Page 20 of Blood Sings (Beyond the Gloom #1)

A cascade of white hair, so pale it rivaled the moon, spilled down his forehead.

My heart gave a startled thump, then took off, stumbling over its own rhythm. The room lurched, faces melting into a whirl of color and shadow. My insides hollowed as if some unseen force had carved away my courage, along with my voice.

I opened my lips, but only a strangled whisper escaped.

Harbinger tilted his head, frost-white tresses framing his face. “Don’t look so shocked, Projector,” he drawled. A sinister pleasure laced his words. “Didn’t you know, the enemy of your enemy is your friend?”

A slow, lazy, carnivorous smile touched his lips. Selena’s hiss echoed as she leaped back, her floral scent thickening with magic. I stood petrified, my mind and body paralyzed with fear and disbelief.

That hair. There was only one race with such colorless manes.

The same race that had torn my world apart, stolen everything I held dear: my father, my people, our freedom. Every cell in my body begged to destroy him. I could almost smell the tart smoke, taste the bitter ash as I imagined him burning—just as they had burned our homes, our hopes, our future.

And yet…

A whisper of conscience held me back. The memory of mercy I’d received as a child warred with the thirst for vengeance. An outlier, just like him, had appeared on our side of the battlefield and saved my life when all hope seemed lost. One of them had given me a second chance.

Where did that leave us?

Harbinger was the enemy—wasn’t he? A nagging sense of debt held me back from striking. Should I end him now, quick and ruthless? Or hear him out, extend the same mercy I’d once received? What would my father have done?

A knot of panic wedged in my throat. I struggled with it for a few agonizing seconds and forced it down. “You’re… a varcolac?”

“Half,” he corrected, his amber eyes flickering with crimson. “And before you get any ideas, I take no sides in this clusterfuck you call a war.”

Kill or spare. Vengeance or mercy. The fate of my people could hinge on this choice. I didn’t believe he was a spy, but could I afford to take that risk? What did he gain from fighting the Stalkers, from defending our country for so long?

It made no sense.

I met Harbinger’s gaze, my heart hammering like a blacksmith’s forge in my chest. “Then why fight on our side?” I snapped, unable to hide the loathing in my tone.

His face darkened, a menacing growl rumbling in his chest. “That’s not your fucking business.”

I took a step forward, yanking my arm to pull free from Selena’s unyielding clutch on my wrist. She didn’t let go. “Make it my business. Prove that you’re not a risk to my people, or I’ll have no choice but to end you.”

Harbinger’s laughter was a silken threat. “Oh, princess,” he sneered. “You’re welcome to try. But if it makes you feel better, know that I don’t give a rat’s ass about your precious Republic. I’ve got my own reasons for being here.”

He raised a hand, palm up. The air between his fingers shimmered and warped, like heat rising from a fire. The scent of fresh coffee and roses flooded the room, so thick it made my fangs drop.

I clenched my fists and forced my eyes to focus on the haze dancing above his hand, rather than on the need to bite his neck—or tear out his throat.

The air crackled and popped, a sound like the tearing of fabric. A dark knot materialized five feet from the floor, as if someone had ripped a hole in reality itself. It hovered, expanding until a good portion of the wall vanished, leaving a three-by-three, pitch-black circle in its place. Veins of pure gold zigzagged in and out of the void, hissing and spitting sparks, giving the ‘abyss’ a terrifying depth.

But it wasn’t just a hole. It was a gateway. A magical portal. Dear God, how many impossible things are you going to drop on me?

The furniture around us began to vibrate, steel weapons rattling against the walls as the portal throbbed with untamed energy. Fear and shock gripped me so tightly I couldn’t breathe.

Harbinger stepped one foot inside the void, his silver hair whipping about his face as if caught in an otherworldly wind. He looked at Terraknight, arching a brow. “Are you coming or not?”

The vice-captain paced like a cornered animal as a sickly pallor crept up his face. “Do I have another choice?” he barked, his voice collapsing slightly.

Harbinger shrugged and surrendered himself to the crackling darkness. “You can always walk.”

Terraknight ran a hand through his short hair, cursing like a sailor. With a grunt that sounded more like a prayer, he leaped into the shrinking portal. His parting words spat out before the gateway dwindled to a narrow crevice, “You son of a bitch, if I puke on you, I don’t want to hear it.”

Selena’s obsidian eyes darted between me and the spot where Harbinger and Terraknight vanished, her grip tightening almost to the point of breaking bone. Her breath came in short, sharp gasps.

“A fucking varcolac , Aurora?” she hissed, her voice trembling with fright. “That’s it. We’re out of here. Now.”

I wrenched my arm free, panic clawing its talons up my throat. “And go where, Sel? Stroll through Stalker-infested territory back to the Republic? I can’t shadow us!”

Full-body tremors hit me. Damn. The air crackled with Harbinger’s magic, raising every hair on my body.

I’d never seen such raw terror etched into Selena’s face. I ’d never felt this kind of fear myself. A varcolac with original blood wasn’t just impossible—it was an abomination, a cosmic middle finger to our sacred laws.

