Selena The Death Dealer

The war had all but gone underground in the blink of an eye. Lucas, the most feared and ruthless leader ever to rule the werewolf pack, had finally been killed. The werewolf world was shattered in a single evening of flames and retribution.

Victory, it seemed, was within the vampires' grasp-their long-awaited birthright. But nearly six centuries have passed since that fateful night, and yet, the ancient feud refused to follow Lucas to the grave. Though the werewolves were fewer in number, the war had grown more perilous. The moon no longer held her sway over them. Older, more powerful werewolves could now change at will. The weapons had evolved, but the vampire orders remained the same.

"Hunt them down and kill them off, one by one,"the Elder's voice echoed in Selina's mind. "A most successful campaign... perhaps too successful."

For those like Selina, a seasoned death dealer, this signaled the end of an era. Like the weapons of the previous century, they too would become obsolete. A pity, really-because they lived for this.

Selina stood on an old stone statue, her vampire eyes scanning the city streets below. She spotted two werewolves moving quickly toward the subway, their gait hurried, purposeful. She signaled to her partner, Raven, perched on a nearby rooftop, camera in hand.

At Selina's signal, they both descended silently from the rooftops, following the werewolves into the subway. The werewolves moved faster, clearly after something or someone. As Selina's speed carried her into the shadows, she observed their every move, eyes sharp, breath still.

Her gaze flicked to the side, locking onto a man about to board the train. Their eyes met. He smiled-a disarmingly human expression that made Selina's stomach twist.

"Not now,"she told herself, dismissing the distraction. Her mission was all that mattered.

One of the werewolves slowed as he approached the train's entrance. He sniffed the air, his eyes narrowing.

"Vampires," he growled, his voice a low rumble that sent a shiver down Selina's spine.

Suddenly, he drew his gun, firing wildly in Selina's direction.

"Ambush!" he snarled.

Shots rang out in the confined space. Selina and Raven returned fire, their movements a deadly dance of speed and precision. But then, a bullet struck Raven. He let out a strangled gasp as his body ignited, the flames consuming him almost instantly.

"Raven, no!" Selina's voice was a mix of fury and despair.

Blinded by rage, Selina leaped from the shadows, her gun blazing. Each shot was fired with ruthless precision. One of the werewolves fell, a bullet lodged in his skull, but Selina was far from done.

As she charged toward the dark end of the subway, everything fell eerily silent. Her instincts screamed at her to stop, and she did, standing completely still. The silence was broken by the sound of something massive moving through the darkness.

Suddenly, a transformed werewolf lunged at her. Selina darted to the side, barely dodging its powerful swipe. She quickly turned, firing a shot that hit the beast square in the chest. The werewolf let out a guttural roar before collapsing, its life snuffed out in an instant.

But there was no time to celebrate. Another werewolf, larger and faster, barreled towards her, its eyes gleaming with savage intent. Selina knew she couldn't take this one head-on. She lured it deeper into the dark, narrow tunnels, tricking it into a cramped space where its size became a disadvantage. As it struggled to move, she fired repeatedly in its direction, listening to its painful howls echoing through the tunnel.

She was about to leave when a faint sound caught her attention. Voices-deep in the tunnel. She hesitated, then cautiously moved toward the sound, her every sense on high alert.

As she walked further, the voices grew clearer, mingled with strange, agonized screams. Selina's vampiric senses sharpened; she could hear them now-werewolves, and a lot of them. But the exact number was unclear. The risk was too great. She retreated, quickly and silently, back to the subway.

Once back, she retrieved Raven's camera and picked up the werewolf's gun. Just as she was about to move, the wail of police sirens echoed through the tunnels. Without a second thought, she melted into the shadows, disappearing from sight.

Meanwhile, back in the tunnel, the werewolf Selina was shot and emerged from the shadows. The bullet slowly pushed its way out of his body as his wounds healed. He groaned in pain but managed to pick up the body of his fallen pack mate. With grim determination, he carried the corpse deeper into the tunnel.

In a hidden underground chamber, a group of werewolves had gathered around two others locked in fierce combat, their roars echoing off the walls. The crowd cheered and jeered, but their excitement was abruptly cut short by the sound of a gunshot. The chamber fell silent as Lucas stepped out of the shadows, his presence commanding immediate respect.

