Near Ashwood Bridge
The quiet street near the old bridge was almost empty.
Eva and Julien ran through the darkness.
Eva's breathing was heavy.
The ritual had drained her energy.
But she kept moving.
"I saw her here," she said weakly.
"The girl from my vision."
Julien slowed slightly.
Then he saw her.
A young girl walking alone along the bridge.
Completely unaware.
Eva grabbed Julien's arm.
"That's her."
Julien started moving toward her.
But suddenly—
The wind stopped.
The streetlights flickered violently.
The girl froze in place.
Like she felt something behind her.
Then a shadow moved.
Not walking.
Hunting.
A woman stepped out from the darkness.
Slow.
Elegant.
Terrifyingly calm.
Her long dark hair moved gently in the cold wind.
Her pale face was almost glowing under the flickering streetlight.
Kaela Vox.
The girl finally turned around.
She opened her mouth to scream—
But Kaela was already there.
Her hand wrapped around the girl's throat.
Lifting her off the ground like she weighed nothing.
Eva shouted.
"STOP!"
Julien rushed forward.
But Kaela moved faster than human eyes could follow.
Her fangs sank into the girl's neck.
The scream died instantly.
Blood dripped down Kaela's hand.
The girl's body went limp.
Kaela slowly dropped the corpse to the ground.
Like it meant nothing.
Eva froze in horror.
"You killed her…"
Kaela slowly turned her head toward them.
Her eyes landed on Julien.
A soft smile appeared on her lips.
"Well," she said calmly,
"hello again, love."
Julien stepped forward, fury burning in his eyes.
"Kaela."
Her gaze slowly moved to Eva.
She studied her carefully.
"So this must be the witch."
Before Eva could react—
Kaela suddenly appeared right in front of her.
Her hand shot toward Eva's throat.
But suddenly—
A blur crashed into Kaela from the side.
Lucas.
He shoved her back several feet across the road.
Lucas brushed his jacket casually.
"Well this is awkward."
He looked at Kaela.
"The crazy ex finally shows up."
Kaela straightened slowly.
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
"Lucas."
Lucas smirked.
"Still murdering people for attention?"
Julien stepped beside him.
Lucas leaned toward him and whispered loudly,
"Brother… you seriously need better taste in women."
Eva and Zoe raised their hands together.
Their voices echoed through the air.
"Sanguis ligare!
Umbra cadere!
Potestas frangere!
Magia nostra te debilitare!"
A wave of energy slammed into Kaela.
She staggered back slightly.
For the first time, her smile faded.
Lucas grinned.
"Oh wow."
He pointed at her.
"She hates teamwork."
Kaela's eyes flashed with anger.
Suddenly a voice shouted from the trees.
"STOP!"
Nora ran into the clearing, breathing heavily.
Her clothes torn, her face pale.
"You're not killing anyone else!"
She ran straight toward Kaela.
But Kaela moved faster.
A silver blade flashed in her hand.
One quick motion—
The knife stabbed into Nora's side.
Nora gasped and collapsed.
Eva screamed.
"NORA!"
Kaela stepped back calmly.
Blood dripped from the blade.
She looked at Julien one last time.
"This is only the beginning."
Then she vanished into the darkness.
Lucas sighed.
"Well," he said casually,
"that could've gone better."
The forest had gone unnaturally quiet.
Only Nora's weak breathing broke the silence.
She lay on the cold ground, her hand pressed against the deep wound in her side. Blood soaked through her clothes and into the dirt beneath her.
Eva dropped to her knees beside her.
"Nora… stay with me."
Nora forced a small, painful smile.
"Next time… remind me… not to fight ancient vampires…"
Lucas crouched beside them and looked at the wound carefully.
For once, his usual playful smile disappeared.
"That's not normal silver."
Julien stepped closer, his eyes dark.
"I know that blade."
Eva looked up.
"What do you mean?"
Julien's voice turned cold.
"Kaela's dagger is cursed. The wound keeps spreading poison through the blood."
Eva looked back at Nora.
The wound was already turning dark around the edges.
The skin near it looked almost burned.
Nora's breathing became heavier.
"She's dying…" Zoe whispered.
Lucas stood up slowly.
"Well… that escalated quickly."
Eva's eyes suddenly hardened with determination.
"There is one way."
Zoe immediately shook her head.
"No. Eva, that magic is forbidden."
Eva ignored her.
"If we don't try, she dies."
Lucas crossed his arms.
"I'm just going to assume this ritual is extremely dangerous and probably illegal in several supernatural communities."
Eva pulled a small silver blade from her pocket.
Julien's eyes narrowed.
"What are you doing?"
Eva looked at him.
"A blood binding spell."
Lucas blinked.
"Oh great. Blood magic."
He took a step back.
"I'm standing over here where explosions are less likely."
Eva cut her palm with the blade.
Blood flowed down her hand.
The air around them suddenly felt heavier.
Zoe looked nervous.
"Eva… if you lose control…"
Eva placed her bleeding hand over Nora's wound.
The moment her blood touched Nora's skin—
The wind exploded through the trees.
Leaves spun violently in the air.
The ground beneath them trembled.
Lucas looked around.
"Yep."
He pointed.
"That's usually a bad sign."
Eva closed her eyes.
Her voice became stronger as she began chanting.
"Sanguis meus, vita eius.
Umbra recede, mors discede.
Per noctem et lunam,
Per animam et sanguinem—
Vinculum vitae nunc surgat!"
A deep red glow formed around Eva's hand.
Nora suddenly gasped in pain.
Her body arched violently.
"AHHH—!"
The dark poison began spreading across Eva's hand instead.
Julien grabbed Eva's shoulder.
"Stop! The curse is transferring to you!"
Eva refused to move.
Her voice grew louder.
The wind howled around them.
"Per sanguinem meum,
Per ignem vitae,
Mors frangatur,
Vita maneat!"
The light suddenly flared brighter.
Lucas shielded his eyes.
"Well that's definitely not safe!"
Nora screamed again.
The wound burned with glowing energy.
Then suddenly—
The curse fought back.
Black veins began spreading up Eva's arm.
Zoe's eyes widened.
"Eva! The curse is taking you instead!"
Julien stepped forward, panic in his voice.
"Eva stop the spell now!"
Eva's breathing became shaky.
But she kept chanting.
"Non morietur!
Non hac nocte!
Sanguis meus custodiet eam!"
The red light exploded outward.
A powerful shockwave rushed through the forest.
The wind stopped instantly.
Everything went silent.
Eva's body suddenly went limp.
Julien caught her before she hit the ground.
"Nora?" Zoe whispered.
Nora slowly opened her eyes.
Her breathing had stabilized.
The wound was closing.
Lucas stared for a moment.
Then he whistled softly.
"Well…"
He looked at Eva unconscious in Julien's arms.
"That girl just bullied death itself."
Julien looked down at Eva, worry filling his eyes.
"You stupid witch…"
Lucas stretched his arms casually.
"Good news."
He pointed at Nora.
"She's alive."
Then he pointed at Eva.
"Bad news."
He smirked slightly.
"That curse definitely didn't disappear."
The wind moved through the trees again.
And somewhere in the darkness…
Something unseen had felt the magic.
And it was now watching them.