Miro's appearance had worked just as the vampire lord wished. Fearing that Miro and his lieutenants had moved to another city, Katie and her friends now focused on these areas. As an added bonus the Morelands men were now focusing on these areas, leaving Glorias home town lightly protected.
Gloria though was unaware of the vampires plans. For the 18 year old wizard, it meant that Caleb and his father would be away on weekends. An emotional goodbye now left Gloria by herself for a weekend. A weekend that she had hoped would have been quite a bit of fun.
Duke hadn't wanted to make a big deal out of turning 18. The damphir jadnt celebrated an actual birthday since he was a child. Unfortunately, (or fortunately depending how you looked at it) Sasha had discovered Duke's birthday and sas now holding a small party for him.
"You know you really don't have to do this Sasha," Duke sighed. "I've never really liked celebrating my birthday. Never had much of a reason to honestly."
"And that's why I'm doing this," Sasha smirked. "You missed out on so much after your mom died. Trapped in a dungeon at 10. Never having presents or cake or even a chance for loved ones to show how much they care about you. We're making up for that today."
A compromise had been reached in regards to the party. The celebration would be small. Sasha had invited Gloria, Felicia, Adam, Naomi, and Diane to her house. Duke wanted a small gathering, watching movies with friends, eating pizza, and eating cake. Jackie was unable to attend due to prior engagements along with Calebs hunting duties. Still, enough of Dukes friends would be present for the damphir to enjoy himself.
"Hey Duke can you get the door," Sasha called. Duke nodded, a smirk on his face as he watched Sasha string a banner across the foyer. Joe Sampson had gone on a weekend vacation with his longtime girlfriend Claire, meaning the teens would have the place to themselves. As he now opened the door, he smiled as he saw Adam, Felicia, and Gloria. "Thanks for coming."
"Happy birthday Duke," Gloria smiled, handing the damphir a present as she gave him a hug. "Sorry Caleb couldn't make it."
"Its okay," Duke grinned. "He wished me happy birthday before he left. Said he would make it up to me soon."
"Happy birthday dude," Adam exclaimed, clapping the skinnier teen hard on the shoulder. Duke winced under the heavy blow, Adam was a nice enough guy but he sometimes didn't know his own strength. "Thanks Adam," he replied, rubbing his shoulder. "Ouch man that kinda stung."
"Sorry," he blushed. "But hey its a party." Felicia now stepped forward, giving Duke a hug before handing him an envelope. "Haply birthday Duke," she smiled. "Thanks for inviting us. Its been along time since we had a quiet night all together."
"No problem Felicia," Duke smiled. "By the way, wheres Naomi and Diane?"
Felicia now gestured behind her, Duke watching as the teenage couple now walked towards the house carrying a bunch of pizzas. "Hope you guys are hungry," Naomi called.
With everyone now here, the teens now began to chat, eating pizza and playing cards. Duke couldn't help but smile as he gazed at his friends. All those years of pain, of sadness, of loneliness were a distant memory. He had friends now, a beautiful girlfriend. "Thank you Sasha," he thought. "I just wish I had all of you as friends when I was growing up."
"Make way," Sasha called. Duke and the others now turned, watching as Sasha now carried a large ice cream cake into the living room. Duke blushed, listening to his friends sing happy birthday as the 18 candles glowed in the dimmed room. As the song ended, Sasha now placed the cake in front of Duke. "Make a wish."
"I don't even know what to wish for," Duke chuckled. "I haven't had an actual birthday cake since I was 9."
"Well," Diane said. "Consider this a makeup for the last 9 years." Duke nodded, taking a breath as he now blew out his candles. A thunderous applause now erupted, the teens showering Duke with love and failing to notice the soft glow emanating from Gloria's ring.
As the group now began to cut the cake, they shuddered for a split second. Thinking nothing of it, they now began to eat and talk, unaware of the magic that was at work. Duke laughed, standing up to stretch as he gazed at his friends. "Be right back I gonna get something to drink."
As Duke now began to walk to the kitchen, he paused. Dukes jeans had slipped on his waist for a moment. "Weird," Duke thought as he hitched them up. "Didn't think I was losing any weight."
As Duke now opened the fridge looking for a soda, he now began to fidget with his clothes. Something seemed off, his clothes felt baggies than usual. Duke now glanced over himself, had his clothes stretched? As he now walked towards the cabinets, paused yet again as his sneakers slipped on his feet. "Now my shoes a stretched," he thought.
"Everything okay Duke?"
Duke paused, it sounded like Sasha but there was something different about her voice. It sounded higher than usual. Turning to answer the damphir gasped as he gazed at his girlfriend. "Sasha what happened to you?!"
Sasha gaped as she stared at her damphir boyfriend. Duke looked like a freshman. The 15 year old was now skinnier, his face rounding with no trace of facial hair. Dukes clothing hanging on his narrow frame. "Oh my God Duke," she exclaimed. "You've gotten younger! You look 15 at best!"
"So do you," Duke exclaimed. Sasha gasped, sprinting to the hallway mirror before letting out a girlish screech. The former 18 year old was now a skinny looking girl of 15 and rapidly approaching 14. Glancing down her shirt, Sasha watched as her once proud breasts began to diminish inside a now roomier bra. "Oh crap!"
Duke now ran to his girlfriends side, the two young teens gawking at one another as they watched themselves grow younger. It was only the sound of the frantic cries of their friends that now drew them from their momentary haze. As they now glanced into the living room they could see their friends were in a similar state. "Gloria," Sasha asked as she and Duke became 14.
Gloria glanced at her friends, everyone of them in utter shock as they raced backwards in age. Gloria now stood, quickly grasping her pants that were threatening to cascade down her qaifiah legs. "I didn't do this on purpose," she cried, her voice rising an octave as she became 13.
"What the hell," Adam exclaimed, the boys voice cracking as he became 13 as well. The formerly muscular teen reduced to s stocky child. "Why are we getting younger?"
"Um guys," Duke replied nervously as he shrank down to 12. The now preteen damphir losing height as he became painfully skinny. Dukes voice was cracking, settling into a higher octave as puberty rapidly abandoned him. "I have a bad feeling this is my fault."
"Dis you wish us to be kids," Naomi asked as she watched hed her breasts melt down into a pair of softball sized mounds.
"No but I did wish I could have known all of you when I was a kid," he replied, his childhood face burning in embarrassment.
Sasha sighed, the skinny 12 year old now approaching her boyfriend. Glancing at the childish Duke, she grinned as she realized she was indeed taller than her boyfriend when they were kids. "Its okay Duke," she smiled, her voice settling into a childish soprano as the group became 11. "This isn't you fault. The ring kinda diea stuff like this every so often."
"More often than I care to remember," Diane sighed, watching as puberty now became something to look forward too. "But she's right. You didn't cause this. The ring kinda has a mind of its own."
"So what happens now," Duke asked as the group shrank down to a group of 10 year olds.
"Well," Gloria shrugged. "I guess we celebrate your 10th birthday."