Rose

She stood behind them, dressed in a blood red flowing gown that hugged her round chest and hips. Her ink black hair cascaded down to her back and the waves on them made it look like it was a flowing river.

The malevolent aura that emnated from her was good enough to give someone who wasn't familiar with the sorcery world a stroke.

"You look familiar" Were the first words that escaped Daniels mouth, and he wasn't wrong. He could remember seeing his father with this woman once and he never took a liking to her despite her alluring beauty.

"You may call me Rose" she introduced ignoring the words of Daniel. "You hold in your possession a book that is wanted wanted by all the factions of sorcerers and I can tell that you are not ready for what comes next. Now, give me the book"she added.

Daniel looked at her with untrusting eyes, he had just remembered, his father had told him that this lady was their family's guardian. Her alluring appearance was nothing compared to the evil she radiated. She couldn't be trusted.

"I think I will hold on to it for a little longer" Daniel replied. He could read through her pretty looks and her struggle to play nice. He knew exactly who she was, a demon was an understatement to her description. If he remembered correctly, this was the spirit of the first blood sorcerer, a huntress who was believed to have stumbled across the forest of death. A forest rumored to be inhabited by the most deadliest creatures.

The lady before them had discovered this forest and had seen that the stories were the exact opposite from what she witnessed. Nevertheless, she massacred all who inhabited this forest and stole their magic, she was however cursed by the gods to bleed to death whenever she used the magical power. She was clever and had somehow managed to transfer this curse onto other living things, draining them of life anytime she used her powers. She was a threat to all factions and he couldn't figure why his father would summon the soul of this damned creature into the world they lived in.

"You're a hard one aren't you?" Rose asked rhetorically with a wicked smile plastered across her face. She took quick strides forward flaring her malevolent aura but for some reason she stop midway her strides.

Daniel smiled to himself, he figured she couldn't hurt him, his father must have put a curse on her that prevented her from harming anyone from the Bruce family. He knew she could harm Richard but he did his best to conceal his fears.

"You can't harm us can you?" He asked, his mock full smile still on his face.

She smiled back at him, now even more wickedly.

"You think you're so smart, you Bruce family, using me as a pawn, wait till I free myself from his clutches and I will come back for all of you" Rose meant to yell, but her sweet voice made her words appear almost harmless.

"You don't know what's coming for you, you never should have unlocked the curse that bound those pages, every one of them will come for y—"

"You mean you..?" Daniel  interrupted. He was intentionally angering her and he enjoyed doing it. She was bound to protect their family so he should be safe as long as the stories about her were true. He had already figured why she wanted the book from the little noise she made earlier. She probably wanted it for something devious, and the pages of this book contained a spell that could grant whatever it was she desired.

'selfish and cruel' were the only words in mind he could use to describe her intentions. And since she had already declared vengeance on his family, she was the last person that he wanted this book to fall into their grasp.

"Could you teleport us home, if you don't mind that is" He ordered her.

As if compelled, Rose had slit open her palm using her dagger like fingers and muttered some spells. Light shone from where her blood dropped and suddenly, they were back at Daniel's apartment.

"Good job" He complimented just before she vanished.

"You never told me you were friends with a hot lady" Richard admonished as he laid down on the sofa.

"She's dangerous" Daniel replied quickly. He didn't want to further any conversations about her. He didn't even feel safe being protected by someone who was out to kill him if they got the chance. His father always had a way of making bad choices.

"Don't you have to get home?" He asked, Richard had spent two nights at his place and he was already beginning to worry. If his parents found out about their friendship then it was not going to end well. He also wanted to check out this grimoire of a thing and he didn't want Richard to be around just incase things got out of hand.

"I'll leave after resting" Richard retorted, he already knew what was up and he wasn't even planning on passing out here tonight. He had already missed two family rituals and he was running out of excuses to give. Missing a third will most certainly warrant tracking magic and that was the last thing he wanted.

****

"Hey" Richard waved by at his twin sister who seemed rather occupied with her phone.

"Classes ended over an hour ago, where have you been" she asked. He stopped midway half the stairs and turned to reply her

"Umm...."

"You were with Daniel weren't you?" She asked, her gaze still fixated on the screen of her phone. "I won't keep covering for you, you don't make friends with the enemy" she finished.

"Thanks" was all he could say before disappearing from where she could see him. Rachel was his twin sister, a fast learner and probably more brilliant than he was. She had already gained mastery over her mana control but he still struggled with his. He Flung his bag to the chair beside him and collapsed onto nto his bed. Daniel hadn't given him enough time to rest and he was tired of the constant reminder. He just had to leave midway through his sleep. His parents were probably out and he was glad they were. He only wanted to get a little shut-eye.

"The book, the elders said they can feel it's magic. It's been awakened" the faint voice he heard plunged him from his nearing slumber. It was his mother's voice, her room was just next door, and it was obvious she had just teleported back. The sensation of magic still lingered in the air.

He shot upwards from his bed and walked closer to the walls go get a better hearing of what she said.

"It's obvious someone has lifted it's curse and is practicing magic with it" she continued, "if we get that book in our possession, we could be the new leaders of this clan, It rightful elders"

'I have to warn Daniel' were the first thing that came to mind. Something was up with everyone suddenly obsessed with a book he just heard about days ago. Daniel owed him big time for interrupting his nap twice in a day. He muttered unheard words in an instant disappeared.

***

Daniel was alone now and it was the perfect time and opportunity to learn more about this book that everyone revered. He pulled it from his bag and placed it down on the table. He knew since he was from a lineage of blood sorcerers, he would have to make a blood sacrifice before he could make magic, so he had a penknife ready by his side.

He couldn't recall performing magic or casting any spells since he was born so this was his first time, and he had to start with an easy spell. He flipped it's first page and was dumbstruck with his discovery. He couldn't understand a single word from what was written down in it's pages. He was rather disappointed and even curious the more.

It was usual to him, finding anything difficult always drove him insane with curiosity and the need for answers. He flipped through it's pages vehemently to see if any of them were written in languages he understood but he was disappointed. He tried using his google translate but it wasn't useful either. He bit his lower lips intensely, a habit he developed anytime he hit a wall. There was only one option he could think of now, blood sacrifice. He picked up the penknife and closed his eyes, then slowly he cut open his palm and let his blood drop onto the book's pages.

As if responding to his blood, the pages shone and light shot out of them, he panicked and drew away from the already levitating book. Staring in awe at the action that took place before his eyes, he felt compelled and his eyes shone in resonance with the book's light. He drew closer to it, the penknife still in his grip. He raised it to cut himself once more, but Richard had appeared and knocked the book out of air.