Chapter One: The Weight of Grief
Three months had passed since Damien’s death, but for Olivia, time had stopped the moment that wooden stake pierced his heart.
She hadn’t left her room in weeks. The curtains were always drawn, blocking out the sunlight that didn’t hurt her anymore but reminded her too much of the life she used to have. Empty blood bags littered the floor - the only thing she consumed, and even that was barely enough to keep her going.
Esther knocked softly on the door. “Olivia? Sweetheart, can I come in?”
No answer.
“I brought you some fresh blood,” Esther said, her voice gentle but worried. “And I thought maybe we could talk? Or just sit together?”
Still nothing.
Esther opened the door anyway and found Olivia lying in bed, staring at the ceiling with hollow, red-rimmed eyes. She looked like a ghost - pale, empty, barely there.
“Baby, you need to get up,” Esther said, sitting on the edge of the bed. “You haven’t been to school in three months. Your friends are worried. Maria calls every day asking about you.”
“I don’t care,” Olivia said flatly. Her voice was hoarse from disuse and crying.
“I know you’re hurting,” Esther said, tears forming in her own eyes. “I know you miss him. But Damien wouldn’t want you to waste away like this. He died so you could live.”
“He died because I killed him,” Olivia said, her voice breaking. “I killed the man I loved, Mom. How am I supposed to live with that?”
“It wasn’t your fault,” Esther insisted, taking her daughter’s hand. “He tricked you. He and I both did, and I’m so sorry. But he did it to save you, to save everyone. Don’t let his sacrifice be for nothing.”
But Olivia turned away, facing the wall. “Please leave me alone.”
Esther sat there for a moment longer, her heart breaking for her daughter. Finally, she stood up and quietly left the room, leaving the blood bag on the nightstand.
That night, when the house was quiet and her mother was asleep, Olivia climbed out her window. She moved silently through the darkness, her vampire speed carrying her far from town until she reached the cliffs overlooking the ocean.
The wind whipped her hair around her face as she stood at the edge, looking down at the jagged rocks below. The waves crashed against them, violent and unforgiving.
“It would be so easy,” she whispered to herself. “Just one step.”
She closed her eyes and let herself fall forward.
The fall was quick. The impact was brutal. Her body crashed against the rocks, bones breaking, pain exploding through every nerve.
But then, within seconds, she felt her vampire healing kick in. Bones snapped back into place. Cuts sealed themselves. The pain faded.
She opened her eyes to find herself lying on the rocks, completely unharmed.
“No,” she sobbed. “No, no, no!”
She climbed back up the cliff and threw herself off again. And again. And again. Each time, her body healed before she could die.
Finally, exhausted and frustrated, she sat on the edge of the cliff and cried. Even death didn’t want her.
The next day, Olivia stood in Damien’s old mansion. She had broken in - or rather, walked in, since technically Damien had invited her before and the invitation still stood.
The mansion was exactly as he’d left it. His books on the shelves, his clothes in the closet, his scent still lingering in the air. It was too much and not enough all at once.
In the basement, she found what she was looking for - a wooden stake, left over from when Damien had imprisoned Jason and Valencia.
Olivia held it in her hands, feeling the weight of it. This could work. A stake through the heart was one of the few things that could kill a vampire permanently.
She sat on Damien’s couch, the same one where they had kissed and talked and planned their future together. She placed the sharp end of the stake against her chest, right over her heart.
“I’m sorry, Mom,” she whispered. “But I can’t do this anymore. The pain is too much.”
She raised her hand, preparing to drive the stake home with all her supernatural strength.
“Olivia, don’t!”
Jason appeared out of nowhere, moving with vampire speed. He grabbed the stake from her hand and threw it across the room.
“What are you doing here?” Olivia demanded, standing up.
“Valencia told me she saw you break into Damien’s mansion,” Jason said, his face pale with fear. “I came to check on you. Good thing I did.”
“Give it back,” Olivia said, her voice dangerous. “Give me the stake, Jason.”
“No,” Jason said firmly. “I’m not letting you kill yourself.”
“You don’t get to decide that!” Olivia shouted. “It’s my life! My choice!”
“And I’m making the choice to stop you,” Jason said. “Damien died to save you. Do you really think I’m going to let you waste that sacrifice?”
“You don’t understand,” Olivia said, tears streaming down her face. “The pain - it’s unbearable. Every day I wake up and remember that he’s gone. That I killed him. I can’t live with it anymore.”
“Then don’t live with it alone,” Jason said, his voice softening. “Let someone help you. Let me help you.”
“Why do you even care?” Olivia asked bitterly. “I broke your heart. I chose Damien over you. Why would you want to help me?”
