Kaelen awoke gradually, the heavy weight of the previous night's exhaustion still clinging to his muscles. The muted light filtered in through the curtains of the modest hotel room in Manga, Japan, casting faint shadows across the walls. He blinked, trying to orient himself, the unfamiliar warmth on either side of him registering as he became more aware. Loren and Seraphis had nestled close to him during the night, their presence grounding and comforting in different ways. Loren lay to his left, her body curled gently towards his, her steady breathing a quiet, soothing rhythm. On his right, Seraphis, with her striking pink hair, seemed almost statuesque in her stillness, her dragon blood lending an aura of quiet power, even in sleep.

Carefully, Kaelen tried to shift, mindful not to disturb them. But Seraphis, ever in tune with his energy, stirred almost immediately. Her crimson eyes flickered open, meeting his violet gaze with a calm, ancient understanding.

"I can feel him," she murmured, her voice thick with lingering sleep. "Zagoth. My brother. He’s close."

Kaelen’s expression tightened slightly, though his voice remained steady. "How long?"

Seraphis closed her eyes briefly, sensing the presence of her brother beyond the room, beyond the city. "Four, maybe five hours," she answered, her tone sober.

Kaelen nodded. They had little time. Zagoth’s imminent arrival meant preparations had to be made—serious ones. But first, there were other matters demanding his attention.

Kaelen slipped out of bed, dressing swiftly before making his way down to the hidden room below the ramen shop beneath the hotel. This unassuming backroom was their base of operations for the growing edibles business, meticulously run by Naya, Nira, and Syra. The dimly lit space had a sterile efficiency, shelves neatly lined with small, discreetly packaged edibles that were growing in popularity across the local scene. Loren was already there, overseeing the operation with her usual precision, her sharp gaze darting between the inventory and the numbers she was crunching.

"We sold 150 units last night," she reported as Kaelen entered the room, her voice calm and measured. "At $20 a piece, that’s $3,000 in total."

He nodded, impressed by the results. "Good work. You girls are killing it."

Naya handed over the neatly stacked cash. "We can do even better next time," she added with a grin, her eyes gleaming with pride.

Kaelen reached into his jacket, pulling out a stack of bills for their payment. He handed each of them their cut with a nod of approval. Loren, of course, refused her share, her loyalty never wavering. She was with him for reasons beyond money, a silent understanding that had deepened over time.

With business squared away for the morning, Kaelen turned his attention to the next matter at hand. Trap Icy, lounging casually in the ramen shop's main area with Oy Yo by her side, had been pushing him to collaborate on a song for days. The timing felt right now that they were in Japan—new environment, new energy.

"You should get on those lyrics," Trap Icy urged with a playful smirk. "We've already laid down our parts. It’s gonna be fire once you’re on it."

Kaelen grinned, feeling the creative spark flicker to life within him. "I’m in. Let’s make it happen."

He stepped outside the shop for a moment of fresh air and to clear his head, only to find Draken, Jason, and Bolt smoking a joint by the back exit. The distinct aroma of weed mixed with the cool sea breeze, drifting lazily through the morning air. Kaelen joined them, if only for a moment of distraction.

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Draken, always one to stir things up, grinned wickedly at Kaelen as he exhaled a cloud of smoke. "Oy Yo and I had a wild night," he said with a mischievous glint in his eyes. "You wouldn’t believe what we got up to."

Kaelen raised an eyebrow but remained silent. Draken's provocative comments were nothing new, but Kaelen had learned long ago to let most of them slide.

Jason and Bolt weren’t far behind with their own boasts. “We had some fun with Mira,” Jason chimed in, a cocky smile on his face. “Naya was recording the whole thing.” Bolt laughed, adding, “Yeah, the camera was rolling all night.”

Before long, Kunai appeared, blunt in hand, lighting it with a practiced ease. "I finished writing your lyrics," he said between drags. "You’re gonna like them."

Kaelen nodded. "I’ll check them out later. We’ll hit the studio soon."

Loren appeared at that moment, stepping outside with her usual elegance, a porcelain mug in hand. She handed it to Kaelen, the familiar scent of blood filling the air as she smiled softly at him. It had become their routine—Kaelen consuming her blood each morning, a habit that had grown into something far more personal than mere sustenance.

"Here’s your drink," she said quietly.

Kaelen took it, murmuring a "thanks" as he drank deeply. The warmth spread through him instantly, revitalizing his senses. It was more than just physical nourishment now; there was an unspoken connection between him and Loren, something that tugged at his heart every time she brought him this small, intimate offering.

Syra, ever perceptive, had been urging him to confess his feelings for Loren for some time now, but Kaelen wasn’t one to easily open up. He glanced at Loren, the words hovering just behind his lips, but his natural reticence held him back. Instead, he focused on the warmth of her blood coursing through him, choosing silence for now.

Later that day, thanks to Oy Yo’s connections, they made their way to a sleek, modern music studio. Trap Icy and Oy Yo had already recorded their parts of the song, their verses sharp and energetic. Now it was Kaelen’s turn. As he stepped into the booth, he glanced back through the glass to see Loren and Seraphis watching him expectantly.

"More gold for my hoard," Seraphis teased, her eyes glinting with excitement as she anticipated his performance.

Kaelen smiled, donning the headphones as he focused on the beat and Kunai’s lyrics. The rhythm flowed through him, and soon enough, his voice followed, weaving in and out of the melody with practiced ease. Every line came out sharp, confident, and full of fire. By the time he finished, the energy in the studio was electric.

"Lost Stray’s about to blow up," Oy Yo said with a satisfied grin as they replayed the track. It was clear they had something special on their hands.

With the recording done, the next step was the music video. Oy Yo’s father had sent henchmen to assist with the setup, and within hours, they had transformed a section of Manga’s neon-lit streets into their shooting location. The video was vibrant and energetic, with Kaelen in his iconic wolf helmet as Lost Stray, delivering his verses with fierce intensity. Trap Icy and Oy Yo took center stage, their dynamic energy giving the video a life of its own. Seraphis, meanwhile, captivated the camera with her hypnotic movements, adding a striking visual flair.

The shoot was a success, but just as they were wrapping up, something caught Kaelen’s eye. A man, disheveled and wild-eyed, broke through the crowd, a glint of steel flashing as he rushed forward with a knife aimed at Kaelen. Time slowed as Syra, reacting instinctively, threw herself between Kaelen and the attacker. The knife plunged into her abdomen with a sickening thud, blood spilling from the wound.

Before Kaelen could react, Oy Yo’s father’s henchmen opened fire, gunning down the attacker in an instant. But Syra was still bleeding, the life draining from her quickly. Panic surged through Kaelen as he knelt beside her, instincts kicking in.

Without fully understanding why, he yanked the knife from her body and cut into his own palm. Blood dripped from the wound as he pressed it to Syra’s lips, urging her to drink. It was a desperate act, one born of pure instinct.

To his shock, it worked. Syra’s wound began to close before his eyes, the gash in her gut healing as if it had never been. As her breathing steadied, Kaelen felt something else—an invisible connection between them, like a tether that bound her to him in a way he couldn’t fully explain.

Syra blinked up at him, her eyes filled with gratitude and something more—a silent, unbreakable loyalty. Kaelen realized in that moment that she was no longer just a part of his crew. She had become his thrall, bound to him in ways that went beyond mere companionship.