She was slowly coming back to herself. A strange, indescribable lightness enveloped her body. Her eyelashes fluttered, and what she saw stunned her. Soft shadows, like a palette of vibrant colors, wrapped around everything, sparkling and shimmering. She gazed up at the sky, into the true darkness of night. What once terrified her with its unknown now captivated her with its grandeur. A truly breathtaking view unfolded before her eyes. The trees, their branches stretching out like human arms, reached toward each other in the gusts of wind, and...
Wait, why was she sprawled out in the middle of a forest—and at night, no less? And since when did she care so much about landscapes?
She slowly got to her feet, taking in the sheer absurdity of her situation. Brushing herself off and looking around, it became crystal clear that she was indeed in the heart of a forest. But how had she gotten here? And what on earth had happened to her? There was no doubt it was nighttime, yet she could see perfectly, down to the tiniest details, for hundreds of yards in every direction.
Inspecting herself, she came to some grim conclusions—someone had clearly roughed her up. Her clothes hung in tattered shreds, covered in dirt and blood. Yet, oddly enough, her body seemed unscathed. At least, she felt no pain or discomfort.
She scanned her surroundings for a path or any hint of a way out of the forest. Almost immediately, she spotted what she was looking for—a worn trail, likely trampled by local mushroom hunters, stretching out far in the distance. But before she could even think about trudging through bushes and thorns to reach it, she found herself already walking along the path.
To say she was freaked out by this reality and the blatant violation of basic physics would be an understatement. She froze, completely stunned, like an old computer crashing. How was this even possible? She couldn’t wrap her head around it. Twisting her arms and legs to confirm her body was still in one piece, she started tuning in to the distant sounds around her.
Without a doubt, her hearing had improved—and that was putting it mildly. Focusing, she could pick up the rustle of every leaf on the trees, the flutter of nocturnal insects’ wings, and… finally, the hum of cars passing on a highway somewhere far off.
Well, the changes weren’t exactly for the worse. She could be thankful for that, at least. She sniffed the air and… was floored. She hadn’t taken a single breath since waking up, not one gulp of air. Her head spun from the overwhelming array of scents, and her nose prickled uncomfortably. She inhaled again, and it got a little easier. Now, she could slowly distinguish the subtlest aromas: fresh grass, tree sap, wildflowers, night birds… and the stench of dirt on her own body, which she desperately wanted to wash off right then and there. She nearly groaned as she struggled to adapt to this new, dangerous way of moving.
Tensing her entire body, she tried to take a step forward, but instead, she bolted headlong between the trees. Panicking, she squeezed her eyes shut and crashed into a tree with her shoulder, the impact echoing with a deafening thud. Colliding with Mother Nature wasn’t exactly a pleasant experience—her skin stung, and the tree bore a massive dent.
Her vision, hearing, speed, and strength—all enhanced beyond belief—were staggering. Where had this come from? And why didn’t she need to breathe anymore? She couldn’t recall humans ever being able to survive without oxygen. Had she died and ended up in some other world where air wasn’t necessary? It was a possibility, but the world seemed the same. She doubted the roar of car engines from the road could come from another dimension. Something as vile as a car, polluting nature with its exhaust fumes, wouldn’t be used by any Martian, no matter how convenient.
Her mind buzzed with questions she had no answers for. What had happened to her? Why was she in a forest at night? Why did her clothes look like they’d been chewed up and spit out? And most importantly, where had these new abilities come from?
She could’ve stood there pondering for hours, but what good would that do when she couldn’t remember a thing?
Glancing toward the highway and trying not to close her eyes, she took off at full speed. It was an entirely new sensation of lightness, of flight, something she’d never felt before, and she absolutely loved it. A smile spread across her face as these fresh emotions crashed over her weary mind. She darted between trees like a bird, only far faster than any of them...
But the next second, she was choking and coughing. As disappointing as it was, her joy was ruined by a spiderweb—and some unfortunate insect—that ended up in her mouth. She even smirked, remembering her grandma’s advice not to put random junk in her mouth. Yet here she was, doing just that.
Spitting thoroughly and covering a considerable distance in mere seconds, she burst out onto the highway.
How was she supposed to get to the city now? She had no money on her, and honestly, she had nothing at all. In what could hardly be called clothes anymore, she probably looked weird at best, so hitchhiking with a thumb out wasn’t the smartest idea—someone might run her over out of sheer fright. And how would she answer questions like, “What happened to you?”
In the distance, she spotted the glow of headlights. She stepped closer to the road, haphazardly smoothing her hair and brushing off her clothes, then raised a hand, hoping someone would stop and pick up such an odd passenger. She hoped even more that it wouldn’t be a psycho or a creep.
