Miki's Apartment, That Night
Miki stood by her window, curtain drawn slightly open, peeking out into the quiet street below. The city lights cast long shadows across the pavement. A chill ran down her spine — one she couldn't explain.
Celeste's warning echoed in her mind:
> "He'll try to find your weakness. He'll make you feel like he's already here."
She hugged her arms around herself.
"I'm just being paranoid," she muttered.
Still, she double-checked the locks on the front door. Again.
The apartment, once her haven of quiet and solitude, now felt like a cage — too many blind spots, too many places someone could hide.
Even the darkness outside her balcony — the very same balcony that connected to Celeste's — seemed deeper tonight.
And yet…
> Was that a shadow by the fire escape?
She froze, heart thudding.
She stared.
Nothing moved.
Slowly, she pulled the curtains shut.
And tried not to panic.
---
Somewhere Beneath the City
Celeste walked through the underground lounge in silence. The old vampire district had been buried after the last war, now hidden beneath layers of city concrete. Only a few still used it — those who remembered the old ways.
She paused in front of a private chamber and knocked once.
A tall, sharp-eyed woman opened the door.
Raven black hair, loose blazer over a tank top, a long scar running down her left cheek like a lightning bolt. She leaned on the doorframe, raising an amused brow.
"Well, if it isn't Celeste Lorrain. Thought you stopped slumming it with us."
"Good to see you too, Ren."
Ren stepped aside. "Come in. Let me guess — trouble?"
Celeste entered the room, refusing to sit. "Someone's back. One of the Originals."
Ren whistled low. "Which one?"
"Cassivar."
The name alone sucked the warmth out of the air.
Ren didn't laugh this time. She leaned against the wall, arms folded.
"He's supposed to be dead."
"He's not. And he's after someone."
Ren tilted her head. "The girl?"
Celeste's gaze dropped for a second. "Yes."
Ren studied her.
"You're not just feeding on her."
Celeste didn't answer.
"That's cute," Ren said after a beat. "Terrifying. But cute."
"I need your help," Celeste said finally. "Watch her. Shadow her. Every hour of every day. I can't be at her side all the time. But you can."
Ren pushed off the wall. "Bodyguard duty? You serious?"
"I'll owe you."
Ren clicked her tongue. "You already do."
"Then let me owe you more."
There was a long silence.
Finally, Ren said, "Alright. But if I get stabbed by some ancient psycho because of this human of yours, I'm haunting your bathtub."
Celeste smiled faintly. "You're always welcome to."
Ren looked at her with something strange in her eyes — part admiration, part worry.
"I've never seen you scared before," she said.
"I'm not scared," Celeste replied softly.
> "I'm in love."
---
Back at Miki's
Miki lay on the couch, staring at the ceiling.
She could hear the low hum of the city through the window. But nothing felt real. Not the throw blanket on her legs, not the TV flickering in the background, not even the steaming cup of tea on the table.
Her phone buzzed.
Celeste: "Are you okay?"
Miki stared at the message. Her fingers hovered over the keys.
Then, she typed:
Miki: "I keep thinking someone's watching me. Is that crazy?"
The reply was instant.
Celeste: "Not crazy. Just careful."
Miki: "Don't treat me like I'm fragile."
Celeste: "Then let me treat you like you matter."
Miki's chest tightened.
She didn't reply.
But when she turned toward the window, just for a second, she thought she saw a flash of white across the street.
A tall figure.
And maybe — just maybe — the faintest glow of silver eyes watching back.
---