I didn’t move. I couldn’t. Every single muscle in my body seemed to tense, and I didn’t even breathe. I was scared that if I did, if I moved at all, something would happen. I wasn’t sure what, but I’d be attacked. The silence that seemed to have settled over me would shatter in an instant, and it would be too late for me. I’d be dead before I even realised what happened.

  The voice was unfamiliar, though. I didn’t recognise it, and I didn’t know the person or creature it came from, but that didn’t matter. I didn’t need to know who he was to be certain of what he was, and his voice gave that away. It made the answer far too obvious, even though I’d never heard one talk before.

  It was too beautiful, too rich, but dangerously so. Somehow, even just those few words had been enough to conjure a vision in my mind. His voice, that deliciously warm sound, reminded me of a roaring fireplace on a cold, snowy day, and I longed to curl up in front of it. It was warm and enticing, and I could feel the desire to lower my guard and give in. It might be worth it if it meant I could bathe in the warm glow of the creature standing beside me, to let his words wash over me, pushing all worries aside.

  There was power flickering beneath the surface of his words, though. It was restrained and tightly controlled, but I could feel it. The creature had spoken softly, his tone light, but it was clear he was far too powerful.

  I tried not to look up at him, not to meet his gaze. That was the safest way. We’d been warned not to do it. There were classes in school when the whole thing began. They’d tried to teach us what to do and how to ensure we survived, but it was too late. My chin was already lifting, and my eyes sought him out.

  His expression brightened as I met his gaze, and fear gripped my heart even as I felt the tension drain from my body. My muscles seemed to be relaxing, and I fought to retain some of it. It was wrong. I should have still been tensed and prepared to fight. I was still in danger. The beautiful man before me was dangerous.

  But he seemed so happy that I was looking at him. I could see the pride radiating from his as I held his gaze, fighting the urge to drop my chin again, and it made my stomach clench in longing. I wanted to do it again. I needed him to continue to be proud of me, but I didn’t know how.

  A strange desperation rose within me, clawing at my throat as that realisation sunk in. I had no clue how to make him feel proud of me. I didn’t know what he wanted, and that worried me. How could I possibly ensure I was meeting and exceeding his expectations if I didn’t even know what they were? It was impossible, and I could feel the panic starting to spike in my chest.

  That shouldn’t have been what was making me panic, though, a small voice in the back of my mind tried to shout. I shouldn’t have been worried about how to please the man smiling down at me. I should have been trying to work out how to get away from him. My safety should have been my main concern, but it wasn’t. It barely even occurred to me anymore.

  “That’s better, darling. There’s no need for tears, is there?” he murmured, reaching out to wipe my cheeks.

  I felt myself leaning into his touch before I could stop myself, and the warmth of his skin was a surprise to me. It felt wrong. I’d always assumed his kind were cold, that their touch was meant to be like the cold, icy touch of death. That was how they were always portrayed in books and movies. They were corpse-like and lifeless, but they were all wrong.

  He was so warm and filled with life. It was probably the stolen blood coursing through his body. He needed that to continue… living or whatever it was that he did. That must have been the reason he felt that way. It had even made his cheeks a little flushed. He looked windswept, and it was strangely adorable.

  The man cocked his head to the side, his expression expectant, and I stared up at him blankly. What was he waiting for, I asked myself. It was clear he wanted something from me, but I couldn’t figure out what exactly.

  He’d asked me a question. He’d said something that warranted a response, but I had no clue what that had been. It had slipped from my mind the moment the words had left his lips, and all I could do was stare up into his warm eyes. They were too distracting. Somehow, they were the exact shade of molten chocolate, and they appeared almost as if they were lit from within. They looked rich and warm, and a shiver slipped down my spine as my lips stretched into a smile for no reason. I was just lost in his eyes, and that made me feel comfortable and happy.

  But I’d still not answered him, I had to remind myself. I had no clue how much time had passed since he spoke, but he’d been waiting for a response the whole time. What was I meant to say when I couldn’t figure out the question?

  I wasn’t sure if that even mattered, though. Even if I knew what he’d asked me, I wasn’t certain I’d be able to get any words out. I felt as though my voice had been stolen from me, and I couldn’t access it anymore. If I could, I would have screamed in an attempt to scare the man off or get people to come and help me.

