The night dragged on in Eldridge. Lady Seraphina Voss walked the wet streets for hours, checking dark alleys and old crime spots. She moved like a shadow, her silver sword quiet at her side. Elias tried to keep up, but she said little to him. Most of the time she ignored him completely.
Near morning, when the sky started to turn gray, she stopped.
"Go home, human," she said without looking at him. Her voice was flat and cold. "You are useless tonight. I will call you when I need you."
Elias opened his mouth to speak, but she was already gone. She vanished into the mist like smoke.
Seraphina walked alone to her manor on the edge of the city. The big stone house stood tall and quiet, hidden behind tall black gates and old trees. She had not been here in one hundred years. The place looked the same, but it felt different now. Too quiet. Too empty.
At the front steps, her butler waited. Adams was old, thin, and loyal. He had served her family for over two hundred years. His gray hair was neat, his black suit perfect even at this hour.
"Welcome home, my lady," he said with a small bow. His voice was calm, like always.
Seraphina pulled off her wet black coat and dropped it into his arms.
"Take this," she said. "And bring all the parchment from my carriage to my study. Do it now."
"Yes, my lady." Adams took the coat without a word. He knew better than to ask questions.
She walked inside. The halls were dark, lit only by a few low candles. Two young maids waited near her chamber door. They bowed low and opened the door for her.
The bath was ready, just as she liked it. A large pool of hot water in the middle of the stone room. Steam rose up, carrying the sweet smell of roses and something darker. Old blood mixed with herbs. The maids had added her favorite oils.
Seraphina took off her leather jacket, her tight pants, her boots, and everything else. She dropped them on the floor without care. Naked, she stepped into the water. It wrapped around her like warm silk. She sank down until only her head stayed above.
"Oh, how I missed this house," she whispered to herself. Her red eyes closed for a moment. "One hundred years away, and everything still waits for me."
But the peace did not last long. The crimes in Eldridge kept coming back to her mind. Bodies drained, torn, left like garbage. Her childhood town, once safe, now full of death.
She stayed in the bath until the water cooled a little. Then she stepped out. One maid wrapped her in a soft black robe. Another brought a long night dress. Dark silk that touched the floor.
Seraphina walked to her study. The room was big, with tall bookshelves, a heavy desk, and a fireplace already burning low. Adams had left the pile of parchment on the desk. A cup of hot blood tea waited next to it. Fresh, warm, with a hint of spice.
She sat down and picked up the first parchment. Reports of the latest killings. Names, places, times. All the same: no blood left, bodies ripped open.
She sipped her tea and spoke out loud, even though no one was there.
"Witches? Werewolves? Vampires? Humans helping the monsters? Who is the real killer?"
She shook her head. Too many possibilities. Too many enemies in the Council who wanted her to fail.
And then she remembered Elias. A weak human boy. Twenty years old. How could he help in this world of claws, fangs, and magic? She almost laughed.
"He will break soon," she muttered. "They always do."
Across the city, in a small rented room near the Council offices, Elias could not sleep. He had been up all night, thinking about her. About her red eyes. Her cold voice. The way she touched his face like he was nothing.
He sat at his tiny table with a candle, reading old notes in his head. He wore small round glasses that made him look even younger. His hair was a mess from running his hands through it.
He yawned big and stood up. Time for water, maybe food. He walked to the small kitchen in his shirt and pants.
Then he froze.
Lady Voss stood there in the doorway.
She wore a long black coat now, a wide black hat on her head that hid most of her face. Her red eyes glowed a little in the dark.
Elias jumped back. His leg hit the chair. He almost fell.
"Scaredy cat," Seraphina said. Her voice was low and mocking.
Elias grabbed the table to steady himself. His heart hammered loud.
Who goes into someone's house without an invitation? he thought hard in his head.
Seraphina tilted her head. A small, dangerous smile touched her lips.
"You sure have a big mouth inside your head, boy," she said. "I can hear your thoughts. Loud and clear."
Elias's face went red. He stared at her.
"I… I didn't mean…"
"Get dressed," she cut him off. "We have work to do."
She turned to leave, her coat swinging behind her.
"Meet me in my carriage outside. And block your thoughts next time. We cannot afford to be careless now. Do we?"
With that, she walked away. Her heels clicked on the wooden floor, then faded.
Elias stood there for a second, breathing fast.
"Gods, I pray I survive her," he murmured under his breath.
He ran to his room, grabbed clean clothes, and changed as fast as he could. His hands shook a little.
Outside, a black carriage waited under the early morning light. The horses were black too, standing still like statues. Seraphina sat inside, looking out the window with bored eyes.
Elias climbed in and sat across from her.
She did not look at him.
"Close the door," she said.
He did.
The carriage started moving.