Be careful what you wish for ‘cause you never know which is true or which isn’t. As a fiction lover myself, I basically see everything on a fictional basis, and hell, I’d even wish for my own fictional bad boy. My very own Edward Cullen… or my own Jacob to spice things up.

But those are every teenage girl’s dreams, right?

So why did mine have to be taken seriously?

This should be the dream of every college girl. King-size bed. A wardrobe with every type of clothing you can imagine. A room painted in soft pink and purple, complete with a flat-screen TV that covers half the wall.

Anything you could ever want is here except one thing: freedom.

The freedom I’ve longed for, for so long.

The freedom to just leave.

To have a say in anything, even something small.

To not be eyed like prey.

To not be scared that my life could end at any second.

God, how much I wish I could take back the clock to the very night everything changed. Maybe if I’d known, I would’ve made a different choice. Maybe if I had just stayed home. Or turned back the second I sensed something was off.

OCTOBER 31st, 2052

Twirling around in front of the mirror, “What do you think of this outfit, Zoya?”

I’d moved out of my parents’ house a few months back, and this was the first Halloween I’d be spending with my roommate in our tiny apartment in Central Florida. Not like my parents care. Their work means everything to them even more than their own daughter.

Zoya sprang up from the bed and walked toward me, adjusting the wings on my vampire-inspired costume. “It’s as spooky as the word spooky.”

“You think I should add anything else? Maybe a hose or a hairband? I got a really cute one from the thrift store, it might match perfectly.”

She brought a hand to her chin, circling me with narrowed eyes. I stood still, waiting. “Hmm… I think the outfit’s just perfect. Maybe just a little ribbon in your hair. Anything more would ruin it.”

“You sure?” I asked, smoothing the hem of the dress.

The costume consisted of a tantalizing short gown with a fitted bodice that showcased my daring neckline. But the real showstopper? The bat-like wings sprouting from my shoulders and curving behind my neck. Lightweight material, intricate Gothic details freakin’ awesome.

“Absofuckenlutely,” Zoya said, bringing her fingers together in the ‘chef’s kiss’ sign.

Ding… ding… ding.

“Did you hear that?” I turned around, tracing the direction of the sound.

“Hear what?”

“I think someone’s phone is ringing.”

“Ooh…definitely mine!” Zoya bolted toward the drawer.

“Why do you keep putting your phone on silent? You’re going to miss something important one day,” I called out.

“It’s Fred,he’s asking if we’re getting ready…”

“Tell him I am. Can’t say the same for you.”

“Chill, Aya. It’s just past four. We’ve got all night.”

“That’s not the point. We’re unfamiliar with the location, we need to leave on time, or we’ll get lost in those woods.”

“Fred said there’ll be signs to guide us.”

“Yeah? You need light to see signs.” I walked to the fridge for a soda.

“Will you both quit arguing and just get ready?” Fred’s voice suddenly blasted from the speaker.

I spit out my drink. “Zoyaaaa, you left the call on?!”

“Oops, thought he hung up already.”

“I’m still here…” Fred said dryly.

“Just shut up already,” we both chorused.

“Fine. Meet us at the park by 5:30. Don’t be late,” he said, then hung up.

“See?” Zoya flopped back on the bed. “Still got over an hour.”

“Zoya, what’s with you and doing everything at the last minute?”

Spreading her fingers dramatically like a door opening, she grinned. “It runs in my blood. Gives me thrills. You know… like orgies.” She added sticking her tongue out.

Rolling my eyes, I returned to the mirror. “Oh, I forgot, you can’t relate. You’ve refused to get laid,” she teased, bursting into laughter.

“I fuckin’ hate you, you know that?” I shouted as I fixed the final details.

“Oh, my dear friend, you love me to death and can’t live without me,” she said, wrapping her arms around me from behind.

“Get off me…and put some clothes on.” I nudged her off playfully.

I added my fake fangs, blood-red lipstick, dramatic eyeshadow, bold eyeliner, black ankle boots with bat-wing buckles, and of course, my choker with the miniature bat pendant engraved with my name. My hair? Tied in a messy bun, with a few strands dangling around my ears and face.

At exactly 5:20, we both left our apartment. Zoya had chosen the Catwoman costume, and hell, she pulled it off really well.

“Look who finally decided to show up. The twins from different mothers,” Fred called out the moment we got to the park, waving his hand above the roof of a car I didn’t recognize.

