Lina didn't sleep that night.
She stayed in her bed, looking at the window, afraid to close her eyes. Every small sound made her jump. The wind, the trees, even the sound of her own breathing felt too loud in the silence.
A hunter… she thought. Someone is hunting vampires… and maybe hunting me too.
In the morning, Lina looked very tired. Dark circles were under her eyes, and she didn't even finish her breakfast.
Her mother looked at her and said, "Lina, are you okay? You look sick."
"I didn't sleep well," Lina replied.
"You spend too much time on your phone," her mother said. "Tonight you sleep early."
Lina forced a small smile. "Okay, Mom."
But Lina knew she wouldn't sleep early. She knew she would probably stay awake again, looking at the window, thinking about the hunter.
At school, everything felt normal… too normal. Students were laughing, teachers were talking, and the sun was shining. It was hard to believe that monsters and hunters were walking in the same town.
During lunch, Lina found Adrian sitting alone as usual. She sat next to him.
"I saw him again," she said quietly.
Adrian looked at her immediately. "The hunter?"
Lina nodded. "He was near the forest. He was watching my house."
Adrian looked angry. "This is bad."
"Lucas said hunters look for special humans too," Lina said. "Why?"
Adrian was silent for a moment, then he said, "Because special humans are powerful. Some hunters want to protect them… and some want to use them."
"Use them for what?" Lina asked.
"To control vampires," Adrian replied.
Lina looked at her wrist. The mark was still there, quiet today, not burning.
"I don't want this power," Lina said. "I don't want this world."
Adrian looked at her softly. "I know. But this world wants you."
Just then, Lucas arrived and sat on the table in front of them.
"You two look very serious," Lucas said. "Are we talking about me?"
"We're talking about the hunter," Adrian said coldly.
Lucas's smile disappeared. "You saw him again?"
Lina nodded. "Yes. Near my house."
Lucas looked at Adrian. "This is happening too fast."
"What do you mean?" Lina asked.
Lucas looked at her and said, "Hunters don't come to a town for no reason. If a hunter is here, it means someone told him about you."
Lina felt cold. "Someone told him about me? Who?"
Adrian and Lucas didn't answer.
"Who knows about me?" Lina asked again.
Adrian said, "Not many people. Me. Lucas. And…"
"And who?" Lina asked.
Lucas replied quietly:
"And the Night Council."
Lina felt that name again like a dark cloud.
"The Night Council again," she said. "Who are they exactly?"
Lucas looked around, then said quietly, "They are the ones who make the rules for our world. Vampires, werewolves, hunters… everyone."
"Are they good or bad?" Lina asked.
Adrian replied, "They are power. And power is never completely good or completely bad."
Before Lina could ask more questions, the school bell rang.
"Be careful today," Adrian said to Lina.
Lucas added, "And don't walk alone."
Lina tried to laugh a little. "I have two vampires protecting me. I think I'm safe."
Lucas smiled. "You would be surprised."
After school, Lina was walking home alone. Adrian had to go somewhere, and Lucas disappeared like always.
The street was quiet. The sun was going down, and the sky was orange and pink.
Lina walked a little faster. She didn't like being alone anymore.
Suddenly, she felt it.
The mark.
It started burning.
Lina stopped walking and held her wrist. "Ah… not here… not now…"
"Hello, Lina."
A man's voice.
Lina froze.
She turned around slowly.
A tall man was standing behind her. He was wearing a dark coat, and his eyes were cold. He looked normal… but something about him felt dangerous.
"W-Who are you?" Lina asked.
The man smiled a little. "My name is Victor."
Lina stepped back. "How do you know my name?"
Victor looked at her wrist. "Because of that."
Lina tried to hide her hand, but it was too late.
"You have the mark," Victor said. "I've been looking for you."
Lina's heart started beating very fast. "You're the hunter…"
Victor smiled. "Yes."
Lina turned and tried to run, but Victor moved very fast and suddenly he was in front of her.
"You shouldn't run," he said calmly. "I'm not here to hurt you."
"Then what do you want?" Lina asked, scared.
Victor looked at her eyes and said:
"I'm here to take you with me."
"Take me where?" Lina asked.
"To a place where you will understand what you are," Victor replied.
"I'm not going anywhere with you," Lina said.
Victor sighed. "You don't understand, Lina. Your life is in danger here. Vampires will use you. Werewolves will hunt you. The Night Council will control you."
"And you?" Lina asked. "What will you do?"
Victor looked at her seriously and said:
"I will train you."
"Train me for what?" Lina asked.
Victor replied:
"To become stronger than all of them."
At that moment, someone appeared behind Victor.
Adrian.
"You're not taking her anywhere," Adrian said.
Lucas appeared from the other side. "You came to the wrong town, hunter."
Victor looked at both of them and smiled. "Two vampires against one hunter. That's not very fair."
Lucas smiled. "Life is not fair."
Victor looked at Lina one last time and said:
"I will come back for you. And next time, you will come with me. Because this is your destiny."
Then he threw something on the ground. Smoke filled the street, and when the smoke disappeared…
Victor was gone.
Lina was shaking. "He said he will come back…"
Adrian looked serious. "And he will."
Lucas looked at Lina and said:
"Your life just became a war."
That night, Lina wrote in her diary:
Dear Diary,Today I met the hunter.His name is Victor.He said he wants to train me.Adrian wants to protect me.Lucas says a war is coming.Everyone wants something from me.But no one is asking what I want.I don't want power.I don't want war.I just want my normal life back.But I think… it's too late for that now.