Snow fell softly across the quiet town, the silver flakes blanketing rooftops, whispering against the windows. Joey and Bob walked side by side, their boots crunching over the frozen ground, their eyes trained on a figure in the distance. It was Nyx — or so the world believed. Yet Joey couldn't shake the gnawing suspicion that this was not the boy they had grown up with. Jamie — wearing Nyx's skin — moved with a grace that was alien, his posture too perfect, his gaze too sharp. Most unsettling of all was the way he lingered in snowfall. The real Nyx had always despised it, muttering curses about the cold, retreating indoors at the first chance. But this Nyx tilted his head upward, allowing flakes to melt on his pale cheeks, his lips curving in a faint smile. "He's… enjoying it," Bob whispered, his brows furrowed. Joey's eyes narrowed. "That's not Nyx. I know it." The two decided then and there to keep an eye on him, to watch his every movement until the truth revealed itself.
Their vigilance soon paid off. One evening, they followed him discreetly, their breaths fogging the cold air, as Nyx entered the old park where Ralph sat alone, rocking on a bench. The boy's condition had worsened since his father's death — paranoia and tremors haunting him day and night. Joey and Bob crouched low, hiding behind the trees. What they saw chilled them deeper than the snow. Nyx approached Ralph, his expression unreadable. He reached out, fingers brushing Ralph's forehead. In that instant, Ralph stilled. His shaking stopped. His breathing slowed, his eyes softened into calmness. It was unnatural, almost divine, yet sinister. Joey gripped Bob's arm. "He's controlling him." Bob nodded, swallowing hard. They pulled out Joey's phone, recording every moment, their suspicions growing darker. "He's behind this," Joey whispered. "Maybe even behind Ralph's condition all along." That night, the brothers felt as though they carried a truth too heavy for them alone.
The very next day, they went to Stacy. She welcomed them into her warm, book-filled home, her dark eyes soft but heavy with grief. Joey wasted no time. "Have you noticed something strange about Nyx?" Stacy frowned, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "Strange? No. He's… different, yes. But for the better. He's kinder, more attentive." Joey leaned forward, his voice sharp. "That's not Nyx. He's a doppleganger. Look at this." He shoved the phone at her, the recording of Nyx's hand on Ralph playing out. Bob added firmly, "And Ralph's condition? It started right after. You can't deny it." Stacy's face hardened, her hands trembling as she set the phone aside. "Stop. Ralph's suffering is because of his father's death. Nyx wasn't even there. How dare you?" Her voice cracked, anger and loyalty burning through her sorrow. "You've lost your father too, Joey, and instead of grieving, you blame Nyx?" Her words cut deep. Joey's jaw tightened, but the fury in Stacy's eyes left no room for argument. They left, shoulders heavy with disappointment, though the seed of suspicion grew stronger still in their hearts.
That same night, Jamie sat at the family dinner table in Nyx's skin, pretending to eat while the gnawing hunger in his chest grew unbearable. His father wrinkled his nose. "Nyx, why do you smell so foul? Have you not bathed? Go, before you drive us all away." Jamie's face paled, his fork clattering against the plate. Bath. Water. His throat tightened with panic. He mumbled an excuse and rushed to his room, slamming the door shut. There, in the silence, he whispered to himself, voice trembling. If water touches me… I'll die. Vampires cannot endure it. The hunger clawed at his insides, burning, twisting, driving him toward madness. At last, he could not resist. Cloaked in the night, he slipped into the jungle, his movements swift, predatory. His eyes locked onto a lion prowling near the cliffs. With a leap, he struck, his fangs tearing into flesh, warm blood flooding his mouth. The beast's roars faded into silence. Jamie devoured it until nothing but bones remained.
But he had not been alone. Jury, wide-eyed and trembling, had watched from the shadows. He ran, faster than his legs could carry him, straight to Joey and Bob's house. "He's changed!" Jury cried, gasping for air. "Nyx… he hunted a lion. Ate it raw. I saw it with my own eyes!" Joey placed a steadying hand on his shoulder, Bob's expression grim. "Calm down. Show us." Together, the three returned to the jungle. There, under the ghostly moonlight, lay the remains: the skeleton of a lion, stripped bare, blood still soaking the earth. Joey's lips pressed into a thin line. "He did this. Jamie… or whoever he is. He's no human." Jury's voice cracked. "Then what is he?" Joey didn't answer. They all knew the truth but dared not speak it. Meanwhile, Jamie, faster than any human eye could follow, had already returned home, his robe stained with blood, his hunger barely sated.
The following day, Jamie's façade began to slip. The stench of blood clung to him like rot. In the crowded halls of the school, students turned their noses, whispering in disgust. Friends avoided him, teachers cast wary glances. Rage bubbled in his chest. Rejection. Distance. He clenched his fists, his voice a hiss. If they turn away, I'll make them bow. His eyes glowed faintly, and with a flicker of will, the entire school froze. Hundreds of students, teachers, even the principal stiffened, their eyes turning blank. Slowly, they all bowed before him. Jamie walked the halls with a grin, his hunger for power drowning his fear. He sat upon the principal's chair, watching as the sea of bowed heads prayed to him, adored him, worshipped him. The euphoria was intoxicating. When he released them, they stumbled back to normalcy, exhausted, their minds blank, unable to recall the day. Again and again he did this, reveling in the domination, altering commands, twisting reality at will. The taste of control was sweeter than blood.
At night, as the world slept, Jamie's ambitions grew. I could make them all mine. I could raise an army. I could rule both worlds. His mind conjured images of endless humans kneeling, transformed into vampires under his command, storming the Mirror World, crowning him as Lord. Yet even as the fantasy bloomed, another thought gnawed at him. He remembered the warmth of Stacy's smile, the purity in her eyes, the affection she gave him without condition. If he enslaved the world, he would lose it all — her love, her innocence, the peace he had long sought. And so, he forged a new plan. A middle path. He would not taint the entire human world. Instead, he would select the worst of men — criminals, killers, corrupt souls — turn them into vampires, and build his army from their ranks. With Stacy at his side, crowned his queen, he would lead them into the Mirror World and seize the throne. The idea thrilled him, a balance between power and love.
Meanwhile, Stacy found her heart trembling in ways she could no longer ignore. She caught herself smiling at Nyx's smallest gestures, her cheeks warming when his gaze lingered. One night, she dreamed — a vivid vision where Jamie, cloaked as Nyx, called her to a mountaintop under a blazing aurora. There, he revealed glowing wings, telling her he was an angel, his voice rich with promise. They shared a night of magical romance, the stars bearing witness. When she awoke, her chest ached with longing. The dream left her resolve clear: she would confess her feelings. But just as her courage grew, Joey and Bob stormed into her life again, armed with new evidence. CCTV footage from the yoga center — Nyx, sinking his teeth into Jury, draining him. Stacy's heart dropped as the image replayed, her denial warring with reality. They dragged her to the hospital next, where a nurse confirmed she had seen Nyx that day. Finally, Stacy asked about her father's death. The nurse shook her head, her tone steady. "Illness. That's all." But Stacy's instincts screamed otherwise. When Joey proposed breaking into the hospital that night to check autopsy reports, Stacy's silence was her answer. The web was tightening, truth looming like a guillotine.