Before they realized it, the highly anticipated Christmas Eve dance had arrived. Despite having no connection to Christmas Eve, the name had simply stuck.

Everyone Maya knew was expected to be there, and she was eagerly counting down the moments. Having lived as a recluse, this was her opportunity to experience such an event.

Maya and Elena prepared for the occasion, getting dolled up and playing with their makeup and hair. Elena even put on a dress voluntarily, which must be an event in itself.

Given the brevity of winter days, it was already dark when they stepped outside and set off for the Academy banquet hall. Not dressed for the weather, they shivered in the cold. Maya looked toward the sky, sensing a familiar scent of air just before snowfall.

"Maybe we'll have a white Christmas," Maya said, full of hope.

Winter was her favourite time of the year. She enjoyed reading by a cosy fire and sledging in the mountains at their vacation home. Most of all, she cherished how everyone came together at Christmas.

Elena didn't share her sentiment. "I never understood what was so special about snow on Christmas," she grumbled.

Since she grew up in Russia, she must've seen plenty of snow.

Seeing Maya's expression and realizing she was being overly negative, she added, "But I do like snow."

Maya smiled at her.

They were trudging uphill. The cold had numbed Maya's toes, and the challenge of ascending in heels was exacerbated by her lack of experience with such footwear. The shivering cold occupied them without words.

Elena halted at the spot where she would usually meet with her boyfriend. "You go on. I'll wait for Keith."

"Don't wait too long if he's late. It's freezing," Maya was concerned.

"Ok, Mom," Elena said jokingly.

Maya hurriedly made her way to the warm, cosy dance hall. Upon arrival, she noticed that, unlike her, most attendees had dates. Naturally, it was a school dance, so she scolded herself for not asking someone.

It was still early, and at first glance, she didn't notice any of her friends, but she did spot a familiar face she wanted to avoid—Adam. She awkwardly lingered by the entrance, anticipating the arrival of Elena and Keith—or any of her friends.

As time dragged on, she began to question if they had already arrived unnoticed. Scanning the crowd, she spotted Keith and waved at him. Upon recognizing her, he started moving in her direction.

Suddenly, loud bells began to ring.

Maya was startled. Despite her time here, she had never heard those bells sound. People around her gasped, and an air of uneasiness filled the banquet hall.

Keith finally reached her, "Have you seen Elena?!" he tried to out-speak the loud noise.

"I thought she would be with you," Maya responded. "What's going on? What's this ringing?"

"Warning alarms. The school is under attack—"

"Attack?!" Maya suddenly realized. 'If you hear bells ringing during the night…' Tanya's words echoed in her mind.

"We're safe here," Keith anticipated her worries and patted her shoulder to reassure her.

"Oh, no!" The realization struck Maya. "When did you get here?!" She began to panic.

"Maybe twenty minutes ago," he responded, confused. "Why?"

Maya stared at him, dumbfounded. Then she exclaimed, "She stayed outside to wait for you!"

Maya was completely beside herself. Before she knew what she was doing, she had already started running toward the exit. Not even heels could stop her.

'Elena's waiting for him outside, and he was here this whole time.'

Her gut was twisting in a knot, and alarms in her head were telling her something was wrong. She wasn't sure what she could do at the moment, but knew she couldn't just sit and wait.

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Leo joined her, worry on his face. "Elena is—" he muttered, trying to keep up with Maya.

As Maya sprinted bare-footed across the frozen pavement, cold air was biting her skin. However, she couldn't be bothered. It was Elena. Her best friend. Her family.

She reached the spot where she'd left Elena in mere moments. Unable to locate her, Maya looked at Leo expectantly. However, Leo was unwilling to comply. The only way he could keep her out of danger was not to point to it.

Disappointed, she began cutting through the male dormitory complex, guessing Elena's path. Noticing guards in the distance, she changed her direction into another alley to avoid being sent back.

From the dull noise her steps were making, she noticed sounds were becoming softer, like she was sinking into a sensory deprivation chamber. Faint voices could be heard nearby, and Maya's senses returned to her.

Someone was in distress.

Maya silently approached the source, toward the dark back alleyway.

"My Princess…" a raspy male voice, pleasurably moaning, spoke. "You're too precious to waste."

Maya got shivers on top of shivers.

