blood oath

tle with the vampire hunter, Ruby

ly scratched the surface of. With

ime to seek allies within the va

ampire hunter

sked, her brow furrowed with conc

kfi

is gaze steady. "There are factions

r threat we face. We

ian's connections, they arranged

as a risky endeavor, and they bot

ecision to bring a hu

where the council convened, Ruby f

with tension, shadows clinging to

pa

eezing her hand for reassurance.

you're

ed them, seated on high-backed ch

able, eyes glinting with

ntoned, his voice deep and reson

pl

rse

oduced, stepping forward. "She is

es unique abilities tha

r skepticism palpable. Ruby felt t

igh, ready to p

darkness," Ruby spoke up, her voic

ger than any

cil, and Julian felt a flicker of

t they

agreed to test Ruby's abilities.

d a powerful spiri

h," one Elder command

ng mist coalesced into a figure. R

r

losing her eyes, she concentrated,

she had only rec

d forth a protective barrier, the

ie

with her defenses, but Ruby held fi

her ancestor

gh the chaos, and the spirit dissi

ump

found respect. "You have potenti

power, and with it com

of triumph breaking through h

lling in his chest. "And we'll n