CHAPTER 195: Blood War-11

CHAPTER 195: Blood War-11

In one of the devastated hallways, a vampire squad advanced with firm steps, illuminating the shattered bodies left behind with their flashlights. Every few meters, one of the soldiers logged the number of fallen lycans on a tablet.

"Target confirmed," one murmured, recording another mark as they advanced among corpses blackened by silver nitrate. "Continuing the count."

When they reached a wider area, Lucian appeared from the shadows, accompanied by his personal guard. The air seemed to freeze at the sight of him.

"Report," he ordered in an unchangeable tone.

A vampire immediately snapped to attention.

"Sir, we have eliminated approximately eighty-seven percent of Marius's army. According to estimates, between ten and twelve percent escaped into the forest. The rest are wounded or scattered."

Lucian remained silent for a few seconds, observing the tunnels ahead of him, as if he could see beyond the darkness. Finally, a slight smile crossed his face.

"Excellent. Slightly better than I expected."

The soldiers exchanged nervous glances, unsure whether this was sarcasm or genuine satisfaction.

Lucian stepped forward, his voice resonating with that calm that was more deadly than any shout:

"Listen to me carefully. Continue tracking. Every lycan you find, execute on the spot. None must be left alive."

The vampires nodded, tense.

"I have unfinished business," Lucian added, turning toward the darkness as if something, or someone, was waiting for him further ahead.

Without another word, he continued on his way, leaving behind him the simplest and cruelest order a leader could give: kill them all.

Selene and Michael advanced down a hallway that descended abruptly until it opened into a massive space, illuminated by industrial lights. There they discovered the unthinkable: an underground heliport, built on a metal platform that extended several meters above a black, wild sea that raged beneath their feet.

Waves crashed violently against the pillars supporting the structure, making the entire place rumble as if a monster were trying to bring it down from below. In front of them, a giant metal door blocked any exit. It was a reinforced steel behemoth, at least five tons, impossible to open even with improvised explosives.

Michael looked at the abyss below the platform.
"There's no turning back," he murmured, trying to control his breathing. "If this sinks, we're finished."

Selene gripped the submachine gun firmly.
"Then we move forward."

But a sound interrupted the silence: a wet thud against the platform, like something dragging itself from the edge. Suddenly, a hand emerged from the void, clenched, trembling, clinging to the metal surface.

The two immediately stepped back. Michael extended his transformed arm, ready to attack, while Selene aimed her weapon, ready to fire.

Little by little, a figure began to climb up, as if it could barely stay conscious. Selene's eyes opened in disbelief. It was Marius. Or what was left of him.

His skin showed black and gray veins expanding beneath the surface, an unmistakable sign of silver nitrate poisoning. Each breath was a broken whisper; each movement, a desperate act of pure will.

He dropped to his knees, gasping, barely recognizing his surroundings. Michael stepped in front of Selene, protecting her.

"Not one step closer," he growled.

Marius lifted his head with immense effort. His lips trembled before he could utter a word.

"He's coming…" he whispered in a broken voice. "He's coming now…"

His body collapsed against the metal again, as if that last sentence had consumed what little life he had left.

From the shadows, a tall, imposing figure emerged step by step, as if it had always been there watching everything. Selene's eyes opened with immediate relief.

"Lucian!"

Without hesitation, she ran toward him. Lucian raised an arm and received her with a firm, almost protective embrace. For a brief moment, Selene forgot where she was, forgot the darkness, the danger, even Marius's dying body at her feet.

Lucian released her with a slight smile.
"You've done a good job capturing the hybrid."

Michael's expression changed instantly, his body tensing.

"Capturing?" Selene murmured, bewildered.

Lucian pointed at Michael with a cold gesture.
"Kill him."

Selene looked at him, not understanding.
"What did you say?"

"Kill him," Lucian repeated, this time in a sharper tone.

Selene stepped back.
"I won't do it."

Lucian frowned, as if that response were a personal offense.
"Do it. That's an order."

Selene refused again, this time in a firm voice.
"I said no."

Lucian watched her in silence for a few seconds, analyzing every expression on her face, until something like a grimace appeared on his lips.
"You're just like your father…"

Selene felt a chill run down her spine.
"What are you talking about?"

Lucian took a few steps toward her, slowly, as if he wanted to give her time to understand the weight of each word.
"Your father was too moral. He believed that vampires and lycans could coexist, that there shouldn't be any war between us."

Selene held her breath.
"What are you trying to tell me?"

Lucian's gaze hardened.
"I killed him. He was wrong, Selene. And now I'm not going to let you make the same mistake."

Selene and Michael tensed at the revelation. Lucian stepped forward, dominating the twilight with an almost suffocating presence.

Lucian lowered his gaze to Selene, with a cold contempt he hadn't shown before.

"You know what I think?" he murmured in a grave voice. "That lycans are trash. Rabid jackals destined to be hunted, and now you… you are one too."

Michael clenched his teeth, trying to stay on his feet as he watched the scene. Selene felt a chill run down her spine.