Nyah didn't stop running until she saw streetlights again.
Real ones.
Bright. Steady. Normal.
Her lungs burned as she stumbled out of the shortcut and onto the main road, her steps uneven as adrenaline still surged through her veins. Cars passed. A motorcycle sped by. Somewhere in the distance, someone laughed.
Everything looked the same.
But it wasn't.
Nyah slowed, pressing a hand against her chest as she tried to steady her breathing.
"That… that just happened," she whispered.
Her voice sounded small. Uncertain.
Like she didn't quite believe it.
But her body did.
Her racing pulse. The tremor in her fingers. The cold sweat clinging to her skin.
That wasn't imagination.
That was fear.
Real fear.
Her mind flashed back—
Red eyes.
Fangs.
The way they had closed in on her from both sides.
And then—
Adrian.
The way he moved.
Too fast.
Too precise.
Too inhuman.
Nyah swallowed hard and forced herself to keep walking.
Go home. Lock your doors. Don't go anywhere alone.
His voice echoed in her head, low and firm.
She didn't argue with it this time.
---
The walk to her apartment felt longer than usual.
Every shadow made her tense.
Every passing figure made her flinch.
She kept glancing over her shoulder, half-expecting to see glowing red eyes staring back at her from the dark.
But there was nothing.
Just normal people.
Normal night.
Normal life.
Nyah tightened her grip on her bag.
"Normal doesn't exist anymore," she muttered.
Because something had changed.
Deep down, she could feel it.
Like a switch had flipped.
Like she had stepped into something she didn't understand—
And couldn't walk away from.
---
By the time she reached her apartment building, her hands were still shaking.
She fumbled with her keys at the door, dropping them once before finally managing to unlock it.
"Focus," she whispered to herself.
The door creaked open.
Warm light spilled out from inside.
And before she could even step in—
"Nyah!"
Mira rushed toward her, eyes wide with worry.
"Where have you been? I called you like six times—"
She stopped mid-sentence.
Her expression changed instantly.
"…What happened?"
Nyah tried to answer.
She really did.
But the moment she stepped inside and the door shut behind her—
Everything hit.
Her knees weakened, and she grabbed onto the wall for support.
"I—" she started, her voice breaking slightly. "I'm fine."
"You are not fine," Mira said immediately, guiding her toward the couch. "Sit down. Right now."
Nyah didn't argue.
She sank onto the couch, her body suddenly feeling heavy, like all the adrenaline had drained out at once.
Mira knelt in front of her, her eyes scanning Nyah's face, her arms, her neck.
"Did someone hurt you?" she asked, her voice sharp now.
Nyah shook her head quickly.
"No. No, I'm okay."
"Then what happened?"
Nyah hesitated.
Because how did you explain something like that?
Vampires.
The word felt ridiculous in her mind.
Impossible.
And yet—
Her fingers tightened in her lap.
"There were… guys," she said slowly. "In the shortcut."
Mira's jaw clenched instantly.
"I told you not to go through there at night."
"I know," Nyah said quickly. "I just—I didn't think—"
"You didn't think," Mira repeated, frustration slipping into her voice. "Nyah, you can't just—"
"They weren't normal," Nyah blurted.
Silence fell.
Mira blinked.
"…What?"
Nyah froze.
She hadn't meant to say that out loud.
"I mean—" she tried to recover, shaking her head. "They were just… weird. Creepy."
Mira didn't look convinced.
But she didn't interrupt.
"They cornered me," Nyah continued, her voice quieter now. "One in front. One behind. I couldn't get out."
Mira's hands clenched.
"And?"
Nyah swallowed.
"And then… someone else showed up."
Mira frowned slightly.
"Another guy?"
Nyah nodded.
"He… helped me."
"How?"
Nyah hesitated again.
Because the truth?
Didn't sound human.
"He just… handled it," she said vaguely. "They left after that."
Mira narrowed her eyes.
"Just like that?"
"…Yeah."
Mira leaned back slightly, clearly processing.
"Did you get his name?"
Nyah's heart skipped.
Adrian.
The name echoed in her mind, sharp and clear.
"…Yeah," she admitted.
"And?"
Nyah hesitated.
For some reason, saying it out loud felt… different.
More real.
"Adrian," she said finally.
Mira studied her face carefully.
"You trust him?"
Nyah blinked.
"What? No. I don't even know him."
Mira didn't look convinced.
