CHAPTER 16: THE MARK

CHAPTER 16: THE MARK

Amber’s POV

The first thing I noticed when I opened my eyes was the heat.

It felt like my entire body was burning from the inside.

I slowly opened my eyes and stared at the ceiling of my bedroom. For a few seconds, I couldn't remember how I got home. My mind was still clouded, but fragments of what happened started returning one by one.

The villa.

The ropes around my wrists.

The man with the sharp nails.

His red eyes.

His voice calling me Anna.

And then—

Steele.

I immediately sat up.

A sharp pain traveled from my neck down to my shoulder.

I winced and touched the spot.

The scar.

My fingers traced the strange pattern on my skin. It looked like an ancient symbol, almost like a tattoo that had somehow appeared overnight. It wasn't there before I went to the villa.

What did that vampire do to me?

I threw the blanket aside and stood.

My head spun for a moment, forcing me to hold onto the edge of the bed.

"Easy."

I froze.

That voice.

I looked toward the door.

Steele was standing there.

His arms were crossed over his chest, his expression as unreadable as ever. His copper hair was slightly disheveled, and his eyes immediately went to my neck.

"You've been awake for five minutes," he said.

"How do you know?"

"I can hear your heartbeat."

Of course.

I rolled my eyes and walked toward the mirror.

He followed me with his gaze but didn't move.

I pulled my hair aside and examined the mark again.

"What is this?"

His expression changed.

Only slightly.

But I noticed.

"You shouldn't touch it."

My brows furrowed.

"That's not an answer."

"Amber."

"Steele."

We stared at each other.

His jaw tightened.

"That is a vampire mark."

My stomach dropped.

"What?"

"The vampire marked you."

I stared at my reflection.

"A mark? What does it mean?"

He remained silent.

"Steele."

"It means they know you exist."

"That's it?"

"No."

His voice became colder.

"It means they can find you."

I turned around.

"Then we have a problem."

"We had a problem the moment you went to that villa."

"I went there because Stan told me—"

"And I told you not to trust him."

"I know."

"Apparently, you don't."

I glared at him.

"Don't start."

"I'm not starting anything."

"You are."

His eyes narrowed.

"You almost died."

"And I'm still alive."

"That isn't the point."

"Then what is?"

He stepped closer.

"The point is that you keep throwing yourself into situations you don't understand."

I crossed my arms.

"And you keep telling me that I should stay away while refusing to tell me everything."

He didn't answer.

That silence irritated me more than anything.

"You knew that creature was a vampire."

"Yes."

"You knew about the Black Shadow."

His eyes shifted.

"Who told you that name?"

"Stan."

His expression hardened immediately.

"Of course."

"What is the Black Shadow?"

"You don't need to know."

I laughed bitterly.

"That line is getting old."

He stared at me.

"You want answers about your parents. Fine. But there are things you are not ready to hear."

"Don't decide what I'm ready for."

"You nearly got killed."

"And you saved me."

His gaze softened for a fraction of a second.

"That's exactly why I'm telling you to stop."

I stepped closer.

"Why?"

He frowned.

"Why do you care so much?"

His face went blank again.

"I don't."

"Liar."

His eyes flashed gold.

I didn't move.

"You are impossible," he muttered.

"And you're terrible at lying."

He looked away.

I smiled faintly.

At least I knew I had gotten under his skin.

Then I remembered something.

"Wait."

I turned back to the mirror.

"The vampire said something."

"What?"

"He said, 'I'm a monster that will soon live inside you.'"

Steele's expression immediately changed.

"What exactly did he do before I arrived?"

"He touched my neck."

"With his claws?"

"Yes."

"Did he bite you?"

"No."

"Did he drink your blood?"

"He licked the blood from his nails."

Steele became completely still.

"What?"

"What?"

"Nothing."

"Steele."

He walked toward me and carefully examined the mark without touching it.

"This isn't a normal vampire mark."

My heart started beating faster.

"Then what is it?"

"I don't know yet."

That answer scared me more than anything else.

"You don't know?"

"I've never seen one like this."

I stared at him.

"That's comforting."

"It shouldn't be."

I sighed.

"Wonderful."

He reached into his coat and pulled out his phone.

"I'm calling someone."

"Who?"

"Raven."

I raised a brow.

"Your brother's girlfriend?"

"She's not my brother's girlfriend."

"Then what is she?"

"Someone who knows more about vampires than I do."

I nodded.

"Fine."