“Whose car is this?” I asked as we climbed into the backseat.

“Borrowed it. Specially for the occasion,” he said, flashing that smug grin of his as he started the engine and zoomed off.

In the backseat, Jack and his girlfriend April were already tangled up in each other, lip-locked like the world was ending tomorrow.

“Hi, Jack,” I greeted dryly, mostly to remind them they weren’t alone.

“You two need to get a room,” Zoya muttered under her breath, rolling her eyes.

Yeah, she still wasn’t over him. Not that she’d ever admit it.

Trying to defuse the sudden tension in the air, I turned to Fred. “So, how exactly did you find out about this party?”

He shrugged, eyes on the road. “It’s been all over campus. People are calling it the party of the year. Half the school’s heading there tonight.”

“Right, but why the forbidden woods of all places? They couldn’t have picked, I don’t know, literally anywhere else?”

“Aya, come on. It’s Halloween. Spooky vibes, remember?” Fred replied, grinning as he sped up.

I let out a sigh and leaned back in my seat. “Fine. Just don’t blame me if we all get murdered in the middle of nowhere.”

About fifteen minutes later, the car rolled to a slow stop at the mouth of a narrow dirt path. There were faint tire marks, proof that others had driven this way recently. Fred turned in and followed the path until we reached an open space where several other cars were already parked.

He found a decent spot and killed the engine.

“I don’t see anyone,” April said, glancing out the window uneasily.

“Look,there’s a sign,” Zoya pointed, stepping out. Tied to a tree was a wooden arrow with shaky red letters painted across it: End of the driveway. Use your feet.

“Uh… is that blood?” Jack asked, squinting.

We all stared.

“Okay, this doesn’t look good. I’m getting a really bad feeling about this,” I muttered, folding my arms.

“Relax, Aya. You always get jumpy over nothing. It’s probably just red paint,” Zoya said, grabbing my hand and tugging me forward.

The farther we walked, the darker it got. We couldn’t even hear cars anymore, just the sound of our footsteps crunching twigs and the occasional hoot of an owl in the trees. Everyone eventually pulled out their phones and turned on the flashlights, but the beams felt swallowed by the night. The path was still raw, like it had only recently been trampled by people. Leaves brushed against our arms, branches scratched at our clothes, and I couldn’t help but wonder how no one else was creeped out by this.

Ten minutes in, we were still following the strange signs nailed to trees: Take a left. Go right. Almost there.

My legs ached, and my boots were starting to dig into my ankles.

“Just how far is this place?” I asked no one in particular.

“We’re not lost,” Fred said, trying to sound confident. “The signs are leading us somewhere. They have to be.”

We climbed over a fallen log, ducked under a low-hanging branch, and continued deeper into the trees.

“This is insane,” I muttered under my breath. “Who even throws a party in a place like this? We don’t know who’s hosting it, we don’t know how far it goes, and nobody’s cell service is working anymore. This has horror movie written all over it.”

“Ugh, you’re such a buzzkill,” April snapped, tossing her red curls over her shoulder. Her lipstick still looked perfect. “Can you just stop whining for five minutes?”

I bit my tongue. This wasn’t the time to start something. But if she said one more thing…

Just then, we reached what looked like a T-junction. Another sign was stuck in the ground ahead.

But before any of us could read it, I heard something. A low rustling sound, fast and sharp,too fast to be footsteps.

“What was that?” I whispered, frozen in place.

Then I saw it. A shadow. Something was coming straight toward us.

We all stopped. The air felt colder, heavier.

And then,before anyone could react,the thing leapt out of the darkness.

“AHHHHHH!”

A figure landed right in front of us, covered in black from head to toe.

April screamed so loud I thought she might pass out.

Zoya bolted behind Jack, using him as a shield. Time froze. My instincts said run, but how do I start running on a bizarre road like this? Even if I chose to, with how fast the figure emerged, there was no way I could beat him in a race.

My head processed all possible outcomes, and I subconsciously jumped into Fred’s arms, holding his neck tightly with my eyes shut. It’s better to die in the arms of a hot guy, after all.

Then came the laughter.

“You should have seen your faces!” he wheezed, doubling over.

“What the actual fuck, man?” Jack snapped, pushing him in the chest. “Are you trying to get killed?!”

The guy straightened and pulled off his ski mask. Underneath was a smug-looking dude, face painted white with red streaks down his cheeks, a bloody Joker smile smeared across his lips. I’d recognize that face anywhere, even with all the world's paint on it,the guy from the coffee shop on campus, a real ass and total jerk.

