I wasn't supposed to be there.
That thought hit me a second too late.
The shortcut had always been quiet—too quiet, maybe—but I had taken it dozens of times before. It cut straight through the back road behind the old buildings, saving me at least ten minutes on my walk home.
Tonight, it felt different.
The air was heavier.
Thicker.
Like something unseen was pressing down on everything around me.
I pulled my jacket tighter as a cold breeze brushed against my skin. It wasn't just cold—it felt… wrong. Like it didn't belong.
"Just get home," I whispered to myself.
My footsteps echoed softly as I turned the corner, the dim light from a flickering streetlamp barely reaching the narrow alley ahead.
That's when I heard it.
A sound.
Wet.
Sharp.
Unnatural.
I froze.
At first, I thought it was an animal.
A stray dog, maybe. Something tearing into trash or food left behind.
But then—
A muffled gasp.
My stomach dropped.
That wasn't an animal.
That was a person.
Every instinct in my body screamed at me to turn around. To leave. To pretend I had heard nothing.
I should have listened.
Instead, I took a step forward.
Then another.
My breath slowed, shallow and cautious as I leaned slightly toward the alley's opening.
"Hello?" I called out, my voice barely above a whisper.
No answer.
Just that sound again.
Wet.
Slow.
Deliberate.
Something inside me twisted.
And before I could stop myself—
I looked.
I shouldn't have.
I really shouldn't have.
Because the moment my eyes adjusted to the darkness, my entire world shifted.
There was a man.
No—two.
One of them was pinned against the wall, his body limp, barely moving. His head tilted unnaturally to the side.
And the other…
The other was holding him.
Too close.
Too still.
His head was lowered to the man's neck.
For a second—just one—I didn't understand what I was seeing.
My brain tried to make it something normal.
Something human.
It failed.
Because then the man in front… moved.
And I saw it.
The blood.
Dark.
Fresh.
Sliding slowly down the other man's throat.
My breath caught in my chest.
No.
No, no, no—
This wasn't real.
This couldn't be real.
I stepped back.
Too fast.
My foot scraped against loose gravel.
The sound echoed.
Loud.
Too loud.
Everything stopped.
The man drinking—
froze.
Slowly… very slowly…
he lifted his head.
And turned.
Our eyes met.
I couldn't move.
I couldn't breathe.
His eyes were wrong.
Not just the color—though they were darker than anything I had ever seen—but the way they looked at me.
Sharp.
Focused.
Aware.
Like I wasn't supposed to exist.
Like I had just broken a rule I didn't even know existed.
For a moment, neither of us moved.
Then—
The body in his hands dropped.
Lifeless.
Like it meant nothing.
My stomach lurched.
That was enough.
I turned and ran.
My heart slammed violently against my ribs as my feet pounded against the pavement. I didn't think. I didn't look back.
I just ran.
The cold air burned my lungs, my breath coming out in uneven gasps.
This wasn't happening.
This wasn't real.
It couldn't be.
But I had seen it.
I had seen him.
A shadow moved beside me.
Too fast.
Too close.
My pulse spiked.
No—
He was following me.
Terror shot through my body, pushing me faster, harder—but it wasn't enough.
It would never be enough.
I didn't even hear him.
One second, I was running—
The next—
My foot caught on something uneven.
I fell.
Hard.
The impact knocked the air out of my lungs as I hit the ground, pain shooting through my palms and knees.
A broken gasp left my lips.
No, no, no—
I scrambled to get up, panic clawing at my chest, but my body wouldn't cooperate fast enough.
And then—
Silence.
My entire body went still.
Because I wasn't alone anymore.
I could feel him.
Behind me.
Close.
Too close.
A slow, measured step.
Then another.
My hands trembled against the ground as I forced myself to turn.
He stood a few feet away.
Watching me.
Completely still.
Not even out of breath.
Like the chase had meant nothing.
Like I had never stood a chance.
Fear wrapped around my throat, tightening until I could barely swallow.
"Please…" I whispered, my voice shaking. "I—I didn't see anything."
A lie.
We both knew it.
He tilted his head slightly.
Studying me.
Confusion flickered across his face.
Not hunger.
Not anger.
Confusion.
"That's…" he murmured, almost to himself.
His gaze sharpened.
Locked onto me.
"Strange."
My heart pounded harder.
Why wasn't he attacking?
Why wasn't he—
He took a step closer.
I flinched.
"Don't—" My voice broke.
But he didn't stop.
His eyes narrowed slightly, like he was trying to figure something out.
"Why can't I smell you?" he said quietly.
The question hit me like a slap.
"What?"
He ignored it.
Another step.
Closer.
Too close.
"I should have sensed you before you got here," he continued, his voice low, almost curious now. "I should have known you were watching."
My pulse roared in my ears.
"I—I don't understand—"
His gaze dropped briefly.
To my neck.
To the locket resting against my chest.
Something flickered in his expression.
Interest.
But just as quickly, it was gone.
He looked back at me.
And this time—
There it was.
Hunger.
Sharp. Focused. Controlled.
Whatever confusion he had felt…
It didn't matter anymore.
"You saw too much," he said softly.
My breath hitched.
"Please…"
He crouched slightly, his movements slow, deliberate.
Predatory.
"I wasn't planning on hunting again tonight," he added, almost thoughtfully.
My body trembled.
"But I suppose…" His eyes darkened. "I can make an exception."
Terror surged through me.
I pushed myself back, my hands slipping slightly against the ground.
"Stay away from me!"
He moved.
Fast.
Too fast—
And then—
A growl ripped through the night.
Deep.
Violent.
Inhuman.
The vampire stopped.
Instantly.
Every muscle in his body went still.
Slowly, his head turned toward the darkness behind me.
I didn't dare look.
I didn't dare breathe.
Because something else was there.
Something worse.
Or maybe—
Something just as dangerous.
The air shifted.
Heavier.
Colder.
Charged with something wild.
The vampire's lips curled slightly.
"Of course," he muttered. "Just my luck."
Another sound echoed.
Closer now.
A step.
Heavy.
Controlled.
Not human.
My heart pounded as fear tightened its grip around me.
I didn't know what was behind me.
I didn't know what was coming.
But one thing became terrifyingly clear—
Running…
was no longer an option.