Chapter 3: The Monster in the Dark

Jason’s Point of View

The growl made my stomach turn. I stood next to Veronica, my stake tight in my hand, but it felt useless. The thing in the shadows was big, way bigger than the vampire guy, Hilton. Its red eyes glowed like fire, and I saw the wings big, leathery ones, like a giant bat. My heart pounded so hard I thought it’d burst out of my chest.

“Veronica,” I whispered, my voice shaking. “What is that?”

She grabbed my arm, her fingers cold and strong. “Don’t move,” she said, her eyes locked on the shadow. “It’s not a vampire. It’s… something else.”

The thing stepped forward, and the streetlight hit it. It was tall, taller than me, with muscles like a bodybuilder. Its skin was dark, almost black, and its face looked like a man’s but wrong, too sharp, too mean. Its wings twitched, and its claws scraped the ground. I wanted to run, but my legs felt like jelly.

“Veronica Storm,” the thing said, its voice deep and rough, like rocks grinding together. “You’ve been naughty, keeping this boy close.”

Veronica pushed me behind her, her fangs out. “Leave him alone,” she growled. “He’s got nothing to do with you.”

The thing laughed, a sound that made my skin crawl. “Oh, he got everything to do with me,” it said, its eyes on me now. “Don’t you, Jason?”

My mouth went dry. “How do you know my name?” I asked, my voice barely a squeak.

It didn’t answer. Instead, it spread its wings and charged. Veronica moved fast, slamming into it. They crashed into a wall, bricks cracking. She punched its face, but it barely flinched. It grabbed her throat and threw her like she was a doll. She hit the ground hard, rolling to a stop.

“Veronica!” I yelled, running to her. She was already getting up, blood on her lip, but her eyes were fierce.

“Stay back!” she shouted, but I couldn’t. That thing was coming for me now, its claws gleaming. I swung my stake, aiming for its chest. It laughed, catching my wrist like I was a kid. Pain shot through my arm, and the stake fell.

“You’re strong,” it said, sniffing the air. “But not strong enough. Not yet.”

I didn’t know what it meant, but I didn’t care. I kicked its leg, hard. It growled, loosening its grip. I yanked free and ran to Veronica. She was on her feet, her side bleeding from where Hilton hurt her before. “We need to go,” she said, grabbing my hand.

We ran down the alley, the thing’s wings flapping behind us. My lungs burned, but Veronica was faster, pulling me along. We turned a corner, ducking behind a big trash bin. The air was quiet now, but I could still feel those red eyes watching.

Veronica’s breath was fast, her hand tight on mine. “We can’t stay here,” she whispered. “That thing… It's a demon. Maybe worse.”

“A demon?” I said, my voice loud. She shushed me, her eyes wide.

“It knows you,” she said. “That’s bad, Jason. Really bad.”

“Why?” I asked, my heart still racing. “Why’s it after me? I’m just… me!”

She looked away, her jaw tight. “You’re not just you,” she said. “Your blood, your strength is not normal. I don’t know what you are, but they do.”

I wanted to yell at her, to make her explain, but a loud thud made us both freeze. The trash bin shook, like something heavy landed on it. Veronica pulled me down, her hand over my mouth. I heard wings flapping, then claws scraping. My heart stopped. It was right above us.

We stayed still, barely breathing. After a minute, the flapping stopped, and the air went quiet again. Veronica let go of my mouth, her eyes searching the dark. “It’s gone,” she whispered. “For now.”

I stood, my legs shaky. “We need to get out of here,” I said. “My apartment’s not safe.”

She nodded. “We’re going to my place. It’s far, but it’s protected. No one can get in without my say-so.”

“Where’s that?” I asked, wiping sweat from my face.

“France,” she said, like it was no big deal.

“France?” I stared at her. “I can’t just leave! I’ve got school, my job.”

“Jason,” she cut me off, her voice hard. “That thing will kill you. Hilton will kill you. Staying here is suicide.”

I wanted to argue, but those red eyes flashed in my head. She was right. I wasn’t safe. “Fine,” I said, my voice low. “But you’re telling me everything when we get there.”

She didn’t answer, just grabbed my hand and pulled me toward a car parked nearby. It was black, sleek, like something from a movie. We got in, and she drove fast, the city lights blurring past. My neck stung where she’d bitten me, but I felt weirdly strong, like I could run a mile without stopping. What was happening to me?

The drive was long, and we didn’t talk much. I kept seeing those wings in my mind, hearing that demon’s voice saying my name. Veronica’s hands gripped the wheel tight, her eyes flicking to the mirrors like she expected something to jump out.

We stopped at a small airport, where a plane was waiting. No one asked questions as we climbed on. The inside was fancy leather seats, a table with drinks. Veronica sat across from me, her face pale. “You okay?” I asked.

She shook her head. “I didn’t want this for you,” she said. “I thought… I thought I could keep you safe.”

“Safe from what?” I asked, leaning forward. “Tell me, Veronica. What’s going on?”

She looked at me, her gray eyes soft but scared. “You’re not human, Jason. Not all the way. I don’t know what you are, but that demon does. And it wants you.”

My stomach dropped. “Not human?” I laughed, but it sounded weak. “I’m just a guy. I draw pictures. I go to school. That’s it.”

She reached for my hand, her fingers cold. “You’re more than that. Your blood makes me feel good, that is why I can’t stop feeding on you. That is why you’re still alive. And that is why they’re coming for you.”

I pulled my hand back, my head spinning. “You’re not making sense,” I said. “If I’m not human, what am I?”

“I don’t know,” she said, looking away. “But we’ll find out. In France.”

The plane took off, the ground falling away. I stared out the window, my heart heavy. I wasn’t just a guy anymore. Something was inside me, something big. And it was drawing monsters like moths to a flame.

When we landed, it was night again. Veronica led me to a big house in the middle of nowhere, all stone and tall windows. It looked old, like a castle. “This is home,” she said, unlocking the door.

Inside, it was warm, with candles flickering on tables. I dropped my bag, my body tired but buzzing. Veronica turned to me, her face serious. “No one can get in here,” she said. “You’re safe.”

I nodded, but I didn’t feel safe. I felt like a bomb about to go off. We sat on a big couch, and she poured me a glass of water. Her hand brushed mine, and my skin tingle. I wanted to be mad at her, but I couldn’t. Not when she looked at me like that.

“Jason,” she said, her voice soft. “I’m sorry. For everything.”

Before I could answer, a loud knock shook the door. Veronica froze, her eyes wide. “That’s impossible,” she whispered. “No one knows we’re here.”

The knock came again, louder, like someone was trying to break the door down. A voice called out, cold and sharp. “Veronica! I know you’re in there. Give me the boy, or I burn this place to the ground.”

My heart stopped. It wasn’t Hilton. It wasn’t the demon. It was someone new. And they wanted me.