Saying His Name
Genre: Paranormal Romance.
Subgenres / Tropes: Urban Fantasy, Vampire Romance, Mystery, Hunter × Monster, Forbidden Love, Ancient Vampire × Mortal, Stoic × Playful, He’s Soft Only for Her, Secret Identity, Small Town Mystery, Found Freedom, Morally Gray Love Interest, Happily Ever After.
Warnings: This story contains violence, murder, references to serial disappearances, blood, mind control/compulsion, a morally gray love interest, predatory behavior, off-page deaths, and romantic intimacy (kissing). Themes include deception, supernatural hunting, and forbidden love. While the story contains dark subject matter, graphic violence and gore are not depicted.
Word Count: 7.5k
Main blog: @ap-writings / Wattpad: ap-writing
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Another Tuesday.
Another news alert.
Another headline.
Mysterious vanishing of yet another girl within the streets of Hedger Ridge. Last seen the previous Monday leaving Collansin's Bar. Friends say she was texting before all communication suddenly ceased. No further updates are to be made.
Friends are worried. Search parties are out early every morning. It's the same thing as the last five girls who vanished without a trace. None of them have resurfaced.
Calliope's thumb scrolled slowly as her eyes scanned the news article. She reached blindly for the coffee Julia set down in front of her. "I swear they just change the girls' names and upload the same article." She brought the cup to her lips, taking a sip before glancing up at Julia. "It's weird."
"Yeah." Julia leaned back in her chair, taking a long sip of her own. "Very weird. I'm shocked they haven't put a curfew on the town. No one goes out after sunset." She snorted. "Have they even labeled this as a spree or—or... fuck, a freaking serial killer?"
Calliope shook her head. "Nothing. They just keep saying they're working on finding out what it is." She paused. "There's no clues, like, at all. From what people are saying on the Facebook groups, all of their phones pinged at the exact same location before they stopped responding."
Julia's eyes flicked to her. "Where's the location?"
"Um, hold on..." Calliope swiped across her screen. "Give me a sec..."
"I wasn't—" Julia snorted, glancing around before leaning in. "I wasn't going to say anything, but you know what this sounds like?"
Without missing a beat, Calliope sighed, fighting back a smirk. "If you say what I think you're about to say... just don't." She shook her head. "He isn't—"
"Oh, come on, Cal." Julia cut her off, tapping two fingers against her temple. "Think about it." She stared at Calliope, eyes wide. "Literally no trace. No bodies recovered. I mean... shit." She shook her head. "Countless groups have combed the woods, the alleyways, and every single dumpster in and outside of town. They even called in the surrounding precincts, right?" Her brows lifted. "And yet... nothing."
Calliope's screen darkened as she stared back at Julia. She tilted her head, almost considering the thought before shaking it. "It's just folklore, Julia. Tales that... parents tell their children when they ask for a scary story at bedtime, or stories you tell on camping trips."
"Why do you think people leave town to go camping, hmm?" Julia kept her brows raised as she took a sip of her coffee. "Seriously, there's something—someone—in those woods, and I am telling you right now..." She pointed toward the window. "He's responsible. He's insatiable. Greedy. A jerk, from the stories I've heard." She scoffed. "Seriously, if—"
"Okay... okay..." Calliope shushed her friend. "Just..." She exhaled. "I'm not saying you're right, or that I believe you, but with the history of this town, and what's been happening..." She lowered her voice. "I don't need you potentially summoning whatever the hell this is."
"We are so on the same page." Julia smirked.
Calliope shook her head. "No, I'm just—" She scoffed. "You never know who's listening, alright?" She tapped her phone screen, unlocking it. "Anyway, back to the location." She scrolled while Julia watched in silence for once. Calliope's words had actually struck something. Julia's eyes drifted around the café as she sat a little straighter, chills crawling over her skin for reasons she couldn't explain.
Calliope turned her phone toward her. "Here."
Julia leaned in, her eyes narrowing as she read through the comments. Then they darted to the map. "Red Creek," she whispered. Her expression shifted. "That's where..." She looked back at Calliope. "You know what that is, right?"
She slowly shook her head. "I feel like I should, but it..." She frowned. "I'm sure you've mentioned it before, or I've read about it?" Calliope paused. "What is it?"
Julia inhaled as she pulled her own phone from the pocket of her hoodie. "It's..." She stopped, her eyes cutting around the room before dropping back to her screen. "Just... here." She slid her phone across the table. "Read this."
Calliope pulled the phone closer, using her pinky to scroll as she read the blog Julia had pulled up.
Red Creek.
Some people will tell you it's just another stretch of woods. Others will tell you it's sacred ground. If you're reading this, you're probably wondering why.
Over two hundred years ago, Red Creek wasn't named after the clay, the leaves, or the sunset reflecting off the water. It was red with blood.
