Paul - After 3 weeksI enjoy the peace and quiet this place provides as I wait for the moon to rise. The crickets add a joyful melody to my ears as I stargaze the twinkling silver lights of the brooding sky. I push back the sounds coming from the clearing of our meeting grounds.Everyone is always upbeat when we get together for the full moon shift. Despite the enthusiasm, I feel for the first time that something is off. Laura is not present.Steps on the grass pique my interest. Looking toward the clearing, I see Alin and Ana Maria approaching. She was delighted to join the Muntenia pack, and we chose to call her Ana Maria in order to avoid confusion with our Ana.“I wanted to thank you again,” Alin says, his hand around his mate’s waist. “I’m also sorry for my behavior in the past few months. Not in my wildest dreams have I dared to imagine that such a thing could happen, that Ana Maria would join our pack.”“I’m extremely in debt to you,” she says, her eyes sparkling with happiness

Paul - The alpha summitAs I dress in my new suit, Laura watches me in the mirror. Something is still bugging me as to how she has handled the matter with Bogdan.“Are you sure he’ll stop trying to kill me and kidnap you?” I repeat the question for a dozenth time.“Humans, especially those with unstable minds, are easy to coerce.” She sighs. "I took care of Bogdan Badea. He’s not hurting anymore and has let go of his plan for vengeance. I was surprised when you gave him back his family business. He’ll surely move forward with his life now."“Ok, I’ll end any talks about Bogdan here and now.”My red tie rests on the edge of the chair. It has the same perfect shade of copper as Laura’s hair. I take it and start preparing myself for the meeting.Laura approaches. She takes my hands off the tie. I smile and let her do it for me. Even though the knot she creates is a little crooked and much duller than my Windsor knot, I keep it.Smirking, I watch Laura tilting her head.“It’s a bit crooke

Paul - A park in BucharestWithout my knowledge, my feet brought me into a park, not very far from the hotel where the summit takes place. My knees feel like they will give way soon under the weight I feel inside my soul.The night is cold and gloomy, the stars hiding behind thick clouds. The wind blows, making me shiver.I sit on a bench. A post next to a tree sheds light between the branches, the leaves creating shadows on the asphalt in a mesmerizing pattern.“Paul!”“Lexa,” I mutter, watching her coming closer.“I’m glad I found you.”“What are you doing here?” I ask, looking up at her.Her chestnut hair shines a dark red under the tree, and I wonder why I keep getting in love with red-headed women.I tilt my head back. "Have you heard what happened in the hotel room between me and Laura?"“How— How do you know that I—”“I sensed your perfume on the corridor when I left the room.”“Ah, yeah. I’m sorry, but not really.” Lexa sits next to me. “Paul, I know you better than anyone els

Alisa - Two Months LaterMy name is Alisa Cristescu, and I am a perfectly sane and healthy twenty-something-year-old strigoi. My best friend and maker, however, is quite crazy.After living my entire life with my parents, my older sister, her husband, their three children, and a dog named Luna, becoming a strigoi and moving out with Laura was the highlight of my life. It's been a happy home ever since. We had ups and downs like any friends have, but not like this.The loud music coming from Laura’s room pops like firecrackers in my head. Grumbling unheard even by myself, I google ‘where to buy earmuffs near Dristor.’The search comes up with nothing useful, and the delivery may take up to three days. My eardrums don’t have that much time left.Tumbling onto my couch, I close my eyes, wishing for the world to stop exploding. The music gets louder, and my ears feel as though they're bleeding.“Shit! Shit! Shit!"I force my way into Laura's room. Her hand lifts a dart as she focuses on a

Laura - Her apartmentI close the door behind me, gulping and acutely conscious of my motionless heart and lungs. Leaning against the cold door, everything I've been holding back for the last several months rushes to the surface.A deep breath."Fuck."My body shakes as I release a heavy sigh.Why do I always end up here? Why does my life keep getting complicated?Every time I think I have it all figured out, I'm surprised by some new twist or turn. Why did my glamour break when he kissed me?For me, pain doesn't come as a dagger. It's something I've embraced and doesn't feel sharp anymore. It just comes to shatter everything around me, showing me the void that's actually there inside me.Before all hell breaks loose, I need to numb myself as much as possible. I sprint toward the fridge and take a look at Alisa’s stash. She obtains blood from a variety of sources, from shady dealers to medical personnel, primarily by bribery since she has yet to master the art of glamour. Nonetheless