The lights flash back on.

The man’s in a sharp three-piece suit, not a seam or thread out of place. He’s tall and has a bit of muscle to him but nothing overly bulky. His dark blue eyes lock with mine and something inside of me reacts to him on a primal level. His jaw is cut like a shard of glass, his nose just a little crooked, and there’s a scar at his hairline, the mark only partly hidden by his straight, dark, umber-colored hair. He’s rugged and refined all at once, and I’m sure he’s the reason the power went out in the first place.

“W-who are you?” I ask, shuffling backward, my hand held in front of me like it could ward him off.

He holds out his hand for a handshake and smiles widely at me. “Arsen. Arsen Eskandar, at your service.” Fitting name for a man who probably sets panties on fire with a glance. He winks at me like he knows exactly what I’m thinking. “I’m here to help you.”

“Help me? You don’t even know me.” I step backward, putting the bed between us and glancing over his shoulder. Where the hell did Jackson go?

“I know more than you think.” He tilts his head, looking me over and I tense, trying not to fidget under his intense stare. “I know you were attacked last night.”

“Is that so?” I spit out the words, angry that some stranger is in my room claiming to know about my attack last night. A stunning stranger, the kind of man who turns heads and commands a room the moment he walks into it.

“Hey, who are you?” Jackson pushes his way past Arsen and plants himself in front of me. “Sasha, you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m good. He just arrived. His name’s, Arsen Esk—something.”

“Eskandar. Arsen Eskandar. And I’m here to protect Sasha.” Arsen holds out his hand for Jackson to shake, and Jackson eyes it before giving it a quick shake and stepping back.

“Protect her?” Jackson looks over his shoulder. “You know this guy?”

“Never met him before in my life.” Something tells me he won’t hurt me. I don’t know why I feel this. Maybe instinct . . . the one thing science can’t explain?

Jackson radios someone for backup and they radio they’ll be right up. “Okay, pal, it’s time for you to leave.”

“I have answers to all the questions swirling around in your head right now.” Arsen’s smooth tone transfixes me, and I meet his lovely gaze, calm falling over me.

I put a hand on Jackson’s arm. “We both want some answers.” I nod at Arsen. “Go ahead, tell me what really happened last night.”

“And how the hell you even know about it,” Jackson adds, one hand resting on the butt of the gun at his hip.

Arsen stares hard at Jackson and as I watch, Jackson relaxes his posture, his hand no longer at the gun on his belt. “I think you were just going to tell your partner that everything is okay here. Weren’t you, Jackson?”

Jackson nods, his face slack. What in the world . . .

Jackson leaves, ignoring me as I shout after him.

“Jackson, don’t leave me here with this guy. Hey!” I turn on Arsen. “What the hell did you do to him?”

“I just suggested he go talk to his partner.” He shrugs like he doesn’t have a care in the world. Like he didn’t just Jedi mind-trick a cop.

I narrow my eyes at him. “No, you did something else. I’m not dumb. Don’t treat me like I am.”

“I would never do that.” He smiles at me, his voice like honey-coated gravel, smooth and rough all at once. My insides riot at his attention. Obviously, it’s been too long since I got laid.

“Are you ready to go?” the mysterious man asks me. I look him over again, this time with more caution now that I’m alone in a room with him.

“Go where exactly?” I plant my hands on my hips. “I don’t know you. You just did something to my friend, and you claim you have answers for me. How can I trust you?”

He sighs and clasps his hands in front of him. “The man last night bit your neck, right?”

I touch the bandage. “How did you know that?”

“I’m the one that stole the tapes from the security desk.”

“You were there last night? Why didn’t you stop him? Or help me?” The words leave my mouth in a rush and I inch away from him again.

“I was on his trail last night, and when I saw the carnage, I knew that the human authorities would never understand. I took the tapes to protect my people.” He pauses. “Our people.”

“Our people? Who the hell are you? CIA or something?”

He laughs. “I’m not with the government. And yes, our people. You’re a part of this now.”

“A part of what exactly?” I raise a brow, trying to hide my terror. My legs shake.

“I can’t tell you unless you come with me.”

“Go with you? Where? Why? Who are you exactly?” Questions spin around in my head like some superspeed merry-go-round and I lean against the bed, dizzy.

“I’m not going to harm you, Sasha. I’d never do that. The choice is yours. Come with me and get answers, or stay here, confused and wondering.”

The choice is mine. A lot of things haven’t been my choice in the past twenty-four hours. Getting attacked. My college being attacked. Ending up in the hospital cuffed to the bed. It’s not really a choice. I have to know what happened. Or I’ll drive myself mad speculating.

“Okay. I’ll go with you. Just tell me where we’re going first.”

“I was just going to give you a lift home for now. We can talk on the way there and then you can have some time to process.”

“That’s it?”

“Well the details of what I’m going to tell you are a bit more complicated, but yes, that’s it.”

“Okay, lead the way.” I walk around the bed but keep my distance from him. Blind faith is for people who believe in religion. I believe in science and cold, hard facts. Things I can see, touch, and feel for myself.

He leads me out of the hospital to a waiting town car. A man in dark sunglasses, a black suit, and black gloves opens the door for me, and Arsen ushers me into the car before him. If I had to bet money, I’d bet his bodyguard—slash—driver—slash— moose of a man is named Knuckles or something equally badass. Or Tiny. The big guys always have the strangest names. He shuts the door behind us and gets behind the wheel. I can’t see him through the dark glass dividing the front and back seats but I sense him.

I turn my attention to Arsen. “Start talking.”

“You and I have similar interests,” he says.

