Previously: Newly-turned vampire Elliot Marshall has been challenged by Vladislaus Straud to build a clan consisting of the most powerful families around. Vladislaus has named Bella Goth, Geoffrey Landgraab (who died and left his granddaughter, Jade Zest, as heir), Lily Feng, Max Villareal, and Judith Ward as required members. Elliot must turn three before his rival, Miss H does. Thus far, he has only turned Max and Lily. Miss H has turned Bella, Judith, and is about to turn Jade. She also has Caleb Vatore and his girlfriend, Allie, in her clan, whereas Elliot’s only additional member is an aspiring botanist named Lexi Cramer.

—-

Twilight had passed. Night had begun. With a long, nervous breath, Elliot brought together Lexi, Kyle, and Lily, and the three of them headed for Forgotten Hollow, as the rude and ominous letter had instructed them. Max, still feeling quite out of sorts with his own transformation loomed, opted to stay home.

Kyle seemed unusually optimistic and stayed towards the front of the group, swinging his arms and humming off-key to himself. While Elliot had mostly told everyone that this whole thing could easily be a hoax, Kyle seemed to be the only one who actually believed that.

As the ever-present mists in the sidewalk cleared enough to bring Wolfsbane Manor into view, Kyle stopped. A group of vampires had gathered out front, one of them with a bright mohawk ordering the others around. He was no detective—he’d picked up a gig as an unruly activist campaigning against greedy, cash-hoarding piggy backs–but he had a hunch the mohawked lady was none other than Elliot’s infamous, sticky-note-leaving rival.

She turned to face him as he approached, sporting a pair of eye-shielding shades that didn’t make much sense to be wearing, but Kyle has certainly seen people about the town wearing worse.

Elliot burst out of the crowd and despite not having any fast-moving vampire powers, he sprinted up to Miss H with all the energy in him. He had no idea what he was going to say to her. He only knew that in his heart of hearts, in the deepest reaches of his soul, he had to come up here and deliver a stirring, unreasonably loud, never-say-die monologue.

He opened his mouth, raised a finger in the air to wave it dramatically with every fervent syllable…

…and completely blanked on what to actually say.

Miss H stared at him in bewilderment.

“Elliot?” she asked.

The sound of his name spoken by his rival in such a confused manner seemed to prompt Elliot to action. And voice. He waggled his finger in the air again.

With a powerful blast of vampiric magic, Miss H shoved Elliot backwards. Lexi caught him, while Kyle helpfully leapt out of the range of his flailing arms.

Miss H scoffed at the scene. Rather than gleeful at her upcoming victory, she seemed to be seething at the sight of Elliot. One could only wonder why. Whatever feelings she harbored, she quickly swallowed them and turned to the puzzled, teenage girl stand behind her. It was time.

Miss H turned to Jade, waving her hand and placing the girl in a mesmerized state. She then scooped her up with little effort and disappeared in a puff of curling black smoke, followed quickly by Lilith. Caleb and Allie preferred to use their vampiric speed for a classy exit, while Judith’s only strategy was to transform into a bat and flap away in a most undignified manner. She did, at least, manage to drop what she thought of as a clever quip: “You bat-ter watch yourselves! Bwa-ha-ha-ha!”

Elliot’s group groaned, both at the terribleness of the joke and their own upcoming defeat.

It was in that moment Elliot realized the entire future of his clan rested on whether or not Kyle was right about something.

Yes, indeed, this had been one depressing evening.

—-