The snowflakes danced through the air like tiny diamonds, shimmering beneath the golden glow of the streetlights. Christmas decorations adorned every corner of the city, a sparkling reminder that the season of cheer had arrived. Yet for Jenna, the holiday lights felt like a cruel mockery—like everything she had come to despise about being in the human world.
She walked along the cobbled street, her boots crunching in the fresh snow, her coat clasped tightly around her slender frame. The cold didn’t bother her, not with her vampire blood keeping her immune to the chill. But the holiday spirit—so alive in the bustling city around her—was something she wanted no part of.
“Maybe it’s time I leave this place,” she murmured to herself, her breath puffing out in a delicate cloud.
She had only come to the city to settle a small matter with her clan—a task she thought would be quick, but now, with Christmas lights in every storefront and the scent of pine in the air, her irritation was growing. There was no time for sentimental human traditions when the very reason she stayed hidden from her kind was in constant danger.
A distant rumble of an engine broke her thoughts, and she turned instinctively. A sleek sports car—dark as night—pulled into the driveway of the grand hotel at the end of the street. Her heart skipped a beat. She didn’t know why, but something about the car seemed familiar, like she had seen it before in the few fleeting moments she’d spent observing human life in the city.
The driver stepped out, and it hit her. Aryan Novak. The name flashed in her mind like a neon sign.
Aryan Novak was a legend. A car racer, a star on the rise, adored by the media and his fans alike. His face graced the cover of every sports magazine, and his skill on the racetrack had earned him a reputation that few could match. Jenna had heard whispers about him, but she had never bothered to delve into human celebrity. She had bigger concerns—like surviving the next few decades.
But now, as she watched him remove his sunglasses and run a hand through his tousled hair, the world seemed to stop. His piercing blue eyes scanned the street, and for a moment, they met hers.
There was something there—a spark, a connection. Something she couldn’t explain. In an instant, she felt an overwhelming urge to look away, but instead, her feet were rooted to the ground.
“You’re staring,” a voice beside her said.
Jenna blinked, torn from her trance, and turned to see a young woman grinning at her knowingly. She was dressed in a festive red scarf and oversized mittens, clearly enjoying the winter festivities around them.
“Oh,” Jenna muttered, forcing herself to look away from Aryan. “I wasn’t… I mean, he’s just… he’s a racer, right?”
The woman nodded eagerly, her eyes bright. “That’s Aryan Novak. He’s staying here for some event. Are you a fan?”
Jenna wasn’t one to follow human trends, but she couldn’t help the curiosity creeping in. “Maybe,” she replied, her voice betraying her interest. She took a deep breath, trying to shake off the strange feeling in her chest. “I’m just passing through. I don’t know much about racing.”
“You should! His car’s a beauty. And he’s not bad to look at either,” the woman said with a wink, before walking off, leaving Jenna alone.
Jenna’s gaze flicked back to Aryan, who was now walking toward the hotel entrance. He had no idea she was watching, no idea that she had just become part of his world in a way that could never be undone.
Her instincts screamed at her to turn and leave. She was a vampire, an immortal, bound by ancient rules. She didn’t have time for mortals, especially not ones who could never understand her world. Yet, as she turned to go, her steps faltered. She couldn’t shake the feeling that something or someone was calling her back.
For the first time in centuries, Jenna found herself at the edge of something dangerous. Something she wasn’t sure she wanted to resist.
As she disappeared into the crowd, Jenna’s heart pounded with a mixture of excitement and fear. She could feel the pull of him, and she knew whether she liked it or not that their paths were destined to cross again. But as she glanced over her shoulder one last time, Aryan’s gaze was already back on her, his eyes lingering in a way that made her heart race in a way she hadn’t felt in ages.
And just like that, Christmas became more than a season. It became a beginning.