I'm a vampire. I infiltrated the human military, working undercover beside Commander Alister Trivett and becoming his most trusted aide.

We fought together on countless battlefields, facing death side by side.

I even used my own heart's blood to heal his wounds.

All just to earn his trust. To give the hunted vampires one last chance at survival.

But when I finally revealed the truth about myself, Alister dragged me into the searing sunlight.

He stared at my face, twisted in agony from the burning rays, not a flicker of mercy in his eyes.

"So, even noble vampires can be this pathetic," he sneered. "But you think a little pain makes up for the life you took?

"She was my sister. My only family.

"If you don't give up where the others are hiding, don't even dream of freedom."

For five years, I was tortured day and night with electric shocks. Forced to watch Alister tangled up with other women while my body and soul were ripped apart.

He'd driven a crucifix straight through my chest and treated me like some lab rat, cutting and slicing as he pleased.

He even turned a blind eye while the other servants bullied me like animals, making my life a living hell.

Then came the day his wife, Kendall Sanderson, saw me covered in blood. She miscarried on the spot, horrified by the sight.

Alister lost it. He dragged me into the sun and left me out there for three days and three nights.

When I didn't burn to ash, he just stared at me, eyes full of disappointment.

"A freak like you, why aren't you dead yet?!"

I gave him a bitter, broken smile.

He didn't know the truth: any vampire who leaves the sanctuary for more than seven years vanishes completely—mind, body, and soul.

And I only had seven days left.

When the servants dragged me in front of Alister, my wounds were still bleeding.

He scowled at the sight of me. Then, without a word, he snapped the whip across my face.

"Rachel Thorpe! Drop the pitiful act.

"With your vampire healing, how the hell are a few cuts still not healed?

"You're just trying to be disgusting on purpose. You wanted Kendall to miscarry!"

I clenched my teeth, fighting through the burning pain on my face, and stared at Alister with bitter disappointment in my eyes.

"I never meant to hurt Kendall. Her miscarriage had nothing to do with me."

"Nothing to do with you?"

Alister laughed—cold and furious.

"Then what the hell is with all the blood? You expect me to believe you didn't do it to scare her?"

I said nothing.

The blood was mine—but it wasn't some trick.

Over the years, my healing had worn down from all the torture.

Wounds that used to close in minutes now took a full day just to stop bleeding.

Worse, he hadn't let me feed in months. No blood, no strength, no recovery.

"Answer me!"

Alister yanked my hair so hard my neck twisted, forcing me to meet his gaze.

"Staying silent won't save you from punishment!"

I took a shaky breath. "I just want to live. Alister, please just let me go."

"Let you go?"

He dropped his hand and stepped back. Something unreadable flickered in his eyes.

"Because of a vampire, I lost the only family I had.

"She was just on vacation. Then one of your kind drained her dry. We never even found her body."

"I swear I didn't know anything about your sister—"

I tried to explain, but he cut me off before I could finish.

"Enough!"

Alister exploded. "I don't want to hear your excuses. If you don't tell me where the rest of the vampires are hiding, don't even think about leaving this place."

I closed my eyes. Hopelessness washed over me.

It didn't matter what I said. He would never believe me.

My silence didn't soften him—it only made him angrier.

He grabbed my chin and yanked my head up again, forcing our eyes to meet.

"What kind of stunt are you pulling now, you immortal freak?"

His voice was ice. "You pretended to be human just to get close to me. What's your plan now?"

I shook my head, drained and exhausted.

Since the day Alister became commander, vampires everywhere had been hunted down. As if the entire human race had turned against us overnight.

To save my kind from extinction, I disguised myself as a human and became Alister's aide.

At first, I planned to kill him—to end the slaughter once and for all.

But the more time I spent at his side, the more I realized that his hatred for vampires wasn't born from blind cruelty. It came from grief. His sister, Cadence Trivett, had died inside the vampire sanctuary.

There was a reason behind it all—I just wanted to resolve this deep-seated feud peacefully.

I stayed by his side day and night, offering strategy, support, and loyalty. I helped him win battle after battle.

I threw myself in front of fatal attacks. I healed his wounds with my own blood.

And somewhere in the chaos of war, in the moments between life and death, we grew closer.

Then came the outbreak. I never left his side—not once. And after we both survived it, something in Alister cracked open.

He held me close and promised me a grand wedding. A future.

He knew I didn't like sunlight, so he worked with me in the dark.

He knew I didn't fit in with elite society, so he moved us out of the compound to live freely.

Back then, his friends used to tease him, saying he was completely under his wife's thumb.

