Raja eased Vayu Putra down a winding road, driving slow to let Selene and Erica snooze in the back, curled up like sisters after their jungle ordeal.
By evening, he rolled into the exiled Andreas Tanis's domain—a fortified compound in the boonies.
Tanis, lounging with two women, froze when an alarm blared, CCTV showing Raja waving like a game show host outside his Ambassador.
"Yo, Andreas, let's chat!" Raja hollered.
Selene and Erica, roused, blinked at each other, mumbled apologies for hogging the backseat, and hopped out, stretching.
Tanis, spotting Selene, cursed, "Fuck, why's she here?" and primed his traps, sweat beading.
Selene strutted toward the camera, eyeing a new gate. "Wasn't here last time," she muttered, stepping forward—straight onto a trap.
Raja yanked her back, stomping the trigger himself.
A steel door trap crumpled under his foot like tinfoil, making Tanis swear and unleash his pet Lycans.
Two frenzied beasts charged, claws gleaming, death in their eyes.
Raja, cool as ice, whipped out his silver-nitrate Desert Eagle and dropped them with two headshots, barely blinking.
Tanis, watching his aces die in seconds, felt his stomach drop.
Raja's schoolboy grin terrified him more than Selene's glare.
Shaking, Tanis opened the gate, muttering, "Let's see what they want—fate's call."
The trio strolled in, greeted by Tanis clutching a shotgun loaded with UV rounds.
"Selene, we meet again. Victor's Blood stench still clings to you," he sneered.
Raja, ever the jester, piped up, "Hey, man, what's good? I'm Raja, Selene's new boy pet and unofficial sex toy!"
Tanis's jaw hit the floor.
Selene's teeth ground, her death glare scorching Raja.
Erica tried to stifle a laugh, failed, and collapsed, cackling.
Selene, fuming, fired her Desert Eagle into the air, blushing furiously. "We need to talk, Tanis. Now."
They entered Tanis's cluttered bedroom-study-kitchen-library, a vampire bachelor pad.
Raja's eyes lit up at an armory—assault rifles, Desert Eagles, UV ammo, compact bombs.
He swapped his gear, pocketing bombs like candy, while Tanis twitched at the blatant robbery.
Selene, unimpressed, said, "Your exile's cozier than I recall. Lycan pets? Really?"
Tanis shrugged, "Gifts from persuasive clients."
Raja, testing a rifle, chimed in, "Lucian, huh? Trading guns with Lycans, killing your own kind—business is booming, Tanis!"
Tanis bristled, "I did what I had to survive. Victor's betrayal made it easy."
Selene's eyes narrowed. "Victor's dead. I killed him."
Tanis laughed, "You? Killed Victor? No way." Her deadpan stare shut him up, shock settling in.
Raja pouted, "Oye, I helped! Don't sideline the MC!" Selene's glare silenced him.
Tanis, softer, said, "So you learned the truth—Victor killed your family, turned you. A travesty. My protests got me exiled."
Selene snapped, "Victor didn't exile you for morals. Spill, or my pet rips your head off."
Tanis glanced at Raja, who growled like a lion using his Vocals, sending chills down his spine.
Swallowing hard, Tanis began, "Victor wasn't the first vampire, despite the lies. Marcus, ruler of this land, is the source—the first true vampire."
Selene nodded, "The legend's true."
Erica, piecing it together, gasped, "Raja, that's why you didn't kill Marcus—you feared his death would kill us all!"
Selene's eyes widened, Tanis gaped, stunned Raja could challenge Marcus.
Raja grinned, "Erica, thought you were snoozing, but you're out here playing Sherlock!"
Tanis continued, "Victor, a ruthless human tyrant, grew old. On his deathbed, Marcus offered vampiric immortality. In exchange, Victor's newly turned vampire army help capturing Marcus's twin, William, the first werewolf, and Kill his rabid, untransformable werewolves—unlike later Lycans who can control their rage and could shift back."
Munching chips, Raja sat beside Erica, who slurped a blood-filled cola can. "We were hungry," they shrugged as Selene and Tanis glared.
Tanis pressed on, "William's destruction was insatiable. Victor's army caged him, killed his werewolves, and locked him in a prison."
Selene asked, "Why spare William?"
Tanis replied, "Same reason Victor never killed Marcus—Believing, if Marcus dies, his bloodline does too."
Raja, crunching, added, "If William dies, Lycans who are Victor's slaves die, leaving him no one to wipe his ass. Paranoid genius!"
Tanis nodded, revealing a book with Alexander Corvinus's insignia, detailing his army covering his sons' messes.
"Father of us all," he said.
Raja "Not mine, My creator is BOB the Origin Star with a Bling." Everybody ignored Raja's theatrics.
Selene spotted a human mummy cage, frowning.
"That's William's prison, built by your family," Tanis said.
Selene's childhood flashed—her father, the cage. "That was years after my family's death," she whispered.
Tanis explained, "When Lucian escaped, your father knew too much. Victor killed them, spared you for your Sonja resemblance. Lucian had the key to William's prison."
Selene's voice shook, "I'm the map. Marcus wants my blood for my childhood memories."
Raja mused, "Marcus has known about you forever—why free William now?"
Tanis shook his head, "Don't know, but I've got a lead go meet—Lorenz Macaro at Pier 17."
Raja yelled, "Road trip, aye? But, Tanis, you forgot the other key."
Tanis froze, "How'd you know?"
Raja smirked, "Victor's paranoia screams another key and the key in my hand is not complete I can tell. Where is it?"
Tanis gulped, "Under the skin of his chest."
Raja turned to Selene, "Told you—paranoid nutcase. So, Macaro's got Victor's body, right?"
Selene, Erica, and Tanis gawked at his deduction.
Raja tapped his head, "Super brain, hello!"
Selene and Erica rolled their eyes at his theatrics;
Tanis looked lost. "Go to Pier 17, find Macaro,"
Tanis said. Selene and Erica headed out, leaving Raja with Tanis.
Raja leaned close, whispering something that left Tanis stunned.
MAYA: "Master, you're baiting the bat like a matador!"
Smirking, Raja sauntered off.
Hours later, Marcus, in human form, stormed into Tanis's home.
Tanis, sipping blood and reading, barely flinched.
Marcus, baffled by his calm, snapped, "Tanis, no respect for your guest? Not shocked to see me, the first vampire?"
Tanis shrugged, "That Indian guy, Raja, said you'd come. Told me to spill everything, no fear."
Marcus's eyes blazed, demanding answers. Tanis recounted the trio's visit, Marcus's rage simmering.
As he turned to leave, Tanis called, "Raja left a message: he's waiting at the location to kick your ass again. Oh, and 'don't kill the messenger, you bat-fuck.'"
Marcus roared, wings erupting, shattering glass, and soared off, fury propelling him skyward.
To Be Continued…