Avenging Luna
Chapter 137: Enemy In The Shadows

Chapter 137: Enemy In The Shadows

Chase’s POV:

I couldn’t stand the silence in the suite. Every second I spent inside that hotel room with Leila and Ash, I felt like my mind was suffocating. The pull to keep them safe, the constant adrenaline pumping through my veins, wouldn’t let me relax. As much as I wanted to be close to them—my mate and her son—something was out there, something hunting us, and I needed to find out what.

I slipped out of the suite, the cool night air hitting me as I stepped into the hallway. I didn’t make a sound, just one fluid motion as I moved down the stairs and out of the hotel. I didn’t need to explain myself. Leila wouldn’t understand why I had to leave. She wouldn’t understand the weight of the danger we were in.

The city felt oddly empty, too quiet, the kind of silence that set off every alarm in my head. The scent of danger, of old blood and something more sinister, curled in the air. The rogue vampires were out there, and I wasn’t about to wait for them to show up at my doorstep.

I moved fast, blending into the shadows of the night, my senses stretching out, scanning for anything out of place. I could hear the steady pulse of my own heartbeat, but it was the absence of any human presence around me that made me feel like I was walking on a razor’s edge. The hairs on the back of my neck prickled. I was being watched.

Then, I heard it—a faint rustling behind me. I didn’t hesitate. In a split second, I turned, my body already in a defensive stance. Two figures emerged from the darkness. Rogue vampires, their eyes glowing faintly red in the dim light. The hunger, the madness, was written all over their faces. They’d been hunting, but I’d been the one they were after this time.

"You know, it’s not polite to sneak up on people," I said, my voice low, like a warning.

The larger of the two grinned, showing his fangs, his eyes glinting with malicious amusement. "You should have stayed inside, vampire. You’re the one who came for us, after all." His words were coated with venom, a subtle threat laced in each syllable.

Without another word, I launched myself at him. I didn’t need to be subtle—I was faster, stronger, and far more skilled. He didn’t stand a chance. I twisted around his grasp, landing a sharp elbow to his face, sending him staggering back. Blood splattered onto the pavement, but he wasn’t done yet.

The other rogue took the opportunity to launch an attack from the side. I barely had time to react, but I sidestepped at the last moment, grabbing his arm and throwing him to the ground with a force that rattled the street beneath us.

The larger rogue recovered quickly, his fists balled as he charged at me again, this time aiming for my throat. He was fast, but I was faster. I ducked under his swing and drove my knee into his stomach, pushing all my strength into the blow. He wheezed, collapsing to his knees.

I didn’t give him a chance to recover. I slammed my fist into his jaw with a satisfying crack, sending him tumbling backward into the street. He landed hard, and his body didn’t move after that.

But before I could fully focus on the other rogue, the first one, the larger vampire, let out a chilling laugh. Blood poured from the gash on his cheek, but his grin remained wide.

"You think... you’ve won?" He sputtered between labored breaths. "He said... he’ll come for them too. He’ll come for... the boy... and the woman..."

I froze.

He will come for them too.

Who was he talking about? The rogue’s words didn’t make sense at first, but then it hit me. He wasn’t talking about me. He was talking about Leila and Ash. Whoever this he was, this vampire, was coming for them. And if they came for them...

It was a death sentence.

The rogue let out one final, gurgling breath before collapsing into the pavement, his eyes fading to a dull, lifeless red.

I stood there, my mind racing. "Who the hell is ’he’?" I whispered to the lifeless body, though I knew I wouldn’t get an answer.

I couldn’t afford to waste time thinking. I turned on my heel, running back to the hotel with the sound of my boots hitting the pavement like a clock ticking down. My thoughts were a jumbled mess, each one louder than the last, but one thing was clear: I couldn’t let anything happen to Leila or Ash. Whoever "he" was, whatever his game was, I wasn’t going to let him get anywhere near them.

By the time I reached the hotel, my body was still buzzing with adrenaline. My thoughts were focused only on getting back to the suite, making sure Leila and Ash were safe. The smell of blood was still fresh on my clothes, and I hoped I could make it inside without Leila noticing.

I entered the hotel through the back, slipping into the elevator and riding it up to the floor where I had left them. The closer I got to the suite, the more the dread settled in my chest. There was a knot of worry lodged there, one I couldn’t shake. I had to hurry.

I opened the door with my key, stepping quietly inside. The dim lights of the suite gave the room an eerie, calm glow. Ash was fast asleep on the couch, a blanket haphazardly draped over him. His small chest rose and fell steadily as he breathed, oblivious to everything that had just happened.

Leila was sitting on one of the chairs, her eyes trained on the door, waiting. Her expression was unreadable, though I could see the faint tremor in her hands as they rested on her lap. She had clearly been worried, but she hadn’t expected the chaos I’d just left behind.

When I stepped fully into the room, Leila’s gaze snapped to me. Her eyes widened immediately as she saw the blood splattered across my shirt, and her breath hitched.

"What happened?" she demanded, her voice sharp but full of fear.

I didn’t answer at first. I couldn’t. My mouth went dry as I locked eyes with her, knowing I couldn’t keep her in the dark any longer. The blood was still fresh, staining my clothes, but I had to get her to understand.

"Chase...?" Her voice cracked, and that was when I knew. She was already losing her grip on her calm. She could see that I was hurt, that I’d just come from something dangerous. I needed to reassure her, but how? How could I explain that the danger was far from over?

I walked toward her, trying to steady my own breathing. "Leila, it’s... it’s nothing serious. I’m fine," I said, my voice soft but firm.

She stood up abruptly, her eyes locking on the blood. "You’re not fine. You’re covered in blood, Chase. You can’t just—" Her words were frantic, but I couldn’t let her spiral. I took a step toward her, gently grabbing her wrist to stop her from pacing.

"Leila, listen to me." I spoke with urgency. "I’m fine. The rogues are dead. They won’t hurt anyone anymore."

But it was clear that she wasn’t satisfied. She knew me too well. Her gaze searched mine, looking for the truth beneath my words.

"Then what about them?" she asked, her voice trembling. "You said we’re being hunted. Why? Who’s after us?"

I looked away for a moment, glancing at Ash, who was still asleep. He didn’t know what was going on. He didn’t need to.

I swallowed hard. "I don’t know yet. But whoever they were working for... they’re not going to stop. They’ll keep coming for you, for Ash. I’ll make sure they don’t get close. I promise you that."

Leila opened her mouth to respond, but I placed a finger on her lips, stopping her. "Just... just let me take care of this. I can protect you both."

Her eyes softened then, the tension leaving her shoulders as she looked at me. "Chase, why didn’t you tell me this before?"

"I didn’t want to scare you," I admitted, my voice low. "I wanted to give you space. But running away... leaving like that... It wasn’t the answer. I’ve been waiting centuries to find you. And I won’t lose you now."

I could feel the weight of my words hanging between us. I wasn’t just speaking to her—I was speaking to myself, too.

Leila’s expression softened, but her eyes were still filled with worry. "I’m not going anywhere, Chase. But I need you to promise me something."

"Anything."

"Promise me that you’ll be different. Promise me you won’t hurt me ever and you will always be on my side no matter the evidence or situation."

I nodded, reaching out to touch her hand. "I promise. I’m not going anywhere either."

But as I looked at her, I couldn’t shake the feeling that the real battle was just beginning.

And the real enemy... was far from finished with us.