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Eva woke and looked at the clock on her bedside table. It was past midnight. Who in the world was calling her this late at night?

Blip-bloop! Blip-bloop!

Half asleep, Eva reached for her phone. The bright screen momentarily blinded her. When she saw the name of the caller, she sat up in bed.

Why was Julius calling her so late?

Eva hastily answered her phone.

"Julius?" Eva said, shocked.

"Eva, it's Ethan," Julius said, his voice tinged with panic.

Eva's world came crashing down. Had something terrible happened to Ethan? Were the hunters after him again?

"What happened to Ethan?" Eva blurted, panic rising in her voice.

"He's gone from our room, and I found a note on the bedside table," Julius said.

"From Ethan?" Eva asked.

"No, someone else," Julius said.

"What does it say?" Eva asked, her voice trembling with fear.

Julius read the note aloud. "If you want Ethan back alive, bring the Van Helsing girl to the castle on top of the cliff."

"Didn't Billy take Ethan to that castle once for an initiation?" Eva asked.

"Are you suggesting Billy has something to do with Ethan's disappearance?" Julius asked.

"We don't know," Eva said. "But how does the person who wrote the note know about me? Have you guys told anyone?"

"No—I mean, your last name was never mentioned. We only told Billy you were going to sing with us. He knows your first name," Julius said.

"When I saved Ethan, I screamed my full name," Eva said. "Someone—maybe a follower of the evil shapeshifter—must have witnessed the whole thing."

"The person has to be from our school. No one else has access to our dorms," Julius said.

"What about the teachers?" Eva asked.

"They wouldn't know which dorm Ethan is in," Julius said firmly.

"So, it's a student from the school. We need a plan," Eva said anxiously.

"Meet me and Liam at the shop. Bring Clara along," Julius said.

Julius hung up.

What am I supposed to do? Eva, get a hold of yourself! Ethan needs you.

Eva stared at her phone, her hands shaking uncontrollably. She called Clara, not expecting her to pick up.

"Still up?" Clara asked as she picked up the phone.

"Ethan..." Eva panicked, but her voice caught and died in her throat. Her heart was pounding uncontrollably.

"Eva? What is it?" Clara asked, scared.

"Ethan has been taken captive to the castle on the cliff. A note was left in his dorm—Julius found it and called. It says, 'If you want Ethan back alive, bring the Van Helsing girl to the castle on top of the cliff.' Clara, someone dangerous knows about me. They must have found out when I screamed my name to scare the hunters and save Ethan," Eva said as fast as she could.

"Slow down," Clara said.

"Julius wants us to come to the shop," Eva said, her voice tense.

"I'll meet you there," Clara said, her voice firm.

Clara hung up.

Eva was panicking; her entire world had gone dark.

Getting out of bed, Eva changed out of her sleepwear and quickly combed her hair. How was she going to get out of the house unnoticed? She glanced at her bedroom window—it was a long way down. Then, suddenly, she remembered her escape from S.H.A.D.E.

Closing her eyes, Eva prayed with all her strength to appear in front of the shop.

The warm night air slammed into Eva. She snapped her eyes open and found herself standing in front of the shop. She had no idea how she'd done it—but somehow, it had worked when she needed it most.

Julius hurried to the door and pulled it open, ushering Eva inside.

Stepping inside, she saw the worried expression on Julius's face before noticing that Liam was also present. The lights had been turned on inside the shop.

Footsteps could be heard as someone made their way down the stairs from upstairs.

"Mr. Jones!" Eva greeted the shop owner as he appeared at the bottom of the stairs.

"Is Clara coming?" Julius asked Eva, concerned.

"She's on her way," Eva replied.

"We'll wait for her," Mr. Jones said firmly.

Soon enough, Clara stepped through the doorway.

"Sorry for keeping you all waiting. Have you come up with a plan?" Clara asked, glancing around.

