His Lucky Charm

pte

f Bloo

an omen of bad luck! Give me three rol

r thin frame. Her dark hair was pulled into a messy bun, and dirt smudged her pal

, scowled. Getting cursed first thing in the m

d at her. Ivy's face was gaunt, her eyes hollow with hunger. The woman

And keep your ch

crumbs from her mouth, she pulled a small, worn slip of pa

d. "This is for your protection. Keep

the charm into a small triangle, slipped

ned. "Wait! Wher

r her shoulder. She waved once,

ways been

newborn, left by a riverba

ld see things o

ot for Ethan Farris, a traveling mystic who took her in, she wouldn't have survived. Under hi

way. And before he died, he le

e's the key to your survival. Find him

nt to last. Her energy was wrong-too cold, too unstabl

her twenti

she had on

ive, she had to find

to her birthday, the

led behind he

outside, a mudslide n

ng strike fried

tation, only to realize she'd spe

o die. She wa

e had to get

n't get her t

eded a

eded to s

her shop and rode her old electric

e turn, and

? A looming

ese days believe th

AS

ut behind her, maki

he brakes and

-story window, shattering into shards just

pavement was covered in sharp fra

d slower, the pot would have

reached into her pocket

turned

caught in

... she wa

r scooter, turned in the direction

e... thank you

blanketed in thick fog. The air had turned bone-chillingl

ind howled throug

e, a yellow taxi ro

from its antenna, covered in faded

rolled down

a lift

loser, inspec

lastered with SpongeBo

xis in the world, she

d open the door and slid insi

. In the mirror, his

rl had

toward her. His fa

pop, he reached up and

into his collar. The entire car filled

revealing rows of ye

eart?" His voice w

is hollow eye socke

a g

errified, but she remained unfa

e of malice in the car, meaning the driver hadn't harmed any

cared? Everyone he had encountered before, young o

kin. His teeth gleamed as he sneered, "Girl, a ride in my car might cost yo

d them into his mouth. Her voice was cold as steel. "Make a

. Realizing he had provoked someone far beyond his understanding, the driver h

s seatbelt. "M-Miss... it's not that I don't

said, closing her

the gas. To his surprise, the car moved freely,

to their destination and let out an

skyscraper ahead. "You're a

of his head. "Well, I've b

ld the door open fo

ed for a reason. Your energy is harmful to the living, just as ours is to yo

ost st

ned the idea before Iv

, just let me go back one last time! I ca

ng together a living for his family. He had no fancy education, just a s

s favorite SpongeBob plushie sat on the passenger seat bes

had oth

, sending his car plunging into

is family again keeping him tethered to the world of the living. He even covere

pant leg like a child. "My daughter..

. "Enough with the waterworks. You

he worn SpongeBob plush from hi

n't stay, could you at l

. "Tell them I love them. Tell my wife... not to grieve too m

No need. You can t

eath caught.

sit their dreams

face lit up. "Miss, y

e been doing this kind of

giving her a thumbs-up

"Alright, let's hurr

His voice echoed as he called out, "Thank you! If you

didn't find her so-called fiancé soon, she wouldn't have

inued her journey, we

othing-no signs, no one with

hrough her body, sharp and suffocating. It

ollapsed onto th

t thing," she muttered to hersel

to her fate, a sleek, black M

open the door, bowing slight

an impeccable black suit. His presence was

men surrounding him, he stoo

Ivy s

light surrounded him, glo

eath c

was

struck by lightning and

ss authority. He carried himself like someone who naturally ruled over others. Just looking at him sent a j

der her breath, addressing her absent mentor. "Guess

ay, her lips parting as if

mn

introduction-just a name. If she walked up and started talking,

a clue, a sign-anything. But his presence

of her stare and gla

gi

pack slung over one shoulder. A thin, multicolored bracelet around her w

t her tugged a

ra

he turned and strode tow

nger cousin, Nathaniel yate, had slipped into a coma, and n

e you st

e strolled up to the entrance, r

am straightened

on, drop the 'Mr.' Just

d stone-faced, ign

nowhere near as intimidating as their real boss, Ethan Shaw. If not for the deep t

