2

Seraphina's perspective

Present Time.       (Age-22 )

The sound of my phone buzzing against the desk snapped me out of my focus. I sighed, already knowing who it was before even glancing at the screen. "Sera, you better be on time. Otherwise, we'll have to stand in the waiting line to enter the club," Olivia's voice rang through the phone, laced with impatience. I groaned, stretching my arms before rubbing my temples. "I know, Liv. Can you stop calling every twenty minutes? I'm checking my students' assignments," I grumbled, flipping through another paper with a sigh. "Chill your ass. You can do that on Sunday night. It's Friday, and you need a break! We'll hit the club, find a hookup, and have the best night ever," she said enthusiastically. I rolled my eyes, already predicting the smirk that was undoubtedly spreading across her face.

"Liv, I can practically feel you smirking through the phone. You go find the hookup. I'm not in the mood to get laid." I grabbed another assignment and started marking it as I spoke. "Oh, come on! It's been forever since you even thought about having sex. When are you going to give someone a chance after Jacob? For God's sake, you're twenty-two! Stop being a virgin already!" At the mention of my ex, my fingers froze, gripping the pen tighter. I took a deep breath, placed the pen down, and stood up. "Don't say that bastard's name, Liv. That motherfucker cheated on me. I wanted to give my first time to him, and what did I get? A nice little surprise on his birthday—walking in on him screwing another girl in his house." My voice dripped with anger as I recalled that night. "You shouldn't feel sad about him, Seraphina. Jacob was an ass with a small dick. Tonight, at the club, I'll help you loosen up. Just live your life, girl! These guys aren't worth crying over. Just lose your virginity to some random hottie and enjoy yourself." I scoffed, rolling my eyes. "Yeah, like you did last year?" I shot back. Olivia groaned. "Ugh, are you seriously bringing that up again?"

"Your horny ass led you straight into that mess. And now, you have a baby but don’t even know who the father is," I said dryly, shaking my head. "Oh, come on, Sera! You know that was a mistake. That’s why I gave her up for adoption to a good family. I wasn’t ready to be a mom. But hey, at least now I’m careful!" she defended herself. I let out an exasperated sigh. "Geez, Liv. Sometimes I wonder why I’m even friends with you."

"Because you love me, duh," she chuckled, and I couldn't help but smile slightly. "Yeah, yeah. Now end the call. Let me finish checking these assignments, and then I’ll get ready and meet you at the club," I told her. "Fine, but don’t be late!" she warned before hanging up. I tossed my phone onto the bed and slumped back in my chair, rubbing my face with both hands. Today had been such a long day. The thought of getting dressed and going to a loud, crowded club didn’t excite me, but Olivia wasn’t going to let me off the hook. With a sigh, I picked up another assignment and started marking it, my thoughts still lingering on Jacob. It had been a while since that night, yet the anger still burned inside me. Maybe Olivia was right—I needed to loosen up.

But the idea of hooking up with a random guy just didn’t appeal to me. I shook my head, trying to push those thoughts aside. First, I needed to finish these assignments. Then, I’d deal with whatever chaos awaited me at the club..

( Wait, let me introduce myself to you. My name is Seraphina Ashford, but everyone calls me Sera. I’m twenty-two years old and live in London. I completed my master’s degree from a well-reputed university, and now I work as a history teacher at a high school. I love history. I love learning about the past, about great civilizations, wars, and powerful leaders who shaped the world. But more than that, I love teaching. That’s why I chose this path to spread knowledge to the younger generation. My students mean a lot to me, and to them, I’m just a regular teacher. But no one knows who I really am at night. During the day, I was a normal teacher. But as soon as the sun sets, I become a hunter, a hunter of the supernatural beings that humans don’t even know exist. I track them down and kill them, making sure they don’t harm innocent people. Why do I do this? Because I used to be one of them. Fourteen years ago, I was a wolf.....a werewolf, to be exact. I was born into a strong pack, the daughter of an Alpha and Luna. But that life was taken from me. My own kind killed my pack, my family, my people. They took everything from me, leaving me alone in the world. That night, as I stood among the ruins of my home, surrounded by the lifeless bodies of my loved ones, I made a promise. I would kill every last one of them.

