CHAPTER 9
The Search Begins

“Back to the cars! Now!” Marcus’s voice snapped Erik out of his paralysis.

They ran back through the garden toward the house. Marcus led the way, pistol drawn, his eyes scanning every corner, every shadow. Thomas followed with Mrs. Hartmann and Sophie, who was crying now—a normal, human cry. Erik brought up the rear, gripping the Soul Key tightly, even though his hands were still trembling.

When they reached the front of the house, the vampires were gone. The street lay deserted, almost peaceful in the morning sunlight.

“Where are they?” Mrs. Hartmann whispered.

“Hiding,” Marcus replied curtly. “The sun is up. They can’t stay outside for long.”

“But Dimitri—”

“Was old enough to endure sunlight for a short time.” Marcus opened the Mercedes door and helped Mrs. Hartmann inside. “The Elders can exist in the light. Not for long, not comfortably, but they can. Come on, get in.”

They squeezed into the car. Marcus at the wheel, Thomas in the front, Erik, Mrs. Hartmann, and Sophie in the back. The engine roared to life, and they sped away.

Erik looked out the rear window. The villa grew smaller, disappeared around a bend. No pursuers. At least none visible.

“We can’t just leave them behind,” Erik said. “Helena. We have to—”

“What?” Marcus’s eyes met his in the rearview mirror. “Go back? Fight a dozen vampires? Free her from the clutches of her own brother, who’s probably already planning how to kill her?”

“Dimitri didn’t kill her,” Thomas said calmly. “Not yet.”

“How do you know?”

“Because he wanted to talk to her. If he wanted her dead, he would have done it in front of us. As a message.” Thomas stared out the window, thoughtful. “No. He wants something from her. Information, perhaps. Or…” He trailed off.

“Or what?” Erik pressed.

“Or he wants her back. With him. With them.” Thomas’s voice dropped. “Vampirism is a disease, but also a temptation. It promises power, eternal life, freedom from human weakness. For someone like Dimitri, who was surrounded by his vampire ancestors his entire life… it may have been inevitable.”

“And he wants Helena to take the same path,” Erik realized.

“Possibly.”

“That won’t happen.” Marcus’s jaw was tight. “Helena is stronger than that. She’s resisted that temptation her whole life.”

“But now she’s alone with her brother. The only living member of her family.” Thomas sighed. “Even the strongest can grow weak in moments of loneliness.”

Erik clenched his fists. “We’ll find her. We’ll bring her back.”

“How?” Marcus took a sharp turn. “Munich is huge. The vampires have hundreds of hiding places. The catacombs, old buildings, abandoned subway tunnels. We could search for weeks.”

“Then we’ll search for weeks.”

“We don’t have weeks!” Marcus slammed the steering wheel. “Have you forgotten the other six babies? The ones who’ll be turned too? Who will die if we do nothing?”

The words hit Erik like blows. He really had forgotten them. In the panic over Helena, he’d lost sight of the mission.

“The children,” Mrs. Hartmann whispered. She held Sophie close, rocking her. “There are more like my Sophie?”

“Six more,” Thomas confirmed. “All in danger. All in need of help.”

“Then you have to help them,” Mrs. Hartmann said. Her voice was firm despite the tears in her eyes. “I don’t understand everything that’s happening here. Vampires, rituals, keys that glow. But I understand this: innocent children are in danger. And you’re the only ones who can help them.”

“But Helena—” Erik began.

“Will understand,” Mrs. Hartmann interrupted. “Any mother, any grandmother would understand. The children come first.”

Marcus nodded grimly. “The old lady’s right. We focus on the mission. Helena can take care of herself. She’s not helpless.”

“But she’s alone,” Erik said.

“She isn’t.” Thomas pulled out his phone. “Helena always wears a tracker. A small device sewn into her necklace. For situations exactly like this.”

“Why didn’t you say that earlier?” Marcus sounded relieved and angry at the same time.

“Because I wanted you to think clearly. Not panic.” Thomas tapped his phone. A map appeared. “She’s… downtown. Near Marienplatz. Not moving.”

“Captured?”

“Or waiting.” Thomas zoomed in. “That’s a café. Augustiner am Platzl. Public, bright, full of people.”

“Dimitri wouldn’t take her to a public place,” Marcus said skeptically. “Unless—”

“Unless he really just wants to talk,” Thomas finished. “Without Night Watch witnesses. Without pressure.”

Erik felt his chest loosen a little. “Then she’s safe. For now.”

“For now,” Marcus agreed. “But we have to get her out soon. The longer she’s with him—”

“The greater the danger that he’ll influence her,” Thomas said. “I know.”

They reached headquarters. Marcus drove straight into the underground garage, a hidden entrance beneath the bookstore that Erik hadn’t noticed before.

Yuki was already waiting, her face tense. “I saw everything on the monitors. Helena—”

“Is with her brother,” Marcus said shortly as he got out. “We’re tracking her. But first…” He helped Mrs. Hartmann and Sophie out of the car. “We have guests.”

Yuki nodded in understanding. “I’ll prepare a room. Mrs. Hartmann, please follow me.”

“I need to call my family, let them know—”

“Nothing,” Yuki interrupted gently but firmly. “I’m sorry, but no one can know where you are. Not until this is over.”

“But—”

“Your life depends on it. And Sophie’s.” Yuki’s eyes were compassionate. “Please, trust us.”

Mrs. Hartmann looked from one of them to the other, then at her granddaughter. Finally, she nodded. “All right. But I want updates. Every hour.”

“Promise,” Yuki said.

She led Mrs. Hartmann and Sophie into headquarters. Erik, Marcus, and Thomas followed.

In the conference room, Marcus spread out the list Yuki had compiled. Six more names. Six more families.

“Family Müller, Sendling. Baby Leon, four weeks old. First wound two weeks ago.”

“Family Schneider, Neuhausen. Baby Emma, six weeks old. First wound three weeks ago.”

“Family Özkan, Giesing. Baby Ayşe, five weeks old. First wound ten days ago.”

The list went on. Each name a life. Each name a child in danger.

“We split up,” Marcus said. “The three of us can manage at most two, maybe three rituals today. If we’re lucky.”

“I can go alone,” Erik offered. “With the key. I’ll perform the rituals.”

“No.” Thomas shook his head. “You nearly lost your soul today. The key needs time. And so do you.”

“But—”

“He’s right.” Marcus looked at Erik, his face serious. “You’re valuable, rookie. But not priceless. If you burn out, we lose not only you but also the key. And without both, we’re powerless.”

Erik wanted to protest, but he knew they were right. His body felt like it had been put through a meat grinder. Every muscle ached. And the contact with the Elder… it had changed something inside him. He felt hollowed out.

“So what now?” he asked.

“We prioritize.” Yuki had reentered, without Mrs. Hartmann. “I’ve analyzed the medical data of all six cases. Based on severity of symptoms, time since initial infection…” She pointed at the list. “These three are the most critical. They have to be treated today. By tomorrow at the latest.”

“Family Müller,” Marcus read. “Family Özkan. And… Family Wagner.”

