The Vampire's marked Witch

Silas POV

We wrapped Raya's body in silence. The drive through the underground tunnels of the Obsidian Meridian felt endless, a dark blur until we finally crossed into Oregon and reached Crater Lake.

In the center of the water sat Wizard Island, an inverted triangle of land that had served as the witches' hidden sanctuary for centuries.

No one spoke a word on the boat ride across. When we reached the entrance of the sanctuary, I stepped forward, traced a rune onto the ancient rock, and watched as the stone doors roared open.

We marched up the floating stairs, heading straight for the inner chambers of the Four Pillars of the Sylvan Covenant.

Aeterna, the High Priestess, was already waiting for us.

I hauled Raya's body onto the stone table in the center of the room and unwrapped the cloth. Aeterna's eyes widened, a rare flash of shock breaking through her usual calm.

"This is what those monsters did to her," I spit out, rage boiling hot and heavy in my chest.

"So much for a century of peace. Those things don't care about treaties."

"Silas, please, stop. You're not helping," Aurora cut in, her voice strained.

Beside her, Elio just stared at the body, his hands visibly shaking.

"Where is her child?" Aeterna asked, her voice quiet.

"They took the baby," Aurora replied, fighting to keep herself from breaking down. "We don't know what they did to it. Those... those things, they tore her apart."

I couldn't stand still. I paced the perimeter of the chamber like a caged animal. "We need to declare war, Aeterna. This is too much. We've looked weak for too long. It's time to fight back."

Aeterna closed her eyes and let out a long, heavy sigh. "We are not declaring war."

"What?" Elio finally spoke up, his voice cracking. "We're just going to let this slide, too?"

I let out a bitter laugh. "Maybe you'll finally act when they serve all our heads on their filthy tables. I didn't realize our leader was this weak."

"Don't say that, Silas," Aurora snapped, before turning back to the priestess. "But Aeterna, we can't ignore this. Look at her. God knows what they're doing to her baby right now. We don't even know if the child is alive, or... or worse."

"That is exactly why we cannot declare war," Aeterna said, standing up and approaching the stone table. "We don't know the state of the child. We can't strike blindly."

She pulled a ceremonial knife from the folds of her robe. With grim efficiency, she removed the placenta from Raya's womb.

"We track the baby first," Aeterna ordered.

"Elio?"

"Yes?"

"Get to work. Try to listen for the child's voice. If you can't hear her, we do it the old way. We'll use this placenta to forge a rune magnet. It will take time, but it will lead us to her."

Aeterna walked over to me, placing a firm hand on my arm. "I know how deeply you cared for her, Silas. But now is not the time for war."

Sister Joan's POV

Two months had passed since Father Patrick brought baby Nova to the monastery.

I watched her now, listening to her soft, gentle coos. She was a beautiful child, blessed with striking hazel-blue eyes. But every time I looked at her, my gaze drifted to the dark, spiraling mark on her neck. I had never seen a birthmark so perfectly formed, or so unsettling.

I was lost in thought, staring at the strange shape, when Nova suddenly let out a piercing shriek.

The sound jolted me back to reality. I rushed over to the cot and lifted her into my arms, rocking her gently. "Shh, shh, it's okay, little one. What's wrong?"

I checked her diaper, but I had just changed it five minutes ago, it was clean. I tried offering her a bottle, but she pushed it away, her tiny face flushed as she kept crying.

Then, she did something strange. She began straining against my grip, her small arms stretching desperately toward the window, as if she were trying to reach out to someone or something, just beyond the glass.

I held her tighter, pacing the room and softly singing a lullaby. It took a long time, but eventually, her body relaxed and she drifted off to sleep.

I laid her back down, my heart still racing. In the two months she had been here, she had never acted like this. I looked back at the dark window, a cold chill settling in my stomach.

What on earth was she trying to reach?

Lucius POV

The priest had chosen the new moon phase for the wedding. I stood in front of the mirror, adjusting my deep violet velvet coat and black trousers, the traditional colors of the Valerius Clan.

"It's time, my Lord," Finn said, breaking the silence.

I nodded, allowing him to escort me down to our family's ancestral hall.

I took my place next to the priest, waiting for Ava. When the doors opened, she walked down the aisle dressed in a rich red velvet gown, the color of her own clan. She was escorted by my uncle, Lord Orion.

"I am proud that it's you, Lucius," Lord Orion whispered, giving me a brief hug as he handed Ava over to me. "Don't make me regret it."

Ava looked beautiful. Her blonde hair was pinned up elegantly, adorned with a crown of thorned roses.

"We are gathered here today to witness the union between two Clans," the priest announced to the crowded room. "Lucius of the Valerius Clan, and Ava of the Calidus Clan. Under the new moon, and under the watchful eye of the underworld, I bless this union. Is there anyone who wishes for these two not to be joined?"

A long silence followed.

The priest took my hands and placed Ava's cold palms into mine. "Ava, daughter of Calidus, I hereby join you to Lucius as his mate and companion. Under this new moon of new beginnings, you leave your clan behind to embrace the House of Valerius. Lucius, I hand her over to you."

The priest stepped forward with a ceremonial knife and a golden cup. He gestured for me to extend my arm, slicing the blade across my skin. My blood dripped steadily into the cup. He handed the chalice to Ava. "His blood now flows in yours."

Then, the priest turned to me. "Lucius of Valerius, you may now mark her to seal this union."

I looked at Ava, bending down and leaning into the crook of her neck. But the moment my fangs pierced her soft skin, a sharp, blinding pain slammed into my chest.

Suddenly, the piercing shriek of a baby echoed inside my head.

The shock made me lose control, biting down on Ava much harder than intended. She gasped out in pain. Gasping for air, I forced myself to pull back, quickly wiping her blood from my mouth as the crowd began to applaud.

They thought the ritual was complete. But looking down at Ava's neck, I knew the truth. Because of the sudden pain, I hadn't been able to inject the venom correctly. The bond hadn't taken place. It was a fake mark.