Kylie Wren stirred, the chill of the concrete beneath her bones nudging her awake. She blinked a few times, adjusting to the harsh

xpected, and the concrete offered no comfort. She looked around the warehouse, empty save for some broken crates and

not exactly, but from somethin

seen h

mo

ood, licking up the wallpaper and curling into the rafters. Smoke choked the air, thick and bitter. Kylie had been small, helpless, h

Kylie!

in time before the roof collapsed. Kylie remembered the scream-the

was wet. A tear. She hadn'

now. Not when she had so much to figure out. The human world was a mystery to her, and she was

ire side hated it, but she bore it without flinching. Half-vampire, half-human. A creature caught

r streets. The town was already awake-cars honking, people bustling, voice

laughed over steaming cups. She eyed the pa

ontin

o alive. So noi

versized hoodie and tattered jeans she found in the warehouse, she stood out. Her eyes-sparkling brown-caught the l

ven c

s, their laughter high-pitched and free. A couple walked their dog. Joggers passed, earbuds in, lost in their own

real and f

cut grass. Her senses were heightened; she could hear every heartbe

art of it and

th shops. Her reflection caught in a store window-dark h

rned a corner and collided ha

ight. But instead of an attacker, she saw a tall figure with a gym

, steadying him

ked, the

n hair and a dimpled smile. His eyes w

going," she muttered

there," he called after h

dn't a

ng a few steps to keep up w

topped.

. "Do I look like

er. "Hey, just trying to be fr

yes. "Well, I'm

just surprised. "Alright,

ng twitching behind

how close he wa

there for a moment, watching her.

name?" he a

itated.

u. You going to sch

her heel and

u around, Kylie,"

n't loo

cause of the encounter-she could handle that. She ju

e smiling

id sh

, disappearing into the shadows. Her breath steadie

d was da

to remem

No connectio

only way

ye

her like she wasn't a monster

he wa

and looked up at the

e she had never truly known-school bells ringing in the distance, som

ning to the warehouse. Maybe she'd find anothe

locket she always kept hidden. Inside was a picture-her m

ere, Mom," s

ling the trees, whisperi

et away and stepped b

ep at

s world. She would

o carve it out wi