The next few days were very strange for Lina.
She tried to live a normal life. She went to school, did her homework, had dinner with her family, and smiled like everything was fine.
But nothing was fine.
Every morning, she woke up and the first thing she did was look at her wrist. The mark was still there. A dark circle with strange lines inside it. Sometimes it didn't hurt, but sometimes it burned like fire.
And every time it burned… something bad happened.
At school, Lina felt like someone was watching her all the time. When she walked in the hallway, she felt eyes on her. When she sat in class, she felt like someone was behind her. But every time she turned around, there was no one.
During lunch, she sat with Adrian under a tree, far from the other students.
"You look tired," Adrian said.
"I didn't sleep well," Lina replied.
"The mark?" he asked.
Lina nodded. "It hurts at night. And I feel like… like something is going to happen."
Adrian looked serious. "You should not stay alone."
"I'm not alone. I have you," Lina said, then quickly looked away, a little embarrassed.
Adrian smiled a little. "And Lucas."
Lina made a face. "Lucas is not helping. Lucas is scaring me."
Adrian looked at her. "Lucas is dangerous. But he is not your biggest problem."
Lina frowned. "Then what is?"
Adrian looked around, then said quietly:
"The person who was watching your house that night."
Lina felt cold. "You think someone is really watching me?"
"I don't think," Adrian said. "I know."
That night, Lina was in her room doing homework, but she couldn't focus. The house was very quiet. Her parents were watching TV downstairs.
She looked at the window. The forest behind her house was dark and silent.
Too silent.
Suddenly, the mark on her wrist started burning.
"Ah…" Lina held her wrist. "Not again…"
The pain was stronger this time. She stood up and walked to the window slowly.
"I feel like someone is there…" she whispered.
She looked outside carefully.
At first, she saw nothing.
Then she saw a shadow between the trees.
A tall shadow. A person.
Lina's heart started beating very fast.
The person was not moving. Just standing there. Watching the house.
Watching her window.
Lina stepped back, scared, and quickly took her phone. She sent a message to Adrian.
Lina:Someone is outside. Near the forest. Watching my house.
Adrian replied almost immediately.
Adrian:Don't go outside. Lock the doors. I'm coming.
Lina locked her bedroom door and went downstairs to lock the main door too. Her hands were shaking.
"Mom, Dad, I'm going back to my room," she said, trying to sound normal.
"Okay," her mom said. "Don't stay up too late."
Lina went back to her room and closed the door. She looked at the window again.
The shadow was still there.
But this time… it was closer.
Lina stopped breathing. "How did he move so fast…?"
Suddenly, the shadow disappeared.
Lina waited. One minute. Two minutes.
Nothing.
Then she heard a sound.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Lina turned slowly toward the window.
Someone was tapping on the glass.
Lina wanted to scream, but no sound came out.
She walked slowly to the window and looked.
It was Lucas.
He was standing outside her window, smiling a little.
Lina opened the window quickly. "Are you crazy?! You scared me!"
Lucas jumped into the room بسهولة.
"You're welcome," he said.
"For what?" Lina asked.
"For making sure you're still alive," Lucas replied.
Lina frowned. "What are you talking about?"
Lucas looked at her wrist. "Your mark is burning, right?"
"Yes…" Lina said. "How do you know?"
Lucas looked at the forest. "Because when the mark burns… it means someone is near you."
"Someone like you and Adrian?" Lina asked.
Lucas shook his head slowly. "No. Someone much worse."
Just then, Adrian opened the bedroom door quickly and walked in. He looked angry when he saw Lucas.
"I told you to stay away from her," Adrian said.
Lucas rolled his eyes. "Relax. I'm protecting her."
"I don't need your help," Adrian said.
Lucas smiled. "Yes, you do."
Lina shouted, "Stop! Both of you! There was someone outside! A tall shadow near the forest!"
Adrian and Lucas both became serious.
"Did you see the face?" Adrian asked.
"No," Lina said. "Just a shadow. But the mark started burning when I saw him."
Lucas and Adrian looked at each other. They looked worried.
"What?" Lina asked. "Tell me."
Adrian said quietly:
"I think I know who it is."
"Who?" Lina asked.
Adrian replied:
"A hunter."
"A hunter?" Lina repeated.
Lucas nodded. "Not a normal hunter. A vampire hunter."
Lina felt fear again. "A hunter… is watching me?"
Adrian said, "If he is here, it means he knows about you."
"How?" Lina asked.
Lucas replied, "Because hunters look for two things: vampires… and special humans."
Lina whispered, "Special humans… like me?"
No one answered.
That night, Lina couldn't sleep again. She sat on her bed and opened her diary.
Dear Diary,I feel like my life is turning into a nightmare.There is a mark on my wrist that burns when something bad is near.There are vampires in my town.There are werewolves in the forest.And now Adrian says there is a hunter watching me.I don't know who to trust.Adrian wants to protect me.Lucas says I belong in his world.And I don't even know what I am anymore.But I feel that something is coming.Something bad.And I think… it's coming for me.
She closed the diary and turned off the light.
But outside, near the forest, the tall man was still there.
Watching the house.
Watching Lina.
And this time, he was not alone.