Rena's POV

“Dahlia, I appreciate the effort. I do.”

Today is my eighteenth birthday, a milestone I should be celebrating.

As I stand amid the decorated parlor room, surrounded by balloons and streamers in shades of my favorite colors, I can't help but feel a heavy weight on my chest.

“I know this isn’t how you imagined celebrating your special day,” Dahlia places a comforting hand on my shoulder. “But you have Nate and I, you’ll always have a home here.”

I gave her a small, appreciative smile. After my parents passed away, Dahlia and Nate welcomed me into their home with open arms.

Despite the vibrant decorations and their smiling faces, my heart aches for the one who couldn’t be here.

“I’m sorry, it’s just... it doesn’t feel right celebrating without Rachel. Today is meant for us both.”

“I know how much you miss her,” Dahlia reaches out to squeeze my hand. “But Rachel would want you to celebrate, dear. She wouldn’t want you spending your birthday alone and sad.”

Dahlia is right. Rachel would never want that for me. She had always been the optimistic one who brightened my darkest days amid father’s violent outbursts. I take a deep breath, mustering a small smile.

“You’re right. I’m sure wherever she is, Rachel is thinking of me today.”

Looking around at the decorated room, I could almost imagine Rachel’s joyful laughter ringing through into the quiet space.

But then, a strange sense of unease washes over me. It feels as though we are being watched. Glancing around, my eyes dart around and fix on the large windows overlooking the front garden.

For a moment, I catch a fleeting glimpse of a shadowy figure standing just beyond the glass, half-hidden within the trees.

“Rena, what is it?” Nate asks, concern by my expression.

“I thought I saw...” I trail off, dismissing it as a trick of the light. No need to worry Dahlia with shadows that meant nothing. “It’s nothing,” I assure him with a smile.

Nate’s eyes meet mine but doesn’t press further. My eyes drift back to the window.

“Why don’t we light the candles on your cake?” I can tell Dahlia still worried underneath her warm smile.

We gather around the exquisitely decorated cake. As Dahlia lights the eighteen candles, their warm glow washes over the room. I close my eyes and make a wish, hoping that somehow my wish could be granted.

When I open my eyes again, I see Dahlia and Nate smiling warmly at me, their smiles not quite reaching their eyes. I can tell they’re still worried about me.

As we toast to birthday wishes coming true, laughter and cheer seem to dissolve the last of the gloom that has clung to me.

The evening passes in a joyful blur. Dahlia’s cooking was as delicious as ever, and Nate entertained us with a lively piece from his violin.

The gaping hole left by Rachel’s absence is gradually mending, filled in by the love of my makeshift family.

Carter’s POV

I follow Damien into the crowded bar, scanning the lit room for an available table. His hand is gripping my arm, almost painfully so, as he leads the way.

“Over there.” Damien’s barely audible over the thumping bass.

We squeeze into a small booth in the corner. Damien’s eyes dart around as he signals the bartender. “Congrats on turning twenty-one, mate! What can I get for you?”

“A beer is fine.”

Something seems off about my friend’s behavior tonight.

As we wait for our drinks, an elegant woman with long white hair catches my eye from across the bar. Her alabaster skin seems to glow under the strobing lights. She smiles in my direction.

“Damien, is everything okay? You seem on edge.”

He runs a shaking hand through his dark hair.

“I’m fine. Let’s not talk about it, yeah?” He forces a smile that doesn’t reach his eyes.

My gaze wanders back to the mysterious white-haired woman. Her piercing red eyes meet mine, and I’m startled by their intensity. She raises her glass in a slight toast before taking a delicate sip.

Her blood-red lips part in a mysterious smile. I feel drawn to her, curiosity and caution warring within me.

“Don’t look at her,” Damien’s eyes widen in shock.

His grip on my arm tightens further, almost to the point of pain.

“What’s gotten into you?” I try to pry his fingers off. Dark bruises are already forming where his nails dug in.

