BLOOD IN HER VEINS

The town of Velbridge always smelled like rain, even when the sky was clear. The streets were old, slick with stories no one ever finished telling, and the fog rolled in like it knew something the rest of them didn’t. Naira pressed her palm to the cool iron gate of St. Elwin’s University. Her breath fogged slightly, even though it wasn’t that cold. Everything about this place—this town, this campus—felt too still. Like the world was holding its breath.

“Home sweet home,” she muttered under her breath, forcing a small smile as she stepped onto the grounds. This was her second year at St. Elwin’s, yet the butterflies in her chest refused to settle.

Room 3A of the literature wing was already half full when Naira stepped in. The air smelled like old paper and lavender-scented hand sanitizer. Sunlight filtered through stained-glass windows, scattering faint reds and purples across the stone floor. She picked a seat near the back—her usual routine. Quiet, observant, invisible. She liked it that way. At least, until someone slid into the seat beside her.

“Hi! Are you Naira?” Naira blinked. The girl had a soft, musical voice and a smile that seemed to come from somewhere genuine. Warm brown eyes, a high ponytail with tiny braids woven through, and a lemon-yellow notebook hugged to her chest like a charm. “Yeah. I am,” Naira said slowly. “How do you know my name?”

“You’re in Professor Rao’s class. He posted the roster in the common room. I’m Maira.” Naira raised an eyebrow. “Maira?”

“Yup. Maira with an i.” She grinned. “We’re sitting next to each other in two more classes too. Destiny, maybe?”

“Or bad scheduling,” Naira said with a faint smile. Maira laughed. “I like you already.” Naira wasn’t sure what to make of her. People didn’t usually warm up to her this fast. And Maira seemed so… open. Like she didn’t need to hide behind a wall of sarcasm or silence. She wasn’t sure she was going to love anything about this year. Professor Rao’s voice was low and deliberate as he paced in front of the class.

“This semester, we’ll be covering mythology, forgotten folklore, and ancient belief systems that blurred the lines between gods, monsters, and men. Some say these were just stories,” he paused, “but we’ll treat them as what they truly are—windows into what people feared… and perhaps still do.” A chill pricked Naira’s spine. She stared down at her notebook but hadn’t written a single word. Her hand trembled slightly, as if her body could sense something her mind refused to understand. Outside the tall windows, the sunlight had dimmed—clouds rolling in faster than they should’ve. She looked up, catching her reflection in the glass… and in the glass… and something else behind it. For just a second, she thought she saw someone standing beneath the trees outside. Tall. Still. Watching. She blinked. Gone. Naira’s breath caught. It wasn’t the first time she’d felt it—that sensation of being watched when no one was there. But today, it felt heavier. Closer. “You okay?” Maira whispered beside her, gently nudging her elbow. “Yeah,” Naira said quickly. “Just… zoned out.”

Professor Rao moved toward the chalkboard, drawing a strange symbol with a piece of white chalk. A jagged arc with three curved points surrounding it. Naira stared.

The same symbol from her dream.

Red, glowing beneath her skin. The woman’s voice calling her name.

That laugh.

That fear.

Her heart pounded against her ribs, harder now. Louder. So loud she almost didn’t hear the bell ring. The class began to shuffle out, but she remained seated for a few seconds, her eyes still locked on the chalkboard. When she finally stood and turned, she swore she saw a figure just beyond the library doors—a flash of a long black coat, and a pair of eyes that glowed faintly like embers. Before she could respond, the door creaked open and Professor Advait Rao strode in, all long coat and unreadable expression. He dropped a stack of books on the desk with a dull thud and turned slowly toward the class.

“Welcome back,” he said. “I hope none of you came here expecting comfort.” A few chuckles echoed around the room. Naira didn’t laugh. Her eyes flicked to the tall shelves lining the room—each book ancient, worn, and probably full of stories no one was ever meant to read. Beside her, Maira leaned in and whispered, “I think I’m going to love this class.” Naira didn’t reply.

“Professor?” she asked, unsure why she even spoke.

He turned slowly. “Miss Naira.”His tone was even, but there was something about the way he said her name that made her freeze.

“That symbol,” she said, trying to sound casual. “Is it from… mythology?”

“In a manner of speaking,” he replied. “Some say it predates mythology. Shows up in cave markings, coded texts, even bloodline carvings.” He paused. “It’s a very old symbol. It often shows up when someone is… awakening.”

“Awakening?”

His eyes lingered on hers a moment longer than necessary. “Sleep well, Miss Naira.”That was it. He turned back to the board, and the room suddenly felt ten degrees colder.

Naira stepped outside, the air damp and heavy now. Fog curled low against the grass. The old brick paths wound through the campus like veins beneath skin.She walked quietly, trying to shake the feeling that something was unraveling.And then she felt it again.That gaze.

Somewhere between the courtyard and the edge of the woods, her footsteps slowed. Her eyes drifted toward the treeline.There.He stood half-hidden behind a tall oak. His figure was barely visible—tall, cloaked in black, perfectly still. But the moment her eyes met his, her breath caught in her throat.His eyes.Not human. Not warm.Glowing. Like smoldering coals under the ash.

And just like that, he turned and vanished into the mist. Naira didn’t know his name. Didn’t know what he was. But somehow, in the cold silence that followed, she knew:

He’d come for her.

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Author’s Note:

Thank you so much for reading the first chapter of *Blood in Her Veins!*

This is only the beginning of Naira’s story—and trust me, the secrets run deeper than even she knows.

If you felt that eerie tension creeping in… you're exactly where I want you.

Next chapter brings even more mystery, a closer look at the one watching her from the shadows, and a flicker of power she never expected to feel.

If you enjoyed Chapter 1, please leave a comment or heart—I’d love to know your thoughts!

Every bit of support helps me bring this story to life, one twist at a time.

See you in Chapter 2: *Eyes in the Dark*

– Pooja Pallai