"She's weird—like, really weird," Zayne muttered to his reflection in the bathroom. "I mean, I've only seen her eat steak cooked rare—basically raw. And don't even get me started on the sniffing; she's like a dog. I've noticed the desk is scratched where she's sat, and most obviously... she has actual fangs—noticeable fangs." He threw his arms up in an exaggerated gesture while ranting to himself in the mirror. "And when the guy who talks to his reflection calls you weird, you probably are. I might've accidentally taken some drugs recently, because I don't think she's human."
He wiped his face and looked back into the mirror. "Ah, fuck it. I'll just ask. If she's not a werewolf, she'll probably think I'm a creep. And if she is... well, I'll probably die, but dying to a werewolf is badass. Honestly, it's probably better than offing myself, right, Zayne? Which, let's face it, was probably the route I would've gone sooner or later anyway. So, screw it. Let's just do it."
Zayne sat through his usual lectures until the café opened for lunch, where he spotted his target, Ash. He only noticed all the weirdness about her because she was exactly his type: a full head taller than him, wearing glasses, and always carrying this unsettling expression like she could kill someone at any moment.
He sat down across from her, and as usual, she was eating a barely cooked steak. She looked up at him and paused for a moment. "So, my stalker finally decides to talk to me face-to-face instead of just staring like a deer in headlights."
Zayne flinched, surprised she had noticed him watching. "Well, I wouldn't call it stalking, per se. More like prolonged observation."
The girl scoffed and continued eating. "Don't try to make your creepy behavior sound better."
Zayne sighed, placing both hands on the table. "I'm just gonna be upfront about this. Are you a werewolf or something?"
She opened her mouth to interrupt, but he stopped her. "And before you try to call me crazy, I have evidence. Like, what you're doing right now— that steak has barely seen the flame at all, it's basically still pink. You literally have fangs, I can see them."
Zayne noticed the girl's fingernails begin to elongate and a vein bulge in her forehead. "And your fingernails are starting to look a whole lot more like claws. I'm not trying to expose some secret society of monsters or anything, but I need closure. I've convinced myself I'm crazy, but I'm starting to think I might not be."
He looked down at the now very threatening claws and let out an exaggerated gulp. "Please don't kill me. I don't have much to live for, but there are still shows I need to finish."
Ash stood up and grabbed Zayne by the arm, pulling him away. His heartbeat quickened. Maybe I won't die... maybe this is the secret third route—the dating sim route, he thought before letting out a sigh. Wishful thinking at best. I'm so dead.
Ash dragged Zayne to a secluded spot and threw him against the wall, causing him to let out a groan of pain. "Wait, Ash, we can talk about this! You don't really want to murder an innocent, weak—very weak—human being, right? That can't weigh well on your conscience. Please, I promise I won't tell anyone. I don't even have friends! I won't even look in your direction. Just let me live."
The girl stared down at him with disgust, her claws elongating and her fangs growing even larger.
Zayne's eyes widened at the sight, and he scooted back closer to the wall. "Wow, I think this just awakened something inside me I didn't know was there."
Ash's scowl deepened. She clearly wasn't amused by his joke. "Who are you, really? Guy whose name I don't remember? Normal humans shouldn't be able to notice subtle changes like our fangs or claws. Your 'weakling' act isn't fooling anyone."
Zayne looked at her with a distressed expression. "I have no clue what you're talking about! I've been a normal human my whole life. This isn't an act or anything. I just really don't want to die! Like I said, I'll leave you to your business, and you can leave me to mine. I'll stay out of your way. Hell, I'll even drop the class we have together! Just let me live."
Ash palmed his head and dragged him to his feet. "I do believe you're a regular human, but sorry—since you can see through the veil, the hunters might take you in. I can't take any chances of being compromised by a potential hunter." She pulled her other hand back, and her claws shimmered with a gorgeous azure color. "No hard feelings. I'm just doing what I have to do."
"If there are no hard feelings, just let me go! I promise I'll stay away from these hunter guys and won't say a word. Just don't kill me!" Zayne pleaded, but the woman clearly wasn't convinced.
"Sorry, but there's no telling those psychos no," she said. "I'll make sure your funeral is well paid for."
"Wow. This is both the worst and the coolest thing that's ever happened to me," Zayne muttered. "But at least make it quick. I really don't like pain." He closed his eyes, realizing there was nothing more he could say to change her mind. He had accepted his fate. "One more thing... my name's Zayne. I'd rather have my killer know my name."
She smirked, pulling her arm back even further. "It doesn't fit you at all."
As soon as she finished speaking, she thrust her hand through his chest, piercing his heart and ending his life. She dropped him to the ground, then waved her hand to erase any trace of her presence. Within moments, she was gone, leaving someone else to discover his lifeless body.
But as she departed, a dark presence surged from beneath him, lifting his body from the ground and pouring into him. The hole in his chest closed, and a ball of darkness formed where his heart once was. His hair faded to a pale white and streaks of black formed across his copper skin.
Breath returned to his lungs, and a voice rang in his mind: "Awaken, Lazaris boy. You have work to do."
In an instant, Zayne jolted awake, gasping for air and clutching his chest. "I thought I died… What the hell happened? And what the hell was that voice?"
A nurse turned around, stunned to see him awake. "But… How? There was no brain activity! We thought you were a lost cause for sure. Wait, did you say you heard a voice? What exactly did you hear?"
Zayne stared at her in confusion for a moment, then sighed, his head throbbing. "I don't remember. But I swear I heard a voice—a man's voice—but I can't remember what he said."
The nurse let out a deep sigh and wiped some sweat from her brow."You were likely just dreaming. Well, How are you feeling anything feel out of place?"
Zayne sighed and grabbed his head. "I feel fine other than this splitting headache. How long do I need to stay in the hospital."
The nurse walked to his side and pushed him back into the bed. "don't worry about that we need a doctor right now to check your condition. Also, Your girlfriend stopped by a few times You should call her.