Two

The conflict between the lycanthropes and the vampires had raged fiercely for nearly a decade, with Alpha Asher—the powerful alpha king —leading his kind into battle against their eternal foes.

Meanwhile, Silas had forsaken the safety of his coven in search of his destined match. Unlike their lupine adversaries, who could only recognize their mates through scent, vampires possessed the gift of seeing their mates ahead of time. And so it was that he found himself irresistibly drawn to a woman he had never met before.

There in the bar, she sat alone, unaware of his presence, watching from afar. He studied her intently, waiting for the perfect moment to reveal himself. At last, she looked up and caught sight of him, seemingly mistaking him for some hapless mortal prey.

........

They rode together in silence, broken only by the purr of Silas' sleek black SUV. Allegra seemed lost in thought, her expression troubled, while Silas struggled to find words.

Finally, Allegra spoke up. "Thank you," she said quietly, drawing his attention towards her.

He frowned, puzzlement etched across his features. "What for?"

Her cheeks flushed crimson as she confessed, "If you hadn't intervened, I might have killed that man."

A wry smile tugged at the corners of Silas' lips. "Ah well," he conceded, "after centuries spent quenching my thirst, one loses track of how many lives have slipped away..."

"I've never killed a human before" she spoke, her gaze fixed forward. "I am not some beast, like—" She hesitated, searching for the right words.

"The werewolves?" Silas supplied, and she turned to look at him.

Silas understood well why Allegra recoiled at the thought of taking a human life. As a werewolf halfling, she risked succumbing to her werewolf heritage if she ever killed a person, a transformation she wished to avoid.

"They took everything from me," she murmured, pain etched across her face. "My mother, my father...and he was one of them."

Silas held a deep grudge against werewolves, having slain twice as many as they had taken from his coven over his 500 years. His hatred ran deep, yet he refrained from speaking ill of the creatures in front of Allegra, aware of her unique lineage. No ordinary werewolf could match his swiftness, except perhaps the alpha king. Nevertheless, he was not the mightiest among his own kind; his sire, who led their coven, possessed double his power and age.

"Savages," Silas spat out. "Lacking restraint, they become little more than animals when they transform."

"That is not so. Purebred werewolves retain command over their shifts, while we halflings require the death of a human to trigger ours." Her eyes flashed defiantly, challenging him to deny it.

As the SUV came to a halt outside a worn-down motel, Silas turned to Allegra with a grave expression.

"We'll lie low here for a while," he began, his tone heavy with unspoken warnings.

"You've taken too much blood from that poor soul back there, and despite my best attempts to manipulate the woman's mind, I fear word will spread of our presence."

Allegra blinked, processing this sudden turn of events. "We?" she echoed, skepticism lacing every syllable. "Why should I trust you? We barely know each other."

Silas chuckled softly, shaking his head. "Trust isn't necessary between us, girl. Survival is all that matters now."

The weight of those words hung heavily in the air as they exited the vehicle.

"I am a hybrid," she said, watching intently for Silas' reaction.

She wasn't aware that Silas had been tracking her for long, long enough to have killed werewolves after her, Allegra thought she had survived barely on her own, but it was Silas all along who had been protecting her. He knows everything about her.

"For now, Allegra, you are merely a fledgling vampire. If werewolves come after us – which they undoubtedly will – one mere bite would be enough to end your existence. Unless…" His voice trailed off suggestively.

She understood what he meant without needing further explanation. And deep within herself, Allegra knew he wasn't wrong. With silent determination, she followed him towards the motel lobby. Behind the counter stood a young brunette, her eyes lingering far too long on Silas. An unexpected surge of envy coursed through Allegra but just as swiftly, she dismissed it. Her focus needed to remain solely on survival.

Silas had compelled the receptionist into procuring him a room without leaving a trace in the registry book. A sly maneuver, keeping their presence here unofficial. The room itself was modest, containing a cramped cooking nook equipped with scant few utensils, a diminutive sitting space, and a snug sleeping quarters.

"Take the bedroom, I shall stay in the living room " announced Silas.

Needing to cleanse herself, Allegra retreated to the bathing room, whilst Silas set off to get blood. Not long after, she emerged from the bathroom, her towel tied above her Bossom and reaching just above her knees.

Meanwhile, Silas had already returned with several blood bags. He was standing beside the window, he barely noticed Allegra enter until he sensed her gaze upon him. His vision wandered downwards towards her exposed thighs before swiftly returning to her face, attempting to suppress his mounting desires.

Allegra couldn't conceal her peculiar fascination for Silas. The memory of his scent still lingered in her nostrils, inciting her heart to skip a beat even now. As she stood before him, clad only in a towel, she felt her desires surge through her veins, igniting a fire within her core.

The way his gaze burned with raw lust sent shivers down her spine, eliciting a wetness between her thighs. Acting on instinct alone, she tugged at the towel wrapped around her, letting it pool at her feet.

Her breasts were firm and perky, her skin supple and smooth, her curves sinuous and alluring. With a goblet of blood in hand, Silas approached her, closing the distance between them. He set the cup aside and seized her face, his grip firm yet gentle.

His imposing stature cast a shadow over her petite form, making her feel both vulnerable and protected. His eyes bore into hers, consuming every inch of her being with a ravenous hunger. And then their lips met, colliding with such ferocity that she struggled to catch her breath. Yet, she matched his fervor, kissing him back just as eagerly.

Pleasure coursed through her veins as he cupped her breast, kneading it gently while tracing her sensitive flesh. A whimper escaped her throat, muffled by their entwined lips.

In one swift motion, Silas cradled Allegra, whisking her off to the small bedroom. With a fierce gaze locked onto her own, he laid her down upon the bed, a stage for the intimate dance that was about to unfold.

His clothes fell away, revealing the raw masculinity beneath. The space between her parted legs beckoned him forth, and he answered willingly, pressing tender kisses along her inner thighs. As his lips met the sweet spot, he teased her most sensitive area with his fingertip, eliciting gasps of pleasure from her lips. Her body trembled under his touch, anticipation building as he ascended toward her awaiting mouth.

A primal thirst surged within them both - a vampire's true desire lay within the sharing of lifeblood.

With delicate precision, Silas tore Allegra's soft skin with his fangs, igniting an exquisite stinging sensation. Instinctively, she arched her back, offering herself completely. And then, without hesitation, he plunged deep into her vein, drawing out her blood as it spilled freely into his mouth. It flowed through him like liquid fire, fueling his darkest desires and setting ablaze the embers smoldering within. He had marked her, making her his claim.

Now it was Allegra's turn to claim her mate. Slowly, deliberately, she straddled him, hands pressed firmly against his muscled chest. She was on top of him, she could feel every inch of him, pulsating with need. At last, she leaned in, baring her fangs, ready to pierce his flesh and seal their bond once and for all.

Her bite was sure and confident, meeting little resistance as she sliced open his neck. Rich, warm blood gushed forth, flooding her senses even as it bound them together in ways neither truly understood nor dared question. Their minds melded in perfect harmony, as they got connected telepathically.