"How was your day?" Sabine asked, her voice soft as the sound of water trickled from the faucet. She stood at the sink, sleeves rolled up to her elbows, rinsing the last of the dishes.
Annalise tied the strings of her apron behind her waist, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear before responding. "It was okay, just… exhausting." She sighed, leaning against the edge of the counter. "Apart from all the helter-skelter from this morning's broadcast, it went fine. Long, but fine."
Sabine looked over her shoulder and smiled, her eyes crinkling. "You always push yourself too hard."
"I have to. The city doesn't wait for anyone, Mom," Annalise replied, walking toward the table to set it for dinner.
They moved like they always did—fluid, wordless, used to each other's rhythm. It was quiet now, but it hadn't always been. Silence was a gift they'd earned.
Three years ago, when Annalise turned seventeen, everything changed.
The memory slid in like a shadow.
Her mother's broken sobs. The bruises she'd tried to hide. The night Annalise stood in front of their front door, blood pounding in her ears, and told her father she would never allow him to touch her mother again. That was the night she told Sabine to leave him. Begged her.
Sabine had never looked so small. So afraid. But she listened.
They had left in the middle of the night with nothing but a few clothes and the little cash Sabine had hidden. It had taken everything they had to start over. No family. No friends. Just each other. Since then, Annalise hadn't seen her father, and deep inside her heart, she hoped she never would.
The scrape of chairs pulled her out of the past. They sat at the small wooden table, plates of warm rice and seasoned vegetables between them.
"When are you leaving for the city?" Sabine asked, her eyes flicking up to Annalise's face as she reached for the salt.
Annalise picked at her food. "I'm not sure if I'll be chosen. But if I am, we leave early morning with the crew. We'll probably be back by the next evening."
Sabine frowned, her fork pausing mid-air. "Do you think any vampires will be there?"
Annalise blinked. "I… don't know."
She hated how her mother's voice trembled at the word. Vampires. The word sat on the air like a curse.
"There's no way to tell unless they reveal themselves," she added quietly, then forced a smile. "But there's nothing to worry about. I'll be careful. I promise."
Sabine nodded, but her hands trembled slightly as she held her fork. She stared at her daughter for a long moment, as though remembering something she'd long tried to forget.
Annalise didn't remember what had happened five years ago—not fully. Just fragments. The feeling of cold stone against her back. Blood. Pain. And someone… or something… watching her.
They'd found her near a jagged rock by the river, unconscious and pale as death, almost drained dry. The doctors said it was a wild animal attack. Sabine had never believed that. Since then, she had done everything in her power to keep Annalise far from anything related to vampires.
Annalise's fork clinked against the plate. "I'll be fine, Mom."
Sabine gave a tight-lipped nod and focused on her food, but the lines around her eyes stayed tense.
---
The next morning
Thud!
A loud slap echoed through the newsroom.
Annalise jumped in her seat as a hand landed on her desk. She turned, startled, to see the familiar face of her best friend beaming down at her.
"Anastasia," she groaned, pressing a hand to her chest. "You scared the hell out of me."
Anastasia smirked and twirled a strand of dark hair around her finger. "Please, Anna, you don't scare that easy."
Annalise rolled her eyes. "Tell me the good news or go away."
"I heard the director say we're going to be the ones representing our channel at tonight's gala!" Anastasia grinned and spun dramatically in place. "Can you believe it?"
Annalise's eyes widened. "Wait—what? Are you serious?"
"Would I joke about something like this?" Anastasia placed a hand over her heart. "Okay, maybe I would, but this time I'm not."
Annalise blinked, still in disbelief. She was just a junior journalist. She hadn't expected anything this big, not yet.
Before she could reply, their director appeared in the hallway.
"Annalise!"
She stood immediately.
"In my office."
Annalise followed him down the corridor, heart pounding.
Inside, the man didn't waste time. "There'll be a media-covered gala in the city of Noctavelle tonight. It's a big deal—funded by several high-profile sponsors, including House Auvray." His tone shifted slightly at the mention. "I want you and Anastasia to represent the station, along with Jason as your cameraman."
"But… why me?" Annalise asked, hesitantly. "I don't have all the—"
"Qualifications?" He cut in. "Maybe not on paper, but your last report went viral. You have instinct. Don't question the opportunity. Just take it."
She swallowed and nodded. "Yes, sir."
---
Later that evening…
Annalise stared at her wardrobe, fighting a lump in her throat. It was a meager collection of thrifted blouses and worn-out jeans. Certainly nothing worthy of a gala filled with the country's elite.
Noctavelle wasn't just any city. It was the city—Virelia's golden capital, famous for its palaces, old vampire families, and dark glamour. And she was walking into it looking like she'd come from the countryside. Because, well… she had.
She packed the cleanest dress she owned. It was navy blue, slightly faded, but decent. Modest. It would have to do.
Sabine watched silently from the doorway.
"Do you want me to help with your hair?" she asked after a moment.
Annalise nodded.
They sat together on the edge of the bed as Sabine gently combed through her hair and twisted it into an elegant low bun. Her touch was careful, almost reverent. Like she was memorizing her daughter's features just in case she didn't return.
When she was done, Annalise stood and hugged her tightly. "I'll be fine."
"Promise me you won't go anywhere alone."
"I promise."
---
By the time she reached Anastasia's apartment, their cameraman Jason was already waiting in his car. Together, they drove toward the city.
Noctavelle rose on the horizon like something from a dream—dark towers glowing with lights, bridges that shimmered like spun silver, and streets paved with wealth and secrets.
They reached the city limits by 3 p.m., just as the sky began to blush with the coming evening. As the car entered the heart of Noctavelle, Annalise's chest tightened. Her fingers curled around the hem of her dress.
Something was wrong.
She didn't know what, but the air shifted. Heavy. Almost electric.
She looked out the window and felt her heart skip a beat. Not from excitement.
From a fear she couldn't explain.
Something was watching.