CHAPTER 104: THE CASPADAS’ AMBITION

«Do you believe in the supernatural, Salvatore Caspada?» Velshekar asks, speaking through the body of the alluring silver-haired vampire, Levreshka.

It’s the customary question Velshekar uses to open every meeting she’s held in recent weeks with the leaders of the world’s most powerful criminal organizations.

A question that usually earns her a mocking laugh.

Which is why she’s always been forced to offer a practical demonstration—proof that the so-called "supernatural" is far more real than humans could ever imagine.

As real as they are.

And only by embracing that power can they hope to expand their reach and authority across the globe.

That’s why she’s caught off guard when Salvatore Caspada—an older man who still radiates respect and authority—gives her a calm, dry answer.

Around him stand his most loyal men and a few family members: his son, Giuseppe Caspada, and his eldest grandson, Antonio ’Tony’ Caspada.

«Miss Levreshka Hawkley, I’ve seen and heard so many things in my life that it would be foolish to think we’re alone in this universe—foolish to deny the existence of entities moving in the shadows, ignored by our minds simply out of self-preservation.»

Velshekar lets out a curious, amused smile.

«Oh, really? And what exactly have you seen?»

«Father, I don’t think this is the time to bring up that matter again!» Giuseppe cuts in. «You told me yourself you were only seven, and everyone knows how a child’s mind tends to exaggerate—especially after a tragedy! Forgive my boldness and disrespect, but bringing up that childish fantasy in a setting like this would only make you look ridiculous.»

«Shut up!» Salvatore snaps, slamming a heavy fist onto the table where he, Giuseppe, Tony, Velshekar, and her two loyal henchmen, Clarissa and Lurek, are sipping coffee.

The cups rattle violently.

«I know what I saw, and I didn’t live to be seventy just to be called a liar or a lunatic by my own son!»

After taking a breath to steady himself, Salvatore continues.

«It’s been over sixty years since that night. It was a hot summer evening, the full moon glowing bright in the sky. We had just finished celebrating my cousin Calogero’s thirteenth birthday at my aunt Assunta’s house—a large villa out in the Sicilian countryside, where I lived at the time. I remember everything so clearly, even the smallest details of that terrifying night. My bedroom window looked out onto the olive trees my uncle cultivated—and that’s where I saw it. A monstrous thing that couldn’t possibly belong to this world. It looked like a massive lizard, darker than the night itself, walking on two legs. But its face and arms resembled ours—grotesquely human. It had three long tails, each lined with vicious spikes, twitching wildly. And it was headed straight for our house!»

«None of my screams could make anyone believe me—not that I blame them. If I were in their shoes, I wouldn’t have believed a word of it either. All I could do was hide in the furthest corner of the attic, reachable through a trapdoor in the ceiling... while my mother, my father, my brothers, uncles, cousins... were all devoured by that otherworldly beast!»

Salvatore’s voice and hands tremble as he recalls the memory.

«Wolves. Just damn wolves. That was the best explanation the authorities could come up with after examining the mangled, torn-up bodies of my family. But I know. I know what I saw that night!»

Giuseppe shakes his head in frustration and embarrassment, thinking his father is once again losing himself in the delirium of old trauma.

But Velshekar doesn’t share his skepticism.

«I understand you, Salvatore Caspada. I truly do,» Velshekar says. «You’re not crazy. You were just unlucky enough to cross paths with something that should never have set foot in this world—likely a creature that slipped out of its master’s control.»

«Stop feeding his delusions! You’re truly despicable—exploiting an old man’s weakness just to gain his trust and cooperation!» Giuseppe snaps, reaching inside his jacket in a way that clearly suggests he’s armed. «If it weren’t for the values of hospitality my father instilled in me, I’d have already put a bullet between your eyes!»

At that gesture, Clarissa and Lurek exchange amused smirks—Velshekar, too, struggles to hide her reaction.

From how things had started, she had hoped there’d be no need for the usual performance.

But clearly, she was being too optimistic.

In response, she calmly draws a gun and points it at Giuseppe.

Panic erupts instantly inside the Caspada family’s lavish living room.

«What the hell are you doing?! Put that thing down, now!» Salvatore yells—but it has no effect.

«Giuseppe Caspada, in three seconds I’ll shoot. That gives you plenty of time to draw your weapon and try to beat me to it,» Velshekar grins.

«W-What’s wrong with you?! Are you insane?!» Giuseppe shouts.

«One...»

–CLICK.

Velshekar chambers a round.

«Put that weapon down or I swear I’ll shoot!» Giuseppe growls—once again, completely ignored.

«Two...»

Velshekar’s finger lightly presses on the trigger, and—

–BOOM!

