The high-pitched wail of the sirens clashed with the low thump of Callista's heart. Across the street, Amelia — Queen Eydis in disguise — chatted nonchalantly with a crimson-haired man. His eyes burned like embers, an unsettling echo of someone else. But there was no time to dwell on it. 

Their brief exchange ended, and Amelia and the man parted ways. Callista saw her chance. With a flick of her necklace, her features shimmered for a brief moment before settling on a new appearance. This one wasn't the same as the last time Eydis had seen her.

Tailing Amelia's retreating figure, she instinctively reached for her phone, ready to alert the Watchers. But another shadow caught her eye. Dark skin and shaved black hair — it was Billie, unmistakably one of the hunters assigned alongside her in Metamorphosis. Did the Watchers know about Amelia's activities? Callista scanned the crowd, searching for any sign of additional Watchers or undercover hunters, but there were none. Strange. Billie wasn't alone, however. Walking beside him was a cloaked figure that exuded a faint, unmistakable stench of blood.

A vampire. Fury erupted within Callista. What unholy alliance was this?

Weaving through the bustling crowd, Callista was a silent ghost. A glint of gold caught her eye. Amelia wasn't focusing on her, but on Billie. A flicker of something dangerous crossed the vampire's face. 

Busted.

Before Billie could react, a powerful hand clamped down on his collar, slamming him into the rough brick wall of a nearby restaurant.

"Spotted," Callista hissed, urgency crackling in her voice as she shoved an amethyst pendant into his hand. "Rookie mistake, tailing her with your real face!"

The pendant pulsed with a soft, reassuring light as Billie fumbled to activate the disguise, his hand trembling. Realisation dawned on his face. "Callista?" His question died in his throat.

"Explain yourself. Why were you tailing her alone? And why are you with a vampire?" Callista gritted her teeth, her voice taut with suspicion.

Billie straightened. "VP’s order. This isn't your mission." He started to move back toward Amelia's path. "We can't lose her!"

"At least get backup!" Callista snapped. "The Queen isn't some ordinary bloodsucker." Memories of her recent fight slammed into her. Her fingers unconsciously brushing against a tender spot above her collar.

Billie sighed, an exasperated groan escaping his lips. "There are eyes on her, trust me." He began weaving back through the crowd.

Callista furrowed her brow in doubt, forced to concede for now. With practised ease, she slipped into the role of an annoyed girlfriend, subtly tucking her hand behind her back as Billie reached for it. A hint of annoyance crossed her features, a silent message that went unnoticed by the flustered hunter.

As they navigated the complex web of streets, a prickle of unease crawled up Callista's spine. Did Amelia deliberately ditch their tail?

They caught a glimpse of the vampire with Billie, looking lost and alone. But before they could react, he vanished into a dark alley. Callista cursed under her breath and followed close behind.

Pressing her back against the damp brick, she heard a muffled voice. "Another rat," Amelia's voice purred, dripping with amusement. "Where's your hunter friend? Such a shame, I was hoping to play with a human."

A whimper rose from within the darkness. "Please… Queen Eydis, I'm just following orders..."

"Intriguing. Ares hasn't briefed you?" Amelia laughed, the sound devoid of warmth. "Then you're far too insignificant for the Royal Decree. But I despise rats. And frankly, you're even lower."

A sharp crack echoed in the alley. Callista’s breath hitched. Peeking inside, she saw only dust motes dancing in the dim light. Empty.

Billie barged past her, frustration etched on his face. "We can't lose them!" He charged deeper into the alley, vanishing into the shadows.

Callista hesitated, unease twisting in her gut. Then, a shimmer distorted the air before her. Amelia materialised not ten feet away, not with a silent disappearance like Eydis, but with a ripple effect that unsettled the very air. 

It was unnatural, wrong. Before Callista could react, a sharp kick sent Billie flying backward with a grunt. 

"Idiot," Callista muttered, a sliver of doubt flashing in her mind. But doubt was a luxury she couldn't afford. Celestial blades materialised in her hands with a comforting hum as she lunged into an attack stance.

Amelia flowed like quicksilver, dodging Callista's blade with inhuman speed and a feral fluidity. In the same motion, Amelia's arm shot out, aiming for a pressure point at Callista's shoulder. Callista twisted and countered with a knee strike aimed at Amelia's midsection.

The impact sent a jolt through Callista's leg, but it disrupted Amelia's attack. They circled each other, the tension crackling.

"A hunter," Amelia purred, her golden eyes glinting with predatory hunger. "And a skilled one at that."

A roar erupted from behind Callista as Billie, fueled by rage, launched himself at Amelia, his axe held high. Amelia seemed to anticipate the move, her body dissolving into a hazy blur. The axe whistled harmlessly through the air. Before Billie could react, Amelia reappeared behind him, a knee slamming into his spine with a sickening crack. He crumpled to the ground, his body contorted in agony.

"So eager to meet your maker, big boy? How quaint." The words dripped with honeyed malice as she punctuated the taunt with a vicious kick aimed at Billie's face.

Disgust contorted Callista's features. With a snarl, she surged forward, blades flashing like malevolent silver moons. Amelia met her head-on, a cruel smile twisting her lips. She wielded Billie's fallen axe with surprising grace for such a heavy weapon, the air whistling as she swung it in a deadly arc.

