The world around me suddenly dulled, as if the music and chatter of the party were being swallowed into silence.
The grip on me was firm, too strong to be human. Panic surged through my body as I fought against it, twisting free with all my strength. I turned, ready to run, but my breath caught in my throat.
Jesse.
His piercing blue eyes had turned an unnatural shade of black, just like the creature I had seen in the bedroom.
"Jesse?" My voice barely came out as a whisper, my feet instinctively shuffling backward.
Then, just as quickly as they had darkened, his eyes faded back to normal. His expression was tense, his gaze flickering over my shoulder as if making sure the other guy hadn't followed me out.
"What the hell are you doing up here?" he demanded, his voice low but urgent.
I could barely form words, still shaking from what I had just witnessed. My heart pounded in my chest as I stammered, "What the fuck are you? And who was that?"
Jesse exhaled sharply. "The guy you saw? His name is Nemus. He's a vampire."
The word felt foreign.
"A… vam... pire?" I repeated, my voice weak.
Jesse didn't answer. He was already looking past me again, and that's when I saw him.
Nemus had stepped out of the room, casually wiping blood from his mouth with a small black towel.
Jesse tensed. "You need to get out of here. Now!"
I didn't need to be told twice.
I spun on my heel and bolted down the stairs, shoving my way through the crowd. People groaned and grumbled as I pushed past them, but I didn't care, I needed to get out.
I barely made it a few steps before Pink caught my arm.
"Had a change of heart?" she asked, grinning.
I tried to steady my breathing, my mind racing for an excuse.
"Come on, dance with me!" she insisted, dragging me toward the center of the dance floor.
"Pink, no! I'm not in the mood," I protested, prying myself from her grasp. "I'll see you at the hostel."
Clary and Eska appeared beside us, both swaying to the music.
"Leaving already?" Clary asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Yeah."
"Why?" Eska's voice was sharper, her gaze suspicious.
I swallowed hard and risked a glance at the balcony. Nemus was there, watching. Searching.
My stomach clenched.
"Something came up. It's an emergency," I blurted out before pushing past them and out the door.
As I left, I caught Eska still staring at me, her expression unreadable.
The next day at school, I tried to act normal.
I wasn't sure how to behave now that I knew vampires actually existed. So, I rehearsed a few expressions in my dorm mirror before heading out, casual, neutral, maybe even a little bored. That seemed normal, right?
But before I even made it to class, I was suddenly yanked into the janitor's closet.
I nearly screamed.
My heart pounded in terror until I saw my captor.
Eska.
She slammed the door shut and pressed me against the wall.
"Okay, freak. Talk."
I blinked. "Talk? About what?"
She scoffed. "The so-called 'emergency' that made you run out of the party like you saw a ghost."
I swallowed, my voice shrinking. "It's personal."
"I smell bullshit," she said flatly. "Try again."
I hesitated. What was I supposed to say? That I saw a guy sucking the life out of a girl upstairs? That Jesse had the same terrifying black eyes? That vampires were real?
"You wouldn't believe me."
Eska leaned back, folding her arms. "Try me."
She wasn't letting this go.
With a deep breath, I told her everything. Every terrifying detail. Expecting her to call me crazy, laugh, or at least question my sanity.
Instead… she smiled.
"So Nemus is back, huh? Some dudes just don't know when to quit."
I blinked in shock.
"Wait, you know Nemus?"
"Of course," she said casually. "He's our arch-nemesis. He was supposed to be dead. Guess someone didn't finish the job."
My head spun. "If you know Nemus, then that means… you know what he is."
"A vampire? Yeah, obviously. Same as Jesse. And Zack."
My stomach dropped.
"Wait, they're..."
She nodded.
"Ever wondered why this town is called Caveroop? It's a haven for supernatural creatures. Vampires, werewolves, witches… you name it."
Cold dread spread through my veins. I took a step back. "And you are?"
She smirked. "A vampire."
Then, right before my eyes, she transformed.
Her irises bled red. Thin veins spidered out from under her skin. Her fangs extended; long, sharp, deadly.
I pressed myself against the wall, frozen. My eyes widened in terror, so wide it felt like they might burst from their sockets.
Then, just as quickly, she returned to normal.
"Relax," she said, laughing at my reaction. "I'm not going to eat you."
I exhaled shakily. "You're… different."
"Yeah."
"Jesse and Nemus had black eyes," I pointed out.
Eska grinned as she perched on a stool near the cleaning rack, staring into my brown eyes.
"That's because I'm Black Blood."
"Black Blood?" I echoed, the words catching in my throat.
She nodded. "There are three vampire clans: Red, Black, and Blue bloods. Red Bloods are full vampires, the only ones who can turn humans. Blue Bloods are the true vampires, completely nocturnal, sunlight burns them to a crisp. And then there's Black Bloods like me. We're hybrids. Half-vampire, half-human. We can't turn others, but we can kill."
I could barely comprehend what she was saying. I just stared at her, blankly, as if my brain refused to catch up.
"You okay?" she asked when we finally left the closet.
