“Who is he?” Luke shouted into the void. For the first time in his life, a kill had slipped through his fingers. After the voice had instructed him to take her, she was rescued by a white figure—a vampire, no less.
Luke spun around in the bare room, the source of the words invisible. Despite the darkness, his eyes were so sharp that it might as well have been daylight.
Crumbling wallpaper surrounded him, with only a lone chair offering any semblance of comfort. Ever since he had assumed this form, nothing else mattered. His mind was consumed by the thought of his next kill.
“Who. Is. He?” Luke demanded.
Frustrated, Luke ran his hand through his hair. “Can you be more specific?”
He threw his body down onto the uncomfortable chair, his need for answers momentarily outweighing his need to move.
Suddenly, a ball of white light appeared before him. It was a familiar sight, so he silently watched as it morphed into a human form. The light remained, preventing Luke from discerning the features of the being who directed him.
He simply watched as the man stepped closer to his hunched form, stopping just inches away.
Intrigued by the new information, Luke straightened his shoulders. “And why was he there?”
As the man moved about, sparks of light shot from him. Luke kept his gaze fixed on him.
This man may have helped him become who he was today, but he still didn’t trust him. Why is he helping me? Luke wondered.
“And who is she?” Luke asked, finding the situation increasingly interesting.
The lack of direct answers frustrated Luke. He shot up, standing face to face with the man.
His chest heaved as anger began to take over. “So, you used me?” He stared at where the man’s eyes would be if he were human, his hands clenched into fists.
“So you did.” The thought of being a pawn enraged him. “He nearly killed me, yet you did nothing to stop him. If it was a test, it means you were there, watching.”
The more Luke thought about it, the angrier he became. His muscles bulged as his body shifted. His nails elongated, piercing his skin.
The pain was familiar, and he welcomed it.
At the man’s admission, Luke roared and lunged at the figure. Pain exploded in his hand and arm as his claws passed through the form.
The force was so powerful that it sent Luke to his knees, cradling his injured arm against his chest. With his eyes closed, he absorbed the pain, letting it fuel his anger.
Suddenly, a whip of light shot from the man, wrapping itself around Luke’s neck. His eyes shot open as it squeezed his neck, slowly lifting his body into the air until his feet barely touched the ground.
The light constricted his airflow and burned into his soft flesh. The smell of burned skin filled his senses, and the pain became excruciating.
Luke’s eyes bulged from their sockets as his skin turned blue. His mouth fluttered open and closed as he struggled to breathe.
His right hand moved to fight the light, but it only burned his fingers, forcing him to drop it to his side.
“Sor…ry,” Luke wheezed out. Just seconds before he would have passed out, the light released him, and his body dropped to the floor.
The pain lessened as he gulped in air, filling his lungs. When the coughing finally stopped, Luke looked up at the white figure through teary eyes.
“What is your will?” Luke asked.
“Gladly.” A smirk brushed Luke’s face. “And what about the vampire?”
Luke remained on the floor as he gathered his breath and senses. From the beginning, he had despised working for this being.
But he would always be grateful to him for revealing his true nature. Since he was young, he had always known he was different. After that night in the park, Luke had been set free.
Sure, he knew his mind was twisted, but he preferred it that way. Killing was part of his daily routine, but having someone escape him infuriated him.
His muscles screamed as Luke rose, stretching his body until the ache dispersed. With a final glance at the empty room, Luke grabbed his jacket and headed for the door.
First, he needed to kill something—anything—to vent his anger and clear his head. If he was to find this girl, he needed to focus, and only blood would allow him to do so.
