POV Dante
"Nora?" I called out.
We were in the woods again.
She loved playing these little games with me. Hide somewhere in the forest and challenge me to find her. Every time she would say the same thing.
"You'll always find."
And every time I did.
I could hear her heartbeat.
I could hear the quiet rhythm of her breathing.
To anyone else it would have been impossible to track her. But to me, it was like she was standing right beside me.
I moved.
In a burst of speed I appeared directly in front of her.
"Ah!" she gasped, jumping back.
I smiled.
"You always get scared," I said. "Every single time."
She laughed and pushed my shoulder lightly.
"Well yeah," she said. "Because you always just appear like that. It's creepy."
I shrugged.
"Well, like you always say… I'll always find you."
She rolled her eyes but smiled anyway.
It had been a month since my sister and I returned from Egypt.
And during that time I had spent most of my days with Nora.
Nora Bennet was beautiful in every sense of the word.
Dark brown hair that fell down her back, and dark brown eyes that sometimes looked almost black depending on the light.
She was powerful too.
One of the strongest witches I had ever seen.
And yet when she laughed… she looked like the most carefree person in the world.
We sat down together on a blanket she had laid out earlier and stared up at the sky through the trees.
"So," she said after a moment. "I heard your brother is back."
"Yes," I said. "He is."
She turned her head toward me.
"So shouldn't you go greet him or something?"
I smiled.
"My brother isn't that type of man."
"What do you mean?"
"He doesn't expect dramatic welcomes," I said. "Besides… why would I want to leave here?"
I leaned in and kissed her.
She smiled against my lips but spoke between kisses.
"Yeah… but it's Nero."
I pulled back slightly.
"What are you trying to say, Nora?"
She shrugged.
"I'm not saying anything."
Her eyes drifted toward the sky.
"I just thought, you know… he's the hybrid and all."
I frowned slightly.
"Like I said, Nora. He's not that type of person."
She raised an eyebrow.
"And what exactly type of person is he?"
Her tone had changed slightly.
I noticed it.
"Yeah he's my so-called uncle," she continued. "But he was barely around when I was younger."
She picked at the grass beside her.
"He was always with Selene… or his favorite, Jamine."
I chuckled softly and cupped her face.
"Nora… your family is just as much a part of Nero's as I am."
She sighed.
"I know."
"You know he's protected the Bennet family for hundreds of years," I said.
"Yes," she said quietly. "I know."
She hesitated before speaking again.
"Don't you think he's a little… controlling?"
My expression changed.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean," she said, "he tells you and your sister what to do all the time."
"Our sister," I corrected.
"He is our brother, Nora. We may not share blood, but he is still my brother."
I leaned back slightly.
"And he doesn't make Mekesa do anything. Trust me."
She looked away.
"What's got you thinking like this?" I asked.
"It's nothing," she said quickly.
I was about to question her further when suddenly—
The leaves around us burst outward.
My brother appeared.
"Oh isn't this lovely," he said casually.
"My dear brother… and my powerful niece."
He paused and covered his mouth.
"Actually… that sounded a bit wrong."
I laughed and stood up.
"Brother."
We embraced briefly before pulling apart.
"How was Egypt?" he asked.
"I trust our little sister behaved herself."
I laughed.
"Oh you know Mekesa."
"She's her usual chaotic self."
That made him laugh.
"And how was the rainforest?" I asked.
"Well," he said, wrapping an arm around my shoulder, "I'll tell you all about it on the way home."
I looked back at Nora.
"Go," she said with a smile. "I need to go see Jamine anyway."
I nodded.
"I'll come see you later."
"I'll hold you to that," she said.
She waved as we walked away.
"So brother," Nero said as we walked. "I trust nothing unusual happened in Egypt."
I chuckled.
"Well… we did capture the son of the clan leader."
Nero waved his hand dismissively.
"Oh please."
"If they try anything they'll meet their end earlier than expected."
I hesitated for a moment.
"And… there was someone else there."
Nero stopped walking.
"Lucien?" he said immediately.
I smiled slightly.
"Always too clever, brother."
"Well," he said, continuing to walk again, "not many people are hunting werewolves these days."
"Especially for their venom "
"I figured eventually I would run into him."
"You still never told me why we didn't just kill him," I said.
"Because," Nero replied calmly, "I need him alive. For now."
"And once he's served his purpose… I'll dispose of him."
I nodded.
"I trust you."
"It best that you do brother"
He laughed.
We continued walking.
"So what happened in the rainforest?" I asked.
"Oh," Nero said with a small grin.
"A lot of things."
He glanced at me.
"But for now let's just say… I got what I needed."
I shook my head.
I knew eventually he would tell me.
We continued talking about our travels until we reached our house.
A massive three-story mansion built from dark stone and polished wood.
