The house was quiet when Sara returned.
She opened the door slowly. Arya was sitting near the fireplace, her face pale with worry. Rohan stood the moment he saw her.
"Sara!" he said, rushing to her. "Are you okay? Where were you?"
Arya stood too, eyes scanning her for any sign of harm. "You've been gone for hours. We were going to come look for you."
"I'm fine," Sara said softly. "I went with Viraj."
Arya's expression turned hard. "He took you to them?"
"I asked him to," she replied. "I needed to see them with my own eyes."
Rohan stepped back, his hands shaking slightly. "What did they say?"
Sara looked at both of them. "They said I belong there. They said I have power… that I'm meant to lead their clan."
Neither Arya nor Rohan spoke. Their silence was louder than words.
Sara walked toward them, tears in her eyes. "But I didn't stay. I came back. Because this is my home."
Rohan pulled her into a tight hug. Arya wrapped her arms around them both.
"You're our daughter," Arya whispered. "No matter what blood runs through your veins."
That night, the three of them sat together near the fireplace.
Sara told them everything — about Alina, about the clan, about the truth of her mother's past.
"They promised they wouldn't hurt you," she said. "That was my condition."
Arya looked at her with warmth. "You're brave."
"I don't feel brave," Sara replied. "I feel like I'm split in two."
Rohan placed a hand over hers. "That's what it means to be different. But you're not alone."
Arya added, "You are more than just vampire or werewolf. You are what we made you with love. That's stronger than any curse or power."
Sara smiled weakly. "I don't know what comes next."
"We'll face it together," Arya said.
But as the fire burned low, far away, in a deep cave beneath the mountains, another presence stirred.
A voice whispered in the dark, "The child has awakened. The blood of both lines flows in her. She must be stopped before she chooses."
A man stood in the shadows. His eyes were black as coal, and his smile was cruel.
He was neither vampire nor werewolf.
He was something much worse.
And he was coming for Sara.
The next morning, the world felt heavier.
Sara woke early. The sky outside was dull and grey, even though it wasn't raining. The air itself felt strange — as if something cold was creeping through it.
She went downstairs. Arya and Rohan were already awake.
Arya was staring out the window.
"What is it?" Sara asked.
Arya didn't turn. "Something's wrong. I can feel it in the wind. It's... colder. Older."
Rohan came from the hallway, holding a wooden box. "I think it's time we tell her everything."
Sara looked at them. "There's more?"
Arya nodded. "There's always more in our world."
Rohan opened the box. Inside was a folded letter, yellowed with time. It had bloodstains on the corner and a broken seal with a crescent moon.
"This was written by your mother, Diviya," Rohan said. "She gave it to me a week before she died… told me to open it only when you began to change. I didn't understand what she meant then."
With shaking hands, Sara took the letter and opened it.
The writing was soft, flowing, full of love:
My sweet Sara,
If you are reading this, then your truth has come to you. You are not like others — you are born of two worlds. That means you will be hunted, feared… but also, you will be stronger than anyone imagines.
But beware… it is not just the wolves or the vampires who will seek you. There is a third kind, an ancient force… one we banished long ago. If they return, do not face them alone.
Find the Guardian. He knows the truth.
Remember, my child — you are more than your blood.
You are hope.
With all my love,
— Diviya
Sara's hands trembled as she folded the letter back.
"Who is this 'third kind'?" she asked.
Arya turned away from the window. "They are called the Noctis. Ancient creatures born from darkness. Not werewolf. Not vampire. Something else entirely."
"They feed on power," Rohan added. "They were wiped out long ago. Or so we thought."
Sara's voice shook. "The letter says they're returning. What do they want with me?"
Arya looked at her with sorrow. "You're the key. You are the only being born with both bloodlines. That gives you a power they fear… and desire."
Sara stood slowly, the fear inside her turning into something else — resolve. "We need to find the Guardian."
Rohan frowned. "I don't even know who that is. Diviya never told me."
Arya's eyes narrowed in thought. "There's a name I haven't heard in a long time. An elder who once protected creatures like you. A half-blood himself."
"Where is he now?" Sara asked.
Arya hesitated. "He disappeared years ago. But if he's still alive… he might be in the ruins of the Hollow Hills. That's where Diviya used to go when she needed answers."
Sara nodded. "Then we go there."
"No," Arya said. "I go. Alone."
Sara stepped forward. "You said we face this together."
Arya looked at her. "And I will. But I need you to stay safe. If something happens to me, you and Rohan must be ready."
That night, Arya packed and left under cover of darkness.
Sara stood at the gate, watching her disappear into the mist.
"I'll come back," Arya promised. "And when I do, we'll know what to do."
Sara whispered, "Please… be careful."
But deep in the forest, unseen by any of them, a figure with black eyes watched from a distance.
His voice was a whisper in the cold wind.
"She is rising… And so must I."