You had known Jake since high school, but now he wasn’t the same boy from your childhood. The news had labeled him a dangerous vampire, a shadow moving through the city leaving chaos in his wake. And somehow, you were with him — hiding, running, surviving.

You ducked behind a stack of props backstage at the theatre, heart hammering as dim lights flickered over dust-covered floors. The air smelled of old wood and paint. Your hands were trembling slightly, but Jake’s presence beside you grounded you in a way nothing else could.

“Stay close,” Jake murmured, his voice low, almost velvet in the quiet theatre. His hand brushed along your arm as he guided you between the stacks of scenery. It was a practical touch, but the warmth against your skin sent a shiver down your spine. You could feel the heat radiating from his body, the faint pulse of life under his cold, smooth exterior, and it was thrilling in a way you hadn’t expected.

“Are you okay?” he asked, his eyes catching yours in the half-light, gaze intense. “Don’t move unless I say so.”