Her mouth twisted into a vicious snarl. “He opened a goddamn portal, A! That’s not Derzelas’ magic, and you damn well know it.”

I choked down a swallow, tasting bile. “I know. But how? Varcolacs are mortal. Their bite shouldn’t… Sel, I tasted his blood. Our Dark Father’s mark runs in it.”

She ran her fingers through her hair, leaving furrows like a farmer’s field. “He’s an anomaly. Varcolac toxin only works on mortals and daywalkers. They’re compatible because they both produce blood until their clocks stop ticking.”

I nodded in agreement. Immortality might be a treasure, but its price was steep. We needed blood to survive, forever chasing the moon, while varcolacs basked in sunlight. Like celestial bodies that could never share the same sky, we couldn’t coexist.

Selena pinned me with a sharp glare. “There’s only one theory left standing.”

“They can’t turn us…” My abdomen knotted. “But we can breed.”

“Bingo.”

I exhaled, low and long. Every belief, every lesson—down the drain. I hated being in my head right now. It was a warzone. “If we go back, we risk everything. The Commander’s position, your job… and Lev .” His name didn’t just taste foul. It cut my mouth as I spat it out. “He’d use you to get to me. I can’t let that happen.”

Her face softened for a heartbeat before hardening again. “So, what, we play house with the varcolac?”

“For now, yes. We need answers, Sel. If we hadn’t come here, we wouldn’t know about Harbinger’s existence. Who knows how many more lies we’ll uncover out here? He’s our best shot at understanding what we’re up against.”

“Or our fastest route to an early grave,” she muttered.

“If there are more hybrids like him, the Republic won’t stand a chance. Imagine an army of varcolacs with our strength and speed.” My pulse thundered as I recalled the feral strength radiating from him. “We can’t let that nightmare become reality. We keep it civil until we learn more. Two purebloods against one—the odds are in our favor.”

Selena clicked her tongue. “He doesn’t even acknowledge your authority.”

“I’ll make him listen. I’ll use my magic if I must.”

She held my gaze for a long moment, then nodded. “Fine. But if this goes sideways, I’m dragging you back to the Republic myself.” She paused, rolled the word on her tongue, tasting it. “Varcolac.” Her face twisted as if she’d bitten into something rancid. “There’s a darkness lurking in his eyes, A. It’s hungry, and I don’t like how it’s looking at you… like it wants to devour you.”

It was clear I wasn’t thinking straight when her words made frost slither across my skin, equal parts fear and… and something else I didn’t dare name. The rational side of my brain recoiled at the thought, but another side, one I scarcely acknowledged, thrilled at the danger. I pushed the feeling down, burying it deep in the bowels of my mind.

I knew what had captured her attention. The crimson circle must have been too distracting for her to notice the monster peeking back. I’d seen that predatory glint before, in the eyes of the outlier who’d slain the enemy and saved my life. Harbinger wasn’t him, but if you met his gaze at the right moment, something chilling stared back at you—a predator as ancient and deadly as our own kind.

“It’s the varcolac in him,” I explained, fighting a shudder.

Selena’s brow furrowed. “What do you mean?”

“He’s a wolf prowling in the dark woods. A shadow.”

A snarl vibrated in her chest. “You may see a wolf, but I see cities in flames.” She clenched her fists. “Innocents slaughtered. There’s something profoundly unsettling about him.”

I chose my next words carefully. “I trust my instincts, Sel. He’s not a threat. Not yet, at least. His reasons for fighting our common enemy seem to outweigh any animosity toward us. We should use that to our advantage.”

Harbinger was a wild card, but he was still the best shot we had to survive.

I could have told her about the varcolac, my savior. It might cast Harbinger in a different light.

But what did I truly know of him? He was a stranger, an enigma. We all harbored an inner beast that could break free at any moment. Selena had been there, witnessed the Wurdulaks’ bloodlust firsthand. I’d rather meet Harbinger’s wolf than go through all that again. Here, at least, I could serve my country.

Retrieving the Astral Visor from my pocket, I strode toward the porch doors. “He won’t hurt us, not if I have any say in it. Come on, I know where they’ll intercept the attack,” I said and stepped outside.

Selena followed, but her footsteps faltered as we entered the garden.

I took a deep inhale, the rich scent of damp earth and night-blooming flowers filling my lungs. Jasmine, tuberose, and moonflowers danced on the breeze, their heady perfume a long way from the musty alleyways and unpleasant odors of the Republic.

“This place…” Selena breathed, eyes rounded with wonder.

I drank in the ethereal silver glow coating everything. “Like stepping into another realm.”

A stream burbled as we hurried along, sand-colored tiles giving way to lush grass. Tall poplar trees stood sentinel at the garden’s edge, flanked by manicured bushes and star-shaped blooms.

There was no going back now.

With a touch, I activated the Nexus. “Initiate Harmonization,” I murmured. “Set Harmonization target, Outlier Harbinger. Open link, Lieutenant Selena Popescu.” A tingle raced down my arms, and I sucked in a sharp breath, relishing the adrenaline rush.

