The man who had seemed dead a while ago appeared much alive as he sat up in the casket, looking desiccated. His darker hair cascaded onto his shoulders. He turned toward Mary and flashed a broad smile.

“Thank you,” he said in a refined, soothing voice.

Mary’s heart skipped rapidly, almost jumping out of her chest. “Who are you?” she asked with fear in her gaze. “Or should I say, what are you?”

“I can answer both,” he smirked slyly. “Who am I? My name is Clinton Payne. What am I? I am a hybrid. Half werewolf, half vampire, but stronger than them all.” He boasted.

Mary couldn’t help but stare at him with her mouth wide open. She was frightened and surprised at the same time. It was the first time in her entire life coming across a supernatural creature she had only heard rumors about.

“So, it’s true?” she widened her gaze toward Clinton.

“What is true?” Clinton inquired. His voice was still groggy, and he looked weak.

“Vampires and werewolves are real?” she smirked.

“Of course, they are real,” he said very slowly. He peered at Mary and continued, “My siblings and I are the first vampire family that ever walked the earth. But they conspired against me.”

Mary stared with wide-eyed amazement. “What do you mean they conspired against you?” she probed further with her question.

“Look at me. I have starved to the point of desiccation. I need to feed, and then we can continue this conversation somewhere else.”

“Feed?” she narrowed her eyes at him, trying to figure out what he meant by that.

“Yeah, I need to feed. I am weak.”

He climbed off the casket very slowly, like a shaky old man. When he nearly fell, Mary came to his rescue and steadied him on his feet.

“So, what would you like to eat?” Mary expressed concern. She had heard only a little about vampires and werewolves, and she had no idea what kind of meal they craved.

Clinton stared at her with a concerned look. The way her heart was beating and pumping blood was irresistible. He could hear every drop of blood in her stream down her veins, and he could barely control his bloodlust.

“Stay away from me.”

He quickly drew away from her. Unable to maintain his stance, he slumped to the ground like a weak old man.

Mary hurried and helped him to his feet once more. She helped him lean on the table rock. “What just came over you?” she inquired. She felt sorry for him and, at the same time, couldn’t leave him. It was as if there was an invisible magnet pulling her to him.

Clinton slowly raised his head toward her, panting heavily as if he had just finished running a relay race. He was struggling to control his bloodlust, especially after starving for 20 years. Unable to speak his concerns, he turned away and continued to pant as he fought his bloodlust.

“Talk to me. What is it?” she whispered to him in a soft, soothing voice. All her fears were gone, and she felt safe staying next to him.

Clinton gnawed. “We feed on human blood. I can’t hurt you after you saved me. Please go.”

Clinton had lived for a thousand years as a hybrid. He had never in his life sent his meal away, especially when craving blood. Amongst the vampires and werewolves, he was the number one most ruthless creature who showed no pity to his victims.

Mary snickered to herself. “Is that why you want me gone?” Her face flushed with a soft smile. She picked up the daemon dagger and walked right in front of Clinton. “Feed on me to regain your strength.”

“What are you doing?” Clinton rolled his eyes at her. “Please, don’t cut yourself. I can’t stand the sight of blood now. I might end up killing you.”

“Fate brought me to you.”

Mary rolled away her mercury-red hair that tumbled over her shoulders. Fixing her rapture-blue eyes on Clinton, she cut herself on the neck.

“No!” Clinton snarled and gnawed. His eyes turned blood-red as his fangs popped out. He quickly turned away. “Clean yourself of that blood, now!” рe barely yelled. His heart raced fast.

“I don’t know if I am a fool, but my instincts trust you,” she said. “Feed on me,” she insisted. Like before, she walked and stood in front of him.

The scent of Mary’s blood pierced deep into his nostrils and settled deep into his hungry, lost soul. He was still fighting through the bloodlust, but Mary kept pushing and urging him to feed on her. Each time he turned away from her, there she was again.

Beads of blood streamed down Mary’s neck. It was very tempting, along with her glossy skin that made it very attractive to Clinton. Her imp-thin body couldn’t be resisted as well.

“No!” Clinton cried out in frustration in the face of temptation. He couldn’t fight his bloodlust anymore, especially with the attractiveness of Mary’s look that made it impossible for any vampire to resist.

He couldn’t help but grip Mary toward him and sank his fangs into the carotid arteries in her neck.

Mary’s eyes gleamed with the horror of darkness. Her breath seized as she struggled to breathe. The mysterious night was fading in on her as her limbs almost turned limp.