CRAVES

THE WOMAN IN THE MIRROR

Amelia woke to the sound of rain.

For a few seconds, she remained still.

The room was dim, the curtains drawn tightly across the windows. A grey morning had replaced the darkness outside, and the steady tapping against the glass filled the silence.

Then she remembered.

The council.

The necklace.

Bryan.

She sat up.

The chair beside her bed was empty.

She frowned.

She remembered asking him to stay.

Her eyes moved around the room.

Nothing.

She touched the mattress beside her.

Cold.

He must have left hours ago.

Her fingers found the raven pendant.

It was warm again.

She pulled it away from her skin.

The warmth faded almost immediately.

She stared at it.

Something about the necklace had changed.

She couldn't explain how.

The silver seemed brighter than before, almost as though there was light beneath the metal.

She slipped out of bed.

Her feet touched the floor.

The moment she stood, a sharp pain passed through her head.

She grabbed the edge of the bedside table.

A flash crossed her mind.

Trees.

Darkness.

A woman running.

Long black hair.

A silver necklace.

Amelia blinked.

The room returned.

She pressed her fingers against her temple.

"What was that?"

Nothing answered.

She stood there for another moment.

Then she walked toward the bathroom.

The mirror reflected her tired face.

She turned on the tap.

Cold water ran over her hands.

She splashed some onto her face.

When she looked up again, her reflection wasn't alone.

A woman stood behind her.

Amelia spun around.

Nothing.

The bathroom door was still closed.

She looked back at the mirror.

Only herself.

Her heart raced.

She stepped closer.

The reflection looked normal.

Then the woman appeared again.

This time, Amelia didn't turn.

She stared.

The woman stood directly behind her reflection.

Pale skin.

Dark hair falling over one shoulder.

A silver raven pendant around her neck.

Her lips moved.

Amelia couldn't hear anything.

She leaned closer.

The woman's mouth formed two words.

Find him.

The mirror cracked.

Amelia jumped backward.

A thin line ran from the top corner to the center of the glass.

Then another.

She stared at her reflection.

The woman was gone.

The bathroom was empty.

Her breathing became uneven.

She touched the necklace.

The pendant was burning hot.

She pulled it away.

A sharp sting crossed her palm.

She looked down.

A tiny red mark had appeared across her skin.

Three lines.

Like the claws of a bird.

She dropped her hand.

The bathroom door opened.

Bryan stood there.

His eyes immediately went to her face.

Then the mirror.

Then her hand.

His expression changed.

"What happened?"

She pointed toward the mirror.

"She was there."

He stepped inside.

"Who?"

"The woman."

He stopped.

"What woman?"

"My reflection..."

Her voice shook.

"There was another woman behind me."

Bryan's gaze moved toward the cracked mirror.

He walked closer.

His fingers touched the edge of the glass.

The c***k was fresh.

He looked at Amelia.

"Did she speak?"

She nodded.

"What did she say?"

"Find him."

His face went completely still.

"Anything else?"

"No."

He looked at the pendant.

Then at her palm.

His expression hardened.

"Did you touch the necklace?"

"Yes."

"Before or after you saw her?"

"Before."

He gently took her hand.

She expected him to inspect the cut.

Instead, his thumb moved over the mark.

His skin was cool.

The moment he touched it, the mark faded.

Amelia stared.

Bryan released her.

"What did you just do?"

"Nothing."

She gave him a look.

"Bryan."

He sighed.

"I don't know."

"You keep saying that."

"Because I don't."

He looked genuinely frustrated.

That scared her.

He was the person who always seemed to have an answer.

Seeing him uncertain made everything feel more dangerous.

He stepped toward the mirror again.

His eyes narrowed.

"This isn't normal."

"Nothing about you is normal."

His gaze shifted toward her.

For a second, neither spoke.

Then his mouth twitched.

"Fair."

She almost smiled.

Almost.

A knock sounded.

Bryan's expression changed immediately.

"Stay here."

He left the bathroom.

Amelia followed.

They reached the bedroom door.

Cassian stood outside.

His face was serious.

He looked at Bryan.

"There's a problem."

Bryan stepped into the hallway.

"What?"

"The western wing."

"What about it?"

"We found someone."

Bryan's expression hardened.

"Who?"

Cassian glanced toward Amelia.

Then back at Bryan.

"One of the guards."

Bryan went still.

"Alive?"

"No."

Amelia's stomach tightened.

Cassian continued.

"And there was a message."

Bryan's jaw clenched.

"Where?"

"The chapel."

Bryan looked toward Amelia.

"Stay with Benedict."

She shook her head.

"No."

His eyebrows lifted.

"You don't know what you're walking into."

"Neither do you."

He stared at her.

She stepped closer.

"I'm tired of being left behind every time something happens."

"Amelia."

"I'm already involved."

His expression tightened.

"That's exactly what I'm trying to prevent."

She lowered her voice.

"You can't protect me by keeping me ignorant."

The words landed.

Bryan looked away.

Cassian remained silent.

Finally, Bryan looked back at her.

"Stay beside me."

