The forest remained silent.
Daniel stood beneath the trees, staring into the darkness where the creatures had disappeared.
Mara kept her gun raised.
"Don't move."
Daniel looked at her.
"They're gone."
"They want us to think they're gone."
Daniel glanced down at his chest.
The burning beneath his skin had stopped, but the crescent-shaped mark remained visible through his torn shirt.
"What is this?"
Mara didn't answer.
"Mara."
She finally lowered her weapon.
"It's a blood mark."
"That's not an answer."
"It's not a normal birthmark."
Daniel pulled his shirt aside.
The mark was darker now, almost black around the edges.
Mara stepped closer.
"Your father had one."
Daniel looked at her.
"What?"
"Your mother too."
Daniel's expression hardened.
"You said my father was protecting me."
"He was."
"From the mark?"
"From what the mark means."
Daniel stared at her.
"Then start talking."
Mara looked toward the trees.
"We need somewhere safe."
"You've been saying that since we left the farmhouse."
"Because we aren't safe here."
A low growl came from somewhere nearby.
Mara immediately grabbed Daniel's arm.
"Now."
They ran.
They didn't stop until they reached an old hunting cabin hidden beyond the tree line.
Mara unlocked the door with a key from around her neck.
Inside were weapons.
Hundreds of them.
Rifles.
Shotguns.
Knives.
Boxes of ammunition.
Salt.
Iron.
Holy water.
Daniel looked around.
"You've been preparing for this."
"For years."
"For me?"
"For what comes after you."
Daniel turned toward her.
"What does that mean?"
Mara closed the door and locked it.
"It means your family was never just a family of hunters."
She walked to a cabinet and pulled out an old metal box.
She placed it on the table.
Daniel watched as she opened it.
Inside was a collection of photographs, newspaper clippings, and handwritten notes.
Mara pulled out one photograph.
Daniel recognized his father.
Beside him stood his mother.
But they weren't alone.
Three other hunters surrounded them.
And behind them was a symbol.
The same symbol from the black book.
"The Circle," Mara said.
Daniel picked up another photograph.
"When was this taken?"
"Three months before you were born."
"Why was my father involved?"
"He wasn't."
Mara looked at him.
"Your mother was."
Daniel's eyes narrowed.
"My mother wasn't a hunter."
"She was the best one among us."
The words hit him harder than he expected.
Mara continued.
"Your mother discovered something buried beneath an abandoned church in Pennsylvania."
"What?"
"An entrance."
"To what?"
"The place where the book was created."
Daniel stared at her.
"You've been there?"
"No."
"Then who has?"
Mara's expression changed.
"Your father."
Daniel looked at the photographs again.
One image had been taken inside a stone chamber.
At the center stood a pedestal.
And on that pedestal—
the black book.
Daniel's fingers tightened around the photograph.
"How did it get out?"
"Your father stole it."
"Why?"
"Because your mother wanted to destroy it."
Daniel looked up.
"And my father?"
"He changed his mind."
"Why?"
Mara hesitated.
"He discovered the book couldn't be destroyed."
Daniel looked toward the window.
"Then where did he hide it?"
Mara shook her head.
"He didn't."
Daniel frowned.
"Then what happened?"
Mara's voice became quieter.
"He gave it to you."
Daniel stared at her.
"I never had it."
"Not physically."
She pointed toward his chest.
"The book has been inside your bloodline since the night you were born."
Daniel looked at the mark.
Mara continued.
"Your father couldn't destroy the book, so he bound its power to you."
Daniel stepped away.
"You're saying my father put that thing inside me?"
"No."
Mara looked toward the door.
"I'm saying he put the key inside you."
A loud knock came from outside.
Both hunters froze.
Three knocks.
Daniel slowly reached for his gun.
Mara whispered:
"Don't answer."
The knocking stopped.
Then a child's voice came from outside.
"Mom?"
Mara's face went pale.
Daniel looked at her.
"You have children?"
"No."
The voice came again.
"Please let me in."
Daniel moved toward the door.
Mara grabbed him.
"That's not a child."
Something scratched against the wood.
Then the voice changed.
It became Daniel's father's voice.
"Son."
Daniel's eyes widened.
The mark on his chest began glowing.
Mara stepped backward.
"The book is calling them."
Daniel looked at her.
"Then we find out where it's calling them from."
He grabbed his jacket.
Mara shook her head.
"Where?"
Daniel looked at the photograph.
"The church."
Outside, something smiled in the darkness.
And whispered:
"Finally."