Kai
I blasted a hole in the wall of my estate when I received word that trackers had caught their trail, only to lose them in the bayou. The bayou is the last place I want that wretched girl to be. The brothers who now rule that area aren't as accommodating as the other bosses. It took a huge portion of my treasure to get them to join. There is a risk that they could go rogue. I need to send in a larger group and flush them out of the bayou. Also, she has a fucking lava snail helping her. Those lowly creatures are experts at hiding, and that is the only reason I haven't wiped them out. Once I command Asher, humans won't be the only thing that I turn to ash. Alden, I will get you, and I will make that girl watch as I remove you from your shell, dice you up, and then fricassee you!
I called for an emergency meeting. Everyone attended but the Eragon Brothers of Talos. After I get this fucking black diamond, I will end those fucking brothers too. "Alright, listen up! I am tripling the reward for that girl and doubling the reward for Alden. I want them both alive, if only barely. Burn down the fucking bayou if you must, but fucking find them!" They nodded and left. I will give them a day before I go and hunt myself. If I find them and my hunters don't, then I will burn them too.
Layla
Each breath feels like a struggle, as if the bayou itself is trying to choke the life out of me. Days have blurred into an endless cycle of flight and fear, the oppressive humidity weighing down on my shoulders like a shroud. Alden and I move through the tangled undergrowth with the silent desperation of hunted animals, our footsteps swallowed by the spongy earth and the deafening drone of cicadas. The bayou is alive, its pulse throbbing in sync with the danger that lurks just beyond the shadows. I can feel its gaze—a thousand unseen eyes tracking our every move, waiting for the moment we falter. Vampires, witches, shifters—they're all out there, drawn to the black diamond fused to my heart like moths to a flame. And Alden, my steadfast protector, my anchor in this chaos, is the only thing standing between me and the abyss.
"We should rest here," Alden says, his voice a low, measured whisper that cuts through the oppressive silence. His amber eyes scan the surroundings with the precision of a predator, alert for any sign of movement, any hint of danger. His flamboyant attire—a bold crimson shirt that clings to his sweat-dampened skin and flowing black trousers that catch on the thorns of the underbrush—seems absurdly out of place in this drab, murky world. But it's Alden. He'd stand out in a crowd of stars, his presence undeniable even in the heart of the bayou. His lava-inspired pendant glints faintly in the dappled sunlight filtering through the canopy, a reminder of the power he wields, the power he's sworn to use to keep me safe.
I nod, too weary to argue. My legs feel like lead, my muscles screaming in protest from days of relentless flight. We've been running for what feels like an eternity, though in truth, it's only been a handful of days. Days that have stretched into an endless nightmare, each moment a test of endurance, each breath a battle against the suffocating air. I sink to the ground, my back resting against the gnarled roots of an ancient cypress tree. Its knotted trunk feels solid, grounding, a stark contrast to the chaos swirling around us. The tree's bark is rough against my skin, a tactile reminder of the world beyond the madness.
Alden sits beside me, his presence a comforting weight that anchors me to reality. "You're pushing yourself too hard," he chides gently, his fingers brushing against my arm in a gesture that's both tender and firm. "You need to eat, Layla. You're burning through your reserves faster than you can replenish them."
I snort, a bitter laugh escaping my lips. "And where exactly do you suggest I find a five-star meal in this swamp? Last I checked, bayou cuisine wasn't exactly Michelin-starred." My voice is laced with sarcasm, but beneath it, there's a thread of desperation I can't quite hide.
He rolls his eyes, a familiar gesture that makes me smile despite the weight pressing down on my chest. "Sarcasm won't fill your stomach, you know. And neither will pride."
I don't respond, instead closing my eyes and letting the sounds of the bayou wash over me. The hum of insects is a constant, rhythmic backdrop, the distant call of a heron a fleeting melody, and the soft lapping of water against the roots of the trees a soothing lullaby. For a moment, it's almost peaceful, if I don't think too hard about the danger lurking just beyond the trees. If I don't let my mind wander to the creatures hunting us, to the black diamond burning in my chest, to the fear that we might not make it out of this alive.
But peace is a luxury we can't afford. Not here. Not now.
The first sign of trouble comes as a faint rustling in the underbrush, a sound that's out of place, too deliberate, too calculated. My eyes snap open, and I'm on my feet before I even realize it, my hand instinctively reaching for the dagger strapped to my thigh. The hilt is cool against my palm, a familiar comfort in the face of danger. Alden is already standing, his body tense, his amber eyes narrowed in concentration. His muscles are coiled, ready to spring into action, and I can see the faint glow of his lava pendant, a silent promise of the power he's prepared to unleash.
"Behind us," he murmurs, his voice barely audible over the sudden stillness that has fallen over the bayou. The cicadas have gone silent, the air itself seeming to hold its breath.
I turn slowly, my heart pounding in my chest, and there they are. Three figures emerge from the shadows, their forms shifting and indistinct, like smoke given shape. Vampires. Their eyes glow an eerie red, their fangs glint in the dim light, and their skin is pale, almost translucent, as if the life has been sucked out of them long ago. Behind them, a fourth figure steps forward, her face pale and gaunt, her eyes cold and calculating. A witch. Her hands are raised, her fingers twitching as she weaves a spell, the air around her crackling with malevolent energy. I can feel the power emanating from her, a dark force that makes my skin crawl.
"Layla," Alden says, his voice tight with warning. "Get ready to run."