THE CRIMSON TREATY

Chapter One — The Girl Who Shouldn't Have Come

The first thing Elena Vale noticed about Blackthorn University was that it was too quiet.

Not peaceful.

Quiet.

There was a difference.

The taxi rolled slowly through the enormous iron gates, its tires crunching over the gravel road as Elena stared through the window.

Blackthorn University looked nothing like the pictures she'd seen online.

The photographs had shown an elegant campus surrounded by trees, old stone buildings covered in ivy, and students walking between classes with books tucked beneath their arms.

The reality was darker.

Much darker.

Ancient buildings rose behind walls of black stone. Tall trees crowded the road on both sides, their branches twisting together above the path like fingers.

Even though it was only late afternoon, the sky was already turning gray.

A thin layer of mist hovered over the grass.

Elena leaned closer to the window.

"Okay," she whispered to herself. "This place is officially creepy."

The taxi driver laughed.

It was the first sound he'd made in nearly twenty minutes.

"You haven't seen anything yet."

Elena looked at him through the rearview mirror.

"What does that mean?"

The driver's smile disappeared.

"Nothing."

She frowned.

Great.

She was beginning to regret coming here.

Her mother had called Blackthorn an opportunity.

A fresh start.

A prestigious university.

A place where Elena could finally focus on herself and her future.

Nobody had mentioned that it looked like the perfect setting for a horror movie.

The taxi stopped in front of the main administration building.

Elena reached for her suitcase.

"How much?"

"Already paid."

She paused.

"By my mother?"

The driver nodded.

Elena opened the door and stepped out.

"Thank you."

She turned back to say goodbye.

The driver was staring at her.

Not at her suitcase.

Not at the university.

At her.

His expression was strange.

Almost frightened.

"Miss Vale?"

Elena stopped.

"Yes?"

The driver hesitated.

Then he said quietly,

"Don't go into the woods."

Elena blinked.

"What?"

But before she could ask anything else, the taxi pulled away.

She stood there with her suitcase, watching it disappear down the road.

"Definitely creepy."

She sighed and grabbed the handle of her suitcase.

"Welcome to Blackthorn."The administration building was warmer than the outside.

Elena approached the front desk where a woman with silver-framed glasses sat reading a thick book.

"Hi. I'm here to register."

The woman slowly looked up.

Her eyes moved over Elena's face.

Then down to the papers in her hand.

She froze.

Only for a second.

But Elena noticed.

"Elena Vale," the woman said.

"Yes."

The woman stood.

"Your room has already been assigned."

"That was fast."

"You were expected."

Elena frowned.

"Expected?"

The woman seemed to realize she'd said too much.

"I mean... your registration was completed before your arrival."

"Oh."

The woman handed her a key.

"Residence Hall C. Room 317."

Elena took it.

"Thank you."

The woman didn't sit back down.

Instead, she watched Elena carefully.

Then her eyes shifted toward the windows.

"One more thing."

"Yes?"

"Stay inside after midnight."

Elena stared at her.

She almost laughed.

"Is that a university rule?"

The woman didn't smile.

"It's a rule you should follow."

Before Elena could respond, someone entered the building.

A group of students.

They were laughing and talking loudly.

The strange atmosphere immediately disappeared.

Elena looked back at the woman.

But the receptionist had already returned to her book.

Like the conversation had never happened.

Residence Hall C was enormous.

Elena climbed three flights of stairs before finally finding room 317.

She unlocked the door.

The room was bigger than she'd expected.

Two beds.

Two desks.

Two wardrobes.

One large window overlooking the eastern side of campus.

Her roommate hadn't arrived yet.

"Perfect."

Elena dropped her suitcase beside the bed nearest the window.

She walked over and pulled the curtains aside.

The view was beautiful.

The university stretched across the valley below.

But beyond the sports field stood a huge forest.

Blackthorn Forest.

The trees were so dense that Elena couldn't see beyond the first few meters.

She stared at it.

For some reason, she felt like the forest was staring back.

She quickly closed the curtains.

"Nope."

She unpacked for almost an hour.

By the time she finished, the sun had disappeared.

Her phone buzzed.

Mom.

Elena answered.

"Hi, Mom."

"Have you arrived?"

"Yeah."

"And?"

Elena looked around the room.

"It's... nice."

"Good. You need to take your studies seriously this time."