"Hey, if there's a beautiful woman i

him a glance. "What

practically my little brother. And since you're my old, crank

ht. Like I don't kn

ying just one

Eleanor ages ago! Don't go spreading rumors. I came her

nd stepped toward t

h

ai

rward, urgenc

ng breath, she blurted out, "My name is Ivy sloane.

en do you have a fiancée? And why

was ice. "I d

hers had vanished without an explanati

Ethan Harris. He t

d. "Never he

ght nod towar

d as duty kicked in. One of them stepped forw

ached for

chest. A wave of dizziness hit h

he guard off. "Whoa, whoa, easy. Et

ld as ice. The human embodiment of a snowstorm. Why

xpression unreadab

"Excuse me?

es have a slight greenish tint-classic signs of too much alcohol a

ked. "Ex

ont but thin at the ends. And you've got a mole on the left s

sputt

around your mouth? Uneven. Relat

oked ho

life? A relationship d

e even taking

egend in this city. Handsome, rich, the t

act like you don't care, but every night, you relive every moment wit

n f

ept up

hell d

silently, finall

f you're so insightful, then tell me something about Ethan. If you can

I can't see through it. But I do know one t

gaze s

m, her voice steady. "E

-the person she was meant to-but the e

bout stabilizing herself onc

bout... tak

ation

ation, Ivy lu

s screamed at hi

sl

ist, rose onto her

it hi

.. What

ards: ...

is is gettin

ds were all

s actually bitten b

e frantically whipping out his phone. This rare moment need

aesthetic. One shot, in particular, was perfect. It captured half of Ethan's

ciety is going to explode. He was determined to take full a

to bite him before. He was so intimidating that even mosquitoes

at words failed him. Just as

ly let go and t

lence, except for the harsh

toward Ryan, who was sti

Now." His voice wa

even thought to mute his phone. Unfortunately, he didn'

e faced Ethan's fury. "U

n order to his men. "Watch him. Don'

ely trapped. Damn. He was

ed out, "Oh no! Tha

nough, Ivy was gone. The woman had sli

tation surging through him. "Find her! Even if you have

man! She had the nerve to bite Ethan and th

break free from the guards' grip. Wi

glance, unlocked the phone, and

dpa. Please come

han's body swayed. His vis

ught him before h

w just co

. Walke

, for good measure, tied Ryan up and t

l whimpering noises, silent

n's

pital bed, slipping

ce. A woman in white stood at the center, bathe

of familiarity, but he cou

ed, his voice echoing

his question went unanswered.

and and whispered, "Ethan, hurry.

, but she suddenly turned tra

ged forward, but his fi

in the silence. "

N

old sweat. His chest felt hollow, as if som

wake. You scared

ars away and asked softly,

s bed. Ethan pressed his fingers to

rance, she let out

ker. "Doctor, can you

aw, adjusted his stethos

d. "Yeah. It's nothin

something, he asked, "By the way,

ession dimmed. "Still the same. He suddenly col

physically wrong with him. But wh

t Danielle. I've already contacted a top neuro

But you need to take care of yourself first. N

d her chest and start

de. "Mom, let's go. I'll stay wi

out of bed and turned to

"Still locked up. Sh

him t

his clothes, pr

the hell managed to bite this man? His curiosity burned, but wh

ediately and drove straight

vents were

ancée. A mysterious lady in w

ded an

s Es

t street, Ivy clutched her face an

triggered an impossibl

ed. The dead energy tha

come back from t

about Ethan's terrify

ran down

enough to run right after

vigorously, trying

bite a man. I

ghed, digging into her pocket and pu

Ethan, her lu

time in weeks,

d streak was

d a coin i

ad

od o

rled into a

bout to g