Now, the history of Hedger Ridge is... complicated. You either believe the stories, or you don't. I do. So here's what happened.
All sources are cited at the end.
In 1826, while John Adams and Thomas Jefferson died on the very same day and America's first granite railway began operating in Massachusetts, Hedger Ridge was dealing with something far more terrifying. Women were disappearing. One after another. Just like they're disappearing now. Most were last seen telling their friends they'd see them the following morning. That conversation became the last anyone ever had with them.
Of course, policing wasn't what it is today. Modern police departments didn't exist, especially not in small towns like Hedger Ridge. There were watchmen and local militias, but disappearances like these often went unsolved. Which is exactly what happened here.
Calliope looked up. "What am I supposed to be reading? She's just going on about the justice system not really being a thing back in..." She glanced back at the screen. "1826?"
"Yeah, okay, that's not—" Julia reached over and pulled her phone closer. "It must've jumped back to the top." She scrolled for a moment, eyes scanning the page. "There." She slid the phone back across the table. "That part. Sorry, the beginning drags."
Calliope nodded, lowering her gaze back to the screen as she continued reading.
I am warning you now. When people tell you not to say his name out loud, or not to think about him for too long... I see why.
Kallis Verenita.
Yeah... you got chills too? He's the reason Red Creek is called Red Creek.
Legends, and I say that very loosely, claim Kallis is the leader of a vampire cult.
Back in 1826, word spread that one of his vampires had fallen in love with a human. That was about as illegal as you could get.
It was forbidden.
Stories say Kallis brought women back to feed on them, draining them dry before having the men beneath him dispose of the bodies. No one questioned it because he was believed to be incapable of feeling anything beyond hunger. Love, compassion, affection... none of it existed in him.
Apparently men weren't off the menu either, but hey... to each their own. That's not my focus.
My focus is Kallis.
And the reason Red Creek became Red Creek.
Now, to my surprise, vampires have blood. Crazy, I know. According to the legends, vampire blood is different. Indelible. Corrosive, in a way. When Kallis discovered several members of his own vampires planned to betray him, overthrow him so the vampire who fell in love could live happily with his human, he slaughtered every single one of them, even the ones who were supposedly on his side.
Their blood soaked into the creek bank. Then into the water itself. Most people say the red soil comes from the clay beneath the ground. There are dozens of videos online trying to prove or debunk the theory. But after countless hours in the library, town archives, and local history meetings... I don't buy it.
My research, and countless visits to the Hedger History Building, puts the number at thirty-six vampires in his cult.
That's roughly 216 liters of blood, more depending on their size.
Enough to stain a creek. Enough to give it a name.
I believe Kallis is still out there.
Some witnesses (some more credible than others) claim they've seen a man who looked like he stepped straight out of a history book before disappearing in the blink of an eye. If he's remained hidden all this time... If he's only revealing himself to those unfortunate enough to fall under his spell... Then maybe the stories were never stories at all.
Calliope slowly leaned back, her eyes lifting to Julia. She didn't say anything, she didn't have to.
The look they shared said enough.
Now they were on the same page.
She inhaled. "You don't..." She tilted her head. "You think that's what's happening?"
Julia took another long, thoughtful sip of her coffee. "Do you?"
"I don't want to say yes, but..."
"But..." Julia raised a brow. "You're saying it anyway?"
Calliope nods once, barely a nod, but enough to confirm, "Yeah." Her voice is lower, "I am." She looks back down at the phone, tapping the screen, "Can you-" She motions to the phone, "I want to finish reading this."
Julia nods, immediately unlocking it and sliding it back over, "There isn't much left, but it's packed full of... information."
Calliope nodded, leaning back in as she picked up where she left off.
From what the stories say, Kallis is an incredibly handsome and manipulative man. The mind control certainly helps with that.
The technical term is compulsion. That's why people always tell you not to look a vampire in the eyes.
Apparently, with nothing more than a sentence and the right intent behind it...Your life could very well be over. That's what I believe happened to every man and woman who's gone missing. One look, one sentence, and there would be no trace of that person left behind.
If you're compelled not to speak, you won't speak.
If you're compelled to stay in one place, congratulations, that's your new home.
If you're compelled to forget... You forget.
There's supposedly no way around it. It's an incredibly powerful ability, and from everything I've found, there's never been a documented case of someone breaking free from it.
Now, keep in mind that a lot of this comes from people like me. The ones who hear the folklore and spend way too many hours digging through records, journals, and old stories trying to separate fact from fiction. The legends also say Kallis is unbelievably fast. Unnaturally strong. Some people compare vampires to the ones from Twilight, but older. No sparkling Edward Cullen—just something far more dangerous... and, if the stories are true, very real.
Their hearing is another thing. It's said Kallis could hear someone speaking from miles away.
People obsess over ghost stories.
I obsess over vampires.
Because if they're real, and in my honest opinion, there's a very good chance they are, then everything changes.
