hen I come to, Vincent's voice is the first thing I hear.
"Shay," he says gently.
I blink at him. "What happened?"
He sighs, rubbing his face. "You experienced something traumatic. It unlocked your demon magic... before your first shift."
"In English, please," I mumble.
"If you don't shift by the next blue moon — which is this week — you could die."
I groan. "Oh, marvellous."
Vincent gives me a sympathetic look. "Mel... she was important to you, wasn't she?"
"Yes and no," I say honestly. "She was my best friend, but she always got me into trouble. I had enough. We argued... and that argument ended with me in her father's vampire den — where Xavier found me."
There's a pause. "Where is he?" I ask.
"Who?"
"Xavier."
"He's with Jessie. I can tell him—"
"That won't be necessary," I cut him off quickly. "Thanks though."
He nods. "You should get some rest. Tomorrow will be a big day."
"Yeah, the party. Xavier told me about it."
"I tried to tell them you wouldn't want it," Vincent says, shaking his head. "But no one ever listens to me."
Once he's gone, I turn toward the window, watching the night sky blur through my tears. I sigh, the weight of everything crashing down.
"Why me?" I whisper. "Why now?"
The silence answers me, cold and unforgiving. I curl into myself, pulling the blanket tighter.
As I turn over, I notice shadows beneath the door. A moment later, Xavier steps inside. His expression is unreadable, but he offers me a small smile.
"I just wanted to check in on you," he says softly.
I nod, wiping my eyes. "I'm fine... I guess."
He walks over without another word and lays beside me on the bed—not touching, just close enough that I can feel his presence. It's comforting in a way I can't explain.
"I cancelled the party," he says softly. "We need to focus on helping you shift."
I nod slowly. "Mel was a lot of things, Xavier," I say, my voice barely above a whisper, "but a liar wasn't one of them."
He pauses. His whole-body stills.
"Well... I wish I could ask her who she thought I was," he replies carefully.
I turn my head to look at him. "She used to be obsessed with this old book about the Angel of Death."
At that, Xavier stiffens. It's subtle—but I notice. His eyes flick to mine, and for the briefest moment, I catch it. A flash of red in his irises. It's gone just as fast—like a flicker of something buried too deep to surface for long.
"Interesting," he murmurs, his tone unreadable.
I stare at him for a second, then suddenly burst out laughing.
He blinks, startled. "What's funny?"
I try to breathe between the laughter. "Your—your face! You should've seen it!"
He raises a brow, watching me closely, but there's the faintest twitch of a smile at the corner of his mouth.
"She also thought aliens were real," I add, letting out a final giggle as I settle down again. "So maybe not the most reliable source."
Xavier lets out a soft hum, still unreadable, but he doesn't press the topic.
His presence next to me feels grounding—like a quiet anchor in the chaos. The warmth of his body is steady, calming, and I realize how much I needed that. The silence between us isn't awkward. It's just there.
"Go to sleep, Shay," he says gently, his voice laced with something warm. Something... protective.
I roll onto my side, my back pressing lightly against his chest. His breath is steady, and mine starts to sync with his.
A strange kind of calm washes over me. Like maybe—for just tonight—I can stop running.
I whisper before I can stop myself, "Stay with me."
His hand comes to rest lightly on my shoulder. "I was planning on it," he says, his voice low, reassuring.
I close my eyes, letting myself melt into the silence between us. His fingers brush gently through my hair—a soft, absentminded motion that makes the world feel a little less heavy.
"Sleep," he says, quieter now.
And I do.
When I wake up in the morning, I look at Xavier, and he looks so peaceful. I quietly slip out of bed and walk over to the window, closing the curtains with a soft click. I return to the bed and lie back down, careful not to disturb him too much. He shifts, his head resting on my chest, his breath warm against my skin.
"How do you feel?" he murmurs, his voice still heavy with sleep.
"Like hell," I respond, my voice rough with exhaustion.
He hums softly, a sound that's oddly comforting. "You should probably get used to it. Our world comes with many dangers, and if you don't—"
Before he can finish, the door creaks open, and Charlie steps in, a serious look on his face. "They're still going ahead with the party. The elders and the council will be there," he says, cutting off whatever Xavier was about to say.
