ONE,        the suns falls into darkness

    HIMARI ABE WAS never one to challenge the heavens for she was a devoted believer. She did not question why the sun, moon, and stars were aligned faultlessly with our galaxy to bring humanity their sunny days and cold nights nor did she question the beauty of nature, the essence of life itself, because if she challenged then that would mean she'd have to face the truth -the evil plaguing this beautiful earth, she means- and she was not quite ready to accept such a sad reality. She would much rather live in her own mind where everything seemed to be serene, no burden of what the world might be if she were to fail.

Playing naive was a game she was very good at. She'd perfected it by the time she reached eighteen, but she couldn't act blindly anymore. Not when great responsibility was laid upon her shoulders. She was twenty-one now and she'd soon have to break that barrier of childish, false notions that clouded her judgment about how good and pure she believed mankind to be because unfortunately, it was nothing like that. The world was cruel, unforgiving, and tragic. While it was hard to accept like most things were, Himari could not ignore what was right in front of her and that was the creatures bound to the sun that continued to roam about in this world. It was unnatural. They were unnatural. She felt the imbalance in nature grow every time another was created.

The world was continuously being infected and there was only one person to blame.

Himari never spoke of her. She was a waste of breath and brought shame to all witches. She was the witch responsible for centuries' worth of deaths by going against the laws of nature (that were built to prevent future harm) and create vampires- they were called the originals. The first to survive off of blood. And now they will be the cause of what Himari will become all because that woman couldn't handle the loss of a loved one.

Himari could only spare so much pity for that family, especially the hybrid, before the bodies of innocent people piled up and they continued to grow even more dangerous over the years. She couldn't find it in herself to care anymore. That's why she didn't mind becoming a weapon of destruction. Truthfully, she viewed it as a blessing if anything- what could be more honorable than taking down one of nature's biggest threats?

She would carry this gift, which would soon be hers, with such pride, and honor those who have failed to put an end to all the bloodshed they've caused. That was her only purpose in life. That's all she was ever taught.

She didn't care for mortal affairs such as love, she didn't have plans beyond being what was expected of her. It was sad to admit and Himari couldn't lie and say it wouldn't have been nice to live without the burden of proving herself to her family and ancestors but the last thing she ever wanted was to be a disappointment. Especially, in her brother's eyes.

"Are you feeling nervous at all?" Junpei asked as he glanced down at his sister who was in deep thought for obvious reasons. 

Himari rose her head at the sound of Junpei's voice to meet his soft gaze, he walked alongside her as they both made their way to the nearest river to bring back water for their temple.

"I'm alright." She forced a smile to reassure him, "Promise."

By the look of skepticism on his face, the girl knew he didn't believe her. Junpei knew Himari like the back of his hand so there was no point in lying yet she did it anyway.

They continued to walk in silence, the damp ground beneath them making a weird sound each time either of them took a step forward- it had been raining for the last four days and all night yesterday but thankfully just before the morning came, it had stopped which was perfect.

For one, that meant that the river would be overflowing with more water and they could finally retrieve some of it back to their temple.

Secondly, her coven needed the rain to stop if the ritual was going to work because later tonight there would be a lunar eclipse, and those brought blood moons which were different from regular full moons. Blood moons provided a source of great power that her coven would be able to use and manipulate in their favor.

You see, full moons only provided power for such things as thousand-year-old curses or if someone were trying to bring back the dead. Her people needed more than that. They needed Himari to be more powerful than all supernatural creatures combined. A gun with unlimited ammo.

"You know it's okay, right?" Junpei mumbles, breaking the silence, his voice sounding a bit low almost as if he were scared to get on his sister's bad side for bringing up the topic again. "If you're nervous, I mean."

"I already told you I'm not."

"But if you are then it's completely fine. Honestly, if I were in your position I think I'd be shaking in fear right now." He jests, putting an arm around her. The wooden bucket in his hand hits the girl unintentionally.

