Hybrid !

 Diego Vandaryn

The morning sunlight streamed through the dusty windows of the Vandaryn home, highlighting the clutter scattered across the living room floor. Empty coffee mugs, crumpled papers, and a pile of laundry sat on the worn-out couch that had seen better days. The faint smell of burnt toast lingered in the air, mixing with the mustiness of a house that hadn't been properly cleaned in weeks.

Diego slung his school bag over his shoulder, stepping over an abandoned stack of newspapers near the door. His sister Arya was sprawled across a corner of the couch, her phone glued to her hand, scrolling with a level of focus she never seemed to have for anything else.

"You could at least pretend to clean up," Diego teased, nudging her foot with his shoe.

Arya didn't even look up. "You could at least pretend to leave me alone."

He grinned, plopping down beside her and making himself comfortable despite the mess. "What are you even doing? Talking to that weirdo from chemistry class again?"

Arya finally tore her gaze away from her screen to glare at him. "I'm researching, thank you very much. Something you might want to try for a change."

Diego smirked. "Oh, please. 'Researching.' You mean stalking people on Instagram."

"Shut up!" Arya snapped, throwing a pillow at him, which he caught with ease.

Their banter was interrupted by the sound of their mom's hurried footsteps. She emerged from the small kitchen, her hair tied back in a messy bun, a look of exhaustion etched onto her face. Her uniform was slightly wrinkled, and she clutched a thermos of coffee like it was her lifeline.

"Mom," Diego started, his tone shifting slightly. "Can I ask you something?"

"Make it quick," she said, not slowing her pace as she grabbed her car keys from the cluttered dining table.

"Do you think it's weird? You know, the stuff going on with our cousins lately?"

His mom paused, glancing at him briefly before taking a sip of her coffee. "Weird? Diego, I don't have time for this. Whatever they're up to, it's their business. Just focus on school."

Diego frowned, leaning back against the couch. "You don't think it's a little strange? Arya's been disappearing all the time, and Enzo's been acting all mysterious. Something's going on."

Arya rolled her eyes dramatically. "It's nothing, Diego. We're just... hanging out."

"Hanging out?" Diego repeated, raising an eyebrow. "You're barely in the house these days. Feels more like you're part of some secret club or something."

Before Arya could respond, their mom cut in, her voice sharper now. "Diego, enough. I'm working two jobs just to keep this roof over your heads. I can't deal with your conspiracy theories, okay? And I sure as hell don't have time to babysit you two anymore. So just... shut up and figure it out yourselves."

The harshness of her words hung in the air, and Diego clenched his jaw. His mom's gaze softened for a moment, guilt flashing across her face, but she said nothing more. She grabbed her bag and headed for the door.

As the door closed behind her, Diego glanced around the room. The house wasn't just physically messy—it felt heavy, weighed down by unspoken tensions and the absence of the man who used to hold it all together.

His thoughts drifted to his dad, and a pang of bitterness crept in. Ever since Dad died, she's been like this. He sighed, standing up and brushing crumbs off his jeans.

"Well," he said, breaking the silence, "I guess that leaves me to clean this dump again."

Arya snorted. "Yeah, good luck with that."

Diego rolled his eyes and grabbed his bag. "Don't wait up for me. I'll be late today."

"Why? Got another date with mediocrity?" Arya quipped.

He smirked as he headed for the door. "Keep practicing, Arya. Maybe one day you'll be half as funny as me."

As he stepped outside, the morning air felt fresher, less suffocating than the tension inside. But Diego's mind stayed restless, turning over the puzzle pieces of his family and the strange happenings surrounding them. Something was definitely off, and he wasn't about to let it slide.

Diego kicked a stray can as he walked down the cracked sidewalk, his school bag slung over one shoulder. The air outside felt fresher than the stifling tension of his house, but it wasn't enough to clear his head. The weight of the morning conversation with his mom and Arya lingered, heavy and irritating.

