CHAPTER 15: SLEEPWALKING

The night was quiet, with the moon hanging low in the dark sky. Its pale light touched the village and the thick woods around it. Inside a small room, Aiya was restless, trapped in a nightmare that wouldn't let her wake.

She was in the middle of a dark forest. The tall trees surrounded her like silent shadows, their branches reaching out like claws. A cold wind brushed her skin, and faint whispers filled the air, but she couldn't understand them. She tried to run, but her legs felt stuck.

Suddenly, pain gripped her chest, sharp and unbearable. She gasped for air, but it was like she couldn't breathe. A strange warmth slid down her face. When she touched her cheek, her fingers came away wet and sticky. Blood.

Her heart raced as fear tightened its grip. She tried to scream, but no sound came out. Her body felt frozen, as if invisible chains held her in place. Desperate, she forced her eyes to open, willing herself to wake up.

With a jolt, Aiya sat up in bed. Her chest heaved as she took deep breaths, her heart pounding. The room was dark, and the only light came from the moon outside her window. She touched her cheek again, her fingers trembling.

When she looked at her hand, she saw blood. The sight made her stomach twist with fear. She got up, her legs weak, but she couldn't stay still. Something inside her was pulling her, calling her.

She stepped out of her house into the cool night air. Barefoot, she walked across the damp ground. She wanted to go back inside, to the safety of her home, but her feet didn't listen. Instead, they carried her toward the woods.

The pull grew stronger with each step, as if an unseen force was guiding her deeper into the dark trees.

Leek was already in the woods that night. He moved quietly, his sharp senses on high alert. For weeks, strange deaths had been happening, and he had no answers to it.

The forest was silent except for the occasional rustle of leaves. He sniffed the air, catching the faint scent of decay mixed with something else. He couldn't place it, but it was enough to catch his attention.

Closing his eyes, Leek focused on his senses. A presence brushed against his awareness. He felt a presence, not threatening it wasn't a vampire neither a human

When he opened his eyes, he saw her. A woman with pale skin and wild hair stood alone in the woods. Her steps were slow, her movements strange, as if she were in a dream.

Leek stayed hidden, watching her. He wondered who she was and why she was out here alone, he studied her movements carefully he couldn't get a closer view of her facials but something in him keeps staring in her direction.

He moved closer, careful not to make a sound. But before he could reach her, a loud voice broke the silence.

"Aiya!"

An older woman stepped out of the shadows. She hurried to the girl and grabbed her arm.

"Aiya, what are you doing here?" the woman asked, her voice full of worry.

Aiya blinked, her trance breaking. She looked around, confused. "Grandmother? How… how did I get here?"

"I don't know," her grandmother said, shaking her head. "I woke up and saw you weren't in bed. I followed you here. You shouldn't be in the woods at night."

Aiya touched her face, her fingers searching for the blood she had felt earlier. But her skin was smooth, and there was no sign of it. Her chest tightened with confusion and fear.

"I… I don't remember," she whispered.

Her grandmother wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close. "Let's go home. It's not safe out here."

Together, they left the woods, Aiya leaning on her grandmother as they walked. Her mind was a storm of questions. What had brought her to the forest? And why couldn't she remember anything?

Leek stood in the shadows, watching the entire scene unfold. He stayed hidden, his sharp eyes studying the girl and the older woman

Aiya he muttered to himself why does she feel different, if she is not a vampire and not a human then what is she?

When they reached the edge of the forest and entered their small home, Leek lingered. He couldn't stop himself from watching the faint light in their window.

Why had she been in the woods? Was it just sleepwalking, or was there more to it? Or is she the night creature sucking the humans? He thought to himself he watched them for a while.

Inside the house, Aiya sat on her bed, her hands trembling. Her grandmother placed a warm blanket over her shoulders and knelt beside her.

"Aiya, do you feel sick? Do you remember anything?"

Aiya shook her head. "I don't feel sick. I just… I had a dream. A terrible dream. And then I woke up… but it felt like I wasn't fully awake."

Her grandmother's eyes softened with worry. "It's been hard for you recently. Maybe it's just the stress."

But Aiya wasn't so sure. Something about the dream felt too real, too vivid. And the blood she had touched it, felt it. How could it just disappear?

She looked at her grandmother, her voice small. "Do you think something's wrong with me?"

Her grandmother took her hand, her grip firm but comforting. "You're strong, Aiya. Nothing is wrong with you.

Aiya nodded, though doubt lingered in her heart.

Leek returned to his castle, but his thoughts stayed on the girl. He sat in his study, the dim light of a lantern casting shadows across the room.

He had seen many strange things in his life, but Aiya was different. There was an air of mystery around her, something he couldn't ignore.

He pulled out a map of the forest and traced the area where he had seen her. The mark traced and he discovered that the human that died was in that same spot. He dropped the map drag out an ancient book and started tracing.