The Blood Rose Lady

Avril Arke's whole body was definitely aching.

"Anaztasia and I never knew that the Death Summoners are more powerful than we thought."

He then holds his chest as the elemental werewolf Vesta continues to heal his deep wounds. "Death Summoners?"

Avril then candidly looked at Rozelyn's emerald eyes before replying, "Death Summoners are the spawns of the vicious entity that only goes by the name of the Blood Mistress. We never knew her real name. We even doubt that the Blood Mistress is only one person, to be honest."

The Blood Mistress. Rozelyn remembered that name being mentioned by her father's words in his journal.

Beware of her whose middle name is Vendetta

The Blood Mistress will never stop in conquering the earth

She's as fast and ferocious like a cheetah

Her name will forever bleed for she is the evil rebirth.

Her father, despite being a man of science, loves to write poetically. The poem-message that her father left her, made Rozelyn's migraine linger again in its epic comeback.

She shook her head in that reminiscence. Indeed, her father has hundreds of messages left unspoken. Perhaps she should read as well the other six journals and diaries Eku left in his former study.

"Miss Thaumaturge," Vesta's sweet voice pulls her attention back to the recent situation.

"I guess you should use your healing powers to heal our Alpha's Luna here," the red-haired werewolf's pleading words resonated in Rozelyn's ears.

***

"Thank you for healing me, Roz," Anaztasia's words of gratitude almost made her burst in tears.

She never knew that they've been creatures of the night after all. Rozelyn cannot believe that she and her best friend have been hiding their bloody secrets all along.

"So..." Rozelyn then sighed before facing her turquoise-eyed best friend, "We've been life-siphoning entities residing beneath a lovely girl's complexion for quite a time, I guess."

Anaztasia averted her gaze away from the Thaumaturge.

"Some things strictly follow the cycle of give-and-take, Rozelyn. There is no conjuring something from nothing. There is always a giver and a receiver," she expressed genuinely amidst the existing crown of thorns surrounding her heart. Being supernaturally blessed and eternally cursed have somehow made one's heart as spiky and thorny as a red rose.

'Do you think I wished to be a furred monster?'

Anaztasia's questioning thought resonates in Rozelyn's mind.

'You knew I can read minds, huh?"

Ana scowled and verbally countered, "As soon as the word of the existence of the contemporary Thaumaturge has disseminated, I knew that Romaine is referring to you."

"I'm an Empath Werewolf, Roz. Amongst my abilities is that I can read minds as well as feel and manipulate emotions. When you were sixteen, I already sensed that you're not just an ordinary vampire. Yes, I know that you're a vampire then, but I've made an oath to Romaine that I will never tell you that. In terms of topics like that, it's best if your own family will be the one to inform you. You are more capable of things than what you constantly thought, Rozelyn. Use your abilities wisely," she added then glanced at her for the last time before trailing behind Avril.

"Now that the commotion has been attended to, let us continue the Housewarming Ceremony," Hemera commanded and the audience willingly obliged.

She pointed to the second group, in which Romaine is one of the members.

A young lady, whose profound beauty was emphasized through her blonde hair and baby blue eyes, stepped forward. Her clothes tell Rozelyn that the woman is apparently a werewolf. "Greetings, Thaumaturge! I am Candice Churchill. The sixth of the Irish pack and an Astral werewolf. I am the leader of the Astrals, also known as the Dreamwalkers."

Candice then greeted in the formal werewolf way. The other members, including Romaine, did the same.

In a heartbeat, the ballroom was no longer in its original appearance again.

Hundreds of fireflies and glowing images swarm the entire place. There are two winged fishes floating and a blazing phoenix flying in the area.

The illusions seem to continue multiplying and leaping around the spectators.

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In a click of the Astrals' fingers, the images and scenery halted. It felt like the whole world ceased and froze. But, upon looking at the swaying branches outside the gigantic room, Rozelyn immediately realized that it was only the illusions that abruptly stopped.

It was Romaine who spoke this time.

