Shadows of Reunion

AYA

A sudden uproar successfully diverted the vampires trailing us away from the city. Only a handful persisted in tracking our scent, while the majority realized the ruse and dashed back toward the beaches. Our diversion had served its purpose.

Anthony and I found ourselves perched on a rooftop, gazing out at the inky water. We were too distant to see or smell much. I just stared, aware of his presence—aware that he was more powerful than any other vampire I’d ever encountered.

As the remaining vampires caught up with us, Anthony and I slipped from our rooftop perch and descended back into the city. We moved swiftly, heading up and out of town. The human roads were broad and mostly deserted, the dark asphalt swallowing the light.

It wasn’t until a few hours later, after we’d dropped Alexander’s and Caroline’s scent to maintain the deception, that we finally picked up on Tom’s scent. It was where Anthony had last detected it, deep in the arid mountains. It was a few days old.

Tom had passed through the area with others. I recognized their scents from his friend we’d met in Italy. I pondered whether they’d headed for Berlin or if they’d chosen to follow us to France. Their presence in the area suggested the latter. I clenched my teeth.

Using a nearby stream, Anthony and I washed off Alexander’s and Caroline’s scents. We donned stolen clothes that barely fit and discarded their belongings off a cliff. I watched as their things plummeted down the ravine, taking the last remnants of them away from us.

We then found a safe spot to spend the day, shielding ourselves from the sunlight. We could still hear the vampires who’d followed us, but they were far enough behind that we could rest.

We both slept fitfully, our bodies weary and healing from our injuries. I dreamed of Alexander—bloodied and calling my name.

I woke with a start. The sun had already set. It was cool in our cave. I roused Anthony, and we slipped out. The moonlight reflected off the road below us. I could just discern the shapes of the vampires trailing us.

Anthony glared at them but gestured upward, and we began moving north into the mountains, farther and farther away from the ocean.

It took us two nights to catch up with Tom. We’d managed to stay ahead of the vampires hunting us, though their numbers dwindled each night.

We arrived in Elbasan at midnight; the city was still bustling with locals eating late and walking home. We stood out in our ragged, dirty clothes. The humans eyed us warily and gave us a wide berth.

We followed Tom’s scent deep into the city center to a posh hotel. The lights were dim and golden, casting a warm glow on the large pillars and deep purple carpet of the entrance hall. The place was teeming with turned vampires, a mix of old and new scents.

“This is a Skotádi establishment,” Anthony whispered as we stepped inside. The air was warm, the scent of human food wafted from the restaurant, and sweet alcohol from the bar.

A few vampires and humans alike stared at us; our attire was a stark contrast to their fine silks and linens.

Suddenly, a human appeared in front of us, his suit impeccably pressed.

“I believe you may be lost,” he started, blocking our path.

Anthony scanned the room over his head. Tom’s scent was strong.

“We’re looking for a friend,” I murmured in Greek; my Albanian was non-existent. But the Skotádi had established Greece, and that at least piqued the man’s interest.

He tilted his head to one side, his heart rate quickening slightly. It was clear he was a human working for vampires—he knew what we were.

“Maybe I can help you find them, but I must ask you to wait outside,” he responded in fluent Greek as he gestured toward the doors.

Anthony hissed, his eyes flashing crimson.

The human’s composure was impressive; he didn’t back down.

“Of course,” I breathed, grasping Anthony’s arm to soothe him. We’d stepped into our enemy’s territory. I didn’t want anything else to draw attention to us. “My friend is Thomas. He’s Canadian. He must have come through here recently. Tall, reddish-brown hair. Green eyes. He would have been with friends.”

The human pondered my words.

“I believe I might have seen the gentleman. I’ll let him know you’re here. What name can I give him?”

We stepped outside; his hand was on the doorknob, and he looked at me expectantly.

“Berlin,” I replied.

He gave a curt nod and closed the door in our faces before briskly walking away.

Anthony frowned.

“Should we stick around?” I questioned, surprised to see Tom in the company of the Skotádi.

Anthony’s lips tightened into a thin line. “We need to scatter, at least for a while, while we’re still connected to the Nights. You’re still a potential weapon against him. The Shahalias won’t forget you that easily. And the Skotádi despise the Nights. They’ll use anything to inflict more pain on Alexander. If we scatter, it’ll be harder to track us, you’ll blend in with our Canadian, and I’ll vanish. The commotion will eventually subside. Plus, I made a promise to that jerk to keep you safe.”

I looked up at him, uncertainty clouding my thoughts.

“I’m not sure how Tom will react to seeing me.”

“If I sense even a hint of him wanting to hand you over to the Skotádi, I won’t think twice about snapping his neck and escaping with you,” Anthony declared, his tone firm.