“Wagner?” Erik looked at the list. “They weren’t on it before.”

“I just added them.” Yuki’s face was grave. “The baby was admitted to the ER only three days ago. The symptoms are extreme. If we don’t act today…”

She didn’t need to finish the sentence.

“Then we start with the Wagners,” Thomas said. “Where do they live?”

“Schwabing. Not far from the Bergers.” Yuki handed him an address. “But there’s a problem.”

“Of course there is,” Marcus muttered. “What?”

“The father, Mr. Wagner, is a police officer. Criminal Investigation Division. He won’t just let us in. And he definitely won’t believe what we tell him.”

“A cop.” Marcus rubbed his face. “Fantastic.”

“Maybe that’s an advantage,” Erik said. “A cop is trained to look at evidence. If we show him the truth—”

“Or he arrests us for attempted kidnapping,” Marcus shot back.

“We have to try.” Thomas stood up. “Time is running out. Every minute we argue is a minute the baby doesn’t have.”

“Agreed.” Marcus grabbed his jacket. “Thomas and I will handle the Wagners. Erik, you stay here. Rest. Yuki will look after you.”

“I can—”

“You can stay here,” Marcus cut in firmly. “That’s an order, rookie.”

Erik wanted to keep arguing, but one look from Thomas silenced him. The quiet priest briefly placed a hand on his shoulder. “Trust us. We need you strong. Not burned out.”

They left. Erik remained in the conference room, staring at the list of names. So many lives. So much at stake.

“Come.” Yuki’s voice was gentle. “I’ll show you where you can rest.”

“I don’t want to rest. I want to—”

“Help. I know.” Yuki smiled faintly. “But right now, the best way you can help is by recovering. Come.”

She led him through the corridors to a small room. A bed, a chair, a lamp. Spartan, but clean.

“That was my room when I started here,” Yuki said. “Five years ago. Back then, I couldn’t sleep either. Too much in my head.”

“What helped?”

“Meditation. And realizing that I can’t control everything.” She sat on the chair, letting Erik have the bed. “Sometimes you have to let go, Erik. Trust that others will play their part.”

“But Helena—”

“Is one of the strongest people I know.” Yuki’s eyes shone. “She survived her parents’ deaths. Her father’s and brother’s transformation. Decades of hunting, of loss, of despair. And she’s still here. Still fighting.”

“But what if Dimitri convinces her? What if she lets herself be turned?”

“Then we’ve lost her.” Yuki’s voice was quiet but honest. “But I don’t think that will happen. Helena has seen too much. Fought too much. She knows what she stands for.”

Erik wanted to believe her. But doubt gnawed at him.

Yuki stood. “I’ll leave you alone. Try to sleep. Or at least meditate. I’m next door if you need me.”

She left. The door closed softly.

Erik lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling. Sleep seemed impossible. His mind raced, jumping between Helena, the babies, the Elder.

You will fail, she had said. Like all before you.

Was it true? Was he just the next in a long line of failed bearers of the Soul Key?

He pulled the key from his pocket, studied it in the dim light. The metal was cold now, lifeless. No trace of the glow it had had during the ritual.

“Who were you?” Erik whispered. “Who carried you before I did?”

The key did not answer. Of course it didn’t.

But when Erik closed his eyes, he saw faces. Fleeting, like shadows. People from other times. A monk with a tonsure. A woman in medieval clothing. A soldier in a World War I uniform.

All of them had carried the key. All of them had fought.

And all of them had died.

Erik opened his eyes, his heart pounding. “No. I’m not going to die. Not like that.”

He stood up, despite Yuki’s advice. He couldn’t just lie here and do nothing.

He went back to the conference room. Yuki was sitting there, working on her laptop.

“I thought you were resting,” she said without looking up.

“I can’t.” Erik sat down opposite her. “Show me Helena’s position. I want to know she’s okay.”

Yuki hesitated, then turned her laptop around. The map showed a blinking dot. “Still in the same place. Augustiner am Platzl.”

“How long?”

“Thirty minutes. She’s not moving.”

“That’s good, right? That means she’s not captured. Dimitri didn’t abduct her.”

“Or the tracker was found and removed,” Yuki said cautiously. “That’s also possible.”

Erik felt his stomach tighten. “Can we check?”

“How? We can’t just walk into the café. If Dimitri sees us—”

“Then he won’t see us.” Erik stood. “Are there cameras nearby? Street cameras, shops?”

“Probably.” Yuki typed. “Marienplatz is heavily monitored. One moment…”

She hacked into the city systems. Images filled the screen. Different angles of the square and surrounding streets.

“There.” Erik pointed at a monitor. “The café.”

Yuki zoomed in. The image was grainy but recognizable. The café was full, tourists and locals having breakfast.

And at a table in the corner, half hidden: Helena and Dimitri.

They sat facing each other, talking. Helena’s face was tense but calm. Dimitri smiled, gestured, looked almost… human.

“They really are just talking,” Yuki whispered. “No violence. No captivity.”

“What are they talking about?”

“No audio on the cameras. We can only guess.” Yuki leaned back. “But their body language… Helena is defensive. Arms crossed, leaning back. Dimitri is open, leaning forward. He’s trying to persuade her.”

“Of what?”

“Whatever he wants.” Yuki looked at Erik. “But she’s listening. That’s important. She hasn’t fled.”

“She should,” Erik muttered.

They kept watching. Minutes passed. The conversation continued.

Then Dimitri stood up. He put money on the table, said something to Helena. She shook her head.

He smiled sadly, then left. Disappeared from the frame.

Helena remained seated. Alone. Her head in her hands.

“She’s free,” Yuki said. “He let her go.”

Erik felt relief, but also confusion. “Why? What does he want?”

“We’ll find out.” Yuki grabbed her phone. “I’ll call her.”

She dialed. The phone rang. Once. Twice. Three times.

Then, on the screen, Helena reached for her phone, looked at the display.

And rejected the call.

“What?” Yuki stared at her phone. “She… she declined.”

“Try again.”

Yuki dialed again. It rang. And again, Helena declined.

“She doesn’t want to talk to us,” Yuki whispered. “Why?”

Erik felt a cold fear rise in his chest. “Because Dimitri convinced her. Of something.”

On the screen, Helena stood up. She left money on the table, put on her jacket. Then she left the café.

But she didn’t head toward Night Watch headquarters.

She went in the opposite direction.

“Where is she going?” Erik asked.

Yuki switched between different cameras, following Helena through the streets. “Toward the main station. Why would she—”

“She’s leaving Munich,” Erik realized suddenly. “Dimitri convinced her to go.”

“Or she’s executing a plan,” Yuki said. But her voice didn’t sound convinced. “Helena wouldn’t just abandon us.”

“Wouldn’t she?” Erik thought of what Thomas had said. Even the strongest can become weak in moments of loneliness.

They watched as Helena entered the main station. The interior cameras showed her at the ticket counter.

“I have to get to her,” Erik said suddenly. He stood up. “Before she gets on a train.”