"Why this silly noise?" Lucas's voice was low, but the menace in it was unmistakable.

The two werewolves who had been fighting quickly began to transform back into their human forms, scrambling to their feet under Lucas's withering gaze.

"Why are you acting like dogs?"Lucas growled furiously.

"And that, what a gentleman simply will not do"

"Not if you expect to defeat the vampire on their own grounds, not if you expect to survive at all"

The fighters looked down, chastised. Lucas's eyes narrowed as he continued,"And you two-put on some damn clothes."

Lucas turned on his heel and walked into the next room, where a scientist was hunched over a table, performing some sort of experiment.

"How's it going?"Lucas asked as he entered the room.

The scientist looked up, his expression grim. "It failed. We need to find the stronger one, the true descendant."

As they spoke, Josh, the werewolf attacked by Selina, entered, carrying the body of his dead comrade. His face was a mask of frustration and pain.

"It was an ambush. We couldn't get him," Josh reported, his voice heavy with regret.

Lucas's eyes narrowed. **"What happened, Josh?"**

"We were attacked... by a vampire,"Josh replied, struggling to keep his voice steady.

Lucas's expression darkened. "I knew it,"he muttered. Then, louder,

"Do something about the body. And follow me-we have things to do."

As Lucas turned to leave, the scientist spoke up again, a note of desperation in his voice.

"Lucas, if we don't find the true descendant soon, everything we've worked for could be lost!"

Lucas paused, his back still turned to the room.

"We'll find him," he said coldly.

"And when we do, no vampire will stand in our way."

He walked out, his footsteps echoing ominously through the chamber. As Josh followed, he glanced back at the scientist, who was already deep in thought, his hands trembling slightly as he continued his work.

Selina drove into the castle compound, her sleek black car gliding through the ancient iron gates like a shadow. As she stepped out, the air was thick with tension. The courtyard was teeming with vampires-some stood armed, eyes vigilant, while others lounged about, immersed in a raucous party. But as Selina entered, all eyes turned toward her, their conversations falling silent. She ignored the stares, her face set in determination, and headed straight for the Gunners' Room.

She burst into the room, dropping the gun she had taken from the werewolf onto the table. "Taylor, we have a problem," she said, her voice edged with urgency.

Taylor looked up from his workbench, his brow furrowed as he picked up the gun. "This is the weapon the werewolves used?" he asked, examining it closely.

"Yes. I need you to find out everything about it," Selina replied, pacing the room.

Taylor frowned as he inspected the gun. "It's definitely infused with an irradiated fluid or something similar..."

"Ultraviolet ammunition," Selina said, her tone dark.

Taylor's eyes widened. "Daylight harnessed as a weapon...?"

Kahn entered the room, his presence commanding as always, followed by several other vampires who quickly joined the conversation. "You expect me to believe that a mangy animal came up with a bullet specifically engineered to kill vampires?" Kahn's voice dripped with skepticism.

"No," Taylor interjected, "I'm betting it's military-grade. Maybe something they stole, or some sort of advanced tech they've managed to get their hands on."

Selina slammed her hand on the table, her patience wearing thin. "I don't care where they got these things. Raven is dead, and if they have more of these, many more vampires could be in danger." She took a deep breath, trying to control the surge of emotion. "We need to gather the Death Dealers and hit them with full force."

"Absolutely not," Kahn retorted sharply. "Not now, not for random incursions. The Awakening is just a few days away, and this house is already in unrest as it is."

Selina's eyes narrowed, her anger barely contained. "Random? They opened fire on us in full view of the public! And from what I heard in that tunnel-"

Kahn cut her off, his tone dismissive. "You said to yourself you didn't see anything, Selina. You heard something, but you're not sure."

Selina shot him a glare. "Look, I know what I heard and what my gut is telling me. There could be dozens of werewolves down there, maybe even hundreds. We're sitting on a powder keg!"

Kahn crossed his arms, his expression unmoved. "We've hunted them to the brink of extinction, Selina."

Taylor nodded in agreement. "Kahn's right. There hasn't been a werewolf den of that magnitude in centuries-not since the days of Lucas."

