My Baby Daddy Isn’t Human

The restroom was silent except for the buzz of the overhead lights. Raelynn leaned on the sink, her fingers gripping the cold porcelain. Her reflection stared back at her, her flushed cheeks standing out against her pale skin. Her chest rose and fell as she tried to steady her breathing.

"Come on, you've got this," she whispered to her reflection, barely loud enough to hear herself. "It was just a dance. Nothing more."

Her eyes betrayed her, haunted by the memory of Elion's hand on her waist, his eyes pulling her in like a magnet. She shook her head slowly, a shaky breath escaping her lips.

"This is ridiculous," she muttered, brushing a stray strand of hair away from her face.

She was distracted by the sharp sound of heels, watching as the group of women left the room, their laughter fading into nothing.

One last deep breath, and she straightened, gave her dress a quick pat. "All right, back to the party," she said to herself, trying to inject some confidence into herself.

She pushed open the door and stepped into the dim hallway, where the party sounds were faint and distant. The cool air hit her, and every step she took seemed to echo loudly.

Raelynn had only taken a few steps when she froze, her breath catching in her throat. From the far end of the hallway, she spotted a man coming her way. He wasn't rushing, but every step he took felt calculated.

Her first instinct was to ignore him. She stepped to the side, intending to pass by without incident. But as she tried to move around him, he mirrored her movements, blocking her path.

"Excuse me," she called out trying to keep her tone polite as her pulse quickened.

The man didn't reply. He simply stood there, his dark eyes fixed on her with an intensity that sent a chill down her spine.

She quickly looked around, her stomach dropping when she saw there was no one else in sight. There was no one nearby—no one to hear her if she needed help.

"Excuse me," she tried again, louder this time, trying to mask her growing unease.

His head tilted to one side, and a strange, slow grin crept onto his face. "I like your scent... it's interesting" he said in a low, rough voice.

Raelynn blinked, taken aback. "What?" she snapped, the unease creeping into her voice. What kind of creepy thing is that to say?

Her mind screamed at her to leave, to put as much distance between herself and this stranger as possible. She tried to get around him again, but before she could, his grip closed around her wrist like a trap.

"Let me go," she demanded, her voice shaking slightly despite her best effort to sound strong.

The man's grin widened, revealing teeth that were just a little too sharp. "Not so fast," he said with a teasing smirk. "I was hoping to have a little taste of you tonight."

Raelynn's stomach turned. Panic surged as her heart raced. She tried to pull away, but his hand didn't budge.

"If you don't let go," she warned, forcing her voice not to tremble, "I'll scream."

His chuckle was cold and mocking. "Go ahead," he said, grinning. "Let's see if that does you any good."

Raelynn didn't think twice, she opened her mouth and screamed. "HELP!"

The hallway carried her desperate scream. With all her might, she smashed her bag into his head.

But the man didn't even flinch. He looked at her as though she'd done nothing at all.

Her scream faded as fear took hold of her. She dropped her bag and used her free hand to claw at his grip, but it was like trying to move stone.

Then, as suddenly as he had grabbed her, the man released her wrist.

Raelynn didn't hesitate. She bolted down the hallway, the sound of her heels filling the hall. Her lungs burned, and her heart raced so fast it felt like it might burst.

Raelynn cursed under her breath, her fear bubbling into frustration. "Stupid heels," she muttered, the sound of them clacking against the floor making her want to scream again. Her dress clung to her legs, restricting her movements. "And this damn dress!"

If she weren't wearing this ridiculous outfit, she could've run so much faster. Not like Usain Bolt or anything, but definitely faster than whatever this stumbling half-run was.

She stopped dead in her tracks, groaning in frustration. Without a second thought, she bent down, yanked off one heel, and tossed it aside. Then the other. The shoes clattered down the hallway, forgotten.

Now barefoot, she took off again, her feet slapping against the cold floor. The sting barely registered—she was too focused on getting away. I swear, she thought, her breath ragged, if I make it out of this, I'm burning this dress.

But still, she wasn't fast enough.

Before she could reach the corner, the man was in front of her again, moving with an unnatural speed. Her eyes widened in shock as he grabbed her shoulders and slammed her back against the wall.

She hit something solid, the breath leaving her lungs as she stared at him, too stunned to move.

His glowing red eyes pierced the darkness, their light making his face even more sinister.

Raelynn's voice trembled as she finally managed to speak. "W-What are you?"

The man leaned in closer, his grin returning. "Something you should have stayed far away from," he said, his breath cold against her skin.

Raelynn's mind raced, searching for a way out. She tried to move, but his hold was solid, his strength far surpassing anything she could fight against.

Desperation clawed at her chest. "Let me go!" she shouted, her voice hoarse with fear.

He laughed, flashing sharp fangs. "Don't worry, I'll let you go," he taunted. "After I've had my fill."

Raelynn's body trembled as his grip tightened, pinning her against the cold wall. Her thoughts blurred into a haze of panic and disbelief. This wasn't happening—it couldn't be happening.

But the glowing red eyes staring into hers told her otherwise.