Chapter 23: Midnight Rescue
Third person POV
The moon dipped below the horizon, casting the vampire stronghold in an inky blackness. Kael's pack moved swiftly, exploiting the darkness. Their mission: extract Ava and destroy Cassius.
Ava's heart pounded as Elian slipped into her cell, a faint light emanating from the small lantern he carried.
"Tonight," he whispered, "we escape."
Cassius' absence had provided the perfect window. But the vampire leader's paranoia had increased the guard presence. Elian handed Ava a crude dagger.
"In case things go wrong," he said.
Ava's grip tightened around the hilt.
Sabine watched from the shadows, her eyes fixed on Ava. The Bloodstone clan's ambitions didn't align with Cassius'. She would ensure Ava's survival.
Kael's pack breached the inner sanctum, navigating the labyrinthine corridors. Guards mobilized, their footsteps echoing through the halls.
Luca took point, his wolf form tearing through the ranks. Kael and the others followed, their eyes scanning for Ava's cell.
Cassius emerged, fangs bared.
"You'll never leave this place!" he snarled.
Kael confronted him, but Cassius was flanked by his most skilled warriors. The pack clashed with the vampires, the battle raging.
Elian led Ava through the chaos, dodging snarling vampires and snapping werewolves. They reached the eastern wing, where Sabine awaited.
"Quickly," Sabine whispered, ushering them toward a hidden passage.
Ava hesitated, unsure of Sabine's intentions.
Elian nudged her forward.
"Trust her," he whispered.
The passage narrowed, forcing them to crawl. Ava's heart pounded as the sounds of battle intensified.
They emerged into a deserted alley.
Freedom.
But Cassius' roar echoed through the night.
"This isn't over!"
The pack reunited, battered but triumphant.
Ava turned to Elian.
"Thank you," she whispered.
Elian smiled.
"We're even."
Kael wrapped his arms around Ava.
"Never again," he vowed.
But the shadows whispered secrets.
The Bloodstone clan awaited.
Sabine's true intentions simmered.
And Cassius plotted his revenge.
As they vanished into the darkness, Ava realized:
Their escape was only the beginning.