life as you knew it… it's over."
Kian stared at him, the weight of those words pressing down on him like a crushing force. Tears welled up in his eyes, and he wiped them away angrily. He couldn't believe this. Couldn't accept it.
"This isn't fair," he whispered, his voice hoarse. "I didn't ask for this. I didn't ask for any of this."
Viktor's gaze softened, just for a moment, as if he understood, at least on some level, the pain and confusion coursing through Kian. But his expression hardened just as quickly, the mask slipping back into place.
"You're right," Viktor said quietly. "It isn't fair. But it's what we have to live with now."
Kian's breathing became ragged, and he slumped against the wall, defeated. His body felt weak, drained, and he could feel the sting of fresh tears burning in his eyes. He wanted to scream, to lash out, but what was the point? Viktor was stronger, faster, and completely in control. There was no escape.
His breath hitched as he stared at Viktor, the vampire's cold, emotionless face betraying only the slightest hint of turmoil.
"I can't stay here," Kian whispered, his voice trembling with the weight of everything he'd lost. "I can't…"
Viktor was silent for a long moment, his gaze locked on Kian as though he were wrestling with something deep inside himself. Finally, he spoke, his voice low and filled with an emotion Kian couldn't quite place.
"I'll keep you safe," Viktor said softly. "But I can't let you go."