The school building loomed ahead, a mix of dull concrete and glass that had seen better days. Students milled about the entrance, laughing, shoving each other, and generally trying to delay the inevitable march to class.

Diego sighed, shoving his hands into his pockets as he weaved through the crowd. The faint scent of cafeteria food wafted through the air—burnt pizza, maybe—and a group of seniors stood to one side, blasting music from someone's phone.

"Yo, Diego!" a voice called from behind him.

Diego turned, catching sight of Marcus, one of his classmates, jogging up to him. "You doing that project thing for history, or are you winging it again?"

"Winging it, obviously," Diego replied with a smirk. "What's the point of putting in effort if Ms. Carter's just gonna mark me down for 'creative liberties' anyway?"

Marcus laughed, clapping him on the shoulder before peeling off toward the gym. Diego continued on, stepping through the school's glass doors and heading toward his locker. The familiar chaos of the hallway greeted him—shouting, slamming lockers, and the occasional shriek from someone who'd been pranked.

Reaching his locker, Diego spun the combination, the metal door creaking open. He dumped his bag inside, grabbing only what he needed for class.

As he made his way toward the classroom, he spotted Bonnie up ahead, standing with a small group of students. She looked relaxed, laughing at something one of them said, but there was an edge to her expression that Diego recognized instantly.

Something's up, he thought, narrowing his eyes slightly.

Sliding into the classroom a few minutes later, Diego picked his usual spot near the back.

The cafeteria buzzed with the kind of chaos only high school could muster. Students weaved between tables, balancing trays of soggy pizza, bland pasta, and half-empty juice cartons. The air smelled of overcooked vegetables and burnt coffee, a combination that made Diego regret even stepping into the room.

He trudged to the back of the lunch line, arms crossed, his sneakers sticking slightly to the floor with each step. Around him, conversations blurred into a cacophony—laughter, complaints, the occasional shouted name. He stared at the unimpressive menu above the counter: Spaghetti Special. Side Salad. Chocolate Milk. He groaned. "Special? More like barely edible."

Behind him, a voice cut through the noise like a knife. "Gross, Diego. This is what you eat every day?"

Diego turned his head, already irritated. Bonnie stood there, balancing on the balls of her feet, a smug smile playing on her lips. Her black nails tapped rhythmically on the strap of her bag, which hung lazily over her shoulder.

"Bonnie," Diego drawled, dragging her name out like it was a chore. "What do you want?"

She ignored him, stepping closer to peer at the trays sliding across the counter. "Oh my God, is that supposed to be spaghetti? It looks like something Attius's dog would throw up. How do you even survive here?"

Diego sighed, grabbing a tray. "By eating. Like a normal person. Not all of us are too busy being dramatic to actually consume calories."

Bonnie snickered, sidling up beside him. "Well, at least the juice looks decent."

Diego rolled his eyes. "Yeah, because that's the pinnacle of fine dining—boxed juice." He dropped a carton onto his tray, then turned to face her. "Seriously, Bonnie, what are you doing here? I know you don't actually care about cafeteria food."

Bonnie leaned in, her voice low and conspiratorial. "I want to show you something. Something magical."

Diego frowned, his tray hovering mid-air. "Magical? What, are you trying to kidnap me? I'm not seven, Bonnie. Just spit it out."

Her smirk widened, eyes gleaming with mischief. "Drugs. It's marijuana."

Diego froze, a mix of disbelief and irritation washing over him. "What? Why me? Don't you usually drag Attius into this kind of crap? Speaking of which, where is he? He wasn't at his house when I stopped by earlier."

Bonnie shrugged, grabbing a sad-looking apple from the counter. "He's with Enzo and Aegon. They're doing… something. Honestly, I didn't bother to ask. Anyway, this isn't about them—it's about you. So, are you coming or not? This is your last chance, Diego."

