The sound of voices drew my attention to the ceiling. My [Dark Sight] imbued eyes scanned the white, smooth surface—a major difference from the roughhewn, natural walls and floor.

I couldn't make out their words, but not because I couldn't hear them. The language sounded ancient, like Latin.

Use [Old Tongue]?

Straining to hear the words, I nodded, and instantly, the gobbledegook became sensible.

"The wolf who protects the Sword will be slain. The Land will be destroyed by the Knight's hand. The City will burn in flames. And the Ancient Dark Ones will rise from the Abyss."

I froze.

Out of the corner of my eye, I realized I wasn't alone in the chamber. A male and female vampire stared at me, wearing puzzled expressions. How had I missed them before? They each wore heavy, gray cloaks with hoods drawn. A yellow, flickering light emanated from two small, wooden torches held in their right hands.

I didn't dare move. But that didn't stop them. The male vampire stalked toward me, his left hand slowly rising to his hood. He pulled it back, exposing his smiling, fang-filled mouth. I sprang into action, calling up my transformation.

Nothing happened.

The male vampire laughed as he continued toward me. The female had also moved, circling to my left flank.

I tried again to transform, but it wasn't working.

"Trying to transform, wee cubby?" the male vampire asked. "Confused?"

"He's all alone with no pack," the female said, mockery heavy on her lips.

They kept stalking forward, never taking their eyes off me.

"It's the end for you, pup," he said. "I'm going to drown in your blood."

His eyes sparkled, a glint of something... magical.

"He's never been glamoured," the female said. "How quaint."

They both laughed.

Glamoured? Was this magic? I didn't know magic existed, let alone how to stop it.

It was then I realized I hadn't chosen to stand still. It wasn't my choice to remain frozen in place. They had me gripped in some kind of spell. The female vampire crept ever closer. They were smart. These were pack tactics. Something I'd have been ready for if Cleo had just talked to me clearly in what she called a dream. Instead, she'd sent me to die, here in the darkness, surrounded by bloodthirsty vampires.

My HUD remained unresponsive when I tried to transform, so I flipped through several other screens, looking for something to help me.

"You cannot resist us," the male said.

He was getting too close for comfort. Unable to move, I focused on my Stats and Abilities, desperate for anything that could help me. Unfortunately, nothing jumped out at me. Without my [Wolf] or [Werewolf] form, I was doomed.

"You want to run," the male vampire taunted.

"But you can't," the female finished.

He laughed as he edged closer, cloaks whispering around his ankles. But the female had stopped, remaining on the far side of the room, eyes locked on me. Was she the one keeping me from being able to transform?

The only option I saw in my Abilities that I could potentially use was [Sprint]. But that felt like a passive thing—just making me run faster. But what if I could somehow activate it?

I focused with everything I had in me.

Come on, move, Jude.

A burning fire tore through my body, and I bolted toward her.

"No!" the male shouted. "Bind him, Yessica!"

I could sense him behind me, but I kept true to my course. I was going to kill her... as a [Human]... with no powers.

I swore internally, the male's footsteps gaining on me.

I nearly reached the female vampire when she raised her hands and pointed them toward me. A stream of flames burst from her palms, slamming into me. Pain seared through my body as the fire ate away at my skin. It bubbled and roiled, blistering and I knew if I didn't do something, I would die.

The pain was so intense, I almost blacked out. I dropped to the floor and rolled until the fire went out.

POTENTIAL DANGER. ENTER [WEREWOLF] FORM?

I accepted my HUD's recommendation and felt my body begin to change. I waited until my skin and claws hardened before I sprang to my feet.

You have entered [Werewolf] form.

Then, with a backhand, I connected with the male, who had now caught up to me. He flew back, but I didn't stop to watch the fruit of my efforts. Instead, I spun and ran toward the female vampire.

She raised her hands once more, but I was too quick. Bringing my claws down on her hands, I sliced them clean off. She collapsed to the floor, and her body began to twist as it healed. Two new hands had already started to sprout from the stumps.

"You'll die for that, dog-scum!" the male barked as he stood and charged. The look in his eyes nearly made me run for cover. It was evil, demonic, violent, and I knew he was stronger than me. I couldn't turn in time to block his attack with my claws, so he knocked me to the floor. His boot came down on my chest and pinned me to the floor. He pressed down on me with all his considerable weight, but with my new inhuman strength, I quickly wrestled free and returned to my clawed feet.

