The roar of the motorcycle faded into the crisp silence of the countryside as Ryker brought it to a stop. Clara shivered, partly from the chill in the air and partly from the lingering fear clawing at her chest. The forest around them was dense, the moonlight filtering weakly through the gnarled branches above. In front of them stood a decrepit cabin, its wooden exterior warped with age, vines crawling up the walls like skeletal fingers.
"This is the safehouse?" Clara asked, incredulous.
Ryker swung off the bike with a grunt, his movements stiff. Blood dripped from his arm, staining the ground. "It's secure," he said curtly, offering her a hand.
Clara ignored his hand and climbed off the bike herself, her legs trembling as they met solid ground. She looked around, half expecting glowing eyes to appear from the shadows. The stillness felt oppressive, every rustle of leaves and distant hoot of an owl setting her on edge.
Ryker moved to the cabin door and pushed it open with a creak. The air inside was thick with dust and the scent of mildew. The interior was as unwelcoming as the outside—bare walls, a single cot in one corner, and a table with a rickety chair in another. A fireplace sat unused, its bricks cracked and blackened.
"This place looks like it'll collapse if I breathe too hard," Clara muttered, stepping inside.
"It's warded," Ryker said, shutting the door behind them. "No one can find us here. Not easily, at least."
Clara turned to him, crossing her arms. "You keep saying things like 'not easily' and 'not for now.' None of this feels reassuring."
Ryker ignored her comment, walking to a small cabinet near the cot. He pulled out a first aid kit and began tending to his wounds. Clara watched as he poured a foul-smelling liquid onto a deep gash on his arm. He didn't even flinch, though his jaw clenched tightly.
"You should be in a hospital," Clara said, her voice softer now.
Ryker smirked, a humorless expression. "Yeah, because explaining claw marks and vampire bites to a nurse is exactly what I need."
Clara slumped into the lone chair, her head in her hands. "This is insane. I was just trying to make a delivery. How did my life turn into a supernatural nightmare in one night?"
Ryker finished bandaging his arm and turned to her, his golden eyes meeting hers. "It was never going to be normal, Clara. Not with what you are."
Her head shot up, anger flaring. "What I am? What does that even mean?"
Ryker hesitated, his expression darkening. "Your blood—it's different. Powerful. The kind of power that draws monsters out of the shadows. That's why they want you."
Clara stared at him, her pulse quickening. "My blood? That's ridiculous. I'm just a courier, Ryker. A nobody."
"You're not a nobody," Ryker said, his voice firm. "Whether you realize it or not, there's something inside you that they're willing to kill for. Vampires, werewolves, shadowmancers—they'll all come for you because of it."
Clara felt the room spin, the weight of his words crushing her. "You're saying I'm some kind of target because of something I didn't even know about? That's not fair."
Ryker gave her a grim smile. "Life stopped being fair for people like us a long time ago."
Before Clara could respond, a sharp noise from outside made them both freeze. Ryker's nostrils flared, his head snapping toward the door.
"Stay quiet," he whispered, his voice a low growl.
Clara's breath hitched as she strained her ears. Footsteps crunched on the gravel outside, slow and deliberate. Her mind raced—had the vampires found them already? Or was it something worse?
Ryker moved to the door, his claws extending. His golden eyes glowed faintly in the dim light, and his entire body tensed like a coiled spring.
The door creaked open, and a figure stepped inside. Clara's breath caught as she took in the woman who entered. She was tall and elegant, with long jet-black hair that cascaded down her back. Her silver eyes glinted like polished steel, and she carried a sleek, curved blade that seemed to hum faintly with energy.
"Ryker," the woman said, her voice smooth and sharp as a dagger. "You've gotten yourself into quite the mess this time."
Ryker's growl deepened. "Zara. What are you doing here?"
Zara smirked, stepping further into the cabin. "Cleaning up after you, as usual. When I heard you were playing babysitter for a human, I couldn't resist coming to see for myself."
Clara bristled. "I'm right here, you know. And I'm not a baby."
Zara's eyes flicked to her, amusement dancing in their depths. "So this is the girl everyone's after. She doesn't look like much."
Clara clenched her fists, but before she could retort, Ryker stepped between them. "Enough. Why are you really here, Zara?"
Zara's smirk faded, replaced by a serious expression. "Because you can't protect her on your own. You're good, Ryker, but you're bleeding out, and you're up against forces that even you can't handle. If you want her to survive, you're going to need my help."
"I don't need your help," Ryker snapped.
Zara raised an eyebrow. "Don't be stubborn. You know I'm right. The vampires are the least of your worries now. The shadowmancer you encountered—that wasn't just any dark caster. He's a hunter, Ryker. And if he's after her, it means the Crimson Pact knows what she is."
Ryker stiffened at her words, his claws retracting. Clara looked between them, her unease growing. "The Crimson Pact? What's that?"
Zara turned to her, her silver eyes cold. "They're a faction of shadowmancers who serve only themselves. Ruthless, powerful, and willing to tear apart entire cities to get what they want. And right now, they want you."
Clara's knees felt weak. She sank back into the chair, her hands trembling. "Why me? What's so special about me?"
Zara and Ryker exchanged a glance, but neither answered.
The silence was broken by a loud thud from the roof. Ryker's head snapped up, his nostrils flaring again. Zara unsheathed her blade, the weapon gleaming with an unnatural light.
"They've found us," Zara said, her voice steady but sharp.
Ryker growled, his claws extending once more. "Clara, stay behind me."
Before she could respond, the windows shattered, and the room was plunged into chaos.