Himari shrugged him off immediately in an annoyed manner. "And I thank the stars it's me instead of you because as you've said you wouldn't be able to handle it."

"I didn't say like that."

"No, you implied it, or did I mistake your words for bravery which we both know you lack?"

Junpei dramatically put a hand on top of his heart pretending to be hurt by her words. "Now you're just being mean, sister."

"That is my job." She proceeded to walk ahead, a pleased expression on her face as she left her brother to his dramatics. Though she'd never admit it out loud, Junpei was right and she hated it. She was nervous and for good reason. So many things could go wrong; the ritual wouldn't work, their ancestors could change their minds about her being worthy, or worse she'd receive the gift and fail miserably. That's the last thing she needed.

Her family had been insufferable ever since they received the news that their daughter would be a vessel to the Kitsune. From then on they breathed down her back, constantly putting pressure on her. And although they went through such annoying lengths to make sure Himari was a good little witch and preserved her magic until it was time- the girl was grateful for them. She really was. She knew their actions were purely out of love and she adored them for it but sometimes it could be too much. Still, she would do everything she could to make them proud.

"Why don't you take both of our buckets over there and collect the water we need?" Himari suggests to him, pointing over in the direction of the river.

Junpei followed her gesture as he squinted his eyes and titled his head. "What will you be doing while I'm doing all the heavy lifting?"

"I'll be searching for strychnos nux-vomica."

"Um..."

"It's a plant, you idiot." The girl tells him, and when catching the dazed expression beginning to unfurl on his face it prompted her to explain further. "It's for Ma. She said it's crucial for tonight? Were you not listening?"

In honesty, Junpei shook his head. "I stopped listening after the woman called my name."

Himari rolled her eyes, sighing, and began to walk away and deeper into the forest. "I'm going to go searching for some and you should go do your part before we leave. Don't hurt yourself, dear brother."

"My part? You're hilarious. Really. I never agreed to this- hey!" Junpei tries to argue but his sister was already gone.

Himari blocked out her brother's calls halfway into her little journey. She was on the hunt. She was focused as ever. Her eyes ricocheted carefully from tree to tree in search of these special plants that her mother insisted she retrieve. Himari wondered what was so special about them- why the urgent need for them? It seemed as if she came back empty-handed then chaos would rise. She tried doing some research of her own but to her surprise, there was no information in any of the books she read. She even checked in her grimoires to see if the plants were used in spells and again; nothing.

It was strange to say the say least. A part of the girl worried about the necessity of these plants while questions began to fill up her head; the main one pushed its way to the front: Was it to be used tonight? That alone scared her for the simple fact that she knew absolutely nothing of the effects it would have on her and she hated it. Though she knew her mother would never put her in harm's way she couldn't help but be fearful.

An orange-looking plant caught her attention as the unnerving feeling continued to consume her little by little. Unmindfully, she approached the tree in seconds. It wasn't as tall as she imagined it to be, she examined it closely before reaching her hand out to pick the Strychnine. The narrow branch decorated with fruit snapped effortlessly in half in her grip. A curious look fell upon Himari's face as she stared at the plant resting in her hands. They became heavy, almost hard to carry, just like the thought of what would occur tonight.

All she could do was wait and use her time wisely before the moon blessed them with its power. With one last glance at the fruit, she turned on her heels and began to walk back to the river.

Her journey was short and while approaching the moving waters Himari could sense something wasn't right. Junpei was nowhere in sight and the buckets were left unattended with only one filled halfway which meant something drawled his attention away from his task. Warily, she looked around as the awful feeling of trepidation crawled up her spine causing a trapdoor of emptiness to open in her gut. Junpei was gone. Where he could run off to? She had no idea. Now, Himari was not fearful of many things, in fact, she considered herself brave in most situations. But in this particular circumstance, she felt her heart sink.

At first, she thought it had to be one of his little annoying pranks, which she found amusing, only sometimes, but after her eyes searched around frantically and she waited and waited for him to emerge from behind one of the trees, she knew something was wrong. She was scared. A feeling that was very foreign to her. Without a second thought, she went running to find him.