“Erik, wait—”

“No. You told me to rest. But I can’t just sit by while we lose Helena.” He grabbed his jacket. “The main station is fifteen minutes from here. I can reach her.”

“And if it’s dangerous? If Dimitri is nearby?”

“Then I’ll be careful.” Erik hesitated. “Yuki, call Marcus and Thomas. Tell them what happened. But I’m not waiting.”

He ran for the door.

“Erik!” Yuki’s voice followed him. “At least take this!”

She threw something to him. He caught it. A small taser, no bigger than a phone.

“Effective against humans and young vampires,” she explained. “Against Elders like Dimitri… less so. But better than nothing.”

“Thanks.” Erik pocketed the taser and ran up the spiral staircase.

Through the bookstore, out onto the street. The morning sun was fully up now, warming the city. People hurried past, heading to work, unaware of the darkness lurking beneath their feet.

Erik ran. His body protested, every step painful, but he ignored it.

Helena was leaving the Night Watch. Leaving them all.

And he would not let her go. Not without a fight.

The main station loomed ahead, a massive structure of glass and steel.

Erik burst inside.

The hall was crowded. Travelers, commuters, tourists. Hundreds of people.

Where was she?

Erik scanned the crowd desperately. There! Platform 17, a train ready to depart.

And on the platform, just boarding: Helena.

“Helena!” Erik shouted her name, pushing through the crowd.

She didn’t hear him. Or ignored him.

The train doors began to close.

“No!” Erik sprinted, reached the platform.

The doors closed. A narrow gap remained.

Erik jumped.

He made it. Barely. The doors closed behind him, nearly catching his jacket.

The train began to move.

Erik gasped, leaned against the wall. Other passengers stared at him.

He ignored them and moved through the carriage.

There, in the next compartment: Helena.

She sat by the window, looking out as Munich slid past.

Erik sat down opposite her.

She looked up, surprised, then resigned.

“You shouldn’t have come,” she said quietly.

“You shouldn’t have left,” Erik shot back.

They sat in silence as the train picked up speed.

Then, softly: “He told me something. Dimitri. Something about the Council. About the Elder.”

“What?”

Helena looked at him, her eyes tired. And afraid.

“She’s my mother.”

The words made the world stand still.

“What?” Erik whispered.

“The Elder. The leader of the Council. The source of all this darkness.” Helena’s voice broke. “She is my mother.”

CHAPTER 10
The First Encounter

Erik stared at Helena, unable to speak. The train kept rattling on, Munich disappearing behind them, but all Erik could hear was the echo of her words.

She is my mother.

“That… that’s not possible,” he finally stammered. “Your mother was named Maria. You said so. She was human. She died when you—”

“The woman who raised me was named Maria,” Helena interrupted. Her voice was flat, emotionless—the voice of someone forcing herself not to fall apart. “But she wasn’t my biological mother. Dimitri told me that today. The truth he’s known for forty years.”

“Dimitri is lying. He’s a vampire, he’s manipulating you—”

“No.” Helena shook her head. “I wish it were a lie. But he had proof. Photos. Letters. Documents from 1957, the year I was born.”

She took an envelope from her bag and slid it across the table. Her hands were trembling.

Erik opened it carefully. Inside were old black-and-white photographs. The first showed a woman, young and breathtakingly beautiful, with long dark hair and piercing eyes. She was holding a baby in her arms.

“That’s me,” Helena whispered. “Three days old. And this…” She pointed to the woman. “That’s her. The Elder.”

Erik studied the photo more closely. The woman looked young, maybe thirty. But her eyes… her eyes were old. Infinitely old. And they glowed faintly, even in the faded photograph.

“How is that possible? Vampires can’t have children.”

“Most of them can’t,” Helena said. “But the Elders, the ones who are thousands of years old… they have abilities the younger ones don’t. They can control their transformation, temporarily reverse it. Enough to…” She broke off, looked away. “She became pregnant by my father. Konstantin. Long before he was turned.”

“But why? Why would a vampire want a child?”

“Experiment. Legacy. Power.” Helena’s voice turned bitter. “Dimitri said the Elder wanted to see whether a child could be born of vampire and human. A dhampir, but stronger. With potential.”

“Potential for what?”

“To be a bridge. Between worlds. Between vampires and humans.” Helena laughed bitterly. “Or a weapon. Depending on how you look at it.”

Erik flipped through the other photos. One showed the same woman with a small boy—Dimitri, Erik guessed. Another showed Konstantin, still human, happy, standing beside the woman.

“What happened? Why did you grow up with Maria?”

“Because the Elder decided I was a failure.” Helena’s voice was barely audible. “I was too human. Too normal. No supernatural powers, no connection to the darkness. Just an ordinary baby. So she gave me away. To Maria, a nurse who worked for her. Maria was supposed to raise me, watch me. See if I might still develop abilities later.”

“And?”

“Nothing. I stayed human. Completely, entirely human.” Helena looked at her hands. “But Dimitri didn’t. He was three years older, and with him the genes worked. He was stronger than normal children, faster, his senses sharper. The Elder was thrilled. He was her success.”

“That’s why he was turned.”

“When he was twenty-one, she gave him a choice. Stay human and die one day. Or become a vampire and live forever at her side.” Helena’s eyes filled with tears. “He chose her. His biological mother. Over me. Over Maria. Over his human life.”

The train entered a tunnel. The lights flickered. In the dim light, Helena looked broken.

“That’s why you’re leaving Munich,” Erik realized. “You can’t fight your own mother.”

“How am I supposed to?” Helena’s voice finally broke. “She’s my mother, Erik. She gave birth to me. And now I’m supposed to kill her?”

“She’s a monster. She’s planning to kill thousands of people.”

“She’s still my mother!”

The words hung between them, too big, too heavy.

The train emerged from the tunnel. Outside, the landscape rushed by—fields, forests. They were moving fast, away from Munich, away from everything.

“Where is this train going?” Erik asked.

“Salzburg. Then on to Vienna.” Helena wiped her eyes. “I thought… I could disappear. Start over somewhere. Leave the Night Watch to someone else.”

“Marcus?”

“He’s capable. Brutal, but effective.” Helena smiled faintly. “And he doesn’t carry the emotional baggage I do.”

“But he isn’t you.” Erik leaned forward. “Helena, the Night Watch needs you. The city needs you. The six babies need you.”

“They have Thomas. They have the Soul Key. They have—”

“They don’t have their leader.” Erik reached across the table and took her hand. “You’re running away. I understand it. I understand why. But you told me yourself: sometimes the right decision is the hardest one.”

“That was before I knew I was the child of a monster.”

“You are not your blood.” Erik’s voice grew firmer. “You are your actions. Your choices. Your life. And you’ve spent your entire life fighting the darkness. That doesn’t make you a monster. That makes you a hero.”

Helena closed her eyes. Tears streamed down her cheeks.

“I’m afraid,” she whispered. “For the first time in years, I’m truly afraid. Not of the vampires. Not of death. But that Dimitri might be right.”

“Right about what?”

“That in the end I’ll become like her. Like my mother. That the darkness is inside me, waiting to break free.”

