Kuri Hikawa woke with a start, the dim light of her room casting shadows on the walls. Her body ached, and the ever-present cough that had wracked her the past week was finally gone. Yet, she still felt sluggish, as though something heavy rested on her chest. Shaking off the strange dreams that had plagued her sleep, she forced herself out of bed and got ready. It was Saturday, and she had plans to meet Darren and Steve at the park.

"You look like hell," Steve said bluntly when she arrived.

"Thanks for the compliment," Kuri replied dryly, coughing into her sleeve.

"Are you sure you're up for this?" Darren asked, concern etched on his face.

"Yeah, you said you had an awesome surprise. I'm not missing it," Kuri insisted.

Steve smirked and pulled out a folded flyer. "Here's the surprise."

Kuri took it and scanned the page, her eyes widening slightly. The flyer advertised the Cirque du Freak, a traveling freak show with performers who defied the boundaries of the natural world. Her gaze lingered on one name in particular: Larten Crepsley.

Her stomach churned as she handed Steve the ticket money. "I'm going," she said firmly. "I know you already bought the tickets. Let's go now and get a good seat."

XXX

The three arrived at the old theater as dusk fell, the building looming ominously under the growing shadows. They pushed through the crowd, eventually finding seats near the front. Kuri tried to ignore the heaviness in her limbs and the heat creeping into her face. She was feeling worse by the minute, but she wouldn't let it ruin the night.

The lights dimmed, and the crowd hushed. Small figures moved through the aisles, their blue-tinted skin and stitched mouths eerie in the low light. These were the Little People, who carried trays of merchandise to sell. Steve, ever curious, waved at one.

"Hey, can you talk?" he asked, leaning in close.

The Little Person simply stared at him, unblinking, before moving on. Steve shrugged, disappointed.

The murmurs in the theater died as a tall, imposing figure stepped onto the stage. Mr. Tall, the Ringmaster, was a man of extraordinary height, with piercing dark eyes that seemed to see right through you. His voice carried effortlessly over the crowd.

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Cirque du Freak," he said. "This is a place of wonders and horrors. Be warned: what you see here tonight is not for the faint of heart."

The show began with a bone-chilling act. The Wolf Man, a hulking creature covered in coarse fur, was led onto the stage. His handler, standing at a safe distance, used telepathy to keep the creature in check. The Wolf Man snarled and paced, his claws glinting in the light.

The crowd leaned forward, mesmerized, but when someone in the back laughed too loudly, the Wolf Man turned on them. In an instant, the beast lunged, sinking his teeth into a woman's arm. She screamed, blood spraying across the seats as the crowd erupted in panic.

Mr. Tall strode onto the stage, raising a hand for silence. "This is a dangerous show," he said calmly. "Remain quiet and respectful, or you may not leave here intact."

To everyone's shock, he retrieved the severed arm and reattached it to the woman with a few deft movements, as though it were the most natural thing in the world. Her wound closed instantly, and she stared at her arm in disbelief.

Despite the warning, no one left.

The acts that followed were equally extraordinary. Alexander Ribs, a skeletal man who could contort his body into impossible shapes, played his ribs like a xylophone. Rhamus Twobellies consumed an incredible amount of food in minutes, then performed tricks by swallowing objects like knives and forks, only to retrieve them unharmed.

Then came Madame Truska, the bearded lady. She stepped onto the stage without a beard, only to grow a luxurious one that reached her knees in seconds. She stroked it dramatically, to the delight of the crowd, before making it vanish again as she exited.

Hans Hands raced volunteers from the audience on his hands, defeating every one of them with ease.

Finally, a man stepped onto the stage with a massive spider perched on his shoulder. Kuri's breath caught. It was Larten Crepsley.

Beside him stood a girl, her features strikingly familiar—Reiko. Kuri's heart sank as she saw the crescent-shaped Mark glowing faintly on her sister's forehead.

Larten introduced the spider as Madam Octa, demonstrating her incredible agility and venomous fangs. The crowd was entranced as he played a flute to control her movements, weaving a hypnotic melody that kept everyone on the edge of their seats.

Everyone except Steve.

Kuri noticed him staring at Larten with an intensity she'd never seen before. His jaw was clenched, his knuckles white as he gripped his seat. When the act ended, Steve leaned toward Darren, his voice a harsh whisper.

"I know what he is."

Darren frowned. "What are you talking about?"

"Larten Crepsley," Steve said, his eyes never leaving the stage. "He's a vampire."

XXX

After the show, Kuri wandered the theater, watching Darren buy merchandise. She tried to enjoy herself, but the sight of Reiko haunted her. She was alive—or something close to it—and working with Larten.

The show resumed with acts from Gertha Teeth, who could bite through anything, and the twisting twins, Sive and Seersa, who danced in perfect synchronization while contorting their bodies. The performances were dazzling, but Kuri's fevered mind struggled to keep up.

The finale came when a massive snake slithered onto the stage, coiling around its handler, the Snake Boy, Evra Von. The crowd gasped as he commanded the serpent with ease, his green-tinted skin glistening under the stage lights.

Finally, Mr. Tall stepped forward to end the night. "We thank you for joining us," he said, his deep voice resonating through the theater. "Until next time."

As the crowd dispersed, Steve grabbed Darren's arm. "I'll catch up later. Go home without me."

"Why?" Darren asked.

"Just go," Steve snapped, disappearing into the shadows.

Suspicious, Darren followed him and climbed up to the balcony, hiding in the shadows. Below, Steve confronted Larten.

"I know what you are," Steve said, his voice trembling. "You're a vampire."

Larten regarded him calmly, but Darren's attention shifted to Reiko, who appeared behind him. Her Mark glowed brighter under the dim light. Kuri stumbled into the room just as Larten approached her, her sickness overwhelming her.

Her vision swam as she collapsed to the floor, the last thing she saw being Reiko's Mark.

XXX

Under the night sky, Kiana Hikawa lay on a peaceful hill, gazing at five stars clustered together. She breathed deeply, centering herself as she focused on each star.

"I wish he would be noble," she said to the eastern star. "Vibrant," she added to the southern one. "Adaptable," she whispered to the west. "Nurturing," to the north. And finally, "Charismatic," to the central star.

She stood, completing the ritual, when a voice emerged from the shadows.

"Merry meet, future Priestess of Nyx," Kurda said, stepping into the moonlight.

Kiana sighed. "I wish you wouldn't call me that. How much did you hear?"

"Enough," Kurda replied with a smile. "And now I have something to live up to."

Kiana flushed, fingering her Dark Daughters necklace. "Maybe you do."

Kurda bowed slightly. "Until tomorrow night."