Elena rolled her eyes.

"I know."

"I'm serious, Elena."

"I know."

"You didn't come all this way to get distracted."

"I'm not going to get distracted."

"Good."

There was a pause.

Then her mother asked,

"Did you meet anyone?"

"Not really."

"Well, make friends."

Elena smiled faintly.

"That's easier said than done."

Her mother laughed.

"Give it time."

After they said goodbye, Elena placed her phone on the desk.

She was about to lie down when she heard something.

A sound outside.

Scratch.

She froze.

Another sound.

Scratch. Scratch.

Elena slowly turned toward the window.

Her curtains were closed.

She walked toward them.

"Hello?"

No answer.

She pulled the curtain open.

Nothing.

The campus was dark.

The trees moved gently in the wind.

Then Elena noticed something.

There was a figure standing beneath one of the trees.

A boy.

He was too far away for her to see his face.

He stood completely still.

Watching the residence hall.

Watching her window.

Elena's stomach tightened.

"Who are you?"

The figure didn't move.

Then the lights outside flickered.

Once.

Twice.

And suddenly—

he was gone.

Elena stepped back.

Her heart was beating faster.

She stared at the empty space beneath the tree.

Maybe she'd imagined him.

Maybe it was just a shadow.

Maybe—

A loud knock came from her door.

Elena jumped.

"Who is it?"

Silence.

Another knock.

She approached the door carefully.

"Hello?"

A voice answered from the other side.

"Wrong room."

Elena frowned.

"What?"

The door opened slightly.

A girl with long dark hair stood outside.

She looked around Elena's age.

She smiled.

"Sorry. I thought this was 318."

Elena relaxed.

"It's okay."

The girl looked past her.

"You're new."

"Yeah."

"Elena?"

Elena's eyebrows lifted.

"How do you know my name?"

The girl's smile disappeared for a moment.

Then she shrugged.

"Everyone knows when someone new arrives at Blackthorn."

"Right."

The girl extended her hand.

"I'm Sophia."

Elena shook it.

"Nice to meet you."

Sophia looked toward the window.

Her expression changed.

"Did you see anything outside?"

Elena hesitated.

"Why?"

Sophia lowered her voice.

"Because if you did, you shouldn't tell anyone."

Elena stared at her.

"What exactly am I not supposed to tell anyone?"

Sophia glanced down the hallway.

"Nothing."

She stepped backward.

"Goodnight, Elena."

"Wait."

But Sophia was already walking away.

Elena watched her disappear around the corner.

She slowly closed the door.

"What is wrong with everyone here?"The next morning, Elena decided she needed answers.

Not supernatural answers.

Normal ones.

She went to orientation.

Blackthorn University was completely different during the day.

Students filled the campus.

People laughed.

Music played from somewhere near the cafeteria.

Groups of friends sat beneath trees, talking between classes.

For the first time, Elena wondered if she'd simply been overthinking everything.

Maybe the darkness of the campus at night had gotten into her head.

She walked toward the lecture hall while checking her schedule.

She wasn't paying attention.

And walked directly into someone.

Her books fell.

"Oh my God. I'm sorry."

She crouched down.

"Don't."

The voice was cold.

Elena looked up.

A boy stood in front of her.

He was tall, dressed in a black jacket, with dark hair that fell slightly over his forehead.

His expression was unreadable.

He looked at her for several seconds.

Not casually.

Almost as if he were trying to recognize her.

Then he looked at the book in her hand.

Elena Vale.

His jaw tightened.

Elena noticed.

"Are you okay?"

He didn't answer.

Instead, he crouched down and picked up her notebook.

Their hands almost touched.

The boy immediately pulled his hand away.

"You're new."

Elena raised an eyebrow.

"Apparently that's the most popular thing to say around here."

He didn't smile.

"What's your name?"

"You're holding my notebook."

He looked at it.

Then back at her.

"Elena."

She blinked.

"How did you—"

He dropped the notebook into her hands.

"Don't wander around alone."

And walked away.

Elena stared after him.

"Excuse me?"

He didn't turn around.

She looked at the notebook in her hands.

Then at his retreating figure.

"Who does that?"

"Someone who doesn't want you dead."

Elena spun around.

Sophia was standing behind her.

Elena sighed.

"You again."

Sophia smiled.

"Apparently."

Elena pointed toward the boy.