"We were waiting for you to join us," Mr. Jones said. "Julius, walk us through everything."

"Ethan and I share a dorm room," Julius began. "We went to bed at the same time. I awoke to a noise and found he wasn't in bed. When I turned on the light, I saw a note on the bedside table."

Julius took the note out of his pocket and read it aloud. "If you want Ethan back alive, bring the Van Helsing girl to the castle on top of the cliff."

"The evil shapeshifter lord resides there," Mr. Jones said, worry etched in his voice.

"Only a student would have access to our dorms and know which room Ethan sleeps in," Julius said.

"Someone must have been there the night I saved Ethan, and now they know who I am and that I know Ethan," Eva said anxiously.

"You don't think it was Billy?" Liam asked, suspicion high in his voice.

"Ethan did mention that Billy took him to the castle for an initiation. Plus, Billy has been leaving school at night," Eva reminded them.

"Even if it was Billy, Ethan is nothing more than bait," Mr. Jones said. "You can't go there, Eva."

"The night I saved Ethan, I overheard my father—well, my uncle—talking to a stranger at our house. My father said that only a Van Helsign can enter the evil shapeshifter's castle, aside from his followers. That means I'm the only one who can reach Ethan," Eva said.

Mr. Jones contemplated for a while.

"It's too risky to go alone," Mr. Jones said.

"I'm the only one who can go in," Eva said firmly.

"Take Clara with you," Mr. Jones insisted.

"You know Clara won't be able to enter the castle," Eva explained.

"A Harker defies all laws. It's always good to have a Harker with you. Plus, she has hunting experience," Mr. Jones said.

"I don't even know how to find the castle," Eva said. "And we don't have any weapons with us."

"The messenger bag is always packed for such occasions," Mr. Jones said. "Though I prefer not to use it unless it's necessary."

"Shapeshifters can be mischievous," Liam remarked.

"There are two things that will help you," Mr. Jones said.

Mr. Jones hurried to the cupboard behind the counter, pulling out a messenger bag and a sword.

"A sword?" Eva asked, raising her eyebrows.

Mr. Jones stepped forward and held it out for her to see. The blade caught the light, revealing a gleam that split down the middle—two distinct metals forged as one.

"Iron and silver," Mr. Jones said. "One side is iron, the other silver. Iron burns magical beings and suppresses their powers. Silver burns as well—and when it strikes a shapeshifter, it forces them back to their original form. A strike to the heart... could kill."

"Does it have a name?" Eva asked, her voice low.

"Aegis," Mr. Jones replied. "It means shield—or protection."

The room fell silent as everyone held their breath in awe.

Mr. Jones handed Eva the sword and the bag.

"Complements my kukri," Clara said with a grin, drawing her knife. "It belonged to my great-great-great-grandfather, Jonathan Harker."

Jonathan's kukri was no ordinary knife. Passed down through generations, it was a treasured heirloom of the family. The blade—broad, heavy, and curved forward like a predator in motion—was of Eastern origin, forged for close combat, precision, and finality. It had tasted blood, carried purpose, and now rested in Clara's hands with the full weight of inheritance.

Everyone stared at the weapon in Clara's hand. Was this the very blade that had once decapitated the infamous Dracula?

"Meet Gravebite," Clara said, raising the knife. "The very blade that once decapitated Dracula."

"One more item," Mr. Jones said. "For years, Henry and I have been searching for a way to contain the evil shapeshifter lord. We knew it was only a matter of time before he and his followers found a way out of their encagement. The amulet you retrieved for me, Eva, can contain the shapeshifter. All you need is to get close enough to cast a spell that pulls him into the amulet."

Mr. Jones held the amulet in his hand.

"Cast a spell?" Eva asked, frowning in confusion.

"Yes," Mr. Jones said, nodding.

"We'll need a wizard to cast the spell," Eva said.

"You can cast the spell. You are, after all, a shapeshifter," Mr. Jones said. "I'll write it down for you—just read it from the paper."

