Chapter 6 – The Awakening Begins
The sun had barely risen when Nosi woke with a jolt, drenched in sweat. Her sheets were tangled around her legs, her breath short, and her heart pounding like war drums in her chest.
The dream was still vivid in her mind—fire swirling around her, shadows whispering her name, and a pair of glowing red eyes watching her from the dark. Every time she tried to scream in the dream, her voice would vanish.
She stumbled into the bathroom and splashed cold water on her face. When she looked up at the mirror, her breath caught in her throat.
For a moment—just a blink—her eyes weren't brown. They shimmered silver, glowing like molten metal. Then the glow vanished.
"No, no, no," she whispered, clutching the sink. "What's happening to me?"
She couldn't explain it. Since her encounter with Fred, something had shifted inside her. Her emotions were louder, her senses sharper. She could hear heartbeats from across a room, smell people's fear or desire. Once, she swore she heard someone's thoughts.
And the heat—oh, the unbearable heat that kept rising inside her chest, threatening to burst free.
"Nosi!"
Blessing's voice startled her. She dried her face quickly and rushed out. "Yes, ma?"
"You're being summoned. Fred asked for you. Room 7. Immediately."
Nosi froze. "Is everything okay?"
Blessing looked at her with something like concern. "I don't know, child. Just go. But be careful. He's not... normal."
"I already know that," Nosi muttered under her breath.
As she walked toward Room 7, her hands trembled. Her feet dragged, like they knew they were walking into something bigger than her, something ancient and powerful.
The door opened on its own before she even touched it. That alone should have made her run, but instead, her legs carried her inside like they had a will of their own.
Fred stood by the large glass window, staring out into the gray morning. He turned as she entered, and his eyes met hers with a kind of urgency she hadn't seen before.
"You're changing," he said, no greeting, no smile. "Faster than I expected."
"What's happening to me?" she asked, voice shaky.
"You're awakening."
"To what? What am I?"
Fred walked toward her slowly, his gaze steady. "You're not fully human, Nosi. Your mother was a demon—a powerful one. She hid you in the human world. But the blood can't stay dormant forever. It's waking up. You are half-demon."
Nosi stumbled back as if she'd been slapped. "No. That's not true."
"It is. And you've already seen it—the eyes, the shadows, the heat. That's your demon side responding."
Tears filled her eyes. "I'm not a monster."
"You're not," Fred said, closing the distance between them. "You're powerful. Beautiful. Rare."
She looked up at him, confused and angry. "Why didn't anyone tell me? My mom died when I was a child. No one ever said anything."
"She died protecting you from what you were born into," he said softly. "She wanted you to live a normal life. But fate doesn't forget."
Nosi backed away, but shadows coiled around her feet again. Not from the room—but from her.
She screamed, panic overtaking her. "Stop it! Make it stop!"
Fred reached for her shoulders, steadying her. "Breathe. Don't fight it. The more you resist, the more painful it becomes."
"I'm not ready," she cried. "I don't want this life."
He cupped her face in his hands, forcing her to look at him. "Neither did I. But we don't always get to choose. We only get to survive."
Her body trembled violently as heat rose in her chest. Her eyes flickered silver again, and this time, stayed glowing.
Fred whispered something in a language she didn't understand, and the room grew calmer. Her breathing slowed. The shadows around her feet withdrew.
"I'm scared," she said.
"I know," he replied gently. "But you're not alone. I'm with you. I've always been meant to find you."
Tears streamed down her face. She didn't want to believe him, but every part of her—her heart, her skin, her very soul—said he was telling the truth.
Something was changing inside her, and there was no turning back.