She nodded.

...

The western wing was colder than the rest of the manor.

The rain had become heavier, and water ran down the tall windows in crooked lines.

Bryan walked ahead.

Cassian followed.

Amelia stayed between them.

Nobody spoke.

They reached the chapel.

The door stood open.

Bryan stopped.

The scent hit him immediately.

Blood.

He moved inside.

Amelia followed more slowly.

The chapel was small.

Old stone walls.

Rows of wooden benches.

A large cross-shaped window at the front.

One of the guards lay near the altar.

Bryan stepped in front of Amelia before she could see too much.

"Don't look."

She obeyed.

Her gaze remained on the floor.

Something caught her attention.

A black feather.

She pointed.

Bryan followed her finger.

His face tightened.

Cassian picked it up with a cloth.

"Same as the one outside her room."

Bryan nodded.

"Yes."

There was writing on the stone wall.

Fresh.

Dark.

Three words.

SHE IS AWAKE.

Amelia stared.

"What does that mean?"

Bryan didn't answer.

Cassian did.

"It means someone has been waiting for her."

Bryan looked at him sharply.

"Don't."

Cassian lowered his eyes.

Amelia stepped closer to the wall.

The necklace suddenly grew warm.

She touched it.

The writing changed.

The letters blurred.

Then rearranged themselves.

Bryan moved toward her.

"Step back."

She couldn't.

The stone seemed to pull her attention toward it.

A fourth line appeared beneath the first.

THE LAST DAUGHTER RETURNS.

Amelia's breath caught.

Bryan stared at the words.

Cassian whispered something under his breath.

"What?" Amelia asked.

Neither answered.

She looked at Bryan.

"What does that mean?"

He stepped toward her.

His face had gone pale.

"Amelia..."

"What?"

His eyes moved to the pendant.

Then to her.

"You need to take that off."

She shook her head.

"Why?"

"Because I think it has been hiding something."

Her fingers tightened around it.

"What?"

Bryan didn't answer.

The chapel doors slammed shut.

Amelia turned.

The candles went out.

Darkness swallowed the room.

Then a woman's voice came from behind the altar.

"You finally brought her home."

Bryan's eyes flashed red.

He moved in front of Amelia.

Cassian drew a blade.

A woman stepped out from the shadows.

Black dress.

Long dark hair.

Pale skin.

A silver raven around her neck.

Amelia stared at her.

She knew that face.

Not from real life.

From the mirror.

The woman smiled.

"Hello, child."

Amelia couldn't move.

Bryan's voice dropped.

"Who are you?"

The woman looked at him.

"You really don't recognize me?"

Bryan's expression changed.

The woman stepped into the candlelight.

Her eyes were the same dark shade as Amelia's.

Her face was strangely familiar.

Not identical.

But familiar enough to make Amelia's stomach turn.

The woman looked at the pendant.

Then at Amelia.

"You've worn it well."

Amelia swallowed.

"Who are you?"

The woman smiled.

"Someone your mother trusted."

Bryan went still.

"Her mother?"

The woman nodded.

"Your mother."

Amelia's heart stopped for a second.

"My mother is alive?"

The woman didn't answer.

Instead, she looked at Bryan.

"She never told you?"

He took one step forward.

"What are you talking about?"

The woman smiled sadly.

"Your mother wasn't the last one."

Bryan's face hardened.

"Then who is?"

The woman looked at Amelia.

"You."

Silence.

Rain struck the windows.

Amelia stared at the woman.

"No."

The woman smiled.

"You've spent your entire life thinking you were human."

Bryan turned toward Amelia.

His expression was unreadable.

The woman continued.

"You are not."

Amelia stepped backward.

Bryan immediately reached for her.

She moved away.

"No."

Her voice broke.

The woman looked almost sympathetic.

"Your mother hid you from them."

"From who?"

"The council."

Amelia looked at Bryan.

He didn't deny it.

The woman took another step.

"Your blood is older than theirs."

Bryan's eyes darkened.

"Stop."

The woman ignored him.

"You were never meant to marry him."

Amelia looked between them.

"Then why did I?"

The woman's smile disappeared.

"Because the contract wasn't a coincidence."

Bryan froze.

"What?"

She looked directly at him.

"Your family has been searching for her bloodline for centuries."

Bryan's face hardened.

"I never knew."

"I know."

The woman smiled.

"That's why your father kept you ignorant."

Amelia felt dizzy.

The room seemed to tilt.

Bryan caught her before she fell.

His arms wrapped around her.

She pressed a hand against his chest.

Her heartbeat raced.

His was strangely still.

She looked up at him.

"Am I a vampire?"

He stared at her.

For the first time, he had no answer.

The woman behind them laughed softly.

"Not exactly."

The necklace pulsed.

Once.

Twice.

Then a bright red light spread beneath the silver raven.

Amelia gasped.

Bryan held her tighter.

The woman whispered:

"She's something much older."

The chapel doors opened by themselves.

Cold wind rushed inside.

Every candle went out.

And somewhere beyond the walls, something ancient woke up.