Chapter 2 Bloodline

Bloodline

Scene 1: The Safehouse

The door clicked shut behind them, sealing Cameron into a space that felt strangely untouched by time. The safehouse was a contradiction, a blend of the old world and the new. The walls were lined with towering shelves of worn books, the scent of parchment and aged ink mingling with the faint hum of concealed security systems. Artifacts, some delicate and ancient, others dangerous-looking, were scattered across the room, locked away in glass cases or arranged meticulously on tables. The low glow of lanterns cast long shadows, giving the space a cavernous, almost sacred air.

And sitting at the center of it all, scanning them with a mixture of expectation and impatience, was Sandra Dillions.

She was a woman of sharp edges, sharp eyes, sharp wit, sharp tone. Dressed in practical, form-fitting attire, she exuded the confidence of someone who had spent a lifetime uncovering secrets no one was supposed to find. Her fingers idly traced the edges of a large, open book on the desk, its pages covered in symbols Cameron had never seen before.

As Apollos stepped inside, his long coat drifting behind him, Sandra arched a brow.

"So," she said, her voice crisp, "he's finally awake."

Cameron let out a humorless scoff, rubbing his temples. His head was still spinning from the fight, from the impossible speed and violence he had just witnessed, from the knowledge that his world his entire existence had been rewritten in a matter of minutes.

"Awake?" he muttered, stepping further into the room. "I don't even know what that means."

Apollos didn't respond immediately. He removed his coat with deliberate slowness, draping it over the back of a chair before leaning against the desk. His eyes, ancient and steady, locked onto Cameron with a certainty that made the younger man uneasy.

"You're not just anyone, Cameron," Apollos finally said. "You are the last of the Bowen Bloodline. A hybrid-half-human, half-vampire. The last of your kind."

The words barely registered before Cameron let out a short, incredulous laugh. "You're insane," he said, shaking his head. "Hybrid? Vampires? You expect me to just what? Nod along with this like it makes sense?"

Sandra sighed, shoving the manuscript closer to him. "No, Cameron. He's right."

His hands hesitated before touching the book, fingers hovering over the worn leather cover. There was a symbol etched into it something old, something that tugged at something buried deep within him. The shape was unfamiliar, but looking at it sent a strange shiver down his spine. It felt like recognition without memory.

Apollos folded his arms, his expression unwavering. "The Sky Lax Syndicate killed your ancestors. Your entire lineage was wiped from history because they feared what you are. They thought they had succeeded. But you survived." He exhaled slowly. "And now, they know."

Cameron stared at him. His thoughts crashed against each other, trying to find a logical foothold in the impossible.

"I ..." His throat felt dry. "You're telling me an entire syndicate has been hunting my family for generations? And now they're after me?"

Sandra nodded grimly. "Yes. And they won't stop until you're dead."

A heavy silence settled over the room.

Cameron took a step back, running a hand through his hair. His mind was screaming at him to reject everything, to call them crazy, to leave and pretend none of this was happening. But deep down, he already knew he couldn't.

Not after what he'd seen.

Not after the way Darius had moved, the inhuman strength he had displayed.

Not after the way Apollos had matched him.

This wasn't some elaborate trick. It wasn't a nightmare he could wake up from.

It was real.

He exhaled, his voice quieter. "So what the hell am I supposed to do?"

Apollos didn't hesitate.

"Fight."

Cameron's head snapped up, his expression twisting in frustration. "Fight?" He let out a bitter laugh. "Fight what, exactly? I don't know what the hell I'm doing! I didn't even believe in vampires until an hour ago! And now I'm supposed to just.. what? Pick up a sword and go to war?"

"You don't have a choice," Sandra said, her tone clipped.

"Like hell I don't!" Cameron shot back. "I didn't ask for this! I didn't ask to be hunted, to be some last-of-my-kind bullshit! I just..." His voice caught. His hands curled into fists at his sides. "I just wanted to bury my mother in peace."

The words hung in the air, raw and exposed.

Apollos' expression didn't change, but something in his eyes shifted.. just slightly.

"You think I don't understand?" he asked, his voice quieter now. "You think I haven't lived through the loss of everything I held dear?"

Cameron turned away, jaw clenched. "I don't need a damn lecture."

"You need the truth," Apollos countered.

Sandra leaned against the desk, arms crossed. "Look, kid," she said, her voice less sharp now, more measured. "No one's saying this is fair. No one's saying you have to like it. But the fact remains: the moment Darius laid eyes on you tonight, your life as you knew it ended. There's no running from this. No going back. There's only forward."

Cameron's breathing was uneven. His pulse thudded in his ears.

He wanted to deny it. Wanted to walk out the door and never look back.

But he couldn't.

Because a part of him, no matter how much he tried to suppress it... he knew they were right.

"What if I say no?" he asked, his voice hollow.

Apollos' eyes didn't waver. "Then you die."

The room fell into silence again.

Cameron closed his eyes for a moment, his thoughts a storm. He had never been a soldier. Never been some chosen one.

He had just been Cameron Bowen, a guy trying to keep his head above water in a city that never slept.

But now?

Now, he was something else.

And whether he wanted to or not, he had to decide.

Final Scene: The Unseen War Begins

The camera pulls away from the safehouse, the glow of the lanterns within barely visible through the windows. The streets of Divination City stretch out below, neon lights flickering against the darkness, the city alive with a thousand unseen secrets.

Above, perched atop a crumbling rooftop, a silhouette watches in silence.

Darius.

His golden eyes gleam in the darkness, a knowing grin stretching across his face. He has no need to attack tonight. No need to force the confrontation.

Cameron Bowen will soon learn the truth of what he is.

And when he does?

He will either rise...

Or he will fall.

Darius chuckles softly, the sound vanishing into the wind.

Then, in the blink of an eye, he is gone.

The hunt has begun!!!

To be continued...