I’ve kept that promise ever since. Some werewolves I’ve killed mentioned that certain packs are looking for me, trying to hunt me down because of what I do. But they will never find me. I never leave a trace. No one lives to tell the tale. As for my personal life, I have one true friend, Olivia. We met at a club on a night when I was drowning in heartbreak, mourning over my cheating ex-boyfriend. I was a mess, but Olivia cheered me up, dragged me to the dance floor, and made me laugh. We’ve been best friends ever since. That pretty much sums up my life, a teacher by day, a hunter by night. )

After checking assignments for an hour, I sighed and leaned back in my chair. My eyes felt tired from all the reading, and my body was stiff from sitting too long. Enough of this. I stood up and walked to my wardrobe, pulling out an outfit for the night. Something comfortable but attractive. Once I was satisfied with my choice, I headed to the bathroom to take a shower. The warm water relaxed my muscles, washing away the stress of the day. I closed my eyes, letting the steam surround me, my mind already thinking about tonight. I had a mission. I had a target. After about thirty minutes, I stepped out, wrapping a towel around myself. I quickly dried my hair and styled it into loose curls. My makeup was light but flattering, just a little mascara, eyeliner, and a soft lip colour. Nothing too dramatic. Tonight was going to be fun. Hopefully, I will find a creature to hunt. I walked to my bed and kneeled down, reaching underneath.

My fingers grabbed hold of something, and with a little effort, I pulled out a black suitcase. A smile crept across my lips as I unzipped it, revealing the weapons inside. My fingers gently traced over the cool silver of my daggers and the sharp wooden stakes. "Which one of you will be lucky enough to sink into those monsters tonight?" I whispered, giggling softly as I ran my fingers over them. I played a little game with myself. "Eeny, meeny, miny, moe…" My finger landed on a silver dagger, specially designed for werewolves. Next, I grabbed a wooden stake, its tip coated in vervain, a deadly substance for vampires. Then, I picked up a small tracking device, a tool that helped me locate supernatural creatures in crowded places. I never went on a hunt without it. Carefully, I hid the dagger and stake under my clothes, making sure they wouldn’t be visible. I took one last look at my weapons, then zipped up the suitcase and pushed it back under the bed.

"Tonight’s going to be interesting," I murmured to myself with a smirk. Grabbing my phone and keys, I stepped out of my apartment, locking the door behind me. A cool breeze greeted me as I walked down the dimly lit street. I hailed a cab, sliding into the backseat. "To Club Royale," I told the driver. As the car moved through the busy streets of London, I leaned back, my fingers tapping lightly against my thigh. Tonight, I wasn’t just going to dance and drink. Tonight, I was going to hunt. After an hour-long drive, I finally arrived at my destination. The club stood tall, its neon lights flashing in the dark, illuminating the crowd gathered outside. The thumping bass of the music could be heard even from here. I paid the driver, stepped out, and sighed as my eyes landed on the long queue stretching outside the entrance. "Ugh," I groaned, crossing my arms. The line was ridiculously long. I scanned the crowd, trying to spot Olivia. Where the hell was she? Just as I was about to pull out my phone, I heard a familiar voice. "Hey, Seraphina! Here!" I turned and saw Olivia waving at me, from the very front of the line. What the hell? Frowning, I made my way toward her, weaving through impatient clubgoers. When I reached her, I narrowed my eyes. "How did you get to the front of the queue?" I whispered, glancing around.

She smirked and simply said, "Come on, let’s go inside." Before I could question her further, she winked at the security guard near the entrance. My mouth fell open as the bouncer smirked back and gestured for us to enter. I stopped in my tracks, blinking in disbelief. "Wait, did you just wink at the guard?" I asked in a low voice as we stepped inside. She just grinned. My jaw dropped. "Olivia, don’t tell me you flirted with him to get in?" She tossed her hair over her shoulder and grinned mischievously. "Maybe he’s also getting lucky tonight," she said in a sultry tone, winking again. I gagged. "Eww, Liv, you’re disgusting." She laughed. "Oh, come on! Did you even look at that guy? He was hot."