Selina's jaw clenched as she turned to Taylor. "I know that, Taylor, but I'd rather you prove me wrong by checking it out."

Kahn sighed and glanced at Taylor. "Very well, tighten security around the castle," he ordered.

"I'll have Femi assemble a search team," Taylor said.

"No," Selina interrupted, stepping forward. "I want to lead the team myself."

Kahn's eyes hardened. "Absolutely not. Femi will handle it."

"You said hundreds" Kahn said and smiles

"You think I'm exaggerating, don't you?" Selina challenged, her voice rising. "Hundreds, Kahn. You'll be laughing on the other side of your face when Ragnarok hears of this."

She stormed out of the room, her footsteps echoing down the hall.

As the door slammed behind her, Rigel, who had been silently observing, finally spoke. "I've never seen you treat her like that before."

Kahn's expression softened slightly. "Of course not. Now follow her. Make sure she's dressed and prepared for our guests."

Rigel nodded. "Sure," he replied, before hurrying out after Selina.

As the door closed, Khan turned back to Taylor. "We can't afford any mistakes. Not with the Awakening so close."

Taylor nodded gravely. "Understood."

Selina walked into the room, her footsteps echoing softly as she approached the large glass window in front of her. Beyond the glass was a vast, empty chamber, eerily silent except for the faint hum of the castle's power systems. The floor of the chamber was marked with three symbols, but Selina's eyes were drawn to one in particular-a large "R," which represented Ragnarok. She stood there, staring at the symbol, her mind swirling with a mix of thoughts and uncertainty.

"It's a waste of time, you know," Rigel said as she entered the room, her voice soft yet pointed. She moved to stand beside Selina, joining her in the silent viewing.

"What do you want?" Selina asked, not taking her eyes off the symbol on the floor.

Rigel sighed, her tone more gentle. "But I really doubt Ragnarok would want you freezing in here, staring at his tomb for hours."

Selina's gaze remained fixed on the symbol, her voice low and tense. "No, he would want the Death Dealers out there, scouring every inch of the city, finding the werewolves and uncovering their next move."

She paused, her fists clenching at her sides. "Kahn... I never understood why Ragnarok left him in charge. He's a bureaucrat, not a warrior."

Rigel studied Selina for a few moments, sensing the turmoil beneath her calm exterior. "Come, we need you to get ready," Rigel finally said, her voice a mix of authority and concern.

"For what?" Selina asked, her tone distant.

"The party," Rigel replied, her voice tinged with urgency. "Emelia's envoy will be here any time from now."

Selina turned to face Rigel, her expression hardening as she pushed her emotions aside.

With that, Rigel turned and left the room, his footsteps echoing in the emptiness. Selina remained behind, her thoughts churning as she continued to stare at the marks on the floor. The weight of her responsibilities and the looming threat of the werewolves pressed heavily upon her.

As the door closed behind Rigel, Selina took one last look at the room, the symbols of power and legacy before her. She knows something is wrong but she didn't know where, as she was about to leave the room she remembered the camera she took from Raven, she headed out of the room.

Selina sat intently at the computer, her eyes glued to the screen. She had just uploaded the footage from the camera Raven had used and was meticulously going through the images. Each picture revealed snippets of the recent confrontation with the werewolves.

Rigel entered the room, holding up a suit and examining it in front of a mirror. "I think this will be okay for you," she said, showing her the outfit.

Selina didn't respond, her focus unwavering. Rigel continued, "You should definitely wear this one. It's perfect."

Selina's attention was fixed on the screen, where she noticed a pattern in the images. The werewolves appeared to be chasing a man who had been about to enter a train. As she zoomed in, she recognized him-the same man she had seen earlier.

"They were after you," Selina said aloud, her voice filled with alarm.

Rigel moved closer, peering at the screen. "He's attractive," she remarked, a hint of curiosity in her voice.

"For a human," Selina replied curtly, her eyes still locked on the images.

The door opened and Kahn walked in, his presence commanding attention. "Who is attractive?" he asked, glancing between Selina and Rigel.

Rigel excused herself, sensing the gravity of the conversation, and left the room.

"I was planning to have you by my side this evening," Kahn said, turning his attention to Selina.

