"How does she recover?" I asked, even more curious now."She uses some kind of spell. She never tells me the details of how she replenishes her blood, but all I know is that she gets better afterward!" he answered."Wow, this is unbelievable! How did this fairytale become my reality?" My eyes widened."Can I say something?" He hesitated for a moment, then continued, "Please talk to Victoria. She's worried about you. I know what she did was wrong, but she genuinely cares about you." Then, he glanced at the time on his phone screen."It's getting dark! Let's get you home!" he said, leading me back home.My mom was waiting for us; it was almost evening. "Thank you so much!" She kissed Dominic on the cheek, and then my mom and I spent some quality time together.I told her about my day, carefully avoiding any mention of Dominic and Victoria's secrets."Oh, I nearly forgot! Muse & Mugs contacted you, they mentioned that they will reach out again in the morning," she informed."Really?" I f
After a moment of hesitation, I answered, "Hello?"A cheerful and professional voice greeted me. "Hello, may I speak with Julia, please?"My brows furrowed slightly. "Yes, this is Julia. Who's calling?""Hi Julia, this is Claire from Muse & Mugs. How are you today?" she asked cheerfully.Curiosity and a hint of confusion flickered in my eyes. "Oh, hi Claire. I'm... doing alright. How can I help you?"Claire's voice brightened. "I'm calling with some exciting news! You've been selected as our featured artist of the month! Congratulations!"My eyes widened even more in surprise, my hand trembling slightly. I sat up straighter, my heart pounding. “I… I have? Really?”Dominic raises an eyebrow, intrigued, while Victoria leans in closer, sensing the shift in my mood.“Yes, really! Your confidence and personality stood out to us, and we also listened to your records. You were awesome!" Her words made me even more confused."Oh, you did?" I responded."We can’t wait to showcase your work. We
One day, she caught him watching her in the lake. Startled, she panicked and hid in the water. 'I apologize, I didn’t mean to...' he stammered, turning around in embarrassment and fleeing the scene.Later that evening, she stumbled upon him again, this time sketching with a charcoal stick by the lakeside.Drawn to him, she approached. His white-blond hair shimmered in the fading light, and as she got closer to him, his hand began to tremble.Seeing his nervousness, she gently placed her hand over his, offering reassurance. 'I love it!' she whispered, admiring the sketch—it was of her. 'I have more!' he admitted, his voice trembling with excitement.Encouraged by her interest, he led her to his collection. As she marveled at the array of drawings, she spun around, her laughter like a melody, then her eyes fell on a portrait, where she was in the lake.'So this wasn't the first time you watched me in the lake?' She blushed with her curled eyelashes bouncing just for a moment.'Do you dr
"You must lure in a desperate woman," she began. "Offer her something she desires, and in return, ask her to take your wife's remains.Have her mix them with tears of sorrow and grind them using a goat's bone. She must then promise to offer her baby to you. Once this is done, add a bloom of birth to the mixture and wait for it to burn. Then, drink it. She will conceive a baby that is a reincarnation of Josephine.""When the child grows up, it will be your task to make her fall in love with you. Once she does, she will remember all the good memories you had with your wife," the woman instructed him, her voice filled with darkness, echoing strangely, you could hear the sound of a flipping paper as she spoke.As per the plan, he strategically planted numerous witches under his control, granting them only one percent of his power.These witches became his loyal servants. Among them, one witch developed feelings for the Darklord.Exploiting her vulnerability, he manipulated her into believ
The stage was a small corner of the cafe, adorned with fairy lights and a single microphone stand. It felt small, almost like the universe was giving me a gentle word of encouragement to step out of my comfort zone.I found a spot near the back to tune my guitar one last time. My fingers trembled slightly as I adjusted the strings, but the familiar feel of the instrument stabilized me. The host called my name, and I felt a strange shiver crawling up and down my spine as I made my way to the stage.I could see familiar faces in the crowd—a few class fellows, but especially Victoria and Dominic, who had come to support me, their smiles giving me a boost of courage.Taking a deep breath, I stepped up to the microphone and introduced myself. "Hi, I'm Julia, and this is my first time performing here. Thanks for having me." My voice shook just a bit, but I pressed on, positioning the guitar and strumming the first chords. The melody flowed through me, and as I played the opening lines of my
Then, I felt a strong pat on my cheek, and with that, I startled awake."You're having a nightmare again!" Mom said, rubbing my cheek."Oh, no! Not again, it felt so real, I could taste the blood in my mouth!" I sat up, wiping my sweat."Because it did happen!" She held my shoulder and gently rubbed it."What? But you said it was a nightmare!" I squinted in confusion."No! I didn't say it was a nightmare, I said you're having a nightmare again!" She left me even more puzzled."How much of it was real?" I asked."Everything, except for your clothes being soaked in blood!" She got up from the bed and pulled open the curtains."We were near granny's bathroom, there was blood on the floor, I felt suffocated, my vision blurred, and then what happened?" I asked, still confused, hanging my feet down from the bed."That was confusing for me, too. At first, you were panicking, then suddenly you seemed intoxicated, walking up the stairs like a zombie, and finally crawling into bed to sleep. I t
"What?" My eyes widened. "But I just..." I started to say, but she interrupted me."You faced a problem and escaped it. How many times will you keep escaping?" she asked, staring at me."I thought this test was about defense!" I exclaimed, getting back on my feet."Escaping is not defense! In a war, those who die defending their country or survive defending their country are the ones called heroes! Have you ever heard a story of a hero who fled in the midst of a battle?" she questioned.Realizing the importance of this lesson, I nodded in understanding and once again submerged myself in the water.As she reached out her hand, an invisible barrier surrounded me, preventing any chance of escape.The water began to boil, causing panic to travel through me. I cried out in pain as my skin started to burn."Save your tears for another time, for they will not save you!" she taunted me."Close your eyes and search for a solution. Discover your hidden self and bring it forth!" she instructed.
