Astrid, her long blonde hair cascading down her back like a river of gold, strode into the dimly lit chamber, her eyes fixed on the figure seated on the throne-like chair. Valentin, his piercing gaze and chiseled features radiating an aura of authority, raised an eyebrow as she approached.
"Report, Astrid," he commanded, his deep voice echoing through the room.
Astrid bowed her head, her fangs glinting in the flickering candlelight. "We failed, Valentin. The human was not alone. A witch intervened, and we were forced to retreat."
Valentin's expression turned glacial. "A witch, you say? That's unfortunate. We can't have our plans foiled by a mere witch."
Astrid hesitated, her eyes darting around the room as if searching for an escape from the weight of her failure. "She was...different, Valentin. Her powers were unlike anything I've seen before. She banished us back to our territory with a mere thought."
Valentin's gaze narrowed, his mind working overtime. "I see. And what of the human? Did you gather any information about him?"
Astrid shook her head, her ponytail swishing behind her. "No, Valentin. The witch appeared too quickly. We barely had time to react before we were sent back."
Valentin's eyes flashed with annoyance, but his voice remained calm. "Very well, Astrid. Your failure will not go unpunished."
Valentin's gaze lingered on Astrid, his mind racing with the implications of their failure. "Astrid, I must know, did the witch overhear anything about our plans for the human?"
Astrid shook her head, her eyes wide with understanding. "No, Valentin. We didn't mention a word about turning him. We barely had time to react before she intervened."
Valentin's expression turned thoughtful, his fingers drumming against the armrest. "Good. That's good. We can't risk the Witch Queen finding out about our plans. Not yet, at least."
Astrid nodded, her gaze fixed on Valentin, waiting for his next orders.
Valentin's eyes glazed over, his mind consumed by the potential threat the witch posed. After a moment of deliberation, he spoke, his voice cold and calculated. "Astrid, I want the witch eliminated. We can't risk her reporting back to the Witch Queen. See to it personally."
Astrid nodded, her expression unyielding. "As you command, Valentin."
She turned to leave, but hesitated, her gaze flicking back to Valentin. "And the human, Valentin? Should we forget about him?"
Valentin's response was immediate, his voice unwavering. "No, Astrid. Bring him to me. I want him turned. The sooner, the better."
Astrid's eyes flashed with understanding, and she bowed her head. "It will be done, Valentin."
With that, she turned and exited the chamber, leaving Valentin to his dark thoughts and sinister plans.
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Elena's dorm room was bathed in silence, the only sound the soft hum of the lamp on her desk. Ricky sat on the edge of her bed, his eyes fixed on the floor, his mind reeling from the revelations. Elena stood by the window, her gaze lost in the darkness outside, her thoughts consumed by the vampires' intentions.
Ricky's thoughts swirled with the supernatural world Elena had introduced him to. Vampires, witches - it was too much to process. He couldn't shake off the feeling that his life was in danger, that he was a potential target in a world he didn't understand.
Elena, sensing his turmoil, gave him space, her eyes never leaving the window. She wondered what the vampires wanted, why they were targeting humans. They could take anyone, and it seemed they had chosen Ricky at random. She knew she had to protect him, but from what, she wasn't entirely sure.
The silence between them stretched, a heavy blanket of uncertainty that neither dared to lift, each lost in their own thoughts, waiting for the other to break the silence.
Elena's hand moved instinctively to her phone, her thumb hovering over the screen as she debated who to call. Her mother, Zephyrine, was the obvious choice - a powerful witch and someone Elena trusted implicitly. She took a deep breath and dialed the number, her eyes never leaving Ricky's worried face.
As the phone rang, Elena's mind raced with the events of the past few hours. The vampires' attack, Ricky's narrow escape, and the eerie feeling that something bigger was at play. When Zephyrine's voice answered, warm and reassuring, Elena's felt a sense of relief wash over her.
"Mother, it's me, Elena. I need to talk to you about something," she said, her voice low and urgent.
Zephyrine's tone shifted, concern etched in her words. "What is it, Elena? What's wrong?"
Elena took a deep breath, launching into the story the vampires' ambush, Ricky's involvement, and the strange sensation that they were after something specific. Zephyrine listened attentively, her silence punctuated by occasional murmurs of understanding.
Ricky's eyes never left Elena's face, his expression a mask of worry and fear. He seemed to be absorbing every word, his mind racing with the implications.
As Elena finished speaking, Zephyrine's voice came on the line, calm and authoritative. "Elena, I'll look into it. I'll see what I can find out. But it's possible it was just a random attack. We can't assume…"
"No, Mother," Elena interrupted, her voice firm. "They wanted the human. They specifically targeted him. I can feel it."
Zephyrine's pause was palpable, her thoughts working overtime. "I see. Well, I'll investigate. I'll talk to some people. We'll get to the bottom of this, Elena. Don't worry."
Elena nodded, even though her mother couldn't see her. "Thank you, Mother. I appreciate it."
The call ended, and Elena's gaze met Ricky's, her eyes searching for answers that neither of them had.
Ricky's laughter broke the tension, a dry, humorless sound. "Human," he repeated, chuckling. "I never thought I'd be referred to as a species."
Elena's expression turned defensive, her eyes narrowing. "What's that supposed to mean?"
Ricky shrugged, his amusement fading. "Just that I thought we were all...human. And you've been keeping this huge secret from me."
Elena's face softened, her gaze apologetic. "Ricky, it's not like that. I didn't keep it from you because I was hiding's things. It's just...humans aren't supposed to know about us. About the supernatural world."
Ricky's eyebrows shot up. "What do you mean? You're saying this is some kind of secret society?"
Elena nodded, her voice barely above a whisper. "Something like that. We've always kept our existence hidden from humans. It's just how it's always been."
Ricky's frustration was palpable. "So, you're saying I'm just some kind of...accident? A mistake?"
Elena's eyes locked onto his, her expression empathetic. "No, Ricky. This wasn't supposed to happen. You weren't supposed to be attacked. And I wasn't supposed to...interfere."
Ricky's gaze narrowed, his mind racing. "So, what can you do, exactly? And do vampires and witches always hate each other like in the legends?"
Elena's lips parted, her voice hesitant. "I...I can explain, Ricky. But it's complicated. And as for the legends...well, they're not entirely true. But not entirely false either."