Leila’s POV:
Chase was an enigma, wrapped in a headache, tied with a bow of exasperation. And right now, I was dangerously close to tearing that bow off and strangling him with it.
The evening had started innocently enough. It was Ash’s birthday, and he’d been begging for weeks to take him to the circus. Like the sucker I am for those puppy-dog eyes, I’d finally caved. Everything was going fine until, of course, Chase managed to "accidentally" bump into us at the rink. How he’d found us in the middle of a random hotel washroom in a random city was beyond . Mate bond? Creepy stalker tendencies? The jury’s still out.
It had been fine at first with the ice cream and then the roller skating. Chase was surprisingly good on skates, gliding around with Ash like he was born to it. I almost enjoyed seeing them together—Ash giggling as Chase perford ridiculous spins and loops to entertain him. Almost.
But then the chill hit. That sa bone-deep, hair-raising sensation I’d felt the last ti we encountered trouble before I ran off from him. The kind of trouble that usually ca with claws, fangs, and an appetite for destruction. Chase had felt it too—I could see it in the way he straightened, his entire deanor shifting from laid-back and playful to cold and calculating. His eyes scanned the room like a predator hunting for an unseen threat.
And then, in true Chase fashion, he decided to make it my problem.
The evening had spiraled far from innocent, and my nerves were fraying with every passing second. Ash, of course, was oblivious. He thought this was all so kind of adventure, skipping happily around the room while Chase and I traded tense looks.
"Mummy, what’s wrong?" Ash asked, his little voice cutting through my thoughts.
"Nothing, baby," I said with forced calm. "We just rembered sothing important we need to do."
Chase stood silently, watching closely. The man—or vampire, or whatever he was—seed too calm, too collected, as if this was just another ordinary day for him. I crouched to remove Ash’s skates and quickly slipped on his shoes. Chase followed suit with his own skates, never taking his eyes off .
The mont we stepped outside the rink, I turned to Chase, my irritation boiling over. "Do you trust ?" he asked suddenly, his voice low.
"No," I snapped without hesitation.
"Good," he replied, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. Before I could process his response, he scooped Ash up into his arms and grabbed by the waist.
"What are you—" I started, but the world around vanished in a blur of light and shadow.
When my feet touched solid ground again, I stumbled out of his arms, disoriented and furious. "What the hell was that?" I demanded, glaring at Chase as I took in our surroundings. A lavish suite greeted , all modern elegance and soft lighting.
"Vampires can do that?" I asked, still catching my breath.
"Sothing like that," he said cryptically, avoiding my eyes.
"Where are we?" Ash asked, his wide eyes taking in the luxurious room. He wriggled out of Chase’s arms and landed on his feet, peering around in awe.
"This is my place," Chase said casually.
Ash’s face lit up. "Are you rich?"
"Ashton!" I scolded, mortified.
Chase laughed, a low, rumbling sound that, annoyingly, sent a shiver down my spine. "It’s fine," he said, crouching to Ash’s level. "Yes, I guess you could say I’m rich."
Ash leaned in, whispering loudly, "Like, super-rich?"
"Ashton!" I repeated, my face heating up.
Chase only chuckled again, ruffling Ash’s hair. "Why don’t you go check out the bathroom? It’s got a giant tub, and I’m pretty sure it’s bigger than your bedroom."
Ash’s eyes widened, and without another word, he darted off to explore.
As soon as the bathroom door closed, I rounded on Chase, my voice low but seething. "We need to talk. Now. In private."
He nodded and motioned toward the bedroom. I followed him in, shutting the door behind us to keep Ash from hearing.
I crossed my arms, glaring at him. "What the hell is going on? Why were we hunted the sa day we t? What did you bring with you, Chase? How did you even find us?"
Instead of answering, he stepped closer, his crimson eyes searching mine. "Why did you run?" he asked, his voice quiet but intense.
I blinked, caught off guard. "What?"
"When I gave you space, Leila," he said, his tone sharper now, "I thought you’d co back to when you were ready. But you didn’t. You ran. Why? Why are you fighting this?"
"This? You an the mate bond?" I asked, my anger flaring again. "Because I didn’t ask for this, Chase. I didn’t ask to have my life turned upside down. I didn’t ask to be tied to soone like you."
His jaw tightened, and he took another step closer. "Do you think I asked for this?" he shot back. "Do you think I wanted to spend centuries wandering this miserable world, searching for soone who might not even exist? Do you think I wanted to go insane with the need to find you, only for you to leave without so much as a goodbye?"
I swallowed hard, his words hitting like a punch to the gut. "I was scared," I admitted quietly.
