Emma's hand stopped just before touching the Void. Her baby brother's warning echoed in her mind, but something else was happening that made everyone freeze.
The sound of screaming came from far away.
Human screaming.
"What's that noise?" Lily asked, her head turning toward the edge of the forest.
Through the trees, they could see lights flashing in the distance. Not magical lights - car lights, street lights, the glow of human cities.
"Oh no," whispered the ancient vampire. "The barrier between our world and theirs is breaking."
Elara's golden power flickered as she realized what was happening. "All this magic, all these creatures in one place - we're tearing holes in reality."
Suddenly, a terrified human woman came running through the trees. She was holding a small boy who couldn't stop crying.
"Please help us!" she sobbed. "There are monsters everywhere! Flying things with fangs, and people who turn into wolves!"
