Vamps in Chaos

Chapter Fifteen: Under Watchful Eyes

Life with Ollie had quickly become a mix of chaos and unexpected calm. Between his magical mishaps and the trio's nightly routines, Babe found himself settling into something that felt suspiciously like family life—a feeling that was both comforting and strange.

One evening, as they were all relaxing in the loft after another "successful" magic practice (no explosions, thankfully), a faint, familiar glow appeared at the window. Babe narrowed his eyes, recognizing the aura of a council message.

"Oh, great," Babe muttered, crossing the room to open the window. A small envelope floated in, glowing faintly as it landed in his hands. "Guess the council's got something to say."

Ollie watched, wide-eyed, as Babe tore open the letter. "What do they want now?"

Babe scanned the letter, his brow furrowing. "They're... sending a representative to check in on us. Tomorrow night."

Billy raised an eyebrow, glancing between Babe and Ollie. "A... representative?"

Babe sighed, tossing the letter onto the table. "Yeah, to make sure Ollie's 'progressing' and that we're 'complying with council standards' or whatever."

Ollie's face paled. "But... what if they think I'm not doing well enough?"

Babe gave him a reassuring smile, clapping a hand on his shoulder. "Relax, kid. We'll get you looking like a model student by tomorrow."

The following evening, after a frantic day of cleaning up the loft and coaching Ollie on his spells, they were finally ready. Or as ready as they could be, considering Ollie's usual unpredictability. Babe and Billy exchanged a determined look as they waited, a feeling of solidarity setting in between them.

Finally, a knock sounded at the door, and Babe opened it to find Lucius—the council representative from before—standing there with his usual air of superiority.

"Good evening," Lucius said, his tone dripping with formality. He looked around, his gaze scanning the loft critically. "I see you've made an effort to prepare for this visit."

"Nice to see you too, Lucius," Babe replied with a smirk. "Come on in. Make yourself... comfortable."

Lucius gave a small nod, stepping inside with an air of inspection. His gaze landed on Ollie, who stood nervously beside Billy, trying his best to appear calm.

"And you must be... Ollie," Lucius said, his tone cold as he observed the young vampire. "The council expects to see measurable progress."

Babe's expression softened as he gave Ollie an encouraging look. "Go ahead, Ollie. Show him what you've been working on."

Ollie nodded, taking a deep breath as he focused on a small object on the table—a simple candle. His fingers twitched as he concentrated, his face scrunched up with intensity. Slowly, the candle began to rise... wobbled a bit... and then shot up into the ceiling with a loud thud, dislodging a bit of plaster.

Babe cringed but quickly tried to play it cool. "Oops. Just a warm-up."

Lucius gave a slow blink, his face perfectly expressionless. "I expected... better."

Ollie, red-faced and clearly shaken, turned to Babe and Billy with a pleading look. Billy stepped forward, his tone calm and encouraging.

"Remember, Ollie. Precision, not force," Billy reminded him gently.

Taking another breath, Ollie closed his eyes and focused on the candle again, this time lifting it slowly and steadily until it hovered a few inches off the table. After a tense moment, he placed it back down with a soft thud.

Lucius gave a single, almost imperceptible nod. "Acceptable. Now let us see something more... challenging."

Ollie glanced at Babe, his face tense with uncertainty. Babe leaned down, giving him an encouraging pat on the shoulder. "You got this. Remember the light spell you practiced?"

Ollie straightened, nodding as he focused. He extended his hand, summoning a small, glowing orb that hovered above his palm. The orb emitted a warm, golden light, filling the loft with a soft glow.

For a brief moment, Lucius looked impressed. But just as Ollie started to relax, a loud clatter sounded outside, startling him. The orb shot up, bouncing off a wall and splitting into three smaller lights that zoomed around the room in a chaotic blur, narrowly missing Lucius's head.

Lucius sighed, watching the orbs with an air of grim patience. "Control, young vampire, is the essence of mastery."

Babe, biting back laughter, quickly took charge, catching one of the rogue orbs in his hand and extinguishing it. "We'll work on the finer points," he said, shooting Lucius a mock-serious look.

Billy, maintaining his usual poise, addressed Lucius with a calm but firm tone. "Ollie's progress has been... substantial. His control improves daily."

Lucius eyed Babe and Billy, his mouth set in a firm line. "The council does not measure 'improvement' by near-misses and stray magic."

Ollie's face fell, and for a moment, Babe's heart went out to him. Before he could think twice, Babe straightened and gave Lucius a steady look.

"Maybe you'd like to try teaching him," Babe said, crossing his arms. "Since you're so... skilled."

Lucius turned, regarding Babe with a raised eyebrow. "I see that you have not lost your... charm," he replied dryly, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

Babe smirked. "It's a gift."

Billy placed a gentle hand on Ollie's shoulder, his voice filled with quiet encouragement. "Ollie, show him what you are truly capable of."

Ollie, visibly bolstered by their support, nodded, focusing with renewed determination. He raised his hands, summoning a steady, golden glow that filled the room. This time, the light was soft, warm, and perfectly controlled, casting a calm ambiance over the entire loft.

Lucius glanced around, visibly surprised as the light washed over him. His expression softened, though he quickly masked it. "Satisfactory," he conceded, his tone stiff.

Babe stifled a grin. "See? Kid's got talent."

Lucius gave Ollie a final, appraising look before turning to Babe and Billy. "The council expects continued improvement. Ensure that he progresses without incident."

With that, he turned on his heel and exited, leaving behind an air of cold professionalism that made Babe roll his eyes. He shut the door, exhaling in relief as he turned to Ollie.

"See? You nailed it," Babe said, clapping him on the shoulder.

Ollie's face lit up, his earlier nerves replaced with pride. "Thanks, guys. I couldn't have done it without you."

Billy gave him a warm smile. "You have shown... resilience and skill. We are proud of your progress."

The room fell into a comfortable silence as they all relaxed, each feeling a strange sense of satisfaction. As Babe and Billy exchanged a look, there was a mutual understanding that something deeper was forming between them—a bond built on support, trust, and a surprising sense of family.

And as they settled into the evening, Babe realized that this wasn't just about magic or council inspections—it was about building something meaningful, something that felt closer to home than he'd ever expected.