Not just what we know, and what the ones before us knew about Hedger Ridge, but also everything we think we know about the world.
Calliope stared at the screen until it auto-locked. "Alrighty then." She slid the phone back over to Julia. "Honestly? She lost me when she compared him to Edward Cullen."
Julia stared at her. "Are you serious?" She scoffed. "There's no way. I thought... I thought we were on the same page, dude."
"I mean, okay, yeah." Calliope nodded. "I'll admit, she really had me in the first part of it... or the middle. But honestly?" She shrugged. "It sounds like someone's trying to convince us while they're convincing themselves. I don't know how else to explain it."
Julia blinked. "Well... okay, now—" She sighed. "No, that's... that's valid. I see why you'd say that." She tilted her head. "But still... you can't tell me that didn't at least make you want to go home before the sun fully sets."
"I'm not really a stay-out kind of person anyway, Julia."
"No, I know. I just..." She sighed. "I just have this feeling that something along those supernatural lines is happening. Whether it's him, or something like him, you know?" She rubbed her arms. "I can feel it in my bones. I wish I was kidding."
"I believe you, and not—" Calliope lifted a hand slightly off the table. "—because you're my best friend, but because I do believe in that type of stuff. I mean... okay, I believe in magic, but the whole wolves and bloodsu—"
"Shh!" Julia hissed, quiet but sharp. "Don't even use that name."
Calliope blinked. "Jeez, okay. Sorry." She shrugged. "I don't know if I fully believe in the whole wolves and... ones who drink blood." She smiled to herself. "I mean, come on. If we had a vampire problem, don't you think there'd be more disappearances? More confused people if that- what'd she call it? Compulsion, was real?"
"Yes... and also no." Julia frowned. "I mean, what if it's like a timing thing? What if it only happens every so often, like Jeepers Creepers? That's every however many years, right?"
"He is a fictional character, Julia. You know that, right?" Calliope laughed softly. "Look, I'm not brushing it off completely, but until I see this man who looks like he stepped out of a history book for myself..." She smiled. "I'm sticking with the real-life possibilities."
Julia nodded. "Alright, fair enough. I guess someone in this friendship has to be the logical, level-headed thinker."
With a snort, Calliope finally picked up her coffee, taking a sip of her now-lukewarm latte. "Right." She smiled. "I'll think it's a serial killer... and you think it's Kallis."
It was immediate.
The temperature inside the coffee shop seemed to drop a few degrees.
The conversation around them didn't stop, but a few people looked over, only for a second. Then, almost too quickly, they looked away and went right back to their conversations.
Julia stared at her friend. "Cal..."
"...What?"
Julia slowly shook her head. "Nothing." Her eyes drifted around the café one more time before settling back on Calliope. "Just..." She let out a nervous laugh. "God..." Her smile didn't reach her eyes. "Don't say his name ever again. Please."
Calliope humored her, "Right, sorry. It did say in that article blog post or whatever not to say it or think about it too long." She points to Julia, "That goes for you, too."
"Trust me." Julia sighs, "I'm trying not to."
As the girls stood up to move on with their plans for the day, someone a few blocks over in the shadows of the alleyways stopped his mid-day feed instantly. His head tilted in the direction of the voice that carried his name ever so casually, and slowly, a smirk formed on his bloody lips.
Calliope was finally home.
Her apartment wasn't huge, so the bags she'd accumulated during today's adventures with Julia took up most of the counter space. The clock on her stove read 8:37 PM. Her favorite show played as background noise while she unpacked the contents of each bag, putting things away one by one. Then, afirm, but polite, knock sounded at her door.
She assumed it was her neighbor again. Usually once a week, Calliope had to let her in because she'd forgotten her keys in a rush on the way to work. With a smirk, she snatched her own keys, along with Zarlene's spare. "You lock yourself out again, Zar?"
No answer.
Normally, her neighbor would've laughed and made some joke through the door.
Instead it was silence.
Calliope unlocked the door and pulled it open. She wasn't greeted by Zarlene. Or any of her other neighbors. Standing in the hallway was a man. Tall. Dark hair brushed just past his shoulders, a small braid tucked neatly behind one ear.
Her eyes met his.
They were dark, almost black.
Though... that could've just been the dim lighting in the apartment building.
"Hello." He spoke quietly, a faint English accent coloring his words. "You are Calliope, yeah?"
She blinked. "Can I ask who's asking?"
He chuckled, deep and rich. "You're lookin' at him, love."
"And just who might I be looking at?" She tilted her head. "If I'm being honest, you're not the first attractive man to pull that card on me."
"Well..." He smiled, almost to himself. "Now I have to admit my ego's a little scraped." He shrugged. "But... I'm sure I shall get over it."
She narrowed her eyes. "Who are you?"
"You should know."
She tipped her head ever so slightly. "Yeah, because that is not ominous at all."