"And you think I wasn’t?" he asked, his voice softening but still full of hurt. "Leila, I waited for you. For centuries, I waited. And when I finally found you, you left. Do you have any idea what that did to ?"
I looked away, unable to et his gaze.
"I know you’re scared," he continued, his voice gentler now. "I know this is a lot to take in. But running isn’t the answer. It never was."
I opened my mouth to argue, but no words ca out. He was right. I hated it, but he was right.
Finally, I whispered, "Why now? Why did you show up today of all days?"
"Because I had to," he said simply. "I felt you, Leila. I felt the danger closing in, and I couldn’t stay away."
"What danger?" I asked, my voice trembling. "What are we up against?"
He hesitated, his expression grim. "Sothing old. Sothing powerful. And it won’t stop until it has you."
I stared at him, my stomach twisting with fear and confusion. "Because I’m your mate?"
"Yes," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.
Before I could respond, a faint sound from the other room caught my attention—a soft knock, like soone tapping on glass.
Chase’s eyes darkened, his entire body tensing. "Stay here," he said firmly, his voice low and dangerous.
"What is it?" I asked, panic creeping into my voice.
He didn’t answer. Instead, he moved to the door, his movents unnervingly silent. The air in the room grew heavy, the tension thick enough to choke on.
"Chase," I whispered, my heart pounding. "What’s out there?"
He glanced back at , his crimson eyes glowing faintly. "Stay with Ash," he said. "And lock the door behind ."
Before I could protest, he slipped out of the room, leaving standing there with my heart in my throat.
I paced the spacious suite, the plush carpet muffling my restless footsteps. Chase had barely been gone for a few minutes, but my stomach was already in knots. Stupid mate bond. I hated the way it tethered to him, making feel emotions I didn’t want to feel. Worry, fear, longing—things I thought I’d buried long ago.
But the truth was, I hated the idea of sothing happening to him even more.
Sighing, I shook my head and turned my focus back to Ash. True to Chase’s word, the bathroom was ridiculous—marble floors, a shower big enough to fit a small army, and a jacuzzi tub that Ash had taken one look at and declared "the coolest thing ever." The kid was practically vibrating with excitent, but I couldn’t share in his carefree energy.
"C’mon, Ash," I said, scooping him up and carrying him out to the sitting room.
Ash imdiately wriggled out of my arms and darted toward the enormous flat-screen TV mounted on the wall. He rummaged around for the remote, muttering to himself like a tiny detective. When he finally found it, he let out a triumphant "Aha!" before flopping onto the oversized couch and flipping through channels until he found his favorite cartoon.
I watched him for a mont, envying his innocence. To him, this was just another adventure. He didn’t realize the danger we were in or the weight pressing down on my chest.
I sank into a nearby armchair, my legs feeling like jelly. The suite was quiet, save for the cheerful voices from the TV. It was too quiet. I couldn’t shake the feeling that sothing was wrong.
"Is Uncle Chase coming back soon?" Ash asked suddenly, glancing at with wide eyes.
I forced a smile, though my voice wavered. "Of course, baby. He’ll be back before you know it."
Ash nodded, satisfied, and turned his attention back to the screen. I wished I could believe my own words.
Restless, I got up and started pacing again. The suite was absurdly luxurious—floor-to-ceiling windows with a breathtaking view of the city, sleek modern furniture that looked like it belonged in a magazine, and more space than any one person could possibly need. This alone was bigger than my apartnt.
And yet, despite the opulence, I felt like the walls were closing in on .
Chase had been right about one thing: I was scared. Terrified, actually. Not just of the danger outside but of the way he made feel. I’d spent years building walls around myself, convincing myself that I didn’t need anyone. And then he’d co crashing into my life, tearing those walls down with an infuriating mix of charm and persistence.
Now, I was sitting here, worrying about a vampire I barely knew, hoping he’d co back unhard. The irony of my situation wasn’t lost on .
Ash giggled at sothing on the TV, and the sound pulled out of my thoughts. I walked over to him, brushing a hand through his soft curls. He leaned into my touch, his little face lighting up with a smile.
"You okay, ash?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.
"Yeah," he said, his eyes still glued to the screen. "This place is aweso. Can we stay here forever?"
I laughed softly, even as my heart ached. "We’ll see, baby. We’ll see."
In truth, I didn’t know what the future held. Chase had thrown my carefully constructed life into chaos, and now, with danger lurking in the shadows, I felt like I was walking a tightrope with no safety net.
I glanced at the door, willing it to open. "Co back safe, Chase," I murmured under my breath.
Because no matter how much I tried to deny it, I needed him. And that terrified more than anything.
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