The moon was barely a sliver in the sky, casting its faint silver glow over the silent forest. I could hear every crackle of leaves beneath my feet, and every whisper of the wind as it passed through the trees. The night had a sharp edge to it, as if it was holding its breath, waiting.

I pushed forward, my eyes scanning the darkness. I knew he was out here. My hands trembled with anticipation, a strange thrill that slithered down my spine like ice. This is the confrontation I’d been waiting for.

And then, there he was.

Emerging from the darkness, his figure seemed to drift rather than walk. Lucien. His face was pale, but so beautiful. His eyes were captivating, and they locked onto mine with a knowing glint. He was older than the stars, and his gaze held a thousand secrets I’d never know.

“You came,” he murmured, his voice barely louder than a sigh.

“I didn’t have a choice,” I replied, standing firm. My hand clenched around the silver dagger I had hidden in my coat pocket.

Lucien took a step closer, his eyes shifting down to my pocket as though he could see through the fabric. A slight smile played on his lips. “A dagger?” He asks, “after everything we’ve been through, this is how you want it to be?”

I forced a bitter laugh. “It has to be this way. You left me no choice. I know what you are, and I know what you did to my family.”

He tilted his head, his expression softening with something like pity. “What I am?” His voice was gentle. “What I am, Sadie, is a simple mirror to your soul. You hunt me because you think I’m a monster, but you’re not so different from me, are you? You’ve felt the darkness inside?”

“No!” I hissed, my anger flaring. “I am nothing like you.”

“Oh, but you are,” he moved closer, until he was mere inches away. I could feel his cold breath against my skin. “Do you remember the night we first met, when you followed me into the woods, hoping to catch a glimpse of the creature lurking in your nightmares?” He leaned in, his voice lowering to a whisper. “You were so drawn to the shadows, you were always searching for something beyond the ordinary.”

I couldn’t breathe. The memories flooded back in. The inexplicable pull, the night spent wandering, the hollow feeling that grew within me each time I returned home empty handed. He was right, part of me had always wanted this dark dance with the unknown.

Lucien raised his hand, brushing a cold finger across my cheek, “you don’t have to fight it, Sadie. Embrace it. Embrace me.”

I felt myself sinking, my grip loosening on the dagger as his words wrapped around me like chains. I closed my eyes, letting his presence wash over me, and in that moment, I surrendered to the darkness.

As his fangs pierced my neck, a strange, warm peace settled over me. This was whay I had always wanted, the fate that I had been chasing.

As my vision faded, one final thought crept in: _I knew all along this is how it would end. _