"It wasn't meant to be." He took a slow step closer, though he still remained outside her apartment. "You said my name earlier, darling." His head tilted, studying her expression. "And since you don't seem to care for the ominous approach..." A faint smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth. "I'll be honest." His eyes never left hers. "I rather liked hearing you say it."
For a moment, she looked puzzled.
Then a slightly shocked expression spread across her face."Wait."
His smirk grew. "Mm."
She pointed at him. "Are you the new sales associate they hired at Malina's that called out sick on his first day?" She winced. "I didn't mean to call you a lazy, half-brained moron. That bitchy sales rep really is a gossip hog."
His eyes narrowed, and his head jerked back. "Wha— No, no." He blinked. "I'm sorry, love, you've mistaken me for someone else. I do not work there." He tilted his head, a faintly amused grin appearing. "Though... I don't believe I'd enjoy working there, by the sounds of it."
She stared at him, that puzzled expression slowly crept back across her face. "If you're not the half-brained moron..." She frowned. "Then who are you? I said a few names today."
He inhaled, crossing his arms as he leaned casually against the doorframe, never stepping over the threshold. "C'mon, Calliope." A smile tugged at his lips. "I can see you're close."
"Well, you're not Jimin from BTS, I can tell you that right now." She scoffed. "Uh...Lennie?"
"No."
"Mikael?"
"Wrong again, darling."
"Mmm..." She tilted her head. "Can you just tell me?"
"Kallis."
"What?" The word left her mouth before she could stop it. "You're joking."
He stared at her for a beat, then let out a quiet scoff. "You cannot be serious." A pause. "Are you serious?"
"So... wait..." She shook her head. "You're actually real?"
He looked down at himself before lifting his gaze back to hers, his eyes narrowing as his lips pursed. "We are standing here face to face, conversing... correct?"
She nodded. "I mean, yeah, but how do I know this isn't, like... some espresso-induced hallucination? I've had, like, four today." She snorted. "Or—" Her fingers snapped. "Better yet. How do I know you're not just some stupid guy from the coffee shop I said your name in, trying to scare me? Or Julia messing with me to make me believe?"
"You think I am your friend?"
"No, no." She laughed outright. "Not that you're Julia dressed in the men's Armani Spring Collection." She waved a hand. "I mean Julia convinced someone to pretend to be you."
He inclined his head. "This is Tom Ford, thank you." He gave a small, offended scoff. "But that is not the point, love." He sighed."The point is..." He paused, rubbing a hand over his jaw. "I have never been this frustrated with a human before."
"You're welcome," she replied dryly. "Anywho..." She folded her arms. "If you're really Kallis Verenita, prove it."
His jaw worked as he searched for something to say. "I cannot come in unless you invite me."
Her eyes dropped to the threshold before lifting back to him. "Seriously?"
"Dead serious."
She couldn't stop the snort that escaped. "Good joke."
His eyes rolled so dramatically they nearly disappeared. "I am not joking, darling."
"No, I meant the 'dead' thing." She batted the air dismissively. "Never mind." She leaned forward slightly. "Try the mind trick thing I read about." She shrugged. "I give you permission."
He nodded once. "Since you haven't invited me inside, you'll have to come here." He gestured to the spot just outside her door. "On you go."
She didn't hesitate.
Stepping forward, she stopped just beyond the threshold, clasping her hands behind her back.
Her eyes locked onto his. "Do I get to know—"
"No." He cut her off. His pupils widened ever so slightly as he held her gaze. "Go call your friend and tell her you're speaking to the one person she constantly thinks about."
For a moment, Calliope simply stared at him. Then her brows knit together. "I thought that was something no one could get out of?"
He blinked. Actual surprise crossed his features. He tried again. "Go to your kitchen. Find the biggest blade you own..." His voice remained calm, unwavering. "And bring me one of those pretty little fingers."
Calliope looked down at her hand. "I mean... I would..." She admired her manicure for a second. "...but I just got my nails done today, and these are the prettiest ones I've had in a while." She looked back up at him. "And... what kind of request is that?" She grimaced. "That's just sadistic, if you ask me."
He stared, a disbelieving laugh escaped him. "Bloody hell..." His eyes searched hers as if they might suddenly change. "You cannot be compelled..."
"By your reaction..." Calliope raised her brows. "I'm guessing that's never happened before?" She smiled. "That article really over-exaggerated you."
"That article was correct... all but the Edward Cullen comparison." He rolled his eyes, somehow even lazier than before. "I do not sparkle. I burn. Instantly."
"Ah." She tilted her head. "So that explains the nighttime visit."
"It does."
"So... what now, hm?"
"What now?" he repeated. "You tell me, love. You're the one who said my name."
She studied him for a moment before exhaling. "Are you the one causing the women to go missing?"
"Now we're getting somewhere." He leaned back against the doorframe. "What if I am?"
