Bloodline of Destiny

laptop, the glowing screen reflecting a half-finished essay on immunology. The cursor blinked at her, a silent mockery of her inability to focus. Sh

and saucers, and the hiss of the espresso machine. Yet, Stella felt as though she was in a bubble, her

tella looked up to find her best friend leaning forward, her sharp brow

nning a hand through her dark h

ctly sculpted brow. "You? Miss O

't like her to feel this way; on edge, like some

k with a thoughtful expression. "You've been worki

kend. We went to that gal

ut. A place with music, drinks, bad lighting, an

ugh even she didn't believe it.

is why we're going to T

he club; its reputation for attracting the city's most eclectic

ng mischievously. "You need a change of pa

n't k

al whisper. "Come on, Stella. Who knows? Maybe tonigh

't believe in chance encounters or life-changing moments, but somet

**

of blue and red, and the bass of the music thrummed so deeply it felt like it was vibrating in her chest. The

een gyrating dancers and clusters of people shouting over the music. Stella clutc

," she shouted

a dazzling smile. "Just relax and let you

dull her discomfort. It didn't and so she took a gulp instead. She leaned against t

leaned casually against a shadowed wall, as though the cacophony around him didn't exist. His face, pa

y seemed to burn with an unnatural intensity, piercing through the

watch

s not merely curious; it was focused, deliberate, as if h

jolted her, and she turn

ha

followed her gaze, her eyes lighting

words felt strange on her tongue. She didn't kno

ous. And he's loo

lla muttered, but when she

ing to see where he ha

shook her head, trying to dismiss the strange pull she had felt. It

nsation of being watched. The restless feeling had

**

ng in her memory. She had stayed longer than she intended, though she couldn't recall much after

ashed cold water on her face, trying to banish the remnants of fatigue. But as

ing fe

sually a soft brown, seemed darker, sharper. She shook

ss started a

constant, forcing her to skip meals and avoid coffee. Nadia teased her abou

s fine, staring at the sterile tools on the countertop, and the next,

c, a nurse leaning over her

urse said gently. "H

umbled, though h

y tests, just to rule out anything seriou

owned. "W

a small plastic test with two fa

e preg

a physical blow, her bre

's not possible

teps, Stella's mind spiraled back to that night at The Silver

ri

eep down, she knew the impossible truth. There'