But the moment I revealed who I really was, Alister looked at me with pure disgust—and shoved me straight into the sunlight.

From that day on, all his promises vanished like smoke.

I became his weapon—his revenge.

He used me to study vampire weaknesses, hoping to wipe out our entire race.

I looked at him now and spoke again, desperate.

"We vampires don't kill for fun. Drinking blood—it's just how we survive."

Alister let out a sharp, cold laugh.

"Survive? You call feeding on humans and ripping lives apart survival?"

"Not all vampires are like that."

I shook my head, trying to make him understand. "Many of us try to coexist with humans. We have rules. We have limits."

He took a step back like I'd just told him the biggest joke in the world.

"Then what about Cadence? Who's gonna pay for her life?"

I knew—deep down—I could never make him understand. Nothing I said could erase his pain.

But I had already endured five years of this hell.

If I weren't a vampire, I would've died a thousand times over.

And any vampire who stayed away from the sanctuary for more than seven years would perish, their soul torn apart.

I had seven days left. Only seven.

I took a deep breath, summoning what strength I had left. "If it'll make things right, I'll give you my life in exchange for Cadence's. Just let the innocent ones go."

For a moment, I thought he might falter. His eyes flickered—something uncertain flashed across his face.

But then, he scoffed.

"You think dying's enough to fix everything?

"I want you to suffer. I want every last vampire to pay for what they've done."

That's when Kendall walked in.

She clung to his arm, her voice soft but laced with venom.

"Alister, she's dangerous. We can't keep her alive.

"Her kind killed Cadence. And now she's killed our baby. What if she threatens all of humanity next?"

Alister's face darkened even further.

He turned away from me, gently brushing Kendall's hair from her face and comforting her. "Don't worry, Kendall. I'll take care of this monster."

When he looked back at me, his eyes were ice. All the hesitation—gone.

"If you won't give up the location of the others..." he said coldly, "I'll use every method I have to break you.

"You'll beg for death before I'm done."

I closed my eyes, a wave of despair rising in my chest.

Alister clapped his hands, and a nearby servant stepped forward, handing him a vial of holy water.

He didn't even hesitate. Uncorked the bottle, raised it high, and poured it on me.

The holy water burned into my skin like acid, sizzling loudly as it seared through me.

I screamed in agony, my body twisting uncontrollably on the ground.

He was the one who'd caused all this pain—he was the reason I was barely hanging on. Yet instinctively, he reached out and wiped the tear that slipped from the corner of my eye.

For a split second, Alister's expression almost fooled me—soft, familiar, like the man I once loved. Like we were back in the days when love meant something.

Maybe my tears disgusted him. He took a sharp step back like I was something filthy.

Just when I thought mercy might flicker through him, he reached into his coat and pulled out a silver crucifix.

Before I could react, he grabbed a fistful of my hair, yanking my head back and exposing my chest.

I froze, eyes wide in terror, watching as the crucifix inched closer.

"No, please, don't," I gasped. "That will kill me."

But the pain came before I could finish.

The silver seared into my chest, its burn spreading like wildfire under my skin.

My strength left me. I slumped forward, blood dripping from my lips.

Alister loomed over me, his voice cold and unforgiving. "Tell me where the vampires are—and I'll let you live.

"Hell, I might even grant you a wish. Let you stay by my side."

I stared up at him, barely conscious of the pain. This was the man I once thought would save me.

For a moment, I thought I saw something, softness in his eyes.

But I was just a vampire. The creature he hated most.

He lifted me like I weighed nothing and walked toward the door.

A single tear slipped from his cheek—warm, human—and landed on mine.

I glanced up at the blazing sun outside, but before I could even react, he hurled me into the courtyard.

Sunlight cut into me like blades. It sank into my bones and set every nerve ablaze. I couldn't even scream—I just collapsed, gasping.

Alister stood with his arms crossed, watching me like I was nothing more than broken junk.

"If you won't repent, then stay here and rot."

The punishment lasted three full days.

Three days beneath the burning sun. My skin blistered. My body shattered.

It only stopped because Kendall needed my blood again.

Alister dragged me into the shadows—but my skin didn't heal.

He frowned. "What, playing dead now?" he snapped. "Trying to get out of punishment?"

I tried to speak, but only blood came out.

He stared down at me coldly. "I don't believe a damn word anymore."

He drew a blade and slashed across my chest.

But the blood didn't gush like it used to.

It barely oozed—thin, watery, nearly clear.

