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What really lurks in the dark? Emma Walker is a young girl who lives a normal life, attending college just like every other girl in her age bracket. However, she is tagged weird because of her fear of the dark and as a result, she battles with her social life as it earns her a place with the unpopular cadre of students in college. On the other hand, Ryan Gray is a guy who embraces the night. Being a Vampire of 105 years old who was changed and now looks 22, he struggles to keep his true identity a secret. No one has to know about it. Unlike Emma, Ryan is among the popular students that dominate the unpopular ones. Emma goes ahead to ruin Ryan's reputation which threatens Ryan's social life and popularity. Ryan is bent on finding out who ruined his reputation while earnestly struggling to hide his true identity. Emma and Ryan's paths cross when Emma goes out at night to change everyone's perception of her and the Vampire is out for a brief adventure. Ryan is worried about this and he is surprised that he can't hurt her. He begs her to keep his secret. Ryan is even more surprised that Emma attends the same college with him and he decides to carry out thorough investigation on her. He finds out that the more he knows her, the more he falls in love with this human. He tries to stop himself but he can't stop his feelings. The Vampire has fallen. He finds Emma's reticence, innocence, shyness, gentleness and fear of the dark alluring. However, he is in rage when he finds out that Emma is the one that ruined his reputation and he is very confused. He tries to make Emma promise to keep his identity a secret. Emma assures him of loyalty, something Ryan doesn't see in anybody. He is convinced when Emma confesses her feelings of love for him. Emma is on the verge of regaining her social life and she knows that if she exposes Ryan, she would also gain popularity but she is in love with this Vampire. It is a forbidden love, she knows that and that is why she will do whatever it takes to kill it.
Chapter 1 Prologue
What lurks in the dark?
Something about the night seems so strange to Emma Walker. Probably that explains why she is always within the confinement of her room when the darkness becomes thick.
'Gloomy', that is the only adjective that seems to repeat in her head as she stares through her window at the sight of black.
She dares not step out.
Anna and Chloe were out doing the usual. 'Those two,' she thought,as she lifted her head to the bulb light that held so much pleasantness and beauty. She sighed.
Will she continue this way? Hiding behind the beams of light always and never daring to let the hands of the dark touch her. For goodness sake, she was twenty. What type of phobia was this?
Her friends were out sometimes,partying and they came back, unharmed, alive. Now, everyone thought she was weird, they even admit it to her face. That's worse enough.
"Whatever," she said as the trembling hands of fear held her back.
She was the only one at home. She didn't care as long as she was in the warm embrace of safety with the eyes of light staring directly at her,watching her. This was safety indeed.
She closed her eyes, giving in to sleep.
Even as she closed her eyes, there was darkness everywhere. She couldn't see a thing. It was....it was gloomy!
All of a sudden, it seemed like something was coming for her, something ugly, monstrous, something she was too afraid to behold. It was coming closer.
She gasped.
It was coming closer and closer. It's shadows closing in on her. She screamed "No! Stay back!"
Hot tears rolled down her cheeks. She screamed and screamed and amidst her screams,she remembered that she had closed her eyes.
She opened her eyes quickly,blinking frantically.
Oh no! The darkness was still there. There was no light! She blinked harder as her breathing became heavy. It was as if she was sinking in a deep black ocean. She tried to keep steady but no, the darkness was still there.
It was then, she realized that the electricity had been interrupted.
Damn!
She was all alone. No one with her. No light. Helpless. Darkness wrapped around her like a big black cloth. She couldn't see herself. She could only feel herself.
"No no no no no no....," she shouted as she felt two strong hands on her legs. A force pulled her and kept pulling her. She screamed in fear.
She tried reaching for her torch lights. She couldn't make out what she was touching but she knew it wasn't any of her torch lights. "Damn!" she screamed.
Her phone! She tried to reach for her phone. She felt something flat. She gasped with sudden joy.
She felt the sides for the on button. There were no buttons! She gasped. The hands pulled her and dragged her away from her bed. She would have thought she was dreaming but when she hit the tiled floor of her room so hard, it dawned on her that it was real.
"Nooooooooooooooooooooo," she screamed as the darkness swallowed her up.
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Chapter 1 Prologue
28/08/2023
Chapter 2 Loyalty
29/08/2023
Chapter 3 Audrey's naughty list
29/08/2023
Chapter 4 Fowl play
29/08/2023
Chapter 5 Caliber and choices
30/08/2023
Chapter 6 Who's gonna trend
30/08/2023
Chapter 7 Sweet home
30/08/2023
Chapter 8 Heartbroken
30/08/2023
Chapter 9 Permission
30/08/2023
Chapter 10 Speaking of Ryan
30/08/2023
Chapter 11 Who's a bad boy
02/09/2023
Chapter 12 Ryan's friends
02/09/2023
Chapter 13 Flirt
05/09/2023
Chapter 14 Surprise!
05/09/2023
Chapter 15 Bravery
06/09/2023
Chapter 16 Family trip
06/09/2023
Chapter 17 Truth be told
16/09/2023
Chapter 18 Sorry Anna
16/09/2023
Chapter 19 Standing up for Evelyn
07/10/2023
Chapter 20 Audrey's game
14/10/2023