---
Year 1345
The Hundred Years' War between England and France had grown increasingly intense. A brutal battle erupted near Auberoche, in southern France.
Alek appeared in an army uniform, gripping a hand cannon. Kneeling among a crowd of soldiers, he fired into the air before drawing a dagger and charging into the enemy ranks, cutting them down as if they were nothing.
---
Present Day
Alek was preparing to leave the house when Lydia entered.
"You abducted me. Maybe you should find something to wear," she said.
"I gave you a chance to leave, but you didn't," Alek replied calmly.
"Then take me to town yourself."
Alek stepped outside but paused, then returned. "If you can keep up," he said, turning and walking away.
Moments later, the two were seen walking down a busy street. The noise and crowd signaled they had entered a market area. Lydia glanced around and stopped at a shop, her eyes locking onto a gown. She admired it quietly.
A man in a wide-brimmed hat appeared behind her and asked, "Möchten Sie das Kleid kaufen, junge Dame?"
Startled, she responded, "I don't speak your language," pointing to her mouth.
Alek answered smoothly, "Wie viel möchten Sie für dieses Kleid haben?"
The man smiled. "Ich möchte Ihnen das Kleid für 35 Dollar anbieten."
"Pack es ein," Alek said. The man nodded and began packing the dress in a bag.
As they walked away, Lydia asked, "What language was that?"
"German."
"And how did you learn to speak it?"
"I've lived many lives, and been many people. Language is the least of what I've learned—philosopher, royal, pirate, soldier, tibia player... and more."
"Sounds like you've had a long time to learn."
"I'm older than time itself," he replied.
The shopkeeper handed the bag to Lydia, and they continued on, heading for the Count's mansion.
---
Ethan sat in the living room, waiting for Alek. Moments later, Alek arrived—with Lydia beside him.
Almost immediately, a black Maria van pulled up outside the gate. Captain Nolan stepped out and entered the living room.
"Sorry for the intrusion. I'm looking for an Ethan D'Oreal Count."
"You might be in the right place," Ethan replied.
Nolan's eyes landed on Lydia, and his expression hardened. He approached her.
"What's your name, young lady?" he asked.
"Lydia Jameson," she replied.
He snapped, "She's the missing person from the Blue Nile crime scene!" Turning to Ethan, he demanded, "Care to explain why she's in your house?"
Alek stepped forward. "Officer."
Nolan turned toward him, catching Alek's gaze.
"She is part of the family. She was never at the club. She was never missing."
A subtle glow flickered in Alek's eyes. Nolan's expression changed as he extended a hand.
"Nice to meet you, Miss Lydia."
She shook his hand, confused.
Nolan turned back to Ethan. "Sir, I could really use your help."
"What kind of help?" Ethan asked.
"You once told me I'd be catching a beast, not a man. The killings are getting out of hand." He dropped a stack of photographs into Ethan's hands.
Ethan glanced at Alek, who met his eyes with a cold, unreadable stare.
"I'll find the killer," Ethan said, "and I'll bring them to you, Captain Nolan."
"Thank you, mister," Nolan said, then exited the mansion.
("Higher" by Ruelle begins to play faintly in the background.)
Alek turned to Ethan. "I think I'm the beast your police officer wants to catch, Detective."
Ethan smirked. "Maybe you're not. I think we need to visit the witches."
Alek nodded. "Shall we?"
As they stood to leave, Alek pointed toward Lydia and said to Clarissa, "Hey, sis. She's mine to kill. Don't lay a finger on her. She's not your meal. And tell Caleb not to sleep with her—she's not a whore."
Lisa responded dryly, "I've had my fill today."
---
Alek and Ethan walked side by side, their strides matching as if by instinct. They both opened umbrellas in sync as they stepped into the rainy streets.
---
The sanctuary was busy that day. Young men and women in white cloaks sat in circles, chanting in ancient tongues—novices, clearly.
Alek and Ethan were halted at the entrance by witches in black cloaks.
"Tell the Stryalin Bearer we're here—the Count family," Alek said.
Nearby novices whispered, "They look so pale... but so hot and sexy."
Their superior walked past and muttered, "They can hear you, you know. They're vampires."
Ethan smiled. Alek smirked.
A man with a warrior's build stepped forward. "The Stryalin Bearer is ready to see you."
He was the Sword, one of the seven Idars of the sanctuary, blessed with the warrior's gift. They followed him into an inner chamber, where Annabelle sat on a throne.
"Everyone, leave us," Annabelle commanded.
Rhenna stood, defiant. "Private audience with the Count vampires is dangerous."
Alek approached her slowly, avoiding contact. "You value those eyes, don't you? What happens to your vision if I take them?"
Displeased, Rhenna stepped out.
Ethan greeted her. "Long time, Annabelle."
"What brings you here?" she asked.
