AURORA'S POV: I scoff. "Don’t flatter yourself. I took a wrong turn.""Sure you did." His smirk deepens.I ignore the heat creeping up my neck and yank at the door handle again. "Do you have a key?"Arc leans against the doorway, clearly enjoying my frustration. "Nope. But I’m in no rush."I groan, dragging a hand down my face. Of all people to be locked in with, it had to be him. Silence stretches between us. The faint scent of mint and something darker, something undeniably Arc, lingers in the air. The dim lighting casts sharp shadows over his features, making him look more like the predator he truly is."Why do you hate me so much?" I blurt out, surprising myself.Arc arches a brow, as if the question is amusing. "Hate you? That’s a strong word." "Well, for starters, everytime you look at me, it's with anger and something else I still can't place, in your eyes." "Well, I don't think that can count as hate, darling." I cross my arms. "You go out of your way to make my l
AURORA'S POV: My breath gets stuck in my throat as I suddenly struggle to breathe. "Wha-what do you mean?" My voice comes out more shaky than I would have liked it to be. "It would be nice to finally drink some human blood after twenty eight years, don't you think? I'm quite tired of that stale animal blood." His smile turns sinister and his white fangs suddenly look more pointy. This is not the way I envisioned myself dying at all. This is so not it. "Please...please, don't kill me. You are not even supposed to kill your mate, are you?" "Hmmm... I do like it when you beg... Moreover, you do have a point. I can't kill my mate but I can definitely mark her as mine and mine alone." "Mark me how? I am not about to become some vampire's wife. I'm just a girl." He stares at me for some seconds, expressionless before bursting into laughter. I raise my eyebrow in confusion. What is making him laugh? I'm here worried and terrified to my core about loosing my life
Aurora's pov:"Rory? I’ve been looking for you everywhere!"My heart stops.Cali.Of all the people who could find us right now, it just had to be her?Arc's grip on my hand tightens. His eyes dart to the direction of her voice, then back to mine. Panic flickers across his face."She can't see me like this," he mutters under his breath, barely audible.His fangs are still out, sharp and glinting under the soft parking lot lights. There’s no way to explain that away. No scarf is going to fool Cali when she's this close. She's a curious little cat. She's already turning the corner, her voice drawing nearer."I'm sorry," I whisper, looking up at him. “You said if you feed, they'll retract?"He nods slowly, uncertain. "Yes… but, Aurora-""You can drink from me," I blurt, chest tightening with both fear and something deeper I don’t want to name. "Just enough. Quickly. She’s almost here."He blinks, stunned. "Are you sure?"No. Not even a little. Do I really want to have my blood sucked?
Arc’s POV:I don’t stop driving fast until I’m out of view. Past the edge of her house. Past the lamplight. Into the shadows where I belong. Only then do I let out the breath I didn’t know I was holding.What the hell did I just do? I ran my fangs into her neck. Her neck. Aurora. It's not because I lost control. No… I chose to do it. I asked.She said yes.But still. I tasted her. And now I’m ruined.The taste of her still lingers on my tongue, like warmth and sun and something ancient. Something mine. It was nothing like the sterile animal blood I’ve numbed myself with all these years. Her blood felt like a jolt to my deadened veins. Like being alive again.That should’ve scared me. It should’ve made me run far, far away.Instead, all I can think about is how close her body was to mine… how soft her skin felt under my mouth. How her breath hitched the second my fangs pierced her.She trusted me. And I almost didn’t want to stop. I stop walking and lean against a tree, pre
AURORA'S POV: I open the door of the house slowly, trying to be as silent as I can so as to not bring attention to myself. The living room lights are turned off when I step inside. Heaving a sigh of relief, I tiptoe up the stairs. I turn the knob of my room door gently and lock it behind me. "Welcome home." A familiar voice booms from behind me. I flinch and almost hit my head against the door. Spinning around with immediate effect, my hands find the light switch and turn it off. Standing at my window sill is Jon. I almost jump into my skin with how scary he looks. "Why are you in my room?" I look at him pointedly. He shrugs and walks towards. With every step forward, I remember the fact that I probably have fang marks sitting pretty on my neck. I tighten the scarf around my neck, trying to be subtle with it but his eyes trail my movements. Shit. He is only one step away from me now. His height towers over my figure so I have to raise up my head to look at
AURORA'S POV: I open the door of the house slowly, trying to be as silent as I can so as to not bring attention to myself. The living room lights are turned off when I step inside. Heaving a sigh of relief, I tiptoe up the stairs. I turn the knob of my room door gently and lock it behind me. "Welcome home." A familiar voice booms from behind me. I flinch and almost hit my head against the door. Spinning around with immediate effect, my hands find the light switch and turn it off. Standing at my window sill is Jon. I almost jump into my skin with how scary he looks. "Why are you in my room?" I look at him pointedly. He shrugs and walks towards. With every step forward, I remember the fact that I probably have fang marks sitting pretty on my neck. I tighten the scarf around my neck, trying to be subtle with it but his eyes trail my movements. Shit. He is only one step away from me now. His height towers over my figure so I have to raise up my head to look at
