I followed her down the alley and watched as she disappeared into the darkness. I walked slowly so she wouldn't notice me, but where the hell was she going? When I pressed my phone to track her, I was surprised to find the alley was empty. How could she just vanish? I looked around—there were no windows or doors, just tall walls that I knew she wouldn't be able to climb over.

Something pulled me toward the wall at the end of the alley, and I moved slowly in that direction. I stopped a little way off and placed my hand against the brick wall, feeling it vibrate. What the hell!? I pressed my hand against the brick and felt a tingling sensation spreading through my body; it felt... soft?I pressed a little harder and gasped as I watched my fingers sink into the red brick. I quickly jerked my hand back. I must be hallucinating, I thought, my heart racing, before I tried again and saw my entire arm disappear up to my elbow. Then it felt like I lost my footing as a force grabbed me and pulled me into the wall. Everything went black for a few seconds before I suddenly stepped out into a similar alley.

I rubbed my forehead and looked around, wondering what the hell had just happened. Lexie was nowhere to be seen, but I assumed this was where she had gone; there was no other way.Hesitantly, I began to walk down the dark street. My heart pounded in my chest, and my nerves were on edge. The place resembled the older neighborhoods of Paris, but everything felt different.Most of the streetlights were broken, and the windows of the houses were dark, making it hard to recognize anything. Everything felt deserted and empty, except for a few moths flitting frantically around the scant light sources.

"Lost your dinner, have you?" A voice suddenly rang out behind me, and I turned quickly to see a man grinning at me. He looked like he had stepped out of a fantasy film about Vikings, with his long blonde hair, massive biceps, and Scandinavian accent. Two meters tall and built like a house, I was almost a bit disappointed to see he was wearing regular clothes instead of leather armor.

"What?" I asked, confused, taking a step back.

"Don't be scared, kid," he laughed. "I only hunt when the moon is full."

"WHAT?!" I exclaimed again, my eyes wide as I searched for an escape route.

He laughed deeply, a rumble in his chest, revealing two straight rows of bright white teeth in his bearded but rather handsome smile with dimples in his cheeks. "Not in a joking mood?"

I took a deep breath and shook my head. "No, sorry, I'm just a bit stressed."

"Who are you running from?" he asked, crossing his arms as he leaned against the wall of a house.

"I'm not running, I'm looking for someone," I sighed, rubbing my bare arms to warm up.

"A human?"

I looked up at him questioningly. Did I look like someone who had lost their puppy? "Um, yeah?"

He nodded and eyed me from head to toe. "Are you new here?"

"New? Here?" I stared at him in disbelief. "I was born in Paris, if that's what you mean."

His questioning gaze shifted to evident curiosity. "You don't know where you are?"

"Not really," I admitted, glancing around.

He smiled slyly at me. "Have you noticed that things are different?"

"Um... weird, you mean?"

He nodded. "What's your name?"

I studied him, debating whether I should really trust this giant or if I should turn on my heel and run for my life. 

"Okay, listen," he said with a grin, "you don't need to be scared of me. It's the little ones you should watch out for, and everyone with long fangs."

I frowned, looking completely lost. I had no damn clue what he meant, but his words sent chills down my spine."Dominic," I finally replied, earning a broad smile in return.

"Magnus."

"Okay, thanks for the warning, I guess, but I should go before—"

"Sure," he grinned. "But be careful."

I nodded a few times before quickly hurrying past him toward a relatively well-lit street. What the hell was this place, I thought, looking around. Where the fuck had she gone?!

The cobblestone streets were narrow and dirty, their uneven surfaces slick with a dark sheen that glimmered under the dim light. The air smelled different here—more like a pine forest than a city, infused with an earthy scent that felt both fresh and suffocating. It vibrated with a strange energy, a pulsing hum that seemed to echo in the very marrow of my bones. Everywhere I turned, I felt eyes watching me—tiny glints from the shadows of garbage bins and larger, more sinister gazes from the depths of darkened street corners. I was almost certain they weren't rats or mice peering out; they looked hungrier, more predatory, as if they were waiting for something—someone.

An occasional car whizzed past, its headlights slicing through the murky gloom, illuminating fleeting glimpses of twisted alleyways and dilapidated buildings that leaned precariously as if sharing secrets. I sometimes encountered figures moving in the opposite direction, their faces obscured by hoods and shadows. They glanced at me, curiosity flickering in their eyes, some staring openly with an unsettling gleam that felt far too vibrant for ordinary human emotions. Most, however, ignored me entirely, as if I were just a ghost passing through their realm. There was something distinctly unnatural about the people here; they didn't feel... human.

A shiver danced down my spine, and I regretted not bringing a jacket, though I knew it wasn't just the chill in the air that made me shudder. It was this insane place I had stumbled into. What kind of portal had I walked through? A sick nightmare, perhaps. I groaned softly to myself, pressing my hands deeper into my jeans pockets, seeking warmth that refused to come.Where was I even going? I had wandered for hours through neighborhoods that mirrored each other in a disorienting loop, the oppressive fog wrapping around me like a suffocating shroud. It was either night or perpetually dark, the air thick with a damp mist that obscured everything in a hazy blur, punctuated by occasional rain showers that fell like whispered secrets. Since stepping into this strange world, I had felt cold seep into my bones, an unsettling reminder of my isolation.

