Knock! Knock!
"Hey! Zamora, your screaming woke up the neighbor's kid! What on earth are you doing?!"
The loud banging on the door, followed by an angry shout from outside, jolted Zamora from her dream. Morning had come, and Aunt Merry was already grumbling. Sweat soaked through Zamora's sheets—sheets she had just changed the night before.
"That dream again," Zamora muttered, ruffling her hair in frustration. "Ugh! Why do I keep having that same nightmare?"
"Please, just let me enjoy my day off!" she groaned as she opened her bedroom window. She felt immensely grateful to see sunlight again after such a terrifying dream.
Her phone vibrated beneath her pillow. Lazily, she picked it up and saw Alena's name on the screen, adorned with a heart emoji.
"Hello?"
"Where are you? Have you left yet?" Alena's raspy voice crackled through the phone.
Zamora frowned in confusion. "Left for where?"
"You were supposed to look for roses, remember?"
A lump caught in Zamora's throat. She had completely forgotten her promise. Her eyes darted to the wall clock—it was already half past nine.
"I forgot. I'll call you back," she said quickly and hung up. In a flash, she bolted for the bathroom.
Once she was ready, Zamora made her way to Aunt Merry, who was chatting with neighbors next door.
She knew her aunt would scold her first before finally letting her leave.
"I'll be quick, Auntie! Just going to get some roses for my biology assignment. I'll be back this evening," Zamora pleaded desperately.
"Fine! But don't you dare come home late!"
With permission granted, she dashed to school. She didn't want to be left behind and forced to search alone.
More than twenty minutes later, Zamora arrived just before her group headed into the forest. She trailed behind them, keeping her distance from those leading the way.
Zamora wasn't entirely sure about entering this notoriously rumored forest, but this was for her grades. She was determined to keep her scholarship and find a job after graduation—using her top marks as leverage.
"I'll look over there," Zamora said when they split up to search.
She wandered through the woods, eyes scanning for flowers, stepping on brittle branches that cracked under her feet.
A sense of unease settled over her—echoes of her recurring dream creeping back. The snapping twigs sounded eerily familiar to her ears.
Only the chirping of crickets and insects accompanied her in the forest. Zamora quickened her pace, eager to get what she came for.
"Mr. Hans, you better give me top marks for this," she mumbled, pushing aside tall grass blocking her way.
Without realizing it, she had wandered deep into the forest. Even the insect sounds had faded. That struck her as odd, but the thought was swept away when she stumbled upon a neatly tended garden overflowing with roses. Her lips curled into a wide smile, and she ran toward it.
"Finally, I found you!" she cheered.
As she approached the garden gate, she noticed it was locked with a large padlock. Disappointment washed over her—so close to completing her assignment, yet denied.
"Hello?!" Zamora shouted from outside the gate, scanning the garden for signs of life.
She rattled the gate a few times, hoping the noise would draw someone out. Nothing. Silence.
"Oh God, why is my life so unlucky?" she groaned, stomping her feet. She leaned her back against the gate and slowly slid to the ground.
Then suddenly—silence. Complete, unnatural silence. The forest sounds vanished, as if the world itself held its breath.
Clang!
The padlock snapped open on its own. Zamora jumped to her feet, staring in disbelief at the now-unlocked gate.
"A ghost?" she whispered, swallowing hard as her throat suddenly felt bone dry.
Cautiously, she reached through the gate to touch the padlock. It was real.
"Does this mean I can go in?" she looked around, unsure.
Slowly, she pushed open the golden gate and stepped inside. But the moment her foot touched the garden soil, something shifted. Something wasn't right.
The forest around her seemed different—darker, unfamiliar. Bats flapped overhead, and crows gathered on the garden pillars. Her excitement vanished.
As she reached to pluck a rose, a shadow darted toward her, lightning-fast, grabbing her arm tightly.
"What are you doing to my flowers?!" the figure snarled, his eyes sharp with fury.
"I—I'm sorry! I'll put it back!" Zamora stammered, holding out the rose she had picked.
Her eyes locked on the man before her—too handsome to be real, yet his speed wasn't human.
"He must be some kind of shapeshifter," Zamora thought in horror.
The man smirked, revealing sharp fangs glinting between perfect teeth.