"Correction, you have one addition to the list of your enemies! These two are not the only ones!" She clarified."Well, that was truly helpful!" I smirked, leaving her house and putting my tracksuit back on.I suddenly realized that my pendant was missing. I searched under the sofa and around it, checking my pockets."Did you see my pendant?" I called out to Jade."No, what pendant?" She asked from another room."It was a small orb kind of thing! Leave it, I'll search for it at home, maybe I didn't wear it this morning," I said, pursing my lips before leaving.That evening in the cafe, I spotted Sheriff Scott with the girl I had seen in front of Mr. Redwood's front door that day. Judging by their expressions, it seemed like they were having an argument.Then, she suddenly stood up from her chair and almost yelled at him before storming out."If I turn out to be right when it's too late, I swear you will regret it!" She pointed her finger at him and left the cafe.I had no choice but to
She whispered an incantation in Latin, then paused and turned toward the sheriff."She is strong, she has not allowed this soul to take complete control of her body yet!" She said."But the longer it remains inside her, the more it will dominate!" After that, she said something else that sent shivers down our spines."I know a way to help her.But there are three things you must know. First, once the ritual begins, there is no turning back.Second, she could die in the process. Third, you have no other choice..." Before she could say anything else, I interrupted her."You make the act of 'killing' sound so simple! Do you have any idea what you just said? Is there any guarantee that she will survive this?" I furrowed my brow and stared at her.Victoria grasped my shoulder and nodded. "Jules! Even if I die, at least the city will be safer. I do not wish to end up like Hunter!" She glanced at the sheriff, who was staring at the ground."I choose to rid myself of it, and you must respect
Afterward, we left the cafe, not to return to town but to meet the sheriff's friend. He drove us closer to Shadowbrook, eventually pulling over in front of a large bungalow.The bungalow, tucked away in the corner of the town, has its architecture a blend of simple charm and unique elegance. Tall, arched windows lined the front, allowing glimpses of the warmly lit interior. The exterior was covered in old stone and dark wood, giving it an inviting yet chilling appearance.A broad porch wrapped around the front, with sturdy columns supporting the overhanging roof. Vines climbed the stone walls, and the soft glow of lanterns illuminated the pathway leading to the entrance.Large oak trees framed the property, their leaves rustling gently in the breeze, adding to the safe and peaceful environment. The garden was beautifully maintained, with neatly trimmed hedges and an arrangement of colorful flowers that stood in contrast to the surroundings. A stone driveway curved gracefully up to the
"No!" Scott snapped. He walked over to our car, noted the number, and made a call. His next words left us all in shock, except for Luna. "Listen to me very carefully! I need you to do something big this time. It is a matter of life and death. The number I just gave you, I need you to shift its locations through all CCTV footage, and also alter the memories of this car throughout Shadowbrook.Oh, yeah! One more thing! Visit the secret back entrance of the Li Lake, collect the blood samples, and start working on searching for him right away!” He then hung up and turned to Luna.Luna's eyes narrowed. "Who did you call? What is going on?"Scott sighed. "We need to leave immediately."“You all are coming with m,e and no, I am not asking!” He almost commanded and entered his car. So with no time to argue, we piled into the car. He drove us to a decent little café located away from Shadowbrook. It was a place I had never been to before. We all settled down at a table in the corner, and he k
Victoria tried again, this time shouting "Confractus." Unfortunately, the boulder remained unaffected, but the strong force of the spell threw Victoria back with great power.Thankfully, Dominic was quick to react and caught her before she could fall. Confused and frustrated, Victoria exclaimed, "I don't understand! This should have worked!" Meanwhile, Luna retrieved the phone from the pool, and we decided to explore our surroundings in the hopes of finding an alternative route.However, our disappointment grew as we realized that there was no other way to go. Desperate for answers, I looked at everyone and asked, "If he's not here, where could they have taken him? We need to find a way out of here!" As we looked up toward the opening at the top, the moon shone brightly, casting a beautiful glow that captivated my gaze.Dominic also had his eyes fixed on the scene, but then Victoria, filled with curiosity, glanced at me before looking up. She wanted to see what had captured my att
At first, I stared at her, my mouth hanging open in disbelief. After a moment, I shook my head. "I'm completely lost right now, but this is not important right now... what is important is that we have to find him. No matter if he's a vampire, a Lycan, or even a gremlin, we'll save him!" I finally breathed a sigh of relief."Gremlin? Seriously?" Victoria sniggered.However, the fear of losing him again was still in my mind. "But how are we going to find him?" Victoria asked, her confusion evident on her face."We'll do what detectives do! We'll go to the crime scene!" I declared, but Luna interrupted me."You kids stay right where you are. I'll inform Asco!" She pulled out her phone, but I grabbed her hand."I just found him. I can't just sit around and wait for another problem to tear us apart!" I looked into her eyes, pleading with her."Besides, he reached out to me. He needs me!" I convinced her.I turned my head toward Dominic. "Are you coming?" I asked, hoping he would join us.
