As Miro now watched his adopted son leave, he couldn't help but smile with pride. Wyatt had shown himself to be cunning and strong. The young prince displaying the types of qualities he wished his own flesh and blood possessed.
"Donovan, Hannibal, to me."
Donovan and Hannibal now entered Miro's chambers, noting the look of pride on the vampire lords face. "You summoned us my Lord?"
"Hiw has young Wyatt's plan progressed?"
"Better than expected Lord Miro," Donovan stated. "The older wizards have been drawn into neighboring towns while our activity here has decreased."
"We have kept the remaining vampires here in check," Hannibal added. "The younger wizards and the Moreland are still present yet they have noted a significant decrease in activity."
Miro nodded, a smile cracking across his face. Wyatt had truely come up with a brilliant plan. Lure the most powerful away from here while lulling the ones left behind into a false sense of security. Still, he could sense a certain amount if frustration from his adopted son.
"Is everything okay my Lord," Donovan asked.
"I worry about young Prince Wyatt," Miro replied. "The boy expressed his anger at not being able to best my son."
"Wyatt fought Duke," Hannibal replied in alarm.
"It was an adolescent contest," Miro stated. "A wrestling match at the school. Unfortunately for Wyatt while he is worthy of being my heir, he is not my blood. Duke, for all his weakness, is of the bloodline of Dracula. Wyatt is an elite but Duke is something far, far greater."
Miro sighed, gazing out into the night sky. He feared Wyatt's desire to best his brother could lead to their plans being discovered. Therefore the lord of the vampires would now enter the battlefield, if only to assist in his adopted sons plans. "Tell Romi to get the car ready," he said. "We are going on a trip."
***************************
Claudia was beginning to get annoyed with these weekend trips. After a long week of work all she wanted was to sit down with Mika and the kids.
Instead she found herself making trips to the surrounding towns and cities, hunting vampires with her friends. It wasn't that she didn't mind seeing them, she just wish it was more of a social gathering and less of wizard gathering. "You know this is starting to get annoying," she groaned. "How many of these bloodsuckers do we have to kill?"
"Well I think we've gotten most of them," Mika replied. "So tonight should be quick. Then we can go out."
"Is that why Mary and Sébastien are tagging along," Claudia asked, gesturing to Mary Elise and her boyfriend. Mary Elise now pushed her wheelchair forward, giving Claudia a small smirk.
"Can't let you guys have all the fun," she grinned. "And besides, from the information I received from Mr. Moreland the nest here is pretty small."
"I'm pretty sure Rick has been distracted lately," Mika grinned. "Which reminds me, how many dates has he been on with Julia?"
"Seems like every night," Claudia shrugged. "I swear listening to Julia gush about him makes me roll my eyes. She won't stop talking about him. I swear she sounds like a high school kid!"
As the group began to laugh, they now gazed at the derelict warehouse before them. From the information they had received, a sizable vampire nest lay inside. After weeks of hunting it appeared the group had finally forced the vampires into a last stand. As the quartet now entered the warehouse they began to study the open layout.
"I thought you said this place had a nest," Sébastien whispered. "Where are they?"
"They've departed."
The quartet paused, watching as a lone vampire now exited the shadows. Gazing at the vampire they noted his muscular form and well kept facial hair. "I've seen bigger," Claudia scoffed.
Miro smirked, studying the four wizards like a predator. "You have yet to face anything like me."
Claudia sighed, dashing forward to finish off the vampire. Over the course of the last few weeks she had heard many a boast. In each case, she had seen with her own eyes that those vampires were big on talk and little on action. Approaching Miro, the blond sorceress transformed, taking on a giant flaming tigress. With a roar she now looked to punch the vampires head clean from its body.
Miro smirked, watching the attack before catching the avatars fist in his hand. This wizard possessed an incredible amount of strength but it was nothing the vampire lord couldn't handle. As he caught the avatars fist, he could see the look of shock wash over its fiery feline face.
"Pathetic."
Miro now delivered an open palm strike. The force of the strike not only the avatar to fly backwards but to extinguish itself completely. Claudia now tumbled back to where she had been standing, grasping her ribs as she winced in pain.
Mika howled in anger, the Asian woman now conjuring her watery chains and blades as she lashed out at Miro. Miro dodged, a small smirk on his face as he too withdrew his weapon. A long sword that he had not used in ages.
"Interesting," he grinned. "I was not expecting a wizard to use weapons. Show me what you can do?"
"I'll do more than show you," Mika yelled. The woman now whipping her blades at Miro, the vampire lord deflecting her blows and frustrating her. Mika was growing angrier, her eyes glowing with power as she unleashed a powerful attack, delivering a small cut on Miro's cheek.
Miro staggered, touching the small cut before looking at Mika. "Impressive," he stated, giving the woman a small smile. "But not quite good enough."
Mika never saw him coming, the vampire moving at speeds she couldn't even comprehend before delivering a devastating body blow. Mika coughed, gasping for breath before blasting the sorceress with a magical blast of his own.
"Is this the best you can offer," Miro taunted. "I expect better! Show me your strength."
"Sébastien get them out of here and call the others," Mary Elise exclaimed. "I'll hold him off."
"I can help you Mary," Sébastien countered, unleashing a spell if his own that seemed to have no effect on the vampire.
"Whatever he is he's not like the usual vampire," Mary Elise exclaimed, the psychic wizard now telekinetically throwing objects at Miro. "We need back up and we need it now!"
Sébastien looked to his girlfriend before glancing down at the others. Mary had a point, this guy was more than they could handle alone. He and Claudia now assisted Mika to her feet before leaving.
"Your friends have left you wizard," Miro stated. "You would do wise to follow."
Mary Elise furrowed her brow, she couldn't let this guy escape. Whatever he was, he was stronger than anything they had faced since the war. Gritting her teeth, Mary Elise now reached out with her mind, trying to push the vampire away.
Miro grunted, feeling the full force of Mary Elise psychic attack bear down on him. "A psychic," he thought in alarm. Miro knew psionic wizards were troublesome. Depending on the wizards mind, it could spell his end.
Fortunately for Miro, it appeared this wizard was still learning. Despite her strength of will, she did not yet possess the experience to destroy him. Still, it didn't mean she couldn't cause the vampire lord serious problems. Grunting Miro now took a step forward, it felt like he was waist deep in water, trying to push upstream in a strong current.
Mary Elise focused once more, pushing Miro with all her might. Already she could tell her nose was bleeding, the strain incredible but she couldn't let up. She needed to pin this vampire down until the others arrived.
Miro grunted, his face strained as he tried tobstep forward once again. This womans mental abilities were incredible yet he could see she was tiring. Already the vampire could see the woman bleeding from her nose and eyes. It was a battle of wills now, who would fold first under the pressure?
The sound of the roof caving in now caused all parties to pause. Mary Elise and Miro glancing at the seraph that now stood between them. Miro grinned, he had wanted to draw this one out before making his escape..
Deliveringa magical blast of energy to Mary Elise and Katie,, Miro smiled as Mary Elise was knocked backwards. "I see you have arrived," he said. "I've been waiting to meet you. I am Miro, Lord of the Vampires. We shall meet again soon, Katie Carlson."
Katie's eyes went wide, how did he know her name? Before she could even attack, Miro now turned to mist, floating away into the ether and leaving Katie with more questions than answers.