He walked toward the window and made the call.

I watched him from behind.

There was something different about him.

For the first time since I met Steele, I could see fear.

It was subtle.

Almost invisible.

But it was there.

And somehow, that scared me more than the vampire itself.

---

Steele’s POV

Raven answered on the third ring.

"What?"

"Amber was attacked."

There was silence.

"By whom?"

"A vampire."

Her breathing changed.

"Black Shadow?"

"Most likely."

"Is she alive?"

"Yes."

"Then why do you sound like you're about to kill someone?"

I glanced at Amber.

She was standing in front of the mirror, examining the mark on her neck.

"Because they marked her."

Silence again.

"Where?"

"Neck."

"Send me a picture."

I ended the call.

Amber looked at me.

"She wants a picture?"

"Yes."

I took one and sent it.

A few seconds later, Raven called again.

"Steele."

Her voice sounded different.

"What?"

"Where did she get that?"

"El Víamonte Residence."

Another silence.

"Get out of there."

"We're already home."

"Good. Don't go back."

Amber looked at me suspiciously.

"What did she say?"

"She said we shouldn't return to the villa."

"Why?"

I put the phone on speaker.

Raven answered.

"Because that residence isn't abandoned."

Amber's eyes widened.

"What?"

Raven continued.

"Someone is still living there. Someone who has been hiding for a very long time."

"Who?" Amber asked.

"I don't know."

"Then how do you know?"

"Because the Black Shadow doesn't leave a place like that without a reason."

I looked at Amber.

She was already connecting the pieces.

"The vampire knew me," she said.

"Yes," Raven replied.

"He called me Anna."

"I know."

Amber's expression darkened.

"Then they know Anna."

"Apparently."

"Does that mean they knew her?"

Raven sighed.

"Probably."

Amber looked at me.

"And if I'm not Anna, why did they attack me?"

No one answered.

Because we all knew the possibility.

The resemblance wasn't a coincidence anymore.

Someone had recognized Anna's face.

Someone from the Black Shadow.

And now they had marked Amber.

Raven spoke again.

"Steele, listen carefully."

"I'm listening."

"Don't let her leave your sight."

Amber rolled her eyes.

"I'm right here."

"I know," Raven said. "That's why I'm telling you."

"I don't need a babysitter."

"This isn't about babysitting."

Raven's voice became serious.

"That mark may be a tracking seal."

Amber's smile disappeared.

"Tracking?"

"Yes. If I'm right, they can sense you from a distance."

"How far?"

"Far enough."

I clenched my jaw.

"We need to remove it."

"Maybe."

"Maybe?"

"I said maybe because I don't know what type of mark it is."

Amber touched her neck.

"Then find out."

Raven went silent.

"I'll come there."

The call ended.

Amber looked at me.

"So."

"So?"

"We have a vampire problem."

"Yes."

"A tracking mark."

"Yes."

"An ancient group that apparently knows Anna."

"Yes."

"And you're still planning to tell me to go home and forget everything?"

I stared at her.

"No."

Her brows lifted.

"No?"

"This time, you're staying with me."

Her lips curved into a teasing smile.

"Are you finally admitting you need me?"

"No."

"Then why?"

"Because someone is hunting you."

"And?"

"And I won't let them get you."

The words left my mouth before I could stop them.

Amber became quiet.

So did I.

For a moment, neither of us said anything.

Then she smiled.

"You're terrible at pretending you don't care."

I looked away.

"Get some rest."

"Steele."

"What?"

"Thank you."

I glanced at her.

Her expression was unusually soft.

I didn't know what to say.

So I simply nodded.

But before I could walk away, her eyes suddenly widened.

"Steele."

I turned.

"What?"

She pointed at the mirror.

I looked.

The mark on her neck was glowing.

A faint red light slowly spread across the ancient symbol.

My entire body went rigid.

Amber stepped backward.

"What the hell is happening?"

I immediately moved in front of her.

"Stay behind me."

The room suddenly became colder.

The lights flickered.

Then my phone rang.

Unknown number.

I answered.

No one spoke.

Only slow breathing came from the other end.

Then a voice whispered.

"She's awake."

My blood ran cold.

Amber heard it too.

The voice continued.

"Tell Steele we are coming for Anna."

The call ended.

I stared at the phone.

Amber's face had gone pale.

"Who was that?"

I looked at the glowing mark on her neck.

Then toward the dark window.

"They found you."

And somewhere outside the condo, something moved in the shadows.