The forest was quiet again.
Elena sat still on the cold ground, her eyes closed. The voice in her mind — Raphael — had gone quiet for now, waiting.
She focused on every small sound. The wind brushing through leaves. A beetle crawling across a branch. The slow beating of her own heart — soft, slower than a human's.
> "Good," the voice returned.
"Now feel what's inside your own body. The thirst. The cold. Your blood… and the power hidden inside it."
Elena did as she was told.
Something strange pulsed beneath her skin. A faint warmth, like pressure building in her chest.
> "What is this?" she whispered.
> "Your first ability," Raphael said. "It's weak now, but with training, you'll control it. You're about to unlock the sense of tracking — the ability to detect blood, even far away."
Suddenly, Elena gasped. A sharp jolt rushed through her head.
She could feel something.
Not hear.
Not smell.
Just… feel it.
Blood.
Not close. But not too far either. Maybe from a fox or a rabbit nearby.
She opened her eyes quickly, heart pounding.
> "I felt something. Just for a second."
> "That's enough for now," the voice replied.
"You're still early. Your body is changing. But be careful — if you push too fast, you might lose control."
Elena stood up slowly. Her head still buzzed, but the feeling faded.
> "So… is that it? Just feeling blood?"
> "It's the first step. Soon, you'll be able to sense danger, track others… and defend yourself."
> "And after that?"
> "Then I'll teach you the hardest part — how to feed without killing."
Elena looked down at her hands.
She didn't want to become a monster.
She wanted to survive without hurting anyone.
> "Alright," she whispered. "Let's keep going."
Somewhere far behind her, the world was still turning. France was sinking into chaos. But here in this lonely forest in Germany, a new predator was learning to control herself.
And she wasn't ready to give up.
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