Chapter 4: Progression

I struggled to my feet, the cool earth beneath me offering a fleeting sense of grounding amidst the surreal scene of moonlit woods. The blood-red moon hung low in the sky, casting an unsettling glow over the tranquil night. As I ventured deeper into the forest, I stumbled upon a serene stream, its crystal-clear waters reflecting the ethereal light above. The gentle murmur of its flow was oddly comforting, a stark contrast to the fear gripping my heart.

On the opposite bank stood a man, his upper body bare save for dark trousers that seemed to meld with the shadows around him. His features were obscured in the dim light, but his demeanor exuded an unusual calmness. His eyes, though indiscernible, seemed to hold a gentle curiosity as they met mine. A shiver ran down my spine. Was this encounter real, or had I slipped into a lucid dream?

"Angel, I'm ready to go with you," I blurted out, my voice wavering with a mix of resignation and apprehension.

"Rosetta, you belong in the abyss with me. I'll take you to my home," came his reply, his serene smile transforming into a chilling display of two sharp fangs as he lunged toward me.

Frozen in terror, I attempted to scream and flee, but my limbs refused to obey. The creature's fangs pierced my neck, sending a shockwave of pain and panic through my entire being.

"AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!"

My scream echoed through the woods, a desperate cry for help that seemed to vanish into the night air. I clutched at my neck, expecting to feel warm blood trickling down, but there was nothing. No wound, no blood—only the lingering sensation of a nightmare so vivid it felt tangible.

"Thank goodness you're okay! I was so worried. Everything's fine now, pumpkin," Nana's voice cut through the haze of fear that still clouded my senses.

Her usually joyful hazel eyes now held a deep concern, her brows furrowed with worry. I could feel the weight of her anxiety as she looked at me, her presence a reassurance amidst the lingering fear.

My brother handed me a glass of water, his expression a mix of relief and concern. Damn, Rolly looked different—more mature, stronger. I managed a smirk, trying to lighten the heavy atmosphere that hung between us.

"Rolly, is that really you? Big brother Rolly Arweya? The skinny, pimple-faced Rolly?" I chuckled, trying to ease the tension.

"Sup, frog face? What have you been eating in the big city to forget your only brother?" Rolly teased, enveloping me in a warm hug that felt both familiar and comforting.

"Hey! Pimple face! How did you get so... handsome? And those muscles?" I teased back, poking his biceps playfully.

I caught Nana smiling softly at us, a glimmer of her usual warmth returning. Wanting to lighten the mood further, I turned to Meg, my newly acquainted sister-in-law.

"This is Mergara, my wife. You probably met at our wedding, after you chickened out and hung up the video call," I said, wrapping Meg in a warm hug and raising an eyebrow at Rolly.

"I apologized, okay? It was a crisis. I had an interview to get to, and I didn't even know they changed the date! And then the storm took out the bridge! (sarcasm) I'm sorry, okay?" Rolly retorted with a mock pout, pinching my cheek lightly.

"Just call me Meg. I haven't properly met you, Ro," Meg said warmly, her eyes holding a mix of curiosity and concern.

"Yeah, Meg the Vampire Slayer," I teased with a mischievous grin, glancing at her with a hint of playful skepticism.

Their exchanged glances suggested there was more to Meg than met the eye. The tension in the room shifted, and I couldn't help but sense that beneath the surface, there lay a deeper, more complex truth waiting to be unraveled.

"You should've listened and brought Sera with you. Now Jonah knows you're here. We need to be careful," Nana interjected, her voice carrying a tone of urgency that sent a chill down my spine.

"Nana, it's already happened. We just need to be extremely careful now," Rolly countered, his expression serious and determined.

"Wait, he's really a vampire? He slapped me so hard! I thought my jaw would dislocate!" I exclaimed, still reeling from the shock of my encounter with the mysterious man.

"Rosetta, there's so much you need to understand. Things you'd think impossible. Hard to believe. Impossible to believe. Part of me wants you to move to the city with me, but I can't. It's the only way to keep you safe. These things are real. You're about to see things that are real. Magic, enchantments, vampires. You need to be brave," Nana explained, her words sinking in slowly.

I struggled to comprehend the gravity of her words. Surely, they were exaggerating about vampires. It had to be a prank—or worse, a collective delusion. My head spun with disbelief as I tried to grasp the reality of what they were suggesting.

"Can they still take her? She's over twenty," Meg asked Nana, her voice tinged with concern.

