ADRIAN'S POV
I tore through the forest, branches whipping past me, the ground a blur beneath my feet. My chest heaved with a desperation I couldn't name. Why couldn't I remember who I was?
A wave of panic clawed through me, and yet—deep inside—I knew one truth: I was a monster.
I could never let her be dragged into this world. She didn't belong in my darkness.
Slamming my fist against the trunk of a tree, bark splintered beneath the blow. The ache in my knuckles was nothing compared to the storm in my head. For eight hundred years, I had endured in silence. Why now? Why her?
I needed to keep her away from me—no matter the cost.
EIRA'S POV
Sleep refused to come. Every time I closed my eyes, his face returned—that gaze, those moments when his hands pinned me in place. Why hadn't I pushed him away? And why had he run? My mind spun in circles, unraveling me thread by thread.
Adrian was going to drive me insane.
Then, a strange scent drifted through my room—like old parchment mixed with the damp earth of a forest floor. My pulse quickened. Curiosity warred with fear as I pressed my eye to the peephole.
A group of figures emerged from the shadows, all draped in black coats—the same as in my dreams. Their footsteps were deliberate, heavy. Keys jingled in their hands as they unlocked Andy's door.
My chest constricted. I fumbled for my phone and dialed Mrs. Harle Gargi, the hostel principal. No answer. Panic scraped against my ribs.
Moments later, the group reappeared. One of them spoke, his voice low but sharp: "We need to tell Adrian."
The words pierced me. My knees went weak. Adrian? What connection did he have to Andy?
I pressed my forehead against the cold doorframe, trying to make sense of it. Everything felt like a waking nightmare. Finally, exhaustion smothered me, dragging me into a restless sleep.
RIIIIINNNGGGG… RIIIINNNGGGG…
My alarm shrieked me back to life. Blinking against the morning light, I groaned. Late again.
The corridor buzzed with students, but my mind lingered on the shadows of last night. When I spotted Adrian in the crowd, my heart lurched—but he passed me without even a glance, as though I didn't exist.
I wasn't watching my steps and collided into someone.
"Oh! I'm sorry!" I looked up—Tessy.
"No problem! But hey, you look worried. What's wrong?" Her brows arched with concern.
"Nothing," I muttered, though the truth clawed inside me. I couldn't keep it in. "Wait. Tessy—do you know anything about people who wear black coats and cover their faces?"
Her eyes lit with mischief. She leaned closer and whispered, "Yes."
My pulse quickened. "Who?"
With a grin, she shouted, "Monsters!" and doubled over in laughter.
I rolled my eyes, though my heart was pounding. "You watch too many horror films. Anyway—I should head back."
"Relax, I was just kidding!" she giggled.
But I couldn't shake the unease.
ADRIAN'S POV
From a distance, I watched her. She looked lost in thought, her expression shadowed with unease. I ignored her, pretending indifference, but every step she took pulled my gaze like a magnet.
Then I overheard her conversation with Tessy.
She had seen them.
A curse burned on my tongue. If she went to the police again, they wouldn't let her live. My hand curled into a fist, slamming against the wall until pain radiated up my arm.
Why couldn't she just stay away?
EIRA'S POV
Back in my room, I dressed quickly and locked the door behind me. Enough was enough—I had to tell the police everything.
The bus ride stretched for an hour, each stop tightening the knot in my stomach. Finally, I stepped onto the deserted road that led to the station. The silence pressed in.
Then, suddenly—blackness.
A blanket smothered me from behind. I thrashed, kicking, clawing at the fabric, panic exploding through my veins. A cold hand gripped the back of my neck, and a chill cut straight through my spine.
"No—let me go!" My muffled cries vanished into the cloth.
A sharp twist against the base of my neck, and the world tilted.
Darkness swallowed me whole.