As we approached the door, it suddenly opened.
She rushed outside.
"Nero!"
She jumped onto him and hugged him tightly.
"Oof," he groaned.
"I missed you too, little sister."
When we went inside, everything was already prepared.
This was actually Mekesa's Idea.
She loved having family dinners.
"I had Yona send over some of her ribs," Nero said.
"Hells yes," Mekesa said immediately.
"That woman knows how to cook."
"Indeed she does," I said.
We sat there eating and talking like a normal family.
He informed us about what happened in the rainforest.
And how he was married.
That made Mekesa cry of laughter.
I chuckled a bit.
He also told us about when Ferya Mikaelson would awake.
Anyone watching would never guess we were one of the most dangerous families in the world.
Eventually Mekesa leaned forward.
"Alright brother," she said.
"You almost have all seven werewolf clan venoms."
"Now what do we go after next?"
Nero smiled.
"I was waiting for you to ask, little sister."
He pulled out a piece of paper from nowhere and snapped his fingers.
A maid came and handed it to me.
"What is this?" I asked.
"The locations of the last two werewolf clans."
I raised an eyebrow.
"I want you to go get them," he said.
He spoke with a serious tone.
"You're the only one I trust with this."
"And those two clans should be the easiest out of all the ones we've captured."
I nodded.
"I'll get it done."
"Excellent," he said.
"You can bring Nora if you want too" He said
"That's if Monna agrees though."
I was generally surprised.
"But what about me?" Mekesa said, sounding annoyed.
Nero laughed.
"You're with me, little sister."
I raised my brow slightly.
"And what exactly are you two doing?"
Nero leaned forward.
"As I said earlier… Freya and her aunt Dahlia won't wake up for another sixty-nine years."
He paused.
"But there's one more ingredient I need for my spell."
He smiled.
"The ashes of an Original."
My eyes widened.
POV Nero
The looks on their faces were priceless.
"But I thought you didn't want the Originals to know your secret yet," Dante said.
" And If you kill one of them… they'll know."
"They will definitely know," Mekesa added.
" Well Yes and no," I said.
"I'm not challenging the Originals yet."
Until I was completely certain nothing in this world could kill me. I thought to myself.
I would not risk fighting.
Five extremely old and powerful predators.
Even though one or two of them are probably in a box right now.
I could probably take one of them by myself .
Maybe two.
But any more than that.
Well that would be trouble.
"But there is one Original I can kill," I said.
"And the others won't even know."
"Hell they might even thank me for it."
Mekesa leaned forward.
"Who?"
I looked at Dante.
He already understood.
"The vampire that hunts vampires," I said.
"The father of the Originals."
"Mikael," Dante said.
I nodded.
"Yes."
"And I'm going to kill him."
I stood up and leaned against the table.
"He carries a white oak stake," I said.
"And I intend to drive that stake through his heart."
"And watch the man who created vampires burn to ash."
Mekesa grinned widely.
"Oh hell yes."
"This is going to be fun."
I looked at Dante.
He looked conflicted.
Later
Dante and I walked down to the basement.
It was spelled off with many restrictions
It's where I kept the werewolves I had captured.
"What's wrong?" I asked him.
"When I said I was going to kill Mikael… your face said otherwise."
We reached the heavy iron door that only opened for me.
Inside were fifteen chained werewolves.
Each one from a different clan.
I stopped in front of the one from Egypt.
The Malraux.
The son of their clan leader.
His hair was messy and his eyes were filled with hatred.
When he saw me he flinched.
I chuckled.
"So," I said, turning toward Dante. "What is it?"
"I don't think you can kill him."
I raised an eyebrow.
"Really?"
"Listen Nero," Dante said. "Mikael was a Viking warrior long before he became a vampire."
"He's stronger than any of his children."
"So why not go after them instead?"
"Because," I said calmly, "they need to stay alive."
"Certain things must happen first."
"So that I can gain much in return."
"And what would that be?" he asked.
"Power," I said, spreading my arms.
"That's what this is all about."
"Power."
I looked him in the eyes.
"And yes I know who Mikael was."
"I know he is probably stronger than his children."
"But I also need to know if I'm at the top of the food chain."
"And killing him will show me that."
"And besides," I added, "I'll have Mekesa as my wildcard."
He sighed.
"Well… just be careful."
I smiled.
"When am I not careful?"
He laughed and walked upstairs.
I stayed behind for a moment, staring at the captured wolves.
Then I left the room.
2 Months LaterPOV MekesaRussia
It had been two months, but finally my brother and I had made it to our destination.
Russia.
And I had to say… it looked old. Not just the buildings either. The air itself felt old. Heavy. Like it had been sitting there for centuries and never moved.
Maybe it was just the cold.
Or maybe this place really was that ancient.