But he didn't stop, didn't relent. He thrust forward, teeth bared to take another chunk out of my neck. I pushed him away and drove my forehead into his—headbutt with enough force to kill an ordinary man. He fell away, eyes spinning in their sockets. But the scowl on his face told me he wasn't done. Not yet. His skin was a dark green mottled with brown, like roots. Black hair, dark as an abyss, matched his eyes and looked like strands of moss.

He raised his hands and shouted a phrase not even my [Old Tongue] could translate. Coiling vines exploded from his palms, twisting and writhing in the air. I dived aside but still felt the sting of their thorns against my calf. Then, like the wolf I was, I bounded toward him on all fours and tackled him, landing in a roll on the opposite side before twirling to face him again.

He was up and on me in a second. I grabbed his head with both hands and tried to repeat my actions from the previous battle, but he broke free.

We stood across from each other, slowly circling. He was good. His next move was impossible to read.

"Your fear stinks," he said, his voice full of rasp and grit.

I backed away. He was right. I was afraid because I had no idea what to do.

He stalked forward, and I felt my back touch the wall. I was cornered, and he grinned as he advanced on me. But I held my ground, desperately trying to contrive a way out.

When he got within arm's distance, I swung my claws at him. I connected with his shoulder, cutting him deep, but he didn't seem fazed. Instead, he wrapped one of his arms around my waist and tossed me across the room.

I landed on my back and slid to a stop. The pain was so intense, I lost all sense of my surroundings. I must have blacked out, darkness filling my vision. Even my HUD had disappeared.

"Get up!" the male vampire yelled.

I had trouble focusing on the words. Even closed or in darkness, my eyes were blurry, and I tried to shake the cobwebs out of my head.

"I told you to get up, dog-scum!" he shouted again.

I heard his footsteps, felt his boot to my side. I grunted, tried to rise, but got kicked again.

I couldn't catch my breath. It felt like I was drowning, and I knew I had sustained severe internal damage.

"Don't look so glum, pup," the male vampire sneered. "Your life was forfeit the moment you stepped into our territory."

His voice seemed to come from a distance, garbled, muffled.

I pressed my eyes shut, blinked, and a slight orange blur appeared. I centered my attention on my [Intellect], unsure how it was truly used. All I knew was last time I needed it, answers came to me.

I glanced around, the room spinning. The female, fully healed, stood and rolled her head to crack her neck. Suddenly, she came into crystalline focus. Not just her, but specifically, her outstretched hands.

"That hurt like hell," she said.

I was standing now but wobbly on my feet. I could sense the male behind me, but I focused on the female's hands.

Two things happened at once: the male pushed off the ground—I couldn't see him, but I sensed him. Secondly, the female, Yessica, sent forth a pillar of flames.

On instinct, I jumped straight upward as high as my hind legs would propel me. I heard a loud, violent shriek. When I landed, the fire had stopped, and the male was on the ground, shielding his face, entirely engulfed by Yessica's fire magic.

She screamed in protest. "Nooooo!"

An orange-red flame consumed the male vampire's corporeal form as he burst into dust.

"You vile beast!" Yessica screeched and rushed forward.

I leaped over her as she passed, landing in a crouch, facing toward her.

She was strong and fast, able to redirect herself with no apparent problem. I stepped away from her and tried to focus on my surroundings.

Her rage-filled cries echoed through the chamber. Then, she stopped, and that magical glint entered her eyes again. I felt my body returning to [Human] form.

"Not so tough when you're in your true form, are you?" she quipped.

But then I remembered there were three forms. With a concentrated effort of will, I reached the mid-stage and stopped the reversal.

You have entered [Wolf] form.

I stood on all fours, growling.

I'd never fought like this before, but it would be better than facing her as a [Human].

"You've already lost," she said.

I scurried toward her and jumped at the last second, passing over her and crashing into the ground. Pain shot through my jaw as I slammed into the floor. I grunted but managed to stay steady.

As she raised her hands to cast another spell, I zigzagged toward her and crashed down with my front paws, knocking her off her feet.

With the spell disrupted, I focused my efforts on her throat, biting and tearing until no skin or bone was left.

I fell over in exhaustion, panting and covered in blood.

You have reached Level 4 [Werewolf] - Cub!]

You have found [Vampiric Dust]

I willed the notification away as I slipped back to [Human] form, knowing the transformation would heal any injuries I'd sustained.

You have returned to [Human] form.

My whole body ached. Two vampires had almost been enough to kill me.

What had I gotten myself into? I cursed myself while I caught my breath.

In the fight, I'd nearly forgotten about the voices coming from above.

I needed to get out of there, get home, and possibly forget all of this if I could. I stood and started back in the direction I'd entered.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," a voice from behind me said.