Beneath the tree, Richard lay in visible agony. His brow was furrowed, and faint groans escaped his lips. His complexion was paler than usual, as if he'd been submerged in water for a time. His short, dark hair clung to his face, dampened by the rain, lending him an air of fragile beauty.
From his perch in the tree, Hank Hahn observed Richard closely. Seeing Dylan turn away, likely distracted by some movement in the distance, Hank hesitated. The moment seemed perfect. He was about to leap down and drive his dagger into Richard's heart when a sudden roar of a beast shattered the silence. The sound seemed to jolt Dylan awake from his daze, prompting him to retreat to Richard's side, his senses on high alert.
From the tree, Hank seethed with frustration. His plan had been thwarted. To make matters worse, a sleek, shadowy figure darted out of the forest with lightning speed, rushing to Richard's side before nuzzling his face with its tongue.
"Adam! How did you find us?" Dylan exclaimed, relief evident in his voice.
Seeing this, Hank knew his opportunity had slipped away. There was no chance to strike now. His only option was to find a way out of this predicament.
But he had underestimated the keen senses of the beast. Despite the heavy rain, Adam's sharp nose detected something amiss in the tree above. It lifted its head, golden eyes narrowing as it focused on the treetop, though it could see nothing with its naked eyes.
"What's wrong with Richard?"
Lester, who had followed closely behind, arrived at the scene. Seeing Richard lying beneath the tree in pain, he immediately crouched down to check on him. To his shock, he realized Richard was on the verge of awakening an ability—but not through normal means.
"Richard's ability is awakening, but it doesn't seem to be happening naturally," Dylan explained.
Lester's expression darkened. "Yes. How long has he been unconscious?"
"About twenty minutes," Dylan replied. Yet there was no sign of Richard regaining consciousness.
Lester's face grew grave. "This is rare. It's never happened in the Morris family before."
He wasn't sure how long Richard would remain unconscious, but the rain would undoubtedly hinder a vampire's recovery. At that moment, Lester noticed Adam's intense focus on the tree above. Initially preoccupied with Richard, he now sensed something was amiss.
"Adam, go up and check—"
Before Lester could finish, movement erupted from another direction. A figure leaped from a nearby treetop and fled into the distance.
"Hank Hahn!" Dylan blurted out.
Simultaneously, Adam shot forward like an arrow released from a bow.
Lester took a few steps in pursuit, then abruptly stopped. He quickly returned to Dylan and Richard, his silver-purple eyes shifting to a deep crimson.
Dylan was startled. In an instant, a thin layer of ice spread across the ground and the surrounding trees. Through the ice, Dylan spotted footprints frozen in the softened mud.
It turned out Hank had been hiding in the tree all along, while the figure that had distracted them was someone else entirely.
Hank Hahn had an accomplice—and the fleeing figure was undoubtedly another vampire.
"The one with the invisibility-like ability is Hank Hahn," Dylan explained. "I fought him earlier. I hadn't realized he was still hiding in the tree."
Lester's breath was icy, his expression stern. "I'll take Richard back to the castle. Follow the footprints, and I'll send Adam to assist you."
Before the ice could be shattered by the rain, Dylan raced off in pursuit. Lester let out a sharp whistle, and Adam reluctantly returned. The fleeing vampire had plunged into a deep pool, making further pursuit impossible.
Back in the cave, Hank Hahn was still shaken. One of his feet was nearly frozen stiff. If not for his accomplice's interference, he would have been captured.
The sheer might of the Morris family stoked the fire of hatred in Hank's eyes, and they burned a deep crimson. He glared at the human girl lying nearby, her thick eyelashes fluttering as she began to stir.
Seeing her on the verge of awakening, a dark, twisted idea began to form in Hank's mind.