“That won’t happen.”

“How do you know?”

“Because I know you.” Erik squeezed her hand. “Not for long, that’s true. But long enough to see who you are. And you’re not dark. You’re the opposite of that.”

The train began to slow. A voice over the loudspeaker: “Next stop: Rosenheim.”

“We’re getting off here,” Erik said. “Going back to Munich.”

“Erik—”

“No buts. The mission isn’t over. And you’re part of it.” He stood. “Come on. Before you waste any more time on self-doubt.”

Helena looked at him for a long moment. Then, finally, she nodded. “You’re astonishingly stubborn for a rookie.”

“I had a good teacher.”

They got off the train in Rosenheim. The platform was almost empty; only a few commuters were getting on and off.

Helena pulled out her phone, saw the missed calls from Yuki. “I need to call them. Explain why—”

“Later.” Erik gestured toward the opposite side of the tracks. “Next train back to Munich leaves in twenty minutes. Until then…” He looked around, spotted a small café at the station. “Coffee?”

Helena smiled weakly. “Coffee sounds good.”

---

They sat in the café, drinking overpriced station coffee that nevertheless tasted better than expected.

“Tell me about her,” Erik said. “About the Elder. Not as your mother. As an enemy. What do we know about her?”

Helena took a deep breath and slipped into her professional mode. “Her name—her real name—is Katalin. Hungarian origin. Born probably in the 11th century, maybe earlier.”

“That old?”

“The oldest vampires go back to Roman times. Some claim even further.” Helena sipped her coffee. “Katalin was likely turned during the First Crusades. There are reports of a ‘Blood Countess’ in Jerusalem who depopulated entire villages.”

“And she founded the Council?”

“Not alone. But she was one of the founders. In the 13th century, when vampire hunters became more organized, the most powerful vampires decided to unite. For protection, for power, for…” Helena hesitated. “For a vision.”

“The eternal night.”

“Yes. But it was more than that. They wanted a world in which vampires no longer had to live in hiding. In which they could rule openly, without fear.” Helena’s eyes darkened. “They tried for the first time in the 14th century. In Budapest. They killed most of the population, turned hundreds. They almost succeeded.”

“What stopped them?”

“Other vampires. Those who believed coexistence was possible. They allied with human hunters. The war lasted ten years. In the end, Budapest lay in ruins, and the Council had to flee.”

“But they didn’t give up.”

“Katalin never gives up. That’s her trademark.” Helena set her cup down. “She waits. Decades, centuries. But she never forgets. And she always plans three steps ahead.”

“So she didn’t choose Munich by chance.”

“No. Munich lies on one of the strongest ley-line nodes in Europe. Perfect for the ritual. And…” Helena hesitated. “Dimitri said she’s been here for years. Preparing everything.”

“Years?” Erik shivered. “How long exactly?”

“At least ten. Maybe twenty.” Helena stared out the window, where the rain had started again. “She’s integrated herself into the city. Built an identity. A life. No one knows who she really is.”

“But Dimitri does.”

“Yes.”

“And he didn’t tell you where she is. Who she is.”

“No.” Helena’s voice turned bitter. “He said I had to find out myself. As a test. To see if I was worthy of hunting my own mother.”

“That’s sick.”

“That’s Dimitri.” Helena sighed. “He’s always been a player. Even as a child. Everything had to be a game, a challenge.”

“But he gave you something. Otherwise you wouldn’t have been on that train.”

Helena nodded slowly. She took the envelope out again and pulled out another photo. “This.”

The photo showed a modern street in Munich. A shop with the sign: Galerie Schwarzmond – Antique Art & Curiosities.

“What is that?”

“A shop on Maximilianstraße. Supposedly owned by a certain ‘Mrs. Steiner.’ An art dealer, reclusive, eccentric.” Helena’s fingers trembled slightly as she held the photo. “Dimitri said if I wanted to find her, I should start there.”

“That’s her? Katalin is hiding as an art dealer?”

“Why not? It’s perfect. She trades in ancient objects, travels the world for auctions, no one asks questions.” Helena laughed bitterly. “And she has access to occult artifacts. Perfect for someone planning an apocalypse ritual.”

Erik studied the photo. The shop looked unremarkable. A normal store in an expensive area.

“We’re going there,” he said suddenly.

“What? No. Erik, we can’t just—”

“Why not?” Erik leaned forward. “She doesn’t know that you know. That gives us an advantage. We go in, look around, gather information.”

“And if she recognizes me? I’m her daughter. Even after sixty years—”

“Then you play the role.” Erik’s mind was racing. “You’re a customer. Interested in occult objects. You ask questions, browse. I go with you as… your assistant. Or friend. Whatever.”

“It’s too dangerous.”

“Everything we do is dangerous.” Erik reached for her hand across the table. “But we have to confront her. Sooner or later. Better on our terms than on hers.”

Helena was silent for a long time. Rain drummed against the café windows. Somewhere in the background, soft music played.

“You’re right,” she finally said. “I ran away. But that solves nothing.” She looked Erik in the eyes. “If we do this, if we really go in there… promise me something.”

“What?”

“If it goes wrong, if she attacks me or tries to turn me… kill me.”

“Helena—”

“Promise me, Erik.” Her eyes were steady, resolute. “I will not become like her. I’d rather die.”

Erik felt his throat tighten. “That won’t be necessary.”

“But if it is. Promise me.”

Erik nodded slowly. “I promise.”

“Good.” Helena stood, left money on the table. “Then let’s go back to Munich. We have a mother to visit.”

---

The return trip passed in tense silence. Erik tried to prepare himself, mentally running through what they might face. But how did one prepare to confront the Eldest of vampires? The source of all darkness?

Helena stared out the window, lost in her own thoughts. From time to time she touched the envelope with the photos, as if to reassure herself that it was real.

They reached Munich around noon. The city looked normal, almost idyllic in the dull November light. People were shopping, trams rattled past, life went on.

“We should go back to the others,” Helena said as they left the station. “Update them. Maybe take Marcus and Thomas as backup.”

“No.” Erik shook his head. “Dimitri said you were supposed to find her alone. As a test. If we show up with a whole team, she’ll know immediately that something’s wrong.”

“But—”

“Just us two. No one else.” Erik looked at her. “Do you trust me?”

Helena hesitated, then nodded. “Yes. I trust you.”

They took a taxi to Maximilianstraße, one of Munich’s most exclusive shopping streets. Designer boutiques, expensive restaurants, tourists with shopping bags.

And right in the middle, between a jeweler and an Italian restaurant: Galerie Schwarzmond.

The display window showed ancient statues, old paintings, mysterious artifacts behind glass. Everything looked authentic, valuable, from different eras and cultures.

“Ready?” Erik asked.

Helena took a deep breath. “No. But that doesn’t matter.”

They opened the door. A small bell chimed.

The shop was larger than it appeared from the outside. High ceilings, dim lighting, the scent of old wood and incense. Shelves full of books, display cases with jewelry and weapons, paintings on the walls.

And at the far end of the room, behind an antique desk: a woman.

