Closing the book, Selina's jaw tightened with resolve. The lies, the deceit—it all had to end. She exited the secret library swiftly, closing the hidden door behind her and stepping back into Kahn's room. As she made her way out into the corridor, she nearly collided with Rigel, who seemed to have been searching for her.
"I've been looking for you everywhere," Rigel said, her tone urgent.
"Not now," Selina replied curtly, attempting to brush past her.
"But it's important," Rigel insisted, her eyes wide with concern. "He's been bitten."
Selina stopped in her tracks, turning slowly to face Rigel. "What did you say?"
"Your human," Rigel clarified, taking a step closer. "He's been marked by a werewolf."
A cold chill ran down Selina's spine. She had seen the werewolf attack Michael but hadn't realized the severity of the bite. "Did Kahn put you up to this?" she asked, suspicion lacing her words.
"No," Rigel replied firmly. "I saw the wound with my own eyes."
Selina's mind whirled, piecing together the implications. If Michael had been bitten deeply enough, the transformation process could already be underway. Time was running out.
She turned to leave, urgency propelling her forward.
"What about the Covenant?" Rigel called after her, desperation creeping into her voice. "You know it's forbidden!"
But Selina didn't look back. Her thoughts were solely on Michael and the danger he now faced. Rules and traditions be damned—she needed to find a way to help him before it was too late.
As Rigel watched Selina disappear down the corridor, a sense of foreboding settled over her.
Nurse Rose exited one of the hospital wards, her steps steady as she moved down the quiet, dimly lit corridor. The stillness of the night shift was suddenly interrupted when a strong hand reached out from the shadows and pulled her into a dark lab. Shocked, she struggled briefly before recognizing her assailant.
"Michael? It's you!" Rose exclaimed, fumbling to turn on the lab light.
"Yeah," Michael replied, his voice a mixture of relief and desperation.
Rose's eyes widened in concern as she took in his disheveled appearance. "Where have you been? I've been looking everywhere for you! What happened?"
Michael hesitated, rubbing his neck anxiously. "I was attacked… by a man."
"A man?" Rose repeated, confusion evident in her tone.
"Yes, he bit me," Michael said, pulling down his collar to reveal the fresh bite mark on his neck.
Rose leaned in to examine the wound. "Are you sure it was a man who bit you? Not a dog?"
Michael's expression turned grim. "It was a grown man. He's after me."
"And why would he be after you?" Rose asked, trying to piece together the situation.
"I don't know," Michael admitted, frustration creeping into his voice. "And then there's this woman… from the subway."
"What woman?" Rose asked, her concern deepening.
"Haven't you been listening to me?" Michael snapped, his agitation boiling over. "She took me hostage!"
Rose raised her hands in a calming gesture. "It's alright, I'm listening. Just calm down."
She noticed Michael's growing restlessness, the fear and confusion etched across his face. Realizing she needed to act quickly, Rose tried to reassure him. "Okay, wait here. I'll help you get this sorted out. Just wait for me—I'll be back soon."
As Rose attempted to leave, Michael grabbed her arm, his grip tight with anxiety. "Don't leave me."
"Michael, you have to let me go," Rose said gently, prying his hand off her arm. "I need to help you."
She slipped out of the lab, leaving Michael alone with his spiraling thoughts. The room seemed to close in on him, and after what felt like an eternity, his nerves got the better of him. Unable to stay still, he decided to leave, but as he reached for the door, he froze. Through the small window, he saw Rose returning—with two police officers in tow.
Panic surged through him. In a split second, Michael smashed one of the lab's glass panels, the sharp sound shattering the silence of the hallway. He bolted through a secret exit he had discovered earlier, sprinting into the night.
The police, alerted by the noise, burst into the lab just in time to see him disappear into the darkness. They gave chase, but Michael, driven by fear and adrenaline, was already several steps ahead. The streets swallowed him up as he ran, his heart pounding in his chest, knowing that the danger was far from over.
Selina stood under the warm cascade of water, her mind racing as she tried to make sense of everything that had unfolded. The betrayal, the lies, and the looming danger filled her thoughts, clouding her judgment. Kahn's lie to the coven about Lucas being dead had shaken her to the core, and she knew that something terrible was coming. The water trickled down her body as she turned to face her reflection in the mirror. The person staring back at her seemed more a stranger than ever before.
"Please forgive me," she whispered to her reflection, her voice trembling with desperation. "I desperately need your guidance. I apologize for awakening you ahead of schedule, but I fear we may all be in grave danger—especially you, my lord. If you remain in your weakened state, Lucas will surely take advantage. I believe he's alive, here in this very city, preparing to strike during the Awakening ceremony. Even more disturbing is that if I'm correct, it would mean Kahn is in league with him."
Her words hung in the air, a solemn prayer to a past she could not escape. With a heavy heart, she stepped out of the shower, dried off, and dressed quickly. There was no time to waste.
Selina made her way to the grand room where Ragnarok's tomb lay. The hall was eerily silent as she approached the guards stationed at the entrance.
"Taylor wants to see you," she lied to the security in front of the room. They nodded and left, leaving her alone with the tomb.
Without hesitation, Selina entered the room, her steps echoing in the vast space. She moved swiftly to Ragnarok's resting place, her hands trembling as she opened the box-like coffin. His body lay there, pale and dry, a lifeless shell that had once been a formidable force.
With resolve, Selina knew what she had to do. The rules and laws of the vampires, the sacred traditions of the Awakening, were about to be broken. No one had ever attempted to awaken a vampire alone, as the elders were the ones who held the power to organize memories and thoughts into a cohesive vision—a detailed record of the reign. But Selina was desperate. She needed Ragnarok's guidance, no matter the risk.
Biting into her own hand, Selina let her blood drip into Ragnarok's mouth. The crimson liquid flowed through his veins, and slowly, his heart began to beat again. As her memories flooded his mind, she could see the strain on his pale, unmoving face.
She dragged his still-weakened body to a dark corner of the room, injecting him with a concoction of blood plants to accelerate the revival. Just as she finished, she heard the footsteps of the returning guard.