"You're a demon."

He bows regally. "At your service."

"And this contract I would have to sign. It would be for eternity?"

"Yes."

"And I would have to choose one of you to marry?"

"Yes."

I look down at the scroll still in my hand. "And give that prince an heir."

"Correct."

"What happens after I die? In, say, seventy years?"

He chuckles. "Do you not understand? You will never die. By agreeing to this, you agree to take the Blood Oath. You will become one of us."

"One of you? You mean a demon. I would have to become a demon."

"In a manner of speaking, yes."

My stomach quivers with raw nerves at his answers. "And my child? This heir I'm promising... what if I can't get pregnant? Does that negate the contract?"

He steps forward and raises his hand to my cheek, brushing aside a strand of hair. "There will be ample opportunity to work on that. Worry not."

My hands are shaking. My throat is dry. The world no longer makes any sense. This is no longer funny. I place my hands on his chest... and push. "Get. Out."

It's like pushing a boulder. He only moves because he chooses to. I'm under no illusions about that.

"It's an interesting kind of irony that you of all people do not believe in demons." He looks darkly amused, his lips curling into a mocking smile.

When he moves again, it is with such speed I don't even register his movement until he is pressed up against me, my back now slammed against the wall. "But if you want to save your mother, I suggest you surrender your disbelief and embrace the truth. There are monsters in the world, Arianna. They are real." His eyes glow again, this time bright silver, and he smiles. "I am real."

I swallow, but my throat is too dry. I can't breathe.

His eyes bore into me, then drop to the throbbing vein on my neck. His eye teeth elongate until he has... fangs. His hand wraps around my neck and he lowers his mouth to my throat, his teeth brushing against my skin.

I'm shaking so hard, my breathing coming in rapid gulps. I close my eyes, waiting for... something. Death. Him to eat me. This no longer feels like a prank, but my mind can't wrap itself around the reality.

"Your mother will suffer for all eternity if you do not accept this deal," he whispers against my neck. "And I suggest you do not take too long to decide. I smell death on her. Even with those machines, she will not survive the week."

A sob builds in my throat, and I open my eyes, ready to scream, to gouge his eyes out, to do something to protect myself. But the pressure on my throat disappears and when my vision clears, I am alone in the hospital room with my mother. The stranger is gone.

But the scroll is sitting on the table by the hospital bed. Next to it is a manila folder with a note in his scrawl. When you are ready to see reason, read this file. It will answer questions of your past. It will show you this is no trick.

I sink to the floor, shaking, fighting tears, trying to clear my mind so I can think straight. This can't be real. These kinds of things don't exist.

Demons.

Vampires.

They don't exist.

I wipe my eyes and stand, then take a deep breath. Time to get some answers. I run out of the room and down the hall, to the admittance desk. "There was a man in my mother's room. Tall, tailored suit, dark hair, light eyes. Why was he allowed back here?"

The nurse looks at me in confusion. "No one has been back there but you and the hospital staff."

"Are you sure?" I ask, looking around frantically. "I just saw him."

"This is the only way in and out, and I've been here without a break for hours. I'm sure." She looks more closely at me. "Are you okay? Do you need a doctor? You look pale."

I snort. "I'm always pale. Thanks, anyway." I walk back to my mother's room and sit next to her bed, ignoring the files the man left. I caress her hand, my thumb running over the mark on her wrist. "What's going on, Mom? What did you do?"

***

The hospital room feels like it's closing in on me. I can smell his cologne lingering, as if he's still here, lurking, spying, waiting to pounce. I've shut my mind down for now. There's no space in my attention to consider the existence of vampires and demons. To entertain the possibility that my mother is under a curse that will entrap her soul for all eternity and kill her body.

When Tom comes in to check on her, he studies me thoughtfully. "You should get some rest, honey. We'll take good care of her."

I've been up for two days. He's right, I should sleep, but I don't know how. "What if something happens?"

"She looks stable, but we'll call if anything changes. I'm on duty all night, so I'll keep an eye out. Rest. You're no good to her if you get sick."

I nod and grab my bag. My eyes fall to the scroll and folder. I haven't looked at them yet, and I'm not ready to, but I don't want anyone else gaining access to whatever they contain, so I shove them in my bag, lean over and kiss my mom on the forehead, and then quickly leave the room.

I can't wait to escape the hospital, and when a winter storm greets me, I smile. I might freeze to death on the way home, but I love snow. I love the way the world looks when it's covered in white powder. Magical.

The sun has already set and the street lamps cast long shadows over the snowy sidewalks. My breath is white as I exhale, and I round my shoulders and hug myself to preserve what little warmth I have.