Kelvin strutted into the hall and caught sight of Alisha and Ethan dancing passionately. He put on a tough facade, but deep down, he couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy. Alisha's smile was like a beacon of light, and he longed to bask in its warmth. However, he knew that he had to tread carefully around Ethan, as he didn't want to provoke him again.
"Joel! Joel, where are you?" Kelvin whispered faintly, but Joel heard him loud and clear. The Daniels had a special ability to communicate telepathically, even in the most crowded and boisterous of environments. Joel was in the middle of a conversation with Olivia, who had been serving drinks to the just arrived guests all night. He had managed to charm her with his wit and make her feel at ease. But then he heard Kelvin's voice.
"I'll be right there," Joel replied telepathically and zoomed off to Kelvin, leaving Olivia standing alone and confused. She had thought they were having a moment of connection, but he had vanished without even saying goodbye. Olivia was left feeling bewildered and hurt.
In no time, Joel arrived at Kelvin's side and tapped him from behind. "Hey bro, what's going on? Enjoying yourself?" he inquired.
Kelvin responded with a grin, "Isn't she stunning?" as he gestured towards Alisha on the dance floor. Joel followed Kelvin's gaze and realized that he was referring to Alisha, who was with Ethan.
"Kelvin, do you not recognize her?" Joel asked, grasping Kelvin's shoulders.
"What about Alisha?" Kelvin inquired, appearing puzzled.
"Oh man, you genuinely don't recognize her," Joel stated with a trace of disappointment in his voice.
Kelvin shook his head, still bewildered. "What am I supposed to recognize about her?"
Joel took a deep breath. "Well, she's the little girl you nearly killed sixteen years ago."
Kelvin's eyes widened in shock. "Wait, what? Are you kidding me?"
Joel shook his head. "Nope! that's her. The little girl you fed on that night, that's her..."
Kelvin's mind raced, catapulted back to that fateful night, forcing him to relive the horror of what had transpired.
("I can handle it!" Kelvin screamed at Maya, forcefully pushing her away.
"We will find a way, Kelvin, but tonight we can't risk it. You must be restrained.....!!!" Maya screamed back, her voice laced with urgency.
Kelvin adamantly refused to heed Maya's words. Defiantly, he fought her off, preventing her from chaining him that night, and swiftly vanished into the depths of the woods.
That night had etched itself deeply into his memory, leaving an indelible mark on his consciousness.)
"Our first encounter was a nightmare. If she ever finds out, she'll never forgive me," Kelvin confided in Joel.
"Yeah, I guess so," Joel replied, understanding the weight of Kelvin's guilt.
Kelvin found solace in the fact that the young girl had survived that night. However, he was filled with shame for allowing himself to come close to her after what he had done.
Now, he understands how Alisha had received the vampire bite on her waist, and why she had been reluctant to discuss it.
"Get me out of here. I'm not unworthy of being in her presence," Kelvin pleaded with Joel.
"Of course, I will. We need to find you fresh blood anyway," Joel added, acknowledging the necessity.
Joel swiftly whisked Kelvin away from the ceremony. Alisha could no longer see Kelvin, she looked around for him but he was gone.
Ethan felt that Alisha was distracted from dancing, he didn't know why she was distracted, but he knew for sure that she was looking for something or someone.
"Pls, I need some fresh air." Alisha said to Ethan as she left his arm and rushed outside. Ethan followed her outside, he asked her what was wrong.
"I need to be alone, see you tomorrow Ethan." Alisha kissed Ethan on the cheek and walked towards her room at the other side of the coven.
(The Daniels family compound.)
"So... are you into her?" Asked Joel.
The silence hung heavy in the air as Joel's question pierced the tension that engulfed the compound. Kelvin's mind raced, replaying the events of that horrific night. The memories were a dark abyss, one he feared to plunge into once again.
"I guess," Kelvin replied, his voice laced with a hint of reluctance.
In the midst of their conversation, Maya stormed into the sitting room, her clothes stained with blood, and her body marked with injuries. Exhaustion weighed heavily upon her, but anger burned fiercely within her eyes.
"They want to ignite a war? Well, then let it consume them," Maya spat with a venomous intensity, striding towards the wine rack in their sitting room. She poured herself a drink, downing it in a single gulp.
"What happened, Maya?" Joel asked urgently, catching the scent of blood that clung to her body. "This...this is werewolf blood," he added, disbelief etched on his face.
"Werewolves blood... five of them, actually" Maya disclosed, her words dripping with fury.
Kelvin approached Maya, his curiosity demanding answers. "What happened...? I'm usually the one who hunts down werewolves. What did they do to rouse such fury in you?" he asked.
Maya's anger blazed, her words spewing forth with fiery rage. "They set me up, ambushed me in the woods," she seethed, gulping down another glass of liquor.
Kelvin and Joel understood the gravity of her words, they yearned for more details, hungry to comprehend the extent of the atrocities inflicted upon her. "You're not making sense, Maya. What precisely occurred after you left the party?" Kelvin pressed, his voice tinged with urgency.
"The werewolves are pounding the drums of war. They murdered Alex right before my eyes," Maya lamented, her tone heavy with sorrow, tears burning in her eyes.
"What? Alex is dead?" Joel erupted in a tormenting cry. " How... how did this happen? When?" He added in agony.
To be continued...