She looked to be in her forties, elegantly dressed in a black suit. Her hair was dark with a few gray streaks, pulled back into a severe bun. She wore rimless glasses and looked up as they entered.

“Good afternoon,” she said. Her voice was warm, cultivated, with a slight accent Erik couldn’t place. “Welcome to Galerie Schwarzmond. How may I help you?”

Helena froze.

Erik felt it instantly. That was her. The woman from the photographs, only older now—or rather, pretending to be older. That was Katalin. The Elder.

Helena’s mother.

“We… we’re interested in occult artifacts,” Erik said quickly when Helena didn’t respond. “Something special. For a collection.”

The woman smiled. “Of course. Occult pieces are my specialty.” She stood and came closer. “Are you looking for something specific? A particular era? Culture?”

She was only three meters away now. Erik could see her eyes. They were dark brown, almost black.

And they weren’t glowing. At least not at the moment.

“Something… powerful,” Erik said. “Something with a history.”

“Everything here has a history.” The woman—Mrs. Steiner, Katalin—gestured to the exhibits. “But if you’re looking for true power…” She went to a locked display case. “Perhaps this will interest you.”

She took out a key and opened the case. Inside lay a dagger, the blade made of black metal, the hilt engraved with runes.

“Sacrificial dagger,” she explained. “From the 15th century. Used by a witch coven in Prague for blood rituals.” She lifted it carefully. “Very rare. Very powerful. And very expensive.”

She handed the dagger to Erik. He took it, immediately feeling a cold radiating from the blade.

“Fascinating,” he murmured, trying to sound normal.

Katalin turned to Helena. “And you, my dear? Are you also interested in occult art? Or rather… personal artifacts?”

Helena finally raised her gaze. Her eyes met her mother’s.

For a moment, time seemed to stand still.

“Personal,” Helena whispered. “Very personal.”

Katalin’s smile deepened. “I have something that might interest you. Come.”

She led them deeper into the shop, toward a back room. Erik followed, his hand unconsciously drifting toward the taser in his pocket.

The back room was smaller, more intimate. Candles burned, casting dancing shadows. More artifacts hung on the walls, but these were different. Darker. More dangerous.

Katalin walked to a small altar where a single candle burned. Beside the candle lay a photograph.

She picked it up and handed it to Helena.

Helena looked at it—and all color drained from her face.

“What is this?” she whispered.

“A photograph,” Katalin said softly. “From a long time ago. Of a mother and her daughter.”

It was the same photo Dimitri had given Helena. The Elder, looking young, holding a baby.

“Where did you get this?” Helena’s voice trembled.

Katalin stepped closer. Very close. So close that Erik could feel the cold radiating from her.

“Because I was there,” Katalin whispered. “Because I held that baby. Because I…” She raised her hand and gently touched Helena’s cheek. “Because I gave birth to you, my child.”

Helena stumbled back, nearly falling. “No. You… you can’t—”

“But I can. And I am.” Katalin’s eyes began to glow. Red. Intense. “Welcome home, Helena. I have waited so long for you.”

Erik yanked out the taser, aimed it at Katalin—

She moved. Too fast to see. One moment she was there, the next she had grabbed Erik’s wrist and flung the taser away.

“How rude,” she said. “And you must be Erik Schönwaldt. The new bearer of the Soul Key.”

How did she know his name?

“Let him go!” Helena had drawn a small pistol and aimed it at Katalin.

Katalin laughed. “You would shoot your own mother? How tragic. How… human.”

“You are not my mother. You’re a monster.”

“I am both.” Katalin released Erik and turned to Helena. “And you, my child, are more like me than you care to admit.”

“No.”

“Yes.” Katalin stepped closer, unafraid of the gun. “You’ve spent your whole life fighting the darkness. But why? Because you hate it? Or because you fear it… within yourself?”

“Shut up.”

“You carry my blood, Helena. My strength. My potential.” Katalin’s eyes glowed brighter. “Why deny what you are? Why fight your nature?”

“Because my nature is human!” Helena’s voice broke. “I’m not you. I will never be like you!”

“Really?” Katalin smiled sadly. “Then why are you trembling? Why can’t you pull the trigger?”

Helena’s hand was indeed shaking. The gun wavered.

“Don’t do it,” Katalin whispered. “Don’t kill me, Helena. Not before you know the truth.”

“What truth?”

“The truth about the ritual. About the eternal night. About what will really happen if we succeed.” Katalin’s voice grew urgent. “It’s not what you think. It’s not destruction. It’s… transformation.”

“Lies.”

“Are they?” Katalin gestured to the artifacts on the walls. “Each of these objects tells a story. Of cultures that lived with the darkness. Of humans and vampires who coexisted. It was once possible. It could be possible again.”

“Through mass murder?”

“Through sacrifice.” Katalin’s voice hardened. “Yes, people will die. But not all of them. The strong will survive. They will adapt. And in the end, a new world will emerge. A better world.”

“For vampires.”

“For everyone.” Katalin held out her hand. “Join me, Helena. You and your brother. My children. Together we could—”

“No.” Helena pulled the trigger.

The gunshot was deafening in the small room.

Katalin moved, but not fast enough. The bullet hit her shoulder and hurled her backward.

She slammed into the wall and slid to the floor.

“Run!” Helena shouted. “Erik, run!”

They ran. Through the back room, through the shop, to the door.

Behind them: Katalin’s laughter. Not in pain. Not angry.

Amused.

“Run, children,” she called. “But you can’t run forever. Sooner or later you will have to come back to me. And then you will understand.”

They reached the street and burst out into daylight.

People stared at them, startled by their panicked flight.

Helena grabbed Erik’s hand and pulled him along. “Keep going. We need to get away from here.”

They ran through streets, around corners, until they were sure no one was following.

Finally they stopped, gasping, in a side alley.

“You shot her,” Erik panted. “Your own mother.”

“She is not my mother.” Helena’s eyes were wild. “She is what gave birth to me. But she is not my mother.”

She slumped against a wall and slid to the ground.

“I failed,” she whispered. “I couldn’t kill her. I had the chance, and I only shot to escape.”

“You didn’t fail.” Erik knelt beside her. “You survived. We both survived.”

“But now she knows that we know. She’ll be prepared.”

“Good.” Erik’s voice was firm. “Then we’re even. Because now we’re prepared too.”

Helena looked at him. “How can we fight something like that? My own mother?”

“By remembering who we are.” Erik helped her to her feet. “You are Helena Konstantin. Leader of the Night Watch. And I am… well, I’m still figuring out who I am. But together—”

“Together we might have a chance,” Helena finished. She smiled faintly. “When did you become so optimistic?”

“When I stopped running.”

They headed back toward headquarters, moving more slowly now, cautiously.

The first encounter with the Elder was over.

But the war had only just begun.

CHAPTER 11
The Impossible Choice

The headquarters was in chaos when they returned.

Marcus stood in the conference room, loudly arguing on the phone, his voice echoing through the corridors. Yuki sat at her monitors, typing frantically. Thomas was nowhere to be seen.