She shrugged. "I'll know I'm safe, at least."
His brow lifted.
She gestured toward the doorway. "What're you gonna do if I invite you in?"
He blinked. "Don't know." A small shrug. "I've never been invited in willingly before."
"Mm." She nodded to herself. "So you cheat your way in, huh? Of course you do." She stepped back from the doorway. "C'mon." She motioned inside. "You can come in... or do I need to make it more formal? More... 1826-friendly?"
"You have the humor of a rabbit," he muttered as he stepped across the threshold, gently pulling the door shut behind him.
Calliope snorted. "Thank you. Bugs Bunny is hilarious."
"What the hell is a Bugs Bunny?" He looked at her with an odd mixture of annoyance and genuine confusion. "Actually..." He shook his head. "Don't even tell me." His eyes wandered around the apartment. "You're brave, you know that, love?" He sucked his teeth thoughtfully, cocking his head as he looked around. "Letting an almost thousand-year-old vampire into your home willingly." Another glance around. "Place is small, to be honest."
"Oh, so now you're critiquing my apartment because you can't play your mind games?" She leaned against the counter, folding her arms. "You sound like a sore loser, Kallis."
His eyes snapped to hers. "Say that again."
"Oh, so now—"
"Not that, Witty the Pooh." He scoffed. "My name."
She grinned. "You know Winnie the Pooh?" She feigned surprise. "Color me shocked... Kallis."
He ignored the tease completely.
One moment he was standing across the room. The next he was right in front of her. "Yes..." he said quietly. "That." His dark eyes searched hers. "Say it again."
She narrowed her eyes, though she didn't move away. "You really like that, don't you?"
"More than most things, darling." His gaze lingered on her face. "And I rather like the fact that you're saying it without being compelled to."
"Not every day I get to torment an almost thousand-year-old vampire..." She didn't look away. "Are you going to kill me?"
"Kill you?" He raised a brow. "No, not at all." A faint smile tugged at his lips. "I actually think I'll keep you around... as long as you don't go gossiping through the streets like that bitchy sales rep you mentioned a few moments ago."
She laughed softly. "Now why would I do that?"
He shrugged. "Because anyone else would. They see a vampire, or what they think is a vampire, and suddenly there are fifty-seven articles written about what they witnessed."
"I'm not anyone." She smiled. "I'm Calliope."
He chuckled, reaching up to gently tuck a loose dark curl behind her ear. "Yeah..." His fingers lingered against her cheek. "You're Calliope."
His touch sent a chill down her spine.
It wasn't warm like she'd expected. But it wasn't cold, either.
It was something in between... something she couldn't quite place.
"I thought you'd be cold," she admitted quietly. "But you're neither cold nor..." She shook her head. "I don't even know how to explain it."
He simply looked at her. "You don't have to."
A quiet moment settled between them.
"I know."
Without either of them overthinking the next moment, he leaned in and kissed her.
She stilled at first, eyes widening, her body tensing in surprise that he'd actually done it. Then slowly, she melted into the kiss. One hand slid up to rest against his bicep while the other lifted to cradle his cheek, her lips moving gently with his.
He paused for the briefest moment when he realized she was kissing him back.
The surprise disappeared just as quickly as hers had.
His hands found her waist, drawing her a step closer until her chest rested against his. "You taste..." he murmured against her lips, a low, hungry growl slipping into his voice. "...magnificent, darling." His forehead rested lightly against hers. "Wish I would've found you sooner."
She let out a slow breath against his mouth, unconsciously closing the remaining distance between them.
He heard it before she ever could.
Footsteps, fast ones, along with a heartbeat racing through the apartment corridor, like someone had run all the way here.
He didn't stop kissing her. Not until the doorknob twisted. But the instant the door began to open, he was gone.
"Cal! Calliope!" Julia called as she hurried inside. "Hello? Are—"
Calliope stood frozen. Her cheeks were flushed. Her eyes were still wide. Her breathing hadn't quite settled from the kiss that had just been interrupted. "I... what..." She blinked rapidly. "What are—"
Julia's eyes widened. "Oh..." Her gaze darted around the apartment. "OH!" She looked back at Calliope. "Did I..." Her hand flew over her mouth as she looked around once more. It slowly lowered. "You didn't text me when you got home, and you weren't answering your phone..." A pause, not looking away from her. "I totally interrupted something...didn't I?"
Calliope nodded. Then immediately shook her head. "I mean... no—yes... no..." She groaned, dragging a hand through her hair. "Shit. Okay... maybe. But I'm not—"
"Is he here?" Julia whispered harshly. "Like, right now?!" Her eyes swept around the apartment again. "Yeah... okay." She nodded to herself before pointing a thumb toward the door. "I'm just gonna..." Another nod. "...go." She lifts her hands. "Sorry for the interruption. Call me tomorrow. Bye." She turned and slipped back out the door before Calliope could get another word in.
