CHAPTER 2
1488 Words
After Lila’s talk with Grayson, she decided to go back and join the party. Pierce found her first.
“Looking for someone?” Pierce asked.
“Hey,” Lila said softly.
“When you left me, you said you wanted space — but it doesn’t look that way to me,” Pierce said, trying to hide the hurt in his voice.
“Pierce, you don’t get it—” Lila began.
“It’s fine, Lila. I just want you to be good. And I want you to know that I still believe in us… maybe working out.”
“Pierce—Pierce…” she called, but he was already walking away.
Meanwhile, Grayson was heading back to find Lila when Serena caught him by the arm.
“Hey! Have you been down by the grills yet? They look so good at night. I could show you — if you want.”
Grayson raised an eyebrow. “I think you’ve had too much to drink tonight.”
Serena laughed. “Well, of course.”
He pulled his arm back gently. “Serena, you and me? That’s never going to happen. Sorry.” He walked away, leaving her staring after him.
“I was wondering what kept you so long,” Lila said when he came up beside her.
“She’s always like that?” Grayson asked.
“Nah — it’s because you’re new. She’ll get over it soon.” Lila smiled, but her eyes caught something across the yard — Jimmy, stumbling drunk.
She sighed. “Hold on, I have to deal with my brother.”
Jimmy was staggering toward the edge of the woods. Lila caught up, trying to grab his arm, but he pushed past her — tripping over something. When he hit the ground, he froze.
“Roxy?” Jimmy gasped, realizing he’d fallen on her body.
Lila knelt down fast. She saw the bite marks on Roxy’s neck — and the blood pooling beneath her hair. Panic spread like wildfire. People screamed and backed away.
Pierce came running. “Roxy — please open your eyes! Roxy!” He held her cold hand, eyes wide with shock.
Across town, Grayson burst into the old Ashford Estate. His uncle looked up from the fireplace.
“What’s going on?” his uncle asked.
“Someone attacked at the party — it wasn’t me. I swear.” Grayson’s hands were shaking as he ran upstairs. He slammed his door shut, breath ragged.
When he turned, someone was leaning against the window.
“Ash?” Grayson whispered.
Ash grinned. “Hey, bro.”
“When did you get to town?”
“I wanted to be here for your first day of school.”
**“Why now, Ash? What are you doing here?” Grayson snapped.
“I missed you,” Ash said with a mocking shrug.
“That’s a lie — you hate Tree Oaks Hills.”
“Well… maybe I’ll embrace it.”
Grayson glared. “That girl didn’t die tonight. That’s not like you.”
Ash’s smile turned sharper. “Could be an issue for you, huh? You asked why I’m here — but why are you here? Oh… Lila.”
Back at the Grill, the ambulance arrived. Roxy was lifted into it, Pierce climbing in after her.
“We’re going home to wait for news,” Claire told Lila.
“I have to get Jimmy home first,” Lila said.
Claire lowered her voice. “Look… I don’t know what’s happening here, but I can’t shake this feeling that whatever I said earlier — it’s just the beginning.”
At the Ashford Estate, Grayson and Ash faced off in the hallway.
“She’s not Lilith,” Grayson said, voice low.
Ash laughed softly. “Oh, we know how that ended. Want me to remind you?”
Grayson’s jaw tightened. “Don’t—”
“When was the last time you had real blood, huh?” Ash leaned closer. “Don’t you want to know what Lila’s blood tastes like?”
“Stop.”
“Don’t you want to remember what it’s like to feel alive?”
“I said STOP!” Grayson roared. His forehead creased, veins bursting out under his eyes, canines slipping past his lips.
In a blur of rage, he slammed Ash through the window. Glass exploded into the yard.
Ash hit the ground and rolled, laughing as he stood up and dusted off his jacket.
“You’re not as strong as you used to be, brother. Stopped drinking human blood — look at you now.”
Grayson climbed through the broken window, his necklace slipping from his neck.
Ash smirked. “Relax — it’s right here.” He dangled the chain, then yanked Grayson by the throat and slammed him against a tree.
“I’m stronger than you. Always have been. Don’t make me prove it again.”
He let go. Grayson collapsed to his knees, gasping. Ash turned and disappeared into the woods.
Back at the Grill, Lila crouched by Jimmy.
“We have to move on, Jimmy. People will stop caring — life keeps going.”
Jimmy stared at her, hollow-eyed. “I see you in the graveyard talking to mom and dad. Is that moving on?”
Lila looked down, her throat tight. “They wouldn’t want this for you. Or for me.”
Inside, Serena sat with Claire, picking at her nails.
“It’s always me, you know? The guys I want never want me back. Maybe I say the wrong things. Maybe it’s just… her. Always her.”
She didn’t notice Ash leaning against the wall, listening, his eyes gleaming. When Claire walked off, Serena and Ash locked eyes. She gave him a shy, reckless smile.
At the hospital, Roxy stirred. Pierce squeezed her hand, but her eyes fluttered open just long enough to whisper:
“Vampire…”
Then she slipped under again.
The next day, students shuffled through the hallways, buzzing about the party and the attack.
In History class, Lila sat two rows ahead of Grayson — but the teacher still caught the way they looked at each other.
After class, Serena cornered Claire.
“So what’s up — are you psychic or what?”
Claire shrugged. “My mom says my ancestors were Thornveil witches. She explained it but… I zoned out. I don’t buy into that stuff.”
Serena rolled her eyes. “So you can’t even tell me who that guy I saw last night was?”
“You saw him — not me. And why didn’t you talk to him?”
“I was drunk!” Serena snapped, pushing past her.
Outside, Pierce caught up with Lila.
“I’m glad Roxy’s okay,” Lila said.
“Yeah… but now there’s talk about other missing people.”
She looked at him sharply. “Did she say what kind of animal it was?”
Pierce swallowed. “She woke up and whispered… vampire. Then she passed out again. Probably the drugs. Or the party.”
He paused. “So — you and Grayson?”
“I don’t want to hurt you,” Lila said softly.
Pierce nodded, looking away. “I’m going to see if Roxy remembers anything.”
When Pierce got to the hospital, Roxy’s bed was empty. He spun around just as she screamed. He tried to calm her, but she thrashed wildly. He ran for the nurse.
While he was gone, Grayson appeared at Roxy’s side in a blur of speed.
“It was an animal. It came out of nowhere. You blacked out — that’s all you remember.”
His voice was calm — compulsion flowing like silk. Roxy repeated the words, eyes glassy, then drifted back to sleep.
When Pierce returned with the nurse, the room was calm — no sign anyone had been there at all.
That night was the Blood Moon Festival — when the moon turned crimson and old families whispered about omens and curses.
“My mom told me the last Blood Moon brought chaos,” Claire said, adjusting her coat.
“Yeah, and you gave her more shots and she told you about zombies,” Serena teased.
Claire rolled her eyes. “Anyway. So… what happened last night with Grayson?”
Lila blushed. “Nothing. We just talked.”
Serena leaned in. “Girl. He’s hot — you two obviously like each other. Just do it. Bone him and get it over with.”
Lila grabbed her bag and stood up. “You’re right. If I stay here too long, I’ll lose my nerve.”
“Where are you going?” Claire asked.
“To do what I said I’d do tonight,” Lila called back, walking away.
Serena watched her go, smirking. “Your girl is about to bone.”
Claire shook her head, half worried, half thrilled. “This is not like her. But… okay. Let’s see what happens.”
- Writer
