Book 1 – The Lycan’s Curse The darkness from within

The sound of heavy rustling and pounding footsteps broke the quiet of the night, echoing through the dense forest. The trees swayed under the force, and the air thickened with tension. The moon hung low in the sky, casting an eerie glow that barely illuminated the shadows creeping closer.

Aliyah and Giuseppe stood close together, their bodies tense as the earth vibrated beneath them. Every sense was on high alert. Giuseppe, with his heightened vampire abilities, was the first to detect a putrid, rancid smell drifting on the cool breeze. The stench stung his nostrils, a warning of what was to come. Moments later, Aliyah caught the same scent, and her skin prickled with the unmistakable sense of danger.

Giuseppe glanced at her, concern etched into his sharp features. He quickly stepped away, his eyes darting around the dark forest, searching for the approaching threat. The rustling grew louder, more urgent, as the trees seemed to part for whatever horror was headed their way.

Suddenly, from the shadows, a massive lycan exploded into view. The creature’s hulking form towered over them, its eyes glowing with a feral hunger. Jaws wide, sharp fangs glistened in the moonlight, and its claws-gleaming like polished steel-were poised for attack. Without hesitation, Giuseppe lunged forward, placing himself between the beast and Aliyah. But the lycan’s strength was overwhelming. The two collided with a force that shook the ground, a brutal clash of vampire and beast.

Giuseppe’s powerful muscles strained as he grappled with the lycan, but the creature was relentless. It slashed at him with its razor-sharp claws, tearing through his clothes and flesh alike. Blood poured from his wounds, darkening the ground beneath him.

“Aliyah, get out of here!” Giuseppe shouted, his voice ragged as he struggled against the lycan’s crushing weight. He had never faced such a vile creature-its raw power was unlike anything he had ever encountered in his long life.

Aliyah’s heart raced, but her hands remained steady. Her eyes blazed with determination as she raised them, her voice ringing out through the night, filled with arcane power. “𝑰𝒍𝒖𝒔𝒊𝒐 𝑳𝒖𝒄𝒕𝒖𝒔 𝑫𝒐𝒍𝒐𝒓𝒊!” The spell crackled in the air, invisible energy whipping forward and striking the lycan. The beast let out a bloodcurdling howl, its body convulsing as agony ripped through it.

Aliyah wasn’t finished. “𝑪𝒐𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒍𝒖𝒎 𝑴𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒖𝒎!” she commanded, her voice sharp with authority. The lycan froze mid-attack, its monstrous form locked in place. For a brief moment, it stood motionless, its glowing eyes wide with terror before it toppled over, lifeless.

Giuseppe staggered backward, breathing heavily. His gaze flickered between Aliyah and the fallen creature, disbelief clouding his expression. He barely had time to process what had happened when a second lycan, even more ferocious, leaped from the shadows, hurtling toward Aliyah.

Before it could reach her, a roaring flame erupted in the darkness. “𝑰𝒏𝒄𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒊𝒐!” Alastair’s voice rang out, commanding and fierce. Flames shot from his outstretched hands, engulfing the creature in a fiery blaze. The lycan screeched in agony, its body thrashing wildly as the flames consumed it.

Kai wasn’t far behind, his own magic crackling in the air. “𝑰𝒏𝒄𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒊𝒐!” he echoed, sending another wave of fire crashing into a third lycan. The beast’s fur and skin blackened under the scorching heat, its howls of pain echoing through the forest.

Despite their brief success, the lycans stood up from the darkness unfazed and fully recovered, their glowing eyes filled with fury. The group was quickly being surrounded. Aliyah’s chest tightened with fear. They were running out of time, and she knew she had no choice. Her hands shook as she whispered the words she had hoped to avoid.

“𝑴𝒂𝒍𝒆𝒅𝒊𝒄𝒕𝒐 𝑴𝒐𝒓𝒊!”

Dark, swirling energy erupted from her, spilling out into the night like an unstoppable wave. The power surged across the battlefield, black tendrils wrapping themselves around the lycans. Their growls were cut short as the magic tore through them, reducing their bodies to ash in an instant. The destruction was swift, but the toll was heavy. Aliyah’s vision blurred, blood trickled from her nose, and she collapsed, her body hitting the ground with a soft thud.

