CRUELLA

My heart shattered—no, it exploded—into a million jagged pieces the moment Ethan pushed me aside and strolled into the lecture hall with his friends. They were laughing. Laughing. As if everything that happened between us had been nothing more than a stupid joke.

That was when it hit me.

It was all planned.

How could I have been so blinded by what I thought was love? How could I let him close enough to loosen my guard? He never loved me. Not from the beginning. He only wanted what was between my legs, and now that he’d gotten it, he could finally show me who he truly was.

“Cruella! Cruella, are you okay?” Swayer’s voice cut through the ringing in my ears, but I couldn’t look at her. I couldn’t look at anyone. At that moment, I didn’t even know if I could trust her. Ethan had pretended to care. What if she had too?

“Cruella, come on—we can skip morning lectures until you feel better. First we need to take down that video.” Swayer reached for my hand, but I yanked it away, my chest constricting painfully.

“Don’t touch me!” I snapped. “You’re all the same! You humans are so cruel! How could I have been so blind?! How could I think my life would change for the better here?!”

The pain burst out of me in hot waves, like thousands of needles stabbing into my heart. I held my chest, trying to breathe, trying to hold myself together.

Swayer’s face softened with confusion and worry, but she stayed. Of course she stayed. She always stayed.

“Ella,” she whispered, “I know you’re hurting. And I’m sorry—I’m so sorry I wasn’t there to protect you. If I had known what Ethan had planned, I would never have suggested going to that party.”

Her words cracked something inside me, and suddenly the tears came harder. I wanted Greenville back—the bullying, the isolation, the cold stares. Anything was better than this humiliation. Back home, they called me useless. Here, they called me useless and a slut.

“What have I ever done to the moon goddess?!” I screamed, my voice raw. “Why didn’t you make me like one of them? Why give me such a cruel fate? Why didn’t you just kill me at birth?!”

Swayer didn’t let go even when I struggled. She wrapped her arms around me and held me tight, crying with me.

“I’m so sorry this happened to you, Cruella. I’m so, so sorry,” she whispered. She always treated me like a little sister, even though I was older. She didn’t understand what I meant about the moon goddess—but that didn’t matter.

“Don’t let them win,” she murmured as she rubbed my back. “Don’t show weakness. They want to see you defeated, but we won’t let them. I have a friend who can hack the original account and delete the video. Every repost will vanish too. We’ll skip lectures today, and tomorrow you’ll walk in there with your head high.”

Her words soothed me—just enough—and I finally raised my head. My face felt swollen, my eyes burning.

“Are you going to betray me too?” I whispered. The terror in my voice surprised even me. She was all I had left. If she turned on me too…I didn’t know what I would become.

“Of course not,” she said firmly. “You’re like my sister. And I hate that bastard for making you cry. Come on. Let’s go.”

We walked back to our room in silence. Yes—our room. We were roommates too.

“We have a test tomorrow,” I muttered as we stepped inside. “Are we really skipping classes?”

“We’ll study on our own tonight in the lab,” she said with an encouraging smile before pressing a quick kiss to my forehead. “Now rest. I’ll call my friend right away.”

When she left, the room felt too quiet, too heavy.

“What’s the point… everyone has already seen it,” I whispered to myself.

Still, I pulled out my phone. The site loaded instantly—and there it was. The first video on the playlist. My stomach twisted as I tapped it.

My face. My voice. My body.

My humiliation.

I remembered begging him to stop because it hurt too much. But now I understood why he hadn’t—because the camera needed its footage.

A notification popped up, dragging me out of my spiraling thoughts. A message. From Ethan.

“Hey babe, no hard feelings. I really enjoyed our night, can we meet up again tonight?”

My blood ran cold.

Was this the devil I’d been dating for two years? How had I not seen it? Of course I didn’t—he was sweet right up until I opened my legs.

“Fuck you.”

I sent it and blocked him instantly.

The door opened. Swayer walked in, smiling softly.

“My friend is already on it. The video will be down in thirty minutes,” she said.

I nodded weakly.

