It Started With A Vampire

Closer Than You Think

Later that night, Eva couldn't sleep.

Ariana was already passed out on the pull-out, curled in a blanket burrito. MK lay across the floor in a makeshift bed of cushions. Malachi was half-asleep beside her again, but his body was tense—he wasn't really resting either.

Her mind wouldn't shut off. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw the stalker's message.

"You think sleeping in a group makes you safe? Cute. Try again."

The phrasing kept gnawing at her.

Cute.

Try again.

Like they were playing some sick game.

Quietly, she slipped out of bed and grabbed her journal. Not for writing, but for reviewing something she'd started tracking two weeks ago—times, locations, weird feelings she'd gotten, things gone missing, notes she thought she misplaced.

As she flipped pages, her breath caught.

One of the first times she got a creepy message had been right after they wrapped a scene at Stage B.

Another? The exact day she left her call sheet on the makeup table by accident... and found it returned to her trailer a few hours later with no explanation.

She circled the dates. Cross-referenced them with shooting schedules.

Who had access to both? Who was always there?

And then it hit her.

One name kept coming up in every instance.

Cory.

The assistant set photographer.

He was everywhere. Blended in so easily no one noticed him anymore. He wasn't on the official studio payroll—he was contracted through a third-party agency PR had hired after filming began.

Eva's stomach dropped.

Cory was the one who had taken her trailer promo shots. He was the one who gave her that smoothie after a long shoot. He always seemed kind... quiet. Too quiet.

And he always seemed to know where she was.

She dropped her pen.

"Eva?" Malachi stirred behind her.

She turned slowly. "I think I know who it is."

That woke him up. "What?"

She sat beside him again and whispered everything. The journal. The dates. The fact that Cory wasn't even on set before the kiss with Malachi was filmed... and suddenly showed up after that leaked.

"You really think—?" he started.

"I don't know," she admitted. "But it makes sense. He's around but invisible. He has access to our trailers. And remember the day the smoothie had that weird aftertaste? I brushed it off but..." She trailed off.

Malachi sat up, fully alert now. "We tell Meg. Right now."

Eva hesitated. "What if I'm wrong?"

"Then we're wrong," he said, "but if you're right..."

They exchanged a look. It said everything.

He picked up his phone to text Meg when suddenly—

THUD.

Something hit the outside of the trailer.

They both froze.

Ariana shot up. "What was that?"

MK sat bolt upright, half-asleep but already alert. "Did you hear that?"

Malachi crept to the door and peered out the window.

Nothing.

Then another thud—closer. Against the other side of the trailer this time.

Eva's hands trembled.

Ariana came up behind Malachi. "It's too dark. I can't see anything."

"I'm checking the security camera," MK said, already opening the studio's new surveillance app.

Silence. Then MK's voice dropped.

"Guys..."

"What?" Eva rushed over.

He turned the screen.

Camera 2 – Side of Trailer.

A person. Hooded. Standing dead still, just outside the light range, barely visible. Their phone pointed directly at the trailer window.

Recording.

"Call Meg now," Malachi said, voice low.

Eva's hands fumbled to dial.

"Security's supposed to be patrolling!" Ariana hissed.

MK zoomed in. "It's like they know the blind spots."

Eva pressed call on Meg's number. It rang once—twice—

"Hello?"

"Meg, they're here. Outside. They're filming us—right now."

Meg swore. "Stay inside. Don't open the door. I'm calling security. I'll be there in five."

Five minutes felt like an hour.

The figure didn't move. Just... watched.

And then, without warning, they turned and vanished into the trees behind the trailer lot.

Eva's phone buzzed.

1 New Message – Unknown Number.

She didn't want to open it.

But she did.

"So close. You still don't see me."

Attached: A photo of her trailer.

From inside the lot.

Taken hours ago.

In daylight.

She clutched her chest, breath shaking.

"Malachi..."

He took the phone from her. His jaw locked. Arm around her.

That's when Meg burst in with two security officers and Milo right behind her.

"Go bags," Meg said sharply. "Now. All of you. You're not staying here tonight. Eva, grab your essentials. Ariana too. Malachi, MK—you're with them."

"Where are we going?" Ariana asked, still stunned.

"Undisclosed hotel," Milo said grimly. "And not the ones PR knows about."

Eva stared at the door.

The stalker had been right outside. Watching. Waiting.

And maybe... just maybe... walking past them on set every day.