The week went by quickly, and Friday finally came. In the early morning, Carla and Dave double-checked the luggage inside their packed car, then drove to the airport and hitched the first available flight that Dave could book; 7:00AM. The ride itself took most of the day—with Carla and Dave having to eat both lunch and dinner on the plane—and by the time they had disembarked, gotten into their rental car, and were en route to Darkveil Manor, it was nearly 8:00PM.
The familiarity of the town struck Carla almost as soon as she and her father entered the city limits. She saw the entrance where Dwayne and the Werewolf Hunters were stationed during her first night as a werewolf, the very same church where she had first met Jet—one of her close werewolf allies—and the Darkveil Cemetery, which served as the final resting place of her grandfather, Alfred Rosenblood.
As the Darkveil Manor came into view—past a set of gates and nestled within a wooded clearing at the end of a long dirt road—Carla was reminded of yet another memory; that fateful night when she had been attacked and bitten by Percy near the clearing's entry point, thus officially being turned into a werewolf. Had it not been for Percy's actions back then, she wouldn't have even been walking on this path today.
Carla leaned forward in her front passenger seat, focusing her eyes and attempting to hone her improved sight. Though it was already decently late into the night, the front garden of the manor was still well-lit through the usage of several tall lamps and bright porch lights. She could make out two figures; Countess Valeria, the manor's usually-aloof guardian, was trimming the rose bushes at the front of the manor, and Esther, the formerly-reclusive scientist, was at work pulling up weeds near her position.
The two manor caretakers soon heard the sound of the Rosenblood rental car's approaching engine, and turned around to see both Dave and Carla Rosenblood pulling into their driveway, promptly waving at the duo happily. The moment Dave parked the car outside the garage on the cement driveway, he and Carla got out and cheerfully headed for Valeria and Esther, with all four of them clearly happy to see each other again. While Carla ran up and hugged Valeria, Dave shared a firm, friendly handshake with Esther.
"It has been quite a while, girl," Valeria said with a proud smile after she split her embrace with Carla. "It is good to see you again; Esther and I hope you have been doing well. We were not informed of your visit in advance; this is quite the pleasant surprise. The two of us shall be happy to show you how much the town has changed since our last adventure."
"Nice to see you again, sir. I owe a lot to your daughter," Esther greeted Dave. "It feels like only yesterday that she helped me regain my lost reputation with the people of Darkveil. Since then, I've become more of an outdoors person; you know, connecting with the town's residents, helping Valeria around the manor, and other things like that."
"I can see that!" Dave reinforced, nodding understandably. "But.....I'm afraid things aren't so great at the moment."
Rather coincidentally, Valeria took a look at everyone in the front yard and realized something that momentarily confused her. "Halt. Where is the boy? The younger Rosenblood? 'Murray', I believe? Were there not three of you in the past?"
An eerie silence fell over both Carla and Dave at Valeria's inquiry, with Valeria raising an eyebrow. ".....Has he stayed behind in America, perhaps?"
"Valeria.....my brother has died," Carla answered, with Dave gesturing towards his daughter to confirm her statement.
Valeria and Esther gasped in shock. "Oh, no....." the countess said quietly.
"This is quite the tragedy," Esther mused. "He seemed so young and full of energy just a few years ago. Maybe if you three had stayed, I could have analyzed his condition. Perhaps even saved him."
"It is not the time for that right now, Esther."
"Apologies. Still, he was the one who first suggested that I give Carla superpowers. I can still remember the day he made the proposition to me. Or.....the night, rather. Has he already been buried?"
"He died about a year ago, and the funeral was a week after that," Dave replied. "We're getting by, but both of us could use some help. Carla, especially."
"First the girl's mother, Martha.....then her grandfather, Alfred.....then her younger brother, Murray......" Valeria lamented. "I can only imagine what she.....what both of you.....must be going through."
Carla's voice was audibly shaking. "You don't have to imagine. Because I'm living it."
