"If you're here to scare me off like you did last night, it won't work." Austin retorted. "I care about her. Whatever's going on between you two, that's your issue, not mine."
Leonardo sighed dramatically, his expression contorting into what almost resembled pity. "Do you genuinely believe that Vanessa's life is as simple as it seems? Just a CEO with a complicated love life?" He leaned closer, his icy gaze piercing into Austin's. "Or do you really think this is just about my feelings or jealousy?"
Austin frowned, irritation flaring as he tried to process the implications. "What's your point?" he asked.
"My point here is that there is a world beyond this world, Austin. A secret world of shadows, a supernatural domain with immense power that you could never survive in. Vanessa is bound to that world; if you keep clinging to her, you will be pulled into it."
Austin became confused by his words. Was Leonardo speaking in metaphors, or was this some grand delusion?
"Enough with the riddle," Austin snapped, cutting through the tension. "Tell me what you are trying to say."
Leonardo's gaze darkened, and the smirk returned to his lips. "I will explain it plainly then: Vanessa and I are vampires. She hasn't told you about that, has she? She must keep this secret away from you; otherwise, you would have fled for your dear life a long time ago."
"Vanessa is a vampire? Wow! That sounds crazy, and you expect me to believe that?" Austin burst into laughter, trying to deflect the wave of anxiety washing over him. "Come on now, stop with your dramatic lies. What are you really here for?"
"I need gems, Austin," Leonardo said, his expression unreadable as he leaned back in his chair, tapping the stone on his chain. "Do you know what this is?"
"I don't know," Austin said, narrowing his eyes.
Leonardo then leaned forward, his tone turning deadly serious. "It's a part of a collection of ancient relics I have kept."
Austin's pulse quickened as a vague sense of unease settled in. What is it for?
"It helps me survive in the sun," he continued, smirking at Austin's skeptical expression. "They possess unimaginable power that has endured for centuries. Many have been hidden away by scholars; your father was one of them. He concealed the last gem before his death, hiding its location to prevent it from falling into the wrong hands. But now, I need it, and I believe you are the key to finding that last gem."
At the mention of his father, Austin felt as if he had been punched in the stomach. A chill ran down his spine, and his blood turned cold. The idea that Leonardo could know who his father was seemed impossible; his father had died a long time ago. The thought that something about his family was connected to this supernatural game rattled him to the core.
"How do you know about my father?" Austin whispered, unsure whether Leonardo was telling the truth. "My father… he never spoke of anything like this."
Leonardo's expression hardened, and his eyes narrowed. "Of course he wouldn't. He kept it from you because he knew the risks. Surprisingly, only your bloodline can unlock the cage containing the artifact. Now you have no choice but to help me find it."
Leonardo paused before continuing,"I am a vampire, Austin."
Austin stared at him in shock as he watched Leonardo's face begin to change. His complexion turned as pale as ever, and his eyes became black and vacant. He opened his mouth, and his teeth elongated into enormous, piercing fangs. When he snapped his fingers, time paused, and the world around them froze. The coffee shop fell completely silent; the clinking of cups and the hum of voices, all of it stopped.
Austin looked around and stumbled back, his chair screeching against the polished floor as horror crawled up his spine and his heart pounded. "You are a monster!" he shouted, the realization crashing over him; Leonardo had been telling the truth all along.
Leonardo's lips curled into a chilling smile, his fangs retracting slightly as his face contorted into a deadly calm. "Now you understand how truthful I have been."
"You can't be real," Austin murmured, shaking his head as he stared wide-eyed at the man who seemed more like a nightmare than reality. "Vampires don't exist."
"Oh, we do," Leonardo said, holding his gaze steady, his eyes glowing with predatory hunger. "I don't want to kill you, Austin." He stood and walked over to him, looming above him, the shadows stretching behind him. "But make no mistake, I will if you refuse to cooperate. I need you. You will join me in hunting the gems, whether you want to or not."
Austin swallowed hard, a surge of anger mingling with fear. "So, you want to threaten and force me into helping you with some ridiculous treasure hunt?"
"Exactly," he replied, his voice dripping with satisfaction. "Let me take you somewhere."
In an instant, Leonardo's hand shot out, gripping Austin's shoulder in a vice-like hold that felt impossibly strong, as if it were a chain anchoring him to an inescapable fate. His eyes darkened, glowing with a supernatural intensity that sent icy shivers racing down Austin's spine.
"Let go of me!" Austin yelled, his voice tinged with rising panic as he struggled to break free, but it was no use—Leonardo's grip was so strong, it felt as if his hands were forged from solid steel.
The room around Austin blurred as Leonardo's grip tightened, causing colors to twist and bleed into one another. Austin could feel energy zapping away from him. Beneath them, a dark wormhole stretched wide, yawning open. They were on the brink of being consumed, along with the walls that were folding inward. Reality was unraveling, and gravity had lost its hold. Panic surged through Austin, creating a tightening knot in his stomach. "Is this the end? What the heck is happening?" thoughts raced through his mind. The rush of fear battled with a flicker of hope, clinging to Leonardo's hand like a lifeline. The weight of uncertainty pressed down on him.
Then, in an instant.
Everything vanished.