4: Threads of Fate

Ellie’s POV

I quickened my pace, glancing nervously over my shoulder. The footsteps were louder now, closer, echoing in the narrow alley like a countdown to something I wasn’t ready for. My heart pounded so hard it drowned out everything else—the distant hum of traffic, the rustle of leaves in the wind, even my own ragged breathing.

Just as panic set in, a hand shot out of the shadows, grabbing my arm. I gasped, spinning around to face him.

“Stay close,” Liam growled, his voice low and urgent.

Before I could respond, he yanked me into the darkness with him, pressing us both against the cold brick wall. His body was tense, every muscle coiled like a spring, ready to strike. I barely had time to register the icy chill radiating off him before three figures emerged from the opposite end of the alley.

They weren’t human—not fully, anyway. Their movements were too fluid, too predatory, as they prowled toward us with feral grins splitting their faces. One of them tilted their head, sniffing the air like an animal catching a scent.

“Well, well,” the leader sneered, his voice dripping with malice. “Looks like we found our little prize.”

Liam stepped in front of me, shielding me with his body. “Leave her alone,” he snarled, his tone laced with venom.

The vampires laughed—a sound that sent shivers down my spine—but didn’t back down. Instead, they lunged at us, moving faster than my eyes could track.

Everything happened in a blur. Liam moved like lightning, deflecting blows and delivering strikes with brutal precision. But there were too many of them, and one managed to slip past his defenses, heading straight for me.

Instinct kicked in. I grabbed a broken piece of wood lying nearby and swung it blindly, catching the vampire across the face. He hissed in pain, stumbling backward long enough for Liam to intervene. With a swift motion, he snapped the creature’s neck, leaving him crumpled on the ground.

“We need to go. Now,” Liam barked, grabbing my hand and pulling me deeper into the labyrinth of alleys.

We ran until my lungs burned and my legs felt like jelly, finally stopping near Vyšehrad Cemetery. The air was heavy here, thick with the scent of damp earth and decaying leaves. Liam scanned the area, his sharp gaze darting between gravestones and shadowy corners.

“They’ll be back,” he said grimly. “Those were rogues—vampires who’ve abandoned all semblance of humanity. They were testing you, trying to see how connected you are to the curse.”

My stomach churned at the word testing. “What does that mean? Why are they targeting me?”

He hesitated, his jaw tightening. “Because you’re tied to me. To my past. And if Victor Draven finds out…” He trailed off, shaking his head.

I stared at him, frustration bubbling beneath the surface. “You keep saying that name like it explains everything, but I don’t know who he is or why he matters!”

Liam sighed, running a hand through his hair. For the first time since I’d met him, he looked… weary. Vulnerable. “Victor Draven is the vampire who destroyed my family centuries ago. He turned me against my will and cursed me to hunt him for eternity. If he discovers your connection to me…”

His voice broke, and he turned away, unable to finish the thought.

I reached out, placing a tentative hand on his arm. “Tell me,” I urged softly.

He glanced down at my hand, then back up at me, his piercing blue eyes filled with pain. “He slaughtered everyone I loved,” he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. “My parents, my sister—they begged for mercy, but he showed none. He made me watch as they died, then forced me to drink their blood to complete my transformation.”

Tears pricked my eyes as I listened, imagining the horror he must have endured. No wonder he carried so much anger, so much guilt.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered, my voice trembling.

He shook his head, stepping back. “Don’t pity me. You shouldn’t even be here, Ellie. Every second you’re near me puts you in greater danger.”

But I couldn’t let him push me away—not this time. Not when I finally understood the weight of his pain.

“You saved me tonight,” I said firmly. “And I’m not going anywhere. Whatever this curse is, whatever connection I have to it, I want to help you break it.”

For a moment, he just stared at me, his expression unreadable. Then, slowly, he nodded.

As we stood there, surrounded by the eerie silence of the cemetery, I noticed something etched into one of the gravestones—a symbol that looked eerily familiar. It matched the ones I’d been seeing in my dreams, carved into blood-soaked walls.

“What does this mean?” I asked, tracing the markings with my fingers.

Liam’s brow furrowed as he studied it. “It’s part of the curse,” he murmured. “These symbols bind me to Victor. Whoever created them wanted to ensure I could never escape.”

A chill ran down my spine. “And what about me? Why do I keep seeing them?”

He didn’t answer, but the look in his eyes told me everything I needed to know: I was more involved in this than either of us had realized.

---- ---- -----

Exhausted, I sank onto a nearby bench, my legs trembling beneath me. Liam remained standing a few feet away, scanning the shadows for any sign of pursuit.

“I can’t keep doing this,” I muttered, more to myself than to him.

His gaze snapped to mine. “Doing what?”

“This!” I gestured wildly at the cemetery, at him, at the chaos that had become my life. “Running from monsters, lying to everyone I care about… I’m barely holding it together as it is. My mom’s medical bills are piling up, I’m working double shifts just to stay afloat, and now this? What am I supposed to do, Liam? Quit my job and join your supernatural soap opera full-time?”

He flinched at the bitterness in my voice but didn’t argue. Instead, he crouched in front of me, his expression softening. “I never asked you to get involved,” he said quietly. “But now that you are, I won’t let anything happen to you.”

“That’s not your call to make,” I shot back, though my resolve wavered slightly.

As we sat there in silence, I thought about Sophie—the coworker who’d covered my shift last week without complaint, the one person who hadn’t judged me for looking perpetually exhausted. Even she was starting to ask questions, and I hated lying to her.

“What would she say if she knew the truth?” I wondered aloud, half to myself.

Liam tilted his head, studying me. “Who?”

“My friend Sophie. She works with me at the café. She’s always asking why I look so tired lately.” I sighed, rubbing my temples. “I don’t know how much longer I can keep pretending everything’s fine.”

“She cares about you,” Liam observed, his tone neutral.

“Yeah, but caring doesn’t pay the bills or save my mom,” I snapped, immediately regretting the harshness in my voice. “Sorry. I didn’t mean…”

“It’s okay,” he interrupted gently. “You’re allowed to be angry. Frustrated. Scared.”

His words caught me off guard. For someone who seemed so guarded, he had a way of seeing right through me.

“Why do you care?” I asked, meeting his gaze.

He hesitated, his jaw tightening. “Because I’ve spent centuries pushing people away. Watching them die because of me. If I can protect even one person…” His voice trailed off, but the unspoken promise lingered in the air.

Without thinking, I reached out and placed my hand over his. His skin was cold, but the contact sent warmth flooding through me. For a moment, neither of us moved.

Then he pulled away, standing abruptly. “We should go,” he said, his voice clipped again.

Disappointment flickered through me, but I nodded and followed him.

By the time we left the cemetery, exhaustion had settled over me like a heavy blanket. Still, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong. Every step felt heavier than the last, and a dull ache began throbbing in my chest.

When we finally parted ways, I took a few steps before the pain intensified, doubling me over. Gasping for air, I collapsed to my knees, clutching my chest as the world spun around me.

And then, darkness.