The fluorescent lights flickered ominously above Star Sangrave's head, casting morbid shadows on the otherwise pristine walls of the high school classroom. The area reeked of stale sweat and overpowering cologne, a blend of human teenage angst and fear that clung to her like a suffocating cocoon. She slouched low in her chair, trying to make herself as inconspicuous as possible, but it was useless. Star was a freak, an outcast, and everyone knew it.

The whispers followed her like hyenas on the hunt, nipping at her heels and tearing at her tattered self-esteem. "Is that Star? The one with the... condition?" one girl with curly blonde hair and heterochromatic eyes whispered, eyebrows arched as though Star's very existence was a cosmic joke. "Yeah, stay away from her. You don't want to get bitten," her friend, a stocky football player, chuckled, flexing his muscles for effect. Star's fangs itched in response, a reminder of her inescapable otherness.

The lecture droned on in the background, but Star couldn't focus. Her body ached for a hit of Elixir, that sweet, synthetic blood substitute that dulled the edge of her cravings and the pain of loneliness. The pull of the blood bars in the city's seedy underbelly was almost irresistible. There, she could at least pretend to fit in, to be normal. But she knew the price tag was too steep. Elixir might numb her vampiric hunger, but it was a slippery slope to a life of addiction and an early demise.

Star tapped her pen against her desk, trying to still her shaking hand. It was times like these she missed her mother more than ever, even though the woman left her at an orphanage without so much as a note. Abandonment was a familiar ache, but the questions never subsided. Who was she really? What was she running from? The questions swirled around her like a cacophony of bats in her mind, finding their way into the crevices of her psyche and nesting there, breeding doubt and self-loathing.

"Hey, Star." A voice interrupted her thoughts, jolting her back to the present. It was Booker, the one semi-friend she had managed to hold onto. His kind hazel eyes met hers, a mixture of concern and understanding. "You okay? You look like you're miles away."

Star forced a wan smile. "I'm fine, Booker. Just... thinking."

He didn't press further, thankfully, returning to his notes. She owed him one for at least feigning interest in her life. Most days, she wondered why he even bothered. After all, associating with an orphaned half-vampire with a secretive past wasn't exactly conducive to popularity.

She glanced at the clock, its hands shifting like bony fingers, creeping towards the end of class. Another day closer to her 18th birthday, and no closer to finding her true identity. The Rembrandt print above the professor's head seemed to stare at her, its haunting subjects judging her inaction.

"Hey, Star," Booker whispered. "You coming to the cemetery tonight? Full moon and all that."

Star suppressed a shudder. Norm-doodle parties were so not her thing, but it was better than another lonely night in her adopted dormitory. Besides, maybe tonight she'd find some answers about her past.

"Yeah, I'll be there," she said, tucking a stray strand of raven hair behind her ear, feeling the dull throb of her fangs as a reminder of the monster she was trying so hard to conceal.

As the bell rang, signaling the end of class, Star hurriedly packed her things, eager to escape Lily's poisonous sneers. Under the pretense of adjusting her messenger bag, she checked her phone.

New message from DMS: Don't keep me waiting, Star. Your supply's running low. Meet me at the usual place. I've got what you need.

Her heart pounded in her chest like a trapped bird. Damn it, she thought, slipping her phone back into her bag. She didn't need this now.

"Looking forward to tonight?" Booker fell into step beside her, a goofy grin on his face.

"Yeah, can't wait," she replied, plastering on a half-hearted smile. At least the cemetery was remote enough to sneak away unnoticed.

"Cool, I'll see you there." He headed off in the opposite direction, his footsteps echoing in her ears.

Star took a deep breath, steeling herself for the ordeal ahead. With any luck, tonight might finally hold the answers she so desperately craved.

Star's heart pounded in her chest as she weighed the consequences of leaving school early. On one hand, the synthetic blood substitute, Elixir, called to her, promising a momentary reprieve from the gnawing hunger in her veins.

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On the other hand, the high price tag of skipping school loomed over her, in the form of her guardian's disappointment and the extra hours of detention she'd have to endure.

She glanced around the classroom, acutely aware of the curious gazes of her classmates as they all seemed to silently mock her.

"I can't take this anymore," she whispered under her breath.

Star's decision made, she quietly gathered her belongings and slid out of her seat, careful not to draw attention to herself. She tiptoed to the door, gently pulling it open and slipping into the hustle and bustle of the hallway during class change. Fading into the crowd, she ducked into the girls' restroom, her transformation complete. With a sigh of relief, she emerged from the bathroom stall, her dark hair now dyed a mousy brown and her striking violet eyes hidden behind thick-framed glasses. In her disguise, she blended seamlessly into the sea of faces at St. Ifrid's Preparatory Academy.

