Bound by blood and flame

Secrets in the Blood

Third Person POV

The next morning in South Raventon was unusually quiet.

Stephanie stood in front of her new school, Ashenflame Academy, her brows furrowed beneath her hoodie. "This better not be as creepy as the name," she muttered. The towering gates creaked open like something out of a gothic Netflix special. "Perfect."

She walked through the pristine hallways, grumbling about how much she hated moving, new places, and starting over. Then—

Thud. She bumped into someone again.

"Oh, you have got to be shitti—" Stephanie looked up.

Ethan. The mysterious mall boy, now hallway stalker.

"You again?" she snapped.

"You flatter yourself," Ethan replied coolly. "I've been in this school since forever. Maybe you're the one following me."

Stephanie narrowed her eyes. "Or maybe the universe is sick of you and wants me to knock some manners into that sculpted jawline."

Ethan's lip quirked into a smirk. "You think my jawline's sculpted? Careful, Shadow Girl. Sounds like you're falling for me."

Stephanie blushed furiously. "I'm falling—off a cliff maybe. Away from you." She turned sharply and stomped down the hallway.

Max sniffs the air and smells roses and fire. "It seems that she's our mate. She smells amazing I can barely contain myself." Lucian then sniffs the air and yells. "MATE!!!"

Ethan watched her go, the smirk lingering. Max chuckled in his mind. "Mate's got claws. I like her already." It seems like they knew she was already their mate and maybe they would accept her.

"I like her fire," Lucian added. And leaned back in Ethan's head thinking of ways to win their new found mate over.

But Red... stayed silent.

---

Stephanie made it through half the day before her phone buzzed.

Text from Mom:

> Come home now. Don't tell anyone. Bring Carmen and Leon. Urgent.

Her stomach dropped. She showed the text to Carmen and Leon, who nodded without question. They left mid-class.

At home, the house was locked down. Curtains drawn. Protective sigils glowing faintly.

"What the hell is going on?" Stephanie asked the moment they stepped in.

Chris and Amber Collins stood in the living room, grave-faced. Sophie paced the room like a storm cloud.

Amber sighed. "Steph, we never wanted this life for you. We wanted normal. But you're not..." She paused and looked at Chris.

Chris cut in gently. "You're not human, sweetheart."

Stephanie's laugh came out forced. "Oh good, so we're doing the Twilight scene now? What else do you wanna say that I'm an alien?"

"No jokes," Sophie snapped. "Steph, you're not just different. You're dangerous."

"Enough," Amber said. "You need the truth."

Then they told her.

How they found her bloodied and unconscious in a clearing near the West Raventon border when she was five. How her real mother had been slaughtered. How ancient symbols burned into her chest marked her as royal demon blood. How they had hidden her, lied, and pretended she was theirs.

Stephanie's face drained of color. "So... what am I?"

Amber stepped forward, took her hand. "You're not just a girl, Steph. You're the daughter of Lucifer. And a rare demon-wolf hybrid."

The room spun. Stephanie stumbled back. "No. No, that's insane."

Suddenly, Carmen and Leon stepped between her and the adults.

"Steph," Leon said gently, "we knew too and we're sorry."

"You what?!"

Leon flinched and took steps back.

Carmen winced. "We're werewolves. Beta-ranked. Our families knew yours. We were supposed to watch you from the start."

Stephanie's eyes filled with betrayal. "So everyone's just been lying to me."

The lights flickered. Her breath trembled. The air felt... heavy. She had to hold on to the chair handle to keep from falling.

That's when the glass shattered.

A blinding black smoke burst through the windows. Screeches echoed. Dozens of robed figures—masked, armed—flooded in.

Chris shouted, "Protect Stephanie!" but was struck in the chest by a bolt of dark magic.

Sophie grabbed Stephanie's arm, screaming, "Run!"

"No!" Stephanie cried, but Leon tackled her to the floor as Carmen shifted mid-air—her wolf form stunningly fast—and tore through two attackers.

The last thing Stephanie saw before she passed out was Sophie's terrified face being dragged through a portal.

---

She woke up gasping, in a dim, mossy cabin that smelled of herbs and earth.

"W-Where...?" she mumbled.

A cloaked man leaned forward from the shadows. His voice was low and controlled. "You're safe. For now."

Stephanie's eyes adjusted. His eyes... red as embers, yet ancient. Familiar. Powerful.

"I'm Lucien. Your brother."

She blinked. "My what?"

"Second son of Lucifer. Your protector."

"You mean I have a first brother?"

"Yes," Lucien said darkly. "His name is Azazel. And he's the reason your family was taken."

Stephanie's blood froze.

Lucien stood. "Azazel believes you're a threat to his future rule. He wants the throne of Hell, but prophecy says the Shadow of the Flame—you—must rise."

"And he'll kill me to stop that."

Lucien nodded. "Or worse... awaken your demon side by force."

---

Back in North Raventon, deep in the council chambers, the Supernatural Council gathered.

Vampire Lord Raegon slammed the table. "She was supposed to be dead! The demon girl!"

Werewolf Queen Selene replied coolly, "Clearly, we were misinformed."

Witch Elder Miras sighed. "Lucifer's line cannot be allowed to rule."

"But what if she's the one in the prophecy?" asked a fae.

"Then the realms are already doomed."

---

Meanwhile, Ethan stood at the forest edge, unable to shake the echo in his head. The girl's face. Her power. Her scent.

"She's close," Max whispered.

And then... he saw it. A flare of red on the horizon. Hellfire.

---

Stephanie stared into the mirror of the Witches' Cabin, hands trembling.

Her reflection rippled.

For a second, she saw her — the version with flaming hair, red eyes, and claws of shadow.

Lyrasia.

Her demon side.

And she shrieked.

Next thing she saw was the reflection moved. "Hi Steph I'm Lyrasia nice to meet you" She said as she smirked evilly.

"How're you doing that? Why are you evil? Why can't you just be normal? Why are you apart of me? I don't want you. How do I get rid of you. Get out! Get out! Get out!!!" She yelled as she crouched down on her knees and started crying.

The water rippled and her reflection turns back to normal not before it looks at her sadly.

---