Nature’s light show came alive around us, outshining the Republic’s artificial glow. Bioluminescent beetles rivaled the stars, dragonfly wings shimmered like liquid jewels, and fireflies wove gold patterns in the air. But I knew better than to be lulled by this enchanting facade. Monsters lurked in the shade—vicious, bloodthirsty, and relentless.

Adjusting the Astral Visor, I commanded, “Open Transpectre via Harbinger.”

Selena’s gloved hand yanked me to a halt. She leaped into the dry fountain, midnight hair whipping. “I don’t like this, A,” she hissed. “What if—”

“We need to know what we’re walking into.” The holo-screen descended with a soft whirr, cutting her off. “I’ll get a headache. Nothing a little blood won’t fix.”

Through Harbinger’s borrowed eyes, Sibiu’s ruins trembled against the night sky. His steady heartbeat thrummed through me and countered my racing pulse.

I vaulted over a crater, my vision split between perspectives as I moved. “Calculate fastest route to Sibiu,” I instructed the Visor, veering right into the woods.

A jagged yellow line flickered to life, slicing across the landscape, and merged with Harbinger’s vision.

Branches lashed at my skin as I tore through the forest. Behind us, leaves crunched and twigs snapped—a feral cat giving chase, its snarls echoing as it struggled to keep up. The path seared itself into my memory.

“Show me Harbinger,” I breathed.

The world spun, my stomach roiling as his sight became mine again. A desolate concrete road stretched out before him, flanked by crumbling buildings and skeletal trees. Beside him, Terraknight’s steel-capped boot hammered an impatient rhythm into the ground.

At the far end of the street, down a gentle incline, a ghostly mist crept forward, tendrils snaking into alleys, devouring the city piece by piece.

Harbinger’s gaze darted left and right, tracking the fog’s advance.

“Take your positions,” he commanded, his voice unnervingly calm as his guild fanned out around him in a crescent formation.

Harbinger’s whispers formed words too quiet to catch. A last-minute strategy? A last prayer?

My left eye, still locked on the forest, caught the darkness giving way to a moonlit hill. I stretched out my Blood Manipulation down the slope, probed for hidden threats, and my senses screamed on high alert.

Harbinger’s voice exploded inside my head, “One hundred and fifty Limuses, one hundred and fifty Nebulas, one hundred Glacies, and eighty Ignises.” His arm shot forward like a spear. “Prepare yourselves.”

Stars above, he hadn’t been strategizing or praying. He’d been counting.

Frost spread through my veins, stealing the oxygen from my lungs. Something stirred in the mist. How in the Holy Pits does he know their numbers, their formation, with such terrifying accuracy? His half-original blood hadn’t granted him our abilities. Our magic carried a metallic tang, but Harbinger’s… smelled of rich coffee and honeyed blooms, like his very essence.

Fear coursed my body. But it wasn’t the Stalkers lurking along the borders of my magic that filled me with paralyzing dread.

It was him.

“He’s done it again, hasn’t he?” Selena snarled. “How in Dracula’s name does he know all of this?”

Before I could respond that it was exactly what I wanted to find out, a hair-rising howl pierced the night. More followed. Through Harbinger’s eyes, I watched a silhouette emerge from the mist, and then another, and another.

“They’re coming,” his voice rumbled in my mind.

The Limuses burst from the fog, their grotesque forms coming into focus. Misshapen bodies swayed between backward-bent legs, maws showcasing rows of gleaming fangs.

Red neon letters blared across my Astral Visor. Threat assessment: Potentially Deadly.

“Oh, Sweet Derzelas.” My knees felt like they would buckle.

Sand rose in swirling vortexes, clawing at the sky. Bloodshot eyes locked onto me—onto the captain—and bile scorched my throat.

“We have to go,” Selena panted, dragging me forward.

Sibiu’s church turret loomed ahead, a dark sentinel in the night.

I nodded, speechless. My focus split between Harbinger’s sight and my Blood Manipulation mapping the battlefield. The Black Guild flanked the road while Harbinger and Terraknight stood their ground, living bait for the approaching horde.

“Hold,” the captain ordered. “At my command.”

Magic collided with a bone-grinding roar. Debris shot skyward as Nebulas unleashed their power, leveling buildings and splintering trees. Nine-foot-tall with oozing sores and four arms that could topple mountains.

Among them, the Glacies stood out—a hashish-inducing nightmare of human skulls and satyrs, with leathery wings scraping the ground. Dark ice surged from their cloven hooves, coating the concrete.

The holo-screen flashed the same chilling warning. My throat squeezed shut. Maybe Selena’s idea to stay in my room wasn’t so bad.

Her touch jolted me. I stifled a scream, meeting her terrified gaze.

“If we don’t make it through this,” she hissed, baring her fangs, “I swear I’ll haunt you for eternity. And if we survive…” She let out a short, sharp laugh. “You’ll wish we hadn’t.”

I drew in a breath to reply, but my voice failed me as the Limuses entered the kill zone, focused on Harbinger and Terraknight uphill. The Nebulas and Glacies followed, stepping into the Black Guild’s trap.

“Open fire,” Harbinger commanded.

The world held its breath. Time froze.

Then, chaos erupted.