— Midnight
The first thing I felt was the cold.
Not the kind that bites—
the kind that sinks.
My eyes fluttered open to the dim light slipping through the curtains, painting soft lines across my ceiling. For a moment, I stayed still, listening to my own heartbeat. Then the memory of my dream hit me again—
a man and a woman carrying a child…
and a shadow appearing behind them, plunging a knife into both of them, leaving the child alone.
My chest tightened, but before the heaviness could settle, someone knocked on my door.
"Midnight, get up! You have school, don't you? Are you going to make Iris and Eris wait again?"
Davon. My brother.
"I'm getting up! I'll take a shower and come down," I called back.
Inside the bathroom, the dream replayed in my mind. Why do I always dream about that? Ever since I was a child…
I sighed. Never mind. It's just a dream. So why does it hurt every time?
After showering, I dressed quickly—if Iris and Eris were already downstairs, I didn't want to keep them waiting. When I paused in front of the mirror, it suddenly hit me: my birthday was next week. I was turning eighteen. I always got excited because I knew I'd receive gifts from Davon, Iris, Eris, Uncle Kael, and Aunt Lyra.
Davon never let me invite other friends from school, but that was fine. Celebrating with them was enough for me.
When I headed downstairs, Iris, Eris, and Uncle Kael were already there. Uncle Kael was their father, and according to Davon, he had been a close friend of our parents. He took care of us when our parents died in a car accident in England and brought us here to Thailand. He also managed all the properties they left behind, even building a company using our parents' wealth.
Davon wanted none of it—he preferred becoming a doctor and now worked at one of the big hospitals in the city.
Only Davon and I lived in this huge house with our helpers, but Uncle Kael and his family lived next door, in a house just as big. They treated me like a princess, especially Aunt Lyra, Iris, and Eris. Everyone spoiled me. Davon and I considered them family.
As soon as they noticed me, Davon spoke.
"You're finally here. Eat your breakfast before you go. Wait—why do you look different? Did you dream again? Like before?"
"No, I'm just sleepy," I lied, not wanting him to worry. I quickly changed the subject. "What's for breakfast? Is it my favorite?"
"You're avoiding the question again," he sighed. "Fine. I made buttered toast, bacon, and fresh lemon juice. Eat now or you'll be late with Iris and Eris."
I asked them to join us, but only Iris agreed; the others had already eaten. Eris gave her a look.
"You're always so greedy, Iris."
We all laughed.
Iris and Eris were twins—Iris was my best friend, and Eris… he was always protecting me. Ever since we were kids, no one could bully me because they never allowed anyone to get too close. They shielded me from everything, as if I was someone important.
Sometimes, I wondered why.
After Iris and I finished eating, Uncle Kael drove us to school like he always did before heading to the office. Theo, our driver, would pick us up later.
I waved at Davon. "Be careful on your way to the hospital. I'll see you at dinner, my dear brother."
He smiled. "Goodbye. Take care."
When we reached the school, Eris immediately opened the car door for us. Before we left, Uncle Kael said, "You know what to do, Eris. If anything happens, call me right away."
"Yes, Dad. Don't worry—I'll take care of it."
Confused, I asked, "Why? Is something bad going to happen?"
Eris shook his head. "It's nothing. Let's go."
As we walked, someone approached and handed me a flower. Great—my persistent suitor. And soon after, others followed, boys and girls alike, offering chocolates, flowers, and all sorts of gifts.
They all liked me, but none of it meant anything. I didn't feel anything for any of them. I always handed everything to Iris afterward, letting her decide what to do with them.
We were about to continue walking when Great reached out, trying to grab my hand. I saw it in time and quickly dodged. I hated being touched—only Davon, Eris and Iris were exceptions.
Before Great could try again, Eris stepped in front of me, blocking him.
"Don't you ever touch Midnight," he growled, glaring at him.
We walked away toward the classroom.
Iris and Eris were my classmates since we were the same age. We settled into our seats and waited for the teacher. Then Iris broke the silence.
"Midnight, don't you feel anything for the people who like you? They're all handsome and beautiful. You need to find your mate too—you're almost eighteen. You need your mate to become stronger."
Her words made my eyes widen.
"My what? What mate? And stronger? What are you talking about, Iris?"
