Close Call

Moments bled into an eternity. Golden eyes, like molten pits of fire, pierced the blackness, the source hidden in the shadows. Eydis knelt beside the unconscious Callista, curiosity battling with an unseen urgency. Her hand, poised over the gas mask, hesitated. This human scent was…

"Eydis, we must go now. Adrian's men are coming," Lionel warned, his voice low and urgent, two slumped wolf bodies slung over his shoulders.

Eydis sighed, a sound laced with a hint of regret. Her gaze lingered on the face obscured by the mask, the memory of the fierce celestial blades flickering in her mind. "See you next time, hunters," she murmured, a hint of amusement playing on her lips.

With a whisper of movement, she dissolved into the shadows, Lionel following close behind. In her arms, an unconscious female wolf was swept away into the night.

Callista.

Callista, Are you alright?

The sound of her own name, muffled and distant, clawed through the fog in Callista's mind. "Callista?" Indigo's voice, usually calm and collected, held a note of raw worry.

Groaning, she pushed herself up, the familiar surroundings of Indigo's house blurring into focus. A throbbing pain in her neck served as a jarring reminder of the alleyway and its brutal fight. "Damien? And how am I still breathing?"

Relief flooded Indigo's warm brown eyes. "Damien lives, thankfully. You, however, sustained a nasty blow but managed to hang on."

Callista nodded, her mind racing to piece together the fragmented memories. "She's impossibly fast," she whispered, the image of the Queen's golden eyes flickering in her mind. "They don't call her the Queen for nothing. So, my cover… blown?"

A hint of a smile played on Indigo's lips. "Not entirely. The mask, though damaged, recorded the audio of the encounter. Would you like to see?"

Hope flickered in Callista's chest. A chance to see the Queen's face, the key to unravelling the enigma. But the footage, distorted and corrupted by the fight, offered only blurred silhouettes and muffled sounds. Callista paused the replay, disappointment etching itself onto her features. "Did Damien remember what she looked like?" she asked, her voice laced with frustration. "He engaged her directly."

Indigo shook his head, a furrow deepening between his brows. "Curiously, he said he couldn't recall. As if..." he trailed off, his gaze distant. "As if she deliberately obscured her features." This revelation resonated with Callista, explaining why all descriptions of the Queen were so… vague, like whispers lost in the wind.

"So back to square one," Callista sighed, a mix of frustration and determination swirling within her. This wasn't over, not by far. The Queen, it seemed, wasn't an easy target even with their combined efforts.

But just as despair threatened to consume her, a flicker of movement on the screen caught Indigo's eye. He tapped the spacebar, rewinding, and the distorted scene played again, revealing a faint murmur, a man's voice laced with urgency, urging the Queen to leave.

And a name… Adrian.

"Adrian," Indigo confirmed, a spark of interest glinting in his eyes. "A royal prince. We have a lead."

Callista's mind buzzed with newfound purpose as she devoured a croissant. "Is she… related to Athena and Adrian?"

"Not directly," Indigo explained, "perhaps distant cousins at best. Rank isn't determined by blood, but by raw, unyielding power. Kings and Queens rise from the crucible of combat, forging their power through sheer strength and cunning. Historically, those with the purest bloodlines, the golden-eyed vampires, tend to hold the most formidable power."

"So Adrian is her enemy," Callista murmured, piecing together the puzzle. The revelation resonated deeply within her.

"Indeed," Indigo said, a flicker of pride in his eyes. "And good work, Callista. You uncovered more than you know."

The compliment felt hollow on her tongue as a wave of nausea washed over her. The encounter with Eydis replayed vividly in her mind – every predatory movement, the effortless dismantling of their defences. This wasn't just any enemy; this was a force of nature cloaked in an enigmatic facade. A shiver ran down Callista's spine, but instead of fear, a steely resolve took hold.

She needed more power. Not just to survive, but to fight back. The hunt had taken a sharp turn, and Callista, for the first time, felt the full weight of the responsibility she had undertaken.

**

The spring garden held a deceptive calm, its vibrant blooms unable to soothe the unease gnawing at Callista. Eydis' chilling encounter echoed in her mind, a stark reminder of her own naivety and arrogance. Yet, normalcy reigned here – the gag-inducing public displays of affection (which she desperately wished she could unsee with bleach), the discreetly gruesome feeding rituals, even the annoyingly persistent princess – a semblance of peace held sway.

Speaking of…

"Miss me, my elusive Astra?" A honeyed voice, sweeter than blood and laced with a playful challenge, sliced through her thoughts. Callista felt warm breath tickle her ear, sending shivers down her spine she quickly swatted away like pesky gnats.

"About as much as I miss a raw liver smoothie," Callista retorted, quickening her pace. Unfortunately, the princess seemed immune to rejection, effortlessly gliding at her side like a shadow with perfectly manicured nails.

Athena chuckled, a hint of regal challenge lurking beneath the surface. "So full of life, even at this ungodly hour. One can only wonder how you… manage through the nights."

Callista felt a familiar heat rise in her cheeks, an unwelcome and inconvenient sensation. She hated how Athena's words, laden with hidden meaning, wormed under her skin. "Do you grace everyone with such insightful conversation, Princess? Or has your brooding canine companion taken leave today?" she countered, her voice sharper than intended.

Athena's perfectly arched brows rose in amusement, before a genuine smile softened her features, a smile Callista would never admit sent a delightful flutter through her stomach.

"For someone who claims to despise me, you seem awfully invested in my personal life, my dear Astra," Athena purred, leaning closer, her lips brushing Callista's ear in a way that sent shivers down her spine, this time not entirely unwelcome.

Callista scoffed, the term of endearment grating on her nerves in a way that wasn't entirely unpleasant. "And is it unbecoming of a princess to stalk her… prey?" she countered, her voice steady despite the nervous flutter in her stomach. She couldn't help but notice how the princess' golden eyes lingered on her every move, an unsettling warmth blooming in their depths.

Athena smirked, golden eyes glinting with an unreadable emotion. "Prey? Never considered you that, Astra."

"Then why the constant attention if it's not my blood you crave?" Callista challenged, but her crimson eyes widened as a fleeting blush, quickly masked, stained Athena's flawless skin.

Their gazes locked, a charged moment neither could break. Athena leaned in, her voice a husky whisper, "Blood? With your delicate frame? I find a more robust physique more… satisfying."

Callista, despite being only slightly shorter than the princess, growled in annoyance at the implication. That explained why she kept the brooding silver-haired werewolf around. Yet, a strange irritation flickered within her, an emotion she couldn't quite place. She scoffed, "Works out perfectly then."

Athena's grin widened, devoid of fangs, a playful gesture. Leaning even closer, her voice a breath away, she purred, "But I wouldn't say no to a different kind of offering, should you ever find yourself... reassessing your preferences."

Callista, a fire rising in her cheeks, managed a retort, "Only in your wildest dreams, Princess."

Turning on her heel, Callista stormed away, the lingering scent of blood still clinging to the air. But strangely, it wasn't as repulsive as before.

Athena watched her go, a kaleidoscope of emotions playing on her face. Her golden eyes crinkled in amusement, lingering on Callista's retreating figure. "Adorable," she murmured, a hint of something deeper than amusement playing on her lips.