“Please don’t. He’s a good person and has been a loyal friend and companion.”

Anthony shrugged nonchalantly.

“Then we have nothing to worry about.”

Just then, the door swung open and Tom burst out, his feet hitting the pavement as he spun around to face us.

“Aya,” his eyes were wide with surprise, and he reached out to me immediately, casting a quick glance at Anthony.

“Hi Tom,” I whispered, allowing him to pull me into his embrace. He held me tightly against his chest, then pulled back, his hands cupping my face and pushing my hair back as he examined me. His green eyes scanned my body quickly, taking in my dirty clothes and the dried blood on them.

“Are you okay?” he asked, his gaze shifting to Anthony again, suspicion evident in his narrowed eyes.

“I’m fine,” I assured him, nodding. “Tom, meet Anthony—a friend from my past. Anthony, this is Tom.”

The two vampires locked eyes, sizing each other up. Tom was as tall as Anthony, but not as muscular. Anthony shifted slightly, adopting a defensive stance. The tension in the air was palpable.

When it became clear that neither of them intended to break the silence, I turned back to Tom.

“Are you staying here?”

Tom pressed his lips together and nodded. “Yeah, we’ve been here for a few days. Aya, there’s been a lot of chatter about you.”

I nodded in understanding. “Can we stay with you, at least for today? And can we keep my connections a secret?”

“Of course, you can stay,” he said, his eyes wide with surprise. “But—” He hesitated. “It’s not like I’ve been hiding the fact that I know you and that you’re acquainted with the ~banished prince~.” He whispered the last part.

“I just need a place for us to clean up and talk for today. If it’s too dangerous for me to be here, just let me know and we’ll vanish.”

Anthony grunted in response. Tom glanced at him, then back at me.

“Yeah, you can stay with me, and we’ll keep it low-key. Follow me,” he said, guiding me into the hotel with his hand on the small of my back. Anthony trailed behind us.

Tom quickly explained our situation to the human receptionist. “They were out hunting,” he said.

The receptionist nodded politely and let us through to the elevator.

“Fourth floor,” Tom muttered as we stepped into the elevator. “They have blackout curtains and soundproof walls here.”

“It seems very nice,” I agreed as the elevator doors opened, revealing a long corridor. Tom led us to his room and swiped his card.

His room was small but well arranged. It smelled distinctly of him and a faint trace of a human. He closed the door behind us.

“Soundproof walls as well,” Anthony noted, running his fingers over the windowpane.

“Yeah,” Tom agreed.

“This is a Skotádi hotel,” Anthony observed. “How well acquainted are you with the family?”

Tom shook his head immediately. “Not very. But my friends and I were tracking the prince, and we ran into some Skotádi goons, so we joined forces. They put us up here.”

“And you told them about me and Alexander?” I pressed.

Tom nodded. “Yeah, of course. They were very interested.”

“I bet,” Anthony remarked.

I ran my fingers through my hair, frustration creeping in. “All right, Tom, would you mind if I freshen up? Then we can sit down and talk.”

Tom gestured toward the bathroom. “Go ahead, I’ll have some clothes brought up for you. Both of you.”

“Thanks,” I said, shooting Anthony a look, but he just scowled back at me.

I made my way into the bathroom, securing the door behind me. This was far from the perfect situation. Tom tailing me wasn’t a shocker. Alexander had a bounty on his head, and it was only natural for Tom to be intrigued by that. He was a laid-back guy, always eager to keep his buddies happy. But joining forces with the Skotádi was a whole different ball game.

I let the warm shower water cascade over me, massaging lavender-scented shampoo into my lengthy hair. I soaped up my sore body and rinsed off in a hurry. There was a fresh towel that I snagged and draped around myself.

A swift knock on the door and the sound of Tom clearing his throat reached my ears. I opened the door a crack and he handed me a pile of clothes. I thanked him in a rush before shutting the door again. I wrapped my hair in the towel and quickly slipped into the snug white shirt and lengthy green skirt that Tom had given me.

When I reentered the room, Tom was perched on the bed and Anthony was eyeing him from the window. They both looked up as I came in.

I signaled to Anthony that he could freshen up. He hesitated, then nodded and followed me into the bathroom.

Tom rose and poured two glasses of wine from the mini fridge in his room. He uncapped a bag of B negative and mixed it into both glasses.

“Thanks,” I muttered as he handed me one. The wine was sharp and earthy, while the blood was zesty and spicy. It was a nice blend. I took two big swigs before settling down in the armchair. I could hear Anthony in the shower.

“So,” Tom ran his fingers through his auburn hair, his gaze fixated on my hand clutching the glass. He seemed to avoid making eye contact. I knew what was coming next. “You never told me that the prince had turned you.”