The driver navigated the winding road as Luna slumped in the backseat, drained after the long day at the office. Her eyes felt heavy, and even the cool leather beneath her didn't help her fight off the ache in her body. Dusk had settled, casting shadows across the car's interior, and she rested her head against the headrest, every muscle begging for relief. All those board meetings felt like pointless nonsense—too many voices saying too little. She sighed. She was far too young for this kind of stress.
The original owner of the body was nineteen, but anyone would guess sixteen at most. It was strange, really. This body was so well-maintained, skin soft and glowing, hair glossy, every part of it looked carefully tended to. Not like hers—her real body. That one had been neglected, marked with bruises, old scars, and the wear of someone who never cared enough to look in the mirror. She had always just gotten by, never paying attention to appearances, but this new shell was the opposite. It felt unreal, almost unfair, how different it was.
Trees began to line the road thickly on both sides, but Luna barely noticed. Her limbs were too heavy, her mind too foggy. All she wanted was to lie down somewhere quiet and let the weight of the day fall off her shoulders. Her thoughts drifted aimlessly.
"All this stress? I won't survive two more days of this," she mumbled under her breath. Her eyes fluttered shut, finally beginning to doze off—until something nudged at her consciousness.
Wait. She sat up slowly.
It had been over an hour. Maybe an hour and ten minutes now.
Why hadn't they reached the mansion yet?
Something wasn't right.
With a weak and sleepy voice, she spoke.
"Aren't we there yet?"
"A little bit, ma'am, almost there," the driver replied.
'Ma'am?' Who ever calls the original Luna that?
Her eyes flew open, blinking rapidly as her mind tried to shake off the haze. Something was off. Her instincts flared up like a fire alarm. Slowly, she turned her head and took a better look at the man behind the wheel.
"Who are you?" she asked in a husky voice, trying to keep up a calm facade even as her skin prickled with unease.
The man didn't even bother to answer. He just kept driving. Cold silence filled the car, thick and suffocating. She glanced out the window and saw nothing but trees—tall, looming, endless. No streetlights. No sign of civilization. Just forest swallowing them whole.
Her heart began to play drums in her chest, hard and fast and loud.
"Hmm, I can hear your heart beating. So someone like you used to be scared?" he asked mockingly, his voice low and amused.
"Who are you!" she snapped again, louder this time, as fear began to take over her soul. Her breath quickened. Her fingers trembled slightly.
"You'll find out soon, so you just need to relax," he replied.
Relax? In what world did he think that was possible?
The air felt thin. The car felt like a trap despite the cool breeze of the air conditioner. Every second stretched like it was fighting to drag time out longer.
"What do you want from me? Let me go!" she shouted, anger bubbling beneath her fear. She tried to keep her composure, but the cracks were forming fast. This wasn't just a nightmare—this was her life they were talking about.
'Me and Ace were planning to run away so we could live a good, happy life, but now I woke up in this strange world and I'm being kidnapped? What kind of nonsense! This doesn't make sense,' she fumed inwardly.
She had just wanted peace. A chance to breathe. A future with someone who didn't treat her like property. But now? Now she didn't even know what reality was.
The car kept moving, deeper and deeper into the forest. The daylight had vanished completely. Shadows danced across the dashboard as the headlights cut through the night.
'Luna, Luna, calm down. You need to think.'
But thinking was hard when everything inside her screamed to panic.
"What have I ever done to you? Just let me go! Please!" she begged, voice cracking as she grabbed the door handle and yanked. It didn't budge. Stiff. Locked. Unshaking.
Panic fully bloomed in her chest, sharp and hot. Her throat felt tight. Tears threatened to form, but she held them back with clenched teeth.
The idea hit her like lightning. She pulled out her phone from her bag and was about to dial a number when…
"Don't even bother. There is no network here," the man said, but she didn't listen. Her fingers trembled as she tapped the screen, desperately searching. Nothing. No bars. No signal.
"No! No!" she finally screamed, her voice echoing faintly in the enclosed space.
