Selina drove into the castle compound, her sleek black car gliding through the ancient iron gates like a shadow. As she stepped out, the air was thick with tension. The courtyard was teeming with vampires—some stood armed, eyes vigilant, while others lounged about, immersed in a raucous party. But as Selina entered, all eyes turned toward her, their conversations falling silent. She ignored the stares, her face set in determination, and headed straight for the Gunners' Room.
She burst into the room, dropping the gun she had taken from the werewolf onto the table. "Taylor, we have a problem," she said, her voice edged with urgency.
Taylor looked up from his workbench, his brow furrowed as he picked up the gun. "This is the weapon the werewolves used?" he asked, examining it closely.
"Yes. I need you to find out everything about it," Selina replied, pacing the room.
Taylor frowned as he inspected the gun. "It's definitely infused with an irradiated fluid or something similar..."
"Ultraviolet ammunition," Selina said, her tone dark.
Taylor's eyes widened. "Daylight harnessed as a weapon...?"
Kahn entered the room, his presence commanding as always, followed by several other vampires who quickly joined the conversation. "You expect me to believe that a mangy animal came up with a bullet specifically engineered to kill vampires?" Kahn's voice dripped with skepticism.
"No," Taylor interjected, "I'm betting it's military-grade. Maybe something they stole, or some sort of advanced tech they've managed to get their hands on."
Selina slammed her hand on the table, her patience wearing thin. "I don't care where they got these things. Raven is dead, and if they have more of these, many more vampires could be in danger." She took a deep breath, trying to control the surge of emotion. "We need to gather the Death Dealers and hit them with full force."
"Absolutely not," Kahn retorted sharply. "Not now, not for random incursions. The Awakening is just a few days away, and this house is already in unrest as it is."
Selina's eyes narrowed, her anger barely contained. "Random? They opened fire on us in full view of the public! And from what I heard in that tunnel—"
Kahn cut her off, his tone dismissive. "You said to yourself you didn't see anything, Selina. You heard something, but you're not sure."
Selina shot him a glare. "Look, I know what I heard and what my gut is telling me. There could be dozens of werewolves down there, maybe even hundreds. We're sitting on a powder keg!"
Kahn crossed his arms, his expression unmoved. "We've hunted them to the brink of extinction, Selina."
Taylor nodded in agreement. "Kahn's right. There hasn't been a werewolf den of that magnitude in centuries—not since the days of Lucas."
Selina's jaw clenched as she turned to Taylor. "I know that, Taylor, but I'd rather you prove me wrong by checking it out."
Kahn sighed and glanced at Taylor. "Very well, tighten security around the castle," he ordered.
"I'll have Femi assemble a search team," Taylor said.
"No," Selina interrupted, stepping forward. "I want to lead the team myself."
Kahn's eyes hardened. "Absolutely not. Femi will handle it."
"You said hundreds" Kahn said and smiles
"You think I'm exaggerating, don't you?" Selina challenged, her voice rising. "Hundreds, Kahn. You'll be laughing on the other side of your face when Ragnarok hears of this."
She stormed out of the room, her footsteps echoing down the hall.
As the door slammed behind her, Rigel, who had been silently observing, finally spoke. "I've never seen you treat her like that before."
Kahn's expression softened slightly. "Of course not. Now follow her. Make sure she's dressed and prepared for our guests."
Rigel nodded. "Sure," he replied, before hurrying out after Selina.
As the door closed, Khan turned back to Taylor. "We can't afford any mistakes. Not with the Awakening so close."
Taylor nodded gravely. "Understood."
Selina walked into the room, her footsteps echoing softly as she approached the large glass window in front of her. Beyond the glass was a vast, empty chamber, eerily silent except for the faint hum of the castle's power systems. The floor of the chamber was marked with three symbols, but Selina's eyes were drawn to one in particular—a large "R," which represented Ragnarok. She stood there, staring at the symbol, her mind swirling with a mix of thoughts and uncertainty.
"It's a waste of time, you know," Rigel said as she entered the room, her voice soft yet pointed. She moved to stand beside Selina, joining her in the silent viewing.
"What do you want?" Selina asked, not taking her eyes off the symbol on the floor.
Rigel sighed, her tone more gentle. "But I really doubt Ragnarok would want you freezing in here, staring at his tomb for hours."
Selina's gaze remained fixed on the symbol, her voice low and tense. "No, he would want the Death Dealers out there, scouring every inch of the city, finding the werewolves and uncovering their next move."
She paused, her fists clenching at her sides. "Kahn... I never understood why Ragnarok left him in charge. He's a bureaucrat, not a warrior."
Rigel studied Selina for a few moments, sensing the turmoil beneath her calm exterior. "Come, we need you to get ready," Rigel finally said, her voice a mix of authority and concern.
"For what?" Selina asked, her tone distant.
"The party," Rigel replied, her voice tinged with urgency. "Emelia's envoy will be here any time from now."
Selina turned to face Rigel, her expression hardening as she pushed her emotions aside.
With that, Rigel turned and left the room, his footsteps echoing in the emptiness. Selina remained behind, her thoughts churning as she continued to stare at the marks on the floor. The weight of her responsibilities and the looming threat of the werewolves pressed heavily upon her.
As the door closed behind Rigel, Selina took one last look at the room, the symbols of power and legacy before her. She knows something is wrong but she didn't know where, as she was about to leave the room she remembered the camera she took from Raven, she headed out of the room.