Callista was forced to dance back, a desperate ballet to avoid the blows, her breaths coming in ragged gasps. Sweat beaded on her forehead, blurring her vision. Ignoring the burning ache in her forearms, she lunged forward, aiming for a gap in Amelia's defences.

The vampire, in turn, used her inhuman reflexes and a mix of brutal kicks and unorthodox grappling techniques to keep Callista off balance. "Impressive reflexes," Amelia taunted, "but predictable." 

Callista deflected another blow with ease. She returned the favour with a lightning-fast riposte, the tip of her blade catching Amelia's arm with a searing scrape. A hiss of pain escaped Amelia's lips. The hunter couldn't help but smirk.

Amelia retaliated with a manic intensity, the axe a whirlwind of light and destruction. Callista met each blow with a parry. Sparks erupted like miniature constellations as celestial energy clashed. Each clash left Callista breathless, her body screaming in protest. But she couldn't stop.

The vampire pressed forward, the axe a battering ram against Callista's slender blades. A deafening shriek ripped through the air as one errant swing nearly cleaved through them, a grim reminder of her disadvantage.

Sensing Callista's growing desperation, Amelia slammed a vicious knee into the hunter's ribs, the impact sending Callista staggering back. Gasping, Callista rolled to her feet, her hand trembling as she raised her blades. Memories of Eydis flickered, igniting a spark of defiance. 'If she could do this,' Callista willed herself, focus sharpening.

 ‘Then so can I!’

Amelia lunged, overextending. Callista saw her chance. Gritting her teeth, she channeled the thrumming primal energy within, reaching for the airborne axe with her bare hand. Agony flared as celestial power met celestial steel.

'Pain is weakness,' she screamed internally, a defiant roar against the white-hot fire. 'Not an option!'

Determination hardened Callista's gaze. She wasn't fighting to free the weapon; she was challenging it, bending it to her will. 'Give me your power,' she commanded in her mind, the words laced with newfound authority. With a grunt that shook the alley, she absorbed the axe's celestial energy, causing it to dissolve into stardust.

It worked! Blood welled from a fresh gash, but a surge of triumph washed over her. In that fleeting moment, she had claimed her power.

The raw energy that surged through Callista left Amelia blinking in surprise. The playful smirk vanished from the vampire's face, replaced by a mask of concentration. Seizing the momentary lapse, Callista launched a flurry of attacks, her celestial blades flashing in the dim alleyway. 

Amelia's movements, usually fluid and graceful, became frantic as she twisted and contorted to avoid the onslaught. Shallow gashes bloomed across her pristine white shirt, a crimson stain blossoming where one blade grazed her arm. With a snarl, Amelia abandoned offence and focused solely on dodging the relentless storm of steel.

But the victory was short-lived. Amelia's golden eyes flaring with an unholy rage, the irises glitched. The air around her shimmered, reality distorting in a way that sent a shiver down Callista's spine. Another sudden shift in the air, a prickling at the back of her neck, was all the warning Callista had. She whirled, blades at the ready, just as a massive figure descended from above.

The impact sent a shockwave rippling through the cobblestones. Unlike Amelia's manic energy, this new predator exuded a quiet, imposing power like a mountain. Tall, broad-shouldered, with a granite-chiselled face, his crimson eyes held a strange familiarity.

Without a word, the figure slammed a fist into Callista's parrying blade. The celestial metal shrieked in protest before shattering into a dozen shimmering shards that rained down on the cobblestones. The force of the blow sent a jolt of agony through Callista's arm, momentarily numbing it.

“What the-?” Callista growled. Despite the pain, with a flick of her wrist, she conjured two new diamond blades, their facets catching the faint light and sending an ominous gleam into his surprised eyes. However, his surprise quickly melted into a steely resolve. 

"Let's go," the vampire rumbled, his voice laced with urgency. He scooped Amelia into his arms, her face contorted in a snarl as she reached for a hidden weapon.

Callista reacted on pure instinct, deflecting the dagger with a desperate swipe of her newly summoned weapon. The metallic clang echoed through the narrow alley. But before she could press the attack, a new sound pierced the tense silence — a guttural scream from behind. Billie clutched at his chest, his fingers instinctively wrapping around the hilt of a dagger buried deep within. A crimson stain rapidly bloomed on his shirt, spreading outwards with horrifying speed.

The hulking vampire, using the distraction, launched himself and the injured Amelia skyward in a powerful leap. The force of their takeoff sent a gust of wind whipping through the alley, momentarily obscuring Callista's vision. 

Fury surged through Callista as the vampires fled. Every instinct screamed to chase, but Billie's raw scream tore through her, a gripping reality check — a human life hung in the balance.

With a sigh, she tore the comm unit from her belt, her voice tight. "Callista. Requesting immediate medical assistance. Hunter down, location..."

The clatter of rushed footsteps cut her off. Whipping around, blades flashing in her hand, she braced for the worst. Relief flooded her features, the tension momentarily draining from her body, as she recognized the Watchers.

"Callista here," she barked, quickly relaying the situation as they converged on Billie. "He needs medical attention, now!" As she spoke, a chilling realisation settled in her stomach. The glint in Amelia's eyes, the unnatural shift — she was strong, but not strong enough.

Amelia wasn't Eydis. Not by a long shot.