Chapter 1

Lucy's POV The vanilla scent of birthday candles mingled with the aroma of chocolate frosting as I stared at the flickering flames. Twenty-nine candles – one for each year of my completely ordinary life. If only I'd known these would be the last moments of that normalcy. "Make a wish, Mommy!" Avery bounced beside me, her golden curls catching the candlelight. My six-year-old's enthusiasm was infectious, and I couldn't help but smile. Mark stood on her other side, his phone raised to capture the moment. "Better hurry before the wax drips everywhere, Lucy." I closed my eyes, drew in a deep breath, and made the same wish I'd made every year since Avery was born – for her happiness and safety. With one quick puff, I extinguished the flames, and Avery's delighted applause filled our modest dining room. "Did you wish for a pony? I would've wished for a pony," she declared, climbing onto my lap. I laughed, wrapping my arms around her small frame. "That would be telling, sweetie. And you know what happens to wishes when you tell them." "They don't come true," she sighed dramatically, then brightened. "Can we have cake now?" Mark started cutting the cake, but something made me pause. A sudden chill crept through the room, raising goosebumps along my arms. The shadows in the corners seemed to deepen, and the hair on the back of my neck stood up. "Did you leave a window open?" I asked Mark, trying to keep my voice casual for Avery's sake. "It's gotten cold." He shook his head, frowning. "No, everything's closed because of the storm warning. Why—" The lights went out. Avery's grip on my arm tightened. "Mommy?" "It's okay, baby. Probably just the weather." But the words felt hollow, even to me. Something was wrong. Terribly wrong. A crash from the living room had us all jumping. Mark moved toward the sound, but I grabbed his arm. "Don't." "It's probably just the wind," he said, but I could hear the uncertainty in his voice. The temperature dropped further, and I could see our breath misting in the darkness. Avery whimpered, and I pulled her closer, my maternal instincts screaming danger. That's when I saw them – red eyes gleaming in the darkness. Not one pair, but several, surrounding us in a predatory circle. "Mark!" I screamed, but it was too late. They moved faster than anything I'd ever seen, dark shapes blurring through the air. I felt Avery being torn from my arms, her terrified scream piercing my heart. "MOMMY!" "AVERY!" I lunged forward, but cold hands grabbed me, impossibly strong. Sharp pain exploded in my neck, and I heard Mark shouting somewhere in the chaos. The world spun sickeningly. I could taste copper in my mouth and feel something warm running down my neck. The last thing I saw before consciousness slipped away was Avery's terrified face as a shadow carried her through our shattered window. "No... my baby..." I tried to reach for her, but my limbs wouldn't respond. The darkness was pulling me under, and I couldn't fight it. My birthday wish had failed. I couldn't protect her. Everything went black. When I came to, I was lying on our dining room floor. The lights were back on, but everything was wrong—too bright, too loud, too intense. I could hear water dripping from a faucet two rooms away and smell the lingering traces of birthday cake now mixed with something metallic and sharp. "Mark?" My voice sounded strange to my own ears. I pushed myself up, fighting waves of dizziness. He stood across the room, pressed against the wall, staring at me with undisguised horror. "Don't move." "What? Mark, where's Avery? We have to—" "You're one of them now." His voice shook. "I saw... I saw what they did to you." I touched my neck, feeling the tender spots where... where what? My fingers came away clean, but I could feel the puncture marks. "No." I shook my head, trying to clear it. "We need to call the police. They took our daughter!" "You're a vampire, Lucy." Mark's words hit me like physical blows. "I can see the change in your eyes. You're dangerous now." "That's ridiculous." I stood up, and he flinched. "Mark, please. Our daughter—" "Get out." He was trembling now, fear and revulsion warring on his face. "Get out of my house." "Mark—" "GET OUT!" He grabbed a kitchen knife, brandishing it between us. "You're not my wife anymore. You're a monster." The truth of what had happened began to sink in, along with a burning thirst I'd never felt before. I could hear Mark's heartbeat, smell his blood, and part of me – a new, terrifying part – wanted to... I ran. Out into the rain-soaked night, leaving behind everything I'd ever known. My home. My husband. My life. But not my daughter. Never my daughter. "AVERY!" I screamed into the darkness, my voice echoing off empty buildings. The rain soaked through my clothes, but I barely felt it. All I could feel was the gaping hole where my heart used to be and the burning thirst that threatened to consume me. What had I become? And more importantly, how would I ever find my little girl?