There was no sign of Lexie; she might as well have vanished into thin air. I stopped in the middle of the cobbled street, my heart pounding as I wrestled with my options. Should I keep searching for her, or was it time to admit defeat and try to find my way back home? What the hell was she doing in a place like this in the first place? Guilt clawed at my insides, and I regretted all the harsh words I had said. I had to find her; she might even know the way back.I pressed on with legs that felt heavy and unsteady, each step an effort against the weight of uncertainty. Something in the atmosphere made me feel disoriented and almost dizzy, as if the ground beneath me was shifting. That unsettling sensation returned—the feeling of being watched, pursued. I glanced around, expecting to see someone lurking in the shadows, but there was only emptiness, a void that seemed to mock my fear. Just give it up! I thought irritably; it's just my imagination, I reassured myself.

But as if in response to my desperate attempt to dismiss the sensation, the presence made itself known with alarming clarity. A gasp escaped my lips when a man stepped out from the shadows, his red eyes locking onto mine with an intensity that sent a jolt of fear through me. I didn't wait to find out what he wanted. I ran.

The cobblestones were uneven, and I stumbled forward, breath escaping in sharp gasps as panic surged through me. My body felt stiff from the cold, each movement a reminder of the chilling weight of dread. Several times, I glanced back, the knowledge growing within me that he likely knew this labyrinthine city better than I did and could appear from anywhere. What kind of horror movie had I stumbled into? I thought desperately as I pushed myself to run faster, the dark alleys closing in around me.

I turned right but immediately noticed how the dark shadow was following me, and I felt it creeping uncomfortably close. Where the hell was I supposed to go? The houses were as desolate as always, the streets empty except for the occasional car that drove by. No one seemed to care about my panic.

I hurried down the street until I was met by a flashing neon sign telling me there was some kind of pub behind the door. There was a risk that the place was full of shady types, but I'd rather be in a well-lit room full of people than alone in the dark with a shadow man. I half-ran toward the door and took a deep breath before I yanked it open and stepped into the dimly lit establishment. The stench of sweat, smoke, and alcohol hit me, and I had to fight against gagging. No one could have aired out this place in a decade or two, but still, I welcomed the warmth against my chilled skin.

Many eyes turned toward me, but most didn't seem to care about my presence.

"What are you doing here, human?!" spat a short woman with far too large eyes for her tiny face. I avoided her gaze and scanned the room. "I came to meet someone," I mumbled, desperately searching for a reasonable excuse to avoid going back out to the specter.

"Who?" she continued, and it struck me how much she resembled one of those little raccoons rummaging through garbage bins.

"Do you work here?" I asked cautiously, meeting her judgmental eyes.

"Whose toy are you?" she pressed on, and I was just about to answer when I found my salvation. Further back in the room sat him, the tall blonde guy I had met earlier in the alley. His name was Magnus, right? I scratched the back of my head and glanced down at the raccoon woman before I nodded toward the back of the room.

"I found him."

She looked over at Magnus's table and nodded. "Better hurry then," she muttered, "the triplets over there look hungry."

I threw a quick glance at the table to my left, where three women with the same short black bob hairstyle sat, staring at me with unnaturally shimmering eyes and wickedly sharp smiles. With quick steps, I zigzagged between the tables and hurried over to my blonde friend. I at least hoped he was my friend; he had been pretty nice.

Magnus was leaning back in his chair, balancing it, with beer foam in his mustache. He licked his lips thoughtfully while glancing down at a handful of cards. He was fully concentrated on the game and seemed to take no notice of me.I felt three pairs of eyes from the dark corner burning into my back. Others had also turned their full attention to me, and I knew I only had one chance. What had the raccoon woman said? Whose toy are you? Magnus's toy, apparently, I thought as I quickly straddled his legs, causing his chair to wobble and forcing him to sit up straight to avoid falling backward. A pair of blue eyes tore away from the cards and looked up to meet my pleading gaze.

"Well, look what the cat dragged in," he grinned, setting down his beer glass on the table.

"Sorry it took so long," I replied, looking down at his face to see if he was willing to play along or not.

"Better late than never," he answered, his eyes sparkling.

The other four at the table paid no attention to me and continued their game. The raccoon woman came to refill their glasses and threw an irritated, questioning glance at me before turning back to my Scandinavian friend.

"You know the rules," she spat, pointing to a sign that read: No Humans Allowed.

In response, Magnus took a firm grip on my back and pulled me closer to him, so my entire upper body pressed against his, while his other hand found its way into my hair. I was surprised by how my body reacted positively to his touch, even as I couldn't help but feel small pricks of panic when he started leaving little bite marks along my neck. He must have sensed my body tense, for the bites quickly turned to lips and a warm tongue gliding over my tender skin.

"Let me finish this game, Hilda," he mumbled between kisses, "you know I can't leave him outside."

She sighed heavily but left the table, returning to her hectic job of serving the rest of the shady guests filling the room. Hands slid beneath my shirt, and I felt his jeans tighten beneath me as he placed his hands on my hips, rubbing me back and forth over him. I leaned back slightly, raising an eyebrow as I looked into his playful eyes.

"Full house," he grinned, tossing the cards on the table without taking his eyes off me. He didn't seem to care much when the rough-looking man to the right snatched up all the money on the table, and I realized the man beneath me had lost his bet. With a shrug, he downed the rest of his beer in one go and took a firm grip under my backside before standing up.

"Hold on tight, little human," he smirked, starting to weave through the room toward the door, and I could do nothing but wrap my legs around his waist and my arms tighter around his neck.

"I can walk on my own," I pointed out in a tired voice.

"Trust me, kid," he grinned, "if you want to live another day, it's best to play along."

"Sorry... and... thank you. But where are we going?"

"Away from all the curious eyes," he replied, and for the first time in a long while, I felt a calm spread within me.