When we arrived, the first thing my brother said we had to do was go visit some witch friend of his who lived here. We found her in the capital of Russia—Moscow.
Which was exactly where we were now.
Sitting in a bar.
Waiting.
I downed my fifteenth cup of Ale.
Nero glanced at the cup in my hand.
"You know," he said calmly, "you're going to be drunk by the time she gets here."
I rolled my eyes and leaned back in my chair.
"Oh don't tell me you're going to start playing the responsible brother now."
He smirked.
"I never said that."
"Good," I groaned. "Because I already have to deal with Dante doing that."
Nero lifted his hands in surrender.
"I never said you had to stop, little sister."
He gestured toward the bartender.
He poured another cup
"By all means… drink."
I took another sip.
"You know," I said, "if this witch friend of yours takes much longer, I might drink the whole place dry."
"Wouldn't be the first time."
I scoffed.
"Please. That tavern in Prague deserved it."
Suddenly Nero's expression changed.
His eyes shifted toward the door like he had just noticed someone he didn't expect to see.
"What is it?" I asked.
"Nothing," he said quickly.
I narrowed my eyes.
"That didn't sound like nothing."
"I'll be right back," he said as he stood. "Just shout if she shows up."
And then he walked off.
The music in the bar was loud.
Humans were everywhere—dancing, drinking, laughing, shouting over the noise.
Typical.
I watched them for a moment.
Humans…
So fragile.
So short-lived.
And yet somehow they always seemed so alive.
I guess it made sense.
If you only had a few decades to live, you'd probably try to enjoy every second too.
While I was watching the crowd, someone caught my eye.
A man.
Black hair.
Green eyes.
Handsome.
He smiled at me and gave a small wave.
I waved back.
Eventually he walked over.
The moment he got close, I knew what he was.
A vampire.
"So," he said casually as he leaned on the bar beside me. "What's a fine lady like you doing sitting here alone?"
His accent wasn't Russian.
Not even close.
"You're not from here," I said.
He smiled.
"No."
"Just visiting family."
He was lying.
I leaned closer.
"Hmm… do those family members of yours also enjoy the taste of blood?"
His smile faltered slightly.
"You should really learn to clean up better," I whispered. "I can smell her blood on you."
He looked surprised for a moment.
Then he laughed quietly.
"Well… I didn't expect to meet another one of our kind here."
"Oh I'm just passing through," I said casually. "My brother and I are traveling."
"Vacation?" he asked.
"You could call it that."
He raised an eyebrow.
"And your brother… is he a—"
"Yes," I said before he could finish.
"My brother is a vampire."
I smirked.
"A very savage one."
The man chuckled.
"Well, I'd say I'm pretty savage myself."
He held out his hand.
"Leo."
"Leo Kobal."
I shook it.
"Mekesa."
He tilted his head.
"No last name?"
"Nope."
"Interesting."
"So," he said, "where is this brother of yours?"
"He stepped out," I replied. "Probably grabbing a bite."
Then I leaned closer to him.
"But you know… I could use one too."
He smiled.
"Oh really?"
Instead of answering, I grabbed his collar and kissed him.
We eventually made it to the bathroom where we had our little fun.
About an hour later I walked back out.
Nero was sitting exactly where I left him.
He had a piece of paper in his hand.
When he spotted me he smiled.
"Time to go, little sister."
He glanced toward the hallway I came from.
"I trust you had your fun."
"Oh yeah," I said casually as I sat down.
"It was quite the treat."
"So," I asked, "did you meet the witch outside?"
He blinked.
Then he seemed to realize what I meant.
"Oh… no."
"I just stepped outside for some air."
"The witch met me inside like we planned."
I studied him for a moment.
He was hiding something.
But unlike him, I didn't enjoy digging into things that weren't my business.
"So where is he?" I asked.
Nero stood up.
"On his way out of Russia."
"In pursuit of his children most likely."
"Some small town near the Russian border."
Then he looked at me seriously.
"But before we go there… we need to make a stop."
"A stop where?" I asked.
He looked straight at me.
"A small village."
POV Nero
AN HOUR EARLIER
"I'll be right back," I told my sister.
"Just shout if she comes."
I walked out of the bar and into the alley.
Cold air hit my face.
Then I heard a voice behind me.
"Hello, Nero Tone."
I turned around.
Standing there was someone I didn't expect to see for a long time.
Aradius Cade.
The self-proclaimed devil of this world.
The first and most powerful psychic.
The man who created Hell.
And right now… I had no idea what he wanted.
"Who are you?" I asked calmly, even though I already knew.
He smiled slightly.
"The real question is… why am I here, Nero?"
He stepped closer.
"I believe you've met my master."
"Lucifer Morningstar."
My eyes widened slightly.
So it was true.
The Devil in this world was actually a supernatural being.
