Chapter 1: Exposed by My Hunter Roommate

Busted. My secret was out. Vampire, exposed.

Cold. Sharp. The words echoed in my skull, slicing through me like a winter wind. I was ready to bolt, to vanish into the night like smoke, but my hunter roommate pressed a gun to my side, the muzzle digging in just below my ribs—so close I could feel the metal's chill right through my shirt.

His voice was low and dangerous, laced with dark, mocking humor. “I’m a guide-class hunter. So, do you want to break under my gun, or do you want me to shoot you dead? Pick one. Hm?” The way he said it—like he was asking me to pick my poison—made my skin crawl. Hell of a choice.

Later—when I could finally make a sound—it was just broken, shaky whimpers. His hot breath ghosted close to my ear, humid and insistent. Too close. The kind that makes your heart race for all the wrong reasons.

“One more time, or do I pull the trigger? Be good—what do you choose?” A dare. A threat. Weirdly, almost a comfort.

My pupils lost focus, my mind shattered. Everything spun. The world narrowed to the heat of his breath, the cold of the gun.

Fear—and something else I didn’t want to name. I was trapped between the two.

He called himself a guide? Yeah, right. Some guide. More like a wolf cornering a rabbit. I almost laughed. Or screamed. Maybe both.

First night at Hunter Academy, and already, I was in over my head. Centuries in the shadows, and nothing—nothing—prepared me for this.

My roommate—he was just too tempting. Too alive. Too… human.

Damn. My fangs ached.

Caleb Ford walked out of the shower, shirtless.

Water traced the lines of muscle. He didn’t even care the room wasn’t private. Soap. And something else. Something wild.

I couldn’t help it. I stared.

My eyes traced the curve of his biceps. The way his abs tightened as he dried his hair. Veins pulsed under his skin. I could almost taste the blood moving beneath.

God. Those veins… That young body, that strong frame…

I swallowed hard. Didn’t help.

So thirsty. The word echoed in my head. Over and over.

He caught my stare, clicked his tongue. Sharp. Dismissive. But his eyes flicked over me—suspicious.

He tossed his towel over his shoulder, face stormy, and walked toward me. Every step deliberate. Like he was sizing me up—for a fight. Or a meal.

He boxed me into a corner. The room shrank. Heat rolled off him—my hunger spiked.

Up close, the scent of his blood hit me—sweet, metallic, thick in the air. Like a punch.

Deadly sweet. My heartbeat thundered in my ears.

I swallowed. Loud. Embarrassingly loud in the quiet room.

Caleb stared at my throat. His gaze was sharp, calculating. Like I was a puzzle he didn’t want to solve.

He smirked. “You that hungry?” His voice was rough, teasing, but there was an edge that made my skin prickle.

I shook my head. Liar. Every muscle in my body was tense with need.

But my eyes kept drifting to his chest. Skin stretched over muscle. A scar just above his heart—I wanted to trace it with my tongue.

Even if I couldn’t bite. Not yet.

If I could just get a lick… My mouth watered. My fangs itched.

Just thinking about it made my skin tingle. Every nerve ending on fire.

My breathing turned heavy. The whites of my eyes burned red. The hunger threatened to take over.

His cold eyes swept over me. He spoke, slow and careful: “Are you a—”

My pupils shrank. My heart leapt into my throat. My mind scrambled for excuses—none of them would save me.

Crap. First day and I was already getting exposed? Was this really how it ended—for one stupid moment?

“—guy who likes guys?” he finished, voice flat.

I froze. The tension in my shoulders snapped, just like that.

Relief hit me, so sudden it made me dizzy. My nerves went slack.

Given the choice between being thought gay and having my vampire identity exposed… well, that was easy.

I’d pick that any day. Hell, I’d shout it from the rooftops if it meant keeping my secret.

I reached out, bold as hell, and touched my fierce, handsome roommate.

“Yeah, so, you gonna let me lick you?” I let the words hang, cocky and defiant. Hoping he’d bite.

A second later, he punched me. Hard. My head snapped sideways, stars bursting behind my eyes.

Caleb grabbed my neck, slammed me onto the bed. The mattress groaned. Air whooshed from my lungs.

He raised his fist, punched me hard. I bared my teeth, a snarl slipping out before I could stop it.

His ears turned red, but his warning was cold. “Pervert. Look at me like that again and I’ll gouge your eyes out.” He sounded deadly serious. For a second, I almost believed he’d do it.