Spell for the day :

Radices interficiam te de terra.

Spell to levitate objects.

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**Lilis' POV **

"Who could it be?"Em asks. The tension around was palpable. I was hoping we weren't on the same page.

"The guy in the outhouse," we both whisper at the same time and turn to look at each other.

"The nephew. The new guy at school?" Em asks, staring at us in shock. 

I nod my head answering her question. 

"When did you see?" Em asks. She gets up and goes to take a peek from the half-burnt window. I follow her and see that the lights in the outhouse were still on.

"At school with the ring," Ingrid says, laying on her bed. 

"Just now before dinner with the ring still on," I say,  following suit.

"Oh, and I also saw him at the hospital," Ingrid adds.

"Maybe he is the beast. He could be the one who stole the blood," Em says.

"Yeah like think about it. He had animals and then humans but it wasn't enough so he stole from the blood bank."

The images of the bodies were still lingering in my mind.

"He did move in some time back, but why is he killing humans now?" I ask. 

"Maybe he was just caught. Maybe he was doing it for quite some time."

"We are in for a ride. Would he kill us too?" I ask, scared.

Oh, and my god. What did we land up in?

"No clue, but I say let's keep an eye on him from a distance," Ingrid says.

"Yeah and no going alone," Em adds.

Why this guy would kill humans. I mean he is sweet and all. Why would he kill humans and when he was already killing animals?

"Liliii?" Ingrid asks, her voice turning a notch louder.

I shake my thoughts away and absentmindedly whisper a "yeah?"

"You on board with this?" she asks, looking at me for an answer.

"Hmm hmm." I say nodding my head, not sure what was going on.

"So now, how can you control your powers? And how does that guy have the ring?" Em asks Ingrid and soon they both are lost in their own conversation.

Em's phone suddenly rings and she excuses herself.

"So what do you think about this guy?" Iddy asks me.

"I don't know. He seems sweet, but we can't maybe trust him. If he is already killing animals, why would he kill humans?" I pour out all my thoughts and am waiting to see what would Iddy thought about this.

"Maybe he wasn't satisfied with the animals and lost his control?" she answers, after a while of thinking.

"Guys, my nana is back home. Maybe she could help? Also, we had some questions to ask her right. We can maybe meet her after school tomorrow? Or the day after since it's the weekend?" Em says, finally coming up with a plan.

"Yeah day after sounds perfect, so we will have enough time to discuss everything," Ingrid says and I couldn't agree more. But something keeps pricking me, something about this guy.

"Yeah let's lay low until then," I say, agreeing with her.

Em stays at our home for the night and we decide to call it a day. We hit the beds and I see them falling fast asleep after some time.

I couldn't sleep that night. I was thinking about the guy who killed humans and the guy who is in my outhouse. 

Are they the same?

My gut feeling tells me they aren't the same. But then I hardly know anything about him.

I wake up early the next day, which was a surprise for everyone given my bond with my bed.

I get ready, wearing a black hoodie and blue pants. More than half of my cupboard is filled with black -- shirts, tees, hoodies, and everything I can grab in black. I go down to see that the table was already laid. I grab my breakfast and am planning to walk to school. I see that Iddy and Em were busy eating so I slip out from the back door. I silently close the door, hoping they don't catch me on the way out.

"Sneaking out now, are we," I hear him say. Without even turning back I knew who it was.

" Oh. Umm nooo," I say. I was planning on going back inside as the images of the dead bodies came back rushing.

"Your skin is so pale. Are you alright?" he asks placing his hand on my cheek.

Oh god, why did it get hot in here suddenly.

I was lost in his eyes. His cool blue eyes. 

Oh god, how could he look this good?

"You okay?" he asks, concern etching his voice.

Oh fuck, shit. I probably shouldn't be here with him.

"Umm yeah, thanks," I say turning away to hide my embarrassed ass.

"Come on. I'll drop you to school," he says dragging me. 

Oh fuck, maybe he will kill me! Why did he have to kill me, my blood isn't so sweet. 

 Iddy, Em anyone, helpppp. 

I panic and my mind goes into overdrive. I try my best to not show it on my face. Luckily my brain comes up with an excuse.

"I umm aah forgot something. I go--gotta get it." I say trying to escape. Even to my ears, it sounded pathetic.

"Weren't you sneaking out? I'll wait here. Come back soon." he says winking at me.

I go in not knowing what to do. It was like I was walking on a double-edged sword, either way, I fall. 

"There you are. Come on we are getting late to school." Ingrid says, grabbing me. 

"Actually..." I pause and tell them what just happened.

"You have a knack for landing yourself in trouble," Em says while shaking her head in dismay. I couldn't agree more with her.

I silently bend my head down, wondering what to do. 

"Okay, go with him, or else it would look suspicious," Ingrid says. 