"Jun?" Himari called his name loudly into the vast forest to only be answered with echoes of her own trembling voice in return. "This isn't funny!"

She narrowed her eyes as if it would help make her vision better, carefully looking around- there was nothing but miles of trees and a river that stretched forever. Her breath had quickened when she didn't see or hear any sign of him anywhere. She couldn't run back to her temple and worry her people because what if was one of Junpei's little pranks? She didn't want to cause a scene.

An absurd thought prickled the back of her head. Use your magic. Though she hated the idea, it seemed like the only plausible solution. Himari could already hear her parents screaming at her for this. That was a problem for another time. Right now she needed to really concentrate on her surroundings so she closed her eyes and began to mumble a string of Japanese words under her breath.

A blood-curdling scream filled the atmosphere.

She didn't recognize it. It wasn't her brother's yet the scream itself gave Himari goosebumps, it filled her with so much terror but even in fear, she immediately ran to where it came from. She didn't care if it was a stranger- what she did care about was what would happen if she didn't get there on time. The innocent person could be as good as dead for all she knows. Unconsciously, her pace quickened at the thought.

She felt as if she were running for miles and still, no sign of her brother or the other person. Then, she heard faint sobs and she halted. They sounded like they belonged to a young girl, they were much different from the scream she heard earlier. The question is: why would a girl be out here by herself? It seemed like a dangerous notion to pursue.

Himari approached the scene and there Junpei was. Alive and well. A breath of relief escaped the girl's lips as she blinked away salty tears.

"Jun, are you alright? Whose scream did I hear?" She queried in a worried tone. There was no response. He stood there motionless and her face twisted with confusion. That's when she took notice of the cries again and curiosity got the best of her as she walked to her brother's side. He remained still and his gaze lingered on whatever was in front of him. 

It was just like Himari predicted, there was a girl. Besides the fact that she appeared worn out and tired, her mouth was stained with blood. It slowly dripped down her chin and onto her clothing- a dead body lying beside her. She was a vampire. It was so obvious. Himari never thought she'd encounter one this soon and for once in her life, she was speechless.

The foreigner sat there crying about the mess she's made. One thing the witch did notice was how forced her cries sounded- almost as if the vampire were trying to gain some sort of pity from them or trick them into thinking she feels remorse. It made Himari suspicious.

"I didn't mean to- I didn't mean to kill him. I've just been running for so long and-"

"What's your name?" Himari cut the vampire off, her voice taking this soft tone that in a way seemed completely harmless.

Junpei knew his sister not to be so kind to other supernatural creatures apart from her species. She was far from harmless. She swore to him the second she was to ever come face to face with her first vampire that she'd kill them. So he was confused at how calm his sister was being at the moment- he couldn't fathom why she'd waste her breath trying to get information but he remained quiet. He trusted her with whatever decision she chose.

"Katerina..." She answered, hoping that'd be enough but to her dismay, the witch's friendly demeanor had changed- she had an aloof stare that was daunting. "My name is Katerina Petrova."

Petrova? Where had she heard of it before? It sounded so familiar. She glanced at her brother hoping he'd remember- he merely shrugged.

"And why were you running, Katerina?" Himari asked, crouching down in front of her. "No, wait I have a better question: who were you running from?"

Katerina gulped, her body stiffened at the tense proximity between them. And she wasn't sure if it had to do with the fact that Himari shined with raw beauty. The witch's brown eyes were alluring in ways the vampire couldn't quite explain, almost entrancing like the Chesire smile she wore that sparked curiosity in Katerina as a familiar feeling bubbled in her chest. One she knew all too well.

With being so close, Katerina couldn't help but notice the necklace Himari wore around her neck. It was gold. The tail of a fox holding it together and the face keeping a red jewel in place. It was beautiful. It also gave Katerina the confirmation that she has met the future vessel of the Kitsune. 