“Where the hell were you?” Marcus hung up when he saw Helena and Erik. His face was red, a vein throbbing at his temple. “Three hours! Three hours without a word! Yuki said you were on a train to Salzburg, and then—”

“I’m sorry.” Helena raised her hands placatingly. “We had to… I had to clear something up.”

“Clear something up?” Marcus’s voice dropped to a dangerous whisper. “While we’re out here risking our asses for the kids? While Thomas and I were at the Wagners’ place and almost got torn apart by a vampire?”

“What?” Erik stepped forward. “What happened?”

Marcus took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. “The Wagners. The cop and his wife. We got there, wanted to talk to them. But someone had already been there.”

“A vampire?”

“Two. Valentina and another one.” Marcus rubbed his face. “They already had the baby. When we arrived, the parents… they were still alive, but barely. Bitten, drained, unconscious.”

“And the baby?” Helena asked, though Erik could already see the answer in her eyes.

“Gone. They took it with them.” Marcus slammed his fist on the table. “We tried to follow them, but they were too fast. Vanished into the catacombs under Schwabing.”

“The parents?” Erik asked quietly.

“At the hospital. In a coma. Doctors say fifty-fifty.” Marcus looked straight at Helena. “Where were you, boss? When that happened, where were you?”

Helena didn’t look away. “I met my mother.”

Silence filled the room.

“Your mother is dead,” Marcus said finally. “That’s what you told us. Maria died twenty years ago.”

“Maria wasn’t my biological mother.” Helena pulled out a chair and sat down heavily. “My biological mother is Katalin. The Elder.”

Marcus stared at her. Then he laughed, disbelieving. “That’s a joke, right? Please tell me that’s a really bad joke.”

“I wish it were.”

“Shit.” Marcus dropped into another chair. “Shit, shit, shit.”

Yuki had stood up from her monitors and stepped closer. “Helena, that means… your whole life—”

“Was a lie. Yes.” Helena’s voice was flat. “Dimitri told me today. With proof. And then I went to her. To her gallery.”

“You went there?” Marcus’s eyes widened. “Alone?”

“With me,” Erik said quickly. “We went together.”

“Oh, well then everything’s fine.” Marcus’s sarcasm cut like a knife. “The rookie and the boss, who just found out she’s the daughter of the top vampire, stroll into her shop. What could possibly go wrong?”

“We survived,” Helena said. “And we gathered information.”

“What kind of information?”

Helena told them everything. The gallery. The confrontation. Katalin’s words about transformation instead of destruction. And the shot.

“You shot her,” Marcus repeated in disbelief. “Your own mother.”

“She’s no longer human. She’s a monster.” Helena’s voice was firm, though Erik heard the uncertainty beneath it. “I did what had to be done.”

“And she still escaped.”

“She’s the Elder. Of course she escaped.” Helena stood and walked to the map of Munich on the wall. “But now we know where she’s hiding. That’s an advantage.”

“Or a trap,” Yuki interjected. “She let you go. She could have killed you, but she didn’t. Why?”

“Because she wants me.” Helena’s fingers traced the marked ley lines on the map. “She wants me to join her. Dimitri too. Her children, united under her rule.”

“That’s not going to happen,” Marcus said.

“No. It isn’t.” Helena turned around. “But we have to be careful. Katalin isn’t stupid. She plans three steps ahead. If she let us go, there was a reason.”

“What kind of reason?”

“That’s the question.” Helena returned to the table and spread out the list of families. “Marcus, you said the Wagners were attacked. Valentina has their baby. What about the other five?”

“Thomas is with the Özkans,” Marcus reported. “He’s performing the ritual. Alone—because I had to wait here for you.”

“Alone?” Helena’s voice sharpened. “That’s too dangerous. The vampires could—”

“They could, yes. But what were we supposed to do? You were gone, Erik was gone. The babies are dying.” Marcus’s jaw tightened. “Thomas made a decision.”

“When did he start?”

“An hour ago.” Marcus checked his watch. “He should be finishing soon. If everything goes well.”

“And if it doesn’t?”

“Then we have a dead priest and another lost baby.” Marcus’s words were harsh but honest. “That’s reality, boss.”

Helena closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “Yuki, can you reach Thomas? Radio connection?”

“I’m trying.” Yuki returned to her monitors and put on a headset. “Thomas, this is HQ. Please respond.”

Static.

“Thomas, respond.”

More static. Then, faintly, a voice: “…here. Ritual… almost finished…”

“Are you safe?”

“…family is okay… baby responding… darkness resis—settling…”

The connection cut.

“Thomas!” Yuki typed frantically. “Damn it, I lost him.”

“Where is he?” Helena asked.

“Giesing. Apartment block at Candidplatz.” Yuki pointed to the address on the screen. “Ten minutes from here.”

“We’re going.” Helena grabbed her jacket. “Marcus, you and me. Erik, you stay here with Yuki.”

“No.” Erik shook his head. “You need the key. If the ritual goes wrong, if the darkness is too strong—”

“Erik’s right,” Marcus said reluctantly. “The key could be decisive.”

Helena looked between them. “Fine. But you stay behind us, understood? No heroics.”

“Understood.”

They ran to the garage. Marcus drove—too fast—ignoring traffic lights and speed limits. Helena sat in front, checking her weapons. Erik in the back, gripping the Soul Key tightly.

“What if Katalin is there?” Erik asked. “What if this is a trap?”

“Then we fight,” Marcus said curtly.

“Against the Elder? She’s—”

“Superior to us, I know.” Marcus took a corner on two wheels. “But we don’t have a choice. Thomas is there. Maybe in danger. We don’t leave anyone behind.”

They reached Candidplatz. The apartment block was typical postwar Munich architecture. Gray, functional, balconies full of laundry lines and bicycles.

“Third floor,” Helena said, jumping out before the car had fully stopped. “The Özkan family, apartment 3B.”

They ran inside. The stairwell smelled of cabbage and cleaning agent. Somewhere a baby was crying—but not with the unnatural scream of a transformed child.

Third floor. Apartment 3B. The door stood ajar.

Marcus drew his pistol. Helena her knife. Erik the Soul Key.

Marcus kicked the door open.

The sight that greeted them made Erik catch his breath.

Thomas lay on the floor, blood streaming from a wound on his forehead. Beside him: a young woman in a hijab, unconscious but breathing. And on the carpet, at the center of a broken chalk circle: a baby.

The baby—Ayşe—was crying. But it was normal crying. Her skin had color, her eyes were brown, human.

“The ritual was successful,” Thomas rasped. He tried to get up and fell back. “But then… they came…”

“Who came?” Helena knelt beside him.

“Valentina. And others. Three, four—I didn’t count exactly.” Thomas’s eyes were glassy. “They wanted the baby. I resisted, but…”

“Where are they now?” Marcus asked, weapon raised, scanning the other rooms.

“Gone. They fled when the baby started crying. Crying normally.” Thomas smiled weakly. “They didn’t want her anymore. She was useless to them.”

Erik went to the baby and gently picked her up. Ayşe calmed instantly, snuggling against him. So warm. So alive. So human.

