"You sick bitch. The only groveling will be you begging for mercy," Rhyland snarls, his massive frame tensed for battle. "Your reign of terror ends tonight."
I grip my sword tighter, watching as Elizabeth continues her incantation. The ancient runes we'd carved into the stone walls begin to pulse with an eerie light. Just a few more moments...
Lilith's laughter echoes through the cavern. "You dare challenge me? I made you what you are!" She blurs quickly attacking Rhyland, but Rhyland stands firm, his own abilities matching hers.
"Now, Erik!" Rhyland roars.
I move with unnatural speed, my blade singing through the air. Lilith deflects my first strike, but it's merely a distraction. Rhyland's attack comes from behind, driving her deeper into the cave.
Elizabeth's voice rises to a crescendo, the Hawthorne magic crackling through the air like lightning. "By blood and bone, by ancient stone, I bind thee!"
Lilith's screams of rage turn to horror as she's magically sealed inside—a barrier she cannot even break. "You cannot do this to me! I am your Maker!"
"You are nothing but a monster," I state coldly, watching as the enchanted stone tomb seals her fate. "And monsters belong in the dark."
Rhyland's power combines with the witch's spell, forcing the stone door closed. "You will never harm another soul," he declares, his voice resonating with authority.
The last thing we see is Lilith's face contorted in fury before the stone door seals shut, Elizabeth's magic binding it with ancient Hawthorne symbols.
Rhyland places a heavy hand on my shoulder, "It's done, brother."
I nod solemnly, knowing we can never tell Lucian of this night. The trauma Lilith inflicted upon him runs too deep. "What of the witch?" I ask, turning to where Elizabeth stands, exhausted but proud.
"Her bloodline will guard this secret," Rhyland responds. "The Hawthorne's have sworn it."
We believed it would hold her for eternity. We were wrong.
Destroying one's Maker requires power beyond conventional means. The bond between Maker and progeny creates a nearly impenetrable defense—a fact Lilith exploited with calculated cruelty. Even with our combined strength and combat experience, Rhyland and I could only manage to imprison her. The witch's ancient magic, combined with our abilities, barely proved sufficient to seal her in that stone tomb.
The fact that she has now broken free...troublingwould be a gross understatement.
I blink away the memory, jaw clenched tight. Our...final solution...to ensure Lilith's imprisonment—one that still haunts me centuries later—should have made this impossible. Unless—
"You fucking did what?" Lucian's voice rises to a roar. "You trapped that psychopath and never thought to mention it?"
I meet his furious gaze steadily. "We made a conscious decision to spare you further trauma. Rhyland believed it would be... kinder. By allowing you to believe she had simply left, you could heal, knowing she had relinquished her hold over you."
A bitter laugh erupts from Lucian, sharp and caustic. "Oh, that's just fucking perfect.Reallystellar brotherly bonding moment here. Thanks for keeping me in the dark about entombing our psycho mom. Really appreciate that tidbit of info being kept—"
"—Hey, Captain Man-Pain!" Emily's voice cuts through the tension like a sharp blade. "How about we shelf your dramatic feelings for later? Instead of crying about being excluded from the Super Secret Vampire Club. Maybe we focus on Erik's intel about the psycho bitch who has my best friend?"
The corner of my mouth twitches at Emily's brazen outburst. Lucian responds with an exaggerated eye roll before dragging himself to the nearest stool. Seraphina immediately gravitates to his side, her gentle presence tempering his volatile emotions. He whispers soft apologies to her, his earlier fury dissipating under her touch.
Emily arches an eyebrow. "Don't you have some vampire blood hotline thing going with Dani? Maybe try using that?"
"Oh, Em—gee, why didn't I think of that?" Lucian gasps dramatically, smacking his forehead like an idiot. "It's almost like I haven't been trying to reach our favorite feisty savior for the past few hours. Spoiler alert: the connection's about as dead as your Friday nights with your Netflix subscription and that sad pint of Ben & Jerry's. But please, continue giving me vampire advice, Professor Single-and-Salty."
"Well, try harder, Count Snarkula!" Emily snaps, as she throws her hands up in exasperation.
Lucian releases an exaggerated groan before closing his eyes in concentration. "Yo, firecracker, throw me a bone here," he mutters, fingers pressed to his temples. "Even just one tiny 'fuck you' would do. Hell, I'd settle for a mental eye-roll at this point."
The silence that follows is... concerning.
"Someone's blocking the connection," I state, my voice measured despite the implications. "Likely through arcane means."
"No shit, Mr. “I’ll Save You (But First, Let Me Frown)," Lucian snaps, his frustration manifesting in typical crude fashion. "What was your first clue? The radio silence, or the fact that our batshit crazy maker's witch friend is having a magical fucking field day."
I maintain my impassive expression, though internally, I calculate the growing complications of our situation. The ability to suppress a blood bond requires considerable magical prowess—power that could prove... problematic.