I nodded, though my body felt like it was moving on autopilot.
"You'll get over it," she teased. "Just give it time."
I wasn't so sure about that.
Later that day, we watched the basketball team practice. The cheerleaders were at a corner, perfecting their routines. Pink led them, with Clary as her assistant.
I sat on the bleachers, still reeling from everything Eska had told me. My eyes drifted to Jesse as he moved across the court, effortlessly making a shot.
He was smooth. Strong. Absurdly good-looking like someone carved from shadow and marble. Everything about him felt deliberately perfect: the tousled hair, the chiseled jaw, the way his eyes scanned the room like he already owned it.
Well… he was a vampire. I guess I shouldn't have expected anything less.
"Hey, DT."
I jumped slightly at the voice. Zack had dropped into the seat beside me without warning, his presence sudden but easy like he'd always been meant to sit there.
I stiffened instinctively, my shoulders locking. Now that I knew what he really was, the air between us felt different. Charged. I inched away subtly, hoping he wouldn't notice.
"You like my brother?" he asked, catching me mid-stare at Jesse. There was a sly tilt to his mouth, a teasing spark in his eyes.
"Not even close," I said quickly, maybe a little too quickly. "He's rude. And definitely not my type."
Zack laughed, low and warm. "Good. Then I guess I stand a chance."
Despite myself, I smiled. There was something disarming about him, something unexpectedly... normal. For a vampire, he didn't feel like danger wrapped in charm.
He felt real. Almost human.
And that, somehow, was even scarier.
After practice, Pink practically dragged me toward the locker room, Clary trailing behind with a smirk that said she knew exactly what was going on.
I stood stiffly in the corner while the two of them hovered around Jesse like he was some shiny new trophy. Pink kept twirling a strand of her pink hair around her finger, her laughter a little too loud. Clary gave him subtle glances, curious, amused.
I crossed my arms and said nothing.
When they were finally done fawning over him, we were about to leave when Jesse's voice cut through the air like a blade.
"Terra."
Everyone froze.
Even the buzz of the fluorescent lights felt louder.
"Can I have a minute?" he asked, his eyes fixed on me.
I felt the weight of Pink's jealousy flicker through the air, sharp and fast like static. She didn't say a word at first, but her entire posture shifted, stiff shoulders, tightened jaw.
"Erm... I actually got works to do" I said without turning to face him and was about to leave the room before Pink held me back.
Trying a little too hard to sound casual, she said, "Come on, girl, just hear what he has to say." Her voice was light, but there was a hidden edge. She was trying to stay cool trying to keep her claws hidden beneath glittered polish.
Clary nudged me playfully. "I think he likes you."
I rolled my eyes. "I seriously doubt that."
Still, I let myself be pulled back. When the room finally emptied, and it was just the two of us, my guard shot up like iron walls. I instinctively backed away, keeping a cautious distance between us.
"Look," I said quickly, raising both hands, "please don't suck my blood, okay? I swear I won't tell anyone about you."
Jesse arched a brow and let out a short, amused breath. "Why the fuck would I drink your blood? You already look bitter."
My jaw dropped slightly. "Excuse me?!"
He smirked. "Just saying."
I scowled. "So why am I here, then?"
His smirk faded. He looked at me for a moment, really looked at me and then sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "You need to stop sticking your nose where it doesn't belong."
I crossed my arms. "Wow. Thanks for the pep talk, asshole."
He looked away, expression hardening. "Get lost. Your presence already annoys me."
That stung more than I expected. Heat rose in my chest, a mix of anger and something else I didn't want to name.
I glared at him. "Jerk."
Then I stormed out, leaving him alone with whatever the hell that was.
...
The night was thick with shadows, the air heavy with the scent of oil and rust. In an abandoned garage on the outskirts of town, three hooded figures stood in a loose circle, their murmured chants filling the space like a low, eerie hum.
Nemus sat perched on the hood of a battered red car, his sharp features illuminated by the flickering light of a single overhead bulb. His fingers tapped against his knee impatiently as he listened to the rhythmic whispers of his followers.
Beside him stood a woman, tall, elegant, and draped in a shimmering red-silver dress that clung to her form. Her grey eyes gleamed with something sinister, a knowing smile playing on her lips.
"Enough," Nemus ordered, his voice cutting through the chants. The hooded men instantly fell silent, bowing their heads in submission.
The woman turned to him, studying his troubled expression.
"You seem tense," she observed.
Nemus exhaled, running a hand through his tousled black hair. "I don't know who it was… but I felt it."
"Felt what?"
His jaw tightened. "A presence. Something powerful. Something... familiar."
Her lips curled into an intrigued smirk. "So, you mean to tell me that the one we've been searching for is in Caveroop High?"
Nemus nodded, his expression unreadable.
The woman's smile widened, her eyes shimmering with cruel delight.
"Then I think our time has finally come." She stepped closer, her voice a whisper of promise. "Destiny has given us another chance, Nemus. Let's not waste it."
With that, she turned on her heel and walked out of the garage, the click of her heels echoing into the night.