Zamora nearly forgot how to breathe. Panic gripped her chest.
"I hate it when humans trespass in my garden!" the vampire-like man growled, voice deep and full of menace.
"I'm sorry! I didn't know!" Zamora sobbed, tears spilling from her eyes.
Just as the man leaned forward, fangs bared to strike—another hand grabbed his shoulder.
"Touch her, and I'll rip your mouth apart," came a new voice—calm, cold, and deadly.
Another man, also cloaked in black and fanged, had arrived.
Fear doubled in Zamora's chest. More of them.
"Control your property. She's pissing me off!" the first man snarled before vanishing in a blur.
The newcomer remained still, unreadable. Pain surged again through Zamora's neck, and everything went black.
---
She didn't know how long she had been unconscious. Slowly, her awareness returned. She sat up, heart pounding, eyes adjusting to a dimly lit room filled with other girls.
"Hey! You're awake! Thank goodness," a girl nearby whispered, making Zamora turn to her.
"Where am I?" Zamora asked, panicked.
"Shhh! Keep your voice down," the girl put a finger to her lips.
"Don't speak too loudly. They get angry," she whispered, fear evident.
Zamora's brow furrowed. "Who? Who are they?"
"Do you know what an Incubus is?"
Zamora's heart nearly stopped.
"I've heard of them... but what are they, really?"
The girl looked around warily, then leaned in.
"They're creatures who impregnate human women to birth their brutal offspring... and when they're no longer useful, they drain their blood."
Zamora's body trembled. Her tears fell silently.
She was terrified. She wanted to go home. She didn't want this fate.
"I want to go home. How can I get out?" she whispered desperately.
"I wish I knew. I've been here for four months—or more. Time works differently in their world."
Zamora felt her strength drain. "How did they catch you?"
"I was searching for roses for school. Then... two beautiful men in black cloaks appeared. They had fangs."
"They were Incubi!" the girl shuddered, glancing at Zamora's pale face.
Before Zamora could reply, the heavy door creaked open. All the girls recoiled.
A towering man entered, scanning the room. No one dared meet his gaze.
Zamora prayed he wouldn't choose her. But fate was cruel.
"No! Let me go!" she cried as the man grabbed her and dragged her away.
Moments later, she was thrown into a vast, luxurious chamber—starkly different from before.
Rows of ornate chairs filled the room, occupied by beautiful beings—too perfect to be human.
Incubi.
Women in revealing clothes—succubi—watched Zamora coldly from the sidelines.
A stunning man rose from the throne and approached her, glowing blue eyes expressionless.
"Do you remember me?" he asked softly.
Zamora froze. Of course she did. He was the one from her dreams.
"You! You tried to steal my roses earlier!" snapped another Incubus who appeared beside her.
"Is this the girl you chose, brother?" he asked the first man.
"They're brothers?!" Zamora screamed in her mind.
The first man clenched his jaw. "Leave. She's mine."
Zamora's heart raced wildly. She wanted to wake up, but this was no dream.
"She looks tasty. Let me know when you're done," the other Incubus licked his lips and grinned.
Zamora couldn't take it. She sprang to her feet and ran.
No one chased her. They didn't need to—she had nowhere to run.
But she didn't care. She just wanted to escape.
She burst through the castle doors into the dimming forest. Time had flown—night was almost upon her.
A shadow landed ahead of her—faster than she could react.
He stood silently, annoyed, eyes locked on hers.
"Argh!" Zamora winced, clutching her burning neck. He hadn't even touched her yet.
He stepped closer, brushing his cold fingers against her neck. The pain flared worse.
"Argh!"
Zamora struggled, but he pinned her against a tree, still touching her neck.
Her knees gave out. Darkness crept in.
But before she lost consciousness, she heard him whisper softly in her ear…
"Are you afraid of me? Why did you run?"
Cold sweat suddenly drenched her entire body. She silently begged for the man to just walk away and leave her alone. But before that could happen, it was her consciousness that had already left her first.
"Zamora, wake up! How long do you plan on sleeping?!"
A sharp voice pierced through the silence—one that Zamora knew all too well. It jolted her awake. Blinking rapidly, she looked around her dimly lit room. The curtains were still drawn open, but outside, the night had already fallen.