“Interests? Like you dig DNA and science, too?” My words drip with sarcasm. Not the most appropriate answer, but it’s the only defense I’ve got at the moment. “I’m confused. You just got me out of hospital, but I’ve never met you. I’d probably remember that, and you said you’ve got answers for me.” I sigh and offer him a smile. “I don’t want to seem ungrateful, but I’ve had my fill of craziness for at least two lifetimes within the last twenty-four hours . . . so I’m a little thin on patience. I hope you understand.”

“You are the one that doesn’t understand. This is urgent and I don’t have the time to ease you into this.”

“Ease me into this? What’s this?” I wave a hand around. “Explain it to me. In detail. Please.”

Arsen runs his hand through his thick hair before squaring his shoulders. “Vampire’s exist and a sick one attacked you last night.”

I sit back hard in the leather seat. “You’re completely fucking insane. Did you know that?” I shake my head. Arsen may be sex on a stick, but he’s mental. Vampires are real? And a sick one attacked me last night. Yeah, because everyone knows that immortal vampires can catch a common cold.

“I’m not insane. I’m telling you the truth.” Arsen leans forward, his thick forearms resting on his knees. “I would never lie to you.”

I blink at him, trying to understand. Something niggles at my memory from last night, but it just won’t shake loose. “Let’s say for a second that I believe vampires are real. And that’s a big if . . . I thought they’re immortal and can’t get sick.”

“We are immortal. And human illness has no effect on us.”

I hold up a finger. “You just said ‘we’ and ‘us.’ Are you trying to tell me you’re a vampire? It’s broad daylight. How are you not bursting into flames or sparkling like a disco ball?”

“I fucking hate those movies for that.” He grumbles the words under his breath and I bite the inside of my cheek to keep from laughing. “Sunlight doesn’t affect us. And yes, I am a vampire.”

“Prove it. Let’s see you vamp out.”

“I don’t want to scare you. Or overwhelm you.”

I scoff. “Too late, buddy. You better show me some proof, and fast, or I’m going to jump out of this car at the next red light.”

Arsen growls, and then before my eyes, opens his mouth wide, flashing pearly white fangs, inches from my face.

“Holy shit.” Those can’t be real. It’s a trick. An illusion. I reach my hand up, eyeing him as I do, and press one finger to the elongated tooth. It’s firmly in there. And it hadn’t been there before. I would have seen it when he flashed his charming smile at me. “Those don’t appear to be fake.”

Arsen flexes his jaw and the fangs retract. “That’s because they’re not fake. They’re real. Soon, you’ll have them as well.”

“Me? I’ll have them?” I reach into my mouth, poking at my teeth. Still normal sized. A little crooked, but nothing extra sharp or pointy.

“The man who attacked you last night bit your neck. And then he fed you some of his blood. I’ve got the tapes to prove it.”

Ugh. So gross. “He fed me his blood? Why? Actually wait, just show me proof,” I demand.

“I don’t have them here in the car. But I can certainly show you some other time. I’m not sure why he fed you his blood, but that’s how you ensure the change from human to vampire. First, we feed, then we take your blood intermingled with our vampire blood and give it back to you.” He waves a hand. “That’s not important right now. What’s important is that you’re going to change. And you’ll need some help adjusting.” He winces and scratches at the stubble on his jaw. “He was also one of the vampires affected by a virus.”

“A virus that affects vampires? And the one who bit me had it?” Of course he did. “Am I going to be sick, too?” How do you even make a virus that harms immortal creatures? I keep that question for myself, to think on later, but clearly, someone’s got it out for the vamps in Portland.

“I don’t know. We haven’t been able to find a cure for the virus as of yet.” The car stops and Arsen grabs my hand, his grip firm but gentle. “You can help us find a cure for this. Please. My sister is sick.”

Sympathy warms my chest and I weigh the options in my mind. This is bat-shit insane. But if what he says is true, maybe I could study their blood. Find out about their genetics. It would be groundbreaking. History making, even. If I’m sick from the vampire who bit me, I’ll need the cure as well. But what about my future? My studies? How will this change affect me? “I need you to prove it to me. I don’t believe in things I can’t see.”

Arsen nods and releases my hand. “I can prove it. I can give you access to all of the vampires who are sick in our coven.” He cuts me off before I can object and continues. “We’re not sure where it’s coming from, or how it spreads, but vampires are losing all control. There’s an uncontrollable bloodlust. More so than usual. Those who are infected become violent, erratic, and feral.” His Adam’s apple bobs in his throat before he heaves a heavy sigh. “Our doctors can’t figure it out. But they don’t have the training you do with all the new science stuff.”

I laugh. Science stuff. Yeah, that’s it. So simple. “What if I can’t find a cure? What happens to me then?”

“Nothing, you’d still be a vampire and I would welcome you into our coven.”

“Your coven? Is the guy who attacked me a member of your coven?”

“No. He’s the head of the other coven in Portland. The Baetal. I’m the head of the Draugur coven.”

I rub my head, trying to process all this information. Right. Of course. Two covens in town. Makes sense because nothing can ever be simple. “This is insane.”

“Why? I’ve shown you proof.”

Yeah, he had. “Science says that you shouldn’t exist. That vampires are just a myth made up to scare little children.”

“Every myth is based on a kernel of truth, right?” The corner of his mouth upturns into a half smile and I sigh. He’s got me there.

“I need some time to process this. Alone.”

“I understand.” Arsen opens the door to the car, and I step out after him. We’re in front of my apartment building.

“I’m not even going to ask how you know where I live.”

“Driver’s license.” He shrugs.

“Right.” I walk toward the steps leading up to the main door of my building, but Arsen grips my hand in his, a thick card sliding from his hand to mine.

“Here’s my contact information. And my address. When you’re ready, let me know.” I look down at the card and he steps back. “I’ll see you soon.”

I watch as he gets back into the waiting car and drives away. He’d said when I was ready to let him know.

But what if I’m never ready to be a vampire? What then?