The forest closed in around her, branches like bony fingers clawing at her hair, roots rising from the earth to snare her feet. Darkness pooled in every hollow, swallowing the moonlight whole, turning the world into a shifting maze of shadows. Something warm trickled down her calf—blood from a gash she hadn't even felt.
The night air sliced at her throat with each desperate gasp. Her heart hammered against her ribs, drowning out everything but the primal terror coursing through her veins. She stumbled, her body trembling with exhaustion and fear, but she couldn't stop. Not now. Not ever.
"Please... just let me live," she whispered through choked sobs, though she didn't know who she was begging—the gods, the darkness, or whatever cursed thing hunted her through these trees.
A branch snapped behind her. Sharp. Close.
Too close.
Auriella's breath caught. She threw a glance over her shoulder, and her blood turned to ice. The silhouette was barely visible against the dark, but she could feel its malevolent intent like frost creeping across her skin.
She whipped back around—
And slammed into something solid.
A man.
Tall and unnervingly beautiful, with sharp features that seemed carved from marble. His eyes gleamed in the darkness like embers banked in ash, and his presence wrapped around her like both sanctuary and snare.
She rushed towards him ,hugging him tightly
Please help me
His hand stroked her hair, gentle. Soothing.
"Little kitten," he murmured, his voice smooth and dark. "Don't be scared. I'm here."
Relief flooded through her. She was safe. Finally safe.
She tilted her head up to look at him, to see the face of her savior.
His eyes blazed red. Burning. Inhuman.
Not a man.
A monster.
*************************
Auriella woke up gasping, drenched in sweat, heart pounding like it was trying to escape her chest.
Just a dream. Just a dream. She whispered to herself
Except it didn't feel like one.
Her door slammed open and Penny rushed in, eyes wide. "Auri! You okay? You were screaming."
Auriella wiped her face with shaking hands. "Yeah. I'm... yeah. Just the nightmare again."
"The same one?" Penny sat down next to her on the bed.
"Always the same one." Auriella's voice cracked. " There's Something chasing me through the dark. I run into this guy who seems like he's saving me, but then..." She shuddered. "His eyes turn red and then I ....I wake up .
"When did this start again?"
"My birthday. Three weeks ago." Auriella looked at her best friend, fear creeping into her voice. "Penny, what if it's not just a dream? What if it means something?
"Penny grabbed her hand tight. "You're awake. You're here. Whatever that was, it can't hurt you. It's just a dream—could be psychological, something to do with losing Granny maybe." She smiled, trying to pull Auriella back from the edge. "I'm sure it's nothing serious. We could see a therapist if you want. I'm sure they'd know how to handle stuff like this." She squeezed Auriella's hand. "And today's our first day at college. We're not letting some freaky dream ruin that, right?"
Auriella managed a small smile. "Right."
"Come on." Penny pulled her up. "Let's get ready. New day, new start."
Auriella stood up, trying to shake off the lingering fear.
But those red eyes still burned in the back of her mind.
An hour later, Auriella stood in front of her closet, staring at her clothes like they were written in a foreign language.
"The black jeans or the blue ones?" she called out.
Penny's voice came from the bathroom. "Black! Always black. Makes you look mysterious."
"I don't want to look mysterious. I want to look normal."
"Normal is overrated." Penny appeared in the doorway, mascara wand in hand. "Besides, after three weeks of nightmares about red-eyed monsters, I think mysterious suits you."
Auriella shot her a look. "Too soon."
"Sorry." Penny grinned, not looking sorry at all. "But seriously, wear the black jeans with that green top. The one that makes your eyes pop."
Auriella pulled out the shirt and held it up. Penny was right—she usually was about these things. "What would I do without you?"
"Probably wear beige and blend into the walls." Penny disappeared back into the bathroom.
Minutes later she was done and heading down the stairs .
"Hurry up! We can't be late on our first day.""Auri! We need to leave in twenty minutes!" Penny's voice echoed up the stairs.
Coming !!
She caught her reflection in the full-length mirror by her closet. Dark circles under her eyes. Skin pale. She looked like she hadn't slept in weeks.
Because she hadn't. Not really.