"Take Rigel. She's dying to be at your side," Selina shot back.

Kahn raised an eyebrow. "If you ask me, you're taking this warrior business far too seriously. You can't undo the past, no matter how many you kill."

Selina's eyes remained fixed on the screen as she continued, "And besides, what's the point in being immortal if you deny yourself life's simple pleasures?"

Kahn looked at the screen, his interest piqued.

"Do you see this human?" Selina said

"What about him?" Kahn asked, stepping closer.

"I'm beginning to think the werewolves were following this man," Selina said, trying to steer the conversation back.

Before she could finish, a loud noise from outside interrupted them. "Blast!" Kahn exclaimed, looking through the window at the sound of approaching cars. He turned back to Selina. "Put on something elegant and look good. Be quick about it," he commanded, heading towards the door.

"Kahn, I'm serious," Selina said urgently. "I think they were following this man."

Kahn paused at the door, shaking his head. "Other than for food, why would werewolves stalk a human?" He pondered aloud before leaving the room.

Selina was left alone, her mind racing. The implications of the man being targeted by werewolves could mean something significant-something she needed to understand before it was too late.

Michael Caden stood in front of his locker, the nurse's uniform slipping off as he changed into his regular clothes. His movements were quick and practiced, a sign of someone used to the routine.

"Are you heading home?" a fellow nurse asked, glancing up from her own locker.

"Yes, boss gave me a couple of hours off," Michael replied, zipping up his jacket.

"By the way," the nurse continued, a hint of admiration in her voice, "he said you did a terrific job tonight with the surgery."

Michael offered a modest smile. "Yeah, thanks."

As he finished dressing and prepared to leave, the nurse called out, "Take it easy."

Michael gave a nod and walked through the hospital's dimly lit corridors. Pausing at the door, he peered inside at the patient lying in bed. The patient, who had been critically injured in the subway incident Michael had handled the night before, was receiving treatment. The sight stirred something in Michael, a mix of empathy and lingering unease.

He stood there for a few minutes, watching the slow rise and fall of the patient's chest, the steady beeping of the heart monitor. The incident at the subway had been chaotic, and the memories of the violence and the lives affected weighed heavily on him.

Finally, he sighed, turning away from the ward. With a last glance back, he left the hospital, stepping out into the cool night air.

In the grand hall of the castle, the air was thick with the scent of old wine and burning candles. The long, ornate table was filled with vampires of high status, each seated with an air of dignity and power. One of the men, his voice deep and resonant, addressed the gathering, raising a glass.

"Our noble houses may be separated by a great ocean, but we are equally committed to the survival of the bloodline," he declared, his words commanding the attention of everyone present. "And when Emelia arrives to awaken Marcus in just two days' time, we shall once again be united as a single coven."

The room erupted in applause, the sound echoing off the stone walls, but Kahn's mind was elsewhere. He sat at the high table, his thoughts distant and troubled. Rigel, seated nearby, noticed his distraction and leaned over, whispering something into his ear.

Kahn snapped out of his reverie, his eyes sharpening as he caught the gist of Rigel's message. Without a word, he stood up, nodded to the assembly, and excused himself from the meeting. His abrupt departure was noticed by a few, but the discussion continued, the importance of the upcoming awakening overshadowing his exit.

Kahn's footsteps quickened as he approached Selina's room. He pushed open the heavy door, but the room was empty. His eyes scanned the space, searching for any sign of her. The only sound was the faint hum of the computer screen still active on her desk.

Moving to the window, Kahn's sharp eyes caught the sight of Selina's car disappearing down the long, winding driveway of the castle. He frowned, frustration flickering in his eyes.

Turning back into the room, he noticed something on the computer screen. Stepping closer, he saw the image of a man, along with his name and details displayed prominently. Michael Caden. The sight of the human's profile stirred a mix of curiosity and concern within Kahn.

Why did Selina put so much interest in this man? And why would she leave so abruptly? The pieces of the puzzle didn't quite fit, but Kahn knew one thing for certain-whatever Selina was up to, it was about more than just a random human.

With a determined look, Kahn exited the room, his mind already racing through the possibilities. The upcoming awakening was critical, but if Selina was onto something that could threaten his plans, it needed to be addressed. And quickly.