Mr. Jones scribbled on a piece of paper before handing it to Eva, along with the amulet.

"There seem to be two spells, if I'm not mistaken," Eva said, glancing down at the paper.

"The first one is for the amulet, and the second one makes the sword appear in your hand," Mr. Jones explained. "Why don't you give me the sword and try the second spell written on the paper?"

Eva handed the sword to Mr. Jones before reciting the second spell from the paper. In an instant, the sword appeared in Eva's hand.

"Wow!" Eva exclaimed.

"If you ever lose the sword, you know how to get it back," Mr. Jones said. "The sword fits inside the messenger bag. The bag may seem ordinary, but I've placed an extension charm on it."

Mr. Jones handed the sword to Eva. She opened the bag and placed the sword inside.

"How are we supposed to find the castle? I mean, which way should we travel through the forest to reach it?" Clara asked anxiously. "And why does it smell like two dogs in here?"

"Two?" Liam asked, confused.

"Follow me," a strange voice said from nearby.

"Did you hear that?" Clara asked everyone, making sure she wasn't imagining things.

Everyone looked around the shop until they suddenly spotted a black dog standing beside them.

"You! That dog's been following me around," Eva said, bending to the dog's level. "It led me to Ethan at the restaurant, and again when he was in danger. Ethan says it's been following him too."

"It's a Grim," Mr. Jones said, inspecting the dog carefully. "A guardian spirit. I believe it's here to guide you to the castle."

"You heard the dog talk," Liam said to Clara. "You said you weren't..."

"I'm not a vampire," Clara reassured Liam for what felt like the millionth time.

"Follow me," the dog barked, before moving toward the front door of the shop.

Eva and Clara followed him, stepping out of the shop and into the night.

As the dog gained speed, Eva and Clara tried to keep up, following him into the forest.

The three of them zigzagged their way through the forest, eventually emerging on the other side.

At the edge of the forest lay the sea, with a cliff rising above it. Perched atop the cliff stood a castle—undoubtedly the one belonging to the evil shapeshifter lord.

Eva and Clara stared at the towering castle under the moonlight. It was a steep climb to the top of the cliff.

Before Eva or Clara could begin approaching the cliff, the black dog was already waiting at its base.

In silence, Eva and Clara mustered their courage and began the steep ascent to the top of the cliff. The three of them moved carefully, making sure no one noticed their approach.

Coming to the castle, the three of them stopped in front of a large, old wooden door. As Clara pushed it, the door creaked. She opened it just enough for a single person to slip through.

Entering the castle, they were greeted by a dimly lit, long hallway. The walls of the hallway were lined with statues.

As they crept through the hallway, Eva's eyes narrowed, scanning the figures along the wall. Something about them made her skin crawl. The statues were incredibly lifelike—each one perfectly captured the expression of someone who had been petrified: some frozen in fear, others caught mid-motion, and a few with a calm, resigned look.

"Gorgon," Clara whispered.

Eva opened her family journal, which she had been carrying in her pocket. Flipping through the pages, she came across one titled Gorgon. Beneath the title was an illustration of a woman with snakes for hair.

A short description followed on the opposite page. It read: Gorgons are cursed beings who have snakes for hair. Their gaze turns living creatures to stone, freezing them in their last moments of fear. Never look a gorgon in the eye. Always use something to see their reflection instead. Decapitation is the only way to end them. Only a few people are known to have survived their encounter.

The description had been signed off by Veronica Van Helsing, accompanied by a date.

Eva closed the journal, placing it in the bag.

As they moved deeper into the castle, Eva and Clara heard a voice.

"Rejoice, my followers," came the voice. "For tonight, we will finally be free."

Applause echoed throughout the castle.

Whispers echoed from the right, where the hallway split.

Eva and Clara decided to follow the whisper in the hopes of finding Ethan.

