Outside the cinema, the dim glow of neon lights reflected off the damp pavement as Noah's sharp gaze flickered to Camilla, standing still and silent across the street. Something felt wrong. Her figure, usually elegant and poised, now carried an eerie stillness that sent an unshakable chill down Noah's spine.
"Stay behind me," Noah murmured to Gwen, his voice a low growl.
She frowned, confused. "Noah, what's going on?"
"I said stay back," he repeated firmly, taking a protective stance between her and the woman whose crimson eyes gleamed with unnatural light.
Camilla stood motionless, her gaze boring into Noah's. Her usual smirk was absent, replaced by a blank, almost lifeless stare. Yet, beneath that stillness, something sinister bubbled.
"Go inside. Watch the movie," Noah ordered Gwen, his tone softer but still unyielding.
Though hesitant, Gwen nodded and walked toward the cinema's entrance, sparing one last worried glance at the two.
The moment Gwen disappeared into the building, Noah's focus snapped back to Camilla. He approached her cautiously, his senses heightened, every muscle in his body coiled and ready to strike.
"Camilla," he called out, his voice steady but edged with suspicion.
No response.
Her body swayed slightly, as if a sudden wind had passed through her, but her feet remained planted. The air around her grew dense with an oppressive energy, the kind Noah hadn't encountered before.
"What is this? Some kind of power play?" Noah asked coldly, narrowing his eyes. "Snap out of it."
Suddenly, Camilla's lips curled into a chilling smile, but her expression wasn't her own. When she finally spoke, her voice was layered with something...inhuman.
"Fascinating," the voice said, a deep resonance echoing alongside her usual tone. "You've grown."
Noah tensed. "And you are?"
"The Blood God's herald, merely a fragment of the whole," the voice replied. "And you... you're something special."
Noah didn't flinch, though his mind raced. The Blood God? The term rang a bell in vampire lore—an ancient entity of unfathomable power. Yet, despite the implications, Noah smirked.
"Special, huh? You're not the first to say that. Won't be the last."
The voice chuckled through Camilla, a haunting sound that seemed to shake the very air. "Arrogance born of ignorance. But no matter. This body can't handle my full presence...yet."
In an instant, Camilla's form convulsed, and her knees buckled. The energy dissipated, and her usual self returned, gasping for air as if emerging from deep water.
Noah wasted no time. He darted forward, grabbing her by the collar and lifting her off her feet. "Explain. Now."
Camilla coughed, her voice trembling. "The Blood God... I wasn't in control. It—it was using me. Watching you."
"Why?" Noah demanded, his grip tightening.
"To measure you," she admitted, her voice weak. "You're more than human now, Noah. You're... an anomaly. And that terrifies even beings like it."
Noah released her abruptly, letting her collapse to the ground. He turned away, running a hand through his hair. "Terrific. Just what I needed—another ancient wannabe god keeping tabs on me."
Camilla slowly regained her composure, though her body still trembled. "This is bigger than you think. If the Blood God is stirring, it means chaos is coming. We're all in danger."
Noah snorted. "Danger's nothing new. I'll deal with it like I always do—head-on."
Elsewhere in New York City, deep within the fortified lair of the vampire elite, a blood ritual reached its climax.
Deacon Frost, a name whispered with both fear and reverence, stood at the center of a grand chamber bathed in the glow of crimson runes. Around him lay the lifeless bodies of twelve pureblood vampires, their sacrifices fueling the ritual that now coursed through Deacon's veins.
As the final incantation echoed through the hall, Deacon's body convulsed violently. His bones cracked, his muscles bulged, and his pale skin glowed with an unearthly sheen. When the transformation subsided, he stood taller, stronger—a predator reborn.
"Power..." Deacon whispered, flexing his clawed hands. "This... this is what I've been waiting for."
The chamber doors burst open as panicked subordinates rushed in.
"Master Frost! The humans—they've breached the outer defenses! They're coming for us!"
Deacon smirked, baring his newly elongated fangs. "Let them come. Tonight, the world learns what a true vampire can do."
As the first wave of human soldiers stormed the lair, armed with UV lights and silver rounds, Deacon unleashed his wrath. He moved like a shadow, faster than the eye could follow, ripping through their ranks with ease. Blood sprayed across the walls as screams echoed through the corridors.
But as Deacon basked in his newfound strength, a strange sensation gripped him. A pull—subtle at first but growing stronger—drew his attention eastward.
"What... is this?" he muttered, his predatory instincts screaming at him to follow.
He wasn't the only one. Every vampire in the lair, from fledglings to purebloods, felt the same compulsion. Without hesitation, they began to move, their bodies acting on an unseen command.
Deacon's eyes burned with fury as he tried to resist. "No one commands me!" he roared. But even he couldn't deny the force tugging at his very core. Reluctantly, he followed the throng, his mind racing with questions.
Back outside the cinema, Noah stood beside Camilla, both of them watching the distant horizon where a faint red glow began to spread.
"They're coming," Camilla whispered, her voice heavy with dread. "An army of them."
Noah cracked his knuckles, a dark grin spreading across his face. "Good. It's been a while since I had a proper workout."
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Bring me the Power Stones! ৻( •̀ ᗜ •́ ৻)