"So you do get scared. Impressive," the driver said, turning slightly toward her. There was something unsettling in his tone—an edge of amusement, calm, and calculation. From the way he spoke and carried himself, it was obvious. He wasn't just a mere driver.
The car finally pulled over, tires crunching against gravel. He stepped out with a strange excitement in his stride. Luna immediately reached for the door, yanking at the handle. Locked. It didn't move. Panic crept in.
"WOW!! How exciting!" he yelled joyfully, stretching his arms like he was welcoming a crowd.
Suddenly, shadowy figures began to emerge from the trees. At first, it was one… then another… and soon, they multiplied. Dozens of them. Vampires.
"What is this smell? So tempting," one of them blurted out, his eyes glowing unnaturally bright.
"I think it's a human. A human is here in our presence! The smell is so tempting… I want it!" he growled as his canines elongated into sharp blades, glinting in the moonlight.
Luna's breath hitched. Her eyes darted around in every direction. Red eyes—so many—appeared in the darkness like glowing coals scattered through the trees. Her heartbeat slammed against her ribs. Her body went stiff.
"Where am I?" she whispered to no one in particular, her voice thin and cracking. Tears welled up, blurring her vision, but she couldn't blink them away. Her fingers curled into the seat cushion as dread curled around her like smoke.
"Time to play the game, honey," the man who brought her here said softly as he opened the car door with a wide grin.
Luna was scared to death.
"Hey! Vampires, hello! I just want us to play some games. And I assure you! It's fun," the driver said, making all the vampires look at each other.
"The game goes like this—anybody that is able to get her can have her. Tor yourself," he informed, and gossip started among them.
"Are you guys in or not?" he asked again.
"Of course I'm in. I don't care for them," one of the vampires said.
And then—
"I'm also in."
"Me too."
"Count me in also," they all said.
"It's good that all of you are in, so let the game begin," and then he yanked Luna out of the car.
"Get her!"
Luna's eyes widened as she saw the battalion of red eyes coming straight toward her. Without thinking, she began to run, fear flooding her system and adrenaline at full capacity. But of course, she was no match for vampires. In no time, they had circled her.
She scanned their faces, her heart racing, blood boiling.
"Let me go!" she shouted with rage.
But the vampires jumped on her like leeches. Their long nails dug into her skin, and Luna thought she might really die this time.
She managed to shake some of them off and tried to run again—only to be caught back.
"She's mine! She's mine!!" they all struggled greedily.
The person who brought her—whose name was Shane—just watched, as if waiting for the story to unfold.
"Enough! All of you can't do the job," he yelled.
They stopped immediately, knowing full well that he was from the Royal family—and pureblooded. They quickly obeyed his orders.
"Let's beat her up," he said, urging them to pick up sticks.
Soon, Luna felt hard, solid blows raining down on her skin. The pain was unbearable—she couldn't even scream.
"Hit her hard! Kill her!" Shane urged further.
"Stop! She belongs to me," a voice rang out from a distance.
The sound was sharp, commanding—and it made all the vampires freeze. 'Ezekiel the male lead?' Luna managed to see him.
Simon, the redhead, stepped into view.
He marched straight to Shane and landed a clean punch on his face.
"Stupid kid!" he cursed, his beautiful red eyes burning with fury, turning into pure vampiric red.
"I was just trying to help," Shane said, clearly displeased.
"Who told you to help?" Simon snapped.
Ezekiel walked up to Luna, who lay almost lifeless on the ground. He gently brushed strands of hair off her face and let out a mocking laugh.
"I never pictured I'd see you in such a vulnerable state."
Luna could barely register the melody of his sweet voice. His face was a blur.
"Now where is all that bravery?" he asked.
He slowly lifted her onto his shoulder and placed her in the back seat of the SUV.
"She deserves death!" Shane snapped, just one step away from killing this Luna of a girl.
"No, no. Not yet. She deserves torture. And pain. I won't let someone like her die so casually." Deadpan Ezekiel.
With that, Simon shoved Shane into the car, and they drove off.