Kai ran.
Through the trees. Past the buildings. Barefoot and half shifted, his claws scraping the earth as his wolf surged beneath his skin. He didn't remember locking the apartment. Didn't remember grabbing his jacket. All he knew was Adrian was in danger, and he couldn't feel him anymore.
The bond that had thrummed between them like a living thread had gone silent. Cold.
"No, no, no…" Kai growled, leaping over a fence like it was nothing. "Come back to me. Come back to me"
A howl ripped from his throat, primal and broken, splitting the night open.
Adrian bled.
Chains dug into his wrists, silver biting through his skin. He hung suspended in the center of the chamber like a sacrifice, barely conscious, but still glaring at the elder who paced before him.
"I warned you, Adrian," the ancient vampire whispered, circling like a vulture. "That loving him would destroy you. Now look at you stripped of your title, your protection. All for a little mutt."
Adrian coughed, blood staining his lips. "If you lay a hand on him, I swear on the ashes of your ancestors, I will end you."
The elder laughed. "Oh, we've already laid more than a hand."
Back at the edge of the city, Kai fell to his knees as a sharp, blinding pain shot through his chest. He clutched his ribs, eyes wide, gasping. It wasn't physical pain it was the bond snapping back to life, full of suffering and rage.
Adrian.
"I'm coming," Kai snarled. He shifted fully, his fur rippling midnight-black beneath the moonlight. The wolf in him howled to the stars, a vow written in fury and love.
Deep within the council chamber, Adrian's chains snapped with a sickening crack. Not from his strength no, that had long since been drained but from the magic now flooding him.
Blood magic.
But not the Council's. Kai's.
The bond between them pulsed like a second heartbeat, and Adrian's eyes burned crimson-gold. The same shade as the wolf who had claimed him.
"You shouldn't have touched him," Adrian hissed. And then he moved.
Faster than a blink. Stronger than before. Unleashing a fury that had the elders scrambling.
Outside, Kai's paws thundered across cobblestones as he neared the old ruins. He shifted mid-run, naked and breathless, not caring about the scratches or the cold.
He could hear the chaos now screams, magic shattering through stone. And then, finally, he saw him.
Adrian.
Standing in the center of the destruction, covered in blood, chest heaving. Beautiful. Terrifying. Alive.
"Adrian," Kai whispered, voice cracking.
Adrian turned toward him, eyes softening the moment they locked on him.
"Kai…"
Kai ran to him, throwing his arms around Adrian's neck, clinging to him like a lifeline. Adrian caught him, lifting him, burying his face in Kai's neck as his body trembled.
"I thought I lost you," Kai choked.
Adrian's voice was ragged against his ear. "You brought me back."
Adrian's breath was shaky as he held Kai against him, the world still vibrating from the battle that had just occurred. The air was thick with magic, the remnants of their enemies' spells still lingering in the shadows, but all Adrian could focus on was the feel of Kai in his arms.
Kai's heartbeat was steady now, his pulse a comfort against the frantic thrum of Adrian's own. His skin was warm, still alive, and it sent a rush of relief through Adrian's body so much so, it almost felt like he had been drowning, and Kai was the life raft pulling him back to shore.
"You're alive," Kai breathed again, his voice thick with emotion. "I thought… after everything…"
Adrian kissed him then, desperate and rough, as if the taste of Kai's lips would erase the blood, the pain, and the suffocating fear of losing him. The kiss was all teeth and tongues, their bodies pressing closer, melding like fire and ice.
"I won't leave you," Adrian growled between kisses, his voice raw, low. His hands roamed over Kai, pulling him in, cupping his face, as if to ensure he wasn't a figment of his imagination.
Kai's fingers slid into Adrian's hair, gripping him tightly. "You'd better not. I can't survive without you."
Adrian smirked against his lips, his hands drifting lower, but it wasn't hunger that burned in him now. It was something deeper possessive, undeniable. "You're not getting rid of me. Not now. Not ever."
They pulled apart just enough for their gazes to meet, both of them breathless, their chests rising and falling in sync. The night around them felt almost too quiet after the storm, but it didn't matter. Nothing mattered except that they had survived. Together.
Kai's hands trembled as he cupped Adrian's face, thumb tracing the line of his jaw. "I almost couldn't reach you. I could feel you slipping away from me. I thought..." His voice faltered for a moment, and Adrian felt a wave of guilt crash over him.
"I'm sorry," Adrian whispered, brushing his thumb over Kai's lips. "I never meant for you to feel that. You should never feel like that, Kai. I will never let them take me from you."
The soft moonlight bathed them in a halo, but the shadows of their enemies still loomed nearby. The battle had been won, but the war was far from over.
Kai leaned his forehead against Adrian's, his eyes closing for a brief moment as he let the warmth of Adrian's presence sink into his soul. "We're not done, are we?"
"No," Adrian said, his voice hardening, determination flickering in the depth of his gaze. "This isn't over. Not by a long shot."
Adrian pulled Kai closer, the scent of his skin intoxicating. He could feel the wolf inside him stir, the instinct to protect rising like a primal tide. "They'll come for us again. And when they do, we'll be ready."
Kai smiled then, a small but knowing curve of his lips. "Together, right?"
"Together," Adrian confirmed, his lips brushing Kai's forehead. "Always."
They stayed there for a long while, locked in each other's arms, the world outside momentarily forgotten. But they both knew the peace wouldn't last. Danger was never far from their door. Yet, in that moment, they had found something far more valuable than survival.
They had found each other.
Kai's head rested against Adrian's chest as they made their way through the remnants of the ruins, moving cautiously but with purpose. Their enemies had been dealt with, but there were still questions left unanswered.
"You're not just a vampire," Kai said softly, his voice barely above a whisper as they walked. "Are you?"
Adrian's lips curved into a faint, knowing smile. "No. I'm much more."
Kai's curiosity flared, but before he could press further, Adrian's voice shifted, taking on an edge of darkness. "But right now, all that matters is us. Nothing else matters."
Kai nodded, but he couldn't shake the nagging feeling that there was more to Adrian's past than he was letting on. And as much as he wanted to stay wrapped up in their little bubble of peace, he knew the truth would come out. Adrian wasn't the type to hide his secrets forever.
But for now, Kai was content to stay here, with Adrian, as the night stretched on.
They weren't done yet. Not by a long shot. The world was still waiting for them, and they would face it together.