Chapter 72
Sneaking out of a mansion full of supernatural predators should probably feel impossible.
But at this point?
It just feels like Tuesday.
I sit on the edge of my bed in the dim early morning light, staring at the closed door of my room while my heart beats steadily in my chest. The sky outside my window is still pale gray, the sun barely beginning to rise over the trees.
Too early for most people.
Perfect timing for escape.
I glance at the clock on my bedside table.
6:07 a.m.
The house will still be quiet.
Staff changing shifts.
Vampires retreating after the night.
Security relaxed.
A small window of opportunity.
I pull on my sneakers, tying the laces tightly, fingers moving fast but precise. My backpack rests on the chair nearby—already packed the night before with textbooks, notebooks, and the one thing that matters most right now:
My phone.
My lifeline.
My connection to Vanessa and Chloe.
My allies.
Because if there’s one thing I learned from that vision… it’s that I cannot face this alone.
I stand slowly, listening.
Silence.
No footsteps in the hallway.
No doors opening.
No voices.
Good.
I move to the door and press my ear lightly against it.
Still quiet.
My hand closes around the handle.
This is the risky part.
If Damon catches me sneaking out, there will be questions. Too many questions. And I don’t have answers I’m willing to share.
Not yet.
Not until I understand what I am.
What that door means.
What’s waiting behind it.
I inhale slowly.
Then open the door.
The hallway stretches empty in both directions, long and shadowed in the early morning light filtering through tall windows. The marble floors gleam faintly, reflecting pale gold streaks from the rising sun.
No one.
I step out quietly, closing the door behind me without a sound.
My heart beats faster now.
Not from fear.
From adrenaline.
I move quickly but carefully down the hallway, keeping close to the wall, footsteps light. Every creak of the floor feels louder than it should. Every shadow looks suspicious.
Halfway to the staircase, I freeze.
Voices.
Male voices.
Low.
Distant.
Coming from the far end of the corridor.
My pulse jumps.
I duck behind a tall decorative column, holding my breath as the voices grow slightly louder.
“…keep the perimeter tight tonight.”
Definitely Adam.
His tone is firm, controlled.
Another voice responds—deeper, colder.
one of the guards
“We will,” he says. “Nothing enters this property without your knowledge.”
My stomach tightens.
Of course they’re discussing security.
Because something is coming.
Something they’re preparing for.
And somehow, I’m in the middle of it.
I stay perfectly still until their footsteps move farther away, fading into the distance.
Only then do I exhale slowly.
Okay.
That was close.
Too close.
I slip down the staircase quickly, gripping the railing lightly as I descend. The grand foyer below is empty, sunlight now spilling through the massive front windows.
Freedom is right there.
Just a few steps away.
I cross the floor calmly—forcing myself not to rush—and reach the front door.
My hand hesitates on the handle.
One last chance to turn back.
To stay safe.
To stay under their protection.
But protection from what?
The thought hits me hard.
From the world?
Or from the truth?
My jaw tightens.
I open the door.
Cool morning air rushes over me, fresh and sharp, carrying the scent of dew and distant traffic. The sky is brighter now, streaked with soft pink and gold as the sun rises.
I step outside.
And just like that—
I’m free.
The walk to school feels strangely normal.
Cars pass by.
Birds chirp overhead.
Students gather along sidewalks, laughing and talking about homework and weekend plans.
Life continues.
Unaffected.
Unaware.
I adjust the strap of my backpack and blend into the crowd, forcing my breathing to stay steady. The normalcy feels almost surreal after everything that’s happened.
Visions.
Magic.
Ancient doors bleeding in dark places.
And yet here I am.
Walking to school like any other girl.
The building comes into view ahead—tall, familiar, safe.
For now.
I step through the front gates, scanning the courtyard instinctively.
And then I see them.
Vanessa and Chloe.
Standing near the entrance.
Waiting.
Relief floods my chest instantly.
Vanessa spots me first.
Her eyes widen.
“Elizabeth!”
She rushes toward me, boots striking the pavement with urgency. Chloe follows close behind, her expression a mix of worry and excitement.
The moment they reach me, Vanessa grabs my shoulders.
“Are you okay?” she demands.
Her voice is sharp, protective.