Diego scoffed, shaking his head as he moved down the line. "Why me? Why now?. What, are you running out of victims?"

Bonnie tossed the apple onto her tray with a loud clunk, drawing the attention of a few nearby students. She ignored them. "Victims? Please. I'm offering you an experience. Besides," she said, her voice dropping slightly, "it's not like I'm forcing you."

"Sure, because 'it's your last chance' isn't dramatic at all," Diego muttered.

Bonnie suddenly stopped in front of him, spinning on her heel to block his path. "Diego, do you always have to make everything so difficult?"

Diego glared at her, clutching his tray. "Do you always have to be so annoying?"

She smirked, stepping closer. "You can thank me later when you're having the time of your life."

Diego hesitated, glancing at the unappealing pile of food on his tray. It wasn't like he had any better plans, and Bonnie's persistence, irritating as it was, had piqued his curiosity.

"Fine," he said, his voice heavy with resignation.

Bonnie's grin widened, her eyes lighting up with triumph. Without another word, she marched to the nearest trash can and dumped her entire tray inside, food and all. The loud clatter of the plastic tray hitting the bin turned heads across the cafeteria.

"Let's go," she said, her tone breezy, as if she hadn't just thrown away an entire meal.

Diego stared after her, shaking his head. "You're such a bitch," he muttered under his breath, though a small part of him was almost impressed. Almost.

He followed her out of the cafeteria, the sound of her boots echoing against the linoleum floor.

Bonnie Vandaryn

The facility came into view as Bonnie pushed open the rusted gate, its hinges groaning like a warning. The old, abandoned structure sat just outside the school's property, hidden behind a line of dense trees. It was a relic of something long forgotten, its cracked walls tangled with ivy, broken windows staring out like hollow eyes.

Bonnie glanced back at Diego, who followed reluctantly, his face a mix of irritation and apprehension.

"Stop dragging your feet," she snapped, trying to mask her own unease with a sharp tone. "We're almost there."

Diego kicked a loose rock, his hands shoved into his pockets. "You sure this isn't some setup for a bad horror movie? Because, honestly, the vibes are not great."

She rolled her eyes, but his words hit a little too close to home. The building did feel… wrong. She hated to admit it, even to herself, but every time she came here, that oppressive chill settled in her bones, like the place was watching her.

Still, she wasn't about to let Diego know that. "Oh, please. Don't tell me you're scared of a couple of cobwebs."

"I'm not scared," Diego shot back. "I'm just wondering why you're so desperate to bring me here. What's the big deal?"

Bonnie smirked, yanking open the heavy door with more effort than she cared to show. "You'll see." She stepped inside, flipping on the flashlight from her phone. The beam cut through the darkness, illuminating walls covered in graffiti and peeling paint. Spiders scattered across the floor, their webs shimmering in the dim light.

Diego hesitated at the entrance, peering in. "Yeah, this is definitely the setting for a murder. Great choice, Bonnie."

She ignored him, moving deeper into the building. The air inside was heavy, damp, and uncomfortably cold. She shivered, but kept walking, forcing herself to act like she belonged there. She didn't want to admit that the stillness was getting to her, too.

They reached the center of the main room, an open space littered with broken furniture and shards of glass. Bonnie felt the chill intensify as she stopped, her breath clouding in the air.

"This place is huge," Diego said, looking around. His voice echoed unnaturally, the sound bouncing back to them in uneven patterns. "Why is no one using it? It's practically a whole gym."

Bonnie hesitated, her fingers tightening around her phone. "It's… known for something," she said carefully, not meeting his gaze.

Diego frowned. "Known for what?"

She took a breath. "There's a story—something about someone who died here a long time ago. Nobody really talks about it, but…" She trailed off, her voice dropping. "People say you can feel their presence. Like he never really left."

Diego scoffed, but his voice wavered. "Presence? You mean ghosts? Come on, Bonnie, you don't actually believe that, do you?"