A black BMW approached the shoulder with a quiet hum, the driver clearly speeding, which made the stop abrupt, tires screeching and kicking up dust.
Behind the wheel sat a man in his forties, with short-cropped chestnut hair and a hooked nose. Small wrinkles framed his eyes and the corners of his mouth, likely deepening when he smiled. She noted to herself that she wouldn’t have noticed—or even seen—such tiny details in someone’s appearance before.
The stranger was dressed in a gray business suit with a tie—probably an office worker for some company.
As he pulled closer, his small gray eyes widened more and more, and she worried for a moment that they might pop out of their sockets. But no, they stayed put. The car stopped, and the driver flung open the door, jumping out quickly, shouting in a loud, flustered voice:
“Miss, are you okay? Don’t just stand there. What happened? At least nod!”
“Help me get to the city, please,” she replied, her voice a quiet whisper.
“Of course, you need help!” That wasn’t a question. “Hurry, get in. The nearest hospital isn’t far.”
He rushed over, grabbed her by the arm, and started pulling her toward the car. She didn’t resist, relieved that someone had stopped at all.
“Thanks,” she mumbled under her breath as she settled into the comfortable interior of the car.
The driver hopped back in just as quickly, slammed the door, and peeled off down the road. She sat in silence, unsure of what to say, and, dreading more questions, started concocting a believable story. In the distance, the bright lights of the city came into view, and she felt a wave of relief at the thought of soon being home. Her head ached with thoughts of her cozy dorm room, a long-awaited shower, and a soft bed. She sighed, hoping to get there soon.
That was a huge mistake.
A pain gripped her throat, tearing her apart from the inside. The scent emanating from the man beside her completely overtook her mind. The thud of his heartbeat, the pulse in his neck, drove her insane. She held her breath, gripping the seat and trying to stay put. The urge to bite him, to tear into him and drain him dry, bordered on madness.
Mentally, she tried to calm herself, to keep control and suppress the animalistic instincts. The events of the past night were still hidden from her memory, but the result of whatever she’d been through was no longer a mystery buried in the back of her mind. Now, she clearly understood that she had changed. She didn’t remember how, or who was responsible, but that wasn’t the priority right now. She had become the kind of monster she’d only read about in fairy tales, and the realization weighed heavily on her heart—a heart that, sadly, didn’t even beat.
Questions poured into her mind like a hailstorm. She stared out the window as houses flashed by, her old, familiar life slipping past. What now? How could she go on? And most importantly, how could she stop herself from killing the man sitting next to her?
And these strange changes… Was she now afraid of holy relics, doomed to burn in the sun, unable to live without blood?
The books she’d devoured as a teenager, fascinated by all things fantastical, now revealed the pitiful existence of monsters like her. She wanted to cry, to curl up in a corner, to turn back time and make everything the way it used to be.
Slowly running her tongue over her teeth and finding no changes, she felt a flicker of relief—the absence of sharp fangs made things a bit easier.
Throughout the ride, the driver kept casting surprised glances her way, assessing the situation. Eventually, he relaxed a little and asked:
“What happened to you? Are you okay? The nearest hospital isn’t far!”
“No, that’s not necessary!” she snapped, a bit too sharply, clearly startling him, as evidenced by his wide-eyed stare. “I’m fine. I live near the park.”
She gave him the address and pressed herself into the seat. The last thing she needed was to be examined and turned into some lab experiment.
The man clearly wasn’t satisfied with her answer. Fidgeting in his seat and throwing sideways glances at his passenger, he finally couldn’t hold back and insisted:
“But I can see you need help. What happened? Were you attacked?”
“No, I just had some bad luck—a string of unfortunate events you can’t predict. My car broke down, and I decided to take a shortcut. Got lost in the woods and tore up my clothes getting to the highway.”
Her flimsy lie didn’t seem to convince the driver, but he said nothing, just kept driving with a furrowed brow, occasionally glancing her way. Well, spinning tall tales had never been one of her talents. Fine by her.
“What’s your name?” the man asked, calming down a bit. She almost gave her real name but lied again, offering a fake one.
“Pete,” he replied, a little shyly, almost childlike.
Simple enough—Peter. And oh, how she wanted to devour this little Peter!
She settled more comfortably and stared at the trees sliding by outside the window, trying not to breathe or look at the man. Man, she’d ended up pretty far from the city.
“Are you a student?” the driver continued his interrogation, to which she nodded affirmatively. “Probably a straight-A student, huh?”
She nodded again, conserving her breath and avoiding unnecessary inhales.
“Yeah, it’s tough for students these days. Always short on time, housing issues, money problems…”
He emphasized the last word, making her turn her head. His beady eyes brazenly scanned her, and a grin spread across his face—less a smile and more the snarl of a hyena anticipating its next meal.
