Inside Tony Stark's villa.
Lynn stepped forward, holding a glass of pomegranate juice, and introduced himself with a gentleman's ease. "Hello, beautiful lady. I'm Lynn Hall—you can just call me Lynn. I currently work with the Manhattan Police Department."
Seeing the tall, confident, and strikingly handsome man before her, Elsa smiled and extended her hand. "I'm Elsa Bloodstone, the Bloodstone family's only remaining vampire hunter—dedicated to tracking down and destroying vampires."
As she extended her hand, Lynn naturally took it in a light handshake.
Her hand was soft—almost boneless.
If those hands were to stroke his.. Ahem.
Suppressing that thought, Lynn smiled. "I heard Natasha mention she knew two specialists in vampire hunting, but I didn't expect one of them to be so young."
"Oh, and has anyone ever told you that you have beautiful eyes?"
Off to the side, watching Lynn effortlessly turn on his charm, Clint Barton leaned toward Natasha and muttered, "Are you sure this guy you brought in is reliable? Because it kinda feels like he's just here to flirt."
Natasha merely shrugged at Barton's comment.
Dr. Banner, who was reviewing data with Tony Stark through a private satellite feed, said calmly, "If Natasha and Steve both vouched for him, he should be fine."
As Banner spoke, Tony tossed a few dried blueberries into his mouth. He offered the container to the others, and when everyone except Banner declined, Tony popped a few more himself and said, "It's normal for young guys. But Clint—you're not exactly young anymore. You sure you don't want to find yourself a girlfriend?"
He turned to Banner. "And you, big guy—you should too."
At that point, none of the Avengers besides Natasha knew that Hawkeye was already married with kids.
Banner gave a faint, self-deprecating smile. "I'll pass. I don't want to hurt anyone."
"Not to mention, If a monster like me ever got married and somehow had kids, who knows if they'd turn out the same way."
"Oh, come on!"
Hearing Banner's tone, the rest of the team frowned in unison.
Even Steve stepped forward and gave him a firm pat on the shoulder. "Don't say that, Bruce. You're one of us—not a monster."
"Thanks."
Banner nodded quietly, though as his gaze drifted toward Lynn and Elsa chatting and laughing together, a flicker of envy crossed his eyes.
If he hadn't been turned into a monster by gamma radiation back then…
Maybe he and Betty would've been married by now—maybe even raising a few adorable kids.
Noticing Banner's wistful gaze, Lynn gave him a small nod of acknowledgment before continuing his animated conversation with Elsa.
"Really? There's actually something like that? I always thought those witch crystal balls were all fake."
"Of course they exist!"
As the sole surviving heir of the Bloodstone family, Elsa had been raised under her butler's care since childhood.
Though she was twenty now, she was still surprisingly innocent.
Maybe it was because she hadn't spent much time among ordinary people—most of her life had been dedicated to hunting vampires across the world through portals.
So, while she was sharp, she wasn't exactly… cunning.
Because of that, Lynn easily learned that the two greatest treasures of the Bloodstone family were the Bloodstone necklace around her neck—which granted her extraordinary power—and the Prophecy Slab hidden in her castle's secret chamber, said to possess the power to foresee the future.
"Elsa, if that Prophecy Slab is really that powerful, doesn't that make you a prophet?"
"Before every mission, you could just use the Prophecy Slab to predict the outcome. Wouldn't that make everything you do twice as effective?"
Hearing that, Elsa leaned back lazily on the sofa, her graceful figure outlined by the light. "It's not that simple. The Prophecy Slab can't be used at will."
"It only reacts when something significant is about to happen. Then it gives a sign—a warning, really, just that, nothing else."
As the two chatted, Natasha walked over carrying a tray.
She handed them each a glass of freshly squeezed juice, smiling. "So, what are you two talking about?"
Before Elsa could answer, her phone suddenly rang.
With an apologetic smile, she excused herself and stepped aside to take the call.
The moment she was gone, Natasha shot Lynn a sharp look. "Tone it down," she said flatly. "The Bloodstone family used to be one of the most powerful houses in the world. They have strict traditions."
"Anyone who gets involved with a Bloodstone has to take their surname. That means if you sweet-talk Elsa into bed, you're marrying into the Bloodstone family—and you're forbidden from ever touching another woman again."
"Otherwise, you'll face the Bloodstone family's most severe punishment."
"Really?"
Hearing Natasha's words, Lynn looked genuinely baffled. "What era are we living in? There are still rules that ridiculous?"
"What did you expect?" Natasha replied with a shrug, leaning lazily against the sofa. "She's twenty years old and still a virgin. Doesn't that strike you as a bit unusual?"
Realizing Natasha wasn't joking, Lynn nodded. "Got it. I'll go check how Stark's search is going."
With that, he stood up and walked away.
When Elsa finished her call and returned, she found the witty, confident Lynn standing beside Tony Stark, discussing something with an unusually serious expression.
Taking a seat next to Natasha, Elsa asked curiously, "Natasha, what do you think of Mr. Hall? He's so clever and funny! If he'd join the Bloodstone family, I think life would be a lot more interesting."
Looking at Elsa's bright blue eyes—eyes that sparkled with excitement—Natasha sighed and shook her head. "He's not for you, Elsa. Lynn's the type who never stays with one woman for long."
Before Elsa could respond, Jarvis's calm voice suddenly filled the room. "Gentlemen, based on the energy pattern detected by Dr. Banner's scans, we've located a matching frequency band in Miami."
The relaxed mood instantly vanished as the Avengers straightened, their expressions sharpening.
"Miami?" Tony raised an eyebrow. "Didn't expect a vampire nest there. Natasha, did you bring the Quinjet? If not, I'll have Jarvis prep my private jet."
Before anyone could move, Elsa stood up. "No need. I have a faster way."
She lifted her hand, and the Bloodstone necklace around her neck began to glow.
A second later, a blood-red portal opened before them, swirling with energy.
_______
(づ￣ 3￣)づ
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