Chapter One

CHAPTER ONE

Evil Leader

Dead faces.

Mangled bodies.

“She did all this?” I study the photographs, a hint of unease forming in my gut. “I thought her old man sealed her powers.”

The man in black garb, kneeling in front of me, looks tense. “According to the reports we have, he did. Both girls had their powers sealed at birth.”

“But the younger one-“

“After the incident, her mother took her and vanished. Nobody has been able to locate her.”

I absorb the words of the Leader of the East Squad before turning my attention back to the photographs. “And we’re sure this is the girl Rachel came into contact with?”

“Yes.”

Rachel was hasty, far too caught up in her own desires to stay true to the mission.

“Have we retrieved her body?”

The man flinches. “It’s not possible to revive her. The wildlife got to her before we could.”

I toss the photographs onto the ground, forcing my anger down, “What a waste of talent. She was the first half-genie we managed to get under our wing. What happened to the boy?”

“Alive from what my scouts have told me. The girl and her companions took him back to the islands.”

“And she-“

“The Director forced her to go with them. She didn’t seem to be interested in returning.”

Morrighan Yearwood has always been a force of nature. She knows what that girl is capable of. Of course, she would want her under her wing.

But does she know what her blood is capable of?

“Do we have a report from our people?”

The man lowers his gaze. “They’ve checked but there’s no sign of the girl anywhere. The Director has most likely stashed her somewhere. Our people are trying to get to her but only the Director’s most trusted people know where she is and everyone is tightlipped.”

“Then force them-“

“If we do that, we’ll attract more attention. After the last attempt at infiltration, the Director has hired wizards to guard the shields. We only have one attempt left if even that.”

I lean back in my chair, my expression calculating, “And we need to preserve that. Good call. They must already be on the lookout for our spies.”

Pressing my lips together, I consider our options. We need the girl. Or more specifically, we need her blood.

“Any way we can bring her to our side?” I murmur. A Blood Moon Hybrid would be a nice addition to our numbers. And it would be easier to use her blood if she’s cooperative.

“She doesn’t seem to have the same isolation seeking tendences as others of her kind. The research Rachel combined for us painted an entirely different picture than how this girl behaves. She might not be easily convinced.”

I tap my fingers on the arm of my chair. Despite her intelligence, Rachel turned out to be a disappointment. She failed in her mission, prioritizing her revenge and her desire for the boy she was obsessed with. She cost me a good number of men.

“Well, at least that stupid girl did manage to find out how the first two vaults were opened.”

The man in front of me, hesitates, “Are we sure it is the Hybrid’s blood-?”

My gaze turns cold. “Are you questioning me?”

He shivers and shakes his head, desperately. Choosing to overlook his ignorance, I murmur, “Both times, it was that girl’s blood on the vault door when it opened. We tried other blood. It didn’t work. Hers is special. We need to get to her. Tell those on the inside to await my orders. This may be our last chance. Till we know where the girl has been hidden and how to get to her, we can’t take any step that could jeopardize our mission. Go.”

The man nods and then rushes off to relay my orders.

Getting to my feet, I walk across the darkly lit chamber towards the two old boxes that are on a table across the room. I study the contents.

We need to move fast and gather the rest of the remaining limbs. So far we have only managed to get the head and an arm. Once we have the rest, the world will be in our fists.

With the ancient evil at our command, we will assume our rightful place as the top apex predator, the humans our slaves, their luxuries ours. No longer will we have to hide in the shadows and bear punishments for revealing ourselves to the humans, for taking what has always been rightfully ours!

We are stronger, superior to them in every way. Why should we have to bow before them?! Hide from them?!

My hand goes to linger on the silver mask that covers half my face, the part that is covered in scars that will never heal. They thought they would punish me and teach me a lesson, and I would stay hidden forever?

No.

I picked up the scattered ashes of the Black Wreath Group and I rebuilt it, stronger than ever, more vicious than before.

We will triumph this time.

My hand strokes the skull, “And you will be my beast while I will be your Master. You will bring me the heads of all those who oppose me. You will drop them to their knees. And I will make them suffer as they once made me suffer.

I will bathe in their blood.