Navigating the labyrinthine halls, she exited through a side door, emerging into the damp, pulsating heart of Meridian City. The sun had long since sunk below the horizon, casting the gothic spires and neon lights in a preternatural glow. Star's senses were on high alert as she weaved through the throng of vampires and humans alike. She hated this part of town, but it was the only place she knew to score Elixir without drawing attention to herself.

The den was tucked away in the dingy underbelly of the city, a haven for the desperate and the damned. A flickering neon sign with the letters "nex" blinked ominously above the entrance, casting the denizens in a sickly red glow. Star swallowed her pride, pushing the creaky door open and stepping inside.

The stench of stale smoke and desperation hit her like a rotting wave, a suffocating blanket that clung to her pores. It was dark, save for the buzzing fluorescent lights that cast an eerie glow over the patrons. Vampires of all ages and walks of life mingled with mortals, their eyes glazed over with their own personal demons. Star knew better than to judge; she was here for the same reason.

Her stormy-grey eyes, now hidden behind her spectacles, scanned the room, landing on her dealer, Asher. He lounged against the grime-encrusted wall, a smirk curving his marble-white lips as he spotted her.

"What's happening Star, my elusive little friend," he purred, his voice like honey laced with arsenic. "I was beginning to think you'd forgotten about me."

Star gritted her fangs, the hunger gnawing at her insides. "Cut the crap, Asher. I'm here for the Elixir."

He dangled a vial of the crimson liquid in front of her, his smirk widening. "Sorry, luv, but it's..."

Star felt her heart drop. If she didn't get her hands on the Elixir, she'd be a monster. Literally. The hunger pangs were already making her fangs throb. Desperation clouded her judgment as she reached out to grab the vial, but Asher's reflexes were quicker.

"Unless..." he purred, running a cold finger down her cheek, "you can give me something... more valuable."

Shivers of revulsion and fear ran down her spine, but the addiction won out. Star bit her lip, determined not to show weakness as she arched a brow. "What did you have in mind, Asher?"

His grin widened, revealing a row of sharp, predatory teeth. "I've got a job for you, Star. A little... memory extraction. A certain human has some information that..."

Blah Blah Blah ...

A while later

Star stumbled out of the abandoned subway station, the aftermath of her deal with Asher weighing heavy on her immortal soul. She clutched the vial of Elixir to her chest, the warmth of the glass a pitiful substitute for the void in her heart. She knew deep down that she had just sold her soul a little more to the devil, but what choice did she have? The hunger... the hunger was unbearable.

A lone tear trailed down her porcelain cheek as she raised the vial to her lips, pausing only for a brief second to gaze at the neon-lit cityscape. The once-beautiful gargoyle statues that adorned the Gothic buildings now lit up with garish neon lights, a grotesque reflection of the world she lived in.

"Damnit, Star," she muttered under her breath, before tilting her head back and downing the entire contents of the vial.

The rush was immediate; the familiar warmth spreading through her veins, dulling the pain, drowning her in a sea of temporary bliss. The guilt, the shame, the hunger all melted away, replaced by a fleeting sense of euphoria.

Star leaned against the damp wall, her violet eyes clouded with regret as she fought to maintain consciousness.

"This isn't you," a small voice inside her whispered. "You're better than this."

But she knew the voice was wrong. She was a Sangrave, tainted and tarnished. She was no better than the filth she wallowed in. With a sigh, she forced herself to her feet and stumbled into the night, the effects of the Elixir already wearing off.

As she turned the corner, the faint sound of footsteps echoed behind her. Star spun around, her heart pounding. Emerging from the shadows was a tall figure cloaked in darkness, their eyes glowing with an eerie light.

"Star Sangrave," the figure's voice was a chilling whisper, sending shivers down her spine. "I've been looking for you."

Star's breath caught in her throat. She recognized those eyes—eyes that had haunted her nightmares for years. The figure stepped closer, revealing a face she had hoped never to see again.

"Mother?" Star's voice trembled as she backed away, her mind racing with fear and confusion. "But... you abandoned me."

The figure's sinister smile widened, exposing sharp fangs. "There's so much you don't understand, my dear. And now, it's time for you to learn the truth."

Star's blood ran cold as she realized the true extent of the danger she was in. She turned to run, but the figure's grip was like iron, pulling her back into the shadows.

"Welcome to your destiny, Star," the voice hissed. "There's no escaping it now."