"I—I meant soulmate!" she stammered. "When you turn eighteen, you're supposed to have a soulmate, right? I just said that to make you happy."
She and Eris exchanged a panicked look.
A strange feeling washed over me. Something was off. I felt like they were hiding something from me—but that couldn't be. We'd been together since we were kids. They wouldn't keep secrets from me.
Right?
I shook the thought away.
Maybe I just misheard her.
Maybe.
We had just finished some of our subjects, and it was finally breaktime. Eris headed to the canteen first to order our food, while I told her I needed to stop by the restroom. She instructed Iris to stay with me, but I just laughed and said, "Just wait for me here, Iris. I'll be quick."
Inside the restroom, I only reapplied my lip tint, so I stepped out right away. But the moment I took one step into the hallway, someone suddenly grabbed my arm.
"I've been courting you for so long, but you keep ignoring me," a voice hissed.
When I looked up, it was Great.
I glared at him. "Let go of me. I don't want anyone touching me."
Instead of letting go, his grip tightened. He shoved me against the wall and leaned forward, trying to kiss me. Panic shot through me as I struggled, pushing at his chest, but he wouldn't let go.
Then something inside me snapped.
Before I realized what I was doing, my hand wrapped around his throat, and with one arm, I lifted him off the ground, slamming him back against the wall. His eyes widened in terror.
"W–Why are your eyes turning red? And… your fangs—" His voice trembled.
The moment I heard that, I froze. I released him immediately and ran.
I wasn't looking where I was going, so I crashed into someone. When I looked up, it was Eris, with Iris right behind him.
"Midnight? Why are you running? Is someone chasing you?" Eris asked, worry clear on his face.
I didn't answer. I just hugged him tightly, shaking. I told him everything in a rush—Great, the wall, his fear, my eyes, the fangs.
Eris' expression darkened. He walked straight toward the restroom to find Great, while Iris placed a hand on my back.
"Come on, Midnight. Let's go to the canteen. Let Eris deal with him," she said gently.
We waited for Eris at our usual table. When he arrived, I immediately asked what happened.
"He won't bother you again," Eris said firmly. "I talked to him. And about what you did—he said he only made that stuff up so you'd let him go."
"But…" I lowered my gaze. "I don't understand how I lifted him with one hand. I don't even know what's happening to me."
Eris forced a small smile. "You panicked. It's adrenaline. When you got scared, your body reacted. Just… don't think too much about it, alright?"
I fell silent, and we ate quietly.
After lunch, we returned to the classroom. We still had three subjects left. I tried focusing, but Great's terrified expression kept flashing in my mind. His eyes, wide with fear… of me.
I didn't even notice dismissal time until Iris nudged me.
"Midnight, let's go home. You've been spacing out since earlier. Eris said don't think about it anymore. So come on," she said.
I nodded, trying to push the memory away.
Before going home, we stopped at the mall to buy materials from the bookstore for our projects. After we got everything we needed, we wandered around a bit.
We passed by a pet shop, and I instantly tugged them inside.
That's when I saw him—a corgi, staring straight at me. His eyes were big and bright, as if he was silently begging, Take me home.
Without thinking twice, I approached the staff. "Sir, I'll buy the corgi."
He assisted me to the cashier, and after the purchase, he placed the corgi inside the cage I bought.
When we arrived home, my other two dogs—Kaiser and Milo—rushed to greet me. They immediately sniffed the cage curiously. I opened it, and the corgi excitedly bounded out, instantly playing with the other two. Their happy barks filled the house.
Watching the three of them play, I realized something.
"Oh—he doesn't have a name yet." I thought for a moment, then smiled. "Hmm… I'll name him Champ."
I was sitting in the living room, waiting for Davon because I wanted us to have dinner together. While waiting, I scrolled through my phone and a worldwide news report caught my attention. It was about what was happening in England—people were being kidnapped, and those who weren't kidnapped were found dead with bite marks on their necks. Some even had their hearts removed.
I frowned and whispered to myself, "What kind of person would do that? Or was it a wild animal? England sounds terrifying right now."
In my mind, I added, "Thank goodness we live here in Thailand. At least we're safe."
As I continued reading, someone suddenly spoke.