A sinister laughter echoed through the alley as if something had amused him.

"Persistent. I like that."

Aside from the unfamiliar male voice, Maya heard Elena's painful whimper.

"It's dangerous to play with sharp objects, my dear Princess," the displeased voice hissed, and a shattering sound echoed through the darkness.

Maya's hand instinctively covered her mouth. Suddenly recalling Elena practising creating a blade out of ice and wondering why she couldn't bear being without a weapon.

"The bloodlust is welcomed. I'll grow you into a perfect Queen one day, my child. Rivers of virgin blood will flow for you. Beside me, you'll conquer the world…"

Maya didn't know what perverse scenarios that monster was playing in his head, but she couldn't let it continue. As she rushed into the alley, she was met with the sight of a male figure pressing Elena against a wall. In the darkness, they were distinguishable only as two figures almost merging into one.

Seeing details wasn't necessary to know he was leeching off her neck, enjoying the pleasure of her blood. It was revolting.

"GET AWAY FROM HER!!" Maya screamed, ready to bring hell to this vampire.

As soon as she let her presence be known, sluggish Elena, tightly trapped in his arms, was used to shield him against the intruder. Maya's resolve faltered. She was paralyzed, unable to take action without posing a risk to Elena.

Maya's heart plummeted as she looked at her friend. Elena, listless from bloodloss, wasn't even fully conscious. Held up only by the bony, pallid hand propping her chin and the other greedily coiled around her waist, it was evident Elena would crumble like a rag doll if not for the monster's grip.

In the dim light, Maya could barely make out the details. But Elena's glazed eyes, struggling to remain open, seemed to look right past her. The sight of Elena, drenched in blood from her face down to her knees, filled Maya with a sense of horror and urgency.

From behind Elena, a gaunt face peeked, and deep black eyes stared at Maya with curiosity.

'A kid?'

Maya momentarily thought, deceived by the creature's shorter stature. But the sinister aura emanating from him, holding Elena's limp body with such ease, was far from childlike. His blood-streaked face broke into a broad grin, revealing sharp fangs.

Maya suddenly realized she posed no threat to this creature—she was merely being toyed with.

The creature adjusted Elena's face downwards, whispering into her ear, "Isn't it delightful to have someone willing to sacrifice their life for you? Excellent. Soon, whole armies would willingly lay down their lives for you." His words resonated with an unsettling pride as if Elena were a prized possession he had claimed.

Perhaps it was something he said that suddenly stirred Elena back to her senses. Her eyes widened in shock upon seeing Maya in front of her. The disparity of this fearless girl, who never wavers in the face of danger, taking on an expression of pure horror, struck Maya. She could tell Elena already knew her own fate.

Elena's lips moved, trying to form words. Maya already knew what she wanted to say.

'Run!'

Ignoring her plea, the creature forced her face towards his and kissed her bloodied lips. Her eyes stayed wide open in a daze.

"Sleep tight, my Princess," he whispered tenderly into her ear as he caressed her cheek. "Find me when you wake up."

And then, hands that cradled her face suddenly twisted with a swift, violent motion, breaking her neck with an unnerving ease.

Maya's scream pierced the air, her tendons straining with the raw intensity of her anguish. The vampire vanished into the night before Elena's lifeless body even hit the ground.

Maya rushed to Elena, collapsing beside her and pulling her inert body into her arms. Tears froze on Maya's face as she cradled Elena's still-warm, blood-slicked body—her head hanging at an unnatural angle.

The nightmare refused to sink in.

"Maya."

A sudden voice behind her made her swing her hand in fury. The air was pushed with such incredible force that it rattled the nearby dumpster, scattering rats that nested there.

Maya's emotions surged, stronger than ever before, sending out a powerful shockwave. Any creature lurking in the darkness would think twice about approaching her now, but the intended target of her outburst wasn't physically there.

Leo stared at her, startled.

Seeing the ghost of her dead childhood friend made everything sink in. The unbearable pain of having suffered yet another loss came crashing over her.

Everyone she ever cared about wound up dead.

Looking at Elena's body choked her with grief, her sobs resonated through the darkness. Dead silence around her swallowed them, and soft snowflakes playfully descended, melting in Elena's blood soaking the ground.

Heavy flurries surrounded them—their first snow since coming here. But Elena was no longer there to witness it.

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