Resolution

The only condition for a good decision is to stay calm and think things through with a cool head — if that doesn't work out, you can still go on a rampage.

Resolution

Jo's house wasn't ransacked. Everything was in place, the apartment was largely untouched. Yet as soon as I entered the house, the smell of blood filled my lungs. The only room covered in blood was Jo's room.

My footsteps were silent, although I shouldn't have been so careful, since I couldn't have woken up the man lying on the ground with just that much. Jo's father looked straight at me with lifeless eyes, horror frozen over his features. His body was covered with so many punctures... not far from him lay a pair of red scissors on the ground.

I knelt next to him and carefully closed his eyes. Once again, I slowly looked over his body, and from that alone, I could almost hear his hoarse cries in my ears. This man was tortured for long minutes before he bled to death.

I discovered some wire on the iron frame of Jo's bed. Burgundy juice dried on the wire. I clenched my jaw so hard that my teeth gritted. I felt that not a single sound was coming to my throat. I wanted to scream, but I just stood there, lonely and painfully silent. I clenched my fists.

That's when I noticed something hidden under the bed: it was the little notebook Coffee had given her for Christmas. I discovered a smeared drop of blood on the edge of the notebook, so I immediately opened the cover and flipped through a few pages.

Then I stopped for a moment. A bloody fingerprint was left on the edge of one page. As I read the lines, my grip on the tiny book tightened more and more. I frantically turned the pages and felt my eyes widen even more.

Alex squeezed my shoulder as I looked up at him. The wolf looked almost terrified. He let go of my shoulder, albeit a little hesitantly.

"What happened?"

"Jo knew about us," I said quietly.

Alex was so shocked that he was speechless for a moment.

"What?" he finally asked when he found his voice.

I flipped back to the page marked with the drop of blood. I thought Jo had purposely injured her hand with the wire so she could leave us a tiny little mark. It was clearer than day that the monster that had visited Jo and revealed our secret to her was the same monster that had now kidnapped her.

"He visited her one night," I said. "I'm sure the enemy couldn't touch her because of the necklace... so they changed tactics."

Alex just listened silently.

"He exposed us," I continued. "He gave Jo a magic eyepiece that showed her the monsters."

The enemy must have thought that Jo would hate me and perhaps willingly take off her jewelry. Maybe all the other humans would have hated the truth, but Jo instead made it a point to find out more.

It was then that I understood why she had been acting so unusual lately. When she "stumbled" at the top of the stairs, she was trying to expose me. She didn't make those garlic sticks so garlicky by accident either: after that, since Alex nearly passed out just from the smell of the food, Jo thought Alex might just be a vampire.

She wrote down every tiny little plan of hers in this worn little notebook. My heart sank. The last post was about our last conversation. Jo knew then that I was not human and simply wanted to give me the opportunity to tell her. But I wasn't nearly brave enough for that.

I closed the notebook and glanced at the message painted on the wall. Des also entered the room.

"I know who kidnapped Jo," I stated.

"Who?" Alex asked, somewhat determined.

He made a face like he could start a fight as soon as I say the name of the culprit.

"My father," I answered.

With that one word, I unnerved the wolf so much that he just stared for a moment before he spoke again.

"What do you mean your father?" Alex questioned.

"You didn't tell him?" my brother asked, I could tell from his voice that this was exactly what he was expecting.

I shook my head.

"What didn't you tell me?" Alex demanded, "What is it, Shay?"

I looked up at him. He was so, so worried and didn't understand anything.

"Do you remember what I said?" I started my explanation. "I didn't lie to you, I really don't know my father personally. But I never said that I didn't know who he was.

"Who is? Who is your father?"

I swallowed hard. The sounds did not come to my throat.

"My father is..." I said, but got stuck again. "the Fifth King."

I've never seen such shock on Alex's face as I did then. He expected everything but this.

"This... this... "he mumbled. "How could it be?"

"Des knows the story better than I do," I shrugged. "I was never curious about it, so I didn't ask too much about it."

The wolf shifted his confused gaze to my brother, and the hunter sighed deeply.

"The day when Shay was born, his father came to us again, I think he planned to take Shay with him," he said. "But Shay was born very weak, it didn't seem like he would live the next day. Stillbirths or infant deaths are very common with half-bloods, the genes are simply incompatible with each other — if we are talking about mixed-bloods, probably even more so."

"After being confronted with this, his father simply walked out the door and disappeared. Shay, on the other hand, even though no one believed in him, survived the night and the next day as well. At the time it seemed like a miracle — now I think that his incredible self-healing ability may have played a role."

"Really... he's your father..."

Although it didn't sound like a question, I felt the need to nod.

"You were the target of the whole attack, Shay," Des said, "That's why I think the girls might be alive, maybe the Fifth wants what he missed eighteen years ago."

Des looked deep into my eyes. "You."

"But how could he have found me?!" I was furious.

"I don't know," Des shook his head. "But it's not important anymore. Now we have to decide how to proceed."

