― That’s why I’m asking you about your strength, Moon.

― Ok, guys, I honestly don’t understand a shit of what you’re all saying… ― Moon sighed. ― Elaborate further, please.

― Gray is coming home. ― Reese said, exasperated. That sentence should already be enough, as he said, but no one understood him yet. ― Griffin, help me, please.

― Moon is a vanik. ― Griffin stated.

― Well, that’s… obvious. We all know that. ― Artur snorted.

A loud honk was heard from outside the mansion.

Moon fidgeted in her place; something wasn’t right, and she was feeling, slowly, growing inside her.

― And our dear brother, Gray…― Griffin said, leaving in the air the space for them to remember.

― Is a fucking vampire… How could you forget that?! ― Ace grabbed Artur by the collar. ― Why did you bring us here, today?

Artur looked confused and scared.

― Fuck, I forgot. I completely forgot about it.― he looked at Griffin. ― Fin, your bike. Give me the keys. I’ll get her out of here… ― he turned to Moon, who was now staring blankly at Ace. ― Moon, come on.

― Hell, no… ― Moon muttered, a bit mad.

― Moon… ― Artur said softly. ― I’m sorry for bringing you here, I…

― It’s so not fair… ― her voice trembled. ― What a fucked up life is mine, huh? ― she then laughed, hysterically. ― Oh, fuck.― she wiped a tear.

The three Sutherland brothers were now silently looking at her odd behavior. It didn’t seem as if she was nervous at all when they all were.

― I can’t run away. ― she says, holding up her left hand to them. ― Lucky me.

― What are we supposed to see in your hand?

Ace sighs, hand on his hips, and tilted jaw.

― A fucking red thread. She’s your brother’s mate.

― Tell me, G. ― Moon laughs. ― How strong is your brother?

Griffin tilted his head, then smiled.

― This is going to be interesting, isn’t it?

― You know me. I always put up a good fight. ― she walks to a counter on the corner and roams through the cabinets, soon finding a hidden liquor. ― Told you it’d be good to hide it here…― she said to Artur.

― You’re drinking? Now?― Artur asked.

― What? If I’m about to have my blood and life sucked by a freaking vampire, I might as well get hella drunk.

― Can anyone explain to me what’s going to happen now? ― Reese sits on one of the stools. ― Cause all I know is that vampires and witches, or wizards or whatever, aren’t a good mix.

― Being a witch is not a problem. ― Moon says.

― Being a vanik is… ― Ace says and sighs, feeling completely distressed.

― A few hundred years ago, it was discovered that vanik blood was a great source of vitality and strength to vampires. Thus, they began being hunted, to stop the vaniks from being kidnapped, and most of the time, killed. ― Griffin said.

― But, there were good vampires, who were mated to vaniks and they caused no harm to their loved ones. Unfortunately, as time passed by, they ended up being consumed by this… thirst. And so, they ordered their mates to give them their blood. You know, right? Vanik's bodies automatically obey a vampire order. You can figure out what happened, then… ― Ace couldn’t stop looking at Moon, somewhat worried.

― But I thought the massive killings were caused by dynamis… ― Reese said.

― It was. They killed witches and vampires… They were on a killing spree. ― Griffin said. ― You must be wondering, Moon, how the hell did our brother become one of them… He used to be a dynami. The strongest one around… 

― It was five years ago, on his trip to Trento, wasn’t it? ― Artur was remembering the incident.

― Yes. ― Griffin confirmed. ― He was mugged and shot, multiple times, then was thrown in a forest. There was a vampire, who was living there, hiding, for the last eighty years… Gray told us he looked as if he was still in his thirties.

― Without vanik blood, they can’t last long… ― Ace said.

― He learned a potion from a wizard, one strong enough to keep him living like that… ― Griffin said.

― It’s possible. ― Moon said. ― That’s why I wanna know how strong he is…

― Honestly? ― Griffin asked; everyone looked at him, anticipating. ― I think you’re equally strong.

― Then it’s going to be a good fight. ― Moon drank a tall glass full of whiskey, her throat on fire. ― Cause I ain’t giving my blood to him… And he’s better not order me around, or I’ll kill him in his sleep. ― Moon then sniffed a couple of times. ― Is it raining? ― she muttered to herself as she turned around, at the same time someone answered her.

― You can’t kill your mate.― a male voice, accompanied by the smell of rain that only Moon could feel, spoke.

― Try me.

― Let’s go… ― Griffin stood up and started pulling his brothers as he walked back to the living room. ― You too, Ace, let’s go. Leave these two alone.

In all the times she visited Artur, she’d never met, for once, his older brother, Gray.