Meanwhile, the car slowed down, pulling over to the shoulder.
“How about I help you with some cash? I’m well-off, and for a small favor, I’ll give you whatever you ask for—within reason, of course.”
Honestly, she nearly choked on her outrage at such a bold, cocky proposition.
“Don’t look so shocked. I know everyone needs cash these days. Why break your back when you can earn easy money and have some fun in the process?” he pressed, flashing a sleazy grin as he stopped the car on the shoulder. “You’re probably one of those… easy girls, right? Had a rough night with a client?”
Yeah, not her luckiest day…
“I get that I look weird, but I’m not a prostitute. You’ve got the wrong idea. I don’t need your money. I’ll get to where I’m going on my own.”
She reached for the door, desperate to get out of the car, but no such luck. The man yanked her back by the arm, pinning her to the seat. With surprising speed, he flipped her onto her back and locked the doors. Clearly, years of practice had paid off.
“No need to fight it, sweetheart. I promise I’ll make it worth your while. I can tell this isn’t your first rodeo.”
Grunting and leering, he pressed his heavy frame against her. Honestly, she was offended. What did he mean, “not her first”? Did she have “hooker” written across her forehead? So it wasn’t surprising that she felt insulted and furious with the driver.
“Let go, or you’ll regret it,” she hissed, hoping this pig would come to his senses.
But at that moment, the man let out a laugh, exhaled right in her face, and moved in to slobber on her lips. Instantly, his scent became overwhelmingly sweet, clouding her mind, and the thirst for blood exploded as a savage pain in her throat. All righteous thoughts about the value of human life evaporated. Killing now felt effortless, especially someone as vile as him. He was already throwing a leg over her when her patience snapped.
With inhuman strength, she flipped the man onto his back and pinned his head with her elbow, preventing him from moving. His beady eyes darted in panic, but a second later, he smirked.
“Why didn’t you say you like being on top? I’m cool with that. You were just wasting time playing hard to get.”
And with that, he let out a laugh like a neighing horse.
So, she decided it was time to, as they say, dig in. Lowering her head and locking eyes with her meal, she smiled, a silent thanks for the food delivered to her.
Moonlight slipped through the clouds and the car window, illuminating her as she froze in anticipation of the feast. Pete’s eyes nearly bulged out of his head, his face contorted in terror.
“Wait! I’m a serv— You can’t—”
Truth be told, she wasn’t listening to his screams anymore. With relish, she sank her teeth into the neck of this filth. The man screamed in pain and thrashed, but it was useless. He shouldn’t have pissed her off—he’d asked for this. She wrapped her legs around him and pressed closer, ensuring there was no chance of escape.
Blood poured into her mouth in a hot stream of unimaginable pleasure. Feeling her teeth elongate as they pierced soft flesh, it was as if she were drinking his life itself, unable to stop, unable to get enough. An incredibly delicious ambrosia, unlike anything she’d ever tasted, coursed through her body like a healing force. These were, without a doubt, the best moments of her life. The man’s heartbeat slowed, he was quietly dying, and she couldn’t care less. She drained him, pulling her fangs out with his final heartbeat. She’d never felt such satisfaction.
Pulling back, she examined his neck, where, next to the bite marks, a small spider tattoo stood out—something she hadn’t noticed before.
Shoving the limp body aside and licking her lips, she now faced the big question: what to do with the corpse? She started the BMW’s engine and drove a few miles toward the forest, then pushed the car into a ravine. On the back seat, she found a sports jacket—too big, but who was complaining?
Wrapping herself tightly in it, she rummaged through the glove compartment: documents, condoms, some rag, gum, a pack of cigarettes—junk—and a lighter, exactly what she needed. Checking the pockets, she pulled out a wallet with a decent amount of cash. Stuffing the money into the jacket’s pockets—some compensation for emotional distress, so to speak—she lit the end of the rag and tossed it into the gas tank. A second later, from a safe distance, she watched the car explode, flames consuming it. She had to admit, she was starting to like this super speed, and the other abilities too…
Well, since luck wasn’t on her side with transportation, she decided to use her own two feet. She took off, and within minutes, she was standing at a bus stop. She didn’t dare run any farther—moving at insane speeds in the city was risky with all the cameras around, and a little caution couldn’t hurt. Pulling the hood over her face, she fished out a smaller bill and hopped on the first bus that pulled up.
The bus slowly approached the university entrance. The five-story dorm with its two wings loomed over the nearby buildings.
