BLOODMOONLIGHT

They say when someone dies, the world slows down.

They're wrong.

It's been five days since Mom's funeral, and I still have to get up, brush my teeth, and pretend toast breads matters.

Greg slides a plate toward me. Burnt toast. Again.

"You should eat."

I look him in the eyes. "I'm not hungry."

He nods like he already knows he's lost. Not just this argument. Me.

Outside, the air bites. The sky is gray, like it's mourning with me. Trees shift in the wind, their branches swaying like they're whispering secrets I can't hear.

I cross the street toward school. Cars pass. People walk. Life moves forward, like nothing's changed. But everything has.

Everyone thinks my mom's death is the only thing that matters. But it's not.

There's something worse.

That night.

The blood. The voice. The thing in the woods that whispered:

"You're one of us, Aria. Half vampire. You'll feel it soon."

I haven't told anyone. Not even Jace.

Because vampires aren't real.

Right?

At school, the whispers start before I reach my locker.

"That's her." "She looks different." "Did you hear about her mom?"

I clench my fists. I want to scream. Instead, I shove my books in and slam the locker shut.

"Hey."

Jace leans beside me, hoodie up, eyes soft like always. His presence is a blanket I didn't know I needed.

He smells like campfire and rain.

"You good?" he asks, voice low.

"No."

He smirks a little. "Fair."

We walk to class in silence. No pushing, no questions. That's Jace. He just... understands.

We've been friends since we were five. Sandboxes, scraped knees, secret hideouts. He's more than my best friend. He's my anchor.

But lately, even that feels like it's slipping.

Third period.

Mr. Hall clears his throat. "Class, meet our new student."

The door creaks open.

He walks in.

Everything changes.

The air feels thick, like holding your breath underwater.

He's tall. Pale. Hair black as night, eyes dark violet-like bruises, like shadows.

He doesn't blink. Doesn't smile. Just... watches.

When his gaze lands on me, it's like falling. My stomach flips. My skin prickles.

"This is Eric Vane," Mr. Hall says. "He's new in town. You'll sit... next to Aria."

Of course.

He walks past the desks like they're not there. He moves with purpose, slow and silent. And when he sits, the space around us feels smaller.

I don't look at him. Not really. But I feel him. Watching. Waiting.

My necklace-Mom's necklace-starts to pulse against my chest. A low, steady thump.

I grab it without thinking.

After class, I try to disappear.

But he's there.

Close. Too close.

"You're Aria."

It's not a question.

I stop. Turn slowly. "How do you know my name?"

"I heard it."

His voice is calm, smooth. Like water over stone. No emotion. No warmth.

"You shouldn't wear that necklace," he says.

I blink. My fingers curl around it tighter. "Why?"

"It's not protecting you anymore."

"who...?.no...What are you?" I ask, before I can stop myself.

His eyes flicker. Something sharp hides in them, like teeth behind a smile he's not wearing.

"You'll find out."

Lunch is a blur. Noise and people swirling around me. Jace sits beside me, his shoulder brushing mine.

"You look pale," he says.

"I'm fine."

Eric sits alone beneath the trees. He's in full sun, but it doesn't touch him. Doesn't warm him.

He doesn't burn.

He's not human. I feel it in my bones.

"Aria," Jace says, voice lower now. "Stay away from him."

I blink. "What?"

"Eric. He's bad news. I feel it."

I gave him a sassy smile and asked "Since when do you 'feel' things?"

He looks away. Shrugs. But the tension in his jaw says he's holding something back.

"Do you know something?" I press.

"No," he said quickly. Almost like he's lying

But the silence after is louder than words.

That night, I can't sleep. I lie still, eyes open, watching shadows crawl across the ceiling.

My heart won't slow down.

Mom. Her voice. The woods. The blood. Lucien. The moon.

And now... Eric.

I sit up. My fingers go to the necklace. I felt a staring urge to rip it off

I rip it off.

The air changes instantly. Cold rushes in. The light in the room dims, like something is pressing against the walls.

My window made a creaking sound .

I move to it slowly to shut it, heart pounding.

He's there.

Eric.

Standing in the backyard, under the trees.

He looks up. Our eyes lock.

"Don't be afraid," he says softly. Calm, like this is normal. Like he's supposed to be here.

"How did you get here?" I whisper.

"You know the answer."

"You were in the woods that night. Weren't you?"

He nods.

I feel frozen. "What do you want from me?"

His eyes glow faintly now. Not just dark...alive. Like they carry memories older than time.

He steps closer.

"Everything."