"And we will follow you guys. Just text me if anything happens," Em says and they shoo me off to him.

I painfully make my way back. It feels like I'm digging my own grave.

"Took your own sweet time," he says and indicates me to follow him.

"So how is this school like?" He asks, trying to break the ice. 

"It's good. But the people aren't. There are the usual Jocks, nerds, wannabes, and the queen bees and her slaves, " I say bored. 

"Which one are you?" he asks, looking at me from the mirror. 

I see his blue eyes and the flick on hair falling on them. It's like they are playing a game of hide and go seek with me. One minute I see them, the next they disappear. 

After a long thought I finally say, "Well, you can't define me so easily. I'm probably a mix between the nerd and the one who doesn't care. And you ?"

"Well, it's hard to define me too. What do you think I'm like ?" he asks, sounding curious. His husky voice, sure brings out his emotions well. 

This definitely wasn't the ride to school I expected. He actually was sweet and I learned that his family used to stay here a long time ago. I could see Iddy's car a little behind us and my fingers were hovering over the keypad ready to call her if anything happens.

We reach school and I get out of the car when he says.

"By the way, I didn't catch your name?"

"Umm. Lilia Swan and yours? " I say hesitantly.

"Black... Kylian black," he says rolling down the window and driving away leaving me behind in the dirt.

Wow, nice name. 

I make my way to the school entrance, when I spot Em and Ingrid sitting by the stairs looking around in the crowd. Looks like they are searching for me. 

"How was he. Anything suspicious?" asks Ingrid, when she finally spots me. 

They come running towards me and check me to see if I have any bite marks on me. 

"Nothing yet. Let's keep a close watch on him." I say and try to stop them from checking me out in public. 

The day was uneventful but I saw that Kylian was growing anxious with every passing minute. We shared quite some classes together and most of the time he'd be surrounded by girls. Today it was different, he didn't entertain anyone even coming close to him. He reminded me of the guy at the party.

He was very impatient and on the edge of losing control by the end of the day. I see him literally run once the class was done.

I see him walk to his car and toss his bag in the back seat, driving off. Curiosity takes the best of me and I end up following him.

I  go looking for the Ingrid and Em came in today. Luckily, they came in the red Ford, which is mine and I always carried a spare set of keys. 

I manage to follow him and keep a safe distance from him and see him making his way towards our home. 

I  see him make a turn at the last minute and somehow manage to keep up with him. He halts by the edge of the forest. I park my car a safe distance away from his, behind a few stray bushes. I pull out my hoodie and follow him.

He was walking carefully and slowly without making a noise, not even as small as the tweak of a twig in a predator like manner.

I see him hide behind a few bushes and I follow suit, maintaining a safe distance. He keenly stares at something or someone. I look over to see what was it when I hear a loud grunting noise and the cry of an animal. The birds on the trees nearby also shriek and fly away adding to the eerie atmosphere.  I peek from the bushes to see him devouring a buck. 

Wait, wasn't he just behind the bushes, how did he get there so quickly?

I gasp, when I see him enjoying his meal. Oh my god, he definitely is the beast. The weather around turns dark suddenly and the wind starts howling. The air around turns cold and the trees start swaying.

 Maybe, following him was a bad idea. 

Why did I follow him, why am I such a nincompoop?

He suddenly looks up. He probably heard my gasp. I push myself a little behind in the bushes hoping he won't notice me. The bushes poke me, but my life is dear to me so I cover my mouth, lest I let out another cry.  I catch sight of his blood-stained face, a contrast to his pale skin,  with fangs protruding out. The dark veins under his eyes and his forehead make an appearance. He is being his true self and I am petrified of him. 

His handsome face is stained with blood and I see his black shirt is also stained. His hair is a mess and the animal lying there is soulless. 

I see him devouring his prey, and he looks like a hungry monster. I see that he is lost in the consumption of his prey and I seize the moment, hurrying back to my car. My legs are wobbly and my thoughts are lost elsewhere, I wasn't able to walk properly and almost fall down twice. The forest floor was murky and given my clumsiness, I wasn't able to get a grip. I use a stick lying nearby and manage to get myself together, making it safely it to my car. 

I unlock my car and lock it as soon as I get it.  I lay my head down on the steering wheel, trying to digest everything I just saw. I couldn't drive, my mind was still stuck with his images along with the dead body and I wonder how could he kill them. I feel the dashboard vibrate and my hands shake whilst trying to answer the call.

"Lili, where are you?"

" Enroute home."

"We have something to tell. About the Secret Circle. Come over to Em's."

"Me too," I say in a quivering voice and drive off in the car. I feel someone staring at me, not sure if I was being observed the whole time.

Authors note :

Hey guys, how are you all doing?

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Until the next chapter

Lots of love
         ~Vaishnavi.