The Phantom’s Truth

Lucian's breath hitched as the figure stepped forward, the moonlight finally illuminating their face.

A man, tall and lean, with piercing amber eyes that held the weight of centuries. His presence was undeniable, radiating an aura of power that sent a shiver through Lucian's spine. His sharp features were lined with faint scars, a testament to battles fought long before this night.

Viktor tensed beside Lucian, his hand hovering near his blade. "Who are you?" he demanded.

The man smirked. "You stand in the ruins of your past, surrounded by echoes of the dead, yet you do not know me?" His gaze settled on Lucian. "Perhaps they took more from you than I thought."

Lucian swallowed hard, gripping the letter in his hand. His mind raced, trying to piece together the fragments of his missing past. "You know me?"

The stranger tilted his head. "I knew your mother."

The words hit like a punch to the gut.

Lucian took a slow, cautious step forward. "Then tell me—who was she?"

The man exhaled, his amber eyes softening for a brief moment before hardening again. "She was the last light in a dying world. The only one who dared to defy the ones who sought to erase your bloodline." He studied Lucian for a long moment. "And she died for it."

Lucian's stomach twisted. He had always assumed his parents were long gone, but hearing it spoken aloud made it real. "Who killed her?"

The man's expression darkened. "The same ones who now hunt you."

Viktor's jaw clenched. "The hunters."

The stranger let out a low chuckle. "No." His gaze turned cold. "Vampires."

Lucian felt his pulse quicken. "That's not possible. Why would vampires kill one of their own?"

"Because your mother was no ordinary vampire," the man said. "And neither are you."

Lucian opened his mouth to speak, but the man raised a hand to silence him. "This is not the place for long explanations. If you want to survive the night, we need to leave. Now."

Viktor narrowed his eyes. "And why should we trust you?"

The man's smirk returned. "Because if I wanted you dead, you wouldn't still be breathing."

A sudden sound shattered the tense silence—the distant shatter of glass.

Lucian turned sharply toward the window. In the distance, a shadow moved across the rooftops. Then another.

They were being watched.

The man's expression remained calm, but there was an urgency in his tone now. "They've found you."

Viktor swore under his breath, his golden eyes flashing. "How many?"

The stranger's lips pressed into a thin line. "Enough to make this difficult."

Lucian tightened his grip on the letter. He had come here for answers, but now it seemed all he had found was more danger.

The man turned, moving swiftly toward the bookshelf. His fingers skimmed the spines of the ancient tomes before he pulled one free. The bookshelf groaned before shifting slightly, revealing a narrow passageway behind it.

"This way," he said.

Lucian exchanged a brief glance with Viktor. There was no time to argue.

The three of them slipped through the hidden passage just as the first shadowy figure entered the mansion.

The hunt had begun.

Lucian's heart pounded as he followed Viktor and the stranger through the narrow passageway. The walls were damp, the air thick with the scent of old stone and decay. Behind them, the distant echo of footsteps sent a chill up his spine.

"They're inside," Viktor muttered. His golden eyes flickered in the dim light, sharp and alert.

The stranger didn't slow his pace. "We need to keep moving. This tunnel leads to an exit beyond their reach—if we're fast enough."

Lucian clenched his fists. He wanted to ask questions, demand answers, but there was no time. They moved swiftly, navigating the winding passage until they reached a heavy iron door at the end. The stranger pressed his palm against it, and with a low groan, it creaked open.

Cold air rushed in as they stepped into the night. They had emerged in an alleyway behind the mansion, concealed by towering buildings. The city stretched beyond, silent and unaware of the hunt unfolding in the shadows.

Viktor turned sharply. "They won't stop just because we ran. They'll track us."

"They already have." The stranger's tone was grim as he motioned toward the rooftops.

Lucian followed his gaze—and his breath caught.

Silhouettes loomed above them, perched like predators ready to strike. At least six figures stood on the rooftops, their eyes glowing faintly in the darkness.

"Not human," Viktor muttered. "Vampires."

Lucian's pulse quickened. "But why are they hunting me?"

The stranger took a slow step forward, his stance unshaken. "Because they know what you are."

The air grew thick with tension as one of the figures leapt from the rooftop, landing gracefully before them. A woman, draped in dark leather, her silver hair falling past her shoulders. Her crimson eyes locked onto Lucian, and a smirk tugged at her lips.

"You've been running for too long," she said. Her voice was smooth, almost amused. "Time to come home."

Lucian took an instinctive step back. "I don't even know who you are."

The woman tilted her head. "But I know you. We all do. You were never meant to escape your fate."

Viktor shifted slightly, his muscles tensed for a fight. "Who sent you?"

The woman's smirk deepened. "You already know."

The stranger beside Lucian exhaled slowly. "The Council."

Lucian's blood ran cold. He had heard whispers of the Vampire Council from Viktor before—an ancient ruling body that controlled the vampire world from the shadows. Ruthless. Unforgiving. And now, they were after him.

The woman took another step forward. "Enough running, Lucian. Come with us now, and you won't have to suffer."

Lucian's jaw clenched. "And if I refuse?"

The woman's smirk vanished. "Then you die."

The air crackled with tension. Viktor's fingers twitched near his blade, his golden eyes scanning their enemies. The stranger beside Lucian stood unnervingly still, as if waiting for the inevitable.

Lucian took a steadying breath. He had spent his whole life surviving. Hiding. But now, the past had caught up to him.

And he wasn't sure if he was ready to face it.

To be continued…