She nodded, her expression filled with curiosity. "Yes, but where are we going to obtain his blood?" she asked."Remember when I shared with you about waking up in a pool of blood? In my dream, I witnessed him bleeding, and ever since then, I have been waking up in a pool of blood. I strongly believe..." I paused for a moment, gathering my thoughts. "I strongly believe it is his blood," I declared, casting my gaze upon each of them in turn."Do you still have that blood?" Luna inquired.I nodded, a sense of urgency coursing through me. "Yes, I still have it! It is safely tucked away in the pocket of my tracksuit!" I turned to Dominic. "Can you please take me home? We cannot afford to waste another minute.""Meet us at the park in 10 minutes!" Victoria called out, waving at us."Understood!" Dominic nodded, and together, we descended the stair tower."Only 10 minutes?" I squinted at him, my voice filled with confusion."Do you trust me?" he asked, extending his hand toward me.I nodded
"He left because of me!" I exclaimed, my voice filled with pain."I was his student, but we... kind of... fell in love. But he tried to distance himself from me, until that day..." I struggled to speak through my tears, my emotions overwhelming me. "That day, we ended up getting closer than we had ever planned. But then, after the earthquake, he just disappeared, leaving behind only this note." I hurriedly went to my room and retrieved the paper from my drawer, showing it to her as tears streamed down my face.She looked at me with a mixture of concern and confusion, her eyes scanning the cracked mirror in front of us. Then, her gaze shifted to the paper in my trembling hand."None of this makes any sense," she began, her voice filled with confusion. "Listen!" She took out her phone and showed me the last conversation she had with him. It read something like this:Evan: “You were correct about the earthquake happening. Please update me on the current situation of the town so that I ca
"And if you ever find someone else who makes you happier than I ever could, I'll still be here, by your side, as your friend. Your happiness is what matters most to me." He gently wiped away my tears, and his gentle touch made me feel loved."I wish I..." I began, my voice trailing off. "I wish I could give you the love you deserve, but it's just too early for me.""Listen!" He grasped my shoulders tightly, his eyes filled with a mix of longing and a feeling I can't describe."Being loved by you could be the most beautiful thing that would ever happen to me." He paused, his gaze dropping momentarily before locking with mine once more."But I don't want it out of pity." A bittersweet smile tugged at the corners of his lips as he shifted his gaze back to the ground again."Now, focus!" he said, his voice still heavy with emotions. "You don't want to trip in front of everyone!" We resumed our dance practice.Afterward, Dominic left for his home. I found myself alone in the comfort of my
Jade rushed to my side, quickly pulling my feet out of the blood-soaked tub. Hovering her hand above my injured toes, she began reciting an incantation, mending the wounds with her powers. As she helped me out of the water, her face turned pale with concern."I thought you were prepared," she exclaimed, her voice filled with disappointment.Gasping for breath, I managed to speak, "What happened?"Coughing violently, I awaited her response, my lungs twisting with pain.“The mere thought of his presence around you makes you vulnerable. You are too afraid of him, and I don’t blame you for that!” Jade rubbed my shoulders gently.Then she gasped with shock when her eyes fell on the ground, the area around the bathtub was now dry, lacking any grass or any kind of greenery. Before I could ask the reason behind her troubled state. She spoke up, “You’ve mixed your subconsciousness into reality, that’s why you are bleeding.” She handed me a large piece of chocolate.“This isn’t any normal choc