The Art Of Dying

MIA'S POVI always thought my life was the punchline to some bad cosmic joke. It felt like the universe played rock, paper, scissors with its buddies and I got picked to live out the fuckery. But hearing my boyfriend screw my sister on the other side of my bedroom wall was another kind of fucked up.At first, I didn’t believe it. Sure, Tanum had the emotional capacity of a spoon sitting in a cold tea and a face that was way too confident for someone who thought “crypto investor” counted as a career. But my sister? My own blood? That was just diabolical. It was a well orchestrated betrayal bullshit.The walls of my apartment were thin enough to hear Masha’s moans followed by the breathy little giggles that made my stomach twist. It was like someone had pressed “play” on my personal humiliation playlist and left the damn thing on loop. I sat on the edge of my bed holding my phone, trying to convince myself I was hallucinating the whole thing. Maybe I’d finally snapped from too much caff

Mia's POV “Let’s get off the bus and kill some monsters or die trying,” Axel said like it was the most casual thing in the world.I clawed into my seat like it was my only anchor. “Right,” I said. “Just stroll into Dracula’s Castle for a quick visit. No big deal.”“Five hours isn't a quick visit.” He said, making my heart sink deeper into despair.“Five fucking hours!” I pulled a handful of hair. “What are we doing there for five hours. That's long enough to get killed thrice.”He shot me a look that said, don’t be dramatic. I wanted to tell him to stop being cocky and try being supportive for a change but I knew it would only make him more cocky.Before I stood, something caught my eye. A woman at the back of the bus was staring at me. Immediately I looked at her, she turned and looked away. Something crossed her face that might have been guilt or maybe she was constipated.I hesitated. “Hey,” I called, waving. “You coming? According to the voice in the intercom, if we don't get off

Mia PoVThe sound didn't stop. It kept rumbling through the castle like a heartbeat made of pure dread. My chest tightened even though I was so damn sure I didn't need to breathe anymore. Death had some perks, but panic attacks apparently weren't on the excluded list.The girl in the yellow hat—Erina, according to the notification that just popped up on the screen, was still suspended in the air by Bree's telekinetic grip. She looked way too calm for someone being held hostage. Her smile was the kind that said she knew something we didn't, and I hated that smile with every fiber of my dead being."You should let me go," Erina said fakeishly sweet. "He's going to be very upset if you hurt me.""Who?" I asked, even though I already knew the answer."The count." Her eyes glittered. "He doesn't like it when people touch his things."Axel stumbled forward, still bleeding from where she'd stabbed him. The venom was doing a number on him. His face had gone pale and sweat beaded on his forehe

Mia PoVThe bus was packed. When I say packed, I mean sardines-in-a-tin-can level of uncomfortable. New deadies filled every available seat, standing room only in the aisles. They all had that same shell-shocked look I probably had when I first climbed aboard. Fresh meat for the grinder.I was squeezed between Axel and the window. Bree sat across from us, and Erina had claimed the seat behind me. The new deadies kept staring at us, specifically at Erina and her fancy new gifts from Dracula. The obsidian pendant around her neck caught what little light there was, making it look like she was wearing a piece of the night sky."They're staring," Erina whispered."Let them," Axel said. He was still pale from the venom, but the color was slowly returning to his face. Whatever healing factor deadies had, it was working Big time. "They'll learn soon enough that staring doesn't help you survive."The intercom crackled to life. "Congratulations on surviving Dracula's Castle! Current survivor co

MIA'S POVThe cabin smelled like rotting wood and something sweet that made my stomach turn. The shadow fiends outside kept scratching at the walls, their claws leaving marks that glowed faintly in the dark. Every scrape sent shivers down my spine."How long until they give up?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady."They don't give up," Erina said quietly. She was sitting in the corner, clutching Dracula's pendant. "Shadow fiends don't get tired. They don't get bored. They just hunt until they catch you or something stronger scares them away.""Great," Brady muttered. "So we're trapped in a creepy cabin with monsters outside. This is fine. Everything's fine.""Shut up, Brady," Walter snapped. He was pacing near the window, watching the shadows move. "We need a plan.""The plan is simple," Willow said. She was sharpening a blade she'd pulled from somewhere. "We wait until dawn. Shadow fiends can't survive direct sunlight.""There's no sun here," Bree pointed out. "We're in a valley