AURORA'S POV:It's barely dawn, and I haven’t slept a damn minute. It’s early, too early, but I’m wide awake, staring blankly at the ceiling like it holds the answers to all the chaos that is my life. The room is still dark, a soft grey light barely seeping through the window blinds. My heart hasn't stopped its uneasy thudding since last night. Since that kiss. Since I let myself drown in Jon, only to come to my senses and shove him out of my room like my skin was on fire. I've been staring at the ceiling throughout the whole night. I don't even know what to do anymore. My mind keeps drifting to the kiss Jon and I shared. Because it was. I press the back of my hand to my lips, remembering the way his mouth moved on mine...hungry, desperate, real. I had felt every emotion he poured into me like it was my own. And that is what scared me. Not the kiss. The way I felt during it.Jon’s hands gripping my waist, his lips claiming mine like he was drowning and I was his ai
AURORA’S POV: The scratch of pens, the low hum of the overhead projector, and the half-hearted drone of Mr. Haynes lecturing about cell division fill the classroom. I’m staring blankly at my notebook, pretending to take notes, but my thoughts are still tangled in the locker room incident and the strange, gold-eyed man who vanished like a ghost.I shouldn’t be thinking about it. But I am. "Seer," he’d whispered. The word echoes in my head like a bell tolling underwater. I don’t even know what it means. And worse, I haven’t told anyone. Not Jon. Not Arc. Especially not Arc.A crumpled note lands on my desk. I blink, glancing down. In messy, rushed handwriting, it says: You okay? You’ve been zoning out for ten minutes.- J I glance up. Jon is two rows ahead, angled just enough to watch me without making it obvious. Our eyes meet. He offers a small, concerned smile. Warm. Comforting. I smile back, but before I can write a reply, I hear the exaggerated clearin
Aurora’s POVThe cold bites into my skin as I run. My feet pound against the pavement, faster than my thoughts, but not fast enough to outrun them. They scream in my ears, louder than the wind, louder than Loni’s voice, louder than the truth.Mavilla and Bruce…My lungs burn, but I can’t stop. Not when every step echoes it’s your fault. Not when every blink shows me their faces; my parents’ faces, etched into that damn photo, smiling like they weren’t about to die for a child who would forget them.Who did forget them. I stumble, hands scraping the edge of a stone wall as I veer off the sidewalk. Trees blur past. My vision spins. My heartbeat isn’t even mine anymore, it’s pounding like a drum summoning ghosts.And they come.Flash. She’s tall. Regal. Eyes like fire. My mother, no, Mavilla. Her silver hair is tied back as she leans over a map spread across a table. “They’re coming,” she says, voice tight. “We don’t have time.”A man beside her slams his fist down. His
AURORA'S POV:"What do you mean? I don't have any parents. I don't know what you are saying." She is just joking. Right? "Just take a look at the picture again. I know this is a lot for you.... A whole lot to spring on you after 17 years but I'd rather tell you the truth now than let you move around blind in this dangerous world." I don’t blink. I don’t move. The photo in my hands feels heavier than it should. Like it’s soaked in memories I was never allowed to have. Mavilla and Bruce. My… parents. The woman, Mavilla, has my eyes. That same arch in the brows. That same curve to her lips like the world never quite made sense to her but she smiled anyway. And Bruce? His shoulders look like a wall of strength, his arm draped around her with quiet pride. My parents. Mine. I have a mum and dad. I had... A pang of longing rips through me. I didn’t even know I could miss something I never had. Loni’s voice breaks the silence. "They were brave. Fierce. The kind of pe
Aurora's pov: I didn't die of hunger. I'm very much alive thanks to the pancakes Jon made for us. I want to eat more but I have to pretend to be demure. We’re all sitting in silence now, bellies full and hearts still tangled in confusion. The movie playing on the TV is some random rom-com Arc picked probably to distract me. I've accepted that he can be sweet sometimes. Key word: sometimes. I’m nestled in the corner of the couch, legs tucked beneath me, nursing a cup of tea that’s gone lukewarm. Jon lounges on the floor, his back to the couch, close enough that I can feel his warmth. Arc is sprawled on the other side of the couch, arms crossed, pretending to watch the screen but really just stealing glances at me every few minutes. None of us are saying anything. The air still feels thick like the answers we need are hiding just behind the silence. Arc is the first to stir. He shifts forward, lips parting like he’s finally going to speak.But then, a voice come
