'A living, breathing hunter? What were the odds?'

This implied expertise in vampire knowledge, and Maya couldn't help but feel a strong desire to bombard him with questions about Elena. However, the discussion about vampirism was a sensitive topic in Elena's presence, which made Maya's newfound acquaintance even more valuable.

Still, the timing didn't feel right, especially given his haunted expression that hinted at a past filled with ghosts.

"Are we safe here?" Maya asked instead.

"For now," he answered, sparing with words, still looking out of the window.

Earlier, Maya was content with silence as she needed to warm up and recover from the adrenaline-filled escape from vampires. But now, the silence was starting to bother her.

"So… what's the plan?" she asked another question.

"Wait until the morning. Then I'll take you back to the Academy."

Maya furrowed her brows, knowing he was only indicating at her. "And what about Elena?"

He grunted quietly, still mulling over what to do with her. Maya had postponed him from killing her, but now she understood that, as a hunter, it was his duty to do so.

Elena, sitting on the armchair, bit her lip. Undoubtedly refraining from saying something she already knew would be ignored. Maya's pleading stare continued to burrow into his back.

He sighed and turned to face her. "You know I can't let her leave here alive."

"Technically, I'm dead. So, no worries," Elena smiled insincerely.

However, she only received a cold, unamused glare from him.

Elena rolled her eyes. "Fine, then, Asshole. Let's get to the point. What do you know about Primas?"

Her use of a derogatory nickname reminded him he hadn't properly introduced himself. "It's Erik," he said, then returned to gazing through the window.

'So Bane wasn't his name after all. Hmm, Erik is a classic name that suited him well.'

The sky was getting a shade lighter, and the morning was slowly approaching. Maya was trying to come up with a plan to prevent him from killing Elena.

'Maybe if he gets to know her…'

"Are you sure? Isn't it a guy-who-is-avoiding-answering-what-I-really-asked-him?" Elena kept challenging.

'On second thought, maybe getting to know her wasn't going to make anything better,' Maya thought as the tension filled the room.

"I'm sure, Bloodsucker-that-enjoys-being-a-pain-in-my-ass."

"I will continue to be until you answer." Elena declared defiantly.

"How about I ask a question?" he suggested and turned toward Maya. "What exactly have you done to her?"

"What do you mean?" Maya was confused.

"Although she's certainly doing her best to appear unsettled about the approaching sunrise," he pointed towards Elena sitting in the shadows furthest from the window. "You, who just a moment ago was willing to give your life for hers, aren't the least bit concerned?"

His reasoning was sound, and Maya found herself taken aback, her gaze darting to Elena, who clearly wasn't pleased with his astute observation.

"Her plan to deceive the vampires and simply walk away at daybreak seems rather flawed," he continued, "especially for a vampire who burns in sunlight. Which is not the case with her, is it?"

He seemed to get the answer from Maya's stunned expression. She was inwardly impressed by his ability to piece together the puzzle without having actually witnessed the anomaly.

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Well, given his occupation, it seems like a rather important detail. Sun-resistant vampires would be a whole other nightmare.

"Also, the fact that she was able to use fucking magic earlier—which should be beyond any vampire…"

Now he was making it seem like it was rather blindingly apparent.

"So, I'm asking again. What did you do to her?"

"She didn't do shit," Elena interjected. "It is simply a talent that transcends death. You wouldn't know since you sucked at magic enough that they kicked you out of the academy to become a hunter," she sneered with mockery.

It was unsettling how Elena cruelly twisted the information she'd gathered to formulate her plan to join their ranks against him.

"Do you not see why she pretends to care about you?" He was persistent in pretending Maya was the only one involved in this conversation. "She gets benefits."

"You just can't seem to stop turning the narrative," Elena kept answering.

"I'm not turning the narrative, love. I'm simply asking valid questions," he glowered at Elena.

"Well, you didn't answer mine. So wait your fucking turn," Elena snarled.

"This is not a game!"

While they continued to exchange some censorship-worthy attributes, Maya stayed silent in horror. It was now that she had realized what seemed so off about him this whole time.

"Erik… what happened to your element?" Maya asked, carefully.

He froze at her words.

Since he brought up Elena's ability to use magic, Maya was reminded to use her Soul Vision to investigate the anomaly. Her findings were disheartening; Elena's once vibrant and abundant magical core was now vacant and extinguished, only haunted by traces of what used to be there.

However, Maya then glanced at him and felt immediate uneasiness.

Usually, Maya could vaguely sense others' magic or soul, enough that she could take a guess about their element. But with this man, there was a sinister emptiness somewhere within him, as if his soul was hollow and shattered.

It was so shocking that she began to wonder how he was even still alive.

Elena was confused by his reaction, as it seemed Maya's question was like a sudden, brutal punch in the guts for him. Maya couldn't deny noticing that she somehow kept doing things that opened up old, painful wounds for him. However, she had to know.

Erik's gaze fell.

"What?" Elena looked at Maya, seeking someone to clarify the situation. "I don't get it."

"It's not there," Maya said.

After she noticed the discrepancy in his soul, she couldn't unsee it. It wasn't quite like with the vampires; his affliction wasn't one of the undead.

However, something fundamental was still missing. Something like a limb to walk on. No. Even more important. How does he continue to live without something that feels only vital? Should he be able to?

Girls were staring at him, expectant of answers, but he didn't seem inclined to share. Perhaps it was too painful, or he didn't take it as relevant to the situation. Now, all three of them had asked a question, and none received an answer.

Elena suddenly grinned with malice. "That must really sting… A vampire having one and you don't…" She enjoyed pushing people's buttons, his in particular.

Maya was aghast by her animosity toward him. Why must they be so antagonistic toward each other? Not only was it not helpful and made the conversation unpleasant for everyone, but it was also dangerous.

Maya could sort of see his side, but why would Elena continue to persist in provoking someone already itching to kill her?

Perhaps her reason was simply that he was what she could never become now.

'Heavens, she can be so insensitive sometimes.'

Exasperated, he bit out, "What the fuck is wrong with you?" but quickly retracted his question, as if he already knew the answer. "I've relinquished it. Alright?"

He averted his gaze from them. He didn't believe his missing element should be the central discussion, yet coming across an individual devoid of an element in a world of witches does spike curiosity.

"Why would you do that?" Maya asked, worried.

"You can do that?" Elena asked, intrigued.

"I was trying to save… someone," Erik confessed, the words heavy with regret. "…But I failed." It hurt him to say that.

Maya didn't know what she could say to make him feel better. After a moment of silence, all she mustered was sincere, "I'm sorry."

Elena, however, was far from tactful. "How would that save anybody?" she asked, her tone harsh and probing.

Her question hung in the air, unanswered.

Then, Elena's gaze fell to her palm, her insistent, provocative tone subsiding. "If it makes it any better, I don't possess my element either. Sometimes it feels like it's lingering only to fuck with me. I'm unsure why I was able to grasp it tonight."

"It doesn't," Erik dismissed her coldly.

The thought of living without an Element was unimaginable for Maya. She'd thought Elena had moved past the painful truth of losing it since they never brought it up. It appeared that this was a rare common ground between the two.

"Will you tell us what you know about Primas? And why do you know my parents?" Maya asked gently.

Drawing a deep breath, he dragged a chair forward, positioning it backwards. He sank onto it, his arms resting on the chair's back. His gaze was distant, lost in a sea of thoughts. With a hint of vulnerability, he confessed, "I'm at a loss for where to start."

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