The air was still, heavy with an unspoken tension, as if the world itself was holding its breath. Two figures stood at the iron gate, their presence radiating an otherworldly menace.
Elijah tilted his head, sunlight glinting off his crimson eyes. "No holy wards," he mused, his voice smooth and cold. "How… quaint. Even though he's protecting one of their own."
Beside him, Lilith smirked, her fangs catching the light. "The gods really didn't extend their blessings to this household," she purred, her dark red eyes gleaming with predatory delight.
One of the estate guards, drawn by the strange presence outside, approached the gate. His breath hitched as he took in the figures before him. The man looked almost exactly like Palmer—black hair with streaks of silver, crimson eyes gleaming with malice with a long scar line that extended from below his left eye to his jaw. Beside him stood a woman whose aura radiated danger, her dark red eyes locked on him like a predator sizing up its prey.
Elijah stretched out a hand, effortlessly ripping the iron gate from the ground. The metal groaned in protest before crumpling like paper. "That chilling presence isn't coming from you," he said, his crimson eyes narrowed as he stared at the guard. "But you reek of him," he said, his voice dripping with disdain as he stepped closer, his claws glinting in the sunlight. "All of you reek of him. I could choke."
The guard's heart pounded as he braced himself. He had faced monsters before, but this… this was different. He had to warn the others. He had to survive.
In a flash, Elijah lunged, his claws aimed straight for the guard's heart. The guard barely managed to catch Elijah's hand, the claws grazing his chest. Blood welled up, but the wound closed almost instantly.
"Ohoo… Not bad for a puppet," Elijah said, the scar on his face pulsing with the same bright red as his eyes.
The guard's breath quickened as he realized his hand was being drained—not just of blood, but of life itself. His veins bulged as his essence was siphoned into Elijah's hand. Without hesitation, he severed his own hand, leaping back in a flash. The severed hand regenerating in an instant.
He knew this threat wasn't something he couldn't handle alone. In a blur, he turned to flee, his mind racing. " They are bad news. I have to warn the others. We need to regroup. We need to—*
But Lilith was faster. She appeared in front of him, her dark red eyes glowing with insatiable hunger. Before he could react, her razor-sharp teeth sank into his jugular.
Dark veins pulsed beneath her eyes as she savored his blood, draining him until he crumpled to the ground. "Wow," she said, licking her lips. "For a puppet, you tasted really delicious." She pouted, her gaze drifting toward the estate. "I wonder just how good the one up there would taste."
"Control your hunger, Lilith," Elijah said, tossing her a handkerchief. "I won't burden myself to stop you if you were to go haywire again."
"Eyy… What's bad about it?" Lilith replied, wiping the blood from her lips. "Besides, it's okay to feed on these ones since it's Elias we're after. There's no harm in eliminating the puppets."
"What are you saying? These aren't just puppets," Elijah said, his crimson eyes narrowing.
"As expected of you, Elijah," a calm voice interjected. Valen stepped into view, his usual predator-like demeanor on full display. "You're quick to pick up on things."
Lilith frowned. "What do you mean 'not just puppets', Elijah?"
Elijah frowned. "They are not just puppets… They are all Elias."