The Crown of Night And Magic

Fear propelled my legs faster than humanly possible, my chest burning as if a fire had been lit inside.

​I tripped, my back hitting the rough, hard ground as a dark, cloaked figure loomed over me. Moonlight caught the blood on its fangs as its tongue slowly slid across one sharpened tip.

​"Stay away!" I screamed, crawling backward.

​"You belong to us," its slithery voice hissed. The creature pounced, its fangs digging into the side of my neck, draining every drop of blood. I closed my eyes, feeling death take me.

​Then, I jolted upright in my bed, breaking out in a cold sweat. My hands flew to my neck. I could still feel the pain of the piercing fangs, but there was no mark, no blood. My legs ached as if I had truly been running, yet they bore no bruises.

​"This is insane," I muttered, running my fingers through my tangled, shoulder-length platinum blond hair.

​I sat up, trying to gather my thoughts. I had these nightmares every night. Sometimes they were whimsical, featuring human-animal hybrids, tonight, it was blood-sucking fiends.

​Stepping out of bed, I caught my reflection in the mirror. With deep dark circles and hollow blue eyes, I looked like a walking dead. I shook my head, freshened up, and pulled on my jogging outfit.

​Jogging through the quiet alleys of London, I noticed a couple of local men standing near the perimeter of the "Forbidden Zone." It was a place wrapped in rumors, mysteries, and documentaries detailing why it was so dangerous.

​"Can't believe a lad died here last night," one man said, his thick accent heavy with sympathy. "Must've been curious, and that ended his life."

​"Good morning, sirs," I interrupted, keeping a safe distance from the boundary. "Did something happen?"

​The first man turned. "Some lad thought he saw something last night, brought out his camera to video it, and got attacked by an animal. I found his phone on the floor, still recording. There was this strange bite mark on his neck."

​"Bite marks?" I blurted out. "What kind?"

​The man looked at me with a whiff of suspicion. "You a detective, missy?"

​"No sir, just a curious resident."

​He nodded grimly. "Looked like the bite of those fictional movie monsters."

​A horrible shiver ran down my spine. If there was one thing about me, it was that my dreams always came true—whether they were about me or someone else. These monster nightmares had only started a month ago, the exact same time I moved to this part of the city for university. Was it a coincidence, or was it fate?

​As the men walked away, I lingered for a moment. Turning to head back, I heard a swift movement behind me. I whipped my head around, but the alley was empty.

​"This just keeps getting creepier," I sighed, picking up my pace.

​When I reached my apartment, my heart dropped. The door was ajar. I knew I had closed it. I stepped inside cautiously, checking for signs of a burglary, but everything was intact.

​Suddenly, a strong hand grabbed me from behind, pinning my arms, while a sharp blade pressed against my skin.

​"Move and I'll slit your pretty little throat."

​Being trapped with a knife to your throat makes you realize how fragile human life truly is.

​"Riv, you are getting weaker by the day," the voice chuckled with triumphant cheer. "See how easy it was for me to break in and scare you?"

​"No, you are getting stronger. Now unhand me, you little brat," I snapped, careful not to move against the blade.

​"Ah, very good, sister. You admit I am stronger." He smiled, releasing me and sheathing his dagger.

​I rubbed my neck, staring up at the tall young man. Kaidrin was the male version of me—we had the same features. "What are you doing here, Kaidrin?"

​His cheerful energy instantly dissipated, "Mother may die soon."

​The air left my lungs. Our mother was desperately ill, and we didn't have enough for her treatments.

​"How long do we have left?" I asked, forcing back my tears.

​"I don't know, Rivera. The doctor says you can never be sure. I just came to let you know... I am going for the job. Mother needs the money, and if that means getting my hands dirty, I will sully them in all types of mud." He turned toward the door. "Don't worry, I didn't break in. I took your spare key last time. Be safe, sister."

​After he left, I changed and headed to campus. The university was buzzing with a single trending topic: the dead body found near the Forbidden Zone.

​Sitting at my desk, I overheard two girls chatting above me.

​"I heard it was a Vampire," one said fearfully.

​"Rubbish, they aren't real," the other countered.

​"It happened near the only place in the city people aren't allowed to go near," the first insisted. "The government is probably trying to protect us from them."

​Beside me, another group was talking. "He was drained by a blood-sucking monster," a boy whispered.

​"But if vampires are real, I'm sure they'd be as attractive as they are in the movies," a girl named Lulu sighed dreamily.

​People are dying, and she's daydreaming about murderous monsters being hot. Crazy, I thought, tucking my loose hair behind my ears.

​The lecturer entered, today's topic was the forbidden zone the supposed veil between the Natural and the Supernatural.

​"Bullshit, there ain't no supernatural realm," a boy snickered. "The government is hiding nuclear weapons."

​As the class erupted into an argument, I walked out and headed to my shift at the cafe. I worked extra hours into the night to earn more money. By closing time, I was utterly exhausted.

​As I walked down the road leading toward the restricted area. The air turned bitterly cold, which was impossible for a summer evening. Shivering, I walked closer until I stumbled upon a sight beyond anything I could have fathomed.

​Two creatures from my dreams were there in the flesh: the blood-sucking monster and a whimsical, shape-shifting animal creature. They were locked in a lethal, highly skilled combat. Suddenly, the fanged creature gained the upper hand, stabbing the other with razor-sharp claws.

​I gasped. A fatal mistake.

​Both creatures snapped their heads toward me. I was rooted to the spot by sheer shock.

​"Look what we have here," the fanged monster sneered, revealing the identical teeth from my nightmares. "A pesky little human girl not afraid of dying. Well, you'll be my dinner."

​He vanished, moving so swiftly I couldn't process it, appearing mere inches from my face. But then, he froze.

​"Bloody hell," he cursed, staring at me as if I was the one to be feared.

​The wounded animal creature looked up at me in equal shock. "No freaking way."

​The vampire's shock twisted into a wicked grin. "Boss is going to reward me so heavily when I hand you over."

​Before I could run, a swift blow struck me, and everything went blank.