I nodded. I couldn't imagine how my brother managed to regain his composure so much — even though he couldn't hide the worry and the tiny sparks of anger in his eyes. My hands were also shaking slightly from suppressed anger.

I thought that by staying out of the war, I could protect myself and my friends. I thought that I could best protect the others if I refrained from taking a side — I was wrong. By knowing the disaster in advance, it's like it's all my fault. That's when I remembered the prediction. After all, the Necromancer warned me — he knew in advance what would happen.

"Des is right that we shouldn't act hastily. We must not forget that the Fifth has an army," I said, "That is why until we know for sure that Jo and Coffee are alive, we will not do anything."

"Then what do you want to do?!" howled the wolf.

"Isn't it obvious?" I asked him, "I will find out if they are really alive."

"But how do you plan this?" it seemed that from then on, my brother was also very interested in the matter.

"I'm visiting Gironde," I declared.

"Who is Gironde?" Alex asked.

"The Necromancer," I answered.

"How long have you been in such a close relationship with him?" Des questioned. "A necromancer doesn't just reveal his name to anyone."

"Well, let's just say that I'm not just anybody," I replied. "He read my fortune to me. He told me to take care of my famiglia. Maybe he can answer my questions."

"It's not midnight yet," Des interrupted me. "He won't answer your call."

"I have to try" I answered stubbornly. "If I have to, I'll break down the cemetery gate."

"And what are we doing until then?" asked Alex. "We can't sit here idly!"

"Be ready!" I instructed them. "As soon as I receive the answers, I will call you. Then Des will visit the family, Alex you will visit Rolo."

I grabbed my phone from the counter, but before I could leave the pub, Des grabbed my arm.

"Have you thought it through, little brother?" he asked. "There's no guarantee that they'll help you, and there's even a risk that they'll take your head."

"Do not worry!" I smiled, although it turned out to be a bit forced. "You know that I can persuade anyone."

(...)

With that, I headed straight for the cemetery. It was barely past eleven when I reached the familiar iron gates.

"Gironde Mehisto!" I shouted. "Come on, I know you can hear me!"

No answer.

"To hell with it, Gironde!" I screamed. "This is important now!"

"It's fine, it's fine," I heard his voice in my skull. "Just don't say my name so loudly, maybe a stray reaper might accidentally hear it!"

In an instant, a thick blanket of fog descended on the cemetery, and a moment later I already saw the figure of the Necromancer in it, as he approached me. The iron gate opened before me, and I entered without hesitation.

The Necromancer wasn't wearing his usual top hat and had even changed his business clothes to a nightgown dotted with black and white skulls. On his feet were slippers in the shape of a panda, Nancy rested in one hand, and he stifled a yawn with the other. The situation was so absurd that if I hadn't been angry and upset at the same time, I would have laughed.

"What do you want, Shaytan?" he asked sleepily. "My shift hasn't started yet. Now look, you even woke Nancy up!"

"I'm sorry, but I'm here on an important matter," I answered.

"Okay, then come inside..." he waved and started back towards his home.

Even for the second time, I couldn't get used to being greeted by a homely hall upon crossing the threshold. The man snapped his fingers, changing his clothes. He conjured up a black shirt and similar-colored, but worn-out pants, with a studded belt. I noticed his tie, which was dotted with blue and silver skulls on a black background when we sat down in the armchairs. He placed Nancy in the chair next to him and crossed his legs.

"So, what do you want?" he asked, a bit more alert.

"You knew what was going to happen, didn't you?" I questioned. "You knew."

A terrifying, predatory grin appeared on his lips — how had I not noticed that his teeth were very sharp?

"How could I deny it, when you asked the question in such a direct way," he answered, and seemed to be amused. "And why did you come for? Maybe to hold me accountable? Because you have no right to that since I warned you."

"Tell anyone who would have understood that vague shit better than me!" I said, trying to mask the anger hidden in my voice. "Interestingly, there was no mention of us being attacked! Why couldn't you have said, "Hey Shaytan, watch out, because in a few weeks your famiglia will be attacked by vampires!"? I would have understood from that right away!"

"The purpose of prophecies is sometimes not to transform the given future, but to bring it about," the Necromancer stated.

"Are you saying that if I hadn't heard your prediction, then everything would have happened differently?!" at this point, I was tired of his bullshit.

"Maybe yes, maybe not. Who knows?" he shook his head. "Would you have joined the war? Or maybe you would have chosen your peaceful life anyway? Perhaps both options would have ended the same: since no one can avoid their fate."

"Then what is my fate?" I almost screamed. "And what does this have to do with my friends?! Why was Jo kidnapped? After all, she has nothing to do with this war, she is a simple human! Why she?!"

"Everyone has their own destiny," explained the Necromancer. "Maybe hers is to fulfill yours. This kind of thing happens."

"Okay, I understand," I interrupted him. "So, it is definitely my destiny to take part in this war, if I don't go on my own, then fate will force me."

I sighed deeply to regain my lost cool.

"Tell me that Jo and Coffee are alive and I swear I will fight," I said. "But tell me honestly that they are alive and I have a chance to free them!"

