Inside a massive castle, a man and a woman who looked to be in their mid-thirties were sitting across from each other at a long, imposing dinner table. The woman, Anna Crimson, the mother of Angeline Fang, looked serene as she spoke.
"How is the blood, my love?"
The man, Leonidas Crimson, had long red hair tied neatly at the back of his head. He was picking up a tablespoon, his movements slow and deliberate. He dipped and scooped the thick, silver liquid out of a crystal bowl and brought it to his mouth.
"Hmm," he murmured. He kept his eyes closed for a moment, trying to savor the rich taste. When he finally opened them, his irises were a startling, vibrant red. "It is not bad. Is this animal blood?"
"Yes, my love, it is the blood of a Unicorn," Anna replied. A slight, pleased smirk played on her lips. "I thought I would surprise you with something different tonight."
As Anna reached for her heavy glass of ruby-red wine, a butler dressed in a crisp, formal uniform entered the room. He walked with practiced quiet and gave a respectful, light bow.
"Sorry to bother my Lord, but the young Missus is on the mirror."
Anna nearly choked on her wine. She stood up instantly, the heavy chair scraping loudly against the marble. "Did our Angel call?"
"Yes, My Lady," the butler replied in a low monotone.
"Bring the communication mirror here at once," Leonidas commanded. His voice was deep and echoing, the slight boredom he had shown earlier vanishing instantly.
After a few tense minutes, the butler returned with a tall, antique-looking mirror set into a heavy gold frame. The surface shimmered like water before resolving to show the worried face of Angeline.
"Hello, father," Angeline said.
Leonidas looked at his daughter through the glass for a few seconds without saying a word. His gaze was piercing and intense, but deep down, a rare surge of warmth and happiness flooded through him at the sight of her. It was a feeling he carefully guarded, keeping his facial expression as still and cold as stone so as not to betray his emotions. Finally, he replied, "Hello, child. Why are you calling?"
"Don't be so rude, Leo," Anna interrupted. She rushed forward and waved her husband away so she could see the mirror. "Hello, my Angel! Mother has missed you so much! How is my son-in-law?"
"Jiren is doing fine, mother," Angeline replied, her voice trembling slightly. "But this call is actually about my son. He has awakened."
Both Leonidas and Anna froze. The silence in the dining hall became deafening.
"We didn't think this was possible," Angeline continued, the words rushing out now. "When Jiren and I first started dating, pregnancy wasn't even a thought. I am a vampire and he is a werewolf. The union of the living and the undead shouldn't produce life. When my son was born, we were certain he would die. Most recorded hybrids are either both living or both undead, which is why they survive. But John is a different case; he was born from both. He is a miracle, but he has just awakened, and we don't want him to be in a school full of humans anymore. I want to enroll him in a school there and ask for your support to help him control his powers. Is it okay?"
Leonidas was visibly stunned. The biological anomaly his daughter was describing defied centuries of their history. He leaned toward the mirror, his brow deeply furrowed.
"I need to think about…"
"Of course my grandchild can come!" Anna snapped, her maternal instincts overriding any political concerns. She gave Leonidas a cold gaze that actually made the powerful man shudder.
Leonidas cleared his throat, submitting to his wife's will instantly. "Yes. I will make preparations for the child. When will you arrive? And is that flea-bag Jiren still with you?"
The distaste for his son-in-law was evident in every syllable.
"Dad, don't call my husband a flea-bag. We will be there tomorrow," Angeline said, pouting angrily into the mirror.
"Hehehe, I am so happy that I am about to see my grandchild," Anna said, her expression warm with genuine anticipation.
When the call ended, Leonidas stood up from his chair. He walked slowly to the towering balcony of the castle and looked out over the distant, shadowed landscape of Paruga. His mind was already turning over the complicated politics this unexpected child would bring to their house.
When the mirror went dark on Angeline's side, she gave a heavy sigh. She went to her husband, who was laying in bed, deep in thought. Jiren had stripped off his shirt, and the complex scars of a hundred battles crisscrossed his muscled torso.
