A Voice in the Dark
Drake didn't hesitate. As soon as the scream echoed through the air, he sprinted toward it, every muscle in his body coiled with urgency. The voice had come from the back of the canteen the only place they hadn't searched yet.
As he turned the corner, the sight before him stopped him cold.
A young woman, trembling and blood-streaked, was clutching a man who looked barely alive. He was slumped in her arms, his pale skin slick with sweat, his lips turning a terrifying shade of blue. Blood poured from a wound just beneath his ribcage.
"Please!" the woman cried, her voice raw from screaming. "Please, help us!"
Drake knelt beside the injured vampire without hesitation. Magnus arrived seconds later, eyes wide with horror.
The wound was shallow but the damage was already spreading. Veins near the wound were turning black, and the man's breathing was labored, wet. Drake's eyes narrowed.
"It's not the bullet," he said grimly. "It's the poison… even a scratch is enough to kill us now. They're using poisoned swords."
Magnus swallowed hard. "Is there… is there an antidote?"
"I don't know," Drake said. "There might be. But we don't have much time…"
The girl clutched her friend tighter, tears streaming down her face. "Please… I beg you… don't let him die."
Suddenly, a voice from behind broke the moment.
"I can save him."
Drake spun around. A woman stood in the shadows, half-lit by the moonlight breaking through a shattered window. She had jet-black hair, sharp amber eyes, and skin that looked… normal. Too normal.
Magnus's instincts kicked in. He moved with lightning speed, faster than Drake expected, lunging straight toward the stranger with a snarl—ready to strike.
But in the blink of an eye, Magnus was flat on the ground.
No one had even seen her move.
"What… what the hell?" Magnus gasped, clutching his ribs. "She's not human… she can't be. I didn't even see her hit me!"
The woman stepped forward calmly, her expression unreadable. "That's because I'm not human," she said coolly. "And I'm certainly not a vampire."
Drake's eyes narrowed. "Then what are you?"
She reached into her coat and pulled out an ID badge. "Professor Lira Ashbourne. I'm a biology instructor here at Celeste College. And I'm also a werewolf."
Drake's mind reeled. "A werewolf? But… they're extinct. You're supposed to be—"
"No time for fairy tales or questions," Lira snapped. "He's dying. If you want to save him, help me carry him to the infirmary. Now."
Without waiting for a reply, she knelt beside the injured man and began issuing orders like a general on a battlefield.
Drake and Magnus exchanged a quick glance, then bent down and helped lift the wounded vampire.
Together, the four of them rushed through the ruined halls, past the broken tiles and scorched walls, until they reached the college infirmary—a miracle that it was still intact.
Lira kicked the door open and guided them inside.
"Lay him down on the table," she ordered. "I've kept some emergency supplies here, including antidotes for multiple poisons—vampiric and otherwise. It's not much, but it'll work."
She moved swiftly, her hands a blur as she pulled open drawers, prepped syringes, and cleaned the wound. Within minutes, the serum was injected.
The vampire's breathing steadied. The black lines around the wound began to fade.
Lira let out a quiet breath. "He's stable. But he'll need to rest through the night. His body needs time to flush out the rest of the venom."
Drake looked at the clock. Midnight was approaching.
"We can't stay here that long," he muttered. "This place isn't safe. If the humans return…"
Lira glanced up at him. "And where exactly is safe? The whole region is under siege."
Drake turned toward the window, eyes fixed on the horizon.
"To the north," he said quietly. "There's a place… a hidden city. The City of the Five Immortal Kings. That's where we're heading."
"Oh come on… do you actually believe that nonsense?"
Drake turned to look at her.
"That city of yours," she continued, stepping forward. "The so-called hidden city of the Five Immortal Kings? You don't even know where it is. You've never seen it. No one has. You think you're just going to wander the Earth and magically find it?"
Drake's expression didn't change. "We'll find it."
Lira scoffed. "Really? And how exactly are you going to do that? Ask directions from the humans? Maybe stop and chat with the dead vampires rotting in the streets?"
His jaw tightened. He had no answer to that.
Silence stretched again.
Finally, he said, "Then what's your plan? Do you have one?"
Lira folded her arms. "Yes. I do."
She turned to face the others—Magnus, Lili, and the unconscious vampire lying on the infirmary bed.
"Listen up, all of you," she said, voice firm. "We can't stay here. At dawn, we move. There's a place—ten to twelve miles northwest of here—an ancient forest known as Twilight."
"Twilight?" Magnus asked. "What's that?"
"It's a dark jungle," she explained. "Dense, wild, and dangerous—but perfect for hiding. Humans don't venture there often. We'll go there, survive off the land, drink animal blood, rest, and grow stronger. Then, when the world stops burning… then we can start looking for your mythical city. I still don't believe it exists—but if it does, there's no safer place on this planet for us."
Magnus nodded slowly. "It's better than waiting to die."
"I agree," Lili whispered, brushing her hair back. "Anywhere but here…"
Drake glanced at them all, then gave a small nod. "Alright. We'll follow your plan. But what kind of preparations do we need before we move?"
Lira raised her fingers, ticking off each point like a general briefing her soldiers.
"First—we need weapons. The humans are using silver bullets and poisoned blades. If they find us again, we can't fight them barehanded."
"Second—we need medicine. More antidotes, painkillers, anything that can help us heal in a fight."
"Third we're traveling on foot, so we'll need food and blood packs. Animal blood, mostly. Don't rely too much on meat it'll slow you down."
"And fourth…" she paused, glancing between their pale faces and glowing eyes. "We need to blend in. If we're spotted on the roads or from a distance, we're dead. We'll disguise ourselves—dye our hair, cover our skin tone, use contact lenses to hide our eyes."
Drake raised an eyebrow. "And who's going to do the makeup for that?"
Lili stepped forward. "I will," she said confidently. "I'm Lili. I was a professional makeup artist before the war started. With the right equipment, I can make us look human enough to pass at a glance—even in daylight."
"Good," Lira said. "Then here's what we'll do before the sun rises, we each have a mission."
She turned and pointed at each of them in turn.
"Drake you're the fastest and strongest. Head to the cafeteria and stores. Find whatever food and blood you can nothing spoiled, and try not to get too much raw meat. Prioritize blood packs, dried food, and anything that won't go bad easily."
"Magnus you're going to the medical wing. I'll give you a list of what we need antidotes, pain suppressants, adrenaline shots. Find them, and move fast. Take a bag."
"Lili you're in charge of our disguises. Find makeup kits, hair dye, brushes, whatever you can salvage. Get contact lenses if any are left in the biology or fashion labs. We'll need to hide our pale skin and silver hair."
"And me " Lira paused, her amber eyes glinting. "I'll get the weapons. If there are any still hidden on this campus, I'll find them."
She looked at each of them seriously.
"We gather what we can. We meet back here before dawn. Once the sun rises, we move. Together."
Drake nodded, feeling something in his chest stir—determination, maybe even hope.
Lira turned and grabbed a notepad, scribbling down the medicine list quickly before handing it to Magnus.
"This is it," she said. "Our last night in this place. Let's make it count."
Without another word, they split up silent shadows moving through the dark ruins of their former world, preparing for a journey that would change everything.
To be continued….