She pulled her blonde hair into a ponytail, then let it down again. Up. Down. Nothing looked right. Nothing felt right.
The dream clung to her like a second skin. Those red eyes. That voice. Little kitten, don't be scared. I'm here.
She shivered and grabbed her jacket.
Downstairs, Penny was already waiting by the door, backpack slung over her shoulder, practically bouncing on her toes. "Finally! I thought you fell back asleep."
"I wish," Auriella muttered, grabbing her own bag from the couch.
"You look exhausted."
"Thanks. That's exactly what I wanted to hear."
Penny's face softened. "I'm sorry. I just—I'm worried about you."
"I'm fine. Really." Auriella forced a smile.
"Let's go before we're late."They headed out to Penny's car, a sleek silver Mercedes that her parents had bought her for her eighteenth birthday. The engine purred to life smoothly, and they pulled out onto the main road.
The drive to Blackthorn University took about thirty minutes. Auriella stared out the window, watching the scenery shift from their small town to winding roads lined with thick trees. The forest seemed to press in from both sides, dark and endless.
Like in her dream.
She looked away.
You nervous?" Penny asked, glancing over at her.
"A little," Auriella admitted. "It's Blackthorn. People spend years trying to get in. What if we don't belong there?"
"We got in, didn't we? That means we belong." Penny reached over and squeezed her hand. "We're gonna be fine, Auri. Better than fine. This is our fresh start, remember?"
Auriella nodded, wanting to believe it.
The iron gates of Blackthorn came into view, tall and imposing, with the university crest wrought into the metalwork—a raven perched on a thorned branch. Beyond the gates, the campus stretched out like something from another time.
Gothic buildings rose against the gray sky, all stone and stained glass and pointed arches. They looked ancient, like they'd been standing for centuries, but they'd clearly been renovated—new windows, restored stonework, manicured gardens winding between them. It was beautiful in an eerie sort of way. The kind of place where you expected to see ghosts in the hallways.
"Wow," Penny breathed as they drove through the gates. "This place is incredible."
"It's creepy," Auriella said, but she couldn't look away.
Gargoyles perched on the corners of buildings, their stone faces twisted in silent screams. Ivy crawled up the walls, thick and ancient. The trees lining the pathways were massive, their branches stretching overhead like skeletal fingers.
Auriella's stomach twisted.
"Come on, it's not that bad," Penny said, parking the car. "It's just old. Historic. That's what makes it special."
They got out and joined the stream of students heading toward the main quad. Everyone looked confident, polished, like they belonged here. Designer bags. Expensive shoes. The kind of wealth Auriella had only seen in movies.
She tugged at her jacket, suddenly feeling out of place.
"Registration's in the main hall," Penny said, checking her phone.
"This way."
They walked across the cobblestone courtyard, past a massive fountain with a stone raven in the center, water spilling from its beak. Students clustered in groups, laughing and talking, some already seeming to know each other.
Auriella was too busy staring up at the architecture—the soaring spires, the arched doorways—that she didn't see him until it was too late.
She crashed straight into someone's chest.
"Oh god—I'm so sorry!" she gasped, stumbling backward.
Hands caught her arms, steadying her.
"Hey, no worries. You okay?"
She looked up.
Blonde hair. Bright blue eyes. A smile that could've been on a magazine cover. He was tall, athletic build, the kind of guy who probably played every sport and never had to try hard at anything.
"I'm fine," she said quickly, stepping back. "Sorry. I wasn't paying attention."
"Clearly." He laughed, easy and charming. "First day?"
"Yeah. That obvious?"
"Little bit." He grinned. "I'm Lincoln."
"Auriella." She offered a small smile back.
"Welcome to Blackthorn, Auriella," Lincoln said. "You're gonna love it here."
"Thanks," she said. "I hope so."
"Auri! Come on, we're gonna be late!" Penny appeared at her side, grabbing her hand.
"Right. Yeah." Auriella glanced back at Lincoln. "Sorry again about running into you."
"No problem at all." His smile widened. "See you around."
As Penny pulled her away toward the registration building, Auriella couldn't help but glance back once more.
Lincoln had already turned away, heading in the opposite direction.