"We think the killer is a witch," Alek said.
"My people are accountable to me. This didn't happen under Silas's rule," she replied.
Ethan pulled out the photos and a sketch of a trigram symbol he'd seen on the killer.
"What do you make of this?" he asked.
Alek added, "Only witches are obsessed with signs and symbols."
Annabelle examined the evidence, her face growing pale.
"This isn't the work of a witch," she said. "It's a druid."
She stood. "Come."
They followed her into another inner chamber.
---
Meanwhile, Lydia paced the mansion's living room, visibly restless.
Lisa, watching her, finally asked, "What does my brother want with you?"
Lydia turned. "He abducted me from the Blue Nile bar where I worked and lived. That's all I can say."
"And you know he's a bloody vampire?" Lisa asked.
"Yes—and I know you and your siblings betrayed his trust even with the way he always wanted to protect you."
Lisa, surprised, replied, "Maybe you're right. Now I see why Aleksander hasn't killed you yet."
"Why's that?"
"Your charisma is... overwhelming. Even knowing I could kill you with a single strike doesn't make you flinch."
"I think I'm starting to enjoy being abducted by a vampire."
Lisa walked to the dining table. "Alek is a double-edged sword. Pray your luck doesn't run out, or you won't even get a proper burial."
In her mind, she added, This human is lucky. She might even be Alek's redemption—if he still believes in such a thing.
She poured grape wine into a glass and handed it to Lydia. Then she poured blood into another for herself.
Raising her glass, Lisa said, "Cheers."
They drank.
Lydia asked, "What does blood taste like?"
"Metallic. Electrifying," Lisa replied.
---
At the sanctuary, a blind woman with dilated pupils traced her hands over a vase. Speaking in ancient tongues, she caused a plant to sprout, bloomed in a very beautiful flower , and wither in seconds. The atmosphere shifted as Annabelle entered with Alek and Ethan.
"Panic not, Seeker, they come in peace ," Annabelle said gently.
The woman, the Seeker—one of the seven Idars—remained calm.
Annabelle placed the photos and the symbol sketch in front of her.
Alek scoffed. "You're wasting our time. What do you expect a blind woman to see?"
The Seeker interrupted, "I know this. These killings are ritual—performed by druids."
"Druids and witches are the same. God-forsaken beings," Ethan muttered.
The Seeker replied, "A witch can become a druid, but they are not the same. Druids draw power from nature. We witches, from our ancestors."
Ethan pointed at the symbol. "What does this mean?"
"That's a trigram. Druids believe it represents the cycle of birth, life, and death. If such an extinct species still exists, New Orleans is on the edge of a new chaos."
Ethan described the killer he'd seen: no eyes, muddy face, symbols scrawled across it.
"That's not a druid," the Seeker said. "That's a Grayman."
Annabelle sighed. "A Grayman is a servant forged from the souls of the dead. Only druids have that power."
Alek nodded. "So I'm not hunting a witch, but a dark druid. How do we catch him?"
Annabelle answered, "Uncover the purpose of the killings. Druids follow patterns. That's your key."
"Thank you," Alek said.
---
That evening, the atmosphere in the mansion was calm. The family sat at the dining table—Caleb included, having appeared from nowhere. Lydia sat at the edge, quiet and deep in thought.
Lisa tapped her shoulder. "You look like your mind is in a dilemma."
Lydia straightened and smiled at Alek.
Alek spoke coldly, "The Count is running thin. He who is closer than blood and subtler than water will come for us all."
Caleb scoffed. "When did you start sounding like a witch?"
Alek responded, "The joke is that Rhenna, the Eye of the Witches, saw a vision—our family will be destroyed by someone close to us."
Lisa frowned. "We're immortals. We can't die."
Ethan interjected, "The only one here who can't die... is Aleksander, we never became immortal untill father died ."
Alek looked at Lydia, then compelled her to leave the table.
Once she was gone, he continued, "What you don't know is that I wiped out entire histories to protect us. Most vampires don't even realize—only a primordial can kill a primordial."
Ethan leaned forward. "Are you saying one of us might be the killer?"
"You're the last person I'd suspect," Alek replied.
Ethan pressed, "Everything that could harm us was in your possession, Alek. Where's the Inferno Blade?"
"I destroyed it—alongside Father's body."
"Then maybe the killer found something new. Mountain ash can bind us. Silver and aconite poison us."
"Our weaknesses aren't revealed to humans—or even to most supernatural beings," Alek said. "But if Rhenna's vision is coming true... we're in trouble."
Ethan nodded. "The killer must have a motive. If druids follow a pattern, we can get ahead of him."
Alek stood. "Then a map will help, the pattern must be on it ."
Just then, someone walked in, arms wide open.
"So this is the Count's mansion," the figure said.
The family turned—and their expressions froze in disbelief.
In unison, they said, "Renfield."