The S.P.A. base was quiet, the rec room’s sigils emitting a soft glow. Winters stormed in, his face a mask of fury as Ethan arrived, clutching a coffee cup as a shield from yesterday’s vault ordeal. Winters said nothing, stalking downstairs, his voice echoing, “Where’s Tormane?” Ash yelped and scurried off to find him. Ethan noticed she was without her IV again. Alex strode in, wearing his usual dress shirt and slacks, carrying a cup of coffee. Ethan had never seen him in anything else except his armor. Nick followed, sipping a glass of blood, his vampire fangs glinting. Ash clutched a squirming dream kitten, its fur shimmering like moonlight. It leapt, vanishing in a puff of starlight, only to reappear in her arms, mewling. Ethan caught Alex’s glance. Winters glared at Ash but remained silent as Alex gestured to a battered couch. She sat beside Ethan. Kellen grabbed the kitten by its scruff, his teeth gentle yet firm. He carried it toward the sub-basement, tail low, as a warning to Ash—control your dreams. “Sir, what can we do for you?” Alex asked, voice steady. “I need to speak to you privately,” Winters snapped, eyes narrowing. “Is this about Nick’s visit yesterday?” Alex asked, a faint grin flickering. Winters paused, caught off guard. “You know?” “I sent him,” Alex said, his tone cool. “You what?” Winters’ voice boomed. Cassie slipped in with her tablet glowing and perched on the couch’s arm near Ash. Kellen returned, leaping up, resting his head in Ash’s lap. Ash’s fingers twitched, another kitten shimmering into existence. “Please, sit,” Alex said, gesturing to a chair. Winters sat, begrudging, his glare cutting. “You sent Nick to complain about you?” Nick nodded, sipping blood. “Most of it wasn’t true. I don’t care how much magic Alex uses, as long as we get results.” “Is this about your father?” Winters guessed, leaning forward. “The whole council,” Alex admitted, his voice low. “I needed to do some research without any of them around.” “So you used me as a distraction?” Winters’ voice rose. Ash cringing, a third kitten materializing, its eyes comet-bright. Kellen’s long-suffering stare pinned her, his intelligence veiled—Winters didn’t notice, but the team did. “It was necessary,” Alex said, his jaw tight. He tugged at his cuffs. “The council’s vault holds forbidden magic. I needed access.” “They’re required to let you in,” Winters said. “You’re the liaison. If they don’t let you, talk to me. I’ll get you in.” “I worried that by the time you were able to do that, they would have hidden half of what I needed to see,” Alex said. “And what is so important that you had to do that?” Winters demanded. “We’ve been left with more questions than answers lately,” Alex said, frustration sharp. “When I try to get answers from intelligence, they give me the run around.” “And what about Kellen?” Winters asked, eyeing the dog. “I received a report that he attacked a woman. He needs to be on a leash or wearing his service vest when he’s out.” “Kellen’s never out alone,” Nick snapped, his fangs glinting. “He didn’t attack anyone.” “It was last Tuesday. Most of you were gone,” Winters said. Nick snorted. “Tuesday? Ethan, Charlotte, and Ash were here all evening. I ran into Tracy, the woman I met at the bar, and brought her back. Kellen didn’t like her. He bit me to keep me away from her.” “He bit you and you let him live?” Winters asked, skeptical. “Nick wouldn’t dare touch him,” Ash said, voice fierce. A nightmare creature materialized behind Winters—claws like knives, eyes like onyx. Kellen nudged Ash, and the creature shrank to nothing. “What spooked Kellen about Tracy?” Winters asked, oblivious to the dream. “That’s what we researched,” Alex said. “Kellen reacts like that around potions. He’s wary of them. We were looking for potions that affect vampires.” “I thought witches made potions,” Winters asked, frowning. “There are a few wizard potions, but they’re rare and most are banned,” Alex said, his voice low. It was forbidden to discuss, even the existence of the vault, with outsiders. “Did you find anything?” Winters asked. “We’re still looking through what we copied, but it’s more of what we didn’t find.” Alex hesitated. “What?” Winters asked. “Nocturnal holy oil,” Ethan said after a nod from Alex. “The index said it would be there, but it wasn’t.” “Maybe it was used up?” Winters suggested. “It’s in the forbidden vault,” Alex admitted reluctantly. “Nothing there’s meant to be used. Most is too dangerous to destroy.” “What is it?” Winters pressed. “It controls vampires,” Ethan said and sipped at his coffee. “Why’s that forbidden?” Winters asked. “Stopping massacres sounds good.” “Would you want to be controlled?” Nick snapped, his eyes glowing red. “The vampires were used as weapons,” Ethan said. “Anyone bitten would turn, rather than only if they get vampire blood. And the vampire can become feral without someone to control them." “You think this Tracy had it?” Winter guessed. “It’s a good bet,” Nick agreed. “I’ve been craving blood more since I met Tracy the first time. It’s even worse since she was here on Tuesday. I’d attribute it to not having hunted lately. But the fighting we’ve done on missions should help with that. And when I brought Tracy back