Ch3 :The Beginning

The Occult had gathered in Ethan's mansion, specifically in his gaming room.

The space was well-equipped—a high-end computer setup, a sleek pool table, a dartboard, and two plush couches.

The Occult Club was not like any other school club. They weren't a group of students gathered for idle hobbies or weekend activities. No, they dealt with things lurking in the dark—things that most people refused to believe in until it was too late.

Phantoms. Malevolent entities that fed on fear and misery.

While the rest of Angel Creek lived their lives in blissful ignorance, the members of the Occult Club spent their nights tracking, hunting, and eliminating these supernatural threats.

They weren't heroes. They weren't even professionals. They were just a handful of teenagers who had seen too much and refused to turn a blind eye.

Last night had been no different.

"Who could be toying with phantom cores?" Blue muttered, pacing the room in frustration.

"It could be the witches," Ethan suggested, leaning casually against the pool table.

"It can't be them," Kara dismissed the idea with a wave of her hand. "They don't have that level of magic."

"And what would they even gain from this?" Blue countered, her brows furrowed.

"Why do we care if someone's messing with a phantom's core?" Raphael asked, his tone indifferent. "I mean, can we really trust the devil's daughter?"

Just then, Aria strolled in, a towel wrapped loosely around her body. "Great-grand daughter," she corrected smoothly, ignoring Raphael's skepticism. "Also, you're all looking at this the wrong way."

Four sets of confused eyes locked onto her.

"Instead of wasting time figuring out who, you should be asking yourselves what's their next move? That's how you stop them. Because whether you realize it or not, you have an advantage."

Kara folded her arms. "What do you mean you guys? Aren't you going to help?"

Aria chuckled, flipping her damp blonde hair over her shoulder. "Of course not. You four are on your own when it comes to the investigation."

Blue exhaled sharply. "Alright, then—what's our advantage?"

"You know they exist, you know what they're doing and they don't know that"Aria said simply.

Raphael narrowed his eyes. "And how is that an advantage?"

Aria smirked. "You can work behind the shadows."

Understanding flickered in Blue's eyes. "You mean we exorcize more phantoms while quietly investigating. "

"Yes, but we only target the one's with strange cores" Aria teased.

"Right," Raphael scoffed. "How the fuck are we supposed to see something that's inside the body?"

Ethan placed his hand on Raphael's shoulder, giving him a light squeeze. "But he's right though, we can't really see them."

"But I can" Aria said.

"Okay, so you are going to help us?" Blue smiled, rubbing her shoulder onto the demon's. The demon nodded her head and Blue tackled her into a hug.

Kara sighed taking note on how Blue's friendliness had no bounds.

"Now that that's settled," Aria sighed, ignoring the human nuzzled in the crook of her neck. "Where am I sleeping tonight?"

****

Sunlight poured through the grand windows of Hardin's chamber, casting golden hues over his muscular frame as he stirred awake.

He pushed himself upright, tousled sandy-blonde hair falling over his forehead. His gaze drifted toward the full-length mirror across the room, and his jaw clenched at the sight. His right eye—deep crimson—stared back at him.

"It hasn't changed back," he muttered darkly, recalling last night's events. The way that woman had touched him, tainting him with her very presence.

The heavy double doors swung open without warning, and a tall man with dark hair and piercing silver eyes—streaked with green—strolled inside.

"Welcome back, Hardin," he greeted, his voice wrapped in a rich British accent.

Hardin sighed, rubbing his temple as he got up from his bed wearing a pair of black boxers. "I see you still haven't grasped the concept of knocking."

Unbothered, Sebastian followed him as he walked into the adjacent bathroom.

"Don't be such a prude," Sebastian drawled. "Can't an uncle miss his one and only nephew?"

"They can," Hardin admitted, stepping into the glass-enclosed shower. "But—this is weird. You're weird."

Sebastian gasped dramatically. "Oh, please. I used to bathe you, little man. Don't act shy now."

Hardin groaned, already regretting the conversation. "And here comes the speech—"

"I threw my whole life away to raise you," Sebastian declared with mock solemnity.

Hardin rolled his eyes. "Yes, yes. I almost thought you'd forgotten that."

Sebastian grinned. "You better remember it, young man. I am your mother."

Hardin went rigid, horror flashing across his face. "Get. Out."

Sebastian arched a brow. "Young man, don't take that tone with me."

Hardin exhaled in defeat. "Fine. I'm sorry. But please, get out—I need to shower."

Sebastian smirked, but after a dramatic pause and he finally turned on his heel and left.

Hardin stared at the door, already regretting his decision of returning to Angel Creek. "Unbelievable."

"We have a meeting with the town council!" Sebastian shouted from his room.

****

The scent of freshly brewed coffee and buttered toast lingered in the air as Blue hurried down the stairs. Morning sunlight filtered through the sheer curtains, casting a soft glow over the modest living room.

In the open kitchen, Jackson stood by the stove, a spatula in hand, flipping an omelet. His chestnut-brown eyes flicked up as Blue entered, scanning her from head to toe. His jaw tightened.

She was wearing low rise denim miniskirt with frayed edges encircledby, a cropped white top with a graphic design and pink sneakers.

"Where are you going dressed like that?"

She barely spared him a glance, sauntering past the counter to grab an apple from the fridge. "Mars," she answered nonchalantly, biting into it with an audible crunch.

Jackson let out a scoff, setting his spatula down with a little too much force. "You look like a two-dollar hoe. Get changed."

Blue paused mid-bite, her grip tightening around the fruit. A nerve twitched in her temple. "Who the fuck died and made you man of the house?"

Jackson didn't flinch. He met her glare head-on, his voice steady, unyielding. "Our father."

The words landed like a gut punch. Blue faltered, her grip loosening slightly. The hum of the refrigerator filled the tense silence between them. The weight of grief, of unspoken resentment, hung heavy in the air.

For a moment, she thought about saying something—something real, something that mattered. But instead, she exhaled through her nose, forcing a smirk onto her lips.

"See you at six."

Jackson wasn't letting her off that easy. He leaned against the counter, arms crossed, watching her like a hawk. "I heard the Garcia kid made it home last night."

Blue stiffened. She kept her expression neutral, but the slight clench of her jaw gave her away.

"Good for his parents," she muttered, turning toward the door.

Jackson wasn't done. "Do you really wanna play that game?"

She sighed dramatically. "What game?"

"The Occult Club found him," he snapped, his voice sharp as a blade. "So, Blue, what the fuck are you doing?"

"Funny you ask," she said, reaching for the doorknob. "I was just leaving."

Jackson's voice rose, raw and desperate. "I told you—the day you become a Phantom Hunter is the day I die!"

Her fingers hovered over the handle. A shadow flickered across her face, something unreadable, before she turned back. A slow, taunting smirk curled her lips.

"Hope that day comes soon," she sang sweetly before stepping outside and slamming the door behind her.

The moment she reached the driveway, her carefully crafted bravado cracked. She sucked in a breath, shaking off the lingering tension as the familiar hum of an engine reached her ears.

A blue sports car pulled up in front of the house, its glossy surface reflecting the morning light. Blue's mood instantly lifted. She quickened her pace, pulling open the passenger door and sliding in.

"Why are you late?" she asked, strapping on her seatbelt.

Ethan yawned, rubbing his eyes as he pulled out of the driveway. "Spent the whole night teaching Aria how to play Soul Crusher."

Blue raised a brow, amused. "And?"

"She's way too energetic."

Blue hummed in approval, satisfied with the answer. She connected her phone to the car's speakers, scrolling through her playlist before blasting music.

Today was their first day back at that dreaded place called school.