"You're not scared of him."
Nyah opened her mouth—
Then paused.
Because Mira was right.
She should have been terrified.
After everything she had just seen—
After what he was—
She should have been running as far away from him as possible.
But instead…
She remembered the way he had stood in front of her.
Between her and them.
Like nothing was getting past him.
Nyah looked down.
"I don't know what I feel," she admitted quietly.
Mira didn't respond right away.
Then she sighed.
"Okay," she said. "We're going to do this logically."
Nyah almost laughed.
Mira stood up, pacing slightly.
"Step one: you don't take that shortcut again."
"Agreed."
"Step two: you don't go anywhere alone at night."
Nyah hesitated.
Then nodded.
"…Okay."
"And step three," Mira added, stopping in front of her, "if those guys show up again, you call the police."
Nyah's stomach twisted.
The police.
Right.
Because that would totally help against—
She cut the thought off.
"Yeah," she said. "Of course."
Mira watched her for another moment, then finally relaxed a little.
"Good," she said. "Now you're getting some sleep. You look like you're about to pass out."
Nyah didn't argue.
She didn't have the energy to.
---
But sleep didn't come easily.
Nyah lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, her mind replaying everything over and over again.
The shortcut.
The red eyes.
The hunger in their expressions.
And then—
Adrian.
The way he had looked at her.
Not like prey.
Not like the others.
But not normal either.
Her chest tightened.
"What are you?" she whispered.
No answer.
Only silence.
Nyah turned onto her side, pulling the blanket closer.
Her body was exhausted.
But her mind refused to rest.
They won't stop.
The memory hit her again.
Her eyes opened.
"What did he mean by that?" she murmured.
Why her?
Why were they looking for her?
What was so special about her—
A soft sound interrupted her thoughts.
Nyah stilled.
Her breath slowed.
She listened.
There.
A faint noise.
From outside.
Her heart began to pound.
Slowly, she pushed herself up, her eyes moving toward the window.
The curtains shifted slightly.
But the window was closed.
Locked.
Right?
Nyah swallowed and got out of bed, her steps quiet as she moved closer.
"Probably nothing," she whispered.
She reached for the curtain.
Paused.
Then pulled it back.
And froze.
Someone was standing outside.
On the fire escape.
Watching her.
Nyah's heart slammed against her ribs—
Until she recognized him.
Adrian.
Relief and fear hit her at the same time.
"What are you doing here?" she whispered, stepping closer to the glass.
His gaze didn't leave hers.
"You're not safe," he said.
Her breath caught.
"I'm inside."
"For now."
A chill ran through her.
"What does that mean?"
Adrian stepped closer, his presence somehow still overwhelming even through the barrier of glass.
"They're still near," he said.
Nyah's stomach dropped.
"…You can tell?"
"Yes."
The answer came without hesitation.
Nyah hesitated.
Then—
"Are you going to explain anything?" she asked.
His expression didn't change.
"Not yet."
Frustration flared.
"Not yet?" she repeated. "I almost died tonight!"
"And you didn't," he said calmly.
"That's not the point!"
Silence.
Tense.
Then—
"They're hunting you," Adrian said.
The words hit hard.
Nyah felt her breath leave her lungs.
"…Why?"
His gaze held hers.
Dark. Steady. Unreadable.
"Because of what you are."
Her pulse spiked.
"And what exactly is that?"
A pause.
Then—
"That," he said quietly, "is the problem."
Nyah stared at him.
Confusion. Fear. Anger—all tangled together.
"You keep saying things like that," she said. "But you're not actually telling me anything."
"And you're still alive," he replied. "Which means I'm doing enough."
Her jaw tightened.
"I didn't ask you to protect me."
"No," he said. "But I'm doing it anyway."
The words hung between them.
Heavy.
Nyah's heart skipped.
"Why?" she asked again, softer this time.
This time—
He didn't answer at all.
Instead, he stepped back into the shadows.
"Lock your windows," he said.
Nyah's eyes widened slightly.
"Wait—"
But he was already gone.
Just like before.
Leaving her alone.
Again.
Nyah stared at the empty space where he had been, her heart still racing.
Nothing about this made sense.
Nothing felt real.
And yet—
As she slowly closed the curtain—
One thought stayed with her.
Not the fear.
Not the confusion.
Him.
Adrian.
And the way, despite everything—
She didn't feel as afraid when he was near.
---