The countess looked over at Dave. "I take it that's why you came to see us?"
"We just wanted to check up on Darkveil and see how it's been doing," Dave reported. "You mentioned wanting to show us around sometime? Maybe that can wait until morning; I've arranged for us to stay here for quite a while. A couple days, at the very least."
"Of course. You and your daughter will forever have our hospitality, after all you have done for the people of Darkveil. We will continue to provide you with love, comfort, and support for as long as you need," Valeria vowed. "Esther, come. We'll stop here for the night, then show them inside."
Esther bowed. "Right away, Countess."
He and Valeria briefly left to put away their gardening gear in the nearby shed while Carla and Dave made for their car and unloaded their luggage. When the quartet came back together again, Valeria unlocked the front door and allowed Esther to lead them into the house, with her being the last one in and closing the door again behind her.
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"Wait until the Order of Blood hears that you're back," Valeria commented as she, Carla, Dave, and Esther all walked up the stairs to the manor's second floor. "Remus, Jet, Percy, and the rest of the werewolves have continued to protect Darkveil all while keeping you close to their hearts. Though you chose to leave.....they never forgot you."
"Ahhh.....hahaha....." Carla chuckled nervously, hesitant to tell Esther and the countess that she hadn't saved anyone—much less turned into Nightclaw—even once since Murray's tragic passing. "I haven't forgotten them, either. But.....are you sure that they'll remember me? I haven't heard anything from them over the past few years, not even telepathically."
"Dear girl.....the moment you step into the Order's camp again, everyone will practically be rushing towards you," Valeria promised. "You are legendary among the werewolves' ranks; you inspired them to change their very philosophy. A philosophy that they have held onto for eons."
"I suppose so. Guess I'll find out whenever I head out tonight." She looked to her father for approval. "I can go out tonight, right?"
Dave promptly gave a thumbs-up as his response. "Even if it's just to see the rest of the Order, it's okay with me. Valeria, Esther, and I will be fine here."
Then, the four of them reached the second floor.
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Valeria showed Dave to the master bedroom and Carla to a second bedroom across the hall; the same ones they had stayed in during their last visit to Darkveil. However, they barely had time to place their bags down when the countess called them back into the hallway again.
"If you two have the time.....there is something else I must show you. Or rather.....someone else. Two people, actually. You may not recognize them.....but some people on the outside probably will," Valeria informed. "If they have done their reading."
Carla's eyes lit up somewhat. "New people? Neat. I could stand to expand my friend circle a little."
Meanwhile, Dave was just confused. "'Some people on the outside'? 'If they have done their reading'? What do you mean?"
Valeria simply chuckled without giving an answer, before guiding Carla and Dave to the other end of the hall and bringing them to a second guest room. Nodding to Esther to have him open the door, the wizened scientist promptly did so, revealing a third bedroom with opened suitcases and several sets of clothes placed haphazardly around the area.
Sitting on the side of the bed were two vampires nestled close to each other; one female and one male, with both of them intently watching a video on the male's new phone.
The female vampire had long, dark hair tied into a thick French braid swept over one of her shoulders and a lovely-looking white flower pinned into said hair on the left-hand side. She wore a yellow inner T-shirt, a black suit top that was open in the front, leopard-print leggings, and white shoes, with a flute sheathed on one of her hips and a silenced pistol holstered on the other. Like the vampire sitting next to her—as well as all other vampires—she had deathly-pale skin and a pair of fangs on full display.
The male vampire also had dark hair, but shaped in a rather Mohawk-like style instead, opting to dress in a black suit with a red inner vest and gold buttons. He was holding his phone up so both he and the female vampire could see the video on it, and he also had an electric guitar with red and white coloring strapped onto his back.
Upon realizing that some visitors had come to their guest room, they immediately got up and greeted them.
"Hi!" the female vampire chirped with a wave. "I'm Lily Ladair, and this is my partner, Theo Ladair!"