The vampire turned away. "I'm not running from anyone... not anymore at least."

"Not anymore you say? How curious. So can I ask the reason for this then?" Himari questioned, pointing at the dead body. "Did you decide to celebrate and feed on an innocent person because you finally escaped whoever was searching for you? Is that right? You were so excited that you couldn't help it, could you? Or Am I wrong? Though I rarely am because it is in your nature to do so. That's what vampire's like you do."

Katerina flinched at her words, they were laced with such contempt. She couldn't understand how someone could appear so nice but spit venom at the same time. The vampire didn't expect the soon-to-be Kitsune's hatred to extend to all vampires. If she knew she would've never stepped foot in Japan.

"It appears I'm not wanted here. I'll leave then."

"But you came all this way," Himari says, her expression mimicking sadness. Then in a split-second, vague puzzlement took over as she finally took notice of the awful, broken English accent. "You're not from here either which means you're a long way from home and that leads me to ask again, who are you running from? What's got you so scared to return home?"

"If I say who you'll just tell me to leave. I'll spare myself the time and leave now."

"Ah, so you are still running. Why'd you have to lie the first time I asked?" Himari tilted her head and for a moment she didn't say anything. She just stared with her eyebrows narrowed in as if she were trying to figure out the doe-eyed stranger. Then she smiled and before Katerina could speak the witch had gotten up leaving the vampire to swallow her next words. "Mhm. No matter. I can see how frightened you are and who are we as do-gooders to turn our backs when it's so obvious you need our help, right, brother?"

She threw her brother a look practically asking him to play along.

"That's right. What kind of man would I be to dismiss a pretty face like yours?" The boy said charmingly while his sister fought the urge to roll her eyes. "Unless, of course, you deny us? You must've come all the way to Japan for another reason other than running, correct?"

Katerina was caught off guard by the sudden switch of attitude towards her, especially from the girl, who had thrown many hints that she wasn't particularly fond of vampires. Katerina eyed both of them warily as she listened to their steady heartbeats. Though she was unsure of their intentions she still nodded.

Himari could sense her reluctance to accept their help. Nonetheless, she was pleased to see that Katerina agreed.

"Well then let's get a move on, shall we? Ma and pa will have our heads if we get back any later." Junpei offers Katerina a hand helping her off the dewy ground.

Himari turns away to walk back in the direction of the river, the gears in her head spinning rapidly trying to figure out where she heard the last name "Petrova". It seemed to stem from some European language but which one? She wasn't sure. She'd ask her mother as soon as they returned. Another question pricked her mind: Who was Katerina running from? Surely it had to be someone powerful enough to have this sort of effect on her.

They forced her to travel across the continent just to escape them. The idea alone seemed troublesome. She couldn't imagine herself running from anyone no matter how stronger or powerful they were compared to her.

"Wait, what are your names?" The vampire asked, speeding up to catch up to them. "You know mine it's only fair I know yours."

"I'm Himari and that's Junpei." The witch tells her. "You can trust us to keep you safe."

Liar. That's all Himari was at moment. The minute Katerina revealed her identity to them the witch's curiosity was piqued. It was a dangerous game and she wouldn't stop until she figured out who exactly Katerina Petrova was. Why was she so important that she needed to be hunted down? What did she do? Glancing over at the mysterious newcomer, She's sure the puzzle pieces would fall into place soon. If not, Himari would pick Katerina apart like the petals on roses until she got answers that satisfied her.

"Well, what are we to do with the body? Don't you think someone will find it eventually?" Katerina queried. Himari could almost sense a hint of worry in her voice.

"We're in the deepest parts of the woods, dear, fortunately for you by the time anyone finds the body it'll be all bones. The maggots will have a feast this evening thanks to you," Junpei jokes, and Katerina couldn't help but smile at him.

"You knew that already," Himari states.

"I'm sorry?"

"I mean why else would you be so far into the middle of nowhere? I'd assume you aren't familiar with these grounds, yet something tells me otherwise." 

