Chapter 1

The moment I stepped onto Redwood University’s campus, a chill washed over me, like icy fingers trailing down my spine. The Gothic architecture loomed overhead—dark spires and pointed archways framed by gnarled trees that whispered secrets in the wind. It was the kind of place you’d expect to find lurking things in the shadows.

I shifted my duffel bag higher on my shoulder, boots scuffing against the cracked cobblestone paths as I made my way across the courtyard. Students bustled around me, their laughter echoing through the brisk autumn air, completely unaware of the strange electricity that made the hairs on my arms stand up.

This is your fresh start, Vivienne, I reminded myself. Don’t screw it up.

I took a deep breath, forcing my shoulders back as I glanced around. The buildings rose up like dark sentinels, their stone walls stained with age and ivy curling up in spindly tendrils. Shadows pooled in every crevice, thick and heavy, making me feel small and exposed. It was unnerving—but also exhilarating.

For the first time in a long time, I wasn’t looking over my shoulder for what might be hiding in the dark. I was stepping into it.

But just as I started to relax, that familiar sensation crept up my spine—the one I hadn’t felt since I left my old life behind. My pulse kicked up, a warning prickle that made me instinctively stiffen. I scanned the courtyard, eyes darting over clusters of students lounging on benches and beneath trees, until—

There.

Across the courtyard, half-hidden in the shadow of a massive oak tree, stood a figure. He leaned against the trunk with the ease of someone who knew he didn’t belong to the world around him—someone who commanded it. Tall, broad-shouldered, with a face half-cast in shadow. Everything about him screamed danger.

And those eyes…

My breath caught, chest tightening. His gaze burned straight through me—so dark it was almost black, pinning me in place like a butterfly caught on a blade. It wasn’t the look of a man admiring from afar. No, it was more… possessive. Like he was already claiming something that didn’t belong to him.

A shiver skated down my spine, something hot and sharp curling low in my stomach. But I forced myself to look away, tearing my eyes from his intense stare. I couldn’t explain it, but I knew he wasn’t just watching me.

He was waiting for me.

Heart pounding, I quickened my pace, keeping my head down as I headed toward the dorms. Maybe it was just paranoia—after everything I’d been through, it wouldn’t be the first time my mind played tricks on me. But as I reached the entrance, the feeling of being hunted only grew stronger.

Don’t look back. Don’t—

I couldn’t help it. I glanced over my shoulder, half-expecting to see that stranger right behind me.

But the courtyard was empty.

“Get it together, Vivienne,” I muttered, shaking my head as I pushed through the heavy wooden doors. “It’s just nerves. You’re fine.”

The hallway was a maze of dark wood and faded wallpaper, the kind of place that felt like it had seen centuries of secrets and whispered confessions. I turned a corner, trying to shake the uneasy feeling that lingered like smoke in my lungs, when I nearly ran into someone standing just inside the room I’d been assigned.

“Woah, sorry!” The girl grinned, hands held up in a gesture of mock surrender. Her hair was a riot of deep crimson curls that tumbled over her shoulders, and her wide green eyes sparkled with mischief. “Didn’t mean to scare you! I’m Lila, your new roomie.”

I blinked, the sudden brightness of her smile almost jarring after the suffocating tension of the courtyard. “Vivienne,” I managed, stepping inside and letting the door swing shut behind me. “But you can call me Viv.”

“Viv!” she repeated cheerfully. “Perfect. So much better than Vivienne—it sounds like something out of a Gothic horror novel.”

A dry laugh slipped out before I could stop it. “Yeah, something like that.”

Lila cocked her head, eyes narrowing thoughtfully as she studied me. “You look a little pale, though. You okay?”

“I’m fine,” I lied, forcing a smile. “Just… long trip.”

“Ugh, I feel you. Moving is the worst.” She rolled her eyes, waving a hand toward the mountain of throw pillows and knick-knacks scattered across the other bed. “I just got here a few hours ago myself. It’s a mess, I know, but I was just dying to make it feel like home.”

The contrast between her bright energy and the dark foreboding that still curled around my heart was almost surreal. I dropped my bag onto the empty bed, glancing around at the faded wallpaper and high, arched window that framed a view of the moonlit campus.

“So, did you check out the party yet?” Lila asked, bouncing onto her bed and crossing her legs beneath her. “They’re throwing a huge welcome bash for the new transfers. We have to go.”

A party? My stomach clenched, and I shook my head. “I don’t think I’m up for it tonight.”

Her pout was instant, bottom lip jutting out dramatically. “No way! You can’t just hide in here like a vampire avoiding sunlight. You’ve gotta get out, meet people, live a little! Come on, one drink, one dance. If you hate it, we can leave.”

The thought of plunging into a crowd of strangers made my skin prickle. But I’d promised myself that I’d be different here. That I’d start over. And hiding away in my room wasn’t exactly breaking old habits.

“Alright,” I said slowly, my pulse still racing from the encounter outside. “One drink.”

Lila’s face lit up like a sunrise. “Yes! You won’t regret it, I swear.” She jumped up, already digging through a pile of clothes. “We’ll just find you something killer to wear, and then we’ll make an entrance they won’t forget.”

As I watched her pull out a slinky black dress and wave it triumphantly in my direction, I couldn’t help but smile. Maybe she was right. Maybe I needed to stop running from the shadows and start stepping into the light.

But even as I changed into the dress and followed Lila out of the room, a lingering sense of unease coiled tighter around my chest.

Somehow, I knew I hadn’t left my darkness behind.

I’d walked straight into its arms.