Sabrah — the land of the oldest and strongest witches — had gone eerily silent.
The wind refused to blow.
Even the trees bowed low, mourning the death of a legend.
Aster stood before the casket, her fingers trembling as she held a single tulip.
Her mother was gone.
Lady Vienna, second only to the Witch Queen Vantessa, had been the only person who ever loved her. Her only protector in a world that never accepted her.
Because Aster was human.
Adopted by a high-ranking witch, she had never been welcomed by the Carello family. Only feared... or pitied.
But never accepted.
And now, the one thread that tied her to this world was gone.
---
Three days ago, something inside Aster had changed.
On the night of her eighteenth birthday, she lost consciousness—and woke up as someone else.
Her eyes were wild. Her voice spoke in an unknown tongue. She lashed out, even at those who loved her.
Lady Vienna, ever the mother, never gave up.
She planned a ritual. One final chance to bring her daughter back.
But instead of salvation, death came for her.
During the final chant, Lady Vienna collapsed, lifeless. A black tattoo bloomed behind Aster's ear—marking her for reasons she didn't understand.
When she awoke, the verdict was instant.
"You killed her."
The Carellos cast her out, exactly as the covenant laws demanded.
---
She left the Carello mansion that day with nothing but a tulip, a trust fund, and a name.
Merca.
Her mother's last words echoed in her mind:
> "If anything happens to me, go to Santossa City. Find Merca. She will guide you."
---
City of Lycans
Santossa City never sleeps.
Skyscrapers touched the clouds. Music pulsed through the streets day and night. It was called the happiest city in the world—for humans.
But it had one iron rule:
No vampires allowed.
The city was ruled by Lycans—specifically, the powerful Landon family. And Lycans had sworn blood-feud with vampires centuries ago.
In Santossa, even whispering about vampires was forbidden.
---
As Aster arrived, blending with the crowd, she clutched her mother's letter and a single name.
Merca.
She found the restaurant just before 2 PM. A waiter led her into a private VIP room.
Then the door closed.
The woman waiting inside was... breathtaking.
Beautiful, elegant, and glowing with something beyond human charm.
But Aster caught it instantly—
That scent.
A Lycan.
She stiffened. "I-I'm sorry, wrong room."
---
Merca laughed, her eyes twinkling. "You really are Vienna's girl. You sensed me that quickly?"
Aster froze.
Merca stood and approached her. Not with danger—but warmth.
> "Your mother was my best friend, dear. She entrusted you to me."
Aster's defenses wavered. Slowly, she stepped inside.
---
"How could a witch and a Lycan be friends?" she asked.
Merca smiled. "Because true loyalty knows no species."
She gestured to the table. "Eat first, and I'll tell you everything."
---
The Hidden Heiress
After a quiet meal filled with gentle stories about Lady Vienna's past, Merca led Aster to a nearby building.
Aster expected a dorm.
Instead, she got a penthouse.
An entire floor—fully furnished, secure, luxurious.
Her mother had prepared everything.
Aster stood frozen, tears stinging her eyes.
This wasn't just protection.
This was love.
"She bought this for you," Merca said softly. "She knew the day would come."
Aster's heart ached. Her mother had always known she wouldn't survive the ritual.
---
Before leaving, Merca handed her a card. "If anything happens, call me. You're not alone."
---
The next day, Aster enrolled at Santossa University, blending in among humans.
But she wasn't like the others.
She carried a secret.
A curse.
A tattoo behind her ear that pulsed whenever the moon was full.
She promised her mother's grave one thing:
> "I'll become a doctor. Just like you. I'll help others... no matter what I am."
---
In this world, power ruled. Elites—not the rich, but the supernatural—held dominion.
The Vellaria vampires slept, waiting for their curse to break.
The Landons, Lycans, reigned in Santossa with iron laws.
The Carellos, witches, watched from the shadows—Lady Vienna now gone.
Aster was none of them.
Or so she thought.
But something ancient stirred beneath her skin.
And when the full moon rose again, her past would return.