Chapter 3 – The Unleashed Beast

Lerra’s breath came in sharp bursts as Cassis’s grip tightened on Zaid. The professor’s eyes were no longer human—they were drowning in crimson madness.

“RUN! RUN! RUN, LERRA!” Cassis’s scream ripped through the air, his voice cracking with desperation.

Her feet obeyed at first. She stumbled, heart hammering, running blindly toward the gate. But when she reached it—when freedom was just a step away—her body froze.

Why am I not moving? Her trembling hands clutched the iron bars, but her legs refused. It was as if invisible chains bound her to that spot.

Behind her, Cassis’s hold faltered. Zaid sir let out a guttural growl, shaking free with terrifying force. The sound of his footsteps pounding against the ground closed in like thunder.

Lerra, still facing the gate, couldn’t see him. She could only feel the air shift, the suffocating heat of his madness rushing closer. She wanted to ask, What happened to you, Zaid sir?—to demand an answer.

And so, against every instinct screaming at her, she turned back.

In that single moment, his body collided with hers—an accident born of instincts and despair.

Her lips crashed into his.

The world stopped.

It wasn’t gentle. It wasn’t meant. It was raw, violent, chaotic. His fangs grazed dangerously close, but instead of blood—her breath, her taste, slipped into him.

And then—something impossible.

The beast inside him stuttered. The raging fire dimmed, just a fraction. The crimson in his eyes flickered, his snarl breaking into a sharp, strangled inhale. Her saliva, her taste—there was something about it that tethered him, even if only by a thread.

Lerra’s chest heaved as she pushed against him, wide-eyed.

“Z-Zaid sir…”

He hovered there, trembling, his lips still close enough to feel her warmth. For a fleeting heartbeat, the predator looked human again.

But it wasn’t enough.

Cassis’s horrified voice shattered the moment.

“LERRA, MOVE!”

Cassis’ hand grabbed Zaid’s—shoulder and yanked him back with a force that made the whole corridor shudder.

Before Lerra could even blink, Cassis’ fist connected squarely with Zaid’s jaw.

The impact was brutal. Zaid’s body went flying, crashing against the stone wall at the end of the hall. Dust rained from the ceiling.

“ZAID SIR!” Lerra gasped, her voice torn between worry and disbelief.

But Cassis didn’t look at Zaid. His sharp eyes immediately flicked back to her, scanning every inch of her face like she was the only thing that mattered.

“Are you hurt?” he asked, his voice trembling slightly, betraying the anger he was holding back.

“I-I’m fine,” Lerra whispered, though her lips tingled strangely. She reached up, brushing her fingertips across them. They felt tender—slightly swollen—but not bleeding.

She was fine. Physically.

But her mind? Her heart? No. Absolutely not fine.

Because she had just… kissed her professor.

Not just kissed—his saliva had touched hers. And even worse… it worked.

When their lips met, she had felt him jolt, his wild crimson eyes dimming—just a fraction. The bloodlust that had been pouring out of him lessened, like her very presence had pulled him back from the edge.

Only a little. But still.

Her chest heaved. Her thoughts screamed. What the hell is going on? Why would something like this calm him? Two professors fighting like monsters, and me—me of all people—caught in between them…

Her knees almost gave out.

Zaid slowly stood up from the debris, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth where Cassis’ fist had landed. He dragged his sleeve across it, eyes fixed—deadly fixed—on Cassis.

And then his gaze slid to Lerra.

For a split second, those crimson eyes softened. Like the chaos inside him had felt something it wanted to cling to.

Lerra’s heart skipped a beat.

Slowly, zaid's fingers twitched against the ground. His chest heaved, ragged breaths tearing out of him. And then—those eyes snapped open again. The red glow hadn’t dimmed. If anything, it burned fiercer.

“Stay back!” Cassius barked, stepping in front of Lerra. His hand rose, glowing with an eerie light. He didn’t hesitate—he let his own energy seep into Zaid, trying to drown the beast inside him.

The power hit Zaid like cold water, making him shudder. His fangs retracted slightly, his growl softened. For a fleeting moment, Lerra thought he might finally calm down.

But she was wrong.

Zaid’s lips curled into a strained smile. His eyes flicked toward Lerra again, hunger twisting in them. He pushed himself off the ground, shoulders shaking, his body still trembling with restraint he clearly didn’t have.

“Not enough,” his voice rasped, more animal than man. “Cassius… you’re not enough.”

He staggered forward, every step echoing against the floor. The closer he came, the more Lerra’s heartbeat thundered in her ears.

“Lerra…” His voice cracked, filled with desperate thirst. “Just one drop. Just one drop of your blood. That’s all I need…”

But his eyes betrayed him. One drop would never be enough.

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