Bonnie wanted to laugh it off, but the words stuck in her throat. The cold had seeped into her bones now, a deep, unnatural chill that no amount of movement could shake. She stepped forward, into the center of the room, and froze.

The temperature dropped sharply, and she swore she could feel something—something pressing down on her, suffocating and relentless. Her breath hitched, and she rubbed her arms, trying to chase away the goosebumps spreading across her skin.

"It's… getting colder here," she muttered, her voice barely above a whisper.

Diego's head snapped toward her. "What? You feel that too?"

Bonnie nodded slowly, her smirk long gone. "Yeah. I feel it."

Bonnie leaned against the crumbling wall, her flashlight cutting a shaky path through the suffocating darkness. She watched Diego with a smirk, noticing the way his shoulders tensed as he glanced around the abandoned room. Perfect. If she was going to drag him into this, she might as well have a little fun.

"You want to know what this place really is?" she asked, her voice low and conspiratorial, like she was about to share a forbidden secret.

Diego raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything, his silence giving her permission to continue.

"This used to be a mansion," Bonnie began, her words deliberate, dripping with mock gravity. "Back in the day—decades ago—some rich jackass owned this place. The kind of guy who thought he was untouchable. He threw wild parties here, the type that got out of control. Loud music, booze, fights—your typical spoiled-rich-kid crap. But then…" She paused for effect, letting the silence stretch just long enough to make Diego shift uneasily.

"But then," she continued, her voice dropping, "one night, everything went wrong. No one really knows what happened. Some say it was an accident; others say it wasn't. What they do know is that by morning, everyone inside was dead."

Diego crossed his arms, trying to play it cool. "Dead how?"

Bonnie took a step closer, her flashlight sweeping over the graffiti-covered walls. "Murdered," she said softly, almost like she was confessing something. "Slaughtered, actually. People said it was… brutal. No one could explain it. Some bodies weren't even whole when they found them. Just pieces."

Diego frowned. "And no one figured out who did it?"

She shrugged, pretending not to notice the way his voice wavered. "Nope. Some folks said it was a robbery gone wrong. Others whispered it was something else—something… not human."

The air between them felt heavier now, the silence of the building amplifying every sound. Bonnie let the weight of her words settle before she continued.

"After that," she said, starting to pace, "the place sat empty for a while. Nobody wanted it, for obvious reasons. But eventually, some idiots decided to remodel it. Thought they could 'start fresh.' They turned it into some kind of office space or whatever. And guess what?"

Diego tilted his head, reluctant but curious. "What?"

"It burned down," Bonnie said, her voice sharp and cold. "Twice. Both times, no one could figure out how the fire started. No faulty wiring, no evidence of arson—nothing. It was like the building didn't want to be touched. Like something was making sure no one messed with it."

Diego scoffed, but it was half-hearted. "So, what? You think it's haunted?"

Bonnie smirked, stepping closer to him. "That's the best part. Everyone says the original owner never left. His spirit's still here, trapped, furious, and waiting. They say you can feel him if you stand in the middle of the room for too long. A chill, like he's right behind you, breathing down your neck."

She paused dramatically, her voice dropping to a whisper. "And if you stay too long? He makes sure you never leave."

Diego shivered, glancing around the room. "You're full of shit, Bonnie."

She grinned, triumphant. "Maybe. Or maybe you're just scared." She gestured toward the far end of the room. "But hey, don't take my word for it. Go stand over there. Right in the middle. Let me know if you feel anything."

Diego hesitated, his bravado cracking just a little. "And why do people still come here, huh? If it's so scary?"

Bonnie shrugged, spinning her flashlight around lazily. "Because it's perfect. It's big, it's hidden, and there are a million ways out if the cops show up. Everyone knows about it—it's kind of a rite of passage to come here. But they don't stay long. Most people? They feel the chill and get the hell out."