I sigh, feeling the weight of everything pressing down on me. "Can't I just hide in here and, I don't know, maybe let my parents face the backlash instead?"
Xavier looks at me, his expression serious. "I'll feel backlash too, Shay, because it was my idea."
I don't respond right away. I grab a pillow from the bed, hugging it tightly as I stare at him, frustration bubbling up. My eyes flick to Charlie, who has a small, amused smile on his face. Without thinking, I swing the pillow at Xavier.
"Why... why... why?" I shout. "What is wrong with you?"
Xavier, unfazed, just shouts back, "I wanted to show people that the princess of hell and wolves has returned."
I'm at my breaking point. "Leave me alone. Get out."
Xavier stands up from my bed, walking to the door. "Come on, Charlie."
But as Charlie is about to leave, I stop him. "Actually, he can stay."
They both look at me, surprised. Xavier raises an eyebrow. "Are you sure? I mean, he—"
I cut him off, my tone firm. "Of course, I'm sure. He can stay."
Once Xavier leaves, I turn to Charlie. "I have something to give you."
He looks at me curiously. "Oh?"
I reach into my pocket and pull out a small gem. "It's from your brother, Mark."
Charlie shakes his head. "No thanks."
I stop him before he can leave, my voice softer now. "Charlie, it's a token of his appreciation. You saved his son—230 years ago—from drowning. The little boy with ginger hair, blue eyes, freckles."
Charlie pauses, clearly processing what I've said. He walks back to me, taking the gem from my hand.
I smile at him. "It's supposed to bring good luck, hope, and faith."
He holds the gem, his expression softening. "I'm only taking this because even though it came from him, you gave it to me."
I smile, feeling the sincerity in his words. Without thinking, I pull him into a hug. He hugs me back, and for a moment, everything else fades away.
When we pull away, I glance at my desk. "I need to email my professors."
Charlie nods, stepping toward the door. "If you need anything, and you can't find Xavier, I'm in the room next door to you."
I nod in appreciation, and he leaves.
I sit down at my desk, looking at the familiar clutter. My thoughts swirl around as I try to focus. The door opens again, and my dad steps in.
"Shay," he says, his voice gentle.
I turn to him, raising an eyebrow. "Quick question."
He smiles. "Yeah, what is it?"
"Is knocking not customary here?" I inquire, maintaining a neutral yet slightly concerned tone.
He winces. "I'm so sorry."
I wave it off. "No, it's fine. What is it?"
He glances at me, his eyes a little mischievous. "Comfort, casual, or snob?"
I furrow my brows. "For what?"
"Tonight's party," he says, as though it's the most obvious thing in the world.
I roll my eyes and let out a small laugh. "Comfort or Casual defiantly not snob."
He nods, a hint of concern in his eyes. "Will you be able to help your mom and Jessie with their clothes?"
I nod, my mind already half elsewhere. "Yeah, I can do that, but I have to send an email first."
He nods and leaves, giving me some space.
I let out a long sigh, my gaze drifting back to the computer screen. I click on my inbox, seeing a mix of emails from professors and friends. But one email stands out—a decision I've been avoiding for too long.
With a deep breath, I begin to type:
Subject: Withdrawal from Medicine Course
Dear Professor Evelyn Hartley
I hope this message finds you well. I am writing to inform you that due to some unforeseen circumstances, I have made the difficult decision to withdraw from the medicine course. This decision was not made lightly, but after careful consideration, I believe it is the right choice for me at this time.
I appreciate all the support and guidance you've provided throughout the course, and I apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.
Thank you again for your understanding.
Best regards,
Shay Hilton
I hit "Send" with a mixture of relief and uncertainty. It's done now. A weight I hadn't realized I was carrying lifts off my shoulders.
Maybe this is for the best. The words echo in my mind as I stare at the screen in front of me. How everything has turned upside down in the last few days. A part of me feels angry at Mel, for all the chaos, for the lies and the danger. But another part, the part I try to ignore, still remembers the way she was there for me when no one else was.
She was my anchor in a world that felt like it was constantly shifting, like I was the only one left standing. But now she's gone. And while a part of me feels relief, another part, the part I hate, mourns her absence.
It doesn't seem fair. Not the betrayal, not the loss, not anything. But maybe, just maybe, this was for the best.