Riley - POV
A chill slid down my spine, sharper than before, as I felt the shift within me—my vampire instincts reclaiming their throne, forcing Fifi’s power back into submission. I shivered, drawing in a ragged breath as the air thickened, each gust pressing harder against my chest. My legs trembled, but I pushed on, my breath uneven as I stumbled through the forest. The moon shrine loomed ahead, and I collapsed before it, fighting to hold back the moan of agony rising in my throat.
The icy grip of my vampire nature clashed violently with the fiery warmth of Fifi’s presence, the two forces waging war within me. I exhaled a shaky breath, balling my fists tight, nails digging into my palms. The hybridization had begun. My body quaked, my heart a wild drumbeat in my chest, but I remained t