The apartment fell quiet once more.
Calliope stared at the closed door before closing her eyes, resting a hand against her forehead.
"I didn't want to stop." Kallis' voice came from directly in front of her.
She opened her eyes.
He was there again.
"But I couldn't let her see me."
"No it- I get it." She nods, "I should have known she's show up. I didn't answer her, so she probably thought i was a victim or something to-"
"Me." He finishes her sentence, "Correct?"
She nods slowly, "Yeah, she believes you're behind the disappearances."
He's quiet for a moment, "I wont lie to you. I am."
She freezes, then swallows, "Oh."
"You're safe, though, Calliope." He assures low but gentle. "I promise, if I wanted to make you disappear, I wouldn't have listened to you call me different names." His head tilts, "You're different. I like that."
She nods, "Different.." She inhales, "Yeah, i get that." She smirks slowly, "Youre not casual yourself."
"I would hope not." He smiles fondly, "I have to go, but i will be back." He leans in, kissing her once more before speaking against her lips, "Tomorrow night. I promise."
She nods, watching him lean back, and she was expecting him to vanish from the room like he did when Julia bursted in, but he doesnt. He walks to the door, opens it slowly, turns around to take one last look at her, then he leaves, normally.
Over the next few days, Kallis visited every night.
Four nights in a row.
He'd stay until about an hour before sunrise, then he'd disappear. But every time he left, Calliope was left with the same feeling.
Guilt.
She hated keeping him a secret from Julia.
She told Julia everything.
Nothing had ever been off limits between them.
And Kallis, he left every morning hating how much he loved what he felt for her.
Because he knew exactly what he was doing. He was breaking the very rule he'd slaughtered his own kind to uphold.
It was the morning of the fifth day she'd see him.
Calliope sat in the same coffee shop where she'd dared to say his name only a few days earlier.
The bell above the door chimed. A woman dressed in a fitted black pantsuit stepped inside and walked straight toward her. She slid into the seat across from Calliope.
"Calliope." A single nod. "How's your morning?"
Calliope looked up from her book, slipping a bookmark between the pages before closing it. "Well, it was going great." She smiled politely. "Problem at the office, I presume?"
The woman cracked a faint smirk.
"Mm. You always had a sixth sense for when trouble was brewing." She leaned forward, folding her hands on the table. "Boss wants a report. Said you ghosted him a few days ago. Sent me to make sure you're still alive..." A quick pause. "...and still sassy."
"I have nothing to report." Calliope shrugged. "The town cops are ruling it a serial killer. They're putting the town under a curfew." She ticked them off on her fingers. "Rules to follow until whoever's responsible is caught."
"You know he doesn't want that." The woman's gaze slowly traveled over Calliope. "He knows what this is. We all do." She pointed a finger toward her. "You included."
Calliope leaned back in her chair, lifting her coffee to her lips. "I don't know what else to tell you."
"You don't know anything else?" The woman snorted. "You haven't seen anyone who doesn't exactly fit the description of... human?" She laughed quietly. "Yeah, alright." She glanced around the coffee shop before looking back at Calliope. "You're stationed in Hedger Ridge." Another slow inhale as she waits for a response, and when she gets nothing, her jaw tightens. "Fine. You don't want to talk to me? Then surely you'll talk at Friday's meeting." She reached into her jacket and produced a plane ticket, sliding it across the table. "Boss is making it mandatory."
Calliope stared at the ticket.
"See you there." The woman stood and walked out.
Calliope's eyes followed her until she disappeared through the door.
It barely had time to swing shut again before Julia slipped inside. Without thinking, Calliope snatched the plane ticket off the table and stuffed it into the pocket of her hoodie. She looked up as Julia sat down.
"Hi." A smile spread across her face. "You're up early." Julia smirked. "Mystery man spend the night again?"
Calliope laughed. "Maybe." She shrugged, taking another sip of her coffee. "What're you doing up this early yourself?"
Julia sighed dramatically. "Rough night. A friend of mine, well, the author of that article you read the other day, and I were on FaceTime almost all night trying to gather enough evidence to take to the police."
For just a moment, Calliope froze, then she covered it with a smile. "You actually know the girl who wrote that?" She tilted her head. "Isn't she, like... famous?"
"In the true crime slash supernatural world?" Julia laughed. "Oh, yeah." Then she pointed toward the front windows. "Also... Who was the woman that just got up from your table? I saw her through the window." She frowned. "She looked... scary professional."
Calliope batted a hand through the air. "Woman from my dad's law office. You know how lawyers are. He thinks sending Martina will scare me into coming home." She scoffed. "I don't want anything to do with the law office." She took another sip of her coffee, her eyes briefly darting toward the door before returning to Julia. "Any plans today?" she asked, hoping to steer the conversation elsewhere. "Want to go look at cars? I know you said that's been on your to-do list."