"We are the Astral vampires and werewolves. Dreamwalkers as what our fellow vampires and werewolves call us. We are the primary mind-readers of our breed. We can look into the mind and read the thoughts of both mortals and night creatures alike—except the Empaths and Thaumaturge. We also cast illusions and hypnotize mortals, as well as manipulate memories and dreams."

Rozelyn seems to be a bit bothered on why Romaine didn't tell her firsthand about the vampire and werewolf types. At least on occasions like these, she wouldn't gaped for the entire duration of this ceremony. Nonetheless, she enjoyed the introductory session and meet-and-greet of her fellow bloodsucking and flesh-devouring companions.

They all then bowed and the third group followed. Then the fourth, the fifth, the sixth, the seventh, and lastly the eighth group in which Cyrill is a part of.

***

Rozelyn learned a bunch of things about her fellow vamps and wolfies. Romaine told her that they'll be sleeping in this manor since tomorrow is the Housewarming party that will be held on the back part of this establishment. Her stepmom said that there are nine huge pools and a 21-foot man-made waterfall behind.

'Sounds good and refreshing hmm', Rozelyn smiled at that thought.

Finally she can see her Cyrill half-naked in the least. And the latter can also witness her voluptuous incomparable hour-glass body.

'I'll make sure that Cy will give in to sudden release'

She reminded her feminine self. Even the mortal Eoghan was captivated by her glamorous beauty, how much more the beta werewolf Cyrill.

Nevertheless, at least now Rozelyn knew the eight different vampires and werewolves aside from a Thaumaturge.

She learned earlier that Shapeshifters cannot only shapeshift to animals but also duplicate other people's faces.

In fact, she burst into a boisterous laugh when the newly-healed alpha Avril shape-shifted into Cyrill-but a Cyrill with long luscious hair and huge breasts and an immensely curvy hips.

Cyrill just rolled his eyes and crossed his arms when his best friend was literally wearing his face in a humorous enhanced appearance.

Rozelyn also was quite surprised that Elementals can actually heal others as well. She witnessed Vesta heal Avril using her fire powers when the alpha popped in unexpectedly, covered in wounds and bruises. She also learned that Elementals have the power to block the Makarians' deadly abilities.

She also learned that Empaths can block their mind-that's why an Astral cannot read an Empath. Empath cannot also read a Thaumaturge's mind, unless the latter willingly obliged. Empaths can also negate others' powers except for a Thaumaturge.

Linguist vampires and werewolves have also shocked her. The Linguists, just like Astrals, can hypnotize anyone with words. She witnessed Queenie Forster, Avril's third, hypnotize Cyrill to dance a Macarena.

Rozelyn again burst into a deafening cackle.

She also beheld the lethal powers of the Makarians.

Makarians can kill mortals by a single touch. They can also inflict great pain to vampires and werewolves, either through touch or gaze. They also possess shield magic, but their magic cannot last long when shielding from a Thaumaturge. And Rozelyn, though she's still in an 'identity crisis', was somehow grateful that she was blessed by the Blood Rose's gifts.

Given a luxurious chamber due to her vampire status as a Thaumaturge, she undoubtedly lulled herself into a good night's sleep in a king-size and purple-colored bed.

***

Cyrill was in apparent shame and awkwardness. He even thought that Rozelyn probably somehow conspired with their fellow companions.

'Well, she's a Thaumaturge. Perhaps she also hypnotized them with her abilities.'

Cyrill unwittingly thought. To be honest, he's not wrong. But, he's not also right about that either.

'No...it's impossible. Rozelyn will never do that...but it's not impossible either. For heaven's sake, women are indeed difficult to decipher.'

Cyrill seemed to be having his first ever internal monologue. He was somehow influenced as well by his stepmom's step daughter's iconic personal soliloquy.

As he stared beyond the window pane and into the twinkling midnight stars above, Cyrill conversed with his inner self undisputed.

'I wish I could someday...someday voice out these sentiments that I've been holding for so long. I don't know how long I can endure and block my mind from her powerful radar. But, I swear to my werewolf heart and into the heavenly vast blanket above, I will soon vocalize my feelings to her."

And then his snoring is the only music that radiates in his private chamber.