  Part of me wanted to, even though it was dangerous. I’d be putting others at risk, forcing the man to act or do something to shut me up, but that wasn’t the main reason I stayed silent. I was too aware that if anyone was stupid enough to try and fight the man, he could get hurt.

  Some of the dorms had been prepared. The people inside were foolish. They were reckless. They’d posted pictures of their emergency kits in the group chat. They’d shared images of stakes they’d whittled themselves, of fresh and dried garlic granules, silver or iron powder, and preserved wolfsbane. They were ready, excited even.

  There was even talk of going out hunting for them. Some people actually suggested it, and I couldn’t believe it when I read it. Why would anyone want to court death like that? The creatures were stronger than us. They were all more powerful, and the chances of any humans being able to kill one of them were so low, but I wasn’t willing to risk it. I didn’t want anything to happen to the man before me, and I cared more about that than I did for my own safety.

  But I needed to answer him. If I couldn’t speak, I’d have to resort to a non-verbal response, and that was fine. I could nod or shake my head, and I was sure that would be enough for him. I just had to pick one and do that rather than keep him waiting. He’d get impatient and bored of me, and I didn’t want that.

  Nodding would be good, I told myself. I wasn’t sure what he’d said, but I wanted to agree with the man. He was probably right, after all. He seemed too wise; his eyes were alight with intelligence. Whatever he’d said must have been correct.

  But nodding didn’t always mean agreement, I realised with a flash of panic as my head started to move. What if he’d said something negative, something that meant I’d have to shake my head to agree with him? Then, I’d be disagreeing with him, and I couldn’t do that. It would disappoint the man. Anguish pulled at me, making the decision so much harder than it needed to be. I almost wanted to cry, but I couldn’t. I just needed to do it. I needed to do something.

  Hesitantly, and whilst praying I was making the correct decision, I shook my head. Immediately, the man’s smile grew, and triumph flared in my heart, overshadowing the negative emotion I’d felt just moments before. I’d chosen correctly. I’d done the right thing, and the man was proud of me.

  He was so handsome when he smiled. I’d known he was handsome before, obviously, but the smile made his whole face light up, and my heart fluttered unsteadily in response. I felt weak. My knees were weak and could have given away at any moment, but I couldn’t do anything to help them.

  “Good,” he said, his voice dipping slightly lower. “What are you doing out so late? Don’t worry. You can answer me.”

  He hadn’t stepped back, I realised. He’d moved closer to wipe the tears from my cheeks, but he’d stayed there. He was so close that I was finding it hard to breathe, and I knew that I technically could have been the one to do something about that, but the thought of taking a step back was abhorrent to me.

  I wasn’t sure I’d survive it, even if I were to move away. It felt like I wouldn’t. My heart would stop beating, or my lungs would refuse to work. I was almost certain that I wouldn’t be able to breathe without him, but it was so easy when I was close. Each inhale brought his scent with it. The heady mix of old books, polish and freshly roasted coffee filled my nose every time, and I loved it.

  Did his kind even drink coffee? I assumed they didn’t, but there was so much I didn’t know about them. I’d never really been taught. We’d just been told they were terrifying creatures that we should run from, that if we were unfortunate enough to be caught, we would be killed. Whoever said that must have never met the man standing before me. They can’t have done. Otherwise, they would have been saying something very different.

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  They were right, I tried to tell myself. I shouldn’t answer him, shouldn’t say anything. It would be stupid and foolish. I needed to try, try and remember everything I’d ever been taught in those classes, but the memories were too distant. They were held out of my reach, and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t get to them.

  It was too late anyway. The man had told me to answer him, and I couldn’t refuse him even if I wanted to. His words had loosened my tongue, removed the blockage that had made it impossible to speak, and my mouth was already opening. He was in control of my body and what I did.

  “I got… caught up in the library,” I said haltingly, cringing at the sound of my own voice.

  I barely even recognised it. It sounded strange, even to my own ears. I’d never noticed how harsh it sounded before, how rough yet nasal it was. It was nothing like the smooth, flowing tone of the man I was staring up at, and that disgusted me. It felt wrong and made me never want to speak again so that I’d only have to hear his voice for the rest of my life.

