Maya awoke to the sound of rain tapping against the window, the gray light of dawn filtering into the room. Her body still tingled from the night before, a mix of warmth and unease settling over her. Alex's arm was draped around her waist, his breath soft and steady against her neck.
She stared at the ceiling, her mind spinning with everything that had happened. The kiss, the promises, the raw honesty in his eyes—it all felt like a dream. But the memory of the creature's glowing amber eyes and its chilling threats was a stark reminder that this wasn't some romantic fantasy.
Alex shifted beside her, his hold tightening slightly. "You're awake," he murmured, his voice rough with sleep.
"I couldn't sleep," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.
He propped himself up on one elbow, his gaze searching hers. "Talk to me."
Maya hesitated, unsure of where to begin. "That thing last night… it wasn't human."
"No," Alex said, his expression darkening.
"And it knows me. It threatened me, Alex. What does it want?"
He exhaled heavily, running a hand through his messy hair. "It's not just one creature. It's a network, a group bound by the same dark magic I got tangled up in years ago. They want me to finish what I started—or face the consequences."
"And I'm the consequence?" Maya asked, her voice laced with disbelief.
"They'll use you to hurt me," Alex admitted, his jaw tightening. "To force me into submission."
Maya sat up, pulling the sheet around her. "Then we have to do something. We can't just wait for them to come after us."
"I'm working on it," Alex said, his tone firm. "But these aren't people you can fight with logic or strength. They play dirty, and they don't care who gets caught in the crossfire."
"Then why haven't you told me everything?" Maya demanded, frustration bubbling to the surface. "How am I supposed to protect myself if I don't even know what I'm up against?"
Alex's gaze softened, but there was a flicker of something else—guilt. "Because I don't want you to have to protect yourself, Maya. I want to protect you."
"That's not enough," she said, shaking her head. "I need to know the truth, Alex. All of it."
Before he could respond, a loud knock echoed through the apartment, sharp and urgent.
Alex was on his feet in an instant, pulling on his jeans and grabbing a knife from the nightstand. "Stay here," he ordered, his voice low and commanding.
"Alex—"
"Stay here," he repeated, his eyes locking with hers.
Reluctantly, Maya nodded, clutching the sheet tighter as he disappeared into the living room.
She strained to hear the muffled voices beyond the door, her heart racing as the rain outside intensified. Moments later, Alex returned, his expression grim.
"Kara's downstairs," he said, his voice tight. "She found something."
"What?" Maya asked, fear creeping into her chest.
"She wouldn't say. But she wants us both to see it."
Maya swallowed hard, the tension in the air thick enough to choke on. "Then let's go."
Alex hesitated, his gaze flicking to the knife in his hand. Finally, he nodded. "Stay close to me. Don't leave my side."
They hurried down the stairs, the rain hammering against the windows as they descended. Kara was waiting in the lobby, her leather jacket soaked and her expression grim.
"You're not going to like this," she said as they approached.
"Show me," Alex said, his tone sharp.
Kara led them outside, where the rain had turned the parking lot into a slick, glistening expanse. She pointed to the side of the building, where the shadows seemed darker than they should have been.
At first, Maya didn't see it. But then her eyes adjusted, and she gasped.
Scrawled across the wall in what looked like blood was a single word: "TRAITOR."
Below it lay a pile of feathers—black, twisted, and unnatural.
Maya took a step back, her stomach churning. "What does it mean?"
Kara glanced at Alex, her expression unreadable. "It means they're done playing games. They're coming for you."
"For us," Alex corrected, his voice hard.
Kara raised an eyebrow. "You sure about that? Because from where I'm standing, it looks like they're more interested in her."
Maya's blood ran cold as she turned to Alex. "What's going on?"
But Alex didn't answer. Instead, he reached for her hand, his grip firm but gentle. "We need to leave. Now."
"Leave?" Maya asked, panic rising in her chest. "Where are we supposed to go?"
"Somewhere they can't find us," Alex said, his voice low.
Kara snorted. "Good luck with that. You know they don't stop. Not until they get what they want."
"I'll deal with them," Alex said, his tone final.
Kara shook her head, her lips curving into a bitter smile. "You keep telling yourself that, Alex. But we both know how this ends."
As they turned to leave, Maya couldn't shake the feeling that something—someone—was watching them from the shadows.
And whoever it was, they weren't going to wait much longer to strike.