Chapter 2 The Binding

Chapter 2

The man—no, the creature still had his hand beneath her chin, holding her in place as if she weighed nothing. His skin was cold. Inhumanly so cold, yet the pressure of his grip was precise, controlled.... like he was restraining himself from doing something far worse to her.

Nyra Voss couldn't breathe and not because there wasn't air in the room but because something in front of her was stealing it from her.

Nyra's fingers tightened around the diary behind her back.

"Let go of me," she forced out, though her voice shook.

The stranger didn't move immediately, instead, his crimson eyes studied her with unsettling focus.

As if she were a puzzle he had been searching centuries for in order to solve.

Then, slowly, he released her.

Nyra collapsed slightly against the wall, sucking in a shaky breath. Her heart was beating so fast that it hurt. But the man didn't step away, instead he stayed too close.

Too present. Too real.

"What.... are you?" she repeated, louder this time.

The man tilted his head slightly, like the question amused him.

"You summoned me," he said simply.

Nyra frowned despite the fear clawing at her chest.

"I didn't summon anything. I just read something—"

"You spoke the binding words," he interrupted.

His voice was calm, but there was something sharp underneath it.

Something ancient. Dangerous.

Nyra shook her head. "I don't even know you."

A pause.

Then suddenly and slowly, a faint smile found it way curved to his lips.

It wasn't warm and neither was it kind instead it looked like something that had forgotten how to be human.

"You will," he said quietly.

The room darkened again, as if the shadows themselves leaned in to listen.

Nyra swallowed hard. "I want you to leave."

At that, his expression shifted but it was not to anger or disatifaction like she expected rather it was to that of an interest.

"You can't command what is already bound to you."

"What are you talking about?" she snapped.

His gaze dropped to the diary still clutched in her hand.

"Open it," he said.

Nyra hesitated because every instinct inside of her screamed no. But curiosity, the same thing that had always gotten her into trouble pushed her forward into it.

Slowly, she opened the diary again only to see that the page she had read finish just now was now glowing faintly.

Nyra froze.

"That wasn't there before," she whispered.

"No," the man said softly.

"It wasn't meant to awaken like this."

A low pulse of energy rippled through the room making the air grew heavier.

Nyra felt it then—something invisible wrapping around her wrist.

Like chains made of heat and shadow.

She gasped and tried to pull away, but nothing was there.

Yet she felt it clearly.

A binding.

Her breath became uneven. "What did you do to me?"

"I did nothing," he replied.

His voice darkened slightly.

"You did it to yourself the moment you spoke the ritual because it was said the wrong way."

The diary pages flipped violently on their own.

Wind burst through the apartment even though the windows were closed.

Nyra stumbled back, panic rising.

"No—this is not real. This is not—"

But the man stepped closer.

And the shadows followed him around like loyal servants.

"This is very real," he said quietly.

Then his eyes flicked to her wrist as she saw something like recognition or shock passed through his expression again.

But deeper this time.

Stronger.

Like something that was impossible and not supposed to happen.

"That mark....." he whispered.

Nyra looked down.

At first, she saw nothing.

Then slowly, a faint symbol began to burn into her skin.

Not physical pain.

Something deeper.

Like her soul was being branded.

Nyra gasped, clutching her wrist. "Make it stop!"

But the stranger didn't move.

For the first time, something like uncertainty crossed his face.

"That is not possible," he murmured.

The room went still.

Even the wind stopped.

Nyra forced herself to look at him through tears forming in her eyes before asking.

"What is happening to me?"

The man stared at her for a long moment.

Then, very quietly, he said:

"You are not supposed to exist."

The silence that followed felt heavier than thunder.

Nyra's voice broke. "What does that mean?"

He stepped closer again, but this time not threateningly.

Carefully.

Like he was afraid she might shatter.

"You are bound to me," he said. "But the seal..... it should only accept one bloodline."

Nyra's stomach twisted. "And I'm not that bloodline?"

His eyes darkened.

"That is what I am trying to understand."

A sudden distant sound echoed through the building—something like footsteps on the stairs.

Fast approaching.

The man's head turned slightly toward the door.

His expression changed instantly to that of coldness, alert and a very dangerous one at that like he knew whatever was coming.

"They found you," he said.

Nyra stiffened. "Who found me?"

He looked back at her.

And for the first time, his voice carried something almost protective.

"Other vampires."

A sharp knock hit the front door.

Once.

Twice.

Then sudden total silence.

Nyra backed away instinctively.

"I didn't invite anyone here," she whispered.

The man stepped in front of her not touching her.

But blocking her completely.

Like a shield.

His voice dropped into something darker.

"You did not need to invite them."

Another knock hit at the door and it was harder this time around, as they could see the door trembled making it seem like it could break down at any moment.

Nyra's breath hitched.

"What do they want?"

The man's crimson eyes narrowed towards her.

"You."

The door cracked slightly.

And from the gap, a voice drifted in.

Soft, feminine and cruelly amused.

"Malachi Viremont..." it purred. "We felt your awakening."

Nyra's blood ran cold at the name because that was the first time she would be hearing the name.

Malachi didn't answer.

But the shadows around him deepened. And the temperature dropped so fast Nyra saw her breath.

The voice outside continued.

"And we know exactly what you've hidden inside that apartment."

She paused a little then continued softly:

"The girl."

Nyra's heart stopped.

Malachi turned his head slightly toward her.

And in that moment, Nyra realized something terrifying.

Whatever she had awakened....

was only the beginning.