Chapter 32 — Nico’s POV
Everything was chaos inside my body. A sensation no vampire—no matter how ancient—could ever become used to.
The Blood Moon did this to us. It sharpened our senses until they felt like knives slicing through our nerves, turning the faint hum of a lightbulb into a deafening siren. And the pain…
Gods, the pain. It tore through every inch of us until the instincts finally took control.
And once they took over, we were nothing but breathing weapons—drowning in hunger, drowning in madness—until we got the blood we craved.
These instincts were meant to keep us alive, yet all they did was make us suffer.
All because of that cursed moon.
It must have overtaken me completely; the world around me was beginning to calm. Darkness surrounded me—quiet, empty, strangely peaceful. Like resting in nothingness and letting whatever was happening… just happen.
What was happening?
Why was I even fighting it?
Fighting had never worked—never for me, never for anyone. I couldn’t even remember why I tried.
I thought I was doing well this time… until something changed. Something fast. Something drastic.
What was it?
Why did I—
A scent reached me. Familiar. Unmistakable. Someone.
Someone important.
Khloe.
My eyes flew open. Light crashed into my vision like a punch. Control slammed back into my body all at once, leaving me disoriented and sick.
I pulled my fangs from her neck immediately, swallowing the last taste of her blood as I gasped for breath.
The memories returned in a horrifying rush.
Her scent.
Her steps.
Her blood in her mouth.
Her lips pressed to mine.
Her body offering itself to me without hesitation.
She forced me to feed.
Why? Why would she—
My thoughts shattered the moment I really looked at her.
Her body was still. Too still.
Her breaths were soft, shallow, fading.
Blood trickled down her neck.
Panic hit me like a physical blow.
I grabbed her face with trembling hands. “Khloe.”
Nothing. Not even a twitch.
I pressed my thumb to the wound after wetting it with my tongue—our saliva at least slowed bleeding.
But how much had I taken?
A liter?
More?
My wings folded tight to my back as dread curled in my gut.
She sacrificed herself.
For me.
To keep me alive.
To make me feed so I wouldn’t suffer through the Blood Moon.
“Dammit, Khloe, open your eyes!” My voice cracked, the plea ripping out of me.
No response.
I wiped the lingering tears from her face, staring at her limp form as something inside me threatened to break.
I couldn’t lose another one.
Not again.
Not because of this damned moon.
I forced myself away, covering her trembling, cooling body with blankets before sprinting into the bathroom.
There had to be something. Something to help her.
I tore through the cabinet—empty, empty, useless—nothing that could save her.
No Hemagenics.
No ESA.
Not even iron supplements.
“Why the hell didn’t I restock?!” I slammed the cabinet shut, running a shaking hand through my hair as frustration burned through me. My wings twitched violently behind me.
Her breaths were getting weaker.
I stepped back into the room.
Khloe hadn’t moved.
At all.
I’d give her my blood if I could.
Anything.
Everything.
My eyes darted to the window—then down to the glowing city below.
A city full of eligible blood.
The castle was locked down for the Blood Moon. I couldn’t get blood here. But down there?
Anything was legal tonight. No vampire was held responsible for what the moon made them do.
And I still had my senses, still had control.
If I went down there, who would question it?
I looked at my wings, then back at her pale, fragile body.
B‑negative.
That’s all she needed.
And I would get it.
For her.
At any cost.
I wasn’t going to kill anyone.
But scaring them?
That was unavoidable.
I licked my fangs as I stepped toward the window, the Blood Moon glowing on my skin like fire.
She needed blood.
My pet needed me.
And nothing—moon, law, or fear—was going to stop me from saving her.
