As she raised the dagger, Vlad's demeanor shifted. The theatrical hunter disappeared, replaced by something cunning and more efficient. With one practiced movement, he activated a small device on his belt. A blinding flash erupted, accompanied by a high-pitched whine that shattered the silver threads in the net.
"Years, Ms. Keyes, years," he repeated, untangling himself from the ruined trap. "Did you really think Ronald's outdated hunter trap would work on me?"
Tandy backed away, shock replacing triumph. "That's impossible! Ronald said the silver threads would neutralize any magic!"
"Ronald isn't exactly up to date on technology," Vlad replied, advancing toward her. "Now, about that dagger---"
Tandy turned and fled, sprinting back toward the cliff path with surprising speed for someone in three-inch heels. Vlad pursued, his longer strides quickly closing the distance between them. At the narrowest part of the path, with the sheer drop yawning beside them, he caught her arm.
"Let go!" she shrieked, slashing wildly with the dagger. "Ronald sends his regards! That's what people say during assassinations, right? I saw it in a play once!"
When Vlad caught her wrist mid-strike, Tandy's desperation escalated. With her free hand, she made a sharp gesture toward his face, her fingers contorting into the configuration for a basic stunning spell.
"Obstupefacio!" she shouted, her face reddening with effort as she channeled all her meager energy into the spell.
A pathetic spark---no larger than a static electricity pop---fizzled from her fingertips, barely visible. It traveled approximately three inches before dissipating into nothing.
Vlad didn't even blink.
"Was that supposed to be magic?" he asked, genuine curiosity in his voice.
Tandy's face flushed with humiliation. "It works better indoors," she muttered, the lie transparent even to her own ears. "And with proper preparation. And during certain moon phases. And---"
"Save it," Vlad interrupted, not unkindly. "I've seen witches with limited abilities before. No shame in it. Plenty of successful people can't cast worth a damn."
"I'm not limited," Tandy insisted through gritted teeth. "I'm just... magically specialized. In real estate. That's a thing. It's very niche."
Vlad's expression showed he wasn't buying it, which only fueled Tandy's frustration. She tried to jerk away, resulting in their precarious struggle at the cliff edge.
"You know," Vlad said as they teetered on the brink, "Ronald's promises about the falls water enhancing your abilities? Another lie. Magical water can't create power where there's no foundation. At best, it would give you slightly stronger fizzles."
This revelation hit Tandy harder than any physical blow could have.
Vlad tried to pull them backwards, but Tandy fought with the desperation of someone who saw her dreams of redemption and vampire real estate dominance slipping away. They struggled at the cliff edge, loose rocks tumbling over into the abyss as their feet scuffed dangerously close to the drop.
"You'll kill us both!" Tandy screamed as she lost her footing, dragging Vlad perilously close to the edge. For a moment, they teetered on the brink, Vlad gripping Tandy's wrist while his other hand scrabbled for purchase on the rocky path.
"Then stop fighting!" he grunted, pulling them both back from the edge with considerable effort.
Tandy's heel caught on a rock, sending her sprawling onto the path with Vlad maintaining his grip on her wrist. The dagger clattered away, but her free hand plunged into her jacket pocket, emerging with a small vial of glowing orange liquid.
"One more step and I'll drop this!" she threatened, holding the vial over the cliff edge. "It's Ronald's special formula---concentrated and highly volatile! One drop in the falls water and it's permanently tainted---useless for anything but Ronald's purposes! Although between us, it might just be spray tan with glitter added. He's very secretive about the formula."
"Ronald's cologne?" Vlad raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. "Planning to gas me into submission with eau de vampire?"
"It's not just cologne!" Tandy insisted, holding the vial over the cliff edge. "It's a binding agent. Or a claiming substance. Maybe an arcane territorial marker? To be honest, I wasn't really listening when he explained it. I was mentally calculating my commission on vampire vacation rentals."
"Clever. Insurance policy, is it?" Vlad said, still maintaining his grip.
"Call it leverage," Tandy countered, her business instincts resurfacing. "Let me go and I'll save the falls. Try to take me in, and Cauldron Falls becomes a vampire hot tub, whether Ronald wins or not. I've prepared a whole sales presentation for 'Fangtasia Falls'---complete with time-share options and a very competitive monthly maintenance fee structure!"
A tense standoff followed, with Tandy balanced precariously, Vlad still gripping her wrist, and the vial of orange liquid held directly over the drop.
"Here's the thing, Tandy," Vlad said, his voice surprisingly conversational. "I've spent my life hunting vampires and their helpers. Know what I've learned? Everyone thinks they've got leverage, until they don't."
With unexpected speed, he twisted her wrist, causing her to drop the dagger but not the vial. In the same motion, he pulled a silver whistle from his belt and blew a short, sharp note.
The response was immediate. From the trees above the path, a large raven swooped down, cawing loudly.
