• 𝓜𝓪𝓮 •

I threw the pocket knife, watching as the tip of the blade sunk into the bark of the tree. After a week, I was getting better at throwing the knives Tati provided for me. At first, I kept hitting the tree with the handle, and I listened to it fall to the ground with a dull thunk. Now, most of the time the tip sunk easily into the tree.

I pulled out the pocket knife and moved away from the tree, then flung it back, smiling when it hit somewhat close to where I was aiming.

Training day in and day out on knife throwing should have been boring, but I was just happy I didn't have to just sit and stare off into space until another human came to drop off food or water.

Tati was usually the one who came by to drop off supplies, but occasionally she sent other people. She said it was so I was able to get to know the people I'd be living with in the future, without overwhelming me. I found out that she had over fifty people living out in the forest with her, all with varying abilities. Some hunted, some cooked, some took care of the young kids who were born after the takeover.

She said she'd bring me back with her after a week, so I was just passing the time until then with knife throwing. It was just a plus that I was getting pretty good at it.

I took a sip of water. They brought me a gallon every day, and I tried to make sure to drink half of it and save the other half to wash out my hair and clear the sweat and grime off of my body. I'd never been one to enjoy being dirty. If anything, that was the only thing I missed from the city. The ability to shower and actually use soap sounded amazing.

Sitting down, I rested my head back against a tree, my eyes still staring at the pocket knife stuck in the bark across from me. Tati had given me three knives. I only trained with one, hoping that if I ever needed to use them, I had two that were still sharp tucked into the waistband of my pants.

The crunching of leaves brought my attention up and my breath caught when I saw Noah. His green eyes scanned the area, then came to rest on me. He didn't stop moving. He kept walking towards me, his eyes never leaving mine.

I stood. "Noah? How are you...how did you get out here? Did you escape too?"

He didn't answer. His eyes merely softened as he took me in.

"Noah," I said again, tilting my head.

His eyes met mine again before he turned his head and looked behind him, where a familiar, yet not so familiar person stepped out. When those blue eyes met mine, my breath wooshed out of my lungs.

Luca.

I thought the guy looked devious and attractive before. Now? God, the guy probably broke hearts just by breaking eye contact.

He had grown a lot since he was seventeen, his muscles shaping out nicely over tattooed skin. His beautiful tanned skin hadn't dulled a bit since I saw him last, which made me wonder if he just spent that much time outside, or if he was naturally that tan. If he lived out in the woods, it could be either.

I shook myself out of it, looking back at Noah. "You know if you were going to escape, you could have told me instead of disappearing like you did. I thought they killed you."

He shook his head as Luca stepped up beside him. "No, they didn't kill me."

Luca took me in slowly. "Mae."

"In the flesh," I said, breaking out into a stupid smile. "What the hell? I haven't seen you in years. You look great."

Too great.

He smiled slightly, just a quirk of his full lips.

I walked over and grabbed the knife from the tree, flicking it closed. "Are you a part of..."

I paused.

"A part of what," Noah asked.

I turned back to them and truly looked at them. Their eyes and the way they tracked me. While I hadn't known Luca for long, I knew Noah and something was wrong.

I stayed silent. I was going to ask if they were a part of Tati's group and see if they'd been sent out to bring me supplies for the day, but they didn't have anything in their hands.

I held the pocket knife tighter in my hand. "Where exactly did you come from?"

"Mae!"

I turned my head to look in the direction from where the female's voice shouted. It was Tati, no doubt about it. But whereas she normally called my name happily as she carried food or water for me, my name leaving her lips this time sounded panicked.

My stomach curled and I looked at Noah and Luca. Their eyes never left me.

"I guess I should thank you," Kite said, dragging Tati behind her through the trees, "for keeping her fed and hydrated while I allowed her to feel freedom."

He deposited her at my feet, then placed a booted foot on her back to keep her on the ground. His golden brown eyes met mine and he smiled sarcastically, allowing me to take him in.

His strawberry blonde hair was almost as messy as Luca's, but where I know Luca's hair was naturally that way, Kite often styled his to look like he just got out of bed with a woman. There were rumors that he had a new woman in his bed every night, and quite a few times I was asked if I'd been one of them.

"Why," I asked, my voice a whisper.

"Why?" He blinked, looking down at Tati, who shook like she feared she was moments away from death.

She may very well be. Kite wasn't known to be kind. Not to humans, at least. There'd been times he called on me and drank my blood as he laughed and joked with other vampires. He was ruthless and cold to humans.

"Why couldn't you just leave me," I asked.

His eyes raised, the sun reflecting in them so they looked like pure gold. "I thought I made it perfectly clear. You are mine, Mae. I would burn down the world just to find you and bring you back to me."