CHAPTER 398: VEILED

Nicholas~

The wind whipped across the beach like a furious spirit, carrying the salty tang of the ocean that mingled with the earthy scent of wet sand under our feet. I held Winter close, her body trembling against mine, her hand still gripping mine as if I were her lifeline in this storm of emotions. My hybrid heart—vampire coolness warring with werewolf heat—pounded erratically, Leo growling softly in the back of my mind, urging me to protect her at all costs. The cliffs loomed above us like ancient guardians, their jagged edges silhouetted against a sky heavy with clouds, and the waves crashed relentlessly, echoing the turmoil inside me.

Katrina paced a few steps away, her hair plastered to her face, blue eyes blazing with that impulsive fire I knew so well. She was my best friend, the one who’d always had my back, but right now, her pain over Vincent radiated off her like heat from a forge. Uncle Zane stood like a statue, his massive Lycan frame tense, arms crossed over his chest, his eyes—those piercing alpha eyes—scanning the horizon as if he could will Vincent into appearing. And Natalie... Aunt Natalie, with her celestial aura flickering like distant stars, had just dropped the bombshell that she couldn’t find him. The words still hung in the air, thick and oppressive, making the night feel even darker.

"Mom, you have to try again," Katrina insisted, her voice cracking with desperation. She stepped closer to Aunt Natalie, her hands clenched into fists at her sides, celestial magic sparking faintly around her fingertips like tiny fireworks. "Please. This can’t be happening. Vincent’s out there somewhere—hurt, alone. I can feel it in my bones."

Aunt Natalie met her daughter’s gaze, her own eyes glowing with that ethereal light that always made her seem more goddess than woman. She nodded slowly, her soaked nightgown clinging to her like a second skin, but there was no defeat in her posture—only resolve. "Alright, Katrina. I’ll try once more. But something’s... off. It’s not like anything I’ve encountered before." She glanced at Zane, who gave her a subtle nod, his jaw tightening. Then she turned to the rest of us, her voice steady but laced with an undercurrent of awe. "Everyone, stay close. This might pull on the energies around us."

I squeezed Winter’s hand, pulling her a step nearer to the group. "We’ve got this," I murmured to her, my breath warm against her ear. She looked up at me, her eyes wide and shadowed, always on guard, but in that moment, I saw the quiet vulnerability she hid so well. "Aunt Natalie’s the best. If anyone can find him, it’s her."

Winter nodded, her voice a soft whisper. "I hope so, Nick. Vincent... he’s all I have left of our family. If he’s lost because of me..." Her words trailed off, choked by a fresh wave of tears.

"Don’t go there," I said firmly, brushing my thumb across her knuckles. "We’re in this together now. All of us."

Aunt Natalie closed her eyes again, drawing in a deep breath that seemed to pull the very air toward her. Her celestial magic ignited fully this time, a golden glow emanating from her core, spreading outward like sunlight piercing through storm clouds. It illuminated the beach in patches, forming shadows that danced across the sand. I felt it—a warm hum vibrating through the ground, tingling against my skin, mixing with my vampire senses that sharpened every detail: the faint pulse of her power, the way it probed outward like invisible tendrils reaching into the void.

We all watched in tense silence. Uncle Zane shifted his weight, his growl low and rumbling, like thunder on the horizon. Katrina bit her lip so hard I thought it might bleed, her eyes locked on her mother. Winter’s grip on my hand tightened painfully, but I didn’t mind—it grounded me, reminded me why I was here. My own mind raced: What if Vincent was gone for good? The thought twisted like a knife, not just for Winter’s sake, but for Katrina’s too. She was my best friend, my sister, blood or not.

The glow intensified, Auntie Natalie’s brow furrowing in concentration. Her hands rose slightly, palms outward, as if she were communing with the stars themselves. The wind stilled abruptly, the waves’ roar dimming to a murmur, as if the world itself bowed to her will. I could sense the pull—her power stretching across realms, delving into shadows where demons like Vincent might hide. Minutes dragged on, each one feeling like an eternity, the air thick with anticipation.

Then, suddenly, Aunt Natalie’s eyes snapped open, wide with a mix of reverence and shock. The glow flickered uncertainly before steadying. She staggered back a step, Uncle Zane instantly at her side, his arm wrapping around her waist to steady her. "Nat?" he rumbled, his voice rough with concern.

She shook her head, her breathing ragged. "He’s alive. I can feel that much—his life force is still burning, fierce and unyielding. But... I can’t pinpoint him. It’s like trying to grasp smoke." Her gaze swept over us, landing on Katrina and Winter with a softness that made my chest ache. "Something—or someone—is shielding him. Not with dark magic, not even with a spell I recognize. It’s... older. Primordial. It doesn’t repel my power; it swallows it whole, like a void that light slides over without leaving a trace."

Winter gasped, her free hand flying to her mouth. "Shielding him? From what? Who would do that?"

I pulled her closer instinctively, my arm around her shoulders now, Leo’s protective instincts surging. "Aunt Natalie, what do you mean by ’older’? Older than what?"

Natalie turned to me, her eyes still glowing faintly, reflecting the stars above. "Older than the celestial order itself. Older than the gods.... my mother. It’s a neutrality I’ve only read about in ancient tomes—a forgotten energy that predates light and darkness. Vincent’s essence... it’s merged with it somehow. Not destroyed, but entwined, like threads woven into a tapestry so intricate I can’t separate them. He’s not alone in himself anymore. Whoever saved him—because I sense he was in grave danger—bound their life force to his to keep him alive."

