7. Christos

7

CHRISTOS

I pace the small cabin, my newfound strength barely contained. Aria's scent fills the air, a heady mix of fear, curiosity, and something else... something that calls to me in ways I don't understand. I clench my fists, willing myself to focus.

It's been nearly a day since she woke up. I've managed to find water and food for her, but now I need to feed. Nyx wasn't wrong when she said I needed a lot of blood. But I can't take Aria hunting which leaves me with…

"You can't leave," I growl, hating the way her eyes widen. "It's not safe out there."

Aria crosses her arms, defiant. "And it's safe in here? With you?"

Her words sting more than they should. I turn away, wings rustling with agitation. "I won't hurt you."

"Then let me go."

I whirl back, fangs bared. "You don't understand. There are others... they won't show mercy."

Aria's heart rate spikes, but she stands her ground. "What are you?"

The question hangs heavy between us. I struggle to find the words, to explain something I barely understand myself.

I run a hand through my hair, frustration mounting. "Look, I have to go... hunt. Stay here. Please."

The hunger gnaws at me, a constant ache. But as I look at Aria, I realize something strange – I don't crave her blood. The urge to drain her, to satisfy my thirst, is oddly absent. It unsettles me even more than her presence.

"I'll be back," I mutter, moving towards the door.

"Wait!" Aria calls out. I pause, hand on the doorknob. "You saved me. Why?"

I meet her gaze, seeing determination mixed with fear. Something inside me twists, a feeling I thought I'd lost in the Change.

"I don't know," I admit quietly.

As I step outside, her scent lingers, a reminder of the dangerous attachment forming. I spread my wings, ready to take flight, but my thoughts remain grounded. What am I doing? The First would never approve. Humans are prey, nothing more.

But Aria... she's different. And that terrifies me more than anything.

I soar through the night sky, my wings cutting through the air with newfound grace. The island spreads out beneath me, a patchwork of dark forests and moonlit clearings. My enhanced senses pick up every rustle, every heartbeat in the wilderness below. It's intoxicating and terrifying all at once.

As I scan for prey, memories of my old life flood back. I remember late nights in the university lab, peering through microscopes at marine samples. The thrill of discovery, of unraveling nature's mysteries, used to be my greatest joy.

"Christos, look at this!" My lab partner's excited voice echoes in my mind. I see her leaning over a petri dish, dark curls falling across her face. "I think we've found a new species of plankton!"

I blink, the memory fading as quickly as it came. Now, instead of studying life, I'm forced to take it. The irony isn't lost on me.

A flicker of movement catches my eye. A wild boar, rooting through the underbrush. My mouth waters, instinct taking over. I dive, silent as death.

As I feed, another memory surfaces. I'm on a research vessel, the salty breeze whipping through my hair. We're tracking a pod of dolphins, their playful leaps bringing smiles to our faces. I remember the awe I felt, witnessing such intelligence and grace in the natural world.

Now, I'm the predator. The thought leaves a bitter taste in my mouth, even as I drain the boar dry.

I wipe my mouth, disgusted and satisfied in equal measure. Standing, I catch sight of my reflection in a nearby stream. Pale skin, inhuman eyes staring back at me. I barely recognize myself.

"You've got a bright future ahead, Christos," my professor once told me, clapping me on the shoulder. "Your passion for marine conservation will make a real difference in this world."

I laugh bitterly at the memory. What difference can I make now? I'm no longer part of the world I swore to protect. I'm something else entirely.

As I prepare to take flight again, my thoughts drift back to Aria. Her determination, her bravery in the face of the unknown – it reminds me of the person I used to be. The person who believed he could change the world for the better.

I shake my head, trying to clear these dangerous thoughts. I can't afford to dwell on the past. I can't afford to care. But as I spread my wings, I can't help but wonder if some part of that old Christos still exists, buried beneath the monster I've become.

I land silently outside the compound, my wings folding against my back. The weight of what I've done - and what I'm about to do - sits heavy in my chest. As I approach the entrance, Nyx materializes from the shadows, her dark eyes unreadable.

"Christos," she says, her voice carrying an undercurrent of command. "It's time. We need more of our kind."

My stomach churns. "Now? But I've only just-"

"Now," Nyx cuts me off, her tone brooking no argument. "Follow me."

We descend into the depths of the compound, the air growing thick with the scent of fear and desperation. Nyx leads me to a dimly lit chamber where a young man sits huddled in the corner, his eyes wide with terror.

"Change him," Nyx orders, then steps back to observe.

I approach the man slowly, my hands trembling. "I'm sorry," I whisper, knowing it's not enough.

I bare my fangs and sink them into his neck. His scream pierces the air as my venom floods his system. I feel his body convulse against mine, every muscle seizing in agony.

"Rip open your wrist," Nyx says behind me. "He needs to ingest your blood or you'll just kill him."

Feeling nauseous, I bring my wrist to my mouth and rip it open, pressing it to his lips and forcing the blood to pour into his mouth. He chokes and gags, but I don't stop.

The man's skin begins to pale, taking on an almost translucent quality. His bones crack and shift beneath his flesh, eliciting howls of pain that echo off the chamber walls. I hold him steady, feeling every tremor, every spasm.

Blood vessels burst beneath his skin, creating a network of dark lines across his body. His eyes roll back in his head as he thrashes wildly, foam flecking his lips. The stench of sweat and fear is overwhelming.

As his back arches unnaturally, I hear the sickening sound of tissue tearing. Two bloody protrusions burst from his shoulder blades - the beginnings of wings. The man's screams reach a fever pitch, his voice growing hoarse.

The process seems to last an eternity. I hold the man as he writhes and screams, feeling every moment of his agony. My own memories of the Change flood back, threatening to overwhelm me.

Finally, mercifully, he falls still. I lay him gently on the ground, my hands shaking. His chest rises and falls in shallow breaths - he's alive, but barely.

I look up at Nyx, my voice barely a whisper. "Is it... is it always like this?"

Her eyes are cold as she responds, "Every time. And you'll do it again, Christos. As many times as necessary."

The weight of her words crashes over me. This is my future - inflicting this torture, again and again. Nyx will have me fly across borders and islands, pull people from across countries so we aren't detected. And every time, there will be people who don't survive.

I stare at the Changed man on the floor, his body twisted and broken. I think back to the guards that almost killed Aria.

I think about the human I am hiding in my cabin, praying no one will find her even though I've brought her somewhere deadly.

What have I become?