Faerûn's cold laugh echoed through the dark, damp underworld beneath Queens. "Before dying, you managed to create a duke? Classic Lilith. You never fail to surprise."

He paused, his blood-red eyes gleaming with confidence. "But it won't matter. I've already secured my victory in Queens."

Among the vampires, only five royals reigned supreme in New York, each ruling a different district. Queens was Lilith's territory, but rivalries between them had led to countless battles for dominance over the years. This skirmish wasn't their first—Faerûn and Lilith had clashed several times before, though neither had ever managed to deliver a decisive blow.

That changed yesterday. Faerûn had ambushed Lilith, draining her Blood Energy, severing her limbs, and piercing her heart. She was as good as dead. Or at least, she should've been. Somehow, against all odds, she escaped his trap, slipping through his fingers at the last moment.

As he prepared to finish what he started, Faerûn's phone buzzed sharply in his coat pocket. Annoyed, he almost silenced the call, but the name on the screen made him pause. Another royal.

Sighing, he answered. "What, Zane? Make it quick, or I'll rip your bones out and serve them with cheese and jam when I'm done."

The cold voice on the other end didn't share Faerûn's amusement. "Cut the jokes. We have a problem—the enemy is coming."

Faerûn's sharp grin faded. "What enemy? Kitsune? GPA?"

"Kitsune. CI. GPA. All of them. They're after the True Ancestor."

The crimson light in Faerûn's eyes flickered with intrigue. "Oh? Looks like Lilith gets to live a little longer, then. How many are we talking about?"

Zane's voice grew tense, as if confirming details. "Kitsune has a small force—only about a hundred, mostly foot soldiers. The GPA brought ten thousand, but they're keeping their distance, observing. They've got an angel with them."

"An angel?" Faerûn's lips curled into a grin. "I'll handle her."

"You can't beat her."

The words brought Faerûn to a halt. His expression darkened. "How strong is this angel?"

"She dug a hole through reinforced concrete and tore apart a road with his bare hands."

"Is that all?"

Zane's voice held no humor. "Could you?"

The silence that followed was thick with tension.

"No," Faerûn finally admitted, clenching his jaw. "We need to strategize. The True Ancestor hasn't shown himself yet, but if all these factions are here for him, the five of us need to stand together. We can't let them claim what's ours."

His frustration flared, and he ran a hand through his hair. "Fine, fine. Where do we meet?"

This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

"Tonight. Manhattan. Empire State Building."

...

Night had fallen, and atop the Empire State Building, four dark figures descended, their presence a sinister ripple against the starless sky. One of them, a woman with pale skin and fierce eyes, scanned the surroundings with a frown.

"Where's Lilith?" she asked, her voice sharp.

Faerûn let out a cold laugh. "Half dead, most likely. You're lucky not to see her."

Stepping forward was a man with a face as grim as his reputation—Zane Frink, the one who had called them all together. His gaze was sharp, calculating, as he addressed the group. "Thoughts on the angel?"

One of the others sneered. "What's there to say? We haven't even faced it. How do you suggest we deal with something we haven't fought?"

"Exactly," another growled. "We won't know unless we try."

Zane shook his head, his expression unchanged. "That kind of destructive power... Even if the four of us combine forces, we can't defeat her."

"Then what are you suggesting?" the woman asked, impatience clear in her voice.

Zane glanced down at the streets below, where shadows and streetlights twisted in uneasy silence. "Their target isn't us. They're after the True Ancestor. But if they get to him, we're next. Or worse, we might not even survive long enough to see that happen."

The others remained silent as Zane continued. "This isn't just about the angel. Kitsune, CI, GPA—they're all here for the True Ancestor, too. The key to winning is making sure *no one* gets to him."

Faerûn's eyes narrowed. "You think we can protect him against all of them? Just the four of us?"

"Not directly," Zane said calmly. "We can't fight all of them head-on. But we can stir things up—let them tear each other apart. Kitsune, CI, GPA—they don't trust each other. One spark, and they'll descend into chaos."

Zane's plan took shape, his words deliberate and cold. "We need to bait them, send out enough vampires to distract and confuse them. While they're busy fighting each other, we'll make sure the True Ancestor escapes."

"Escape where?" Faerûn asked.

"Out of New York. Far away from this mess."

The woman raised an eyebrow. "And where exactly do you think he's going to retreat to?"

Zane's eyes flickered with something unreadable as he looked toward the horizon. "Hawaii."

"Hawaii?" The disbelief in Faerûn's voice was palpable. "That's halfway across the world! It's nearly 8,000 kilometers. You're suggesting we fly him there, exhaust every drop of Blood Energy we have?"

"If they fly commercial, it'll take them thirteen hours," Zane replied calmly. "We're vampires—we'll find a way."

"But why Hawaii?" the woman demanded.

"It's not about Hawaii," Zane explained. "It's about the North Pacific. You see, during a trip to Hawaii, I encountered something… unexpected. A Fish-Man."

"A Fish-Man?" Faerûn's voice held an edge of mockery.

Zane's eyes gleamed with cold certainty. "He warned me about the Deep Sea King. Said he's building a palace under the Pacific and wants a foothold on land. That foothold is Hawaii."

The others were silent, digesting his words. Faerûn finally spoke, his voice low. "You're suggesting we join forces with Fish-Men? Against humans?"

Zane shrugged. "At the very least, they won't side with the humans. And in this chaos, they might just be the allies we need."

"And after that?" the woman asked, her skepticism unhidden.

Zane's smile was thin and dark. "We'll deal with whatever comes next once we get there. First, we survive this."

...

On the other side of the city, Shino collapsed onto the wet ground, Lilith's frail body heavy in his arms. He gasped for breath, his limbs shaking with exhaustion.

"Ah... Why are you so heavy?" he muttered between ragged breaths. "You're so small…"

Thud.

Lilith's foot came down on his head, pressing him into the dirt. "You idiot," she hissed, "you're running low on Blood Energy. Now hurry and grab someone. Let me suck them dry."

Shino scrambled to his feet, rubbing his head, then straightened up, trying to regain his dignity. "I told you before, I have my own limits. I won't help you kill anyone. Who you choose to drain is your business, but I won't assist."

Lilith's cold gaze didn't waver as she pointed over his shoulder. "Then what do you call that behind you?"

Shino turned—and froze. Above them, the sky darkened, not with clouds, but with a dense, radiant swarm of pure white wings, shimmering in the moonlight.

An angel.