Evelyn's Visit

The air was thick with tension as the cars surrounded them, the headlights casting long, ominous shadows across the street. Sylvia’s breath caught in her throat as she looked out the window, heart pounding in her chest. She didn’t know who these people were, but the sense of dread was suffocating. The situation had gone from bad to worse in the blink of an eye, and now she was trapped, sitting helplessly in the car with Dominic, unsure of who to trust.

Dominic remained calm, his eyes narrowing as the vehicles blocked the road. He gripped the steering wheel, the knuckles of his hands turning white from the pressure. His jaw clenched as he turned his head slightly toward Sylvia. "Stay in the car," he said, his voice low and commanding. "Don’t move. I’ll handle this."

Sylvia wanted to protest, to get out and run, but she knew she couldn’t. She had nowhere to go, no one to turn to. Her only hope now was Dominic, and even then, she didn’t fully trust him. But she had no choice. She nodded quietly, her hands trembling as she gripped the seat, her eyes fixed on the dark figures surrounding the car.

The leader of the group stepped forward, a tall, striking woman with long, dark hair and an icy stare. Evelyn Cross. Sylvia had never seen her before, but the woman's presence was chilling. She exuded power and authority, and Sylvia couldn’t shake the feeling that this woman knew exactly who she was.

"Dominic," Evelyn called out, her voice smooth, almost taunting. "You’re making a mistake by protecting her. You know what she is. She’s darkness itself."

Dominic’s eyes flashed with something Sylvia couldn’t quite read, but he didn’t flinch. He remained stoic, standing tall in the face of the threat. "I don’t care what you think she is. I’m not going to let you harm her."

Evelyn smiled coldly, her eyes narrowing. "Then you’re a fool." She stepped back, her body shifting unnaturally. Sylvia gasped in horror as she watched Evelyn transform right before her eyes. Her body twisted and contorted as she shifted into a massive, black wolf, her eyes now glowing with an eerie light.

"Stay in the car, Sylvia," Dominic ordered again, his voice tinged with urgency. He quickly opened the door, stepping out onto the pavement.

Before Sylvia could react, a deep growl filled the air. Evelyn lunged at Dominic, her massive wolf form charging forward with terrifying speed. Dominic didn’t hesitate for a second. In the blink of an eye, he transformed too, his body shifting into a large, silver wolf, his fur gleaming under the moonlight.

The two wolves collided in a flurry of fur and claws, fighting tooth and nail. Sylvia’s heart raced as she watched the violent struggle unfold before her. She had never seen anything like it. The wolves were locked in a fierce battle, growling and snapping at each other, their fangs bared, their bodies moving with unnatural speed and power.

Sylvia’s breath caught in her throat as she watched them fight. She had never experienced such raw aggression and power. It was like nothing she had ever imagined. The sound of their snarling and growling filled the air, and for a moment, it felt like the world around her had disappeared. All that mattered was the fight between these two creatures.

But just as she thought the battle would never end, a sudden flash of light from down the street caught her attention. She froze, squinting into the distance. It was the light of a car, moving fast toward them.

Dominic and Evelyn both paused in mid-fight, their ears twitching at the sound of the approaching vehicle. For a split second, the tension hung in the air, thick with anticipation. But then, as if they had both realized the same thing, they broke apart, backing away from each other.

Evelyn, her wolf form still looming over the pavement, snarled one last time before she turned and dashed toward her car. She jumped into the driver’s seat and slammed the door shut, the engine roaring to life. Her cohort, a tall man named Bryan, followed suit, jumping into the passenger side. The car screeched away into the night, disappearing into the darkness.

Sylvia, still frozen in the car, could barely breathe. The adrenaline was coursing through her veins, but she didn’t dare move. She couldn’t understand what had just happened. Who were these people? And why were they after her?

Dominic shifted back into his human form, his chest rising and falling as he took a deep breath. He looked over at Sylvia, his eyes softening as he saw the fear etched on her face.

"Are you okay?" he asked, his voice quieter now, almost concerned.

Sylvia swallowed hard, her voice shaky as she answered, "What... What just happened? Who were they? What did they want with me?"

Dominic didn’t immediately answer. Instead, he walked over to the car, opening the door for her. "We’ll talk about this later. Right now, we need to get out of here."

He helped her out of the car, and Sylvia stumbled slightly as she stood, her legs weak from the intense fear. She looked up at him, searching his face for any hint of an explanation. "Please, Dominic... What’s going on? I don’t understand any of this."

Dominic’s face was grim as he gestured for her to follow him. "It’s not safe for you here. Let’s get to my house. We can talk there."

Sylvia didn’t argue. She followed him silently, her thoughts a jumbled mess. She didn’t know who to trust anymore. Everything she thought she knew about her life had been turned upside down. There were people after her, wolves that could shift into their animal forms, and a whole world she didn’t understand.

As they reached Dominic’s car, he opened the door for her and drove off, the engine humming steadily as they sped away from the chaos.

---

When they finally arrived at Dominic’s house, it was late into the night. The mansion loomed ahead, its windows dark, the grand entrance quiet and imposing. Dominic parked the car in the driveway and motioned for Sylvia to follow him.

Inside, the house was lavish but cold, the polished floors and high ceilings giving it an air of opulence. Dominic led her to a spacious sitting room where a maid, a young woman with kind eyes, was waiting for them.

"Take care of her," Dominic instructed the maid. "Get her settled in. I have to make a few calls."

The maid nodded, and with a brief glance at Sylvia, she guided her to a comfortable chair in the corner of the room. Sylvia sat down, her mind racing. She was exhausted, both physically and emotionally, but the storm of thoughts swirling in her head refused to let her rest.

As she sat in the quiet room, she felt her eyelids growing heavy. The fatigue from the night’s events finally took its toll, and she drifted off into a restless sleep.

In her dreams, she saw Marie. But it wasn’t the Marie she knew. This version of Marie was dressed in black, her eyes glowing with an unnatural intensity. She stood in a darkened room, her hands raised, her fingers moving in intricate patterns as she conjured something in the air. Sylvia could feel the power radiating from her, something dark and dangerous.

Suddenly, Sylvia was jolted awake. She gasped for air, her heart pounding in her chest. She looked around the room, disoriented, before her eyes fell on the desk where she had left the USB drive and the disc. They were gone.

Her heart skipped a beat.

She jumped out of the chair, her breath coming in short gasps. The window was open, swaying gently in the breeze. She had locked it before falling asleep.

Her stomach twisted with dread. Someone had been in the room. Someone had taken them.

And she had no idea who.