He paused, confusion flashing across his face. He started to call for a doctor, but Kendall rushed in. She covered her mouth like she was about to gag and tugged on his arm, her soft voice laced with urgency. "Alister, don't waste time on this monster.

"She's faking it. She wants your sympathy."

His hand froze mid-air.

He turned to her, conflict flickering in his eyes.

"But, her blood..."

"She's a vampire," Kendall chimed in, all wide-eyed innocence.

"Their blood's different. That doesn't mean she's dying.

"Besides, I'm a vampire hunter's daughter. I can see through all her tricks."

Her words hit him like a jolt of adrenaline. His doubt vanished.

He pulled back, his eyes hardening again.

"Fine," he said coldly. "As long as she can still bleed, that's all we need."

He picked up a bowl filled with my blood and handed it to Kendall.

"Drink up, Kendall."

His tone softened. "As long as that monster's still breathing, she'll keep feeding you. That's her debt to us."

Kendall took a delicate sip, her eyes lighting up with pride.

"You're the best, Alister."

I watched the two of them, so perfectly in sync, so proud of what they were doing. And I finally stopped hoping.

Only four more days. Four days until I'd finally be free of all this.

A servant tossed me back into the basement like I was garbage.

I curled into a corner, eyes locked on the moonlight dripping through the iron bars. God, I missed the sanctuary. The peace. The freedom.

In my half-conscious haze, I tasted something sweet and metallic—blood.

Driven by instinct, I latched on and drank greedily, sinking my fangs in deeper.

Blood. Fresh blood.

I hadn't fed in so long—I couldn't stop.

Only when strength returned to my limbs did it hit me. Someone had saved me. But who?

Just before I blacked out, someone covered my eyes, refusing to let me see who was helping me.

Then I heard a whisper, soft and almost sorrowful, "If only you weren't a vampire."

When I woke up, my body felt better. Stronger. Not healed, but no longer on the edge of death.

But with recovery came something else, Kendall's "nervous breakdown".

A servant dumped a bucket of ice-cold water over my head.

"You filthy monster!" she spat. "You don't deserve to see the sun again—ever!

"You killed Ms. Trivett, and now you've killed the baby growing in Mrs. Trivett's belly!"

They shoved a steel gag into my mouth. The metal tore at the corners of my lips, and I winced in pain.

Only then did the servant smirk in satisfaction and drag me upstairs.

Inside the room, Kendall sat pale-faced on the bed, her cheeks streaked with perfectly placed tears.

"Alister," she whimpered to Alister, "I dreamed of our baby. He said he was cold."

Alister's expression darkened as he turned his glare toward me.

"This is all your fault!" he snapped. "Creatures like you will never understand the pain of losing someone you love!"

But I wasn't listening to his words. My attention was locked on the high-collared sweater he wore.

Was it him? Was it Alister who fed me his blood last night?

Before I could speak, heavy footsteps echoed from the hall.

A group of servants dragged in several unconscious vampires, tossing them at our feet like trash.

My breath hitched. A cold sense of dread crept through me.

Alister walked over to the one in front—the leader, maybe—and looked down at him with pure contempt.

"You monsters really thought you could hide from me forever?"

Then he turned to me, his voice dripping with malice.

"Today, I'll show you what true helplessness looks like."

I tried to rise, tried to stop what was coming.

But my body wouldn't move. It was like someone had crushed every bone inside me.

I could only lie there and watch. Alister slowly drew a silver blade from his belt. He knelt down, pressed the blade to the vampire's chest, and stabbed straight into his heart.

The vampire didn't even scream. He just turned to ash.

One by one, Alister dragged the others into the sunlight. And one by one, they disintegrated.

I shut my eyes, but it was useless. The screams. The smell of burning flesh. They tore through my heart like a thousand blades.

Alister finally walked back to me, face hard with hatred. "How does it feel?" he sneered. "Painful, isn't it?"

He laughed. "Too bad your family's already dead. I could've made you watch them burn, too."

I stared up at him, a boiling fury churning in my chest. This was the man I once trusted.

"You really think killing me—killing all of us—will fix anything?

"What if Cadence wasn't killed by a vampire?"

His hand trembled.

A flicker of doubt crossed his eyes—but it vanished just as quickly, buried under rage.

"Shut up!" he barked. "You don't get to talk! A monster like you has no right to question me!"

Then he slapped me hard across the face and stormed out.

I collapsed, crumpled on the cold floor, tears slipping silently down my cheeks.

Everyone else was gone. And then, Kendall stepped forward. She sauntered over to me and drove the heel of her shoe into my face.

"You were right," she whispered. "Alister's sister wasn't killed by a vampire.