  That would be fine. It would be more than fine, actually. I’d love it, but I was sure he’d grow bored of being the only one to talk. If he were to ask me another question, if he wanted to learn more about me, I had no doubt that I would answer it. I wouldn’t even hesitate to do so.

  “Oh, you’re a student?” he asked, seemingly surprised.

  He shouldn’t have been surprised, I told myself harshly. I was on campus. I had a key fob, and I was trying to get into the student accommodation before he had interrupted me, so it was pretty obvious. Only students lived there, after all. The flats inside the metal cage I was standing in front of were reserved for first-year undergraduate students. There was even a sign that stated that, and there was no way he didn’t know that.

  I longed to point that out, to gesture to the plaque just behind him that clearly explained it, but my arms wouldn’t move, and the thought of actually saying it made my stomach turn in horror. I wouldn’t say it, couldn’t say it, and it didn’t really matter what I wanted to say anyway. Words were already slipping from my lips without input from my brain.

  “Yes. Are you?”

  “Me?” the man said, laying a hand on his chest, his expression taken aback.

  Thankfully, he didn’t seem annoyed, I noticed. Mirth danced in his eyes, and he appeared delighted by my question. That shouldn’t have mattered to me, but it did. I wanted to delight the man, for him to enjoy speaking to me and want to keep me around. That would be ideal. I loved being near him.

  It was obvious he wasn’t a student, though. I was vaguely aware of that face. Monsters like him were not enrolled at the university. They couldn’t be, and that almost felt… wrong. They should be allowed to, just like humans. It would be better that way, wouldn’t it? I mean, they deserved to be able to study too. They could be passionate and interested in things, right? The man certainly seemed to be.

  “Yes,” I said quickly, realising the man was waiting for an answer again.

  He threw his head back in response, a laugh escaping his lips. I felt my jaw drop open as I stared unashamedly at him. I couldn’t stop myself from drinking in his appearance, soaking in the beautiful sound flowing from him. I could almost feel it wrapping itself around me, the grip becoming tighter and tighter, and I knew that if I died right there in that moment, I’d be happy. It would be a good way to go.

  An alarm seemed to be going off in the back of my mind as my eyes found his ever so slightly pointed canines, but it felt so detached, so distant. I felt no fear at all. Perhaps the alarm was real. Maybe it was ringing in real life, and I just thought it was happening in that world. The sound could have been reaching between them and making it feel like I should be scared.

  It would have been wise to check. I should have pulled myself back from the world where I was speaking to the beautiful man and made sure that nothing terrible was happening in my reality, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. I was too enthralled by the man, and I didn’t care enough about anywhere else, which should have unnerved me much more than it did.

  Too soon, the man straightened up again. The laughter died down to a soft chuckle, and he wiped the tears from his eyes. As soon as the sound was gone, I missed it. Its absence felt physical, as if something necessary had been ripped from me, and it hurt. My chest hurt. My heart was gripped with pain, and I longed to make him laugh again. That would be a balm to my aching soul.

  “I was. Long ago. It’s been quite some time since I entered a university, though,” he says finally. “What’s your name?”

  Don’t tell him. The thought flashed to the front of my mind, and I tried to press my lips together to hold it back, but there was no use. The desire to tell him, to divulge my deepest secrets and everything I was ashamed of, was too strong to resist, and I wasn’t sure I even wanted to anymore. I was tired, so tired of fighting to survive. Why not give in? It would be so much easier.

  “Grace.”

  My name hung in the air between us, and I was suddenly aware that I had passed the point of no return. There was no turning back; I’d already gone too far. Even if I were to change my mind and try to run, it would be pointless. The man would be able to find me. He would stop at nothing to do so.

  It would be nothing more than a game to him. I would be fighting for survival, frantic and terrified, and he would be… entertained. He’d enjoy spending every night outside my dorm. He’d follow me home to my parents’ house every holiday, stalking me and terrorising me until I finally slipped up or gave in.

  I wasn’t strong enough to resist him for long. I was aware of that. Before the end of the term, I was sure that I’d be within his grasp. He already had power over me; I could feel it. He’d already seized control of my mind, and if he were to infiltrate my dreams, I’d be driven manic with longing. I wouldn’t be able to stop myself from going to meet him.

