The Secret Next To Me

Under the Full Moon

Chapter 1:
(Author's pov)

On a beautiful evening under the full moon, Suah Blackwood sat on the porch of her gothic mansion, sipping a cup of steaming coffee. The silver moonlight played upon her hazel siren eyes, making them glimmer with an almost hypnotic allure. Her long, red hair cascaded down her back in soft waves, contrasting strikingly against her pale, alabaster skin. Her cute dimpled smile added a touch of innocence to her otherwise ethereal beauty, a captivating combination that had made her the most admired girl in her school, high school, and university.

Suah's home, an imposing gothic mansion, stood tall against the night sky. Its dark, weathered stone walls were adorned with ivy that clung to the structure like nature’s own tapestry. Tall, narrow windows, framed with ornate, wrought-iron designs, gave the house an air of mystery and antiquity. The steeply pitched roofs and pointed gables, silhouetted against the moonlit sky, added to the mansion's eerie charm. Gargoyles perched on the corners of the roof seemed to watch over the house, their grotesque features casting long shadows in the dim light.

A wrought-iron fence encircled the property, its intricate design both beautiful and foreboding. Beyond the fence, the garden was a wild, overgrown paradise. Moonflowers bloomed in abundance, their white petals glowing softly in the dark, while twisted vines and dark foliage added to the gothic allure. A cobblestone path wound its way from the gate to the grand, oak front door, each step echoing with the weight of history and secrets long buried.

The tranquility of the evening was abruptly shattered by the sharp crack of gunfire. Suah didn’t even flinch; it was a common occurrence in her life, one that she had grown accustomed to. The full moon, now partially obscured by drifting black clouds, cast a haunting light over the scene. Suah took a deep breath, her chest rising and falling in a measured sigh as she heard a man’s scream pierce the night. Unlike the howls of werewolves that populated her imagination, this human scream barely registered in her mind.

Despite the chaos that seemed to seep into her life, Suah remained unperturbed. Her calm demeanor was a mask, hiding the turbulence and danger that lurked beneath the surface of her existence. Little did she know, the true nightmare was about to begin, one that would test her strength and resilience in ways she could never have imagined.

She wandered outside into her gothic garden, the wild beauty of the overgrown flora providing a stark contrast to the cold stone of the mansion. Lost in thought, Suah roamed the garden, not realizing that someone had been watching her for a long time. The moonlight cast ghostly shadows across the garden, and the cool night air whispered through the leaves.

From the balcony above, her brother Peter Blackwood emerged, his tall figure looming in the moonlight. With his black hair and piercing grey eyes, Peter's appearance was a stark contrast to Suah's fiery red hair and hazel eyes. His pale skin mirrored hers, but while Suah resembled their late mother, Peter was the spitting image of their father.

Peter's face was recently streaked with blood, a gruesome sight that seemed to faze him not at all. He called out for her, his voice carrying a mix of concern and frustration, "Suah, come to the house. How many times have I scolded you for going outside alone at night? You’ll catch cold."

Suah turned to look at him, noticing the blood drops that had seeped into his eyes. Despite this, Peter appeared entirely unbothered, his expression stoic and composed. He wiped his hand on his jacket absentmindedly and turned to go back inside, leaving Suah to follow in his wake, the unsettling image of his bloodstained face lingering in her mind.

She caught up to him, her eyes narrowing as she observed the blood staining his face. “Why haven’t you washed your face yet?” she asked pointedly, knowing full well that Peter’s involvement in the mafia often left him in such a state.