Giuseppe has no choice but to react.

With lightning speed, he draws his pistol and shoots her straight in the chest.

From beneath her white blouse, a small patch of blood begins to spread—far too small for a shot like that. And an instant later, it stops growing, as if the wound had closed on its own.

Which is exactly what happened.

«Three.»

–BOOM!

The bullet whistles past Giuseppe’s face—Velshekar missed him on purpose, by a hair.

But Giuseppe doesn’t even react, nor do Salvatore, Tony, or any of the Caspada affiliates in the room.

Everyone’s focus is on the wound in Velshekar’s chest—healed in the blink of an eye—and on her eyes, now glowing a vivid red.

«So, is this just another hallucination, Giuseppe Caspada?» Velshekar asks, flashing a wicked grin.

«Hallucination, my ass!» Giuseppe lunges at her. He grabs her blouse with both hands and violently rips it open.

Levreshka’s large, flawless breasts are now fully exposed—but that’s not what Giuseppe was after.

«H-How is this even possible...?» he murmurs, stunned.

There’s no bulletproof vest, no hidden armor beneath her shirt—nothing he expected to find.

In response, Velshekar grabs the hand still holding the gun, aims it toward her mouth, and...

–BOOM!

Another shot.

Blood bursts from the back of Velshekar’s head, staining the wall behind her.

Giuseppe’s hand trembles as he watches the gaping hole in her throat seal shut before his eyes.

At that point, every last shred of doubt and skepticism vanishes.

«W-What... what the hell are you...?» Salvatore stammers, as shaken and terrified as the rest.

Velshekar doesn’t answer.

She just smiles—revealing her sharp, elongated fangs, now fully visible.

That alone is enough to make the Caspada family understand what she truly is.

«I’d say it’s time we moved on to the real reason I came here,» the vampire says as she calmly buttons her blouse again.

Not out of modesty—being originally male, Velshekar feels no shame in standing bare-chested—but out of sheer courtesy.

«I’m here to offer you this power—a power that will make you the most formidable criminal family in the world. Second only to me, of course. All you need to do is swear absolute loyalty, and I’ll turn you into unstoppable beings. So, what do you say?»

The room erupts in hushed murmurs—more excitement than hesitation.

The idea of becoming something that can take a bullet to the chest without a scratch, while keeping a normal appearance, is beyond tempting.

Velshekar has conveniently left out the part where only a tiny percentage will actually survive the transformation—dying in agony otherwise—but revealing that wouldn’t help her persuasion.

Salvatore, however, is thoroughly disgusted.

«You vile creature! How dare you come into my home with such a filthy proposal?! You want to turn us into monstrous lackeys at your service?! Never! I’d rather die a man than—»

–BOOM!

A gunshot cuts Salvatore off—fired from behind his head, exiting through his forehead.

The shooter is Tony Caspada, who until now had remained silently in the background.

Normally, such a betrayal would be punished with death, but no one in the room moves a finger.

Because Tony has simply acted on what everyone else was thinking—what only Salvatore refused to accept.

«Looks like the boss suddenly fell ill. What a shame...» Giuseppe mutters with a smug grin. «Well, since I’m his only son, I suppose you’ll be dealing with me now.»

Velshekar can’t hold back a satisfied chuckle at the scene.

«Yes, I’m sure we’ll find a mutually profitable arrangement. Now that your cooperation is guaranteed, I’ll be taking my leave—I have other important matters to attend to. We’ll see each other soon, Giuseppe Caspada.»

Velshekar moves to rise from the sofa and head out, but Tony grabs her wrist, stopping her.

«Wait! I offed my grandfather just so I could be turned into a vampire right away. There’s no way you’re walking out of here like it’s nothing!»

«You’ve got some nerve, kid. But... your body isn’t strong enough to survive the transformation. You’re still too young, and the chances of it working are practically zero,» Velshekar replies.

She’s lying, of course.

The real reason is simple—if Tony were to die right here and now, it would shake Giuseppe’s loyalty, and that of his men.

She needs to plant doubt ahead of time.

But Tony won’t back down.

«Boss, forget the brat—let’s get out of here,» Clarissa says, stepping in.

«Shut your mouth, servant!» Tony snaps, cutting her off.

The woman flares up with fury.

«How dare you speak to me like that, you stupid human?! I’ll shut that mouth of yours for good!»

Clarissa extends her arm toward him—a sphere of rock starts to form in her palm, but Velshekar stops her before she can cast the spell.

«Dying during the transformation process is infinitely more painful than from a simple Elemental Invocation. I’ll handle him,» Velshekar whispers under her breath.

She then takes a few steps forward, closing the distance between her and Tony.

«Alright, kid. I’ll turn you.»