“Aliyah!” Giuseppe shouted, his voice filled with panic as he rushed to her side. He dropped to his knees, lifting her limp body into his arms. “Aliyah, please, wake up,” he pleaded, his heart pounding in his chest, but she didn’t stir.

Alastair quickly knelt beside them, his face pale but determined. Without hesitation, he bit into his own wrist, crimson blood welling up. He pressed it gently to Aliyah’s lips, urging her to drink. Slowly, the healing properties of his blood took effect. Aliyah’s eyelids fluttered, and she gasped, her chest heaving as she took in deep breaths.

The color slowly returned to her face, but the weight of what had just transpired hung heavy in the air. Silence fell over the group as they processed the danger they had narrowly escaped.

Aliyah’s voice was faint as she whispered, “Did I… did I kill all of them?”

“You did,” Alastair replied softly, his tone a mixture of pride and concern. “But it almost killed you, too.” He chuckled, though the tension remained thick.

Aliyah managed a weak smile as she slowly sat up. “That was… intense,” she murmured, still catching her breath.

Giuseppe, his voice breaking with emotion, blurted out, “That was incredible.”

For some inexplicable reason, Alastair’s heart began to race once again. He felt a powerful presence tugging at him, pulling him closer, but just as quickly as it appeared, it vanished. Confused, yet focused, they all made their way back to Blaze’s manor. Upon entering the living room, they found Blaze and Esme cuddled up on the couch.

They were caught off guard but not entirely surprised-it was something they had suspected for a while now. From the kitchen, Marco appeared, grinning knowingly.

“Good thing you’re all back. I was starting to feel like a permanent third wheel around here,” Marco whined, making Alastair grin as he glanced at Blaze and Esme.

“I officially announce that Renesme is now my fiance and soon to be my wife,” Blaze declared with a proud, heartfelt tone, but nobody flinched or reacted much, standing still as if they’d seen it coming.

Blaze’s brows furrowed, realizing the lack of reaction. Alastair and his friends exchanged knowing glances.

“Grandpa Blaze, please take care of my grandma and love her more than all the treasures in the world,” Anthony chimed in, with a playful yet sincere tone. Alastair grunted, trying to suppress his laughter, and the others followed suit.

“As you wish, Anthony,” Blaze said, dropping to one knee and bowing his head in a grand gesture. Anthony panicked, rushing forward, urging Blaze to stand up.

Marco smiled as he witnessed Blaze kneeling once again, something he hadn’t seen in centuries.

“You really didn’t have to do that, Grandpa Blaze,” Anthony said, flustered, as Marco cleared his throat.

“Kneeling for Blaze is a symbol of a promise he makes-a vow he’ll never break. He did it once for his first wife, and now he’s done it again,” Marco explained, pride gleaming in Blaze’s eyes. Despite the lighthearted mood, everyone was struck by Blaze’s sincerity and unwavering commitment.

“Well, atleast I guess we should all say congratulations,” Rio muttered, a bit more serious than usual. Kai gave him a weary glance before his eyes shifted to Giuseppe and Aliyah.

“By the way, who is this young man?” Blaze asked, his gaze now on Giuseppe.

“My name is Giuseppe Sarnataro. I’m Italian, and Michele, Alastair’s classmate, is my brother,” Giuseppe introduced himself smoothly.

“I’m Blaze Williams. I don’t really have a last name, but you can just call me Blaze,” Blaze replied with a friendly nod.

“Nice to meet you, Mr. Blaze,” Giuseppe said, offering a smile.

“And he’s a vampire,” Anthony added nonchalantly, while Giuseppe nodded in agreement. Blaze twitched his lips slightly.

“Yeah, and he’s a pain in the a$$. He’s also a psychic blocker,” Kai muttered under his breath, clearly annoyed.

“Welcome to the family,” Blaze said warmly, extending his hand.

“Grazie,” Giuseppe replied, shaking Blaze’s hand firmly, sealing his place in their growing circle of trust. For a second, Giuseppe feel a sudden burnt on his hand, and Blaze narrowed his eyes in annoyance. “Blaze? What’s that for?”

“You tried to drain me first!” Blaze raised a tone.

“I didn’t mean it!”