Chapter 3: A Warning in the Dark

The rest of the school day passed in a blur.

Elena couldn't stop thinking about Damien Nightshade.

His silver eyes. The way he said those words—"Do you believe in curses?"—like he wasn't asking a question, but issuing a warning.

And that moment in class…

There was something off about him.

She had been around plenty of brooding, distant guys before. Some were just quiet, some were arrogant, and some were trying too hard to be mysterious.

But Damien?

Damien felt different.

Like he was hiding something real.

By the time the final bell rang, Elena had convinced herself that she was overthinking things. Maybe she was letting her imagination run wild. Maybe she had just been caught up in the moment.

But that didn't explain the uneasy feeling that lingered in her chest.

Later That Evening

Elena pulled her jacket tighter around herself as she walked down the dimly lit streets toward home.

Her house wasn't far from Blackwood Academy, just a fifteen-minute walk through the quiet suburban neighborhood. Normally, she enjoyed the walk—especially during autumn, when the air was crisp and the leaves crunched under her boots.

But tonight felt… different.

The streetlights flickered above her. The wind whispered through the trees, making the branches sway like skeletal fingers reaching for the sky.

And most unsettling of all—

She had the distinct feeling that she was being watched.

Elena stopped walking and turned around, scanning the street behind her.

Empty.

The houses were dark, their occupants either asleep or lost in the glow of their televisions. The only movement was the occasional rustling of leaves.

Still, the feeling didn't go away.

She swallowed and picked up her pace.

Maybe she was just being paranoid. Maybe she was still shaken from the weird interaction with Damien earlier.

But just as she reached the street corner—

A shadow moved.

A tall, silent figure stood under the dim glow of a flickering streetlamp, half-shrouded in darkness.

Her heart leapt into her throat.

Damien.

He was just standing there, watching her.

He didn't move. Didn't speak.

Just watched.

A chill ran down Elena's spine.

"What the hell?" she muttered under her breath.

Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to keep walking, refusing to let fear take over. If he wanted to say something, he would have to come to her.

But he didn't.

As she passed by him, she could feel the weight of his gaze on her.

And then—

"Elena."

His voice was low, almost a whisper, but it sent a shiver through her.

She stopped. Turned to face him.

He was too still. Too quiet. Like he belonged to the darkness itself.

"What are you doing out here?" she asked, crossing her arms to hide the nervous tremor in her fingers.

For a moment, Damien didn't answer. His silver eyes glowed faintly under the dim streetlight.

Then, in that same low, steady voice, he said—

"You shouldn't walk alone at night."

Elena frowned. "Why?"

Damien took a step closer.

"The world isn't as safe as you think."

Her pulse quickened.

"Are you threatening me?" she asked, trying to keep her voice steady.

Something flickered in his expression. Amusement? Frustration? She couldn't tell.

"No," he murmured. "I'm warning you."

Elena swallowed hard.

Something about the way he said it made her believe he wasn't just talking about normal dangers.

There was something more to his words. Something deeper.

Before she could ask, Damien suddenly took a step back.

"Go home, Elena."

And then—

In the blink of an eye—

He was gone.

She gasped, spinning around, but he had vanished into the shadows.

No sound. No footsteps.

Just… gone.

Elena stood frozen under the flickering streetlamp, her heart hammering in her chest.

What the hell had just happened?

And more importantly—

What was Damien Nightshade hiding?