Vampire Lover

Chapter 4: Blood Pact

The city buzzed with a rare energy as preparations for the Witches’ Festival, a sacred event, began in full swing. Lanterns of every shade lined the streets, mystical symbols were painted on the cobblestones, and vendors sold charms and enchanted trinkets to the influx of travelers and tourists, unaware of the supernatural origins behind the festival. The festival was a time for witches to come together, honor their ancestors, and extend their blessings to the human communities. It was also an occasion that presented Li Mo with a rare opportunity.

In the days leading up to the festival, she had followed Furiana’s advice, carefully selecting small gifts for the witches she hoped to approach. This act of offering was deeply rooted in custom; it symbolized respect and goodwill, qualities she would need if she were to gain any valuable insights about breaking Lu Chi’s curse.

Li Mo found herself standing in the bustling marketplace, her hands full of carefully wrapped packages. She could feel the weight of their significance and the delicate balance between her intentions and the risks involved. Glancing at the charms and colorful amulets sold at nearby stalls, she considered what she knew about the witches. They were powerful, yet guarded, and though they did not have the same enmity toward vampires as the Bloodhunters, their interactions were often fraught with suspicion and tension.

Among her Bloodhunter peers, most viewed the witches with a mix of respect and distrust. While the witches possessed knowledge that could aid Bloodhunters, their motives and loyalties often remained unclear. Li Mo hoped, however, that she might be able to connect with them on a different level, without the same prejudice or hostility.

Yet as she mulled over her plans, Li Mo caught snippets of a conversation between two hunters passing nearby.

“Did you hear? Bu Jia is back in town,” one of them whispered, looking around as if fearing his own words might summon the vampire.

Li Mo froze, the name jolting through her like a lightning bolt. Bu Jia, Lu Chi’s sire, a vampire who haunted both Bloodhunter lore and the nightmares of anyone who had dared to cross him. The tales of his atrocities, his power, and his insatiable bloodlust were enough to make even the most hardened hunter hesitate. For Bu Jia to be back in the city meant one thing: danger had returned.

She listened carefully, doing her best to remain inconspicuous.

“Do they know why he’s here?” the other asked in hushed tones.

“Some say it’s personal business. Others think he’s here to make a statement — you know, a warning,” the first hunter replied.

Li Mo didn’t need further details to understand the gravity of the situation. If Bu Jia was in the city, it meant trouble not only for the Bloodhunters but for anyone involved with vampires. The city’s hidden supernatural world was already on edge, and his presence threatened to shatter the fragile equilibrium they maintained with the human world.

But perhaps, Li Mo thought, Bu Jia’s presence was more than a mere threat. Given his relationship with Lu Chi, Bu Jia might hold the very knowledge she was seeking. Her heart raced at the thought. This was a dangerous idea, a reckless gamble. Approaching him could cost her life, yet it might be the key to freeing Lu Chi from his curse.

Days passed, and the festival finally began. Witches from across the region gathered in their ceremonial robes, some adorned with symbolic trinkets and ancient charms. Li Mo observed them, noting how their eyes gleamed with a power both inviting and intimidating. She had selected a particular witch, a figure known for her connections to ancient lore, as her first point of contact.

Approaching with humility, she extended her gift, a delicately wrapped sachet containing rare herbs and a silver amulet. The witch examined her with a curious gaze, accepting the offering and signaling for Li Mo to speak.

“I seek knowledge,” Li Mo began carefully, “of old curses and of the means to reverse them.” She chose her words with caution, knowing that any hint of desperation might be viewed as weakness.

The witch raised an eyebrow, her voice smooth and distant. “The knowledge you seek is old and guarded, not to be shared lightly. Curses are woven into the essence of those they touch; to unravel them is to disrupt a very bond of existence.”

Li Mo nodded, already aware of the magnitude of what she was asking. But she was undeterred. “If there was someone who could help, someone who might understand these ancient magics, could you tell me where I might find them?”

The witch seemed to consider this, her gaze steady on Li Mo’s face. “Perhaps,” she replied, her tone as elusive as smoke. “There are those who descend from the ancient lineages, the very blood of the first witches. But they are hidden, protected from seekers like you.”

Li Mo’s heart sank. She had anticipated difficulty, but the weight of her task loomed even heavier now. The witch noted her expression, adding with a hint of sympathy, “The path you walk is perilous. But… there may be a chance. Tomorrow, during the festival’s final rites, the oldest among us will gather. They are the keepers of the oldest magics. It is a time when even secrets may rise to the surface, though they come at a price.”

Thanking the witch, Li Mo withdrew, her mind whirling with this new information. Tomorrow, she would need to find a way to speak with those elders, to gather the knowledge she so desperately sought.

Yet as she left the festival grounds, her thoughts turned once more to Bu Jia. His return could not be a mere coincidence. Something told her that his appearance here was tied to her quest, though she was loath to think what it might mean. It was then that she felt a presence, an ominous, almost predatory gaze, watching her from the shadows.

She quickened her pace, darting into a side alley. A figure emerged from the darkness, moving with a speed and grace that was unmistakable. It was Bu Jia himself, his expression one of casual amusement as he blocked her path.

“Little Bloodhunter,” he purred, his voice a low rumble. “What is a creature like you doing so far from your flock?”

Li Mo’s heart pounded, but she forced herself to stand tall, meeting his gaze with defiance. “I walk where I please,” she replied, her voice steady.

Bu Jia laughed, a cold, chilling sound that echoed in the narrow alley. “Such spirit,” he mused. “I see now why Lu Chi was so captivated by you.” He tilted his head, regarding her with a mixture of curiosity and disdain. “But do you think you’re prepared to walk the path you’ve chosen?”

She said nothing, unwilling to give him any more insight into her fears.

“I know why you’re here,” he continued smoothly. “You think you can save him. Undo what’s been done.” His smile twisted, cruel and knowing. “But curses, little hunter, are not so easily unbound. They cling to the soul, stain it, until there is nothing left of the person you once knew.”

Li Mo clenched her fists, anger simmering beneath her calm exterior. “If there’s a way, I’ll find it.”

Bu Jia shrugged, an air of mocking indifference in his manner. “Perhaps. But even if you succeed, what then? Do you really believe he would be the same man you once loved?” His gaze bored into her, piercing and dark. “Vampirism changes more than flesh and blood; it corrupts, devours.”

Despite his words, Li Mo felt a fierce determination rise within her. She would not let Bu Jia’s taunts dissuade her. “That’s not for you to decide,” she retorted, her voice cold.

For a moment, he merely stared at her, as if weighing her resolve. Then, with a lazy, almost dismissive wave, he turned to leave, his form disappearing into the shadows. “We’ll see, little hunter. But remember: even the strongest of flames can be snuffed out by the darkness.”

As he vanished, Li Mo released a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding. His presence left a chill in the air, a reminder of the immense power he held. She felt a rush of relief that he had not chosen to fight, yet his words lingered, a haunting echo of doubt.

But no matter his intentions or the dangers that lay ahead, her path was clear. Tomorrow, at the Witches’ Festival, she would confront the keepers of ancient magic. And, against all odds, she would find a way to reverse Lu Chi’s curse.