"My dad thought I was cursed, but my mom took it in stride," she continued. "Took me to every specialist he could find. When nothing worked, my dad just... adapted like my mom. Put some distance between us. Hard to connect with a kid who might suddenly start screaming about disasters that haven't happened yet."
"That's why you keep people at arm's length," Sam realized. "You're used to being the weird one."
"Says the man who growls at vampires and turns furry once a month."
"Only on special occasions," he deadpanned.
Their shared laughter echoed through the empty theater. Something shifted between them—an acknowledgment of mutual understanding that neither had expected to find.
Suddenly, the map poked out of Delilah's pocket, unfolding itself with urgent movements. It floated between them, glowing with intense golden light that illuminated the entire theater.
"What the—" Sam began.
The light beamed downward, revealing intricate markings on the stage floor—a complex ritual circle invisible under normal conditions. Symbols of duality, connection, and magical amplification formed an elaborate pattern that seemed to pulse with the theater's heartbeat.
Delilah gasped, her eyes taking on the distant look Sam now recognized as a vision overtaking her.
"I see us," she whispered. "Standing in that circle with Ivy and Rafe. We're facing something... someone in the shadows. I can't make out who it is, but they're collecting our energy somehow. Using us as conduits."
The map fluttered excitedly, adding new illuminated points that connected the theater to locations across town, forming a perfect symmetrical pattern.
"Sam," Delilah said, her voice tight with realization. "I don't think these thefts are random. I think we're being positioned like pieces on a chessboard."
Sam tensed, every muscle on alert. "Positioned by who? For what purpose?"
Before Delilah could answer, a slow clap echoed through the theater. Sam whirled around, instinctively moving in front of her.
"Bravo. That was quite the touching moment. The emotional vulnerability, the shared trauma, the dawning realization of a greater conspiracy." Vic the vampire stepped from the shadows, his pale skin catching the moonlight with an unnatural shimmer. "If this whole investigation thing doesn't work out, you two have a future in daytime supernatural soap operas."
Sam growled low in his throat. "How long have you been lurking there?"
"Lurking? Please." Vic adjusted his immaculate cuffs. "Vampires don't lurk. We strategically position ourselves for dramatic entrances."
"What do you want?" Delilah asked, stepping around Sam.
Vic sighed dramatically. "Against my better judgment, I'm here to help. My client doubled my fee if I cooperate with 'the puppy and the psychic.' His words, not mine." He paused. "Well, I might have added the psychic part. It has a nice alliterative quality."
Sam narrowed his eyes. "And why would your client suddenly want you working with us?"
"An excellent question with a deeply unsettling answer." Vic glided closer, his custom-made shoes making no sound on the wooden floor. "My client isn't quite... himself lately. Moving strangely, speaking with odd cadences. Like someone wearing a badly fitting suit."
The map fluttered between them, illuminating the symbols on the stage floor with greater intensity. Sam knelt to examine them, running his fingers over the etched patterns.
"These match the markings on Baba Yaga's map," he said. "But they're older. Much older."
Delilah joined him, her hand accidentally brushing his as they both traced the same symbol. A spark jumped between them, causing the entire circle to flare with golden light.
"Fascinating," Vic murmured, keeping a safe distance. "Your energies are resonating with the ritual circle. Just like the other pairs."
Sam's head snapped up. "What other pairs?"
"Oh, did I forget to mention that?" Vic examined his manicured nails with exaggerated interest. "My investigation has uncovered similar incidents in neighboring towns. Always two magically compatible individuals, always near sites of historical significance."
The map suddenly expanded, floating upward to hover at eye level. New text appeared across its surface, glowing letters forming a cryptic message: "The Collector awakens where the past sleeps beneath applause."
"Beneath applause..." Delilah whispered. "Under the stage. Right where we're standing."
Sam felt the floor beneath him subtly shift. "Everyone off the stage. Now."
