Chapter 6: The Hunger Within
Aarav's breath came in ragged gasps as he stared at his reflection in the polished floor. His eyes—once familiar, once his—now burned crimson, mirroring the twin vampire sisters who watched him with eerie anticipation.
"This isn't happening," he muttered, pressing his palms against the cold marble. His entire body felt feverish, his veins humming with an unnatural energy.
"It's already begun," Seraphina said softly.
Selene knelt beside him, her fingers grazing his wrist. "You feel it, don't you? The hunger."
Aarav swallowed hard. A dull ache pulsed in his throat, spreading through his limbs like wildfire. It wasn't pain—it was need. A craving so primal, so deep, that it terrified him.
He jerked away from Selene's touch. "No. I won't become—whatever this is."
Selene sighed, standing to her full height. "You're fighting against yourself, Kairos. The more you resist, the worse it will become."
Aarav flinched at the name. Kairos. That wasn't his name. He was Aarav—a college dropout, a guy running from a past he wanted to forget. He wasn't some ancient being. He wasn't a monster.
Seraphina tilted her head, studying him. "Then tell me, Aarav… why is your heartbeat slowing?"
His breath hitched. He hadn't noticed it before, but now—his pulse was sluggish, his body colder than it should be. His senses felt sharper, more aware. He could hear the distant flutter of bats outside the mansion, smell the faintest traces of rain in the air.
His transformation was accelerating.
"No," he whispered, shaking his head. "I won't drink blood. I won't become like you."
Selene smirked. "That's what they all say at first."
Before he could respond, the mansion trembled. A deep, guttural growl echoed through the corridors, rattling the very foundation of the house.
Aarav's instincts screamed danger. "What was that?"
Seraphina's expression darkened. "You're awakening, Kairos. And now… others can sense you."
Selene turned toward the door, her eyes narrowing. "They're coming."
Aarav's pulse quickened. "Who's coming?"
Selene's lips curled into something between a smirk and a snarl. "Hunters."
The word sent a cold shiver down his spine.
The mansion shook again, this time followed by the sharp sound of steel scraping against stone. Footsteps echoed from the entrance.
"Stay behind us," Seraphina ordered, her voice colder than before.
Aarav clenched his fists, his hunger momentarily forgotten. He had no idea who—or what—was coming for him.
But something told him this night was far from over.
To be continued…