The wind howled through the trees as the family set off before sunrise.
Vikram drove the black SUV with silent focus, his sharp eyes scanning the empty road ahead. Ahaana sat beside him, constantly sniffing the air, alert for any strange scent. Viana sat in the backseat, her hands pressed against the cold window, watching the trees fly by.
They had left behind the only home she had ever known.
Everything felt uncertain. Even the sky looked different—darker, heavier, as if it too sensed the danger chasing them.
"Where are we going?" Viana asked softly.
"To a place called *Kaligard*," Vikram answered. "It's hidden deep in the northern mountains. Even the council doesn't know about it."
"It's where your father and I once stayed during the blood wars," Ahaana added. "It's protected by old magic."
"But why now?" Viana whispered. "Why do they want me?"
Vikram glanced at her in the mirror. "Because you're rare. Too powerful. They're afraid you'll break their rules."
"I don't want power," she said. "I just want peace."
"That," Vikram said gently, "is what makes you dangerous to them."
---
They drove for hours through winding roads and thick forests.
As night fell, they pulled over near an abandoned farmhouse. Ahaana checked the area while Vikram helped Viana stretch her legs.
The air was freezing. Fog rolled in low over the grass. Viana looked around uneasily.
Suddenly, she froze.
"Papa…" she said, "someone's here."
Vikram stiffened. A second later, Ahaana came rushing back. "I smell them too. Not one—three."
"Hunters?" Viana asked.
"No," Ahaana growled. "Worse. *Rogues.*"
---
Out of the mist, three shadowy figures stepped forward—vampires with pale skin, glowing eyes, and long black coats. One of them grinned with bloodstained teeth.
"Well, well. The hybrid family," he hissed. "You're worth quite a price."
Vikram stepped in front of Viana. "Leave now. You won't survive this."
"Oh, we don't want to fight," another said mockingly. "We just want the girl. Dead or alive."
Ahaana's eyes turned golden. Her claws extended. "Then you'll have to go through us."
"Gladly," the third vampire growled.
---
The battle began in seconds.
Ahaana leapt into the air, slashing the rogue with her claws. Vikram moved like smoke—silent and deadly. He slammed one of them into a tree, breaking bone.
Viana watched, heart pounding.
She could feel the power inside her buzzing—her vampire senses sharpening, her werewolf instincts screaming.
Then she saw one of the rogues break free and run toward her.
Without thinking, Viana raised her hand. Her eyes glowed—half gold, half crimson—and a powerful force pushed the vampire back like an invisible wall.
The rogue hit a tree and fell, unconscious.
---
Vikram turned in surprise. "Viana…"
"I didn't mean to," she said, breathless.
"You *used* your powers," Ahaana said, panting. "Your hybrid strength. You channeled it."
"But I didn't even know how…"
"You're learning," Vikram said. "Instinctively. That's why we need to get to Kaligard."
---
After the fight, they burned the bodies of the rogues and buried the evidence. Viana couldn't sleep that night. She sat under the stars with her arms wrapped around her knees.
Ahaana joined her, sitting down beside her silently.
"I don't want to hurt anyone," Viana whispered.
"You saved yourself. That's not the same as hurting."
"But what if I lose control one day?"
Ahaana placed her hand gently on her daughter's back. "That's why we train you. We teach you how to *choose.* That's what makes you different from monsters."
Viana nodded slowly.
She understood.
---
The next morning, they resumed the journey.
The road narrowed. Snow began to fall. Mountains rose in the distance like silent giants watching their every move.
They were getting close.
But Viana couldn't shake the feeling that someone—or *something*—was following them.
At one stop, she closed her eyes and listened.
Far behind them, in the trees, she sensed it: footsteps too light to be human… eyes watching from the shadows.
"They're tracking us," she said to Vikram. "Not rogues. Someone else."
Vikram's jaw tightened. "The council has sent a scout."
---
By evening, they reached the base of the mountains.
There, hidden behind a frozen waterfall, was a narrow cave. Vikram pressed his hand to the rock.
Ancient runes lit up under his fingers, glowing silver.
With a deep rumble, the rocks slid open, revealing a tunnel.
"Welcome to Kaligard," he said.
---
They walked through the darkness, down winding paths carved by old magic. Finally, they reached a hidden valley—covered in snow, glowing with gentle blue light. Wooden cabins stood among tall pine trees. A frozen lake shimmered in the moonlight.
It was peaceful.
Safe.
"Wow," Viana whispered. "It's beautiful."
"And protected," Ahaana said. "No one can get in without being invited."
"For now," Vikram added quietly.
---
But Viana knew it wasn't over.
They had reached safety—but not for long.
The war for her future was only just beginning.
And next time, she wouldn't just defend herself.
She would fight.