I rolled my eyes. "Just don’t." We both laughed as we walked deeper into the club. The atmosphere was electric, the air thick with smoke and the scent of alcohol, bodies pressed against each other on the dance floor, and the bass of the music vibrating through the walls.The bartender placed our drinks on the bar. Olivia and I gulped them down in one go, the alcohol burning its way down my throat. "C’mon, Sera, let’s go dance!" Olivia shouted over the music, already dragging me towards the pulsing mass of people on the dance floor. I nodded, letting the rhythm take over. The dance floor was packed. Colourful lights flashed in every direction, painting the room in shades of red, blue, and purple. The music was deafening, a deep, pulsing beat that I could feel in my bones.

Olivia and I moved to the rhythm, our hips swaying in sync with the music. I let my body relax, getting lost in the moment. The feel of the beat, the energy of the crowd, it was intoxicating. I laughed as Olivia twirled, flipping her hair back dramatically. "See? Isn’t this fun?" she shouted over the noise. I grinned, nodding. "Yeah, yeah, you were right!" Just as I was starting to enjoy myself, a sudden vibration against my skin made me freeze. Shit. The device hidden under my outfit was going off. A supernatural creature was here. My heart pounded, but not from the music this time. I glanced at Olivia, keeping my expression neutral. "Liv, I need to go to the bathroom," I said quickly. She frowned. "Now?" I nodded. "I’ll be back soon." She shrugged and went back to dancing, completely oblivious to what was happening. I slipped away from the dance floor, moving toward the darker side of the club, where the crowd wasn’t as dense. Once I was in a quieter spot, I reached under my clothes and pulled out the tracking device. The small screen showed a flashing red dot, signalling the presence of a vampire. I swallowed hard, my fingers tightening around the device. The signal was strong. The vampire was close. I slowly lifted my gaze and scanned the bar area. And that’s when I saw him. He sat at the bar, a drink in hand, looking completely at ease. Dark hair, sharp jawline, piercing red eyes. He looked young, probably nineteen or twenty, but I knew better. Vampires don’t age.

He was lean but muscular, dressed in black jeans, and a tight-fitting shirt that accentuated his pale skin. His posture was relaxed, but I could see the sharp alertness in his eyes. A predator waiting for his prey. "Tonight, this bloodsucker is going to hell," I muttered under my breath. I straightened my shoulders, plastered a flirtatious smile on my face, and walked toward him.

He noticed me immediately, his red eyes flickering with interest. "Hey there," I purred, leaning against the bar. He smirked. "Well, hello. What’s a beautiful thing like you doing all alone?" I giggled, pretending to be charmed. "Maybe I was waiting for someone worth my time." His smirk widened. "Lucky me." I trailed a finger along the rim of his drink, my eyes meeting his. "So, are you from around here?" He tilted his head. "You could say that. And you?" I leaned in closer, lowering my voice. "Does it matter?" His eyes darkened slightly. "No. Not at all." I hated this. Every second of this fake flirting made my skin crawl. But I had to lure him outside. I reached forward and brushed my fingers along his jaw, tilting my head slightly. Then, before I could hesitate, I leaned in and kissed him. Disgusting. I wanted to wipe my mouth immediately, but I forced myself to keep up the act. I pulled back with a smirk. "Let’s go outside and have some fun." His red eyes gleamed. "Lead the way, sweetheart." We slipped out of the club and into a deserted alleyway.

The street was dark, quiet, the perfect place for a kill. As soon as we were away from prying eyes, he grabbed me, pulling me into another kiss. Big mistake. I slammed the wooden stake into his chest.

He gasped, his red eyes widening in shock. "Y-you....." His body convulsed, his hands clawing at my arm. Black veins spread across his pale skin as the stake burned through him. "You... bitch!" he choked out. I laughed mercilessly, twisting the stake deeper. "You monsters took everything from me. This is what you deserve." He let out a final agonized scream before his body turned to ash, disintegrating into the wind. I dusted off my hands, adjusting my outfit. "Another one bites the dust." Without another glance, I left the alley, making my way back inside the club.

It's time for another drink.