Welcoming Coven

Clad in ripped jeans and a black vest, this beast of a man contrasted sharply with everything Luan had come to understand about vampires. Unlike the suave Samael or the polished Athan and Aurora, there was something wild about this person.

With a single, unmistakable scent, the realization hit Luan like a bolt of lightning. This was the very wolf that had attacked him in the void. His blood ran hot, its scent akin to fungus thriving on a damp wall. The same creature he had confronted, now revealed as a man.

But how is this possible? Was this another sorcery?

While confusion riddled Luan's mind, Athan's face formed a smug smile. Unfolding his arms, he stated the obvious to this new person and his blonde sidekicks.

"Draven, you are blocking the way."

"Hello to you too, Athan," Draven glared at him. Then he slightly nodded in Aurora's direction, who winked at him in response.

When Draven showed no signs of moving away from the elevator door, Aurora exhaled loudly in exasperation.

"Really, Draven? Are you sulking because a newbie kicked your butt? Grow up."

Draven's jaw tightened, and his fingers clenched into a fist. Athan quickly interceded to taunt him further in a more mature way. "Aurora, behave. This is no way to talk to a beta werewolf who has come here to help us test our new brethren."

Luan felt like slamming his fist on his face. 'Werewolves too!!! This is getting more and more complicated with every passing minute. How the hell do these people survive together—humans, sorcerers, vampires, and werewolves?'

Athan and Aurora, oblivious to Luan's exasperation, had all their attention on Draven.

"We are grateful for your assistance in ascertaining Luan's capabilities." While Athan's gruff words were gracious, his smirk was more apparent. "While we would love to stay and entertain you with our company, we must leave the lift for Luan's welcome ceremony."

Draven stood there like a rock, with hot rage running through his equally hot blood.

"So if you excuse us now," Aurora continued in sync with Athan, "we will find you later and catch up about what's new. Like how did Luan end up defeating you and your pups." Her words were complemented with a mock, innocent smile.

Draven knew that he was representing his pack in this ceremony, and as a guest, he could not cause a stir or fight the cheeky new member of the coven. Drinking in his rage and humiliation, he and his two omegas moved aside to give way to the trio.

However, when Luan passed him by, he couldn't resist hissing in his ears: "We will come face-to-face again. And when we do, I will wipe the look of satisfaction from your smug face."

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"Well, that was unnecessary," Luan said after they had put some distance between them and Draven.

"Oh! Don't worry about it," Aurora said, facing him and walking backwards toward the vast door. Her waist-length red hair waved right behind her. "Werewolves don't look kindly on us cold-blooded people defeating them in a trial."

"Although, I don't remember. When was the last time a vampire defeated a werewolf during the trial?" she added thoughtfully. "Any idea, Athan?"

"Hmm, don't know," he answered. "It doesn't matter anyway."

Then, Athan addressed Luan without looking at him: "Newbie, enjoy it while you can. It is your night—a new moon night, too! You have completed the tasks to join our brethren."

They had reached the vast silver door. Athan put his massive hands on the two ornate handles and said, "Welcome to the coven, Luan."

With that, he threw the doors open.

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Dozens of old-fashioned lamps dimly lit the large, circular, dome-shaped room, giving it an ethereal look. It was as if Luan had been somehow transported to yet another world where things seemed simpler and familiar.

The room was filled with 30-40 people. Most wore black robes; a few wore white and brown robes. By the smell wafting around him, Luan could discern that the room was filled with cold-blooded vampires, a few warm-blooded humans, and some hot-blooded werewolves. His mentor, Samael, was also standing amongst this crowd, carrying his silver walking stick and wearing his shades. He, too, was wearing the black robe over his black suit.

Only a couple of men were wearing blood-red robes—a grey-haired man with a severe face and stocky build and a golden-haired guy with a sombre face. Luan's gaze lingered on this guy, who stood out amidst this sea of gruff and refined faces.

His fair face looked so vulnerable, yet his composed demeanour made him stand tall in this crowd, which was undoubtedly intimidating to him. This guy would not have been more than 24 years old. But what caught Luan's attention was his smell of morning dew.