“You saved her,” he whispered to Thomas.

“We saved her,” Thomas corrected. “All of us.”

Helena bandaged Thomas’s head wound with a kitchen towel. “Can you walk?”

“I think so. Just a bit dizzy.” Thomas stood, swaying slightly. Marcus supported him.

“And the mother?” Erik gestured toward the unconscious woman.

“Shock. The vampires didn’t hurt her, just frightened her.” Helena checked her pulse. “She’ll wake up. Confused, terrified, but alive.”

“We can’t leave her here,” Erik said. “If the vampires come back—”

“They won’t. Not for a healed baby.” Helena stood. “But you’re right. We’ll take her to HQ. All of them—the mother, the baby. Until this is over.”

“She won’t like that,” Marcus muttered. “Two families hidden in our headquarters. That’s a security risk.”

“Everything is a security risk.” Helena looked around the devastated apartment. “But living witnesses are better than dead ones. We’re taking them.”

They carried Mrs. Özkan and baby Ayşe down to the car. Some neighbors peeked out of their doors, but no one asked questions. In Munich, people learned to mind their own business.

On the drive back to HQ, tense silence reigned. Thomas held his wound, murmuring prayers. Mrs. Özkan began to wake, confused and panicked. Helena calmed her in German, then in broken Turkish.

“She says she saw monsters,” Helena translated. “Women with red eyes who came into her apartment.”

“What do we tell her?”

“The truth. Later. When she’s ready.” Helena looked out the window. “For now we tell her she’s safe. That’s all that matters.”

---

Back at headquarters, the situation had escalated further.

Yuki greeted them with grim news. “Two more families were attacked. The Schneiders in Neuhausen and the Müllers in Sendling.”

“And the babies?” Helena asked as Marcus led Mrs. Özkan and Ayşe into one of the rest rooms.

“Gone. Both of them. The parents survived, but the babies are gone.” Yuki’s face was ashen. “That makes three out of six. Half.”

“The other three?”

“I warned them. The families went underground, hiding with relatives. But…” Yuki hesitated. “We have no way to perform the rituals. Not without finding the babies.”

Helena sank into a chair. “Three babies in the Council’s hands. What do they want with them?”

“Sacrifices,” said Thomas, who had just returned with Marcus. “For the ritual of the Eternal Night. Katalin is collecting them.”

“But why babies?” Erik asked. “Adults would be easier to obtain.”

“Innocence,” Thomas replied. “The purest form. Untainted souls. They amplify the power of the ritual.” He sat heavily. “And half-transformed babies are even more valuable. They’re already connected to the darkness, but not fully. Perfect for—”

“For a bridge,” Helena interrupted. “Between life and death. Between light and darkness.”

“Exactly.”

“Then we have to get them back,” Erik said. “The three babies. Before the summer solstice.”

“That’s seven months,” Marcus said. “We have time.”

“Do we?” Helena stood and went to the map. “Katalin has revealed herself. She knows that we know. What if she accelerates? What if she performs the ritual earlier?”

“Impossible,” Yuki said. “The summer solstice is crucial. The ley lines are only strong enough then.”

“Are you sure?”

Yuki hesitated. “Ninety percent sure.”

“And the other ten percent?”

“Is the risk we have to take.” Yuki came to the table and spread out her research. “I’ve analyzed every text on the ritual of the Eternal Night. All reports, all legends. The summer solstice is always mentioned. It’s non-negotiable.”

“Unless there are exceptions,” Helena murmured. “Exceptions that weren’t written down.”

“Or that were lost,” Thomas added. “Many occult texts were destroyed over the centuries. By the Church, by hunters, by the vampires themselves.”

“Then we assume we have seven months,” Helena decided. “But we act as if we have seven weeks. We accelerate everything.”

“What’s the plan?” Marcus asked.

Helena took a deep breath. “We find the babies. Wherever Katalin has hidden them, we find them. And we bring them back.”

“And how?” Marcus’s skepticism was obvious. “Munich is huge. The catacombs alone are a labyrinth. We could search for years.”

“Then we use a decoy,” Helena said.

“What kind of decoy?”

Helena looked at Erik. “The Soul Key.”

Erik felt his stomach tighten. “What?”

“Katalin wants it. She said so in the gallery. The key is part of her plans.” Helena stepped closer. “If we use it as bait, she’ll come. Or she’ll send her servants.”

“You want me to make myself a target.”

“I want us to set a trap. With you as the bait, yes. But protected. Guarded. We control the situation.”

“And if she’s too strong? If she overpowers me?”

“Then we all die,” Marcus said dryly. “But hey, don’t worry. It’ll be quick.”

“Marcus,” Helena scolded.

“What? It’s the truth.” Marcus crossed his arms. “The plan is risky. But I don’t see an alternative. We can’t wait passively. We have to act.”

Erik looked at the key in his hand. The metal was warm, pulsing faintly. As if waiting for his decision.

“Where would we set the trap?” he asked.

“One of the ley-line nodes,” Helena said. “Viktualienmarkt, maybe. Public, but not too crowded at night. We can control the surroundings.”

“And when?”

“Tonight.”

“So soon?” Yuki looked worried. “We need more preparation time. More equipment.”

“We don’t have time.” Helena’s voice was firm. “Katalin is accelerating. She took three babies today. If we wait, she’ll take the remaining three.”

“They’re hidden,” Marcus reminded her.

“Hidden isn’t safe. Not from her.” Helena looked at each of them. “We do it tonight. Final offer.”

Thomas nodded slowly. “I’m in.”

“Me too,” Marcus said after a moment.

“I’ll coordinate from here,” Yuki offered. “Cameras, surveillance, backup.”

All eyes turned to Erik.

“Erik?” Helena’s voice was gentle. “No one is forcing you. If you say no, we’ll find another way.”

Erik thought of the babies. Lukas, saved. Sophie, half-saved. Ayşe, just saved. And the three others, trapped somewhere in the darkness.

He thought of Clara, who had sacrificed herself. Of his great-grandparents, who had gone into the flames.

Of all the people who died because no one acted.

“I’ll do it,” he said. “But one condition.”

“Which?”

“If Katalin comes. If she appears in person.” Erik looked Helena straight in the eyes. “Then I’m the one who confronts her. Not you.”

“Erik—”

“No. Listen.” Erik stood. “She’s your mother. Biologically, at least. You proved today that you can shoot her. But kill her?” He shook his head. “I don’t know if you’re capable of that. And you shouldn’t have to be.”

“But you are?”

“I have no emotional conflict. To me, she’s just a monster. A very powerful monster.” Erik’s hands clenched into fists. “I’ll do what needs to be done.”

Helena was silent for a long time. Then, almost inaudibly: “Thank you.”

“Touching,” Marcus said. “But can we finalize the plan now? Time’s short.”

The next hours passed in intense preparation.

Yuki hacked into the surveillance systems around the Viktualienmarkt. Marcus inspected weapons, prepared traps—silver nets, consecrated grenades, UV lamps. Thomas prayed, blessed equipment, prepared binding circles.