Katerina felt her jaw clench but instantly she got her temper under control. Play nice. "I don't follow." Her voice mocked confusion as she spoke.

"It's just all seems a bit premeditated, wouldn't you agree?" Himari hums, innocently.

She was well aware of the fact that she was questioning someone, who has shown only timidness, of their intentions. Opposite of what she believed vampires truly acted like. Maybe she was coming off too strong and there's still a chance that she was wrong about Katerina being somebody valuable to their coven- for all Himari knows the vampire could be completely useless. But the witch always trusted her instincts and they have yet to fail her so why stop listening to them now? She had to remember to string Katerina along until everything fell into place. She'd have to put aside her hatred for vampires so nothing goes wrong.

"You know what? Forget what I said," Himari apologizes. "That was incredibly rude of me to assume- You see I've been a little on edge lately due to... Things you wouldn't be able to understand though you can't blame me for being wary of your kind considering your history, can you?" The witch's face remained emotionless, though her words wobbled as if she were about to burst into tears.

Katerina couldn't quite read Himari- the witch's face was turned away from them so she didn't know if the girl was being sincere with her emotions and that sparked annoyance in the vampire. Even the way Himari walked ahead of them was some sort of act of preeminence in the eyes of Katerina.

"No, I cannot." That was all the Petrova doppelgänger could say. Himari gave no further explanation for her previous words just silence. 

The walk back from the river was completely silent, well, on Himari's end. Her brother, however, couldn't help but make conversation with Katerina. The witch was not sure if it had to do with the vampire's natural beauty- perhaps it was her innocent doe eyes that hypnotized him in some way or his act of kindness extended from simple curiosity. Either way, Himari did not care. She had no interest in becoming friends with the likes of a creature such as hers or any other supernatural creature that wasn't a witch, though that didn't mean she couldn't pretend.

You must know your enemy. That's what her mother always said and she would do just that.

It seemed immoral of Himari to seek deeper for things to use against Katerina but whatever past she seemed to be running from the witch needed to know. She needed to be two steps ahead all the time especially when it came to vampires. Even werewolves.

She didn't want to be on the opposite side- the one of death. She would not allow herself to be the one with fangs sunk into her neck as they drained every ounce of blood from her body and she became nothing but an empty soul. She couldn't. The thought of being defeated that early on struck fear in Himari and that is why she would figure out all Katerina's secrets whether she liked it or not.

She'd dig into the vampire's mind and pry out every single memory if she has to. 

Besides, was it so wrong of her to want to survive? To keep her family and coven safe from anything that might put them in danger? Granted bringing the vampire back to their temple was risky but as soon as Himari learned who was after Katerina with the help of her parents, she'd send the foreigner on her way. That's the plan.

The shape of red buildings in the distance caught Himari's attention. Her heart began to beat out of her chest at the possibility that her parents would punish her for bringing Katerina anywhere near their people but she had to remind herself as long as she explained the reason for her reckless actions that they'd understand. She hoped at least.

The witch inhaled sharply before halting and turning around to face Katerina and Junpei, who seemed to be having a rather lovely conversation. Of what? She didn't care to ask.

"You're all cleaned up, right? No blood on you or anything?" Himari asked, quickly scanning the girl in front of her.

Katerina nodded. "Yes, your brother helped me make sure of it."

"Perfect. Now I do hope you can control yourself around my people considering they are all humans because I will not hesitate to kill-"

"What she means to say is try really hard to be on your best behavior," Junpei interrupts. "Keep those pesky urges under control, yeah?"

"I can control myself you don't have to worry about me hurting anyone. I promise. I would never dream of doing such a thing- not after you've shown me this much kindness." Katerina tells them, her doe eyes switching between the two. 

Himari felt a pang of guilt hit her while listening to the girl- she almost felt bad for what she was about to do without her knowing. Keyword: almost. What the siblings have shown the vampire was false compassion, in a way you could call it an act of deceit- which was very wrong of them but the witch told herself it was for a good reason so she brushed off the strange feeling.