"Looks like my dear sister is really busy."
When I looked up, Davon had finally arrived.
I smiled. "Davon, meet my new dog, Champ. Isn't he cute? I saw him at the pet shop and couldn't resist."
He smiled back. "Yes, he's cute. But you're not planning to fill the whole house with dogs, are you?"
I frowned. "Davon, you're teasing me again."
He chuckled. "I'm kidding, I'm kidding. Let's eat—Lila already prepared dinner, and I'm starving."
Lila, one of our housekeepers, is an excellent cook, so I immediately agreed.
While we were eating, Davon suddenly asked, "How was school? Want to tell me what happened earlier?"
I stared at him. I knew it.
Of course Eris would tell Uncle Kael, and Uncle Kael would tell Davon.
"Nothing important happened," I replied casually.
He sighed dramatically. "You don't tell your handsome brother anything anymore."
I laughed. "How am I supposed to? I already know Uncle Kael told you. And I'm sure Eris told him everything."
Davon leaned back. "Yeah, I know what happened. Good thing Eris handled it, because otherwise, I'd have to deal with that damn Great myself." Then he added, "By the way… Iris said a lot of people like you at school. Don't you feel anything for any of them? Not even one?"
I blinked. That question again?
Both Iris and Davon asking the exact same thing made me wonder.
"Are you two trying to make me get a boyfriend or a girlfriend?" I asked. "Because both boys and girls like me."
He looked surprised for a second before answering. "What? No—well, I'm just curious if you like anyone. That's not a bad thing, right?"
I rolled my eyes. "I'm full. I'm going to my room."
He laughed softly. Davon really loves teasing me—it's annoying.
Upstairs, I grabbed my bathrobe and took a shower. Afterward, I dried my hair in front of the mirror, but something outside the window caught my eye.
A full moon.
I stepped onto the veranda and stared at it. For some reason, the full moon made me feel… sad. Like something tragic had happened under a moon like this, though I couldn't remember anything.
I went back inside, lay down, and closed my eyes.
I woke up gasping for air.
The clock read 3:30 a.m.
My hands were gripping my own neck.
"What kind of terrifying dream was that?" I whispered shakily.
I dreamed of a large house filled with people having fun, until a man appeared and killed some of them. Then he turned to me—fast—grabbed me by the throat, and everything went black.
Trying to calm myself, I got out of bed to get water downstairs. But before I even stepped into the hallway, I heard voices—loud and clear—as if right beside me.
That didn't make sense.
Our rooms are soundproof.
I quietly opened my door and peeked downstairs. Davon and Uncle Kael were talking to another man.
The man said, "We need her so the madness of that animal can end. He has killed many people—many of our own kind—because they refused to obey. She needs to know who she really is, and what happened in the past."
My stomach twisted. Who were they talking about?
Davon replied, "Her powers are just starting to emerge. She's not ready. She may be the strongest of us, especially against that bastard, but she still needs to find her mate. We all know what he can do when he uses his powers. Just like what happened to Uncle Draven. I won't let that happen to her. We need to plan carefully. We can't rush this."
Uncle Kael added, "Davon's right. We can't make sudden decisions."
I hurried back to my room, my chest tight and my thoughts racing. Everything I heard felt like pieces of a puzzle I was never meant to see. "Power… stronger than all… mate… that bastard…"
Were they talking about me?
I shut my door quietly and leaned against it. My heartbeat was so loud I felt like it echoed in the entire room. I didn't want to believe it—but deep inside, something told me the truth was already chasing me.
My hands trembled. I felt heat crawling under my skin, the same burning sensation I felt earlier at school. My reflection in the mirror caught my attention, and I took a step closer—slowly.
Then it happened.
My pupils dilated.
A red glow flashed in my eyes—quick but unmistakable.
My fangs slid out for just a second before disappearing again, as if my body was warning me:
"You can't avoid who you are."
I stumbled back, breath shaking.
If Davon and Uncle Kael were hiding something…
If that man downstairs said they needed me…
If these strange things kept happening to my body…
Then there was only one conclusion:
Something inside me is awakening.
And whatever it is…
they're terrified of it.
I tightened my fists.
Fine.
If they won't tell me the truth…
I'll find it myself.
No matter what it takes.