"Arghhh fuckkk!" Lily screamed in pain as she jolted out of her bed waking up from sleep. Lily Evans had always believed she was an ordinary girl. Sure, her life wasn't perfect, but it was hers. She lived in a quiet town called Raven Hollow, with a small high school, a diner everyone knew by name, and streets so quiet at night you could hear your own footsteps.
Today was supposed to be special. It was her eighteenth birthday. She had planned to sleep in, eat pancakes with extra syrup, and maybe meet up with her best friend, Mia, later in the evening.
But everything changed before dawn.
The burning sensation pulled Lily out of a deep, dreamless sleep. She bolted upright in bed, her breath ragged and chest tight. A sharp, searing pain shot through her wrist, unlike anything she had ever felt before. It wasn't the ache of a bruise or the sting of a cut. It was as if someone had pressed a hot brand against her skin.
She threw off her blanket and turned on her bedside lamp, her hands trembling.
A deep crimson mark glowed on the inside of her wrist. It was shaped like a coiled serpent surrounding a small, blood-red crescent moon.
"What the hell…?" she whispered, her voice shaking.
She rubbed at it, hoping it was just a trick of the light or maybe ink from a pen she forgot she'd used. But no, it wouldn't fade. And the burn kept growing stronger.
Lily's heart pounded in her chest. The room felt too small, the air too thick.
She climbed out of bed, tugging on a hoodie over her tank top and pajama shorts. She needed answers.
As she headed down the hallway, the house was silent. Her mom had left for her early morning shift at the hospital, as she always did on Mondays.
Grabbing her phone from the nightstand, she quickly texted Mia.
Lily: You up? Something weird just happened.
A minute passed.
Mia: Girl, it's 5:30. This better be good.
Lily: I have a mark on my wrist. It hurts. It's glowing.
Mia: WTF. Send a pic.
Lily snapped a photo and sent it.
Mia: What is that?? Holy shit, it looks like a tattoo. You got a tattoo without me?
Lily: No. I woke up with it. It burns.
Mia: I'm coming over.
Lily felt a flicker of relief. Mia always knew how to fix things.
Setting her phone down, she went to the kitchen to grab some water, hoping it might cool the burn.
But before she reached the sink, the lights in the house flickered.
She froze.
The windows rattled though there was no wind.
Then, a sudden chill swept through the room, making her skin break out in goosebumps.
"Okay, no," Lily muttered, backing toward the living room. "Not today. Not on my birthday."
A low, velvety voice spoke from behind her.
"I've waited a long time for this."
Lily spun around.
A tall, dark figure stood in the corner of the room. His crimson eyes glowed in the shadows.
Her breath caught in her throat.
He was beautiful in a terrifying way. Pale skin, sharp cheekbones, hair black as midnight. He wore dark clothes that seemed to blur into the shadows around him. And those eyes… blood-red and ancient. The entire aura around him was dark and terrifying.
"Who the hell are you?" Lily demanded, forcing her voice not to shake.
The man stepped closer. The temperature in the room seemed to drop with every step he took.
"I am Azrael," he said, his voice sending chills down lilys spine. "Prince of the Underworld."
Lily fell back a little as she shivered in fear and confusion. "The… what now?" She said her voice shaking while she tried to remain calm
He smiled, a slow, dangerous smile that didn't reach his eyes and make her stomach turn in fear snd nervousness
"You bear my mark, little star. On your eighteenth birthday, the bond awakens. You belong to me now."
"No," Lily whispered, her heart pounding so loud it drowned out the rest of the world. "I don't even know you. This is a dream. I must be losing my mind."
"It's no dream," Azrael murmured, appearing directly in front of her in a blink. "You were marked the night you were born. Hidden from me for years. But I've found you now, and no one can take you from me."
She stumbled back, crashing into the table behind her. A glass fell and shattered on the floor.
Azrael's crimson gaze softened, just a little.
"I won't hurt you, Lily," he said quietly. "But you can't run from this. Our souls are bound."
Her wrist flared with heat again, making her cry out.
Tears stung her eyes as fear gripped her.
"What do you want from me?" she whispered.
"You," he said simply. "As my bride. My queen."
"No," she snapped, surprising even herself. "I'm not yours. I don't care what mark you put on me."
A spark of amusement flashed in Azrael's eyes.
"You're fiery. I like that. I've slaughtered kings for less than a missed promise, little star. You were never meant to hide from me."
A knock at the front door made them both pause.
Mia.
"Lily? It's me!" Mia called.
Lily turned toward the door.
When she looked back, Azrael was gone. The room was empty. The cold vanished. The air felt normal again.
"Mia!" Lily yanked open the door and nearly collapsed into her best friend's arms.
"What happened? You look like you've seen a ghost," Mia said, leading her inside.
Lily showed her the mark.
Mia's eyes widened. "Okay, we're going to figure this out. First thing tomorrow, we're seeing that creepy old fortune teller on Oak Street."
Lily gave a weak laugh. "Yeah. Good idea."
But deep down, she knew no one could explain this. No one could stop him.
Azrael was real.
And he was coming for her.