“Hey, cheer up. Sex isn’t something to be ashamed of. I’m just sorry it had to be with that asshole.”

“Easy for you to say,” I muttered. “You’re still a virgin.”

She gasped dramatically. “Ouch! I’m trying to help you, don’t bite me!”

Then she smiled again—sweet, soft, patient.

“I know what will make you feel better… chocolate cake!”

I didn’t respond. I just laid down and closed my eyes.

“Fine, or you can just sleep,” she sighed, crawling into bed next to me.

Her arm wrapped around me, warm and protective.

“Everything will be alright,” she whispered.

And for the first time since the nightmare began, I let myself believe her—just a little.

CRUELLA

“Fine, or you can just sleep,” Swayer murmured before lying next to me.

“Everything will be alright,” she whispered in my ear, wrapping an arm around me. Her warmth soothed me, even if only for a moment.

NEXT DAY

“So what exactly am I expected to find here?” I groaned , staring at the experiment sheet. “Heat of combustion or entropy change?”

We’d been studying for an hour already, and Swayer’s stomach was starting to rumble like a tiny, angry beast.

“I think we should pause. I’m starving,” she said with a cute pout.

“Me too. Should we go ba—”

“No, no need. I’ll get us something from the cafeteria.” She grinned, and I nodded. She left with her usual bounce, blond hair swaying.

I checked the time. She’s taking a long…

I was about to go look for her when a faint smell tickled my nose.

“Is that… smoke?”

Before I could process it, the fire alarm exploded through the building. My heart leaped into my throat.

Swayer.

I grabbed my books—hers too—and sprinted toward the lab door. But the moment I opened it, thick smoke pushed into me like a wave.

“Swayer!!” I screamed and ran toward the cafeteria, but flames already swallowed that side of the hallway. I turned toward the exit—I’ll get help, then come back for her—but when I reached the door, it wouldn’t open.

I pushed. Kicked. Slammed.

Nothing.

“Somebody help!!” I yelled, coughing as smoke wrapped around my throat like a noose. No footsteps. No help. No air.

I ran back deeper inside, desperate to reach Swayer, but before I could cross the hallway, the ceiling caved in with a violent crash, blocking the path. Behind me, flames crawled across the exit. Heat squeezed closer, my vision dimmed, and every breath burned.

I fell to the floor, choking, gasping, clawing at my own throat for air.

“Swa…yer…” I whispered.

And then everything collapsed—sound, air, world—until only darkness remained.

My eyes opened slowly, vision blurry… but then it sharpened like crystal—too sharp. Clearer than I’d ever seen in my life.

What…?

I sat up, confused. Unfamiliar bed. Unfamiliar room. Unfamiliar clothes clinging to me.

“Where am I?” The hunger hit me next—sharp, painful, bottomless. And thirst… like my throat was made of sand.

“Swayer…” Her name snapped back into my mind, along with the crushing memory of falling debris.

The door opened. An elderly man stepped in carrying a tray.

“Oh—you’re awake. This is indeed a miracle,” he said with a gentle smile.

I stepped back, suddenly wary. “Where am I? Who are you?”

“My name is Gerald Ford. You’re in my home. I’m a fire captain—I found you under broken blocks. Burnt… barely breathing. But alive.”

My heart stuttered. “You came to put out the fire? Then you… you must have seen Swayer! Did you get her out?”

His smile faded. “The building was already consumed by flames when we got there. One student was found dead. The other wasn’t found.”

My chest tightened painfully.

He continued, “I took you to the hospital, but they said there was no saving you. Told me to take you back, that you were as good as gone. But… look at you.” He stared in disbelief. “You healed in two days. No scars. Nothing.”

Two days? Healed? Completely?

How?

“I… I don’t understand,” I whispered.

Neither did he.

But the hunger gnawed deeper, stronger—shaking my hands. He set the tray down.

“It’s not poisoned,” he chuckled and lifted a knife to slice the meat.

He slipped.

The knife cut his finger.

A drop of blood rolled down his skin.

And something inside me snapped.

A scent—sweet, rich, intoxicating—hit me like a punch. I stepped toward him, sniffing without understanding why.

