Chapter 6: Blood on the Boards

Preseason games were in full swing, and the Vancouver Grizzlies were suddenly the hottest team in the league.

In Vancouver, fans filled the arena every night chanting Alex’s name.

“Thorne Burn! Thorne Burn!”

Alex had never played better.

His shots were faster. His stamina felt endless. When he skated, it felt like the ice barely slowed him down.

The venom Jake had given him had changed something inside him.

But there was a problem.

The thirst.

Sometimes in bright locker rooms or crowded bars, Alex could hear teammates’ heartbeats… smell the blood in their veins. The feeling made his throat burn.

Only one thing calmed it.

Jake.

---

Calgary Reunion

The Grizzlies’ next preseason stop was Calgary, home of the Flames.

Alex stayed at a cheap motel away from the team hotel to avoid attention.

Late that night someone knocked once on the door.

Jake stepped inside quickly, closing the door behind him.

For a moment they just looked at each other.

Then Jake smiled.

“Miss me?” he asked.

Alex answered by pulling him into a kiss.

The reunion was intense and full of nervous energy. They had been apart for days, and the tension from hiding their relationship made everything feel stronger.

Later, when they finally slowed down, Jake walked to the refrigerator.

Inside were sealed medical blood bags.

He handed one to Alex.

“Your first real drink,” Jake said.

Alex hesitated.

Then he took a small sip.

The taste was strange—metallic but warm. A powerful rush spread through his body almost instantly.

Alex wiped his mouth and laughed in disbelief.

“Okay… that’s definitely different.”

Jake grinned. “You’ll get used to it.”

---

Game Night

The next night the arena in Calgary was packed.

Grizzlies vs. Flames.

Alex and Jake lined up across from each other at the opening faceoff.

Their rivalry still looked real to everyone else.

But when their eyes met, there was something else there.

The puck dropped.

Alex scored first with a perfect top-corner shot that brought cheers from the visiting fans.

Later Jake stole the puck during a rush and scored a breakaway goal for Calgary.

Each play felt like a secret conversation between them.

At one point both players ended up in the penalty box.

Sitting close together, their shoulders touched slightly.

“After the game,” Jake whispered quietly.

Alex nodded.

---

The Transformation

Later that night at Jake’s condo overlooking the Bow River, the atmosphere was calm and quiet.

They talked, laughed, and shared another small drink from the blood bags.

Then Jake became serious.

“The third bite will finish the change,” he said.

Alex didn’t hesitate.

“Do it.”

Jake bit him gently, letting the venom flow.

A wave of energy rushed through Alex’s body, stronger than anything he had felt before. His senses sharpened, his skin cooled, and he could hear sounds from outside the building that normal humans couldn’t.

When he looked in the mirror later, his eyes had a faint silver glow.

Small fangs showed when he smiled.

Alex laughed in disbelief.

“So… this is real.”

Jake pulled him into a hug.

“Welcome to forever.”

---

The World Finds Out

Morning destroyed their quiet moment.

Alex’s phone exploded with notifications.

News alerts.

Messages.

Headlines everywhere.

“NHL VAMPIRE EXPOSED?”

The name Victor Kane appeared in every article. He had posted a long message online claiming two NHL players were vampires.

The post included old photos of Jake from decades ago.

And blurry pictures from the gala fight.

Social media exploded with the hashtag #VampNHL.

Alex’s coach called immediately.

“What is going on, Thorne?!” the coach shouted through the phone.

His teammate Brody sent a confused message too.

“Tell me this is a joke.”

Within hours the league announced an investigation.

Possible suspensions.

Maybe worse.

---

Into Hiding

Alex and Jake didn’t wait.

They drove into the mountains to a remote cabin far from the cities and cameras.

Snow covered the trees around them, and the world felt strangely quiet again.

Inside the cabin, they sat close to the fire.

Alex touched the edge of his new fangs thoughtfully.

“So the whole world might be hunting us now,” he said.

Jake looked at him with calm determination.

“Then we face it together.”

Alex smiled slightly.

“Always.”

Outside, the winter wind moved through the trees.

The hockey season was supposed to be starting soon.

But now the real battle wasn’t on the ice anymore.