She stepped into the center of the room as she spoke, her movements slow, deliberate. The temperature seemed to drop as she approached the spot, the air growing heavy and cold. Bonnie stopped, glancing at Diego with a flicker of unease she didn't bother to hide.

"It's colder here," she said softly, almost to herself. Her breath misted in the air, and a shiver ran down her spine.

Diego frowned, rubbing his arms. "Yeah… I feel it too.WHAT IS-----

The sharp, wet sound of flesh tearing was deafening, echoing through the empty facility like a grotesque symphony. The glowing red stem pierced through Diego's back with violent force, its jagged edges slicing through muscle and bone like paper. The room was suddenly alive with the sickening squelch of blood spilling, warm and thick, pooling beneath him in a spreading crimson stain.

Diego's knees gave out, slamming onto the cold, cracked floor. His mouth opened in a silent scream before a wet, choking gurgle escaped, blood pouring over his bottom lip and dripping in thick rivulets onto the ground. His trembling fingers clawed at the concrete, leaving streaks of red as his body convulsed uncontrollably.

"EVELYN!" Bonnie's voice ripped through the suffocating silence, high-pitched and cracking with raw panic. Her legs refused to move as she stared at Diego, who twisted and writhed like a broken marionette.

The stem pulsed ominously, glowing brighter as it twisted deeper into Diego's flesh. The jagged edges pushed through his stomach, splitting his skin with a brutal, deliberate force. More blood spilled, gushing in violent spurts as the crimson appendage seemed to feed on his agony, veins of red light snaking along its surface as it dug deeper.

"EVELYN, SHOW YOURSELF!" Bonnie shrieked, her breath catching in her throat.

From the shadows, Evelyn stepped forward, her face calm and emotionless, her presence more terrifying than the glowing stem itself. In her hand, the base of the red appendage writhed like a living parasite, veins bulging grotesquely as it extended from her palm.

"What are you doing?!" Bonnie screamed, her voice raw and desperate. She tried to run toward Diego, but the cold, oppressive air in the room seemed to grip her limbs, holding her in place. "He's DYING!"

Evelyn tilted her head, her lips curling into a faint, detached smile. "Dying?" she echoed, her voice unnervingly calm. "No, Bonnie. He's awakening."

Diego let out a scream then—a sound so raw, so primal, that it didn't even seem human. His head snapped back, his bloodshot eyes rolling upward before they began to change. The whites of his eyes darkened, the irises glowing with an eerie emerald light that seemed to radiate heat.

His body convulsed violently, his chest heaving as the red stem twisted and jerked inside him. His hands clawed at the floor, the nails snapping off one by one with a sickening crack, leaving bloody smears in their place. He tried to scream again, but the effort only forced more blood up his throat, spilling out in choking gasps.

"STOP THIS!" Bonnie shouted, tears streaking her face as she finally found the strength to move. "EVELYN, HE CAN'T TAKE THIS!"

"Stop?" Evelyn repeated, her voice cold and hollow. "You have no idea what he's capable of. What we're capable of." She stepped closer to Diego, her eyes gleaming with a twisted sense of purpose. "This is the only way to make him stronger. He needs this."

"NEEDS THIS?!" Bonnie screamed, her voice breaking as she pointed at Diego, whose body was now contorting unnaturally. His spine arched, the sound of vertebrae cracking echoing through the room as his arms flailed, fingers twitching uncontrollably. "HE'S IN AGONY!"

"We tried your way with Donna," Evelyn said, her voice rising slightly. "Now it's my turn."

Diego let out another piercing scream, his glowing eyes locking onto Bonnie as if pleading for mercy. His body jerked violently, the stem digging deeper, and his skin began to stretch and tear around the wound, unable to keep up with the unnatural pressure.

"Bonnie…" Diego rasped, his voice barely audible, thick with blood and pain. "Help me… Please… I can't—"

"Quiet," Evelyn snapped, her tone sharp and dismissive. "This is for your own good."

