Mary sat in silence, her mind racing with thoughts she didn't want to acknowledge. The former vampire hunter's warning hung heavy in the air, pressing against her like an unseen force.
"The fact that you even exist is a threat."
She had always known she was different, but this was something else entirely. If what this woman—this mysterious former hunter—was saying was true, then Mary wasn't just being hunted because she was a vampire. She was being hunted because she was a mistake.
A danger.
A threat to the very balance of power.
She clenched her fists.
Lela was still watching the stranger warily, her hand resting near the hilt of her sword. Loosie hadn't spoken in several minutes, clearly trying to process everything.
The woman leaned against a tree, completely unbothered by the tension surrounding her. She had introduced herself as Eris, though she had offered little else in terms of personal details.
It was Lela who finally broke the silence.
"You're asking us to trust you, but we don't even know what your real intentions are."
Eris smirked. "I told you, I want to help you survive."
"And why would a former hunter care if Mary survives?" Lela's voice was sharp, cutting. "What's in it for you?"
Eris chuckled, shaking her head. "You're smart. Suspicious, but smart. Good. You'll need that." Her violet eyes flickered toward Mary. "The truth is, I have my own reasons for doing this. But for now, let's just say that keeping Mary alive is in both of our best interests."
Mary narrowed her eyes. "What do you mean?"
Eris sighed, pushing off the tree. "There's something you don't know yet—something I was hoping to explain when we weren't sitting in the middle of the woods, waiting to get ambushed."
Loosie stiffened. "Ambushed?"
Eris gave her a sharp look. "What, you thought the hunters wouldn't notice you? You've already left a trail."
Mary's stomach twisted.
Lela swore under her breath, immediately scanning the surrounding trees. "How long do we have?"
Eris tilted her head. "If we stay here? Not long."
Loosie was already moving, grabbing her things. "Then let's go."
Mary followed, trying to ignore the way her heart pounded against her ribs. They packed up quickly, erasing as many traces of their presence as they could. But even as they moved, Mary couldn't shake the feeling that something was watching them.
The night stretched on, their footsteps muffled by the damp forest floor.
Finally, when they had put enough distance between themselves and their previous campsite, Lela stopped. "Alright. Talk."
Eris exhaled, clearly expecting the demand. She crossed her arms.
"You've heard of the Hunters' Order, right?"
Lela nodded. "Of course."
Loosie frowned. "They're an ancient organization. They've been hunting vampires for centuries."
Eris smiled wryly. "That's the public version. The truth is, they're a lot older than that. And a lot worse."
Mary's breath caught. "What do you mean?"
Eris' expression darkened. "The Hunters' Order wasn't just created to kill vampires. It was created to control them."
Silence.
Loosie frowned. "That doesn't make sense."
"Doesn't it?" Eris gave her a knowing look. "Think about it. Why do vampires fear the hunters so much? Why do they stay in the shadows, constantly running, constantly hiding? The Order has always been too good at what they do. And that's because they've had centuries of knowledge passed down—knowledge about how to break vampires, how to manipulate them, how to turn them against their own kind."
Mary's throat tightened.
Eris continued. "And that brings us back to you, Mary. You're not just some random vampire. You're something new—something they can't predict, can't control."
Mary's stomach twisted. "So they want me dead."
"No." Eris' expression was unreadable. "They want to own you."
The words sent a chill down Mary's spine.
Lela stepped forward, her voice like steel. "Over my dead body."
Eris smirked. "That's the spirit. But it's going to take more than determination to stop them. The Order isn't just sending low-level hunters after you. They're sending the best. The elite."
Loosie swallowed hard. "How do you know all this?"
Eris hesitated, just for a moment. "Because I was one of them."
A heavy silence fell over the group.
Lela's grip tightened on her sword. "You said you were a hunter. But if you were elite, why did you leave?"
Eris' gaze darkened. "Because I saw what they were really doing." She turned her eyes to Mary. "I saw what they did to vampires like you."
Mary felt a cold dread seep into her bones. "What do you mean… like me?"
Eris' expression was grim. "There have been others."
Mary's breath caught. "Others?"
Eris nodded. "Not many. Maybe two or three in the past five hundred years. Vampires who weren't like the rest. Vampires who had something… different inside them."
Loosie's eyes widened. "What happened to them?"
Eris met Mary's gaze.
"They didn't survive."
A shudder ran through Mary.
Lela took a step forward, her voice low and dangerous. "Then we'll make sure she does."
Eris tilted her head. "That's what I'm here for."
Mary took a slow breath. Her mind was spinning, trying to grasp the weight of everything she had just learned. If what Eris was saying was true, then she wasn't the first. But she might be the last.
And if the Order was coming for her…
She needed to be ready.
She looked at Eris. "You said you can help me. Teach me what I need to know."
Eris gave her a slow smile. "That's the idea."
Mary nodded, determination hardening in her chest. "Then let's get started."
Eris grinned. "Good. Because we don't have much time."
The night stretched before them, dark and full of danger. But for the first time, Mary wasn't just running.
She was preparing for war.