Misery’s Game
The corridors of Nightshade Academy were a labyrinth of shadows and whispers, the flickering torches casting eerie shapes on the stone walls. Eryon walked quickly, his jaw clenched as he tried to shake the feeling of being watched. His instincts were rarely wrong, and tonight, they screamed that danger was near.
He turned a corner and froze. Misery stood leaning casually against a pillar, her sharp crimson eyes glinting with amusement. Her smirk was as sharp as a blade, and Eryon’s wolf growled faintly at the sight of her.
“You’ve been sloppy, darling,” she said, her voice smooth and cutting.
Eryon’s fists clenched at his sides. “What are you talking about?” he asked, his tone colder than usual.
Misery tilted her head, stepping closer with the slow, deliberate grace of a predator stalking its prey. “Too fast, too strong—too unlike a vampire.”
His stomach twisted, but he forced his expression to remain neutral. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Oh, but I do,” she replied, her smirk widening. “You’re not one of us, Eryon. So, what are you?”
Eryon’s mind raced as her words hung in the air, her sharp gaze watching his every reaction. He had been careful—or so he thought. But Misery’s instincts were sharper than most, and now, they had cut straight through his façade.
“Drop it, Misery,” he said finally, his voice low and edged with warning.
Her laughter was soft but laced with mockery. “Relax, darling,” she said, her tone turning almost sweet. “If I wanted to expose you, I would have done it already.”
Eryon’s wolf bristled at her words, his instincts screaming that this was no olive branch. “What do you want?” he demanded, his voice tight.
Misery stepped closer, her smirk softening into something more dangerous. “Trust me, Eryon. I can keep a secret.”
Her breath brushed against his ear as she leaned in, her voice dropping to a whisper. “But everything comes at a price.”
Eryon’s wolf growled louder, but he didn’t respond. Misery lingered for a moment longer before stepping back, her expression unreadable.
“Think about it,” she said lightly, her smirk returning as she turned and disappeared into the shadows.
Eryon stood frozen in place, the weight of her words settling over him like a noose.
