Mystique Luna

I puff a smoke after chugging my wine, feeling the heat run through my throat. The lively chatter and clinking glasses fill the grand hall as the celebration for the Head Council’s birthday reaches its peak. I don’t usually attend such gatherings, not after what happened a decade ago. But this is the only way I can trace the man who owes me a huge debt—one I intend to collect with blood. "You never change after five years. Still a loner," a voice comments behind me. I don’t bother turning around. Just by the voice alone, I already know who it is. "Hm, coming from you?" I retort, turning slightly and blowing a stream of smoke straight into his face. He coughs, waving his hand to disperse the smoke, then glares at me with deep annoyance. I smirk, satisfied by his reaction. "Can you quit smoking, Irina?" he demands. I shrug. "I rarely smoke these days. Only when I'm stressed." And being around these people certainly doesn’t help. "Anyway, did you find him already?" he asked, changing the subject. I shake my head. I’ve been searching for that man for so long, yet I still haven’t found a single lead. But I will. No matter what, I will find him. He will pay the price for killing the most precious people in my life. Suddenly, the grand doors burst open with a deafening crash, silencing the festive atmosphere. A gust of wind sweeps through the hall, knocking over decorations and flickering the chandeliers above. Then the scent hits me—iron and decay. Vampires. Screams erupt as figures clad in dark cloaks rush in, their eyes glowing like embers in the dim light. Chaos breaks loose. Council guards draw their weapons, engaging in battle, but the vampires move too fast, cutting through them like paper. I toss my cigar aside and draw my twin daggers, already anticipating the fight. A vampire lunges at me, fangs bared, but I sidestep, slashing my blade across its throat. Blackened blood splatters across the marble floor as its body crumples. Another one comes at me, this time more feral. I duck, spinning low and slicing through its knee before driving my second dagger into its chest. It screeches before turning into ash. The hall is drenched in screams, blood, and clashing weapons. More vampires pour in, overwhelming the guards. A streak of movement catches my eye—one of them is coming straight for me. I brace myself, but before I can strike, it’s already on me, pinning me against the pillar. Fangs flash dangerously close to my neck. My arms are restrained, my dagger knocked from my grip. I struggle, but the creature is too strong. Just as its teeth graze my skin— A blade slices clean through its head. The body collapses, leaving me gasping. My gaze snaps to my savior, and my breath catches in my throat. A man stands before me, his sword dripping with vampire blood. The flickering lights cast shadows across his face, but something about him feels hauntingly familiar. I know him. But from where? "Damn it. They really dared," Zion commented, his wolf growling. His fists clenched, eyes darkening as he surveyed the bloodstained floor and the bodies scattered across the grand hall. The scent of iron and death thickened in the air. The surviving guests huddled together, some crying, others too shocked to move. The guards were struggling to hold the line, but the vampires kept coming, relentless and hungry. I wiped the back of my hand across my lips, my heart still pounding from the close call. My gaze flickered back to the man who had saved me. His posture was rigid, his grip on his sword firm as he eyed the remaining vampires with a deadly calm. "You—" I started, but he didn't look at me. Instead, he took a step forward, rolling his shoulders as if preparing for another wave. "Later," he said with a deep and steady voice. "Right now, we finish this." Zion let out a scoff, shifting slightly to stand beside me. "You better not slow us down, stranger." The man finally turned his head slightly, just enough for me to catch a glimpse of his sharp, piercing eyes. A jolt of familiarity shot through me, but before I could dwell on it, another group of vampires lunged. I grabbed my fallen dagger and dove back into the fight. One vampire came at me, claws swiping, but I ducked, twisting my body to avoid its strike before driving my blade up through its ribs. It screeched, its body convulsing before disintegrating into ash. Zion shifted mid-air, his wolf form tearing through a vampire’s throat, blood spraying in a gruesome arc. He landed gracefully, growling as another rushed him. With a powerful swipe, he sent it crashing into the pillar. The stranger moved like a phantom—silent, precise, lethal. His sword sliced through vampires with practiced ease, cutting them down before they could even react. But no matter how many we killed, more kept coming. "This isn't a normal attack," I gritted out, kicking a vampire away before slicing its throat. "They're after something. Or someone." "Or they just want chaos," Zion muttered, shaking off blood from his fur. Then, just as suddenly as it began, the vampires halted. Those that remained alive retreated, vanishing into the night as if summoned away. The eerie silence left behind was almost more unsettling than the battle itself. I turned, my eyes locking onto the man who had saved me. He stood a few feet away, his sword still dripping with blood, his gaze fixed on me now. That face. Those eyes. Recognition hit me like a blow to the chest. "You..." My voice trailed off, my grip tightening on my dagger. It can't be.