And Erik practiced with the Soul Key.

In the small training room, alone, he tried to perfect his control. Calling the light without panic. Holding it without losing himself.

It got better. Not perfect, but better.

“You’re learning fast,” a voice said behind him.

Erik turned. Helena stood in the doorway.

“Can’t sleep?” he asked.

“No one can sleep. Not before a mission like this.” She stepped inside and closed the door. “May I?”

“Of course.”

She sat on the floor, leaning against the wall. Erik sat opposite her.

“Thank you,” she said after a moment. “For earlier. For offering to confront Katalin.”

“I meant it.”

“I know. That’s what makes it… complicated.” Helena looked at her hands. “Part of me wants her dead. The monster who killed thousands. But another part—” She broke off.

“Wants the mother you never had,” Erik finished softly.

“Is that pathetic?”

“No. That’s human.” Erik leaned forward. “But Helena, you have to understand—she’ll exploit that weakness. She already did today. She’ll do it again.”

“I know.”

“That’s why it’s better if I do it. When the time comes.”

Helena nodded slowly. “But promise me something.”

“What?”

“Don’t hesitate. If you have the chance to kill her—do it. Immediately. Without thinking.” Her eyes met his, intense. “Because if you hesitate, she’ll kill you. And then all of us.”

“I promise.”

They stood. Helena held out her hand. Erik shook it.

“For the babies,” she said.

“For the babies,” Erik echoed.

---

At 10:00 p.m., they set out.

The Viktualienmarkt lay quiet beneath the night sky. The stalls were closed, covered with tarps. Only a few streetlights cast yellow light onto the empty paths.

Erik stood in the center, by the maypole. Alone. Visible.

In his hand: the Soul Key, openly displayed, glowing in the dark.

The perfect bait.

Marcus was on a rooftop with a sniper rifle. Thomas in the shadows, ready with his binding circles. Helena hidden behind a stall, only twenty meters away.

And Yuki at headquarters, watching through a dozen cameras.

“Position taken,” Erik whispered into his mic.

“Received,” Yuki’s voice replied. “All cameras online. No movement so far.”

“Patience,” Marcus murmured. “They’ll come.”

They waited.

One minute. Five minutes. Ten.

Erik felt sweat on his forehead despite the cold. His hands clenched the key, felt its pulsing.

“Movement,” Yuki said suddenly. “Eastern side. Three figures.”

Erik turned. There—between the stalls—shadows emerged.

Vampires. He recognized them instantly by the way they moved. Too fluid. Too fast.

They came closer. Two men, one woman. The woman was Valentina.

They stopped ten meters away.

“The bearer of the Soul Key,” Valentina said. Her smile was cold. “How brave of you to come alone.”

“I’m not alone,” Erik said.

“Of course not. Your friends are hiding. Like rats.” Valentina’s eyes glowed. “But that doesn’t matter. You’re here. The key is here. That’s all that matters.”

“You want it? Come and get it.”

“That easy?” Valentina laughed. “You think this is a trap. That your friends will overwhelm us if we attack.”

“Isn’t it?”

“Maybe. But do you know what’s funny?” Valentina stepped closer. One step. Another. “We have a trap too.”

A scream.

Not from Erik. From behind him.

He spun around.

Thomas lay on the ground, a figure looming over him. A vampire they hadn’t seen, materializing from the shadows.

“Thomas!” Helena burst from her hiding place, weapon drawn.

But it was too late.

The vampire yanked Thomas up, holding him as a shield.

“Drop your weapons,” the vampire said. “Or the priest dies.”

“Don’t shoot!” Thomas shouted. “It’s a trap, they—”

The vampire struck him in the face. Thomas’s head snapped to the side.

“Weapons. Now.”

Helena hesitated. Then she dropped her pistol.

“You too, rooftop shooter,” the vampire called upward. “I can smell you.”

Marcus cursed, but his rifle fell from the roof, clattering onto the pavement.

“Good. Very good.” The vampire smiled. “And now, bearer, give us the key.”

“No,” Erik said.

“Then he dies.”

“If he dies, I’ll make the key explode.” Erik raised it higher. “And take all of us with it.”

It was a lie. He had no idea if the key could explode. But he had to buy time.

The vampire hesitated.

“He’s bluffing,” Valentina said. “Kill the priest.”

“Wait!” A new voice spoke. From the shadows.

A figure stepped into the light.

Dimitri.

He looked from one of them to the other. Then he smiled.

“No one has to die,” he said. “At least not tonight. I have a better offer.”

“What kind of offer?” Helena asked, her voice tight.

“A trade.” Dimitri came closer, his hands raised as if to show he was unarmed. “The key in exchange for the babies.”

Silence.

“All three,” Dimitri continued. “Unharmed, healed. We give them back to you. In exchange for the Soul Key.”

“That’s a lie,” Marcus said from somewhere in the darkness.

“Is it?” Dimitri looked at Helena. “Sister, you know me. I may be a monster, but I don’t lie. Not in business.”

“You’re offering us three babies for the key,” Helena said slowly. “Why?”

“Because the Elder is merciful. She sees you fighting, suffering. And she offers a way out.” Dimitri’s eyes glowed faintly. “The babies for the key. A life for a tool. A fair trade.”

“And the ritual?” Erik asked. “The Eternal Night?”

“Will still happen. With or without the key.” Dimitri shrugged. “But with the key, it will be… easier. Less bloody. Fewer sacrifices.”

“You’re lying.”

“Maybe. Maybe not.” Dimitri’s smile widened. “But the question is: are you willing to take the risk? Three innocent babies for your paranoia?”

Erik looked at Helena. Her eyes were wide, tortured.

“Don’t do it,” Thomas whispered, still held by the vampire. “Erik, don’t give them the key.”

“But the babies—”

“Are already lost,” Thomas said. “If you give them the key, we’re all lost.”

“He’s right,” Marcus’s voice came. “It’s a trap.”

“Or it’s a chance,” Dimitri countered. “A chance to save lives. Isn’t that what this is about?”

Erik felt the weight of the key in his hand. The pulsing, growing stronger.

Three babies. Innocent lives.

Against an artifact. A tool.

An impossible choice.

“I need guarantees,” Erik said finally. “Proof that the babies are alive. That you’ll really give them back.”

“Of course.” Dimitri nodded to one of the other vampires.

The vampire pulled out a phone and showed a video.

Three babies. In cribs. Sleeping. Their tiny chests rising and falling.

Alive.

“Satisfied?” Dimitri asked.

Erik looked at Helena. Tears shimmered in her eyes.

“It’s your decision,” she whispered. “I can’t make it for you.”

Erik closed his eyes.

What would Clara do?

What would his great-grandparents do?

He opened his eyes.

“No,” he said. “No deal.”

Dimitri’s smile vanished. “Is that your final answer?”

“Yes.”

“Then,” said a new voice, “let me make a better one.”

Everyone turned.

From the shadows stepped Katalin.

The Elder.

She looked at Erik, her smile cold as ice.

“The key,” she said. “In exchange for Helena.”