I’ve been searching for Star for weeks now. Have practically ripped the Sun Moon Realm apart looking for the witch who supposedly knows where the nature energy creatures are. I’m usually known for my tracking skills, but either the time I spent in the Common Realm made me lose my touch, or Star isn’t here. The latter seems like the most plausible answer because losing my ability just seems fucking ridiculous.

I mean, I’m one of the most ancient vampires, for gods’ sake. But you’d probably never guess it by just looking at me. Most creatures think I’m around twenty-one years old, and often I feel that young. Not lately, though.

I blame it on this realm. All the magic floating in the air isn’t healthy for me. Plus, I’m aggravated that no creature seems to know where Star is. Someone must know. Like maybe her mother. Unfortunately, she’s disappeared, too.

How convenient, and I doubt coincidental.

Either Star’s mother is out looking for Star, or she had something to do with Star’s disappearance.

“Give me another round,” I tell the bartender, a burly wizard with extremely frizzy hair.

Yet another good thing about being a vampire. My blond hair is always silky, my skin flawless. Everything about me appears perfect, on the outside anyway. Inside, a thirst is constantly festering, begging to be fed.

Blood.

Blood.

Blood.

It’s always on my mind. But over the years, I’ve learned to control my blood thirst. That doesn’t mean I don’t occasionally need to hit up a bar to down a few blood shots. Honestly, I prefer straight from the vein—most vampires do—but the only way to get that is to go to special clubs in the Midnight Realm or find a creature who is willing to let me feed off them. Since I’ve been stuck in the Sun Moon Realm for a few weeks now, I haven’t stumbled across a witch I’ve wanted to taste, so I’ve been getting my blood from a bottle.

Without making eye contact with me, the bartender collects a half empty bottle of blood from the shelf. Witches and wizards aren’t huge fans of my kind, and his evasiveness probably stems from him having to serve me. I don’t really blame him for being that way. Vampires are powerful, immortal, and at times, we can be cruel, and that makes other creatures, such as wizards, afraid of us. Even their magic rarely affects us.

“Lovely night, isn’t it?” I try to make small chitchat with him. I’m bored and haven’t had a decent conversation since I left Lake and the rest of the wolves behind in the Willow Realm.

Lake has been my best friend forever and is one of the nature energy creatures that could get rid of the toxic vines currently taking over the Midnight Realm where I’m from. That doesn’t mean I’m going to let Lake get rid of them. If there’s another way to kill those vines, I’m going to find it. I can’t risk Lake getting hurt, which could happen if she tries to eliminate those vines. The problem is the creature who has the most knowledge about the vines and the nature energy creatures is currently untraceable.

“You haven’t by chance seen Star Wickingferd, have you?” I ask the bartender who ignored my attempt at small talk.

He shakes his head and mutters, “Haven’t seen her in years.”

His answer matches a lot of others I’ve received, and I’m starting to wonder if Star doesn’t live here anymore. Or perhaps she’s out in one of the realms, searching for the rest of the nature energy creatures. If so, I don’t even know how I’ll go about finding her without an actual starting point.

I need a better answer.

The bartender fills up my glass with blood then hurries off to the opposite side of the counter.

Sighing, I down the drink then lick my lips clean. Slapping some coins down on the countertop, I then walk outside.

The cool night air matches my body temperature perfectly as I make my way down the cobblestone path toward a house that, rumor has it, a wizard lives who might know where Star is. I’m not very optimistic. Witches and wizards are gossipy creatures, and this realm is floating with rumors, most of which aren’t true. I’m getting pretty tired of it.

“Where are you, Star?” I mutter as I make my way down the mostly vacant street.

As I pass by a group of younger witches and wizards, I note they’re watching me. It doesn’t make me nervous, just puts me on alert. They could just be glaring at me because of what I am, but I can never be too careful. I’ve been around long enough to know never to assume things.

The realms and life is full of surprising twists and turns. Like the time I was sentence to the Common Realm for hitting on a vampire elder’s mistress. At the time, I thought the punishment was awful—no paranormal wants to go to the Common real. But then I met Lake there, and my whole outlook on my punishment changed.

That hasn’t been the only twist in my life. The others … some of them … well, let’s just say that the Common Realm punishment seemed like a vacation in comparison.

“Hey, vampire,” one of the taller, blond wizards from the group calls out to me with a trace of a smile.

I roll my eyes and don’t even bother giving him a glance as I continue strolling up the street with my hands tucked into the pockets of my black jeans.

“What? Are you deaf or something?” Blondie strolls after me, his friends shouting encouragements in the background.

I mull over what to do. Keep going or teach blondie a lesson about respecting vampires.

Not really feeling in the mood to hand out life lesson, I decide to keep going when blondie shouts out, “Hey, loser, I’m talking to you!”