"Father said that he will make preparations," Angeline informed him as she sat on the edge of the mattress.
"Good," Jiren replied. His voice was flat and hollow.
"Is there something bothering you, babe?" Angeline asked. Her fingers gently traced a deep scar on his shoulder.
Jiren rolled onto his back and stared at the ceiling. His eyes were wide and full of worry. "Yeah. I don't want John to grow up in that place. I wanted him to be normal. I wanted him to be safe. I don't know if he is going to survive or learn as quickly as the others because some of them have such a significant head start. My son, one way or another, is going to have to fight. And I am scared."
He sat up, the raw fear in his eyes intense. "I don't know if this awakening is like a time bomb. What if he has very little time left? We've all heard that hybrids die prematurely. Even if he grows up to be an adult, will he be strong enough? Or is he going to die before me? I am a little scared, Angel. I am…"
"Shhh," Angeline whispered. She pulled him into a comforting embrace. "Have faith in our son, Jiren. He has the blood of both a werewolf and a vampire in him. He will survive."
She held him tightly, smelling the warm, expensive scent of his cologne, a rich blend of saffron, amberwood, and a hint of sweet cedar that always made her feel safe.
The next day, John was wearing a baseball cap pulled low over his forehead. A large bandage covered his left eye. He had told his friends the agreed-upon lie: that he got a bad black eye from the fall he took in class. He was hanging out with Freddy and Jake near the high school bleachers, trying to build up the courage to tell them the truth. Well, a part of the truth.
The three of them sat on the worn wooden steps, the setting sun casting long, tired shadows across the football field.
"Guys, I have something to tell you," John finally said. He kicked at a loose pebble with the toe of his shoe.
"What's up, homie?" Jake asked. He looked at John's bandage with genuine concern.
"I am going to leave school and go to another school far away. I don't know when we are going to see each other again."
The finality of the words twisted his gut. He hated lying to them, but he had no choice.
Freddy's eyes immediately began to tear up. He grabbed John's arm, his grip tight. "Please, buddy, don't leave! Is this because of Duke? Just say the word and I'll stab him in the back!"
Freddy's trembling hand mimed pulling a blade from his pocket.
John managed a weak smile. "No, don't stab him, Freddy. I just have to leave. My parents will come back eventually because they still have work here. They are only leaving for a couple of days to get me settled."
He lied about his parents to soften the blow. He didn't want them to think the whole family was vanishing forever.
"Good, I don't know if I will be able to go through with it," Jake replied. Jake stood in front of John and gave him a powerful, final hug. "Be safe, buddy."
When evening came, the Fangs were standing in the basement. The familiar scent of their home felt suffocating now that they were leaving it behind. John had removed the bandage, leaving his black-and-red eye uncovered and exposed to the dim light.
"Are you ready, son?" Jiren asked, his voice low and serious.
John nodded his head, his hand subconsciously moving to touch the skin where the bandage had been.
Afterward, Angeline unclasped a small, glowing crystal bracelet from her wrist. She threw it toward the corner of the basement. As it flew through the air, the bracelet expanded rapidly, growing until it was the size of a door. A whirling vortex of green and silver light filled the center of the frame, roaring with unnatural, electrical energy.
John was shocked. This can't be real, he thought. The sight of a real portal finally extinguished the last of his need for sci-fi fiction. This was better, and infinitely more dangerous than any book.
The family of three stepped through the shimmering light. They were instantly greeted by a beautiful woman with flowing black hair and skin as white as snow, and a handsome man with dark red hair. These were Leonidas and Anna Crimson.
Leonidas's eyes bypassed Angeline and Jiren entirely. He looked straight at John. He immediately noticed the vivid, impossible truth of the boy's face: the left eye burning with a crimson pupil, framed by a completely black sclera.
Leonidas looked at the child standing before him, sensing the power simmering just beneath his skin. He watched John for a moment before thinking to himself with cold, calculated dismissiveness: Only one red eye, huh? Disappointing.