Chapter 9: Crimson Shadows and the Witch's Gamble
The stars were barely visible through the thick canopy of clouds as Kian, Selene, and Rai emerged from the wreckage of Lucien's once-grand mansion. The fight had been brutal—an unexpected ambush from a deadly breed of supernatural assassins sent by the High Council, cloaked in shadows and powered by bloodlust. Lucien had fought them off with his usual finesse, unbuttoning his suit with a dramatic flair and delivering a chilling line: "Welcome, gentlemen. To what do I owe this pleasure?" before tearing into them like the storm he was.
Kian, still shaken but energized from his first real battle as a Nightborn, followed closely behind Rai and Selene. Rai, ever the sarcastic one, grumbled, "Why is it that everywhere we go, someone wants your head, bro?"
Kian smirked weakly. "Perks of being born cursed, I guess."
The trio didn't stop moving. Lucien had urged them to leave immediately after the battle. The mansion, once a haven, was compromised. With a heavy heart and fresh clothes courtesy of Lucien's immaculate wardrobe, they fled into the night, lit only by the eerie glow of their daylight rings—Lucien's parting gift.
"Don't lose those," Lucien had said, slipping the rings into their hands just before the chaos. "They're custom, and you won't survive the sun without them."
They hadn't even gotten a chance to say goodbye properly. Just a knowing nod from Lucien as he stood in the smoldering ruins, surrounded by the corpses of their would-be killers, his crisp white shirt stained in blood, yet somehow still regal. "We'll meet again," he'd said, his voice calm, almost amused.
Now, with the scent of ash behind them, the trio made their way to the next unknown.
---
Unbeknownst to them, they were being followed. Nysa—the witch who had once been a silent observer in the supernatural council—had been tailing them since the confrontation in town. She had watched, waited, and doubted the council's verdict. While the others declared Kian a threat, she saw something else: a possibility. A change.
She had seen the tremble in his hands as he refused to drain a helpless human. She noticed the fear in his eyes when he'd protected Selene, not out of power, but out of desperation. That wasn't the mark of a monster. That was the struggle of someone trying to stay human.
Now, she made her move.
When the trio stopped near the woods bordering an old abandoned church to rest, a whisper of wind signaled her approach.
"Don't scream," Nysa said as she stepped out of the darkness, her cloak billowing.
Selene was up in a flash, fangs bared.
Kian put a hand on her arm. "Wait."
Rai just sighed. "Can we, for once, meet someone who doesn't want to kill us?"
Nysa raised her hands. "I'm not here to harm you. I've been following you. Watching. If I wanted you dead, you'd already be."
Kian looked her over. She was young—at least in appearance—with wise eyes and a calm demeanor. "Then what do you want?"
"To help you," she replied. "Not everyone on the council believes you're the end of us all. Some of us believe you may be our only hope."
Rai snorted. "Right. The last Nightborn is our savior. Didn't see that coming."
Nysa gave him a cold stare. "I don't care what you believe, Rai. But the council is hunting you, and soon, it won't just be hired killers or assassins. It will be worse. The Blood Hunters are coming."
The air turned still.
Selene swallowed. "How many?"
"Enough," Nysa said. "Enough to wipe out cities. They're not like other hunters. They're…unstoppable."
Kian looked around. "Then we can't stay here."
"No," Nysa agreed. "But I can offer sanctuary—for now. Come with me."
---
Nysa's hideout was hidden beneath the ruins of an old library, cloaked in layers of protection spells. As they descended into the underground chamber, candles flickered to life, illuminating dusty tomes, spell circles etched in stone, and relics humming with dormant magic.
"This is impressive," Selene admitted.
"Witches know how to stay hidden," Nysa said simply.
Rai plopped onto an old couch and raised a brow. "So, what now? You teach Kian how to throw fireballs and we defeat the supernatural Avengers?"
Nysa ignored his sarcasm. "No. But I can help him control what's already inside him."
Kian sat cross-legged near the center of the room. He closed his eyes. The room faded away in his mind. The screams, the blood, the overwhelming pull of his vampire instincts—they were all swirling like a storm.
"Focus," Nysa said, placing a hand on his chest. "Find the core of your power. Don't let it drown you."
He breathed in. His hands trembled. But slowly, ever so slowly, he felt the chaos inside him begin to settle.
Then, the silence shattered.
A blast tore through the outer wards.
Nysa's eyes widened. "They found us."
Selene ran to the edge of the chamber. "They're here."
Blood Hunters.
Dark figures in obsidian armor flooded the ruins. Their eyes glowed crimson. Each one bore ancient weapons designed to kill creatures like Kian. Like Selene.
Rai rolled his neck. "I was starting to get bored."
They fought. Hard.
Spells collided with blades. Fangs met steel. Blood splattered the stone walls. Kian unleashed a burst of shadow magic that disintegrated one of the hunters. Selene danced through the battlefield like a phantom, her movements precise and deadly. Rai was chaotic and wild, tackling two hunters at once, laughing despite the wounds.
But they were outnumbered. For every one they felled, two more took their place.
Nysa struggled to maintain the protective barriers.
Then, from the collapsing ceiling, a figure dropped.
Lucien.
Unscathed. Suited. And smiling.
"You children can't be left alone for too long," he said casually.
The Blood Hunters turned.
Lucien rolled his shoulders, his smile never fading. "Let me make this very clear—you've made a grave mistake."
He descended into the chaos like a vengeful god, tearing through the hunters with supernatural precision. Within minutes, the attackers were either dead or retreating.
When it was over, silence fell again.
Lucien straightened his suit, smoothing the blood from his sleeve. "You'll need to be more careful. They're getting desperate."
Kian, panting, nodded. "Thanks for showing up. Again."
Lucien turned to Nysa. "You've done well."
"I believe in him," she said quietly.
Lucien gave a short nod. "Good. Because this is far from over."
He looked at the three of them. "There's a war coming. And you need to be ready."
Kian met his gaze. "We will be."
Lucien turned to leave. "We'll meet again soon. Don't die until then."
Selene watched his silhouette vanish into the night. "He's so dramatic."
Rai grunted. "We'd be dead without him."
Nysa stepped forward. "You'll stay with me. For now. We'll train, and we'll prepare. But soon… we'll have to run again."
Kian looked at Selene and Rai.
Then, in the distance, a howl echoed.
Selene whispered, "They found us again."
Rai groaned. "Are they not tired of this?"