"You had a good night, didn't you?" Celestia said, her feline smile shining brighter than the morning sun spilling through the living room window.
Nathael stepped out of Kate's room shirtless, his torso defined by lean muscle, skin still damp from a recent shower. He ran a hand through his tousled brown hair and smiled.
"Yes," he said, voice low and satisfied. "It was a good night."
Just then, the door opened again.
Kate appeared, cheeks flushed deep red, eyes downcast, hair still wet. She wore a thick robe, as if trying to hide even her shadow. Seeing Celestia watching her with that smug expression, she froze.
"I'm going to… make breakfast," she murmured, trying to slip past without looking at Nathael.
But Celestia wasn't letting her escape so easily.
"You could've at least made less noise," she said with a soft laugh—just clear enough for Kate to stumble mid-step.
"I'm sorry!" Kate stammered, nearly sprinting toward the kitchen, head down, fingers clenched at her sides.
Now dressed in his signature white linen shirt—first button undone, as always—Nathael raised an eyebrow at Celestia.
"Did we really make noise?"
Celestia stretched on the windowsill where she sat, tail swaying with feline grace.
"With my sharp ears, of course I heard you. But for the others… I doubt they heard a thing. You two were… quite 'enthusiastic.' And everyone else was sound asleep long before midnight."
Nathael chuckled softly, adjusting his cuffs.
"Well, at least we didn't wake them."
Just then, the other bedroom doors opened.
Draco, Hermione, and Carrie emerged one after another—still sleepy-eyed, but standing straighter than the day before. Carrie, in particular, walked with her spine perfectly aligned, as if an invisible wand were stitched to her backbone.
They ate breakfast in silence at first—fresh bread, scrambled eggs, black coffee. Kate, still flustered, avoided looking directly at Nathael, though she refilled his cup with a shy smile.
"Today, you'll train in the garden," Nathael said after his last toast. "Endurance drills. Stamina. Resilience under magical and physical stress."
Draco and Hermione nodded, ready to begin the day. Carrie lowered her eyes, but her fingers tightened around her mug, as if bracing herself.
"In the meantime," Nathael continued, "Celestia and I will take a walk through Forks. There are things I need to check."
They finished eating. Nathael put on his black jacket; Celestia her small blue cape. They got into the rental car and drove through Forks' damp streets. Fog draped the pines like an eternal veil, and the gray sky promised more rain. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary—no magical traces, no strange signs. Nothing.
Until they neared the high school.
Forks High.
Nathael slowed as they passed the entrance. Students streamed in groups—laughing, tossing footballs, hugging. A perfectly normal scene. Too normal.
Then they both felt it.
Celestia wrinkled her nose.
"Smells like vampires."
Nathael frowned, eyes narrowing at the school.
"Curious," he murmured. "For cold blood to be in a high school. They usually stay hidden from human eyes. They hunt them… to feed."
"There are at least five," Celestia said, tail stiffening. "All inside."
Nathael nodded. Unusual. Vampires didn't gather like this—especially not in such exposed places, surrounded by such easy, young, defenseless prey.
"We'll take a look," he said, parking the car on a side street.
With a subtle Confundus Charm cast into the air, they slipped past unnoticed—just another student and his cat.
They walked the school halls. Teens glanced curiously at the cat in a cape and the intense-eyed man, then looked away as if nothing were amiss.
Then they saw him.
In a hallway corner by the lockers stood a pale boy—sharp features, golden eyes glowing with unnatural light. Tall, elegant, with a dancer's posture. Beside him stood a human girl—young, pale, dark brown hair, brown eyes, thin and slightly clumsy.
Nathael and Celestia said nothing. They passed by lightly, without stopping.
But as they walked away, the boy turned his head.
"Edward, are you okay?" the girl asked softly.
"Yes," Edward said, eyes still fixed on Nathael. "Everything's fine."
Outside the school, Nathael stopped by the car.
"I'd planned to eliminate the cold blood," he said quietly. "To win the Quileute's favor. But…"
"I sensed no malice in him," Celestia finished his thought. "Nor in the girl. They're… different."
"Yes," Nathael agreed. "He's trying to live normally. The color of his eyes shows he doesn't hunt humans. He's no threat."
"Although," Celestia added, "I don't think he's the vampire who watched Carrie and the others yesterday."
"You think there are others?"
"There are four more inside the school," Celestia said. "They feel like him. But there may be hostile ones elsewhere."
Nathael looked at her. Then nodded.
"Then we'll keep our eyes open."
They got back in the car and drove along the forest road. The fog grew thicker there, the silence deeper.
But then—
A thunderous crash.
Something slammed into their side with impossible force. The car lifted off the ground, spun midair, and crashed meters ahead, skidding on its side, metal screeching against earth.
But Nathael and Celestia were no longer inside.
They'd Apparated an instant before impact.
They appeared twenty meters from the wrecked vehicle, standing on damp moss, unharmed.
Celestia smiled.
"Speaking of hostile vampires…"
Three figures emerged from the trees.
The first: an African-American vampire, tall, long braided dreadlocks, eyes red as embers.
The second: a redheaded woman, wild curls cascading to her waist, crimson lips, feral gaze.
The third: a fair-haired man, surfer's build, long blond hair, a smile revealing sharp fangs.
All with blood-red eyes. All hungry.
The blond stepped forward, sniffing the air.
"It's been a long time since I tasted a wizard's blood," he said, voice rough. "And never that of a magical beast."
Celestia snorted.
"I'm not just any magical beast."
The three vampires froze.
"She talks!" the redhead exclaimed, eyes wide.
"And not only that," the African-American said with a guttural laugh. "If she speaks… her blood must be rare. Flavorful. Pure."
The hunger in their eyes intensified.
Nathael smiled. He rolled his neck, regarding the three with a look not of fear—but challenge.
"You know what, Celestia?" he said, never taking his eyes off them. "I think we should play a little… before we kill them."
Celestia grinned, revealing her own fangs—sharp as her claws.
"Only if I get the blond. I always hate the ones who talk too much."
The vampires growled, baring their fangs.