Gerald froze, confused. “What are you—?”

Then everything blurred.

In one moment he stood before me.

The next… he was pinned to the wall.

My teeth sank into his neck.

I didn’t think so. I didn’t choose. Instinct roared to life, drowning out reason. His blood—warm, sweet, perfect—flooded my mouth, and I drank like I’d never tasted anything so divine.

By the time I pulled back, Gerald’s eyes were empty. Lifeless.

His body collapsed at my feet.

And I collapsed to my knees.

“No… no no no…” I shook him desperately. “Mr… please… wake up. Please!”

But he was gone.

My heartbeat thundered as my sight suddenly glowed gold, then returned to normal. I didn’t even notice.

Only one thought filled my mind:

“I… I’m a vampire?” My voice trembled. “But how? Why?!”

Voices echoed outside the house—neighbors approaching.

If they saw me here, with Gerald… I’d go to prison. Or worse. And I wouldn’t even blame them.

I bolted for the door—

—and suddenly found myself outside.

Super speed.

Vampire speed.

This was real.

And this was dangerous.

Swayer. I need to find Swayer.

I ran to the dorm—empty. Then to the burnt building—nothing but ashes and twisted metal.

“Where are you, Swayer?” I whispered, panic clawing at my chest.

“Thank God I wasn’t near this building two nights ago,” a voice said behind me.

I turned to see a fragile-looking girl watching the ruins.

“You know what happened here?” I asked.

“There was a gas leak. Two students trapped.” Her expression softened. “One died. The other wasn’t found.”

My heart dropped.

“Where was the body found?” I asked in a shaking voice.

“Close to the cafeteria. Do you… know them?”

My knees buckled.

Swayer never made it out. She must have reached the cafeteria when the fire burst.

“This can’t be… no… no no…” I screamed, tears spilling hot and fast. My chest felt like it was splitting open. “Why didn’t you kill me too, moon goddess?! Why her?! Why?!”

“I’m so sorry,” the girl whispered behind me.

Her sympathy barely reached me. I was drowning—grief clawing at my lungs harder than the fire ever did.

“The saddest part,” the girl added softly, “is they said someone saw students locking the exit twenty minutes before the fire started.”

I froze.

“What did you just say?” I turned slowly, my eyes burning.

“He said he saw them padlocking the exit, but didn’t think anything of it until he heard students were trapped.”

My fists clenched so tight my nails pierced my palms.

Maeve.

Maeve and her minions.

They locked us in.

They killed Swayer.

My vision shifted—cold, steel red—not from hunger.

From vengeance.

“I swear on Swayer’s soul,” I said, voice low and trembling with rage,

“that I will make every single one of you pay.”

CRUELLA

I clenched my fists so tightly my nails nearly pierced my palms as I watched the students crying and dropping flowers on the altar made for Swayer. Their sniffles, their whispers, their fake sympathy—everything felt like needles stabbing into my chest.

I couldn’t even imagine what Swayer’s mother must be going through. I felt too guilty to face any of them. Too dangerous. What if being close to them made me lose control? What if I hurt them… the same way I killed Gerald?

That guilt still haunted me. Even though his death hadn’t been my fault… I still felt like I stole someone’s father, someone’s brother, someone’s friend. I didn’t know anything about his life, but he must have had people who cared.

“She was such a good influence in this school. I’m really going to miss her,” Maeve said dramatically, placing her flower down and covering her face as if she were crying.

My blood boiled instantly.

I wanted to rip her spine out. Right there. Right then. But not yet. Not until the perfect moment.

I stayed hidden until everyone began leaving. Then I finally walked toward the altar with a single daisy in hand. Swayer’s picture sat at the center—her smile, her eyes… alive. My throat tightened.

I touched the picture gently, and my vision blurred as fresh tears filled my eyes. I’d been crying for hours. Ever since I heard she died. If I hadn’t given myself to Ethan like a fool… the video would never have leaked… we wouldn’t have skipped class… we wouldn’t have stayed late in the lab…

“Swayer… I’m so sorry. It’s all my fault.”