Julia narrowed her eyes, studying her. "Martina?" She huffed out a laugh, completely buying the explanation. "Yeah... that's even a scary name." She reached across the table, stealing Calliope's coffee for a sip. "Mm. Yes, please. I keep putting it off. I'm glad you said something." She checked the time on her phone. "It's almost seven. Most dealerships open at eight, and—"
A notification lit up her screen.
"Oh." She sighed as she read the message. "That Lolly..." She shook her head. "She said she spoke with a police officer in her hometown, laid out all the vampire tells, and she said—and I quote—" Julia cleared her throat dramatically. "'He laughed at me and said if I didn't get out of his office, he'd arrest me for making up a crime.'" She looked back up at Calliope. "That's ridiculous."
Calliope nodded, taking her coffee back. "Totally ridiculous. She isn't making up a crime that's actually happening here."
"No, it's..." Julia sighed, rubbing at her forehead. "The vampire aspect of it." She shrugged. "A lot of people hear 'vampire' and they're immediately ready to admit you to a psych ward."
Calliope let out a weak laugh. "Yeah... it's hard to get people to believe in something that's been labeled fiction for bedtime stories."
Julia nodded, though this time she looked genuinely saddened.
"Hey." Calliope frowned. "What's up?"
Julia shook her head. "Nothing. Just..." She sighed. "I know you don't really—well, you're not as deep into this as I am." She looked down at the table. "I kind of feel bad for her. She's just trying to help, and she got laughed at for telling law enforcement how to stop women from disappearing."
Calliope was quiet for a moment. "Not to take away from that..." She glanced out the window. "...but there hasn't been a disappearance in, like, four days."
Julia looked at her. "You're right." Her fingers tapped thoughtfully against the tabletop. "What if whoever's doing this is moving? Fleeing town?" She paused. "Or..." Her eyes widened slightly. "Now just hear me out... What if whatever's doing this got its fill... and it's done for a while?"
"Or..." Calliope shrugged. "Maybe it's a real person who can feel the noose of justice tightening around their neck." She offered a small smile. "Nothing can be off the table, right?"
"Yeah..." Julia breathed out. "I guess you're right." She smiled. "Maybe we can get Martina to crack the case."
Calliope immediately choked on her coffee. "Oh, gosh." She coughed into her fist before laughing. "Yeah... she'd crack it in under five minutes with one look and the crack of her knuckles."
Julia burst into laughter. "I actually believe you." She shook her head. "I didn't even want to look her in the eye. I felt like I'd suddenly be speaking in proper 'yes, ma'am' and 'no, ma'am' language."
"That happens, trust me." Calliope nodded, grinning. "Alright, c'mon." She stood, grabbing her cup. "We can walk to the dealership." She smiled over at Julia. "It'll give us plenty of time to talk about what kind of car you're looking for."
It was nearing five o'clock by the time Calliope got home.
To her surprise, the curtains were already drawn, and Kallis sat in the chair beside the bookshelf. A closed book rested on the knee of the leg crossed over the other.
"Hello, darling."
The door slowly clicked shut behind her. "Hi, Kallis..." She frowned. "What—"
She stopped as he rose to his feet, gently sliding the book back into its place on the shelf.
"How was your day?" He didn't come any closer. He simply stood there, watching her.
"It was... good." She nodded. "Julia bought a car today after putting it off for the last few months."
"Good. That's good." He nodded, mimicking the small movement she'd just made. "Anything else happen today?"
Calliope inhaled slowly.
He knew something.
She wasn't sure what.
She wasn't even sure she should tell him, considering who, and what, he was.
But the words left her mouth before she could stop them. "Yeah." She swallowed. "Something else happened."
Kallis' brow lifted. "Do tell, my love."
Calliope looked down before slowly lifting her gaze back to him. "I'm..." She stopped, letting out a shaky breath as she squeezed her eyes shut. "Fuck... okay." Her hands had begun to tremble. She opened her eyes again. "I'm not the daughter of a lawyer." She shook her head.
Kallis remained silent. Listening.
He listened to every word, and to every subtle change in her heartbeat.
It wasn't fear.
It was guilt.
"My father..." Her voice caught. "My father is a hunter, but not..." She exhaled sharply. "I should just be able to tell you." She swallowed. "I work for him." A beat. "I find things..." Her eyes met his. "...like you." She gestured toward him.
His head tilted slightly.
Still... Not a word.
She dragged a hand through her hair. "When the disappearances first started happening, I was told to keep an eye out." She shook her head. "Watch for anything... report back..."
Finally, he spoke. "You haven't sent a report in four days."
"Today would make five," she admitted quietly. "I wasn't—"
"Stop." He cut her off. One moment he stood across the room, the next he was right in front of her.
