“What’s the report?” the Vistor said to the vampire keeping guard outside Glamora’s cell.

“Three hours and no break sir. She’s convinced it’s the real thing.”

A twisted smile turned the Vistor’s lips upward and he motioned for the guard to let him inside. The small concrete room was hot with the stench of sweat. There on the bed the young witch lay on top of her faux lover, lost in an endless blaze of passion.

“That’s enough Kaleb,” the Vistor said with dry amusement. “Back to your normal self.” The dreadlocked black man knocked the young witch off the bed and onto the floor, stood and shifted back into his default image. Panicked breaths raced from the young witch as she clambered back to her feet, wrapping the bedsheet around her.

“No! No! Where is he! Where is my love?!”

“I’m afraid he is dead,” the Vistor taunted. “Just like you will be soon. I understand you have been enjoying Kaleb here.”

The witch stared over at the tall white man that had been her lover only moments before. Confusion and hurt brimmed in her eyes. “But he was… he was right here.”

“And he can be here again, providing that you do as I requested of you earlier. Do you think you can do that witch? Can you do as I ask?”

Glamora’s eyes were wide and black, lost without focus. Her gaze flicked repeatedly from the ancient vampire to the muscular white man stood perfectly still at his side. What had happened to her lover? What had happened to her mate? “He’ll come back?” she stammered.

“Yes,” the Vistor said coldly. “Now tell me. Will you do as I ask?”

“Yes!” she answered quickly. “Yes! Please! Hurry! I need him! I need him!”

The Vistor pulled two photographs from his pocket and floated them across the air and into the hands of the witch. She looked down at them with intensity for a minute before looking back up at the vampire. “I need a bowl of water, some fire and salt. Hurry.”

Ten minutes later the witch had everything she needed for her spell. She drew the salt around herself in a broad circle, sat down in the middle and lit a candle next to her bowl of water. Smoke started to rise from the water immediately, making the Vistor watch the witch with much suspicion.

The young woman smoothed her hands through the air while staring into the water, muttering incantations under her breath. After a few seconds the smoke cleared, and a light shone up from the water. She looked up at the Vistor, her eyes hard as steel. “Which one first?”

“The vampire. Ansel Draco. Where can I find him?”

The witch held the picture of the vampire over the candle and waited for it to catch fire. It ignited, and she held the flaming photo in both her hands, crumbling the ash into the shining water below. She leaned over the bowl and her eyes reflected its golden white color. In her mind she saw a vision of Belmont castle. Endless forest, sprawling brick towers. Parapets that ran along mountain tops. The vampire came to her in a dark room, stood behind a girl with a large round belly. They both stood in a mirror, smiling to each other.

The vision broke away and she looked up at the taunting red eyes of the Vistor. “This vampire you seek, he has a mate. She is pregnant.”

He turned his head at the news. It was most surprising to him. “He has found himself a breeder? Is he part of the prophecy?”

Her gaze softened as her mind focused on something distant and she shook her head. “No. She wasn’t always a breeder. It is a lightness from the prophecy. She is the first generation of the new dawn. He is… a guardian.”

He raised a solitary brow at the word. “Guardian?”

“Lightness. Put forth in a body to destroy the black. Put forth to destroy…” she lifted her gaze to his once more and smiled. “…you.”

Venom and hatred burned in the pit of the Vistor’s stomach. “Just tell me where the bastard is! Dead Rest? The Valley?!”

“Belmont valley. Castle Belmont.”

He found himself surprised once more at the news. “Belmont Castle? Well, well. That is most intriguing.” He filed the information away in his memory and immediately set to work in plotting Draco’s assassination. “Do the next one. The girl. Ellie Thorn. Where is she?”

The witch repeated her brief ritual, igniting the photo over the flames and crumbling the ashes into the shining water. She leaned over once more and stared into the shimmering liquid until its color was reflected in her eyes. This time the vision wasn’t as clear. It was fractured. She saw another castle, but this one was much further away. It was covered in white. It was… lost?

Her eyes jumped to the picture of a storm and the sensation of deep rumbling. There were the eyes of an ancient woman. An old elderly vampire that brimmed with immense power. Glamora pulled herself back from those eyes and recognized the face of the elder. She had the same eyes of the mysterious man that had taken the form of her lover just moments before.

She shook her head and snapped herself back into the room. “Who is this creature?” she asked and pointed at Kaleb.

“Kaleb Spartan,” the Vistor announced. “Why?”

“Where do you come from creature?” Glamora said, addressing the hybrid directly. The statuesque man stood perfectly still, staring back at her in silence.

“He has not been fully woken yet,” the Vistor said. “He is still in a half trance. An automaton, serving only to follow my orders. He cannot recount his previous life in his current state. But I can tell you. He was a specimen taken from the north of Belmont Valley. What did you see in your vision?”

“I saw eyes. His eyes. The eyes of his grandmother. You took him from a village?”

The Vistor scoffed. “I did no such thing. He was brought to me by Vangzali.” He turned and looked at the young vampire. “Is that where you originated from Kaleb?”

Kaleb turned his golden-red eyes on his master and nodded. “Yes sir. Skarvast sir.”

“Is that what you wanted witch?” he said, looking back at the young woman. “Is that what your vision said?”

“The young girl is with his grandmother. I presume she is in this village.”

Another dark smile came to the Vistor. Most brilliant. The Circle could conjure up portals very close to there. “Then it is settled. Thank you for your assistance Glamora. Your work is done. For now.”

The Vistor turned toward the door and walked forward, with Kaleb following close behind him. Glamora shot to her feet. “Wait, wait!”

“Hmm?” He turned around and looked back through the cell door at the desperate young woman. “What is it?”

“My mate,” she pleaded. “My soulmate. You said you would return him. Please!”

“I’m very sorry Glamora,” he said and stepped forward. “You proved to be too useful. Kaleb is leaving now. He’s off to kill the girl you just found. You’ll never see your soulmate again.” A dark chuckle brimmed on his lips as tears fell down the girl’s face. “Relax. It’s not like he was real. Consider yourself lucky. You got a glimpse of what you’ll miss for the rest of your life. Some people don’t even get that.”

Turning, the Vistor smiled to himself as the closing door cut short the girl’s hysterical screams. He stalked down the hallway with Kaleb walking at his side obediently. “I must say Kaleb, you are proving to be much more effective than I realized. Let us journey to the portal room and get you ready for your departure. It’s time to activate you and destroy this prophecy once and for all.”