He stood 20 feet from Luan, deep in conversation with the grey-haired man. Yet Luan knew that his blood would taste tantalisingly delicious. Just looking at him and standing in the same room with his scent was arousing Luan's bloodlust.

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Luan sniffed deeply once more before knowing Samael was standing right before him. "Congratulations, Luan," he intoned in his deep, alluring voice. "I hadn't much faith in you, but you still managed to make it this far."

Thus, it forced him to divert his attention from the golden-haired delicious man and focus it on his arrogant mentor, whom he would show his place one day.

A small contemplative smile adorned his stone-carved, strikingly handsome face. Luan remembered the slap and relived the nightmare. "The ancient one guided me well," he said grimly.

He stood still for a moment, his dark shades reflecting Luan's pale white face with chiselled jaw right at him. His emerald green and ocean blue eyes sparkled in the reflection, even in the dimness.

"You have a long way to go before you prove yourself worthy, mentee," said Samael in a low, authoritative tone. "Yet there is no denying that you have earned your way to the brethren, so we welcome you."

Samael extended his left hand towards Luan. He stood staring at his hand for a moment, then, after contemplating, he took it. Gradually, Samael turned around and guided him towards the circular podium at the end of the room.

Everything went silent as if in deference to what was about to happen. In the middle of the platform, a stand held a silver goblet.

Upon reaching the podium, Samael withdrew his hand and faced the audience. He addressed them, "Amidst the council of elders…"

"Council of elder sorcerers, here!" Many of them whispered to each other as if not believing that these highly placed sorcerers had come to attend the welcome ceremony of a lowly newly transitioned vampire. Aurora and Athan were also included in this hoard of whisperers. Disbelief was visible in their eyes for the second time in the night.

"...werewolf faction and human diplomats, I present to you the newest member of our coven—Luan."

The whole room was scrutinizing Luan wordlessly now. Samael continued in his calm and authoritative voice, "It is after 30 years that we are adding a new coven member. And for the first time in our history, we welcome someone into the coven on a new moon."

"With each new member, we swear to uphold the peace treaty passed to maintain order and honour between our different factions, i.e., vampires, werewolves, sorcerers, and humans."

"And to bind Luan, our youngest and newest coven member, I invite the elder mage to conduct the ceremony," Samael concluded his eloquent monologue with a silent and brooding Luan beside him.

On Samael's call, an elder with a long black, silky beard and hair separated himself from the flock of white-robed men and entered the podium. He took his wand out of his pocket as he walked towards them.

Without saying a word to either of the two vampires or acknowledging their presence, he concentrated solely on the goblet on the stand as if every other object had ceased to exist for him.

The elder directed his desire on the goblet and muttered an incantation with Luan's name peppered on it. Everybody looked at this elder with reverence—sorcerers, vampires, werewolves, and humans alike. This charade lasted for five minutes.

It was only after the chant had been completed that he turned to his audience and finally said, "As everyone knows, it has been a centuries-long honour for us to help uphold the peace between all the present factions."

He picked up the goblet and moved it from one direction to another, putting it on display for everyone. "And now I, Dorian Nightflame of the council of elders, present this goblet of supreme blood to the newest entrant into the vampire coven."

With these words, Elder Dorian turned to Luan and presented him with the goblet. Luan took the goblet with misgiving, not knowing whether he wanted to be bound by some magic he did not know about.

'This maniac crowd is not explaining what I can or cannot do once bound to this magic,' Luan reflected while standing in front of the crowd, casually holding the goblet in one hand and staring at the blood in it.

Although Luan did not show any of his mistrust on his face, it was as if Samael had read his mind. "Drink it," he commanded in his annoyingly calm voice.

Seeing that he had no other option than to submit to the customs laid down by the influential factions of this new world, he brought the cup to his glossy, soft lips.

The minute he began drinking, the crowd started their unified chanting.

"May Luan be bound forever."

"May Luan be bound forever."

 "May Luan be bound forever."

It continued until he drank every drop of the antique-tasting blood and placed the empty goblet on the stand. After that, it grew more incessantly. 

'Well, the joke is on them,' thought the newly migrated being. My name is not Luan. And I will use this name fully before I can recall my real name.' 

With this resolve, the one who was not Luan temporarily detached himself from the identity of the body's previous owner.