Very Vanessa.
I nod quickly.
“I’m fine,” I say.
Mostly true.
Chloe wraps her arms around me suddenly, squeezing tight.
“Oh my gosh, you scared us,” she says.
A small laugh escapes me despite everything.
“Noted,” I reply.
Vanessa crosses her arms, studying my face carefully.
“You look tired,” she says.
“I am tired.”
“Did they question you?”
“Yes.”
“What did you tell them?”
“That I didn’t remember much.”
Her brows lift slightly.
A slow, approving nod.
“Good,” she says.
Chloe glances around nervously.
“Okay, can we not have this conversation in the open where literally anyone could overhear?” she whispers. “I enjoy living.”
Vanessa smirks faintly.
“Library,” she says.
I nod.
“Library.”
The school library is nearly empty this early in the morning.
Rows of tall bookshelves stretch across the room, sunlight filtering through large windows and casting soft shadows across the wooden tables. The quiet hum of the air conditioner fills the silence.
Safe.
Private.
Hidden.
We settle into a corner table far from the entrance, backpacks dropped onto chairs, bodies leaning in close.
Vanessa wastes no time.
“Talk,” she says.
Straight to the point.
Classic.
I glance at both of them.
My friends.
My family.
The only people I trust completely.
And then I tell them everything.
The garden.
The flower.
The vision.
The red door.
The blood.
The pain.
The thing behind it.
Their faces shift slowly as I speak—curiosity turning into concern… then fear.
By the time I finish, the silence around the table feels heavy.
Chloe is the first to react.
“Oh,” she says softly.
Just one word.
But it carries weight.
Vanessa leans back in her chair, running a hand through her hair.
“That’s not just a vision,” she mutters. “That’s a warning.”
I nod slowly.
“I know.”
Chloe’s voice trembles slightly.
“You said the door was bleeding?”
“Yes.”
“And something was behind it?”
“Yes.”
Her eyes widen.
“That’s horror movie behavior,” she whispers.
Vanessa shoots her a look.
“Focus.”
Chloe straightens immediately.
“Right. Focus. Serious. Not dying. Got it.”
Despite the tension, a small smile tugs at my lips.
God, I missed them.
Vanessa leans forward again, elbows resting on the table.
“Here’s the part that matters,” she says. “You said you felt like you were the door.”
My chest tightens.
“Yes.”
Silence falls again.
Heavy.
Then Chloe speaks quietly.
“So… you’re basically in deep shit"
I stare at her.
“When you say it like that, it sounds worse.”
“It is worse,” she says bluntly.
Vanessa nods grimly.
“Way worse.”
I exhale slowly, rubbing my temples.
“So what do we do?” I ask.
Vanessa’s expression hardens.
“We keep it shut.”
Simple.
Direct.
Terrifying.
“How?” I press.
She reaches into her bag and pulls out a small notebook filled with scribbled symbols and notes.
Research.
Magic.
Plans.
“I’ve been studying protection spells,” she says. “Binding spells. Sealing rituals.”
Hope flickers in my chest.
“There’s one option,” she continues. “But it’s risky.”
Of course it is.
“What kind of risky?” Chloe asks.
Vanessa hesitates.
“The kind with consequences.”
My stomach drops.
Magic always has consequences.
We all know that.
But right now?
We don’t have a choice.
I lean forward, meeting her eyes.
“Tell me.”
Vanessa flips to a page filled with strange symbols drawn in dark ink.
“This ritual could lock the door permanently,” she says. “Seal whatever is behind it so it can never cross into this world.”
My heart pounds faster.
“That’s good,” Chloe says cautiously.
Vanessa looks at me.
Serious.
Grave.
“But it requires the anchor.”
Silence.
Heavy.
I already know the answer.
“Me,” I say quietly.
She nods.
“Yes.”
Fear creeps into my chest.
Cold.
Sharp.
“What’s the consequence?” I ask.
Vanessa’s gaze softens.
“Once we seal it… you might never be normal again.”
The words hang in the air between us.
Final.
Unavoidable.
Chloe reaches across the table and grabs my hand.
“We’ll figure it out,” she says firmly. “Together.”
Vanessa nods.
“Always together.”
Emotion rises in my throat.