I quickly jumped down awkwardly, smoothing my dress. Immediately, April burst into laughter. “Even my little sister, who is just five, isn’t as much of a scaredy-cat as the both of you. Get off my path,” she said, rolling her eyes as she pushed Zoya aside.

“Heyyy,” Zoya went after her, pulling her hair.

April screamed and turned to Jack, hoping he’d come to her rescue. He totally ignored her, more focused on the coffee guy.

I quickly went after Zoya. “Hey, hey, hey. Calm down. Don’t give her the satisfaction of getting on your nerves. Besides, this is who we should be dealing with,” I said, sending dagger stares at the guy from the coffee shop as I pulled Zoya’s grip off Sophia’s hair.

Knowing I was referring to him, he shifted backward. “It’s Halloween. I’m only doing my fair part to scare everyone,” he said, raising his arms in surrender.

“Not in a goddamn fuckin’ wood, you motherfuckin’ asshole,” I barked.

“Alright, alright. We should get going if we still plan on making it to the party. By the way,not cool, bro,” Fred, who had been quiet all along, chimed in.

“My apologies. I’ll take y’all down. The tent is just by the corner.”

“Tent?? What do you mean by tent?” I asked, surprised.

“What were you expecting? A mansion?” he burst out laughing. “If there’s a full-blown house in the middle of nowhere, would you want to go into it? Of course, it’s a tent. It’s Halloween.”

“Don’t mind her. That’s how she asks useless questions,” April interrupted.

Okay, I’ve had enough of this girl for one night. Frowning, I walked ahead of the group. At this point, I wasn’t even feeling the vibe of Halloween anymore.

“Hey, hey, slow down,” Zoya called behind me. I was about to ignore her when I caught sight of the tent ahead and stopped in my tracks.

It was a huge tent that could accommodate over a hundred people. There were lights all around with Halloween decorations,skeletons, pumpkins, and weird drawings of human skulls with blood dripping on the fabric. What’s with the host and blood?

The music coming from the tent was slow and calm, which explained why we hadn’t heard it from far away. “Finally, we’re here,” Fred said, running ahead. Zoya shot me a glance and shrugged before chasing after him.

Next were Jack and Sophia.

“Are you coming or not?” the coffee guy asked.

“Sure,” I replied, strolling into the tent.

The tent was crowded with teenagers, some I recognized, some I didn’t. But as I scanned the room, my eyes landed on a group that seemed completely out of place.

They weren’t wearing anything unusual,in fact, they were the only ones not dressed in costumes. But that’s what made them stand out.

They wore jeans, t-shirts, regular clothes,but there was a certain elegance in how they moved. A precision in every gesture. Their eyes gleamed with an otherworldly light,dark and piercing, with a red ring around the iris. Their skin looked smooth, flawless and unnatural.

They moved with an eerie stillness, like they weren’t really moving at all. Their smiles were polite, but forced. Like predators pretending to blend in with prey. You could feel it, the danger beneath the surface.

The men were impossibly handsome, with sharp features and eyes that felt like they could see right through you. The women were just as stunning, with porcelain skin and raven-black hair cascading down their backs like silk.

They carried themselves like royalty pretending to be commoners. Every move was graceful. Unbothered. Powerful.

I watched as a group of guys swaggered over to them, clearly captivated. The women smiled and laughed, their eyes sparkling with amusement. But it was obvious who was really in control.

“If you’re done observing, will you join me for a drink or two?” a voice said behind me, jolting me from my thoughts.

I turned,and there he was.

An angel in human form. For a second, I expected him to sprout wings and fly.

Long hair brushed his shoulders, his body looked sculpted, his presence magnetic. But he looked like them. Just more… captivating.

“Helloooo… A fly’s going to get into your mouth with how wide it’s open.”

“Excuse you!” I snapped, regaining my composure. “My mouth was closed. You must be daydreaming.”

“Oh, I wasn’t. It was wide open. I was almost tempted to stick something in it…”

“You can’t be serious,” I said, walking deeper into the tent.

“Oh, I am. A stick, maybe…” he replied, following behind me.

“You wouldn’t dare…” I barked, annoyed. I can’t believe I thought he was attractive a moment ago.