The man was always busy with work, whether staying up late in the family’s company or away, on a business trip. And that was something her uncle was grateful for.

Gray being a vampire was a tad bit dangerous for Moon.

But, overall, staying away from him was an easy task for her, after all, she and her uncle were not part of Berkshire like everyone else. And they always lead a simple life.

She was sure he didn’t even know her name.

For some odd reason, she couldn’t hear the party anymore; but the ticking of the wall clock was loud. Her body was numb, she didn’t even know whether she was breathing or not… Everything around her vibrated weirdly as if she was stuck between dimensions.

Gray was staring at her. His black hair was messy and a few strands were hanging over his forehead; somehow, it didn’t match his clean and sophisticated image. His black eyes looked empty, his face was expressionless. She asked herself why. Why wasn’t he feeling any of this? Or was he?

His collarbone and part of the torso were visible thanks to two undone buttons of his white social shirt. He had tattoos, with designs she couldn't recognize since he was at least a foot taller than her.

― What are you thinking about?

― What? ― Moon was brought back, realizing she’d been staring for way too long. “Great, just great…”, she thought, biting her lip in regret.

― What seems to interest you so much in me that you won't stop staring at me?

― Nothing interests me. ― she answered, a little irritated. ― I'm getting ready to run away if you try anything…

Gray chuckled.

― You can’t run away from me, you know that. ― he took a step closer to her. ― Moon Bexley, I’m Gray Sutherland. Nice to finally meet you.

“Moon, listen, I'm going to Lora tomorrow morning... I met an old friend who now lives there and he said he's pretty sure that your brother is alive. Alive, darling. Gun may be alive…”, her uncle’s voice was rushed on the other side of the phone.

― And I must stay here in Berkshire alone. Why didn’t you call me to go with you?

“You know that Berkshire is the safest place for you at the moment…” 

― Why? Because my so-called mate is here?

“Because the Sutherlands can protect you.”, Damion sighed. “If the Cerdaville finds you, I won’t be able to protect you by myself…” 

― I can protect myself, uncle. I don’t need anyone to-

“You can’t, hon. You have no idea what they’re capable of.”, Damion stayed silent for a few seconds. “I asked Brock and May to house you while I’m gone. Please, go with them when they come to pick you up.”

― What? Oh, I’m not gonna go and live with them at that mansion. I’ll stay at our hut. That’s my home. Plus, I’m fucking thirty. Not a teenager...

“There’s been some reports of intruders near the border... Do you remember those noises last week? From what I heard, they tried to invade Berkshire. There's no safer place for you than with the Sutherlands, honey.”

Moon was quiet.

“You don’t like him?”

― Is that even a question? For real?

“Well, it’s not like I can read your mind, girl…”

― I don’t like him. Not one bit. And I can’t read him, which makes me uncomfortable and mad.

“Moon, he’s your mate, not an enemy for you to need to read him. Talk to him, ask him whatever you want to, like a normal person. I bet you'll find something in common with him…”

― Yeah. Our distaste for being each other’s mate. ― Moon sighed.

“You think he doesn’t like you?”

― Doesn’t matter. I’ll find a way to undo this.

Damion chuckled. Unlike his young niece, he knew that a bond between a vanik and a vampire was unbreakable.

“Will you behave?”

― Define ‘behave’...? ― Moon chuckled. ― Yeah, fine… I promise not to get involved in unnecessary fights.

“I hope I’ll come back without having to visit anyone's grave…”, Damion was about to hang up when he remembered something. “Ah! I've heard that brownies are irresistible, especially if bittersweet. They calm even the bravest of beasts…”

― So does a bit magic… ― she muttered. ― Stay safe.

“You too, sweetie. Don’t get in trouble, please.”

.

.

It’s been three days since her uncle left the city, and five days since the party where she officially met Gray.

Moon woke up but was still lying on her bed, staring at her ceiling. Usually, on Sundays, she’d wake up to the sound of her alarm clock, set up a little later than the other days, around nine in the morning.

Today, though, she was awakened by a call: Gray was coming to pick her up.

He didn’t let her say much on the phone, just told her to be ready by the time he arrived. Against her will, she got up and started to pack a few things; truth is, the night before, Ace told her about a vision he had – according to him, she should just follow Gray for the time being, cause something dark was coming for her.

Ace could be the type of person who liked to play all the time, but when it came to his visions, he was always serious about it. And they always came true.

Thus, around nine, when her phone began ringing with the alarm preset by her, she was already eating some cereal, and when she was almost finished, someone knocked on her door. Ace had said the night before he’d come to help her pack.

― Come in, it’s open. ― she didn’t move.

Regardless of who it was, she was too lazy and tired to move.

― Do you always leave this door open?