I dropped to my knees, letting the flower slip from my fingers. My chest ached like something was tearing through it.

“I’m so sorry, Swayer. I’m so sorry…”

“Moon goddess, please…” My voice cracked. “I begged you for powers, you ignored me. So take them back! Take everything from me and bring Swayer back! She doesn’t deserve this. Kill me instead!”

I waited.

Minutes passed.

Nothing.

The silence swallowed me whole. Something inside me snapped—clean, sharp, irreversible.

My vision darkened; my eyes burned. Hunger. Rage. Desperation.

“Since you won’t bring her back,” I whispered coldly, “I’ll send her murderers to you myself.”

I placed the daisy among the other flowers, stood up, and walked out to find Maeve.

There was a small refreshment area set up, and the moment I entered, every eye turned to me.

“Is she not the best friend to the deceased?”

“She’s that slut whose sex tape got released.”

“I searched for the video but couldn’t find it.”

“Someone must have taken it down.”

“Why is she even here? Shameless.”

“Her skin—why does she look so pale?”

Their whispers were low, but not low enough. My super hearing caught every word clearly.

I grabbed a glass and stared at my reflection. Pale. Too pale. I hadn’t fed. If someone cut themselves right now, things could end in bloodshed.

I turned my hearing outward again—giggling in the corner. Maeve.

“I feel sorry for her. I wish one of her friends had died too so they’d be together in hell,” one of her minions said.

My jaw tightened.

“No one’s seen her since the incident. Maybe her body burnt to ashes,” another added.

Maeve scoffed. “That would’ve been perfect. But she’s alive. Probably too burnt and embarrassed to show her face. She couldn’t even attend her best friend’s vigil. What a waste.”

“You shouldn’t talk behind people’s backs,” I said, stepping forward and startling them.

Maeve froze when she saw me. I could see the disbelief in her eyes—how she wondered how I wasn’t burnt or broken. Her fear was satisfying.

“Shame you weren’t the one whose body burnt,” she spat. “I’d have taken a picture of your ugly ashes.”

“You locked us in that building,” I said quietly. “Why?”

“What nonsense—” one minion started.

“I bet she wasn’t even near the building,” another said.

I ignored them completely. My eyes stayed on Maeve.

Something about my stare unsettled her. She tried to hide it, but I saw it—the rising goosebumps, the fear she couldn’t explain.

“Girls,” she said, hiding her trembling voice, “it seems she’s forgotten her place. Let’s help her remember.”

They grabbed me and dragged me into a nearby room. Maeve shut the door and slapped me hard across the face.

I let myself fall, pretending the blow had a real impact. Before, I would’ve cried, prayed for help. But now? Now I was just playing with my food.

“Still the same weak, useless thing,” Maeve said, grabbing my hair and yanking hard. “Swayer would’ve lived longer if she wasn’t with you.”

“Swayer died because of people like you!” I yelled—and in a blink, Maeve was the one on the floor, and I was holding her by the hair.

“What—how?!” one minion gasped, grabbing my shoulder.

I snapped her wrist before she could blink.

Her scream filled the room.

The other two tried to escape, but I beat them to the door and crushed the handle with one hand. My skin grew even paler. Hunger clawed at my insides. My eyes shifted—steel red.

Maeve’s jaw dropped. Terror drenched her scent.

“I know that fear,” I said, baring my fangs. “I had it once. Never again.”

“Pl-please…” Maeve sobbed. “Please, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have bullied you. Please forgive me…”

Her desperation was pathetic. Her apology—deliciously satisfying.

My eyes shifted back to normal. My fangs retracted. I laughed.

“Did the great Maeve just beg for her life? This should be the happiest day of my existence.”

If only Swayer were still alive to witness it.

The pain rushed back. The rage. The emptiness.

I stepped forward to finish them. To end everything.

But a sharp, stabbing pain shot through my leg. My bone twisted violently, and I collapsed with a scream.

My hand twisted next—bones snapping out of place.

I screamed again, agony ripping through me as my limbs bent unnaturally.

What—

What was happening to me?