Her heart slammed violently against her ribs.
It was no longer a steady rhythm, it was chaos. Blood roared in her ears, drowning out the wind, drowning out her own thoughts. The world tilted slightly, the ground beneath her feet feeling unreliable. Her chest rose and fell too fast, too shallow.
She couldn't breathe.
Even as Allan leaned in again, her mind lagged behind reality. What was happening? What had he asked her earlier? Did she even answer properly?
She knew she had nodded.
But to what?
Her knuckles tightened into fists at her sides, nails digging into her palms as he leaned closer once more. This time she held her breath completely. She could feel the warmth of him, his breath brushing against her lips, close enough to steal it.
She waited.
And waited.
And waited.
Nothing.
Her brows twitched. Was he,
Her eyes snapped open.
And that was when he bit her again.
Not soft this time.
Not teasing.
Pain flared sharply through her bottom lip.
"Ow!" she yelped, stumbling back from him, hand flying to her mouth. Her face burned red, embarrassment and shock mixing violently inside her.
Allan simply straightened, slipping his hands into the pockets of his hoodie as if he hadn't just assaulted her lips.
A faint, unreadable smile curved his mouth.
"I think we should go now."
Oh, now he wants to go.
Before she could even form a reply, he took her hand.
The air shifted.
The world blurred.
And in the next blink, they stood in front of HERBERT WILBUR.
The school grounds were nearly empty. The vast courtyard stretched wide and silent, the emptiness making the building seem less like a place of education and more like something abandoned… forbidden.
The wind moved through the corridors like a whisper.
Elaine swallowed.
"When we get to her… what exactly are we going to say?" she asked quietly as they walked side by side.
She thought of Dana, sly, calculating, always watching. Her roommate was not the type to give help freely. There would always be a cost.
"Let's get to her first," Allan replied calmly.
He led the way without hesitation.
Elaine narrowed her eyes slightly.
Did he know where she was? Or was this instinct?
They stopped at the old playroom, unused for years since a new one had been built. Dust clung to corners. The windows were fogged and cracked in places. It felt forgotten.
And what better place for a soul leech than somewhere forgotten?
Inside, Dana sat cross-legged on the floor, a book open before her.
At the sound of footsteps, she turned.
Her expression soured instantly.
Of all people.
Of course she remembered Allan. Of course she remembered what he did on her first day.
Elaine remembered too.
"Good morning," Elaine greeted softly, trying to sound casual.
Allan didn't greet her. He walked forward and sat opposite Dana, his eyes briefly flicking to the book in her hands.
Elaine hesitated before sitting beside him.
"What are you both doing here?" Dana asked coldly. "I thought you left."
"Well, yes," Elaine began awkwardly. "We just… need your help. With something small."
Dana stared at her as though she had grown a second head.
Then she closed her book.
She began to stand—
—but froze.
Her eyes dropped to the bloodied necklace Allan had casually tossed onto the floor between them.
The air thickened instantly.
"What is that?" she asked, voice shifting.
She sat back down slowly.
Her fingers twitched as if resisting the urge to reach for it.
"What can you figure out from this?" Allan asked, ignoring her question entirely.
Dana's jaw tightened.
She understood now.
They wanted a reading.
She almost refused.
She almost stood again.
But in a blink,
Allan was gone.
A second later, he was behind her.
His hand wrapped around her throat.
His nails extended not transforming fully, but lengthening just enough to break skin. Sharp. Precise.
Dana let out a low, humorless chuckle.
"And what is this?" she mocked. "You're going to force me?"
"Soul leeches aren't allowed here," Allan murmured near her ear, his voice dropping into something darker. "I don't know how you slipped through. Removing you wouldn't be difficult."
His nail dragged slowly across her neck.
A thin line of blood followed.
Dana tried to move but couldn't.
It felt like her limbs were anchored to the ground. Heavy. Bound by something unseen.
"You're going to do it," he said flatly.
No room for negotiation.
Dana inhaled slowly.
Then she reached forward and grabbed the necklace.
The moment her fingers wrapped around it, the diamonds began to glow an unnatural shimmer, pulsing with trapped energy.
Her eyes unfocused.
Moments passed.
The glow began to dim.
And dim.
And dim.
Until the jewels looked dull. Lifeless. Almost like ordinary stone.
Allan released her.
He took the necklace back.
It was significantly lighter now.
The soul leech had drained most of its essence.
Elaine stood frozen, watching everything spiral far too quickly. Violence had come and gone in seconds.
But if it got results…
She swallowed.
"What did you see?" Allan asked.
Dana hesitated.
Her eyes flicked between them.
Then she spoke.
"A wedding."
Silence.
"Death."
Elaine's stomach dropped.
"A severed body."
Her breath caught.
"Chaos."
That was all she offered.
Allan studied her carefully.
Elaine felt something was missing.
They turned to leave.
But not before Allan flicked a single page from Dana's book, pressing something unseen into it.
An emotion.
Something for her to feed on.
A silent payment.
The air shifted again.
They reappeared on the front porch of the house.
Elaine exhaled shakily.
"That wasn't much help," she whispered.
"Sly," Allan said, the corner of his mouth lifting.
It was the first time she saw him smirk like that.
It made her stomach twist.
He looked… unfairly beautiful when he did that.
She had to look away.
"What do you mean?" she asked.
"Your roommate withheld something."
Elaine's eyes widened.
"She did? She looked serious…"
"She skipped the most important part."
A pause.
"Same day. Same time. Friday. Seventh."
Elaine's pulse spiked.
"What?"
"The body should be put together."
Cold dread slid down her spine.
"Which body?" she asked slowly.
Allan's eyes shifted to her.
"The one inside you."
The world went quiet.
Too quiet.
Her fingers curled slightly.
"When?" she whispered.
"The ninth day. Eleven fifty."
Her stomach dropped.
The ninth day…
"Friday. Seven," he added.
Her breathing turned uneven again.
"How do you know?" she asked.
He shrugged lightly.
"It's a trick."
He didn't elaborate.
But she knew.
He could slip into memories.
Briefly.
Without leaving a mark.
Elaine stared ahead, lost in spiraling thoughts.
A body inside her.
A countdown.
A Friday.
Would this finally end?
Or was this only the beginning?