The rain fell in relentless sheets, turning the cobblestone paths of Blackthorn College into slick ribbons of silver under the dim glow of the streetlamps. Lila pulled her coat tighter around her shoulders, the fabric already soaked through, but she barely noticed the cold. Her heart hammered against her ribs, a frantic rhythm that drowned out the distant thunder.
*He was here.*
She could feel it—the pull, the whisper of something ancient and unseen tugging at her soul. The same whisper that had haunted her dreams for weeks, ever since she'd stumbled upon that damned book in the library's restricted section.
A shadow moved at the edge of her vision, and she spun, her breath catching. The alley between the chemistry building and the old chapel was pitch black, but she didn't need light to know he was there.
"You shouldn't be out here," a voice murmured, low and velvet-rough.
Lila's pulse stuttered. *Kieran.*
He stepped into the faint halo of a flickering lamp, his dark hair plastered to his forehead, rainwater tracing the sharp angles of his face. His eyes—*God, those eyes*—gleamed like molten gold, inhuman and mesmerizing.
"Neither should you," she shot back, though her voice trembled. "Or do the rules not apply to you?"
His lips curled, but there was no warmth in it. "Rules are for humans, Lila."
The way he said her name sent a shiver down her spine. She hated how it made her feel—alive and terrified all at once.
"Then what are you?" she demanded, stepping closer despite every instinct screaming at her to run. "Because you sure as hell aren't human."
Kieran's gaze flickered, something unreadable passing through them before he schooled his expression into its usual mask of indifference. "You already know the answer to that."
She did. The book had been clear enough, even if she hadn't wanted to believe it. *The Children of the Moon*, it had called them. Beings born of shadow and starlight, bound to the night.
"Why me?" she whispered. "Why are you following me?"
For a long moment, he didn't answer. The wind howled between them, carrying the scent of damp earth and something darker, something wild. Then, so quietly she almost missed it: "Because you called to me."
Lila's breath hitched. "I didn't—"
"Not with words." His fingers brushed against her wrist, sending a jolt of electricity up her arm. "With this." He pressed his palm over her chest, right above her pounding heart. "It's been screaming for weeks. I couldn't ignore it if I tried."
Her throat tightened. She wanted to deny it, to pull away, but the heat of his touch rooted her in place. "That's impossible."
Kieran's smile was bitter. "You'd be surprised what's possible in this world."
A crash echoed from the far end of the alley, followed by laughter—harsh and mocking. Lila stiffened. She knew that sound. The same group of students who'd made her life hell since she'd transferred here.
"Looks like your fan club's back," Kieran muttered, his grip tightening slightly.
She yanked her hand away. "I don't need your protection."
"No?" His eyes flashed. "Then why do you keep looking for me?"
Lila opened her mouth to retort, but the laughter grew louder, closer. A bottle shattered against the wall nearby, glass skittering across the stones.
"Well, well," a familiar voice drawled. "If it isn't the freak and her pet shadow."
Jared Hayes stepped into the light, flanked by his usual entourage. His grin was all teeth, his gaze sliding from Lila to Kieran with undisguised malice. "What's the matter, Lila? Couldn't find any real friends, so you settled for the school's resident ghost?"
Kieran didn't move, but the air around them grew heavier, charged with something primal. Lila could feel it—the tension coiling in his muscles, the barely leashed violence simmering beneath his skin.
"Walk away, Jared," she said, forcing her voice steady.
Jared barked out a laugh. "Or what? You'll sic your guard dog on me?" He took a step forward, his smile widening. "Face it, Lila. You don't belong here. Never have."
Something inside her snapped.
Before she could think, she lunged, her fist connecting with Jared's jaw with a satisfying crack. He staggered back, eyes wide with shock.
"You *bitch*—"
Kieran moved like lightning, stepping between them before Jared could retaliate. His voice was a growl, low and deadly. "Touch her, and I'll tear you apart."
The threat hung in the air, thick and unshakable. Jared paled, his bravado crumbling as he took in Kieran's expression—the feral glint in his eyes, the way his fingers curled like claws.
For a heartbeat, no one moved.
Then Jared spat on the ground and jerked his chin at his friends. "Let's go. They're not worth it."
The group slunk away, their taunts fading into the storm.
Lila's hands shook, adrenaline still coursing through her veins. She hadn't even realized she'd been holding her breath until Kieran turned to face her, his gaze searching.
"You're full of surprises," he murmured.
She wiped her knuckles on her coat, her voice brittle. "I'm tired of running."
Kieran studied her for a long moment before nodding, as if he'd found something he'd been looking for. "Good."
The rain eased slightly, the clouds parting just enough to reveal a sliver of moonlight. It caught in Kieran's eyes, turning them into liquid gold.
"Come with me," he said suddenly, holding out his hand.
Lila hesitated. "Where?"
"Somewhere they can't find you."
She should have refused. Should have turned and walked back to her dorm, back to the safety of four walls and locked doors.
But the whisper in her heart was louder now, a siren's call she couldn't ignore.
She took his hand.
The world blurred around them, shadows swallowing the light, and then they were gone.