THE VAMPIRE CALLS
The war was coming, and I was standing squarely at the center of it. I could feel it in my blood, pulsing like a warning drumbeat through my veins. My mom never lied, and whenever she spoke, her words carried the weight of absolute truth.
"I want every werewolf in this clan to find my daughter's bracelet, no matter what," my father commanded the leaders of the knights. His voice was steel, unshakable, carrying the authority of a man who had lived and fought for every inch of power he held.
"Yes, Alpha," they replied, bowing and disappearing into the shadows of the great hall.
I watched my father leave, the tension in his shoulders a reflection of his concern. Swallowing hard, I asked, my voice trembling, "If Queen Serapha… I mean my grandmother… calls for war, would I have to fight, Dad?"
His eyes softened briefly, but the hardness of his alpha resolve returned almost immediately. "I'll do whatever I can to protect you," he said, his words both comforting and chilling. Then he was gone, leaving a silence that pressed down on me like a heavy cloak.
My mom remained at the edge of the room, her gaze fixed somewhere beyond the walls. It was as though she was staring into the folds of destiny itself, seeing the danger before it arrived.
"Mom, I'm heading to school," I said softly.
She didn't look at me. She only gave a slow, measured nod. That single motion was her acknowledgment and her warning all at once.
The ride to school was quiet, the streets glinting under the pale morning sun. I watched the world through the car window, but it felt distant, unreal, as though I were observing life from behind a veil. The missing bracelet weighed on my mind like a stone in my chest. My pendant glowed faintly, a ghost of its usual power, as though it were mourning the absence of its twin.
Class was an endless blur. I tried to focus, tried to force my thoughts onto my lessons, but everything reminded me of him—Liam. I tried to avoid him, to slip through the hallways unseen, but he found me anyway.
"What's wrong with you, Liora?" he asked, his voice low, cautious, but edged with concern.
"Do I look like I'm not fine?" I asked sharply, more defensive than I intended.
"It's just… ever since your bracelet went missing, you've been avoiding me," he said, his gaze locking onto mine.
I swallowed, feeling the warmth of his concern. My pendant pulsed faintly against my chest. It wasn't enough to contain my full self without the bracelet, and I felt the edges of my true nature pressing outward, restless and hungry.
"Look, I'm sorry I lost your bracelet. I'm sorry for questioning you," I admitted, unable to meet his eyes fully.
He studied me silently, his eyes like twin mirrors, reflecting parts of me I wasn't ready to face. I nodded, unable to find words.
"I'll find your bracelet for you… I promise," he said finally, and for the first time, I felt the sincerity behind his words like a small spark of warmth in the cold uncertainty around me.
The rest of the day passed in a haze. By the time I reached home, shadows were already pooling across the corridors of our mansion. Something felt off. A tension hummed in the air, sharp and prickling at my senses.
From the living room came voices—angry, sharp, unfamiliar. I crept closer, my heart hammering in my chest.
"I want what's best for her. Liora is not meant to be here. The werewolves have nothing to offer," the female voice said, smooth and poisonous.
"My daughter has everything she needs. You won't take her from me—I won't let you, as long as I'm alive," my mom replied, her voice trembling with anger, fear, and something else I couldn't name.
"Then I'll organize a very beautiful coffin for you to rest in," the voice said, a laugh curling through the words like smoke.
"Mom," I said, stepping forward, my voice small but steady.
Both women turned abruptly, their eyes landing on me with the shock of predators spotting prey.
"She looks so much like me," the stranger whispered, awe and possessiveness mixing in her tone.
"She's nothing like you," my mother shot back.
I felt my stomach tighten. My mind raced, trying to piece together the puzzle. Could it really be…? I forced myself not to jump to conclusions until I heard the truth from her own mouth.
"Who's she, Mom?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
"Queen Serapha. The Blood Empress," my mom said, the weight of the name pressing into my chest.
"Your grandma," Queen Serapha added, her tone sharp as a blade.
Goosebumps rippled across my skin. My mother's warning came back to me—the war was coming, and I would be at its center.
The front door slammed open, echoing through the house.
"Dad… just in time," I said, relief and fear tangled in my throat.
"What are you doing here?" my father's alpha voice rolled like thunder across the floor, making the walls tremble.
"Oh, Alpha. I bring no harm. I only came to speak with my little vampire," Queen Serapha said, her words dripping with darkness.
"She's my Luna. No one sees her without my permission," my father responded, each syllable like steel.
"Oh, fascinating. Let me remind you—she was my daughter before she became your Luna. She can't be your Luna forever, but she will always be my daughter," she hissed, stepping closer, eyes locked onto mine.
"Liora, go to your room and don't come out until I say so," my father ordered, his voice leaving no room for argument.
"No need for that. I was just about to leave," Queen Serapha replied, her gaze never leaving mine.
She approached slowly, deliberately, like a predator circling its prey. Her cold hands cupped my cheeks.
"You would really do your grandma a favor, no matter how much your parents try to hide you. Your blood belongs to me—it's mine," she whispered, sending shivers down my spine.
Tears blurred my vision. Fear coiled in my chest, tight and suffocating.
"Stay away from my daughter!" my father roared. In an instant, he wolfed out, transforming into his alpha form, massive and imposing, teeth bared, eyes glowing with protective fury.
Other wolves of the clan joined him, bursting into the room in their wolf forms, hackles raised, ready to defend me with their lives.
Queen Serapha paused, her eyes flicking to my mother for a moment of silent confrontation. Then, with shocking speed, she drew a tiny knife, slicing my arm. Blood welled up instantly, and she captured it in a small container.
Everything happened in the blink of an eye. My father lunged with a ferocious roar, but Queen Serapha vanished, morphing into a tiny bat that darted out of the room.
"I curse the day she became my mother," my mom said, tears streaking her face.