The first sensation was light, too bright and sharp against my closed eyelids. I winced, my face contorting as I tried to block it out. My skin felt clammy against the soft sheets, and the faint hum of machines beeped steadily in the background. The air smelled sterile—clean, cold, and impersonal, a sharp contrast to the warmth of home.
As I forced my eyes open, the world slowly swam into focus. I blinked against the brightness, squinting at the white ceiling above me, the clinical feel of the place sinking in. Hospital. The stiff gown clung to my skin, the thin blanket covering me barely enough to ward off the slight chill in the air.
I shifted, and immediately my muscles protested. Every inch of my body felt like it had been drained of energy, as if I'd run a marathon in my sleep. My throat was dry, parched, and it hurt to swallow. Yet, strangely, the sharp pain I had expected—the pain from the bite on my neck—wasn't there.
I groaned softly, trying to piece together the fragments of what had happened. The hallway. The cold bite. Kieran.
"Seraphine? Are you awake?" A voice pierced through the fog in my mind, familiar and filled with concern.
I turned my head slowly, wincing at the stiffness in my neck, and saw Leo sitting next to my hospital bed. Her brown hair was pulled back in a messy ponytail, and her face, usually full of bright energy, looked worn and tired. Dark shadows under her eyes hinted at sleepless nights, her expression a mix of relief and worry. Her hands were gripping mine, and the moment she saw my eyes open, she squeezed them gently, her lips breaking into a shaky smile.
"You're awake," she whispered, her voice thick with emotion.
I blinked, still groggy, my mind struggling to keep up. Before I could respond, another figure moved into view—my mom. She stood just behind Leo, her hand over her mouth, her face pale but relieved. The soft scent of her lavender perfume filled the air as she leaned over me, her eyes shimmering with tears.
"Mom?" My voice was hoarse, barely more than a croak.
"Oh, baby," she murmured, her voice cracking as she brushed a strand of hair from my face. "You're okay. You're finally awake."
I blinked up at her, trying to smile but feeling too drained to manage it. Her familiar, gentle presence was a comfort, but it only heightened the confusion swirling in my mind. I felt fine—physically, at least—but my head was spinning with fragments of memories that didn't fit.
"What… what happened?" I asked, my voice weak, the words dragging from my dry throat.
Leo and my mom exchanged a look, one that sent a ripple of unease through me. Leo was the one to answer, her grip on my hand tightening just slightly.
"You don't remember?" she asked gently, her voice trying to sound casual, but I could sense the tension behind it. "Someone tried to rob you, Sera."
Rob me? That didn't make sense. I remembered something else, something far worse—shadows, fangs, cold hands on my skin. My thoughts swirled like a fog, too blurry to hold onto.
"You were found at the bottom of the stairs at school," Leo continued, her voice softening as she spoke. "They think you fell when you were trying to get away. It must have been awful, Sera. You've been out for three days."
Three days.
The words echoed in my mind, strange and disorienting. I stared at her, trying to make sense of it, but the images in my head didn't match. Three days?
"You've been asleep, but the doctors say you're okay now," my mom added, her hand stroking my hair softly. "No broken bones, no serious injuries. You'll be fine, honey."
I should've been hurt. I felt hurt. The bite, the cold fingers pressing into my skin—it was all so real, wasn't it? I pressed my hand to my neck, feeling the smooth, untouched skin where the bite should've been. The faintest chill ran down my spine, but the wound wasn't there.
"I don't… I don't remember," I murmured, my voice shaky. I wasn't sure if I was saying it to convince them or myself. The memories felt too far away, slipping through my fingers like sand.
"You're still recovering," Leo said quickly, offering a bright but strained smile. "Maybe it's better you don't remember all of it right away. You're safe now, Sera."
I nodded slowly, though the knot in my stomach wouldn't ease. Maybe she was right. Maybe it was better I didn't remember, but something deep inside me felt wrong. The flashes of that night still danced on the edge of my mind—blurry and fragmented.
Leo squeezed my hand again, her thumb rubbing circles on the back of it. "We've been so worried, Sera. You scared the hell out of me."
Before I could respond, there was a knock on the door, and a doctor stepped into the room. He was middle-aged, his kind face lined with years of experience, and he carried a clipboard under his arm. His smile was warm and professional as he approached the bed.
"Well, it's good to see you awake, Miss Monte Riego," he said, glancing at my vitals on the monitor. "We've run all the tests, and everything looks perfectly fine. You've had us a little concerned, but it seems like your body just needed some time to rest."
I blinked up at him, trying to process what he was saying. "But… I was out for three days," I said slowly, the confusion heavy in my voice. "How is that possible if I'm okay?"
The doctor chuckled softly, his voice soothing but dismissive. "It's not uncommon for the body to shut down for a bit after a traumatic event. There's no permanent damage, though. You're in perfect health now."
Perfect health. The words echoed in my mind, but they didn't bring any comfort. Nothing about this felt perfect. My body might've been fine, but my mind was anything but.
After a few more reassurances from the doctor and instructions to take it easy, he left the room. My mom kissed my forehead softly, her lips lingering for a moment before she stepped away. "You rest, sweetheart. I'll be right outside if you need me."
She gave Leo a nod and stepped out, leaving us alone again. Leo leaned back in her chair, letting out a deep breath. "God, Sera. I thought I'd never hear your voice again," she said, her voice cracking with emotion.
I smiled weakly, though my mind was far from at ease. "Thanks, Leo. I'm glad you're here."
But the unease inside me wouldn't leave. I couldn't shake the feeling that something was terribly wrong—something no one else could see.
The morning air was crisp when I walked back through the gates of Pleasant Hills Academy after being away for almost a week. The sun filtered through the tall trees that lined the campus, casting long shadows across the pavement. It should've felt normal. Everything looked the same—the familiar buildings, the chattering students, the worn paths we had walked countless times. But the normalcy only made me feel more out of place, like I was living in a world just slightly off-kilter.
I tugged at the edge of my sweater, feeling the soft wool against my fingers. It was a light lavender color, cropped just above my waist, paired with high-waisted black jeans and my favorite ankle boots. I had chosen the outfit because it was comfortable, easy—but now I felt like the world was watching me. Maybe it was just my nerves. My long dark hair, freshly washed, hung loosely around my shoulders, and I had skipped any heavy makeup, just a little lip balm and mascara. The shadows under my eyes hadn't quite faded, a lingering sign of my three-day sleep.
Leo chatted beside me, her voice full of energy as she filled me in on everything I'd missed. But her words drifted over me like a fog, barely registering as I walked in a daze. My thoughts kept wandering back to that night—the cold grip, the endless staircase, Kieran's voice. I knew I wasn't imagining it, but no one else seemed to have the same memory.
We reached the entrance of the building, and I hesitated for just a moment, my eyes darting toward the staircase where everything had happened. The same cold sensation crept up my neck, but I forced myself to keep walking.
"Sera, you sure you're okay?" Leo asked, stopping beside me with a concerned look. "You've been really quiet."
I nodded, forcing a smile. "Yeah. Just getting used to being back."
Leo studied me for a moment, but finally nodded, though I could tell she wasn't convinced.
As we entered the classroom, my heart thudded in my chest. I glanced around, and then my eyes landed on Kieran. He was sitting by the window, his dark hair catching the light as he stared out at the courtyard. For a moment, our eyes met. My breath caught, and my heart skipped a beat, but then he looked away, his expression unreadable.
Something flickered in my chest—fear, confusion, and something else I couldn't quite name. But one thing was certain: the mystery of what happened that night wasn't over. And I wasn't the only there left to tell the story.
Kieran knew more than he was letting on.