"Jonah is a vicious, greedy sucker. He doesn't listen to the oracle," Nana replied cryptically, her gaze darting to a pile of old books and mysterious artifacts.

"Nana, where are you going?" I asked, my curiosity piqued by her sudden movements.

"To get you protective spells!" Nana declared with conviction, her eyes gleaming with a fierce determination.

"Spells?" I echoed incredulously, my mind racing with disbelief.

"Rolly, what's going on here? First, I get attacked by some lunatic you call a vampire. Now Mom's casting protective spells. Is she a witch now? Ha! Come on, pimple face, you can do better than that," I scoffed, trying to lighten the heavy atmosphere with humor.

But Rolly's expression remained serious, his sigh conveying a mixture of frustration and resignation.

"Priestess," he stated simply, his voice carrying a weight of truth that silenced my jesting.

"Excuse me? A what?" I asked, bewildered by his revelation.

"Nana is one of the seven powerful priestesses of New Orleans, alongside Aunt Cleo. It's a long story, but it's not about witches or wizards, Hogwarts stuff. It's Voodoo," Rolly clarified, his tone solemn and earnest.

"Voodoo? Isn't that black magic? Cult stuff?" I frowned, struggling to reconcile the fantastical tales with the practicality of everyday life.

"That's the misconception. Voodoo has two sides: white and black magic. Priestesses are chosen by gods and goddesses to wield white magic for good. Sorcerers practice black magic, the bloody rituals and dolls. They've sold their souls to Kalfu, the moon god and patron of sorcerers," Rolly explained patiently, his eyes locking with mine to emphasize the gravity of his words.

"So our shop is a front to hide Nana's identity?" I ventured cautiously, trying to piece together the fragments of truth.

"No, Ro. Erzulie and neighboring towns believe in Voodoo. That's why there are many herb shops. This shop is our family's legacy, founded centuries ago. Those with the gift sell herbs and offer spells, enchantments, and visions. Your brother has the gift of foresight. He sees the future in his dreams," Meg added, her gentle touch on Rolly's arm hinting at a deeper connection.

It was all too much to absorb. I had dismissed Voodoo as folklore, a mythical realm conjured by overactive imaginations. Now, faced with the reality of its existence, my mind reeled with disbelief and uncertainty.

"I know it's a lot to take in. I felt the same when I first learned. But you have to accept it, Ro. This is us, thousands of years in the making," Rolly said, his voice tinged with a hint of sadness for the burden we now shared.

Nana returned with a weathered book and several vials of green powder, her movements purposeful and determined. Sera followed with two green candles, holding them horizontally as she murmured a quiet incantation under her breath.

"Nana, what is all this? First, you hit me with Voodoo, then sprinkle me like a beignet with matcha powder, and now protective spells? You're all insane. I'm out of here!" I declared, frustration and disbelief bubbling to the surface as I stormed off to my room, slamming the door behind me with a resounding bang.

Flopping onto my bed, I stared up at the mossy green ceiling illuminated by a chandelier that resembled a swarm of fireflies frozen in flight—a cherished find from a nearby antique shop. My mind raced with questions, doubts, and a growing sense of unease.

Were they pranking me? Conspiring against me? Or had I stumbled into a reality stranger than fiction, where magic and mystery intertwined with the mundane?

My thoughts turned to my bracelet, its cold chain brushing against my face as I held it up to examine its shimmering stone. The same stone that had glowed with an otherworldly light before the attack—a detail I couldn't dismiss as mere coincidence.

I scrutinized the bracelet, searching for any rational explanation—a hidden compartment, a miniature light source—but found none. It was a simple oval stone on a delicate chain, devoid of any visible technology. Yet, it had undeni

ably glowed in the darkness, a phenomenon that defied logic and reason.

Lost in contemplation, a flicker of movement caught my eye—a subtle glow at the window, drawing my gaze with an inexplicable pull. Curiosity piqued, I approached cautiously, peering through the glass to behold a mesmerizing sight.

A glowing orb hovered just beyond the window pane, its ethereal light pulsating softly in the night air. Intrigued and inexplicably drawn, I pushed open the window and leaned out, following its gentle trail as it danced and wove through the darkness.

The orb's luminous path stretched into the distance, beckoning me onward with an almost hypnotic allure. Despite my lingering doubts and fears, a surge of curiosity and determination overtook me.

This was no time for doubt. It was now or never.