Bonnie's heart shattered as Diego let out another scream, his body writhing like he was trying to escape his own skin. The green light from his hands intensified, flaring brightly enough to cast long shadows on the walls. The floor beneath him began to scorch, the smell of burning concrete mixing with the coppery stench of blood.

"Look at him now," Evelyn said, her voice cutting through Bonnie's frantic sobs. "Stronger. Faster. Deadlier. The blood of the Vandaryns runs deep, Bonnie. And this?" She gestured to Diego, whose emerald-lit eyes were wide with terror, his jaw trembling as if he was fighting to stay conscious. "This is just the beginning."

Bonnie staggered backward, shaking her head in disbelief. "You're insane, Evelyn. YOU'RE KILLING HIM!"

Evelyn's smile returned, colder than ever. "The closer a hybrid is to death, the faster they awaken. Pain, blood, terror—it's all part of the process. It's how we survive. How we evolve. You wanted to save the twins, didn't you? This is the way."

Diego's screams reached a crescendo as his body convulsed violently one last time, his glowing hands slamming into the floor and leaving deep, smoldering craters. His glowing green eyes stared at Bonnie, wide and unblinking, as if silently begging her to end his suffering.

Bonnie fell to her knees, her tears blurring her vision as Evelyn raised her hand again, the crimson stem tightening its grip on Diego's body.

"Save your breath," Evelyn said, her voice echoing like a death knell. "This is happening, Bonnie. Whether you like it or not."

The moment the crimson stem finally retreated from Diego's chest, Bonnie felt a flicker of hope—only for it to be snuffed out when she saw what was left of him.

Diego crumpled forward, blood spilling from the jagged, gaping hole in his chest. His skin was pale, his breaths shallow and uneven, each one sounding like it could be his last. Bonnie's eyes widened in horror as she stepped closer, trembling.

"Diego…" she whispered, her voice shaking. She dropped to her knees beside him, her hands hovering over the wound, unsure of what to do. Blood poured from the hole in violent spurts, pooling beneath him in a grotesque, expanding puddle. She pressed her hands against his chest, trying to stem the flow, but it only smeared the blood further.

"It's okay," she murmured, though her voice cracked with panic. "I can fix this. I can fix this."

Diego's head lolled to the side, his glowing emerald eyes flickering as if he were fading in and out of consciousness. His lips moved, but no words came out—just a weak, wet gurgle.

Bonnie's breath hitched as tears blurred her vision. She glanced up—and froze.

Evelyn stood a few feet away, her crimson stems slowly retracting back into her hands. The grotesque, vein-like appendages pulsed and writhed as they disappeared beneath her skin, leaving no trace of the carnage they'd caused. Evelyn's face was calm, her expression unreadable, as though Diego's mangled body wasn't even worth acknowledging.

Something inside Bonnie snapped.

Her hands trembled, not with fear, but with rage. "You… you did this," she said, her voice low and trembling. She stood, blood smearing her arms and clothes, her entire body shaking. "You're a monster. YOU KILLED HIM!"

Evelyn tilted her head, unimpressed. "He's not dead yet," she said casually. "And I need him. Tomorrow is the full moon, and I'm taking him with me. He's the key, Bonnie. You'll understand that someday."

"No," Bonnie hissed, her hands beginning to glow green, the energy rippling up her arms. "You're not taking him. Not after this."

Evelyn turned, her face calm and unreadable, as if Bonnie's anger was nothing more than an annoying buzz in her ear. "Spare me the theatrics, Bonnie," she said coldly, the stem snapping back into her hand with a grotesque squelch. "This was always going to happen. He's the key, and now he's ready."

The air around her began to shift, crackling with an invisible energy she didn't fully understand. Her hands tingled, glowing faintly as if her anger itself was manifesting.

Evelyn raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. "Oh, please. Save the dramatics. You don't even know what you're doing."