Okay then. Lesson it is

Reeling around, I stride toward him. A smile starts to rise on his lips until my vampire speed kicks in. In the snap of a bone, I’m in his face with my fangs out, my eyes bleeding red.

“A little word of advice,” I warn lowly. “Don’t ever refer to a vampire as a loser. You’re lucky it’s me, or else, you wouldn’t even be standing right now.”

He gulps. “I’m s-sorry … My friends and I were j-just trying to get your attention. Th-That’s all.” He takes a breath then raises his hands in front of him. “I’m sorry I called you a loser and deaf. It won’t happen again.”

“You’re right; it won’t.” I lean closer. “Because if you come near me again, you won’t be able to speak. Got it?”

He bobs his head up and down, looking as though he’s about to shit himself.

I feel a ping of guilt for making him so terrified, which is kind of irritating. I used to not give a shit who I scared. Ever since I met Lake, though, who is kind by nature, I’ve developed a guilty conscience.

Grimacing at that realization, I start to turn around to leave when blondie steps toward me.

“You’re looking for Star Wickingferd, right?” he asks in a shaky voice.

I twist back around, cocking my brow. “Why do you ask?”

He stuffs his hands into his pockets, glancing at his wizard and witch friends who look equally scared shitless. “Because we heard a rumor that you were.” He looks back at me, shifting his weight. “And we might have some information that could lead you to her.”

I stare him down. “Are you bullshitting me right now?”

He hastily shakes his head. “No, not at all, sir.”

Sir? Huh. That’s a new one. Maybe I don’t look that young anymore.

I rub my hand across my jawline. “Why offer me the information? What’s in it for you?”

“Maybe we just want to help you,” blondie replies with an uneven shrug.

I laugh. I can’t help it. “I’ve been around for a long time and know better than to believe that.”

He sucks in an unsteady inhale. “Okay, maybe we do want something.”

I motion for him to hurry up, my patience wearing thin. “What is it?”

He glances at his friends again then steps closer to me and lowers his voice. “We want some of your blood.”

My fangs slip out as my voice lowers to a deep rumble. “Do you understand how dangerous that request is?”

He gulps, but shakily nods. “I understand, but it’s important.”

“To have my blood?”

“Y-yes.”

“Why?” I mean, in general, I understand why creatures usually desire my blood—immortality. But it’s been a while since I’ve crossed paths with a creature stupid enough to make the request.

“Because …” He glances at his friends again, who offer him encouraging looks, then he turns back to me. “Because one of our friends is dying and we need to save her.”

“What happen to your friend?” I question, wondering if I’m being played.

“She has this disease that no spell can cure,” he utters hoarsely. “She’s been sick forever, but she’s been getting worse. The magic disease specialist says she only has weeks to live.”

I feel a drop of sympathy for blondie, a reaction that again, I’m going to blame on my time spent with Lake. “You do understand that using my blood to cure her will turn her into a vampire after she dies, don’t you?”

Blondie rubs his lips together and nods. “We understand … But we’d rather her be a vampire than have to let her go.”

“You say that now, but what about when the blood cravings start?”

“You seem fine.”

“Now, but I’m ancient. When I was first created, and honestly up until a few months ago”—when I met Lake—“I wasn’t as calm as I am right now.”

“Look, we understand how this works, but I can’t lose her.” Tears pool in his eyes, but he sucks them back.

Again, I feel sorry for him. Clearly, he loves this creature he wants to save. But love can make creatures do crazy things. I would know.

I’ve almost been in love a couple times over the decades, and not only did it make my head foggy, but also a bit stupid.

“Have you ever met a vampire right after they changed?” I ask him. “When the blood thirst controls their every thought, movement, urge, desire?”

He shakes his head. “No, but that doesn’t mean I can’t handle it—”

“Yes, it does.” I give him a pat on the shoulder, and he winces. “I’m sorry about your friend, but I’m not going to give you my blood.”

I could force him to tell me where Star is, but pity consumes me, and before I know it, I’m turning around and walking away.

Eternal vampires, I’ve gone soft. I’m unsure if that’s a good thing or not.

Moments later, I get my answer as sharp objects pierces into the back of my neck.

“Motherfucker,” I curse as I reach around and yank out … “A witch’s ash poppy dart.”

Witch’s ash poppy is one of the few elements that can make a vampire pass out, and they’re also very, very rare. This isn’t the first time a creature’s doped me up with it. My mother used to do it to me all the time, back when I was younger.

Rage flickers inside me as I stumble around while blondie and his friends hurry toward me. I wonder where in the worlds they got the dart from. Guess it doesn’t really matter. When I come to again, I’ll probably be missing some blood and still won’t have the answer to where Star is.

Well, not until I hunt them down and force them to tell me.

And this time, I won’t feel so guilty about it.