here, we came in the front door. She entered what looks like an abandoned building with a monster.” “Have you had trouble with Nick?” Winters asked Alex, his gaze piercing. “No more than usual,” Alex said, tugging his sleeves down. “I’ve made sure he has the blood he needs. I have sources. He feeds on me occasionally, as agreed.” “Why are you able to?” Cassie asked. “I thought it was a bad idea for a vampire to feed off the people they live with.” “It’s because of Damian’s blood,” Nick said, his voice tight. “Alex’s taste is similar since they were brothers.” “Is Tracy controlling Nick?” Winters asked. “We don’t know,” Alex said, his eyes flicking to his phone, feeling the need to go through what he’d copied. “Luckily, Kellen stopped me from biting her,” Nick said. “It needs to be in blood,” Ethan said. “She would have had to inject herself with it. She couldn’t have given it to him another way.” “Nick drinks blood at the bar,” Cassie said. “She could have dosed him that way.” “I only took a few sips of the drink I bought while talking to her. Then I saw Charlotte. The drink was gone by the time I was done with her,” Nick said. Cassie pulled out her tablet and started looking through it. “How long does it last?” Winters asked. “I haven’t finished researching,” Ethan said, his voice steady. “Alex?” Winters turned, expectant. “You’re the wizard.” “I’d never heard of it before yesterday,” Alex said. “Ethan and I split the information I copied. He’s reading up on the potion while I’m researching the creatures.” “What creatures?” Winters demanded. “That’s what I’m trying to find out. I can’t tell you anything until I know it,” Alex pointed out. “I’ll let you know when I have something.” “Why wasn’t I told there was an unknown creature?” Winters asked. “ Because I don’t trust intelligence,” Alex told him. “I told you I’d do this if I saw a problem.” “He did insist on that, and you agreed,” Cassie confirmed. “And it looks like Nick only had a sip of the potion.” “She drugged me?” Nick growled, his fangs bared. Cassie nodded, showing the bar’s security feed on her tablet. “One sip, not enough for full effect.” “This is what I was talking about. Someone tried to drug Nick. Your intelligence team reviewed the bar’s recordings, so they should have seen it, but they didn’t tell us anything,” Alex said, his voice hard. He’d warned Ethan not to trust anyone. The look in his eyes signaled that his warning extended beyond just the team. “I’ll handle them,” Winters said. “Don’t bother. They’ll make excuses,” Alex insisted. “We’ll continue with our own intel.” “Here’s another example of them not reporting things,” Cassie said, swiping her tablet. “They have the train yard marked as quiet, but we’ve repeatedly found reports of supernatural activity.” “Just because some influencer stages an event…” Winters started Cassie cut him off. “There are a dozen videos of something happening now.” Cassie held up her tablet, which showed several zombies roaming around with a bunch of dogs. In the center was a number of train cars forming a pentagram. Odd lights illuminated the area from the center of the cars. “Those are dream dogs,” Ethan reported. “And I recognize two of the zombies as patients from the hospital. Both had metal plates in their heads,” Nick said, leaning close to see. “Does that mean my lightning with hurt them more?” Ash asked. Her face lit up with the prospect of helping after being sidelined for so long. “The titanium isn’t a good conductor,” Nick said. “But your lightning’s plenty dangerous.” “Can I go?” Ash pleaded, eyes on Alex and Nick, a fourth kitten shimmering, Kellen nudging her to focus. “You’ve controlled your dreams well,” Alex said. “With Ethan and Kellen, you’re good.” “I’ll bring a sedative,” Nick said, his voice calm. “There should be no issues.” “I’ll call Highcrest’s team to help you,” Winters offered, standing. “Just make sure they know who all is on the team here,” Alex said, his tone firm. Winters nodded and left. A dream kitten hissed, leaping at the door. Ash gasped as the kitten lunged at Ethan. Kellen tackled it, and the creature vanished in a puff of starlight, but not before scratching Ethan’s arm, blood beading. “Ash! Don’t make us regret letting you go,” Nick snapped, grabbing a sterile wipe from his kit, cleaning Ethan’s scratch. Ash cringed. “Sorry.” “Ethan, are you sure you’re up to this after yesterday?” Alex asked Ethan, concern in his eyes. “I’m fine,” Ethan said, nodding. “I wouldn’t be here if I weren’t.” “How’d you know about the holy oil?” Alex asked, suspicion flickering. He hadn’t given him any of the information he’d copied. “I talked to my uncles,” Ethan said, his voice steady. “Do they want to join the team?” Nick asked, packing sedatives. Ethan snorted. “Heck no. They’ll consult, not bow to the S.P.A.” “Suit up,” Alex ordered, his voice sharp. “Meet in the garage. We’re not waiting for Highcrest.” The team scattered, Ash glancing around to make sure all the kittens were gone. Kellen grabbed his vest as he followed. Cassie’s tablet flickered, train yard footage looping—zombies, dream dogs, pentagram lights pulsing like the Sanctum’s vault. Alex lingered, his hand on his phone, wondering if he should read through it on the way.