“Oh sweetheart, I do a lot of things. But bluffing ain’t one of them. You’re only frantic because you’re not aware of what kind of stick I mean. You know, the one between my legs…”

He grabbed my hand, turning me to face him.

The force made me bump into him, my head hitting his chest.

“Aush!” I winced. It felt like I hit a damn wall.

“I’m so sorry,” he said, trying to rub my head.

I pushed him away. “Let go of me!” I barked, storming off.

Before I left, I thought I heard him scoff. I swear he muttered, weak humans with terrible tempers, but I was in too much pain to confirm.

“Are you okay?” Zoya asked, walking up.

“Yeah, I’m fine.”

“Doesn’t seem like it. You’ve been rubbing your head since I got here. Did something happen? I saw you talking to that hot guy…”

“Nothing happened,” I said, forcing a smile.

“Then what are you waiting for? Let’s hit the dance floor! There are a lot of hot guys here…” she grinned, pulling my arm.

Chuckling, I followed her and picked up a drink as we started dancing.

Don’t be mad at me, cupcake…

The voice echoed in my head.

I spun around,no one close enough to have whispered that. The music was too loud. I shouldn’t have heard anything.

“That’s weird…” I muttered.

“Hello, pretty…”

I heard the voice again. A shadow passed behind me.

“Did you hear that?” I asked Zoya, gripping her arm.

“Hear what?”

“The voice…”

“Aya, are you okay? You’ve been acting weird all night.”

“I’m fine,” I said, brushing it off. “I’ll go get another drink.”

At the drink stand, I poured myself some juice. Maybe the alcohol was making me hallucinate.

“No, it isn’t…”

“Holy shit!” I jumped, turning to see the guy from earlier,standing right beside me.

Was he here before? How didn’t I see him?

“No, I wasn’t.”

“What?” I asked, stunned. I didn’t say that out loud. How is he responding to what I think?

“Do you live in town?” he asked, pulling out a seat and sitting casually.

The way he moved,so still, so precise. Was he even breathing?

“Mind saying what’s going on in your head out loud? You think too much, you know.”

“I don’t want to talk to you,” I said, turning to leave.

“Yes you do. You’re curious,I can see that.” He said, but not out loud. Like I heard it in my head.

“What did you just say?” I turned back to him sharply.

“Say what?”

“You just said something. Don’t pretend I’m crazy. I heard you.”

“I didn’t say anything, Aya.”

“How do you know my name?”

“The choker around your neck says ‘Aya.’”

“Oh.” I subconsciously touched my pendant .

I think I’m going crazy. Everything about this party feels off.

“Yeah, you’re the only one who thinks so,” he replied again.

“What? Are you reading my mind?”

“Is that possible for humans to do?”

“What do you mean, humans? What are you?”

“I’m Azriel.”

“I don’t mean your name. I don’t give a fuck about your name.” I narrowed my eyes. “What are you? How are you hearing my thoughts?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said, turning to leave.

“Of course, you do.” I grabbed his hand. “Jeez…why is your skin so cold?”

“You ask too many questions, Aya.”

“I ask because I want to know. Not just you,everyone here is acting weird. They look at us like they want to devour us.”

“Really?”

“Stop acting dumb. If you’re not going to tell me what’s going on, then stay away from me and stop lurking around me!” I said, stomping my foot.

“Wow… you’ve got a temper, little one.”

“Little one? You’re not much older than I am. Stop acting like a grandpa. You know what? I’m done talking to you. Bye.”

“Relax, Aya. You rush too much. Were you born in September?”

“You know what? Fuck off.”

I turned to walk away again, but he pulled me back.

“Okay, I’m sorry… Let’s start over. I’m Azriel. And I’m a vampire. He said bowing slightly.

I didn’t know when I burst into laughter. “Vampire? How ridiculous. Do I look five to you?”

His face turned serious. “Weren’t you just asking what I was a moment ago?”

“Yes, I was… but vampires don’t exist. So tell me something more believable.” I rolled my eyes.

“So, in other words, you don’t believe me?”

“Do I look like I do?” I replied, pulling out a chair from under the drink table and sitting. “See, your costume is convincing. And I don’t know what you’ve got on under that shirt of yours that made your chest hard as a rock. As for your skin, well… anyone can get that cold with just a little effort.”

“Hmm,” he said, bringing his hand to his chin. “I didn’t expect you to believe me though. But since we’re on the topic of introductions, why don’t you tell me more about yourself?” He pulled out a chair and sat next to me.