AURORA’S POV: The moment the door locks behind us, her energy shifts again. Jon’s mother is no longer just stunned instead she’s unraveling. She steps closer, slow and unsure, like I’m a dream she’s afraid to touch. Her hand trembles as it rises to cover her mouth, eyes glistening as if holding back a tide of memories too heavy to bear. What have I done now?Tears spill. Just like that. No warning. No sound. Just soft, wet streaks that break something inside me. "Ma’am…?" I whisper again, more timid this time. Fear starts to grip my heart at her reactions to my existence in get living room. Jon steps forward, instinctively, like he’s about to put an arm around her, but she lifts a hand. "Wait,"she breathes out, voice shaking like a leaf in a storm. "Just… wait here. I'm coming. Just hold on!!"Then she turns and bolts.Up the stairs.The fuck just happened?!? Her footsteps echo across the walls until all that’s left is silence. Thick. Unbreathable. I blink af
AURORA'S POV: I finished taking my bath a while ago in my room and left Cali there. I wanted to ask her to come along but I remembered that not only is it not my place to invite her to someone else's home, something 'weird' might happen and I don't want her to be dragged into this whole situation. She was even talking about going to hang out with one of the guys she met on the plane yesterday. Apparently, they wanted to hook up. Typical Cali. I did remind her not to get pregnant because I wasn't ready to start baby sitting. Her godfather would also tear the guy to shreds... Anyways, I am now on my way to Jon's room. The room is quiet except for the faint sound of fingers on glass and Arc’s keyboard clicking steadily across the room. I step inside and pause, my eyes locking briefly on Arc. He's sitting on the edge of the bed, laptop perched on his knees, eyes scanning the screen with laser focus. His brows are slightly drawn, lips tight. He looks… intense. But
AURORA'S POV: Arc's eyes narrow immediately, jaw clenching as he gestures to the two of them on the bed. "What’s going on? Where are you taking her?" Jon stiffens. "Relax. I’m just taking her to my mum’s place. For a meal. That’s all." Arc’s eyes flick to Aurora, then back to Jon. "You think dragging her all over town after last night is a good idea?" "It is not 'all over town', it is my house. She will basically just be sitting down and eating a meal. Quit the dramatics." Oh shit. I need to stop this before things escalate. I quickly interject, stretching her arms and flashing a sheepish grin. "Okay, tension police. I’m craving apple pie, and I’m starving. Like… genuinely could eat a dragon." Arc crosses his arms. "She shouldn’t be moving around so much, especially not with you. I don’t trust you to take care of her."Jon's face darkens immediately. This keeps getting worse. Jon’s voice sharpens. "Excuse me? Just because you were able to help her just once
THIRD PERSON POV: Arc bursts into the bathroom, eyes darting to the crumpled figure on the floor- Aurora. His breath catches. For a second, everything stills.Then he starts moving. "Aurora," he calls sharply, his voice a gravelled mix of panic and urgency. He rushes to her side, scooping her into his arms with more gentleness than he thought himself capable of. Her skin is clammy, her lashes trembling slightly against her pale cheeks. She’s still breathing but faintly. Jon barrels into the room behind him. "What the hell happened?" "She fainted." Arc’s voice is tight. "I just came in and saw Cali banging on the door. She was having a panic attack. By the time I opened the door, she was already unconscious." Jon’s eyes narrow as he follows Arc out of the room. They head straight for Arc and Jon’s room down the hall. Jon throws the door open and Arc sets Aurora gently down on the first bed he sees. Together, they work in silence at first. Jon dampens a cloth
ARC’S POV: The second we step into the room, I already know it’s going to be a goddamn disaster. It smells like pinewood and overpriced cologne. Two twin beds sit across from each other with a narrow aisle between them. One window. One bathroom. Zero exits from the fact that I’m stuck with him. Although, on the plus side, it's a very spacious room. If I'm careful enough, I can avoid him totally. I will stay on my side and he will stay on his. Hopefully. Jon throws his bag onto one of the beds and turns to look at me like he’s been waiting to do this all day. "Of all the people I could’ve ended up with," he mutters, jaw tight. "Why the hell did it have to be you?" I close the door behind me and toss my duffel onto the floor. "Trust me, mutt, I’m not thrilled about it either."His nostrils flare. "Don’t call me that." "Then don’t act like one," I shoot back, stepping past him. Our shoulders bump. The tension is sharp, electric, thickening the air between us.Jo
AURORA'S POV: The bus is already in sight when Jon and I finally round the corner, out of breath, our shoes slapping against the pavement like war drums. The early morning air is cold, biting at our cheeks, but adrenaline keeps us warm.Believe me, I want my bed so bad. "We’re so late," I pant, clutching my duffel tighter. Jon chuckles, his hand brushing against mine for a second longer than necessary. "Not my fault you turned off your alarm in your sleep." "You literally sleep like the dead. I had to throw a pillow at your head!" We skid to a stop as we reach the cluster of students gathered near the bus. Mr. Granger, one of our chaperones, gives us a narrowed glare but doesn’t say anything. We made it...barely. But still. A win is a win. As we board the bus, Jon flashes me a crooked smile. "Well, we’re officially on our way to Australia." My stomach tightens. The idea of being away from everything familiar makes my nerves dance. I should be used to this