THE WASHINGTON FAMILY

THEPROPHECY

Then the lights suddenly went out. Everyone inside the room froze. A sound came from the darkness. Slow footsteps. The soldiers raised their weapons. "Who's there?" No answer. Then someone whispered, "Run." The soldiers turned toward the Prime Minister. "Sir, we need to leave." But before they could move, the door exploded. A figure entered. The soldiers opened fire. Bullets flew through the room. But the figure continued walking. One soldier fired directly into his chest. The man looked down at the bullet hole. Then he smiled. "Humans." He pulled the bullet from his chest. "You've become brave." The soldiers stepped backward. The Prime Minister recognized him. His face appeared in the old photographs. "Damon..." Damon looked at him. "You know my name." The Prime Minister couldn't speak. Damon walked toward the table. He picked up the old book. "You've been investigating my family." He closed it. "That's dangerous." The Prime Minister swallowed. "Why are you here?" Damon looked at him. "I want something." "What?" "Information." "About what?" Damon leaned closer. "My brothers." The Prime Minister ordered every intelligence agency in Britain to search their archives. Damon wanted information about his brothers. But there was one problem. Every record concerning the Washington family had been destroyed. Or so they thought. A young historian named Edward Clarke discovered something hidden beneath an old church in London. It was a small stone chamber. Inside was a wooden box. Edward opened it. A strange symbol was carved into the lid. Four circles. One for each brother. He opened the box. Inside was a piece of black parchment. Edward began reading. "The Washington bloodline shall be destroyed." His hands began shaking. He continued. "When one falls, the creature shall awaken." "The world shall tremble." "When all four return..." Edward stopped. There was another sentence. His face turned pale. "Death itself shall bow." Suddenly, the door behind him closed. Edward turned. Nobody was there. Then he heard breathing. He slowly looked toward the corner. A shadow stood there. "Who are you?" The shadow moved. Edward stepped backward. "Don't come closer." The figure stepped into the light. It was Nathan. Edward dropped the parchment. Nathan picked it up. "Where did you find this?" Edward couldn't answer. Nathan grabbed him by the collar. "Tell me." "Beneath the church." Nathan stared at the parchment. "Who else knows about this?" "Nobody." Nathan released him. "Good." Edward looked at him. "What are you going to do?" Nathan looked toward the window. "Prevent the prophecy." With the prophecy, Nathan returned to the mansion. Damon was sitting beside the fireplace. "You found something," Damon said. Nathan threw the parchment onto the table. Damon picked it up. He read it. His expression slowly changed. "You're joking." "No." Damon read it again. "When all four return..." He looked at Nathan. "Death itself shall bow." Nathan nodded. "We have to find Lazarus." Damon smiled. "You finally understand." Nathan looked at him. "But we have another problem." "What?" "Nicole." Damon frowned. "What about him?" Nathan pointed toward the empty chair. "His body is gone." Suddenly—"THUMP." The mansion shook. Damon and Nathan looked at each other. Another sound came from upstairs. "THUMP." Then a third. "THUMP." Nathan whispered, "Someone is coming." The brothers prepared themselves. The front door slowly opened. Cold air entered the mansion. A man stood outside. His clothes were covered in blood. His eyes glowed red. Damon recognized him immediately. "Nathan..." Nathan looked at him. The man stepped inside. He lifted his head. It was Nicole. But something was different. His eyes were completely black. His voice was deeper. And a strange mark had appeared across his chest. Damon stepped backward. "You..." Nicole smiled. "Did you really think breaking my heart would kill me?" Damon stared at him. Nicole walked toward them. "You forgot something." Damon looked at him. "What?" Nicole smiled. "I am a Washington." He looked at the three empty chairs. "And the Washington family..." His eyes began glowing. "...doesn't die." Damon clenched his fists. Nathan prepared to attack. Nicole raised his hand. "Don't." The brothers stopped. Nicole looked toward the ceiling. "Something is coming." The mansion began shaking violently. The windows shattered. The floor cracked. A deep roar echoed from beneath the earth. Damon looked at Nicole. "What did you do?" Nicole smiled. "I didn't do anything." Then the ground split open. A massive black hand emerged from beneath the mansion. The three brothers stared at it. Nathan whispered, "That isn't human." Nicole's expression became serious. "No." Damon stepped backward. "Then what is it?" Nicole looked toward the darkness beneath them. "The reason our mother made the deal." The creature began pulling itself from the earth. Its enormous body covered the entire room. Its eyes opened. And every light in the mansion went out. Nicole whispered, "Now..." "...the real war begins." Far away, across the world, another pair of eyes opened. Then another. And another. The Washington family had awakened. But they were not the only ones. Something ancient had awakened with them. Something that had been waiting for centuries. Waiting for the right blood. Waiting for the right family. Waiting for the King. And somewhere in the darkness, a voice whispered, "Let the hunt begin."