But Bonnie wasn't listening. The glow in her hands intensified, spreading up her arms, fueled by her fury. Without warning, she thrust her hands forward, a pulse of raw, green energy exploding from her palms and slamming into Evelyn.

Evelyn staggered, caught off guard, but recovered quickly. She wiped a trickle of blood from her lip, her expression darkening. "You shouldn't have done that."

"You shouldn't have betrayed me!" Bonnie screamed, throwing another blast of energy at Evelyn.

Evelyn countered effortlessly, raising her hand. A wall of crimson energy materialized in front of her, absorbing Bonnie's attack before dissolving into the air. "You're nothing, Bonnie," she said, her voice dripping with disdain. "You can't defeat me. You're not even worth my time."

Bonnie's rage boiled over. She charged at Evelyn, her hands glowing brighter as she unleashed another barrage of green blasts. The room lit up with flashes of energy as the attacks collided, shaking the ground and sending debris flying.

Evelyn moved with terrifying precision, her crimson power weaving through the air like a living serpent. She thrust her hand forward, and a red beam of light shot out, slamming into Bonnie's chest and sending her crashing into a nearby wall.

Bonnie gasped as the impact knocked the wind out of her, but she forced herself to stand. "I'm not done yet," she growled, wiping blood from her mouth.

Evelyn smirked, her confidence unshaken. "You're stubborn. I'll give you that. But stubbornness won't save you."

Bonnie summoned every ounce of power she had, the green light around her intensifying until it was blinding. She lunged at Evelyn, her fists glowing as she aimed for her opponent's face. Evelyn caught her attack effortlessly, her hand closing around Bonnie's wrist like a vice.

"Pathetic," Evelyn hissed, tightening her grip. With a flick of her wrist, she flung Bonnie across the room like a ragdoll. Bonnie's body slammed into a pile of rubble, the sharp edges cutting into her skin as she crumpled to the ground.

"You'll never defeat me," Evelyn said, her voice echoing with authority. She took a step forward, her crimson energy swirling around her like a living storm. "Do you know who I am? I'm the daughter of Damon Zevrin. I AM EVELYN ZEVRIN."

Bonnie struggled to her feet, her body battered and bleeding, but her determination unbroken. She launched herself at Evelyn again, but this time, Evelyn didn't even flinch.

The crimson power in Evelyn's hands flared, surging outward like a tidal wave. It struck Bonnie with devastating force, lifting her off her feet and slamming her into the far wall. The impact was bone-shattering, and Bonnie let out a strangled cry as she fell to her knees, her head hanging low.

Evelyn approached slowly, her footsteps echoing ominously in the silence. Her hand glowed with red light as she extended it toward Bonnie, who could barely lift her head to meet her gaze.

"You're not worth it," Evelyn said coldly, her voice dripping with finality. "You can never defeat me. Not in the power of magic. You're nothing, Bonnie. NOTHING."

She thrust her hand forward, and a crimson wave of energy pinned Bonnie to the wall, holding her there like an invisible cage. Bonnie gasped for air, her body trembling as the glowing power seared into her skin, leaving deep, burning marks.

Evelyn leaned in close, her voice a venomous whisper. "I'm taking him. I need him for tomorrow. The full moon will bring out his true potential, and there's nothing you can do to stop me."

With one final surge of power, Evelyn released her hold, and Bonnie crumpled to the ground, too weak to move. The glowing marks on her skin faded slowly, leaving behind the faintest traces of Evelyn's power, a reminder of her defeat.

Evelyn turned her back on Bonnie, her crimson stem extending again as she reached for Diego. "Rest while you can, Bonnie," she said over her shoulder, her tone devoid of emotion. "Tomorrow, everything changes."

Bonnie's vision faded as Evelyn disappeared into the shadows with Diego. The last thing she saw before darkness claimed her was the gaping hole in Diego's chest and the trail of blood he left behind.