With a quick nod from Himari, the three of them continued walking, and as they got closer to the village the witch's nerves began to grow. She could list about a thousand things that could go wrong. They approached their parents -Ama and Tatsuo Abe- who had been waiting by the entrance, their furious expressions caused both siblings to gulp dramatically.

Himari and Junpei bowed as Katerina stood there confused at their nervous demeanors but before the parents could speak the boy cut in.

"It's Himari's fault for our long absence! Please do not blame me."

The girl let out a gasp.

"For good reason! Ma, Pa, listen to me, the girl came to us asking for our help." Himari explained, lifting her a bit to meet her parent's gaze. "She's a vampire-"

"How reckless can you be?" The woman shouted in their native tongue, making her daughter flinch. "Do you wish to harm our people?"

Himari expected this sort of reaction from them so didn't know why she was shocked by their anger. It was justified. She wished they'd just let her speak to avoid this conversation from becoming a screaming match.

"No! I would never." The girl shook her head. "Can I... Can I talk to you guys? In private? Please?"

Her voice sounded so desperate and she prayed her parents would catch on to her urgency.

Katerina remained silent throughout this whole confrontation hearing the way the witch's heartbeat quickened in the presence of her parents. She had no clue what they were saying and it made the vampire grow wary at the switch of languages. She was among people who despised her entire being, which made her feel cornered. She was alone and like always she'd have to have her own back. But maybe, just maybe, she could rely on Himari. She didn't come all the way to Japan for nothing.

The doppelgänger has heard the tales of the great Kitsune- she was there when Klaus mercilessly killed the previous holder; It was a tragic scene to witness Katerina couldn't lie. And after finding out what the Hybrid wanted from her, she had to do something. Katerina thought by turning herself into a vampire that he wouldn't want her anymore, that she would finally be free from his psychotic intentions, but her choices only angered him.

That's exactly why she ran like hell. This is why she's here to get help even if they wanted nothing to do with her. She believed she played "the scared, newly turned vampire" part well. Though Himari didn't say anything she saw right through her facade which put a kink in Katerina's plan of earning their trust. Himari's trust. She needed to play nice or she would be good as dead by the end of the night. She was right to be so fearful because Klaus was never too far behind and wherever he was people were bound to have their blood splatter on the ground. Katerina was well aware of this, and as long as it wasn't hers, she did not care.

She's a survivor after all.

The vampire watched Himari and Ama, who Katerina shared a glance with, and she could hear the rapidness of her heart before they both disappeared into one of the buildings leaving the newcomer in the company of Junpei and Tatsuo.

Himari knew the second she informed her mother of what Katerina had told her then the anger would fade. So as soon as they entered...

"She says her last name is Petrova, Ma. Katerina Petrova." Himari spits out in a hurry as she turned to face her mother who was right behind her. "I've heard you speak of it with Pa before and it sounded important so I thought I'd bring her here. Please don't be angry with me."

The woman raised a hand signaling her to stop talking. "I'm far from angry. I knew what she was the second you brought the girl here. I could sense it."

Himari narrowed her eyebrows as she looked at Ama walking past, her face held no trace of anger unlike before. To say the girl was confused was an understatement.

"She is important. She's a Petrova doppelgänger, you see. The Petrova bloodline goes back thousands of years, all the way to biblical times. The surname originates from Bulgaria and it was the same bloodline used to create the first vampires ever. The originals- a name in which you've become very familiar with. In return, our ancestors created the Kitsune to fight back against the imbalance those creatures have caused. Though the past spirits have failed I have faith you'll succeed. Now more than ever because you'll be stronger with the help of Katerina. A true force to be reckoned with."

The girl grew a bit excited, like a child being given candy, at the thought of becoming stronger. She didn't know if feeling like this was in some way greedy or if it would be too much for her to handle once the power was actually passed down to her. Either way, the minor details didn't matter. All that was important to her was to be better than the Kitsune's former vessels. She had to be. But then something dawned on her; Katerina was a vampire. She was of no use to them if she was no longer mortal. 