She liked living here. Studying was interesting, and she’d managed to become friends with her roommate. It made her feel less alone. Her friend was a bit hot-tempered but didn’t pick fights unnecessarily, and she was quite the chatterbox—never a dull moment. Now, she wondered how she’d hide all the quirks of her new “personality,” especially from the people closest to her.
As soon as the bus pulled away, trying not to draw attention, she darted through the lobby, down the hallways, up the stairs, and slipped into her room, quietly closing the door behind her. Waking her roommate in the middle of the night was a surefire way to get herself killed. Elena was snoring peacefully as she tiptoed through. But apparently, her friend heard her anyway. The bed creaked, and Elena mumbled sleepily:
“Back already, you little troublemaker? Had your fun? Where the heck have you been?”
A second later, without even opening her eyes, Elena fell back asleep.
Close call. That meant she hadn’t been gone longer than last night, or else there’d be a full-blown panic by now. It was a relief that Elena’s scent didn’t drive her crazy. Guess she’d had her fill.
Grabbing a towel, clothes, and toiletries, she headed for the bathroom. This time, she moved like a normal person—the showers were communal, and if someone popped out from around a corner, she might crash into them at full speed, leaving nothing but a smear. Though, honestly, she doubted there was anyone here she’d feel bad about hurting. She didn’t have many friends—never was the social type.
Slipping into the bathroom and peeling off her tattered rags, she finally stepped under the shower. Warm water streamed down, washing away the dirt and, with it, the disgust of the past night.
Only after rinsing off the evidence of her crime did she notice how much she’d changed. Her skin was significantly paler, especially considering she’d had a nice tan just recently. She stepped out of the shower stall and rushed to the mirror above the sink. What she saw shocked her...
The reflection of a barely recognizable girl stared back at her. Before, she’d been an ordinary student, nothing special about her. Now, everything was different. She remembered being seen as a plain Jane with gray eyes, chestnut hair, and a button nose. Now, she was looking at a woman with black eyes that gleamed like dark lakes against pale skin, bright red lips—red as blood—that hinted at the predator lurking within. But what shocked her most was her hair, or rather its color—white, almost milky, with a silvery sheen.
Honestly, all of this was kind of thrilling—no more need to splurge on makeup. But how would she explain these changes? She nearly cried from the hopelessness of it all, while simultaneously feeling a rush of excitement over these new gifts from fate. Gathering her things and heading back down the hallway to her room, she had no idea how she’d explain her vampiric nature to people or how she’d justify herself. One thing she knew for sure, though—this weekend was going to be a wild ride.
Quietly slipping back into the room and trying not to wake her friend, she managed to toss her stuff into place and crawl under the covers. Only now did a question creep into her mind: was she really a vampire? And do vampires even sleep? She settled in more comfortably, thinking that since no one was around to explain things to her, she’d have to figure it all out on her own. Though she wasn’t eager to keep learning from her mistakes. Closing her eyes and trying not to think about anything, she drifted off to sleep.
Spotlights blinded her eyes, swirling in a frantic rhythm with the music on the dance floor of one of the city’s clubs. Everything around her blurred as if in a haze, bodies swaying, trying to match the beat. Elena was shouting something in her ear, grinning, but the words were swallowed by the pounding bass. She sipped a sweet-bitter yellow drink, her thoughts scattering as adrenaline pulsed through her temples. Elena yelled something again and dragged her by the hand to the dance floor. Not resisting, she let herself be led to the center of the room and danced nonstop, ignoring everyone around her, letting out all the emotions that had built up over the week.
A slow melody started playing, and a pleasant weakness spread through her body. Elena was being twirled in a dance by a good-looking brunette. Feeling out of place among the dancing couples, she turned, hoping to slip away unnoticed, and bumped forehead-first into someone’s rock-hard chest. Slowly lifting her eyes, she was struck speechless by what she saw. Standing before her, with an outstretched hand, was the most gorgeous man she’d ever laid eyes on. Tall, athletic, dressed in black jeans and a shirt that was clearly some high-end brand, he was inviting her to dance. His hair was styled in a messy, artistic way, his eyes—black as the night itself—sparkled with mischief, and his lips curved into a dazzling, white-toothed smile. The perfect blond, straight out of a magazine cover dream.
She froze in astonishment and felt his strong hands, not waiting for a reply, guide her into the dance. A subtle shiver of pleasure coursed through her body as those same hands pressed her firmly against his chest to the rhythm of the music. She lifted her gaze, trying not to drown in the deep whirlpool of his black eyes, and smiled. Everything around her faded into insignificant specks of dust. She shook her head, attempting to shake off this unfamiliar spell. For the first time, she was completely overwhelmed by emotions she’d never known before.
“What’s your name, beautiful?” a velvety voice whispered in her ear.
“Maya,” the girl replied faintly...