Not some cosmic entity from another universe.
That was… surprisingly relieving.
"Yeah," I said. "I've met him."
"So what? Is the devil finally ready to collect his favor?"
Cade chuckled.
"He said you were smart."
"Though I suppose that's expected… from one of the Manifested."
I frowned.
"The Manifested?"
"What the hell is that?"
Cade smirked.
"Trust me… in time you'll understand."
He handed me a piece of paper.
"This is what you're going to do."
I opened it and read.
Hello again Mr. Tone.
It's your favorite Devil.
I'm here to collect my favor.
Your job is simple.
Go to a small village named Loka, not far from Moscow.
You will find the residents there.
But do not be fooled.
Every single one of them is a vampire.
Your task is simple.
Kill them.
And if you're wondering why the Devil wants these people dead…
Let's just say they are part of a cult.
A cult trying to call back a very old friend of mine.
So make sure it's done.
And your favor will be paid.
When I finished reading, I stored the paper in my storage space.
"Alright," I said.
"Consider it done."
Cade smiled.
"I'm sure my master will be pleased."
Then he vanished.
I stood there for a moment.
This was both good news and bad.
Good news: I wasn't dealing with some multiversal nightmare.
Bad news: Cade was clearly just some pawn.
Not like in the original story.
And what the hell was a Manifested?
I sighed and walked back into the bar.
My witch contact was already there.
She gave me Mikael's location.
Right around the time my little sister came back from her… activities.
Few Hours later
"So this Loka village," Mekesa said while we ran through the forest.
"What exactly is it?"
I shrugged.
"Just some people who crossed me."
"And I decided to pay them a visit."
After a few hours we finally arrived.
A wooden sign stood at the edge of the road.
LOKA
I stopped.
"Alright," I said. "You go back to the inn a few miles away."
"I'll handle this."
She frowned.
"Wait but—"
"Go, Mekesa."
My tone made it clear I wasn't asking.
She scoffed.
"You're so boring."
Then she sped off toward the inn.
I had no intention of telling anyone I had made a deal with the Devil.
Especially not my siblings.
I walked into the village.
It was night.
The deeper I went, the more I noticed the silence.
Then I saw it.
A massive fire in the center of the village.
Around it sat about a hundred people.
No.
Not people.
Vampires.
Just like Lucifer said.
Then the fire turned purple.
And they started chanting.
"Manifested… Manifested… Manifested…"
The same word Cade used.
The fire grew brighter.
That's when I interfered.
I moved.
Fast.
The first vampire never even saw me coming.
I grabbed his head and twisted.
CRACK
His spine snapped instantly.
I ripped his head clean off and tossed it into the fire.
Everything went silent.
Then they all turned toward me.
Their eyes were completely white.
No pupils.
"What the hell…" I muttered.
One of them rushed me.
I ducked, grabbed his neck, and tore his heart straight out of his chest.
Blood exploded everywhere.
The body collapsed instantly.
Then they all stood up.
My eyes turned gold.
Dark veins spread from them across my face.
I smiled.
"Alright then…"
"Let's send them to Luci."
The next vampire lunged at me.
I caught him midair, slammed him into the ground hard enough to crack the stone beneath him, then drove my hand through his ribcage and ripped his heart free.
Another came from behind.
I grabbed his arm, twisted it backwards until the bone snapped through the skin, then tore his throat out with my teeth.
Blood sprayed across my face.
Three more attacked together.
I grabbed the first and threw him straight into the second.
Both crashed into the fire.
The third reached me.
Too slow.
I ripped both his arms off and beat him to death with them.
Another vampire tackled me.
I drove my thumbs straight into his eyes and crushed his skull between my hands.
Bodies kept coming.
I moved through them like a storm.
Heads ripped off.
Hearts crushed.
Spines snapped.
Blood soaked the ground.
By the time I finished the twentieth one, I was laughing.
Actually laughing.
I tore the last one in half from the waist down and threw the corpse aside.
Eventually…
All hundred were dead.
The ground looked like a slaughterhouse.
And I was covered in blood from head to toe.
And the weirdest part?
I enjoyed it.
No.
I loved it.
Every kill felt right.
Like I was born for it.
"Impressive," a familiar voice said.
I turned.
Cade stood there.
I waved at him.
Still holding someone's arm.
"So the deal is done then?" I said.
Cade nodded.
"Yes."
"The deal is done."
Then his expression changed.
"But make no mistake, Nero Tone."
"You and my master…"
"Are not finished."
And then he vanished.
I stood there thinking about one thing.
Manifested.
Whatever it was…
These vampires worshiped it.
And Cade said I was one.
"What the hell does that mean…" I muttered.
I sighed.
"I need a bath."
Then I spit out a piece of flesh.
"Was that a heart?"