Chapter 3: Midnight Craving

The road through the mountains of Whistler was dark and quiet.

Alex’s truck climbed the narrow road toward Jake’s cabin. Pine trees surrounded the road like tall shadows, and the sky was full of bright stars.

Alex’s heart was beating fast.

He had told his teammates he was going to the gym late. That was a lie.

The truth was much stranger.

He was driving to see Jake Harlow.

A vampire.

The word still sounded crazy in his head. But Jake’s kiss, his voice, the way he looked at him—Alex couldn’t forget any of it.

---

The Cabin

A warm yellow light glowed from the cabin windows.

Alex walked up the wooden steps and knocked.

The door opened.

Jake stood there shirtless, wearing loose sweatpants. His dark hair was messy, and his blue eyes immediately locked on Alex.

“You came,” Jake said quietly.

Alex laughed nervously. “Yeah… I couldn’t stay away.”

Jake stepped aside to let him in.

Inside, the cabin felt warm and cozy. A fire burned in the stone fireplace. Hockey sticks and old jerseys hung on the walls. The place looked like a mix between a sports shrine and a mountain home.

Jake closed the door behind him.

“One last chance, Thorne,” he said seriously. “I’m not human. Being close to me could end badly.”

Alex walked straight up to him.

“Too late,” he said.

He pulled Jake into a kiss.

---

The Kiss

This kiss was slower than the one in the sauna, but much deeper.

Jake’s hands moved around Alex’s back and shoulders, pulling him closer. Alex felt Jake’s cool skin and strong muscles under his hands.

“You have no idea how much I want you,” Jake whispered.

They kept kissing as they moved toward the fireplace.

Soon jackets, shirts, and shoes ended up scattered on the floor.

The firelight flickered across the room.

Jake gently pushed Alex down onto the rug in front of the fire. They laughed softly, nervous but excited.

For a moment they simply looked at each other.

Alex reached up and pulled Jake down into another kiss.

They stayed like that for a long time—holding each other, talking quietly, and discovering each other without rushing.

Jake’s cool skin slowly warmed against Alex’s.

---

The Bite

Later, as they lay close together, Jake’s fangs slowly appeared again.

He hesitated.

“I shouldn’t,” he whispered.

Alex touched his face.

“It’s okay,” Alex said softly. “I trust you.”

Jake leaned down carefully and bit Alex’s neck.

There was a small sting, then a strange warm feeling spreading through Alex’s body. It wasn’t painful—it felt almost like a powerful rush of energy.

Jake quickly pulled back and gently closed the small wound with his tongue.

Two tiny marks remained on Alex’s neck.

“I’m not turning you,” Jake said. “Just… tasting.”

Alex laughed breathlessly.

“That might be the craziest night of my life.”

They lay by the fire talking for a long time.

Jake told him pieces of his past—being turned in 1876 in London, living through different eras, and using sports like hockey to stay connected to the world.

“Hockey keeps me sane,” Jake admitted. “But you… you actually see me.”

Alex looked at him.

“Yeah,” he said. “And now we’ve got a problem.”

Jake smiled slightly. “The league?”

“Yeah,” Alex said. “And probably a lot worse.”

Jake’s expression darkened.

“There are people who hunt vampires,” he said quietly. “If they know I’m here…”

---

The Warning

Suddenly Alex’s phone buzzed.

A text from a teammate.

“Where are you? Coaches looking for you.”

Alex groaned and started getting dressed.

“Guess I should go before they think I disappeared.”

Jake walked him to the door.

“Tomorrow night?” Alex asked.

Jake smiled faintly.

“Midnight,” he said.

They shared one last kiss before Alex left.

---

Morning Trouble

The next morning at training camp, things felt different.

Some scouts were watching more closely than usual.

One of them kept staring at Jake.

Alex tried to ignore it.

Until his phone buzzed again.

A voicemail from an unknown number.

The message was cold and calm.

“Harlow is hiding something, Thorne. Look deeper… or you’ll end up dead with him.”

Alex felt a chill run through his body.

Vampire hunters.

And somehow… they already knew his name.