He draws a shuddering breath. “That woman... she’s dangerous, Car. Please, trust me.”

I eye the strange beauty across the room. She regards me over the rim of her glass. Beautiful yet terrifying, like a glimpse into the dark soul of night itself.

What secret does she hide behind those crimson eyes?

My curiosity burns within me, even as Damien’s words of warning echo in my mind.

“Let’s just go, Car,” Damien argues, his usual composure abandoned. A sheen of sweat covers his brow.

The woman smiles again, placing her empty glass on the bar with a soft clink. In a sinuous motion, she rises from her stool and glides across the room toward us.

“Damien, we can’t be rude,” I steel myself though my pounding in my chest. This close, her beauty is almost unearthly. Icy fingers trail down my arm, sending a shiver through me.

“What brings you here tonight, gentlemen?” Her voice is like velvet, soft and rich. Crimson lips move as she speaks.

Damien tugs at my arm as I hesitate. Her fiery eyes lock onto mine, threatening to drown me in their depths.

“Carter, please,” Damien clenches his teeth, desperation coloring his voice. “We must leave. Now.”

I break free of his grasp and stand to face the mysterious woman. Her porcelain skin glows eerily under the dim lights, accentuating her unearthly beauty. Up close, I notice the intricate details of her dress - crimson silk flowing like blood over her slender form.

“I’m sorry. Have we met?”

She flashes her white teeth behind red lips.

“Not formally. I am Rachel.” she hesitates, extending a slender hand. Her skin is icy to the touch.

I shake it. “Carter.”

Rachel turns to Damien. “And you?”

Damien doesn’t speak, only staring at her with wide, fearful eyes.

Rachel frowns. “No need to be rude, Damien.”

I feel her icy grip tighten around my arm. Damien struggles against the two vampire men restraining him.

“Let him go. What do you want from us?”

She runs a long nail down my chest. “All in good time. But first, I believe you have something that belongs to me.” Her red eyes pierce mine. “The pendant, Carter. Hand it over.”

I clench my jaw. How does she know about the strange pendant I found? “I don’t know what you’re talking about. Now let him go or I swear-!”

She clicks her tongue in disapproval. “-Now, there’s no need for threats. All I want is the pendant.”

“I told you, I don’t have it,” gritting my teeth. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Damien shaking his head at me.

I steel my nerves and stand my ground.

“Like I said, I don’t have the pendant!” I repeat louder.

Rachel’s eyes flash red with anger. “Very well.” She clicks her fingers.

The two vampires holding Damien bare their fangs. Damien lets out an agonizing scream as they sink deep into his neck.

“No!” I struggle against her iron grip. But it’s too late. Damien’s body grows limp as his crimson blood pools on the floor.

Amid the chaos, the crowd seems oblivious, as if they have been compelled to ignore what’s happening in the dark corner of the bar beforehand.

Rachel’s red eyes gleam with satisfaction as she steps back, leaving me staring in horror at Damien’s lifeless form.

“That’s what happens when you refuse me, Carter. I always get what I want.”

The lifeless eyes of my friend ignite a fire of anger and grief within me.

As she turns to leave, a wave of fury grips me. “You’ll pay for this!” I scream, my voice drowned out by the blaring music. The glint of determination gleams in my eyes as I vow to avenge Damien’s death.

Rachel stops in her tracks, her head tilting. “Oh, how brave of you to challenge me, little dhampir,” her ruby lips curving into a chilling smile. “You have spirit, I’ll give you that.”

I clench my fists, my heart pounding in my chest. “I’ll hunt you down and make you pay for what you’ve done!”

The sound of her laugh sending shivers down my spine.

“Oh, I love a good chase. But remember, Carter, I don’t get caught,” she taunts, her voice weaving a sinister melody that sends chills down my spine.

As she vanishes into the shadows, leaving behind a lifeless Damien and a shattered piece of my world, a burning resolve ignites within me.