"Who was that?"

Sophia's smile disappeared.

"Lucian."

"Lucian what?"

"Just Lucian."

"Is that his full name?"

Sophia gave her a strange look.

"You really are new."

"What does that mean?"

Sophia leaned closer.

"Lucian doesn't talk to people."

Elena looked at the hallway.

"He just talked to me."

"Exactly."By lunchtime, Elena had heard Lucian's name at least six times.

Apparently, he was a mystery.

Nobody knew where he lived.

Nobody knew much about his family.

He rarely attended parties.

He didn't belong to any student group.

He didn't seem interested in making friends.

And according to Sophia, there was one very strange thing about him.

"He doesn't eat in the cafeteria."

Elena looked up from her food.

"That's it?"

Sophia nodded seriously.

"That's weird."

Elena laughed.

"Maybe he's just not hungry."

Sophia shook her head.

"No. I've been here two years. I've never seen him eat."

Elena stared at her.

"How is that even possible?"

"Exactly."

Before Elena could answer, a loud crash came from across the cafeteria.

Everyone turned.

A student had dropped a tray.

But that wasn't what caught Elena's attention.

It was the group standing near the cafeteria doors.

Four students.

Three boys.

One girl.

They were staring directly at her.

No.

Not her.

At Lucian.

He stood on the other side of the cafeteria.

Their eyes met.

For the first time, Elena saw something change in his expression.

Fear.

It disappeared almost immediately.

But she'd seen it.

Then one of the boys whispered something to the girl.

The girl looked directly at Elena.

And smiled.

It wasn't a friendly smile.

It was the kind of smile that made Elena's skin crawl.

Sophia grabbed Elena's wrist.

"Don't look at them."

"Why?"

"Just don't."

"Who are they?"

Sophia lowered her voice.

"Vampires."

Elena stared at her.

Then laughed.

Sophia didn't.

Elena's laughter slowly died.

"You were joking."

"No."

"Obviously you're joking."

"I'm not."

Elena stared at her.

"Vampires don't exist."

Sophia looked toward Lucian.

"Neither do werewolves."

Elena followed her gaze.

Lucian was gone.

Her stomach dropped.

"Where did he go?"

Sophia whispered,

"That's exactly what I'm afraid of."That night, Elena couldn't sleep.

She kept thinking about the strange students.

The forest.

The boy outside her window.

Lucian.

Vampires.

Werewolves.

It was ridiculous.

There was always a logical explanation.

She grabbed her phone.

12:03 a.m.

Elena remembered the receptionist's warning.

Stay inside after midnight.

She laughed quietly.

"Like I'm actually going to listen to that."

Then she heard something outside.

A low growl.

Elena froze.

It came again.

Closer.

She slowly approached the window.

She pulled the curtain back.

The campus was empty.

Except for one person.

Lucian.

He stood beneath the same tree she'd seen the night before.

Except this time, he wasn't looking at her.

He was looking toward the forest.

Then something moved between the trees.

Lucian's head snapped toward it.

His posture changed.

Elena couldn't explain it.

One second he looked like an ordinary college student.

The next...

he looked dangerous.

His eyes caught the moonlight.

For one brief moment, Elena could have sworn they weren't brown.

They were golden.

Lucian turned.

And looked directly at her window.

Elena's breath caught.

He raised one finger to his lips.

Don't.

Then he disappeared into the darkness.

Elena stood frozen.

And somewhere deep inside the forest—

something howled.

Not like a dog.

Not like anything she'd ever heard before.

It was deep.

Ancient.

And terrifying.

Elena stepped away from the window.

Her phone suddenly buzzed.

Unknown number.

She opened the message.

There were only six words.

You should never have come here.

Elena stared at the screen.

A second message appeared.

They know who you are.

Then another.

Run before the blood moon.

Elena's hands went cold.

She looked toward the calendar hanging beside her desk.

Three days from now.

A red circle had been drawn around the date.

THE BLOOD MOON.

And Elena had no idea who had drawn it.

Or why.

But somewhere beneath Blackthorn University, hidden behind centuries of stone and secrets, an ancient agreement was beginning to break.

The Crimson Treaty had survived for nearly two hundred years.

It had kept vampires and werewolves from destroying each other.

But Elena Vale had just arrived at Blackthorn.

And for reasons she didn't yet understand—

the treaty had begun to bleed.