Chapter Twenty-four: The Monster With Many Faces
944 Words
That evening, Orion returned home later than usual.
The moment he walked through the front door, Seraphina noticed.
His shirt was torn.
Bruises covered his arms.
A cut stretched across his jaw.
Most of the injuries were already healing.
But they were still there.
Orion immediately regretted coming home.
"Oh no."
Seraphina folded her arms.
"Oh yes."
Elara looked up from the couch.
"What happened to you?"
"Nothing."
"That's a lie."
"A small lie."
"A terrible lie."
Seraphina pointed toward a chair.
"Sit."
Orion groaned.
"I hate this family."
"You love us."
"Unfortunately."
A few minutes later, everyone sat in the living room.
Orion held an ice pack against his shoulder while Seraphina watched him suspiciously.
Finally she spoke.
"I saw Max Ryder this morning."
Orion's expression immediately changed.
"I know."
Elara blinked.
"You know him too?"
"Unfortunately."
The siblings exchanged a look.
One Elara didn't like.
Not one bit.
Then Seraphina leaned forward.
"Did you find anything?"
Orion became quiet.
The joking disappeared from his face.
And that immediately got everyone's attention.
"I found it."
The room fell silent.
Seraphina sat straighter.
"You found the thing?"
Orion nodded slowly.
"What was it?"
For several seconds, he didn't answer.
Almost as if he was trying to process it himself.
Finally—
"I don't know."
Seraphina frowned.
"That's not helpful."
"I'm serious."
Orion looked directly at her.
"It changed."
"What?"
"It changed."
The room became silent again.
Orion took a deep breath.
"When I first found it, it looked like a woman."
Elara frowned.
"A woman?"
Orion nodded.
"I don't hit women."
"Obviously."
"It knew that."
A chill ran through the room.
Orion's expression darkened.
"It used that against me."
"What do you mean?" Elara asked.
Orion looked at his bruised hands.
"I hesitated."
His voice was quiet.
"Just for a second."
"Then?"
"Then it attacked."
Seraphina's face hardened.
Orion continued.
"It was stronger than any vampire I've ever fought."
"How strong?"
"Enough to throw me through three trees."
Elara nearly choked.
Three trees?
Orion wasn't weak.
Not even close.
Then he shook his head.
"That wasn't the worst part."
Everyone waited.
"It changed again."
Silence.
"It stopped looking like a woman."
"What did it become?" Seraphina asked.
"A man."
The room felt colder.
"A completely different person."
Orion clenched his jaw.
"It kept changing."
"Human."
"Female."
"Male."
"Different faces."
"Different voices."
"Different appearances."
Elara felt a knot form in her stomach.
"That's impossible."
"That's what I thought."
Orion leaned back.
"But I saw it."
Seraphina's smile had completely vanished.
"What else?"
Orion hesitated.
Then spoke.
"The strength was wrong."
"Wrong how?"
"It fought like a wolf."
Everyone froze.
"But it moved like a vampire."
The room became deathly silent.
"It had a wolf's strength."
"A vampire's speed."
"A vampire's agility."
"And something else."
Something else.
Those two words bothered everyone.
Even Seraphina.
"Can it be killed?" she asked.
Orion laughed bitterly.
"That's the problem."
The answer wasn't reassuring.
At all.
Finally Orion turned toward Elara.
His expression serious.
Very serious.
"Stay away from the Ryder family."
"What?"
"I'm serious."
"But Jace—"
"Especially Jace."
Elara blinked.
Orion sighed.
"I don't know if they're connected."
"But until we know what that thing is..."
His voice softened slightly.
"...I need you safe."
For once, Seraphina nodded.
"I agree."
Elara immediately groaned.
The fact they agreed made everything worse.
Way worse.
"I'm not a child."
"No."
Orion smiled slightly.
"You're much more troublesome than a child."
"Wow."
"Just be careful."
Elara crossed her arms.
But deep down...
the fear in Orion's eyes worried her.
Because she'd never seen him look scared before.
Not once.
Later that night...
Elara sat at her desk.
Books scattered everywhere.
A test waited for her tomorrow.
Unfortunately.
She hated studying.
A faint tapping sound interrupted her thoughts.
Tap.
Tap.
Tap.
Elara frowned.
Her room was on the second floor.
Nobody should be outside her window.
Slowly she stood.
Then walked toward it.
The tapping continued.
Tap.
Tap.
Tap.
"What the..."
She unlocked the window.
Then pushed it open.
And nearly screamed.
An upside-down face appeared immediately.
Silver eyes.
Dark hair.
A ridiculous grin.
"Boo."
Elara jumped backward.
"What the hell?!"
Jace burst out laughing.
"You should've seen your face."
"You i***t!"
"I thought it was funny."
"You almost gave me a heart attack!"
Jace climbed inside through the window.
Still laughing.
"Grandparents can give heart attacks."
Elara grabbed a pillow.
"I swear—"
The pillow hit him directly in the face.
He looked offended.
"Violence?"
"You deserved it."
"Fair."
He dropped into the chair beside her desk.
His eyes drifted toward her books.
"You have a test tomorrow."
Elara sighed dramatically.
"Unfortunately."
"Then why are you standing here arguing with me?"
"Because you're in my room."
"Good point."
They both laughed.
A comfortable silence followed.
One that would've been impossible a few weeks ago.
Then Jace stood.
Heading back toward the window.
"Wait."
He paused.
"What?"
Elara folded her arms.
"You climbed all the way up here for what exactly?"
Jace froze.
For two whole seconds.
Then looked away.
"Nothing."
"You're lying."
"Maybe."
"Definitely."
Jace laughed.
Then shrugged.
"I just wanted to wish you luck."
The answer caught her off guard.
A small smile appeared on her face.
"Thanks."
His smile softened.
"You're welcome."
For a moment neither spoke.
Then Jace climbed onto the windowsill.
"Study, vampire."
Elara smiled.
"Good night, Silver Eyes."
Jace laughed.
The nickname still sounded ridiculous.
Yet somehow...
he liked hearing it from her.
"Good night, Blue-Black."
Then he disappeared into the darkness.
Leaving Elara smiling at an empty window.
Without realizing it...
both of them were already becoming something far more dangerous than enemies.
Friends.
- Writer