"She was always clinging to Alister. Always in the way.

"She died because I wanted her to." Her voice was sweet—almost cheerful.

"And now? The vampires are taking the fall for it. Perfect, isn't it?"

My blood ran cold. No denial. No remorse. It was her. It had always been her.

With the last of my strength, I lunged forward and wrapped my arms around her, ready to take her down with me.

That's when Alister walked back in. He didn't hesitate.

He grabbed Kendall's wrist and yanked her free, then turned and kicked me hard, right through the window.

Glass shattered. And my body slammed into the stone courtyard below.

The impact cracked something deep inside me. Blood pooled fast beneath me, warm at first, then chillingly cold.

I could feel it, life slipping away. Darkness crept in, curling at the edges of my vision.

Then Alister's phone rang.

He answered. On the other end came a voice—familiar and distant.

"Alister, I'm home."

Alister didn't believe the call at first.

He let out a cold laugh. "So, who sent you this time? Another undercover agent?"

Over the years, plenty of people had pretended to be Cadence, trying to infiltrate his world by playing the same trick.

But this time, something was off. He felt it. His hands were actually shaking.

Cadence couldn't understand how Alister—the brother who once adored her—could say something so harsh.

Cadence stood outside the estate's locked gates, staring at the mansion, nerves and doubt twisting in her gut. Her voice trembled as she spoke, "Alister, it's really me. I'm alive.

"If you don't believe me, come out here and see for yourself."

Alister hung up and bolted down the stairs.

He threw the doors open—and there she was. Alive. Breathing. Radiant. Bathed in the sunlight like a memory come to life. He rubbed his eyes, stunned.

The golden morning light wrapped around her just like it had in his memories.

"Cadence."

His voice cracked.

Step by step, he approached, but just before reaching her, he stopped. He reached out and pinched her cheek—hard.

No cold artificial skin. No plastic surgery tricks.

He stared at her face. Looked again. And again. And finally, he saw it. The tiny red birthmark behind her right ear. The one she had only.

Cadence laughed, a little breathless, watching him examine her like she was some illusion. She leaned in and whispered a childhood secret—one only the two of them could possibly remember.

That's when it sank in. She was real. She was really back.

Alister pulled her into a tight hug, tears spilling down his cheeks as confusion exploded in his mind.

If Cadence were alive, then she wasn't killed by vampires.

But everything he'd done, the slaughter, the cruelty, the endless years of torment he put me through. None of it had been imagined. It was all real.

"Alister, are you okay?"

Cadence felt his body trembling in her arms. Her eyes filled with concern.

"I'm fine," he forced a smile. "Just, I'm happy. That's all. You're back. That's all that matters."

But before he could say more, Kendall stepped out of the house.

The second she saw Cadence, her face went pale.

"Alister?" she asked, voice sharp. "What's going on? That's not her. It's probably just some vampire pretending!"

But Alister was too overwhelmed with joy to notice the flicker of guilt in her eyes.

"You just had a miscarriage," he said gently. "Go rest. I need to talk to Cadence."

Kendall bit her lip, clearly reluctant, but eventually turned back into the house.

But Cadence kept her eyes on Kendall's back, her expression tight and uneasy.

Alister guided her toward the courtyard, and that's when she saw me.

I was sprawled on the stone path, my body scorched by the sun, my breath shallow.

Cadence's eyes widened in horror. "Oh my God. Alister—what is this?"

"She's a vampire," he said stiffly. "I thought they were the ones who killed you."

Cadence shook her head. "No. It wasn't them."

She took a breath and met his eyes head-on. "I was traveling when I got attacked by men in black. I would've died—if a vampire hadn't saved me. If not for them. I never would've made it back to you."

Alister froze. "Then why didn't you come home sooner?"

"I fell off a cliff trying to escape. Hit my head. Forgot everything."

She paused. "Only recently did my memories come back. The vampire who saved me they aren't a killers, Alister. They protected me. That's why I came back. I want you to end the extermination order."

Without waiting for his response, Cadence rushed over and popped open a sun umbrella, shielding me from the rays.

When she saw the pale, blistered patches on my face, she looked up at Alister, eyes full of disbelief.

"Alister, how long has she been like this?"

Alister hesitated. "Almost five years."

Five years. Five years of torture. Two thousand days of pain, imprisonment, and starvation.

Cadence's expression darkened. Her voice sharpened. "That's impossible. Vampires don't start losing skin color until they've been away from the sanctuary for seven years." She looked up at him, her eyes blazing. “What the hell did you do to her?”