Before she could react, his lips found hers. The kiss was brief but urgent. He pulled back just enough to speak, his voice rough and low against her lips. "Why haven't you turned me in?"
Breathing heavily against his mouth, she leaned in, unwilling to put even an inch of distance between them.
"I-I don't know..." she whispered. "I just... couldn't."
His eyes slowly closed, his forehead resting against hers. "You stupid, stupid girl." A low chuckle escaped him before he silenced it with another kiss.
This one was different.
Hungrier.
Needier.
"Calliope..." he breathed between kisses. "Leave with me."
His hands settled gently against her waist as he searched her eyes.
"I'll protect you."
She didn't say anything for a long moment. "Kallis..." She turned her head, her eyes drifting around the apartment.
Everything her job had provided.
Everything she'd worked so hard to build.
Every lie she'd ever told.
Every secret she'd kept from the one person who had trusted her enough to share even her most "delusional" thoughts.
She inhaled slowly before looking back at him. "I can't..." Her voice wavered. "Julia... she knows nothing, and I can't just..." She swallowed. "Kallis, I can't just leave her."
"What if I made it easier?" His nose gently brushed her temple. "I'll compel her to remember only that you chose to leave the city to chase your dreams." His voice remained calm. "It wouldn't be a complete lie, would it?" A faint smile touched his lips. "You told me the other night you'd rather be an artist." He searched her eyes. "I can't give you the start of that dream, my love."
Her eyes closed.
They burned with tears because he wasn't lying.
She had told him that. She'd confessed she'd rather spend her days standing on the cliffs of Greece, or somewhere in the countryside of Italy, paintbrush in hand.
"You're over a thousand years old, Kallis..." she whispered. "And... you said that article was mostly true." She looked up at him. "It said you were incapable of love." A shaky breath escaped her. "So why am I different?"
There wasn't even a moment of hesitation.
Kallis inhaled once before answering, his voice low, steady, and certain. "Every night, I've fought with myself over coming to see you." His eyes never left hers. "I slaughtered my own men because one of them fell in love with a human." A bitter smile crossed his face. "It was a rule I created." He looked away briefly. "There were nights I nearly didn't come. The fact that you couldn't be compelled should have driven me away." He laughed quietly, though there was no humor in it. "The fact that you named half a dozen people before finally saying mine..." He shook his head. "The fact that you weren't afraid..." His gaze returned to hers. "All of it should've made me lose interest."
A long silence settled between them.
"It should've made me kill you..." His voice dropped even lower. "...just as I killed the other women."
Calliope's breath caught sharply. "It..." Her eyes searched his. "It was you..."
Kallis nodded once. "Yes." His expression softened in a way she'd never seen before. "And I stopped..." Another small step closed what little space remained between them. "For you."
Calliope kept her eyes on his. "I've been trained to resist compulsion." She smiled faintly. "It was... very extensive. I can do it without even trying." She paused. "Go ahead... Try it now."
His breath caught. "You're serious?"
"Dead serious." She laughed softly.
His eyes rolled lazily, a smirk tugging at his lips. "Good joke."
She smiled wider.
His hands rose, gently cupping her face as he tipped her chin back, his dark eyes locking onto hers. "Tell me truthfully..." His voice lowered. "Do you want to leave this life behind?"
Her features softened and she never blinked. "I want to leave this life behind more than anything, Kallis." Her voice was steady. "It's all I've known since I was twelve years old."
He searched her face for a long moment, his thumbs brushing softly across her cheekbones. Then he inhaled. "Then come on, darling." He leaned down, pressing a gentler kiss to her lips. "The world you should've known..." His forehead rested against hers. "...awaits."
Two Years Later...
Calliope stood on the balcony of their home, the curtains pulled wide as the afternoon sun spilled across the blue-green sea below. The water shimmered beneath her while a warm breeze carried the scent of salt through the open doors.
Kallis sat in the shade behind her.
His eyes rarely left her. When they did, they wandered over the streaks of paint on her hands, the smudge along her forearm, the flecks tangled in her dark curls, and the quiet concentration on her face as she worked.
"Are you happy, my love?"
A smile tugged at her lips, though her gaze never left the canvas. "You asked me that yesterday..." she said softly. "And the day before that. And every day for the last two years."
She finally looked back at him, her smile widening.
He shrugged. "What?" A chuckle rumbled in his chest. "A man cannot worry whether or not he's doing enough to keep his lady happy?" His eyes softened. "You certainly look happy." Another quiet laugh. "I must be doing something right."
"You..." She set her brush down before wiping her paint-stained hands on an equally paint-stained rag. Crossing the room, she stopped in front of him. "...make me happy, Kallis." Her hand found his. "If it wasn't for you..." She glanced out toward the sea. "...I'd still be in that shaded town, living a life that was never really mine." She leaned down and kissed him gently.
When she pulled back, her forehead rested against his. "I am exactly where I want to be."