When Simon's lips touched hers, he felt himself ensnared. Stella's lips tasted like heaven itself, and though he knew he'd never end up there, he was certain of one thing—he didn't need heaven when her kiss held its essence. Soft, warm, and utterly intoxicating.
He pulled back, meeting her gaze. Her wide green eyes looked up at him, lips slightly parted, disbelief shimmering in her expression. She was beyond shocked. Simon Winchester had just kissed her. Her first kiss.
"You—you…" she stammered, words slipping away.
"Don't overthink it, little fish. That was just a peck, not a kiss," Simon murmured with a small smile, his tone casual though his eyes still held a trace of intensity.
He brushed a hand through her hair, his touch both comforting and lingering. "Go home, Stella. I'll see you after my graduation tomorrow. Until then, stay safe, little fish."
And with that, he turned and left.
The silence of the green room enveloped her, broken only by the sound of her own heartbeat, racing as though she'd just run a thousand meters.
"What… just happened?" she whispered to herself, her fingers brushing her lips as she tried to make sense of the whirlwind of feelings that had taken her by surprise.
But every thought scattered in her mind as her memory replayed his words, "Stay safe, little fish."
Fish?
The word echoed, striking her with a jolt. Why would Simon call her that? Did he know who she really was? Her heart raced as questions spun through her mind like a whirlwind. Was he friend or foe? Or was it just a slip, an eerie coincidence? But Simon was a vampire hunter… so maybe he knew more than she thought. Unease crept into her, adding weight to her suspicion.
She wanted to ask him, confront him about what he knew, but that chance had slipped away the moment he left. Feeling a sudden chill of dread, Stella hurried home, texting Nora an apology, claiming she felt unwell.
As she walked briskly through the dim streets, a hand clasped hers unexpectedly. Startled, she turned around, relaxing only when she saw Milo.
"You scared the life out of me!" she snapped, glaring at him.
"Sorry, I saw you rushing off. Are you okay?" Milo asked, his eyes filled with concern.
Stella nodded, calming down a little. "Next time, give me a warning. I'm heading home—I'm not feeling great. Fill me in on the play later, yeah?"
Milo nodded. "Of course."
As she walked away, she called back with a wave. "Bye, Miles."
He laughed, though he called after her, "I told you not to call me that!"
Stella only grinned. "I like it," she replied, turning and heading off into the night.
But as soon as she disappeared from sight, the smile dropped from Milo's face, replaced by a cold glint in his eyes.
"Just four more years," he murmured to himself.
Stella reached home and, after changing into more comfortable clothes, made her way downstairs to Elizabeth and Agatha's room. Their house only had three rooms, so Agatha and Elizabeth shared one.
She knocked softly before entering. "Hey," she greeted as she slipped into a chair.
Elizabeth glanced up at the clock. "You're late."
"The car broke down, so I had to walk," Stella explained with a shrug.
"Looks like you two were just about to sleep. Did you have dinner?" she asked, noticing Agatha pulling her covers up and adjusting her sleep mask.
"We did," Agatha replied, muffled from under the covers. "How about you?"
"I'm good. Had snacks at the fair, so I'm stuffed," Stella said with a smile.
"Oh, by the way, Gigi, the food was amazing!" she added, turning to Elizabeth with a grin.
Elizabeth chuckled, stifling a yawn. "Maybe next year, I'll come along and see what all the fuss is about."
Seeing Elizabeth yawn, Stella took it as her cue to leave. "Goodnight, Gigi," she said, leaning over to kiss her cheek.
Elizabeth returned the gesture, a warm smile on her face. "Goodnight, take care, sweetheart."
Stella glanced over at Agatha, who was already fast asleep, then quietly slipped out of the room, closing the door gently behind her.
As Stella left Elizabeth and Agatha's room, feeling a bit restless, she decided to check in on Mallory. Not finding her in her room, she felt a moment of panic. She quickly headed upstairs, but as she passed the indoor swimming pool room, she noticed the lights were on. Curious, she peeked inside and let out a sigh of relief at the sight of Mallory lounging on a float bed, absorbed in a book.
Stella walked closer, only to realize that Mallory wasn't reading an ordinary book—it was a grimoire, a witch's book filled with spells and lore.
"Is that a grimoire?" Stella asked, her voice echoing softly in the quiet room.
Mallory glanced up and nodded, a hint of a smile on her lips. "It is. Had fun at the fair?"
"Yes, you should have come," Stella replied, dipping her fingers in the pool and swirling the water absentmindedly.
"What are you learning?" Stella asked, watching as Mallory's gaze returned to the pages.
"Oh, this isn't a spellbook. It's more like an encyclopedia of water creatures. I wanted to see if there's anything in here about you," Mallory said, flipping a page.
Intrigued, Stella's eyes drifted to a small stack of books near Mallory. "And those?"
"Those are about witches, werewolves, and a particular type of vampire," Mallory replied.
"Mind if I borrow one?" Stella asked casually.
"Go ahead. They aren't mine anyway," Mallory replied, waving her hand.
Stella grabbed one of the books and headed back to her room. As she looked down, the title on the cover caught her attention: Bloodcrest Vampires. A strange chill ran through her, but she pushed it aside and opened the book, curiosity taking over.
Settling into her cozy armchair, she began reading. The world outside faded into the background as she lost herself in tales of ancient vampires, forbidden secrets, and haunting secrets. The vivid descriptions painted images that felt eerily alive, almost as though she could hear the whispers of the book's characters echoing in the corners of her mind.