"Ma, she isn't human anymore..." Himari recalls, tilting her head. That excitement from before fading.

"That won't be a problem," Ama says, her voice holding so much confidence that Himari couldn't help but admire. "We're not going to sacrifice her... we just need her blood. It's crucial."

"All of it?"

"Just enough for the magic to work."

Again Himari felt that guilt from earlier resurfacing. The feeling itself was small yet present in the back of her mind of the fact that Katerina might not make it out alive if she was to be a part of the ritual tonight; though the other part of Himari, the very dominant and larger part didn't feel any sort of mercy for the vampire. Was it truly so wrong of her coven to use another person for their personal gain?

It all depends on who you ask.

A soft touch on the girl's face brought her out of her dazed state. It didn't quite feel the same as the previous times. Her mother's touch felt different. Her hands were slightly shaky for some reason, it was strange. Himari never thought Ama to be an anxious person but there's something in her eyes telling the young girl otherwise.

Ama's hand rested on Himari's cheek as she looked down at her daughter with such tenderness and hopefulness that she'd succeed. The woman would make sure of it if it's the last thing she does. Ama was well aware of how much pressure her daughter was under. The eyes of every coven member watching her every move was bound to make anyone scared of failing but the woman knew Himari wouldn't bring embarrassment to their family. Ever.

When Ama removed her hand Himari grew a bit sad at the loss of contact. The young girl watched as her mother brought her other hand up revealing a ring- a silver band wrapped around lapis lazuli gemstone. It was pretty. Fit for a small finger. It was for Katerina.

Himari met Ama's smiling eyes. "You want to give her it? Why? Isn't it dangerous?" 

"We need her blood. You can't expect her to just give it to us without some sort of trade-off." Her mother explained. The girl didn't know what to say and her silence prompted Ama to continue. "Do not worry. The witch who spells it can also de-spell it. I leave that task to you, dear. You've got until the moon rises."

At first, Himari didn't quite understand her mother's intentions. Why not just take her blood by force? Why be nice and offer Katerina a daylight ring of all things? Why make it easier for her to kill? But then when Ama told her she could de-spell the ring at any given time, she realized it was a trick. An act of deceit. Something that came naturally to the young witch.

Himari took the ring from her mother's palm bringing it up close to her umber eyes, twisting it in the dull light hanging above her. "So I de-spell it after the ritual?"

The woman nodded.

"And what if she doesn't agree then what, Ma? Do I force her or just kill her? Is that the plan?" Ama chuckled softly as if what Himari said was humorous. It wasn't. Ama began to walk to the door of their small home. She now had her back to her daughter before speaking.

"Let's hope it doesn't result in that for Katerina's sake." There was a beat of silence. "But if things don't go as planned you have my permission to make Katerina choke on her blood."

The door closed leaving Himari standing alone in the middle room. Her mother's words struck excitement for the possibility that she might get to kill her first vampire if the plan were to fail but also fear for the simple fact that Katerina could kill her if she wasn't smart about how to manipulate her words or how to even introduce this absurd idea to the vampire. Regardless of the mixture of emotions stirring through her body right now, a smirk grew on the witch's lips as she continued to stare at the silver ring in between her fingers. She held it with such delicateness while her umber eyes shimmered with mischief at the thought of picking Katerina apart and prying information from her.

It was only a matter of time before the moon rose and then the ritual wound commence. One that would sentence Himari to a life of immortality. It was a bit worrisome for her to think about the multiple outcomes tonight would bring, still, she had a task to complete before all of that could happen.

She stepped out of her home- eyes immediately landing on Katerina. A rush of adrenaline coursed through her and she couldn't tell if it was due to excitement or the apprehension boiling beneath that cold exterior of hers. Either way, she made her way to the vampire as confident as ever.