2

“NO!”

He moved to sink his fangs into her neck— but a punch sent him flying through the air.

His body slammed into the ground with a dull, hollow thud.

The wind whipped through her white hair, strands flashing across her face as she buried it in her palms. “Not again…”

He groaned.

Slowly, she lowered her hands and turned toward him.

Blood seeped from his mouth, streaking his lips. His eyes lifted to meet hers.

“You messed with the wrong person today,” Zuriña said.

More blood dripped down his jaw as he tried to speak. “Please… help… me.”

“You should have listened when I told you to leave me. No one ever recovers from my punches.” Her voice was cold, final. “So die. Let the world be relieved of a vampire like you.”

“What… are…” He coughed, choking on more blood.

“What am I?” Her eyes hardened. “A superior vampire… a vampire from birth.”

Her wristwatch beeped.

She glanced down.

“Darn. It’s curfew.”

With a powerful leap, she vanished into the air.

A kitten was licking its paw when she streaked across the rooftops. In less than a minute, she dropped in front of the building.

“Zuriña—”

“What happened to your hair?” Henry was saying as she dashed past him and into her room.

She began fumbling through her things, tossing clothes aside in a frantic search for the only thing that could calm her down.

“Where is it? Where did I put it?”

“What are you looking for?” Rietta asked.

Henry understood immediately. He turned to the laundry basket. “Here it is.”

She rushed to it like someone possessed. And there it was—the crown of thorns.

“Phew…” she sighed as she placed it over her head, then collapsed onto the bed.

“Are you okay, Riña?” Rietta asked.

“Yeah… I just need a minute.”

Henry winked at her and took Rietta’s hand. “Come on, Rietta. I’ll make you some noodles.”

“Okay,” she replied as they left the room.

Once they were gone, Riña exhaled deeply. “I’m really such a klutz…” she muttered.

The crown of thorns had been designed for her by Father Michael, the priest who had taken her in when she was young. He had known she would transform if triggered—and had discovered the only way to control it was with the crown.

She sat up abruptly and turned to the mirror. Her hair was already fading back to brown. Her claws slowly retracted.

“Hey, Riña… why didn’t you take it with you? You’d have been in trouble if a human had seen you.”

And not just trouble—serious trouble.

She would have to quit school, abandon her life, forget about living as a human.

Humans feared vampires too deeply for her to ever be accepted.

She had no choice. Hiding who she really was was never easy.

The next afternoon, a can suddenly appeared on her desk.

She looked up to see the new professor standing before her. “You’re Zuriña… Zuriña Anderson, right?”

“Yes, Professor,” she replied, lowering her gaze to the can before looking back up.

“I noticed you were still working even after class, so I got you this to help you stay focused.”

A small smile crossed her lips. “Thank you so much.”

“Keep up the good work,” he said, returning to his desk where two other students waited. Riña found her eyes following him.

“Hey, Zuriña.”

She turned to see a classmate approaching and smiled, though she didn’t know his name.

“Hey, Zuriña.”

“Hi.”

“I’m Roshan. We’ve met before—I usually sit behind you.”

Oh… really? She hadn’t noticed.

“Yeah.”

“I was wondering if we could do Professor Park’s assignment together. It’s a pair project… if you don’t already have a partner.”

She smiled at his nervousness.

He was kind of cute.

“I don’t.”

“Does that mean we can be partners?”

“Yeah.”

“If it’s okay with you, could we talk about it over lunch?”

This was the part of pretending to be human she hated most.

“Sure,” she said lightly. “I was feeling hungry anyway.”

She lied.

The cafeteria was a bit far from their lecture halls, so they walked.

“Did you hear the news?” a guy nearby was saying.

“A vampire murdered a whole family.”

“I heard…” a girl replied.

“At this rate, they’re going to kill everyone.”

“I wish they’d all drop dead. Those monsters.”

Riña lowered her head, sadness clouding her face.

She had never been close to people.

As a child, she’d attached herself to picture books, always watching other children play together, always wishing for a friend of her own.

One day, her prayers seemed answered when Yian smiled at her and reached for her hand.

She’d been criticized for not attending school, but for the first time, someone didn’t care.

 He wanted to spend time with her.

And for a while, Zuriña almost forgot she was a vampire.

But happiness never lasted.

One day he came home with his face swollen.

When she asked what happened, he said nothing.

They met less after that… and eventually stopped seeing each other altogether.

She’d been angry. Angry that she hadn’t been able to protect him after everything he had done for her.

So she decided to help him.

One day, when Yian was being bullied in the streets, she disguised herself and used her strength. The bullies fled like cowards.

She remembered tearing off her disguise and running toward him—only to see fear and panic in his eyes when he realized what she was.

“Please… spare me…”

“Zuriña… Riña.” Roshan’s voice pulled her back.

“Sorry—what were you saying?”

Someone slammed into her shoulder. She looked up to see a hostile face glaring down at her. “Watch where you’re going, bitch.”

“You bumped into her first,” Roshan protested. Murmurs spread among the students.

“Wait… that’s the upperclassman,” Roshan whispered. “So he seriously came back?”

“What upperclassman?” she asked.

“He’s known for having a screw loose. Beats people up, extorts money, smokes in lecture halls. Funny thing is, he’s been friends with Professor Park since high school. Total opposites.”

“How do you know all this?” she asked. “Upperclassman talk.”

“Let’s go. Getting caught up in this won’t do any good.”

That night, Brad staggered home, tossing aside an empty gallon of water. “This thirst won’t leave…” he muttered, unable to count how many he had drained that day.

They all knew—about the failed interviews, about how he had returned to university after nine years.

But it didn’t matter.

He leaned over a parked car, staring at his reflection. I’ve been reborn.

Elijah Park approached with folders in hand. “Hey, Brad. Long time no see.”

Yeah. Long enough for you to start acting superior.

“I heard you’re back in school. I didn’t see you around,” Elijah said with a smile.

Look at him… We started college at the same time, yet he’s standing there like he owns the world. How did a moron like him get hired? Probably enjoying life while I was failing interviews. How dare he have what I can’t.

It doesn’t matter, Brad.

You can make him lose it all.

His eyes burned red. Claws burst from his fingers.

He plunged them into the car’s bonnet.

With one violent twist, the vehicle flipped upside down.