Valen

The party hums to life as music pulses through the old, gothic-style mansion. The air smells faintly of incense and something ? Rachel wrinkles her nose but shakes off the unease. Shannon spots her first, waving with a grin that seems just a little too sharp. "Rachel? No way! I haven’t seen you since—" "Since you ghosted me junior year," Rachel finishes, crossing her arms. Shannon laughs, but it sounds hollow. "Yeah, well… things got complicated." Her eyes flick past Rachel, landing on one of the guests with glowing red eyes.She motions to the guest with a subtle tilt of her head. The red-eyed figure glides forward with unnatural grace. "Rachel, meet Valen," Shannon purrs. "He's the reason I... disappeared for a while." Valen's lips curl into a slow smile, revealing elongated canines. Not costume fangs—real ones. Rachel's stomach twists. "Charmed," Valen murmurs, his voice like velvet. His gaze locks onto Rachel's eyes for a heartbeat too long before flicking to Sarah and Libby. "And you’ve brought friends. How... fortunate fir them"

Rachel’s fingers twitch toward Sarah’s wrist, gripping it subtly. Something about Valen’s smiles—sets her nerves on edge. Sarah, oblivious, grins. "Damn, your costume is next-level. How’d you get the teeth like that?" Valen chuckles, a sound too smooth to be human. "Oh, these? A very dedicated dentist."Shannon's gaze slides past Rachel, locking onto Libby with sudden intensity. Before anyone can react, she steps forward, cups Libby's face, and kisses her—deep and claiming. Libby stiffens, then melts into it with a muffled gasp. Sarah's jaw drops. "Uh... what the hell?" Rachel's grip loosens on her sister's wrist. "Shannon, what are you—" Shannon pulls back, licking her lips. Libby sways slightly, her pupils blown wide. "Wow" libby murmurs, grinning at Shannon "

Shannon's lips curl into a smirk as she runs a thumb over Libby's lower lip, smudging the faint smear of her own lipstick. Rachel makes a strangled noise, still frozen in place. Sarah, recovering first, grabs Shannon’s shoulder and yanks her back. "What the actual hell, Shan? Since when do you just—?" Shannon’s eyes flick to Sarah, she grins"Since I now..evidently, what is she your girlfriend sarah..or maybe Rachel’s"Shannon’s eyes flick to Sarah, she grins, "Since I now...evidently, what is she? Your girlfriend, Sarah... or maybe Rachel’s?" Rachel, still flushed and wide-eyed, finally finds her voice—though it comes out half-strangled. "What the hell, Shannon! " Rachel snaps, stepping between Libby and Shannon, her fists clenched. The air crackles with tension as Valen’s amused chuckle rolls over them like dark velvet. Shannon just smirks, wiping her thumb along Libby’s bottom lip again. "Relax, Rach. Just a little… welcome. To the halliween party..in fact" Libby blinks rapidly, swaying on her feet. "Whoa… I feel… really good." Her pupils are dilated, her cheeks flushed. Sarah grabs Libby’s arm. "Okay, we’re leaving. Now." Valen’s hand lands on Rachel’s shoulder, freezing her in place.

Valen’s fingers dig into Rachel’s shoulder—cold as marble, unyielding as a vise. "Leaving so soon?" His breath ghosts against her ear, sending a shiver down her spine. "The night’s just beginning." Sarah tugs Libby backward, but Libby resists, giggling as she sways toward Shannon again. "No, wait—it’s nice here," she slurs, batting Sarah’s hand away. Rachel twists under Valen’s grip, panic flaring. "Let go—" Shannon steps closer, her smirk widening. "Oh, Rachel. Always so tense." Shecsays looking into her eyes like libbys before.

Shannon’s fingers brush Rachel’s cheek, her touch unnaturally cold. Rachel tries to jerk away, but Valen’s grip tightens, pinning her in place. “What did you do to Libby?” Rachel hisses, her pulse hammering. Shannon just laughs—a low, throaty sound that doesn’t sound quite like her. “Nothing she didn’t want.” Her thumb traces Rachel’s jawline, lingering at the pulse point. “You’re always so… wound up. Let me help.” Before Rachel can react, Shannon’s lips press against hers—hard, insistent. Her eyes locked on hers as they begin to glow like the 4 advanced vampire costumes guests.Rachel’s breath hitched as Shannon’s lips sealed over hers—cold, intoxicating, wrong. A dizzying rush flooded her veins, like ice and fire twisting together. She tried to pull back, but Valen’s grip was iron, and Shannon’s fingers tangled in her hair, holding her close. Libby giggled somewhere nearby, her voice dreamy. “See? Told you it’s nice…” Sarah’s shout was muffled, distant. “Rachel!" But the world was narrowing to Shannon’s glowing eyes—crimson now, pulsing like embers. A whisper slithered into Rachel’s mind, smooth as silk

.