"Uh, Selene," Ethan said, glancing back as another burst of bullets stitched the road behind them, "you might want to speed up. They're catching up—and they seem very motivated."
Selene didn't answer. She just pressed the accelerator.
The engine screamed in response. The car lurched forward, tires skidding on wet asphalt before finding grip. Streetlights blurred into streaks of white as speed climbed fast.
Bullets cracked past them—one punched through the rear window, another sparked off the frame. Michael ducked low in the backseat, arms over his head.
Ethan braced himself as the car tore around a corner, tires screaming in protest. He glanced back—two cruisers now, lights strobing, gunfire hammering the night.
Then it happened.
A shot punched through the shattered windshield.
Selene jerked as the round slammed into her shoulder. The impact wasn't just physical—the wound burned instantly, smoke curling from her coat as she cried out, pain ripping through her.
"Shit—UV rounds," Ethan snapped, all humor gone.
At this stage, those bullets were extremely harmful to Selene—enough to kill her if they weren't dealt with immediately.
Selene's grip on the wheel faltered. Her breath hitched. Then her head dipped forward as she lost consciousness.
At the same time, another bullet shredded the tire.
The car fishtailed violently.
"Okay, that's bad," Ethan muttered.
The vehicle spun, slammed sideways, then lifted—weightless for a sickening second—before flipping end over end and crashing straight into the river beside the road.
"Michael," Ethan said quickly, already pulling Selene into his arms, "you might want to brace."
The car hit the water hard.
Glass exploded. Cold rushed in instantly, flooding the cabin as the vehicle began to sink, darkness and bubbles swallowing everything whole.
Underwater, Ethan tore free of the wreck with Selene locked against his chest. Metal groaned behind them as the car tilted nose-down, dragging debris with it. Michael kicked out of the backseat, eyes wide, panic bubbling from his mouth.
Ethan caught his gaze and motioned sharply—follow. He kicked once, hard, forcing them upward as the river pressed in from all sides.
The surface was a blur of moonlight and rain.
They broke through in a gasp. Ethan hauled Selene up first, then grabbed Michael by the collar and shoved him toward the bank.
They collapsed onto the muddy shore.
Selene lay limp, water streaming from her coat, the UV wound still smoking faintly. Michael coughed violently, dragging in air like it might vanish again.
Ethan knelt between them and tore open Selene's dress at the shoulder. The damage was obvious immediately—the bullet hadn't just pierced flesh it's burning the flesh around it.
He lifted his hand and focused. The bullet shuddered, then slid free under telekinesis, clattering to the ground. But the damage didn't stop. The burn remained, veins around it already darkening.
Too late. The UV solution was already in her bloodstream.
"Umm… what is happening to her?" Michael asked, fear creeping into his voice.
Ethan didn't answer.
He cut his wrist without hesitation. Blood spilled down his arm, thick and dark. He tilted Selene's head back and opened her mouth, letting the blood drip in. He waited.
Nothing.
She was unconscious. She couldn't swallow.
Ethan exhaled sharply. "Damn it."
He leaned in and kissed her—not gentle, not lingering—just enough to force the reflex. Pulled back. Let more blood fall. Leaned in again. Seconds passed like hours. Finally, after one last forced swallow, he pulled away, wiping blood from his mouth.
"Hope it works," he muttered.
He'd never turned anyone before.
He knew his blood could create vampires—though not ones like him. They wouldn't inherit his abilities, but they would become vampires without the usual weakness to sunlight. That was what he was counting on now.
If it worked, the change would neutralize the UV already burning through her bloodstream.
If it didn't…
He didn't finish the thought.
He had no idea how fast the transformation would take—only that time was running out, and if the change didn't happen soon, she wouldn't survive what was already killing her from the inside.
Footsteps echoed nearby. Too many. Fast.
Ethan stood, lifting Selene onto his back, steady despite the urgency. He glanced at Michael and jerked his head toward the street.
"Police station's that way. Go. I don't have time to babysit."
Michael hesitated, then shook his head. "No. I'm coming with you."
Ethan didn't argue. He just turned and ran—motioning Michael to follow—as their pursuers closed in behind them.
They burst out of the alley at full speed.
Two men stepped into Ethan's path, weapons already rising.
Ethan didn't slow.
He lifted one hand in passing.
The air snapped.
Both men were ripped clean off their feet, bodies yanked sideways as if caught by an invisible fist and smashed hard into the wall. Bone cracked. Metal clattered. They slid down and didn't get back up.
Ethan was already past them, boots pounding the pavement, Selene steady on his back.
"Remind me," Michael gasped as he struggled to keep up, "to never get in your way."
*****
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