  And if I were to run, it would be a mistake. As much as the idea of him chasing and waiting for me sent a shiver through my body and caused goosebumps to erupt on my arms, I knew it was wrong. I would be giving up the one thing I truly wanted, and I would become prey to him. When he inevitably caught me, he would kill me. It would be slow. My pain would be drawn out, and his beautiful laughter would fill the room, drowning out my cries. But if I didn’t fight…

  Perhaps I could stand at his side. I could be his partner, his equal. A desire, a determination flowed into me, filling me with strength. I’d never aspired to anything like that before, and I was sure I’d never feel such certainty ever again.

  The man seemed to notice the shift within me. His lips lifted into a smile, revealing his perfectly white teeth. They seemed to have grown sharper since I saw them moments before, and I expected a wave of terror to crash into me, but it didn’t come. I felt nothing.

  It was a relief not to be scared anymore, to have given in. For so long, I cowered away from the things I thought were monsters. I hurried to get home before dark, stayed out of the forest and plugged my ears whenever we approached the sea, pretending I couldn’t hear the haunt whispers that reached out to me. I thought it was the only way, that I had no other option than to be terrified, but I never knew just how good it felt to give in.

  I wanted to sink into that feeling. The draw of it, its appeal, was too strong, and I yearned for the blissful nothingness that seemed so close. The fear that had so recently gripped me was gone. It had been washed away, and the only trace was in the still-drying tears on my cheeks, but I’d never feel like that again. Not with the man at my side. I’d never be scared again.

  “Grace,” he repeated, seeming to savour the sensation of my name upon his tongue.

  A shiver of delight traced its way down my spine. It sounded so beautiful on his lips, and I wanted to hear him say my name again. I longed to hear it again and again, every day for the rest of my life, no matter how long that was. I just needed to listen to him say it once more, but I didn’t know how to ask for that. How could I?

  I didn’t know his name, I realised. I’d given him my name, but I’d not even asked for his. That felt wrong. Rude. It seemed as though I was uninterested in him, and that wasn’t true. I wanted to know everything about him. I’d happily listen to him talk for hours if I could.

  “What’s… your name?” I asked, the question coming out hesitant and uncertain.

  The man cocked his head to the side, his eyes fixed on my face as he considered the question. Had I done something wrong? Was it rude to ask him for that information? I didn’t know. I didn’t know anything about vampire etiquette, and the urge to apologise roared within me.

  Tears burned behind my eyes as my shame grew stronger, and I had to fight not to let them escape. It would be wrong. Bad. He wouldn’t like it if I cried, and I knew that. I had to be stronger and hold them in.

  “Hugo,” he said eventually, his voice so soft it was barely above a whisper.

  Relief slammed into me, making my knees even weaker, and I almost stumbled.

  “Hugo,” I repeated just as quietly, causing a smile to appear on his face.

  It was softer than before. More gentle. Pride soared within my heart, making me forget the sadness and guilt I’d felt before. All I could focus on was that I had made him smile. It felt like a victory, a triumph. I wanted to shout it, scream it from the rooftop of the flat. I had made the man, Hugo, smile.

  “Well then, Grace,” he said, savouring my name just as much as he had before. “Would you like to come with me?”

  A final, frantic flare of rebellion burned within me, making me hesitate for just a moment. The awareness that if I were to go with him, I would die, was too strong. It was too clear. I didn’t know where he intended to take me, but I was certain that he would drain me. He would suck the blood from my body and leave my lifeless corpse abandoned at the side of a road for someone to find.

  My parents would be terrified. They would suspect the worst, but they’d hold out hope. My dad would cling to it until my body was recovered, and even then, I knew he’d silently pray that the police were wrong. It wouldn’t matter if he saw it, if he were the one to identify my corpse. He would spend the rest of his life waiting for me to come back somehow.

  I needed to say no. I had to take a step back and put some distance between us. If I did that, I had a chance. I could—

  “Yes,” I heard myself say.

  Hugo’s lips curled, and he reached towards me, offering his hand. In the back of my mind, I screamed. I pounded against the restraints keeping me silent, thrashed and fought to escape, but my arm was already moving. My fingers slipped into his warm grasp, and a haze of belonging settled over me.