The Necromancer smiled. "They're both alive."

The necromancer ignored the second half of my question. I picked up one of the prepared tea cakes and took a big bite of the chocolate chip cookie — it tasted terribly bitter.

"Tell me, Gironde," I said. "Why is my fate so difficult? After all, you said it was especially so. Why can't I just be happy?"

"Mixed-bloods have always had a difficult fate," he answered.

"So, there were others besides me?" I was a little shocked.

The Necromancer nodded.

"In the old days, there were more of them, at a time when this pure-blood mania did not exist and it was not considered a crime to sleep with a woman of another species. Perhaps this taboo was formed precisely because of mixed blood," he pondered for a few moments. "Why do you think your father wanted such children for himself at all costs?"

"I don't know," I shook my head.

"Once a silver-haired half-blood came to me," he told me. "He asked about mixed-bloods and his future. I'll tell you what I told him then: Mixing bloodlines became taboo because the mixed-bloods possessed such power that the other monsters feared. That is why such creatures have always had a hard fate, persecuted and hated, in all ages, regardless of whether they deserved this hatred or not."

"So, because of the power," I concluded, and the Necromancer nodded.

"My brother was right," I shuddered. "Girls are bait, the Fifth wants me."

Another nod. I sighed deeply.

"Who will win?" I questioned.

"What would be the point if you already knew everything?" he smiled.

"Asshole," I hissed.

"What did you say?" he asked back with the same smile.

"Nothing..." I waved and ate the rest of the cookie, then stood up.

"Well, good luck," the Necromancer jumped up as well. "You'll need it."

"Don't expect me to thank you..." I grumbled.

"I wouldn't have expected it from you," the man grinned, then gently caressed Nancy's skull and told her to wait patiently until he escorted the guest out.

It was a very, very grotesque sight. After that, the Necromancer actually walked with me to the gate of the cemetery, humming cheerfully the whole time.

"I'd wish you a terrible night" he began standing at the gate. "But I know it will be."

I preferred not to reply to this, because I knew very well that if I had opened my mouth, only some kind of swearing or selective insults would have come out. I turned and started dialing Des' number as I heard the Necromancer's distant, amused laugh.

"So?" I heard my brother's voice.

"They are alive. Both of them."

In the background I heard Alex's sigh of relief.

"That's for sure?"Des, as befits a good hunter, doubted the information a little.

"Yes," I answered.

"Okay, then, let's proceed with the plan..."

"Yes, but try to manage all the calls before midnight!" I added.

"Why?" he inquired.

"Because we will have a meeting scheduled," I said. "Don't forget your best weapons, it will be a rough one."

"You know, I love it rough... " he giggled into the phone, although I felt that this laughter was fake.

"I'm hanging up" I grumbled.

Before he could answer anything, I hung up. Des and his bullshit.

I dialed another number.

"Hello?" Luna answered in her sweet voice.

"Hello," she could feel my desperate anger from this single word because before I could say anything else, she spoke.

"It's started?"

"Yes," I replied, "Jo and Coffee were kidnapped, and Alice was bitten by a vampire with an unknown poison."

Luna didn't speak for a few moments.

"Shay, remember the necklace?" she asked with unusual tension in her voice. "I equipped it with particularly strong protective charms. They couldn't have touched her..."

Luna suddenly fell silent.

"Unless?" I asked, trying to ignore how raspy my voice sounded.

"Unless she was driven to the deepest despair and broke completely. I designed the necklace so that positive emotions strengthen its magic. They had to make sure that not a drop of positive emotion remained in her heart."

I knew this well. I closed my eyes. As soon as I saw that man's broken body on the ground, I knew well how much Jo must have suffered until his father finally breathed his last breath.

"I'll come over right away," the girl declared, and I could already hear her packing in the background.

"I burned down our house," I said, and she inhaled sharply. "We are currently meeting at my workplace, come there."

"Luna," I said, and the soft rustling sound ceased for a moment on the other end of the line, "I think you're the only one who can save Alice. I want you to focus on that."

"I understand," she finally answered. "I prepare for that."

I disconnected the call. I hesitated before dialing the next number.

[Your Coolest Big Brother Zack]

"What's up, little bro?" I heard Zack's chatter. "You miss me already? Wanna fight?"

"Zack," I answered. "Let's meet up. Tonight, at midnight."

"Eh, you sound way too serious..." he complained. "This meeting sounds boring."

"We'll talk about fighting."

"Hm," he hummed. "If it's about fighting, I might be interested."

"Then it's settled," I concluded before he could change his mind.

"Okay, come to the doc's place. I wanna meet him as well."

"Okay."

"Bye-bye, little one."

I hung up without a reply. I slipped my phone back into my pocket.

Uncontrollable rage was racing dangerously in my body and the monster was trying to take control of me. The tips of my fingers began to itch and I felt sharp claws digging into my skin. Drops of scarlet blood fell softly from my clenched fists. The tiny droplets broke into shards on the cold concrete echoing like drums in my ears.

I took a deep breath and banished the monster back to the depths of my chest. Your time has not yet come.