Silence.
The entire world seemed to freeze.
No one moved.
No one breathed.
Everyone stared at the glowing crimson words displayed on every screen.
WELCOME, HEIRS OF THE BLOOD MOON.
THE FIRST NIGHT HAS ENDED.
THE AWAKENING BEGINS.
A woman screamed from a nearby building.
Then another.
Suddenly, chaos erupted.
People rushed onto their balconies.
Some started calling their loved ones.
Others pointed their phones at the sky despite the strange message already covering their screens.
Car horns blared endlessly.
Questions echoed from every direction.
"What is happening?!"
"Is this some kind of prank?"
"Why isn't the sun rising?"
"Someone call the police!"
The peaceful morning that should have begun with sunlight and birdsong had turned into a nightmare.
Trisha's phone vibrated.
Then again.
And again.
Messages flooded the group chat.
Britney: GUYS, WHAT IS THIS?!
Gold: Tell me someone else can see this.
Vyonna: I'M SCARED.
Hamim: I was literally sleeping peacefully.
Viara: WHY IS THERE NO SUN?!
Amazon: This better not be an alien invasion.
Henry: If aliens are hot, I don't mind.
Grey: THIS IS NOT THE TIME!
Henry: It's always the time.
Britney: HENRY, I'M GOING TO BLOCK YOU.
Henry: Violence isn't the answer.
Even now...
Trisha smiled despite herself.
Her friends were unbelievable.
Trisha smiled despite herself.
Her friends were unbelievable.
The world looked like it was ending, and somehow Henry still found a way to joke about it.
The smile quickly faded.
Because despite the messages and the familiar banter, fear still sat heavily in her chest.
Her hands were cold.
Her heart was beating too fast.
She looked outside again.
The darkness remained.
The city, sky...
Her phone rang again.
This time, it was Britney.
She answered immediately.
"Trisha!"
Britney sounded like she was about to cry.
"Did you see it?!"
"Yeah."
"What is happening?"
"I don't know."
"I don't like this."
Trisha looked outside again.
Neither did she.
A knock suddenly sounded on her bedroom door.
"Trisha!"
Her mother.
She quickly opened the door.
Mrs. Hunters looked pale.
"Are you okay?"
Trisha nodded.
"Yeah."
Her mother pulled her into a hug.
"Thank God."
That surprised her.
Her mother rarely panicked.
Yet now, she was trembling.
"Mom?"
"I don't know what's happening," she whispered. "Something feels wrong."
Trisha didn't know what to say.
Because she felt it too.
Something was wrong.
Terribly wrong.
Her phone rang again.
Liam.
She answered.
"I'm downstairs."
"What?"
"I'm outside your apartment."
Trisha blinked.
"You got here that fast?"
"I may have ignored a few traffic laws."
Despite everything, she almost laughed.
"Liam—"
"Come downstairs."
His voice softened.
"Please."
She glanced outside.
The sky.
The rings.
The message.
Everything felt unreal.
She didn't want to be alone.
"I'll be there."
The call ended.
"I'm going to see Liam," she told her mother.
Mrs. Hunters hesitated.
Then nodded.
"Don't stay outside for long."
"I won't."
She grabbed her jacket and headed downstairs.
The apartment building was in complete chaos.
People crowded the lobby.
Some were crying.
Others argued loudly.
A man kept repeating that the government was hiding something.
Nobody looked calm.
As soon as Trisha stepped outside, she saw him.
Liam.
He was leaning against his black car.
The moment he saw her, he straightened.
Then he walked directly toward her.
Without saying a word, he pulled her into his arms.
Trisha froze.
Then slowly relaxed.
She could hear his heartbeat.
Fast.
He was scared.
Liam Jackson was actually scared.
"You drove like a maniac, didn't you?" she asked softly.
He sighed.
"Maybe."
She smiled faintly.
Then she looked up at him.
He looked exhausted.
His usually neat hair was messy.
There were dark circles beneath his eyes.
Had he even slept?
"You okay?" he asked.
She nodded.
"Are you?"
He didn't answer immediately.
"No."
The honesty surprised her.
Liam looked at the sky.
"I have a really bad feeling."
She followed his gaze.
The crimson rings remained there.
Silent.
Watching.
"I had a strange dream," she admitted.
He looked at her.
"What kind of dream?"
Trisha hesitated.
"I heard voices."
Liam frowned.
"And?"
"There were golden eyes."
A strange expression crossed his face.
"What?"
"I don't know."
He looked away.
"I dreamed something weird too."
"You did?"
He nodded.
For some reason, his expression darkened.
"What happened?"
Silence.
Then—
"I was running."
"Running?"
"Yeah."
His eyes remained fixed on the sky.
"I was in a forest."
He frowned.
"I could hear something chasing me."
"What was it?"
"I don't know."
He looked confused.
"I never saw it."
"Then?"
"I heard growling."
A chill ran down Trisha's spine.
"And then?"
Liam looked at her.
His gray eyes seemed troubled.
"I looked down."
He swallowed.
"My hands weren't human."
Silence.
"What do you mean?"
"They were covered in black fur."
Neither of them spoke.
That sounded ridiculous.
Impossible.
Yet...
This entire morning felt impossible.
DONG.
The sound echoed again.
The ground trembled.
Everyone looked up.
The crimson words disappeared.
Then new words slowly appeared.
THE SECOND PHASE WILL COMMENCE SHORTLY.
SURVIVE.
"What?" someone shouted.
"Survive what?!"
People began panicking again.
Then—
Another line appeared.
YOUR BLOODLINES ARE AWAKENING.
A woman screamed.
A man dropped his phone.
Trisha's breathing quickened.
Bloodlines?
What bloodlines?
Suddenly—
CRACK!
A scream echoed nearby.
Everyone turned.
A young man collapsed onto the ground.
His body trembled violently.
Another person screamed.
Then another.
More people fell.
The city descended into chaos.
"Liam..."
He grabbed her hand.
"Get inside."
"What?"
"Now."
Another scream.
Someone's eyes suddenly glowed bright blue.
A girl nearby began levitating.
A man burst into flames.
People ran in every direction.
The impossible was happening.
Right in front of them.
Then—
Liam suddenly froze.
His grip tightened.
Pain flashed across his face.
"Liam?"
He didn't answer.
He looked down at his hands.
They were shaking.
His breathing became uneven.
"Liam?"
He suddenly dropped to one knee.
"Ah!"
Fear flooded Trisha's face.
"Liam!"
He clutched his chest.
Every muscle in his body tightened.
His eyes squeezed shut.
Then—
He screamed.
And his eyes flashed gold.