Katrina’s face paled, her impulsive nature flaring as she stepped forward. "Saved him? Danger? Mom, how do you know all this? And merged? That sounds... terrifying. Thrilling, almost, but what if he’s caught in a trap?"

Uncle Zane grunted, his eyes narrowing as he pulled his daughter into a hug. "If someone’s got their hooks in him, we’ll rip ’em out. But Nat’s right—this feels bigger than demons or lycans. Ancient shit."

Winter’s voice trembled as she spoke up, her quiet demeanor cracking under the weight. "My brother... he’s always been so strong, so calculating. If someone’s shielding him like that, it must be for a reason. But why can’t we find him? Please, Aunt Natalie, tell us more."

Aunt Natalie reached out, placing a gentle hand on Winter’s arm, her touch radiating warmth that chased away some of the chill. "It’s like he’s wrapped in something older than starlight," she said, her voice filled with that same reverence, not fear. "I can feel the space he once occupied in the ether—a demon’s essence, raw and shadowed—but now it’s veiled in an energy even my mother’s light can’t pierce. Whoever this savior is, they’re not mortal. Not demon, not celestial. They belong to a race forgotten by time, and their proximity to Vincent distorts everything. My power senses the distortion, the static void, like the silence in places the gods abandoned long ago. It’s not that I failed; it’s that the universe bends around them."

I felt a chill race down my spine, not from the wind, but from the sheer mystery of it all. My cocky side wanted to crack a joke to lighten the mood—something like, "Well, if it’s older than dirt, maybe we need a shovel"—but the words died on my tongue. This was too intense, too real. Winter leaned into me, her body soft yet tense, and I kissed the top of her head, inhaling that unique scent of hers that grounded me amid the chaos.

Katrina froze, her blue eyes widening as she processed Natalie’s words. "Wait... you said you were searching for his demon essence? Mom, you knew? You knew Vincent was a demon? And Winter too?"

The question exploded into the air like a thunderclap, shocking us all into a stunned silence. I stared at Natalie, my brooding arrogance slipping as genuine surprise hit me. "Hold up—what? You and Uncle Zane knew about their heritage? And you let them stay in the palace anyway?"

Winter pulled back slightly from my embrace, her eyes darting between us, fear flickering in their depths. She was always on guard, but now it was like a wall slamming up. "You... you knew? All this time?"

Zane let out a deep, rumbling laugh that was more growl than humor, breaking the tension just a bit. "Kid, we’re not idiots. Sebastian and I have been around the block a few times. Demons leave a scent—even hybrids like you two can’t hide it forever from alphas like us."

Natalie smiled softly, though her eyes held a depth of emotion that made my heart twist. She stepped closer to Katrina, cupping her daughter’s face in her hands. "Yes, we knew. From the moment they arrived. I sensed it first—the shadow in their blood, the darkness woven into their souls. And I confirmed it with my visions. Vincent and Winter are demons."

Katrina’s voice rose, laced with confusion and a hint of betrayal. "Then why? Why let them stay? After everything—Mom, you and Dad slayed demons! You said demons are... they’re the enemy, right? You warned us to be careful, but you didn’t kick them out?"

I nodded, echoing her shock. "Yeah, Aunt Nat. I mean, I’m grateful—hell, more than grateful, since Winter’s my mate—but it doesn’t add up. You could’ve ended this before it started."

Winter’s hand slipped from mine for a moment, her voice small and pleading. "Please... don’t hate us for what we are. Vincent and I—we’re not like our parents. We just want to love, to belong."

Natalie pulled Katrina into a hug, then extended her arm to include Winter, drawing her in. Zane placed a heavy hand on my shoulder, his grip firm but reassuring. "Listen, all of you," Natalie said, her voice warm yet commanding, like a queen addressing her court. "No matter the battles Zane, Sebastian, Cassandra, and I fought against demons in the past—the blood, the betrayals, the wars—our children’s happiness comes first. Above all else. You four... you’re the future. When we saw the mate bonds forming—Katrina with Vincent, Nicholas with Winter—we knew we couldn’t stand in the way. Love like that? It’s rare, powerful. It defies lineages and grudges. And besides, we learnt that darkness doesn’t always mean bad. Because of the darkness, the stars can shine and be themselves."

Zane nodded, his eyes softening as he looked at us. "We warned you to be careful because demons carry shadows that can consume. But we trusted you’d navigate it. Hell, if we’d interfered, we’d have been no better than the tyrants we fought. Family—real family—is about choice, not blood."

Katrina melted into the hug, tears mixing with the rain on her cheeks. "Mom... Dad... I don’t know what to say. Thank you. For believing in us."

I pulled Winter back into my arms, my magnetic charm cracking to reveal the soft side I usually hid. "Yeah... thanks. Means everything."

Winter whispered against my chest, "I love you all for this. Even if it scares me."

The beach felt a little less foreboding then, the waves a rhythmic promise that we’d face whatever came next—together. But the mystery of Vincent lingered, a thrilling shadow on the horizon, pulling us toward the unknown. But no matter what, we were going to fine him and bring him back home.