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I wouldn’t add that this was a first and I had a feeling why she’d run out on me. Her veins had been glowing just like mine, which didn’t make sense. I hadn’t absorbed any fire since earlier that day, which was the only time our bodies had that reaction.

Every vampire who worked at Station 112 was a descendant of the Danakil clan. Our unique ability to absorb fire as a strength was uniquely tied to the history of our ancestors. Centuries ago, before vampires were accepted and freely walked among humans, we were feared. With the help of a distinct coven of witches, back in Ethiopia from where we derived, a clan of vampires were controlled by magic, rounded up, and dropped into the Ethral volcano.

Their goal had been to end our existence but it backfired. Somehow, the clan absorbed the fire instead of being harmed. The combination of magic from the vampires and the witches served as a protection of sorts and the end result was the clan possessing the power to control fire. Ironically, the Ethral volcano was also known as the gateway to hell. Our ancestors damn sure unleashed hell on those who wronged us.

The witches who partnered with the humans to destroy us had unknowingly protected us. Didn’t fucking matter, they were still destroyed because our people wiped them out for the betrayal.

Ol’ girl wasn’t a vampire, which only left one other option. She had to be a fire witch, and somehow when I fed from her that night, I absorbed her fire. I needed to see her to be sure she didn’t put some type of spell on or in me, but she disappeared.

“You’ve been at that damn club trying to find her and feeding off that weak ass bagged shit instead of taking advantage of the bodies at Blood Lust. What’s up with that, Kyron?” Hale asked, frowning at me. I heard the concern in his voice and made sure my true emotions about the situation were blocked.

I had no interest in feeding from anyone else. I tried and failed. Not even the bagged blood was working at this point. Another reason I needed to find her because this shit was getting out of hand.

“Nothing’s up with it and I’m good.”

Let it go, I growled at both my brothers who shared a look.

“I’m about to shower before shift ends,” I said, tossing my gloves in a nearby bin and leaving the station gym.

You sure you’re good? Captain asked through the link we shared with anyone who put in time at the station. We were all either from different clans or weren’t associated with one, so we shared a mind link to utilize when on call.

Yeah, I’m straight.

If that changes…

I’ll let you know.

Good enough.

By the time I was done with my shower, our shift was done. I threw on camo pants and one of my HGFD tee shirts, shoved what I needed into my backpack, and left the station. My brothers were posted up at Gade’s Range, waiting for me.

“We’re about to get breakfast. You rolling?”

“Nah, I’m tired as shit. About to head to the crib and get some sleep. That fire drained me.”

“You need blood. We can head to the club instead if you want.”

Annual memberships at Blood Lust granted access to feeding twenty-four-seven. The selection was limited to willing employees and there were only a handful available during the hours when the club was officially closed for business.

I shot both of them a look that demanded they let it go. If they were pushing for me to go to Blood Lust during closed hours, they were concerned. I respected that, because my brothers and I were close, but I also had shit on my mind that required focus, which wouldn’t happen at breakfast with them or at the club.

“Aight, you got it. But if you don’t get your shit together, you're feeding one way or another.”

I smirked. “What you gonna do? Lock me down and force feed me?”

Gade shrugged, pushing away from his Range with a seriousness in his expression that almost made me laugh because he was deadass when he responded. “If I have to, I will.”

“You really think you can make that happen?”

“With you weak like this? Yeah. We can,” Hale said, moving to the passenger side of the truck. His attention then went to our baby brother. “Drive like you have some gotdamn sense.”

“If you want to complain, you can walk.”

I chuckled, slipped my other arm through the straps of my backpack, and straddled my bike after lifting and securing my helmet over my head.

We all had our issues. Hale’s were a little more deeply rooted which was why he was so wild and reckless. Our baby brother loved chaos and attention. I preferred isolation. Hale was split right down the middle. Gade’s need to be in the middle of things often worked against him. Humans were wired to crave connections. They were empathetic while vampires were predators, built to hunt, dominate, and kill.

Having the best of both worlds, being a hybrid, was complicated at times. We had our mother’s human traits but our father’s dominance. Gade struggled to find balance. As with most of us, his brain was always at war, navigating and processing both sides at the same time. The older you were, the more things leveled. But with some, that balance would always be a struggle. Gade landed in that space, which was why Hale and I kept him close.