“Well, there isn’t much to know about me,” I said, taking a sip from my drink, at least it’s better to talk to a hot stranger than sit all by myself.

“How old are you?”

“How old do I look?”

“Hmmm, let’s see… twenty-two?”

“OMG, I’m offended. Do I look that old?”

He smirked and took my hand. “Not at all, baby girl.”

Shivers ran down my spine, but I quickly masked it by rolling my eyes. “I’m nineteen.”

“Well, that’s old enough.”

“Old enough for what?”

He smirked. “Trust me, you don’t want to know.”

His cold hand rubbed against mine slowly, sending another wave of shivers through me. His eyes raked over me—or more accurately, my neck.

“You have a beautiful neck. Can I touch it?”

“Umm… sure,” I stuttered.

That’s weird. People usually obsess over boobs or ass. But his thing is necks? How strange.

His hand met my skin. I wasn’t sure if I was reacting to how cold he was, or the idea of a hot guy with a bipolar attitude touching me. My eyes locked on his. As weird and otherworldly as they were, there was something… something I couldn’t quite place.

“Nice choker, by the way,” he said, pulling his hand back.

I swallowed hard, unsure how to respond.I turned another glass of drink, a red wine this time, and was about to sip it when someone bumped into me from behind, making the entire drink spill on me.

“Oh my God, I’m so sorry!” The most feminine voice I’d ever heard sang out. Her tone was almost melodic.

I turned around,and her looks were just as stunning. Blonde hair, tall… and wait…was she transparent?

“Hello? Are you okay?”

“Yes, yes, I’m fine. I’ll just find somewhere to clean up.”

I turned to Azriel, expecting some kind of reaction, but he looked completely uninterested. Unbothered. Wasn’t he just all over me a second ago? Now it felt like I didn’t even exist.

“Jerk,” I muttered, stomping off.

Even with my black costume on, the red wine still painted an obvious map down my dress.

I slipped out the back entrance of the tent. There were smaller tents nearby, probably for people who wanted to make out in the woods. Typical.

No one was outside. I stood by a tree and tried wiping off the drink stain. After nearly ten minutes, I’d managed to get most of it out.

As I walked back to the tent, the lights suddenly went off.

“That’s weird… what happened?”

I pulled out my phone, it was exactly 12:00 a.m.

Switching on my flashlight, I stepped through the back entrance. The red light was on, casting an eerie glow. Everyone stood in a circle.

No…not everyone. Azriel and his friends were in a circle. My friends were trapped in the middle.

“What the fuck is going on here, man? Are you trying to scare us?” a guy from inside the circle shouted.

Everything happened so fast, I could barely process it.

Azriel didn’t run,he blurred. One moment he was there, the next he stood before the guy who’d spoken. In a blink, he pulled him from the circle, opened his mouth,and two long fangs jutted out.

He sank them into the guy’s neck.

The guy’s scream echoed through the tent.

I nearly peed myself.

He wasn’t lying. He’s a vampire.

Seconds later, the screaming stopped. The guy went limp in Azriel’s arms, and Azriel tossed his lifeless body to the ground with a sickening thud.

Everyone screamed and backed away.

“Hush now… hush,” Azriel said, circling them like a predator. “You don’t have to scream. No one will hear you. That was only a lesson,don’t speak unless spoken to.”

He reached April, running his hand through her hair. “I love your red hair, you know. It reminds me of blood. How tasty it is. Makes me want to drink from you.”

He sniffed her.

Then, in one motion, he gripped her neck with one hand and lifted her off the ground. Her legs dangled as she gasped for air.

He brought her closer and sniffed again. Then he licked her neck.

April trembled, her whole body shaking.

“Please… please don’t kill me,” she whimpered, clutching at his hand. Her voice was barely a whisper.

Azriel laughed darkly. “How I love to hear that word…please… Did you all hear that?” He turned to face the other vampires. They didn’t speak. Didn’t move.

“Your voice is sexy when you beg, redhead. You should do it more often.”

He laughed again, head thrown back, the sound echoing across the tent.

What do I do? Run? But I can’t leave Zoya and the others…

God, help me. Why the hell did I come to this party?

Maybe I should run and get help. Doing something is better than nothing.

I looked back at the circle. The vampires were watching them like wolves waiting to feast.

I turned to run.

But then, I heard a voice in my head:

“Don’t even think about it.”

The next thing I knew, Azriel was standing right in front of me.