Coming across a closed door, they heard a familiar voice—Ethan's. But there was another voice too, one that was new.

"We need to be prepared for anything," Clara whispered, taking out Gravebite.

Eva pulled out Aegis from the messenger bag, holding the hilt firmly.

Clara turned the doorknob, gesturing for Eva to follow her in and the dog to stay outside.

Entering the room, they found Ethan trapped in a cylindrical cage, like a bird in a cage.

Eva rushed to Ethan, desperately searching for a way to free him.

"There's no way out," Ethan told the girls. "I've tried using my strength, and even a bit of magic."

"There must be a way," Eva said, her voice filled with determination.

"You see that crystal cluster on the pedestal on the other side of the room? It can deactivate the cage," Ethan explained.

As Eva and Clara approached the crystal, a sudden surge of black smoke appeared in their path, swirling like a tornado. When the smoke dissipated, a teen boy with blue-black hair stood before them.

It couldn't be! It was the boy from the photo of Ethan's band—Billy.

"I see the bait worked," Billy said, grinning evilly. "The lord will be pleased when I deliver the Van Helsing girl. And who are you?"

"Harker. Clara Harker. Prepare to meet your doom—because I don't run from monsters. I run toward them," Clara introduced herself.

"You think you scare me?" Billy mocked, turning into a leopard.

"Nooo!" Ethan screamed, his voice filled with panic.

As Billy leaped at the two girls, Eva raised her sword, stabbing the animal in its undersides before pulling the sword away. The feline fell to the floor with a wailing cry, slowly transforming back into its human form. The boy lay on the floor, unconscious.

"Shapeshifter," Clara declared, walking past Billy's body.

Clara reached the crystal cluster and placed a hand on it.

Clara and Eva turned to see the cage dissolve around Ethan, freeing him.

With no time to waste, the three rushed out of the room, closing the door behind them.

The dog, having been waiting outside the room, barked happily at the sight of the three teens.

"Wait," Eva said to the others. "I have to stop the evil shapeshifter lord. Take Ethan and get out of here."

"Eva, he wants you. You don't walk toward danger—you run in the opposite direction," Ethan said.

"I need to stop him once and for all," Eva said, having made up her mind.

"We're coming with you," Ethan said. "There are a lot of monsters in the castle."

"Ethan, you've been in a lot of danger already," Eva said.

"Ethan is right. You need us," Clara said. "First, we need a plan."

"Plan? I was planning to barrel toward the lord, pull out the amulet, recite the spell from the paper, and flee the castle before anyone caught me," Eva said nervously.

"Congratulations, you've just gotten yourself killed. Good work!" Clara said.

"I bet you've got a better plan?" Eva said, frustrated.

"A hunter never goes on a hunt without a plan," Clara said. "We need to get the lord away from the crowd. Ethan, you'll pretend to be Billy and lead him away so Eva can do her thing. If the crowd comes after us, we'll fight them off with whatever's in the messenger bag."

The three teens stared at the bag, wondering what its contents were.

"I hope it doesn't come to that," Eva said, her voice tinged with nervousness.

The four of them followed Clara into the hallway, heading in the direction where they had earlier heard the applause.

As they moved forward, three hooded figures came into view. The four of them had nowhere to hide.

"It's Van Helsing!" one of the hooded figures bellowed. "Get her!"

"Bag!" Clara shouted to Eva.

Eva opened the bag and pulled out the first thing her fingers landed on.

Eva stared at the strange crossbow. Was it even a crossbow?

The weapon, some type of modified crossbow, was a two-foot-long contraption. It was fully enclosed in dark material, with a silver trigger and a large housing at the front that seemed to contain the workings of the weapon.

"This is a strange crossbow. Must be modified," Eva said, inspecting the weapon.

"I've heard of this weapon and seen a photo. It's a Polibow," Clara exclaimed. "There's a cartridge that fits in the top, loaded with twelve silver shafts threaded with wood."

