The day had been long. Kara had just left her last class, exhausted, yet unable to shake a persistent sense of unease. It had been a while since Natalie started skipping classes without any convincing explanation, and no matter how much she tried to hide it, Kara could tell something was wrong.
That night, instead of heading straight back to the dorm as she always did, Kara made a decision: she would go to Natalie's room. Maybe, face-to-face, she could finally understand what was going on.
She went up the stairs quickly, feeling the weight of each step echo through the silent hallway. When she reached Natalie's door, she called several times, but Nat didn't answer. Kara then tried the doorknob. Locked.
"Weird…" she murmured, frowning.
She knocked softly, waiting for any sound from the other side. Nothing. The silence only amplified the emptiness she felt. She took her phone from her pocket and called. Once, twice, three times. No answer.
A knot formed in her stomach. She decided she couldn't wait. Taking a deep breath, she turned around and began walking down the hallway toward the exit. The cool night air hit her face as she stepped out through the campus' main doors. And that was when her eyes caught something:
Natalie, her long dark hair gleaming under the streetlights, was walking quickly toward the gate. Kara hid partially behind a wall, watching.
A black car awaited her, engine running. Without hesitation, Natalie opened the door and got inside. The moment seemed too fast, almost rehearsed. Too discreet.
Kara's heart raced. She pulled out her phone and, without thinking twice, called again. This time, it was answered after a few rings.
"Hello?" Natalie's voice sounded calm, maybe even artificially calm.
"Natalie? Where are you? I went to your room just now, but it was locked…" Kara said, trying to keep her voice firm, though her chest felt tight.
There was a small pause on the other end. As if Natalie were choosing her words carefully.
"Oh… I just needed to go out for a bit. I'm fine, really. You don't have to worry."
Kara bit her lip, eyes following the car that was already driving away.
"Go out? At this hour? You've been missing so many classes and… I don't know, it feels like you're hiding something from me."
Natalie laughed softly on the other end.
"Kara, you worry too much. I was just dealing with some personal stuff, nothing serious. I'll be back in class tomorrow, I promise."
Her tone sounded convincing, just not convincing enough for Kara. That laugh felt more like a defense mechanism than genuine amusement.
"Okay…" Kara replied, though she didn't believe a word.
"Just don't disappear like that. You're important to me."
There was silence for a few seconds before Natalie whispered:
"I know. Good night, Kara."
The call ended. Kara remained standing on the sidewalk, staring into empty space. The feeling that something much bigger was happening took root in her mind.
She breathed deeply, trying to ease the tightness in her chest. But for the first time, she was certain Natalie wasn't being honest.
The next morning, Natalie showed up to class as if nothing had happened. She looked more put together than usual, long dark hair neatly brushed, a soft gleam on her lips. To anyone else, it looked like just another ordinary day. But not to Kara.
During the break, Kara approached her, determined to get answers.
"Natalie," she called softly but firmly.
"We need to talk."
Her friend lifted her eyes from her phone, surprised.
"Sure, what's going on?"
Kara took a deep breath.
"Last night I went to your room. It was locked… and then I saw you leaving campus and getting into a car. Where were you going?"
Natalie's face tensed subtly. She looked away, twirling a strand of hair before answering:
"It's nothing serious, Kara. I just went to a party… with a girl from college."
"A party?" Kara pressed.
"But you've been missing classes, not answering messages… I'm worried about you."
Natalie sighed lightly, crossing her arms.
"I appreciate the concern, but you're exaggerating. I'm fine. Seriously."
The way she shut down the conversation, sharp, abrupt, left Kara speechless. It was as if a wall had risen between them.
Later, sitting on a bench near campus, Kara confided in Alice.
"I don't know what to do. She's not telling me the truth, I can feel it."
Alice listened in silence, her cold eyes attentive. Then she placed a gentle hand on her girlfriend's shoulder.
"If you're right… I'll investigate myself. I've been finding her behavior strange too."
Kara looked at her with concern.
"Do you think it could be something… dangerous?"
Alice hesitated for a moment.
"I don't know. But I'll find out."
That night, Alice remained alert. She saw Natalie leave again, almost at the exact same time as the night before. She wore discreet clothes, but her eyes carried a shine of anticipation. Outside, parked in the same spot, the black car waited.
Alice followed from a distance, her steps light as shadows. The car crossed busy streets until it finally stopped in front of a familiar place: the Vampire Club.
Alice felt her stomach twist. But what surprised her the most wasn't the destination… it was the person who stepped out of the car with Natalie.
Rose.
Her sister walked with her usual confidence, holding Natalie's hand as if she owned every step Natalie took. As they approached the entrance, Rose, almost as if sensing the watcher's presence, lifted her gaze and locked eyes with Alice from afar. A provocative smile curled on her lips, a smile that said: "See, I'm not hiding anything from you. She came by her own choice."
Alice clenched her fists, an impulse to confront her rising. But before she moved forward, another figure caught her attention.
Standing at the club's entrance was Ruby, her vibrant red hair unmistakable and her expression as light as ever. Her eyes widened when she spotted Alice. For a brief moment, she seemed torn between joy and embarrassment, it had been so long since they last saw each other, and this was definitely not how she imagined their reunion.
Alice walked up to them, ignoring the awkwardness.
"What are you doing with Natalie?" she asked Rose, her voice firm, edged with threat.
Rose raised an eyebrow, still smiling.
"Nothing. She wanted to come. Don't forget, sister… in here, everyone follows the club's rules."
Alice gritted her teeth, ready to respond, but Ruby stepped in gently, moving slightly in front.
"Alice… it's not what you think. The people who come here know what they're getting into."
Alice exhaled sharply, turning her gaze to Ruby.
"Are you really trying to convince me of that?"
Ruby sighed, her demeanor soft.
"I'm just saying it's not as black and white as it seems."
For a few moments, the two exchanged looks filled with memories and unspoken feelings.
But before they could say more, something changed.
The same mysterious figure who had overheard the conversation between Rose and Ruby days earlier crossed the street and entered the club. From afar, their eyes locked onto Alice's. A cold, calculating stare.
Alice felt a shiver crawl down her spine. She didn't know who that person was, but she was certain she was about to get involved in something far bigger than she expected.