Jason was quiet for a moment. “Because despite everything, I still care about you. Not the way I used to, but I don’t want to see you hurt yourself. And because I know what it’s like to feel that kind of pain.”
“I’m stronger than you,” Olivia said, her hands glowing with magic. “I’m a vampire and a witch. You can’t stop me if I really want to do this.”
“You’re right,” Jason said, not moving. “You could probably overpower me. But I’m not going to stop trying to save you. Even if you hurt me. Even if you hate me. I’m not giving up.”
They stared at each other for a long moment. Then Olivia’s legs gave out and she collapsed, sobbing. Jason caught her and held her as she cried against his chest.
“I miss him so much,” she sobbed. “It hurts so much, Jason. Make it stop. Please make it stop.”
“I can’t make it stop,” Jason said gently, stroking her hair. “But I can be here while you feel it. You don’t have to go through this alone.”
They sat there on Damien’s couch for a long time, Olivia crying while Jason held her. Finally, when her tears slowed, Jason spoke.
“There’s a party tomorrow night,” he said. “A werewolf pack is throwing it - sort of a supernatural gathering. Valencia convinced me to go. Come with me.”
“I don’t want to go to a party,” Olivia said, pulling away. “I don’t want to do anything.”
“I know,” Jason said. “But staying locked in your room isn’t helping either. Just come with me for an hour. If you hate it, I’ll bring you home. But you need to get out, Olivia. You need to be around people again.”
“I can’t,” Olivia shook her head. “I can’t pretend to be normal.”
“Then don’t pretend,” Jason said. “Just... exist. Just be there. That’s all I’m asking.”
Olivia looked at him, seeing the genuine concern in his eyes. “Why are you doing this?”
“Because someone needs to,” Jason said simply. “I’ll pick you up at seven PM tomorrow. Please don’t kill yourself before then.”
Before Olivia could respond, Jason was gone, disappearing with vampire speed.
The next evening, Olivia stood in front of her closet, staring at her clothes. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d gotten dressed in something other than pajamas.
Her mother appeared in the doorway, a hopeful smile on her face. “Jason told me he’s taking you to a party. That’s good, sweetheart. That’s really good.”
“I don’t know why I agreed to this,” Olivia muttered, pulling out a simple black dress.
“Because somewhere inside you, you still want to live,” Esther said gently. “Even if it doesn’t feel like it right now.”
At exactly seven PM, Jason’s car pulled up outside. Olivia took a deep breath and walked out to meet him.
Jason looked surprised when he saw her. “You actually got dressed. I wasn’t sure you would.”
“I can still change my mind,” Olivia said, though there was no real heat in her voice.
“Please don’t,” Jason said, opening the car door for her. “Just give it a chance.”
They drove in silence for a while, the radio playing softly. Olivia stared out the window, watching the familiar streets pass by.
Then, suddenly, she saw him.
Damien was standing on the side of the road, looking directly at her. He was wearing the same blue shirt he’d worn on their first date. He was smiling.
“Stop the car!” Olivia shouted.
Jason slammed on the brakes, and the car screeched to a halt. “What? What’s wrong?”
“It’s him,” Olivia said, already opening the door. “It’s Damien. He’s right there!”
She jumped out of the car and ran to where she’d seen him. But when she got there, the sidewalk was empty. No one was there.
“Damien?” she called out, spinning around. “Damien, where are you?”
Jason came up behind her, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. “Olivia, there’s no one here.”
“No, I saw him,” Olivia insisted, tears forming in her eyes. “He was standing right here. He was wearing his blue shirt. He smiled at me.”
“Olivia,” Jason said softly. “It was your grief. Your mind is playing tricks on you because you miss him so much.”
“But it looked so real,” Olivia whispered, sinking to her knees on the sidewalk. “It felt real.”
Jason knelt beside her, pulling her into his arms as she cried. “I know. I know it did. But he’s gone, Olivia. He’s not coming back.”
They sat there on the sidewalk for several minutes while Olivia composed herself. Finally, she wiped her eyes and stood up.
“I’m sorry,” she said. “I’m a mess.”
“You’re grieving,” Jason corrected. “There’s a difference.”
They got back in the car and continued driving. As they got closer to the party, Olivia could hear the music thumping from a large house on the outskirts of town.
“Are you ready?” Jason asked as he parked.
Olivia looked at the house, then at Jason, then back at the house. “No. But I don’t think I’ll ever be ready for anything anymore.”
“That’s okay,” Jason said. “We’ll figure it out together.”
As they walked toward the house, Olivia took one last look behind her, half-expecting to see Damien’s ghost watching her go.
But the street was empty.
She turned back toward the party, toward the living, and tried to remember what it felt like to be one of them.