Clara quickly fished inside the bag, pulling out a cartridge and inserting it into its place in the Polibow. Clara took the Polibow from Eva, noticing that it had a sling, and placed it over her shoulder.

Clara raised the Polibow, aiming at the shoulder of one of the hooded figures charging toward them. She fired a bolt, striking the figure's shoulder.

The silver from the bolt caused burning pain, making the figure wail in agony.

One figure down, two to go.

Eva caught the next one with her sword, driving it into its shoulder before pulling it out. The figure wailed in pain, just like the first one.

Clara fired a second bolt, striking the remaining figure in the shoulder. With the bolt lodged deep, the figure collapsed in pain.

With the three figures disoriented and out of the way, the teens and the dog made their way toward the lord.

Coming up to a room with an open door, they halted, pressing themselves against the wall near the entrance.

Clara nodded to Ethan.

Ethan knew what to do—he transformed into Billy and entered the room.

"My lord, the bait has escaped," Ethan began. "The Van Helsing girl is not far. I need to get you to safety."

"Do what you have to do," the lord said.

"We shall hide in the room beside this one," Ethan said loudly, making sure Eva could hear and know where to go.

Eva quickly slipped past the open room while Ethan held the crowd's attention.

Ethan had noticed that both rooms were interconnected by a door. "We will enter the room through the interconnecting door."

Eva heard a door open and slam shut—her cue to move.

Entering the room where the lord was being safeguarded by a false Billy, Eva came face to face with the lord.

The lord was an old man with grey hair and deep wrinkles on his face and hands.

"Get her!" the lord commanded, his voice sharp and commanding.

Eva threw Aegis towards Ethan, who caught the sword firmly with both hands.

Before the lord could comprehend what was happening, Ethan drove the sword into the lord's shoulder, causing him to stagger back in shock and pain.

Pulling the sword out, the lord began wailing as a burning sensation spread through his body.

The expression on his face shifted to one of shock and betrayal.

The lord extended a hand, attempting to use his powers, but then froze as he realised the sword was made of silver and iron—the iron preventing him from channeling his abilities.

"Traitor!" the lord screamed, his voice filled with rage and disbelief.

The false Billy transformed, revealing his true identity.

During the time it took the lord to figure everything out, Eva had gotten the amulet out and had started reciting the spell from the paper.

"Nooo!" the lord bellowed when he saw what Eva was doing.

It was too late for the lord to do anything, as he was slowly dragged into the amulet by its magical force and ultimately trapped within.

Ethan handed the sword to Eva before transforming back into Billy and entering the other room to reassure the crowd that everything was alright, giving them false hope. Meanwhile, Eva left the room and met up with Clara. Ethan soon joined them, and the four of them headed back to the shop with the lord trapped within the amulet.

"Ethan!" Liam and Julius exclaimed, pulling him into a tight hug.

"It was Billy; he took me captive," Ethan explained.

"That... that..." Liam began, but he trailed off, lost for words from the shock of the revelation.

"I thought he was our friend," Julius said, his voice filled with anger.

"Mr. Jones, I think this belongs to you," Eva said, handing the amulet over to him.

Mr. Jones took the amulet, placing it on the counter.

"The bag," Eva said, taking it off and handing it to Mr. Jones. "All the weapons are inside, safe and sound.

"It's late, very late," Mr. Jones said. "You should all get home."

Ethan approached Eva. "Thanks for coming for me."

"That's what families do," Eva said.

"We owe you," Julius told Eva.

Ethan turned to Clara. 'It's nice to know a Harker.'"

Clara nodded in thanks.

"You, dog — thanks for being there for me and Eva," Ethan said, bending to the dog's level.

"Welcome!" the dog barked before leaving the shop.

The teens bid farewell to Mr. Jones before leaving and heading home.

"I'd better put the amulet somewhere safe," Mr. Jones told himself. "Wait... where is the amulet?"