Vlad With a wince, I gently brought down my leg, touching the fading bruises all over my body. My wounds were healing, and my strength was coming back gradually. Unhurriedly, I pushed myself up on the edge of the plain mattress and looked around the sparsely furnished room that was painted in an unpleasing color of sky blue and lemon. "Ugh... What a mess," I muttered to myself. I thought I was strong enough, but my head spun, and I had to lay back on the bed. These bastards had taken me away from Dracula's Castle and transported me to this unfamiliar place. From the hours we had spent on the road, I could tell that it was far from my dad's castle or even from anywhere I could remotely remember. They were separating me from my family and everyone I knew. And thanks to that imposter of a brother, my dad probably knew about my disappearance. I was so angry at how unfair life was. My dad was a kind king who'd helped Dracula and Dimitri, but what did they pay him back with? A damn
Vlad Dimitri walked in, bathed in sweat. My heart began pounding with raw fear and hatred for the swine. He rushed to me, throwing the untouched plate of beans on my face. I gasped in shock but got over it, relieved that it wasn't scalding hot. I wiped the gooey stuff off my face, breathing hard. Dimitri's eyes were wild, unfocused, bloodthirsty, and burning with an anger that didn't scare me. As far as I was concerned, he was a fucking coward. "I hate you so much," he spat. "I've never hated anyone in this world the way I hate you. And I can't wait to kill you. Give me the damn staff! He began squeezing my throat with both hands in anger, choking me and making it difficult to breathe. I could feel his hot breath on my face, and smell the bloodlust seeping through his pores like poison. The scent made my stomach churn. Dimitri always seemed to have some kind of smell, as if he had been bitten by some sort of bug. It smelled rotten and sickly. Although it hurt, I felt a
Lucian It was painful to watch King Vladislav deteriorate every day. I felt pity for him, like the gushing of a warm fountain. I was supposed to be wallowing in excitement considering the stories Dimitri had fed me with, especially because the king used my mum for his selfish gain. But my doubts grew after I began to see Dimitri's true colors. I began to think otherwise and now, felt pity for the king. He had no idea he was caught up in a web of deceit. He tried looking for answers everywhere and had become desperate. "Son, please think," he grabbed fistfuls of his hair and his voice shook with misery, asking me for the hundredth time that morning. "Did you take the staff out of the house or to school to show off? Remember the last time you took it to school and the principal had to call me." "No… no, Dad, I didn't take it," I stuttered, feeling pain at the back of my throat and trying to rid myself of any hint of guilt or involvement. I needed to play it cool and play my par
Raven I returned home for the weekend and was still not speaking to Nova. The tension in the house ran like a red-hot wire. Clarissa gave me strange looks and after muttering a greeting, I went straight upstairs to my bedroom. I dropped my bag on the floor and flopped onto the bed, staring blankly at the ceiling, my mind racing in high gear. Vlad's interference in my life and my family had taken its toll on me and had turned our lives upside down. Lost in thoughts, I drifted into a deep sleep, and when I woke up, the darkness outside surprised me at how long I had slept. I made my way downstairs, and the maid informed me that dinner was ready. My heart skipped several beats when I heard my dad's voice booming through the house. The conversation at the dinner table was filled with forced pleasantries and strange smiles. I ate my meal in silence and excused myself from the table afterward. On my way upstairs, Clarissa stopped me at the staircase. "Can I speak with you outside?"
Raven I lay on my bed, surrounded by piles of books and study materials, preparing for the upcoming aptitude test for the University of Hope. The name of the school usually brought a faint smile to my lips because I needed hope badly after the downward slope my life was heading. Taylor and William visited, joining me in the study session. William, who was always serious, was competing with me, while Taylor did all she could with her playful antics to divert our attention. "You are such a hot mess," I shook my head and swallowed my laughter, pretending to be annoyed. The pop of her bubble gum filled my head, making me turn around and roll my eyes at her. "Come on guys," she whined, jumping off the bed. "Aren't you tired already? We've gone through these damn past questions over and again. Let's take a break." "Fine," I twisted my neck, getting rid of some kinks. "What do you have in mind?" "I don't know, shopping maybe? I'm just eager for a change of scenery. This study sessi
Lucian I winced, rubbing my stinging cheek. The force of Raven's slap remained. I deserved it for being so stupid to think she'd jump on me like a lovestruck puppy after I asked for her forgiveness or be easily manipulated without questioning me. Rooted on the spot, I watched her walk away, cursing under my breath. The girl was petite but bold and hostile. Thanks to that bastard, Dimitri, I'd received an unwarranted slap. My shoulders sagged like a deflated balloon. The idiot threatened me to gather information from Vlad's friends, including his girlfriend, about the staff of authority. I had two days to come up with something, and the consequences of not getting sufficient information would be brutal. But how could I ask them a string of questions without them becoming suspicious? Vlad's friends, especially Zarek, were discerning and could easily recognize a lie. It was a miracle that I hadn't gotten caught at this point. "Lucian, you're a man. I didn't raise you a coward!"
Vlad Days and nights passed, and I was still trapped in Bloodline Manor like a helpless butterfly, but I had completely healed and grown stronger. My desperation grew by the second. I wondered what was going on in the outside world. Dimitri hadn't come to threaten me in days. For sure, he was surely up to something sinister. My only companion was a damn diary where I scribbled all my plans to escape, waiting for the perfect time to hatch my plan. I was staring at a cow giving birth. The mother lay exhausted on the ground after pushing her calves far enough out. She was too weak to stand and the smell of its dung and blood was strong enough to kill, but the cows were the only distractions I had because I was so close to going insane. I loved video games and being with my phone. Not having that luxury was killing me. My ears perched when someone knocked on my door. "It's open," I said flatly. Anna, who was the only innocent person in this manor because she had no idea I was
Raven Confusion was an understatement for how I felt right now. My spirit was in chaos. I couldn't believe that Vlad had asked me for my forgiveness and wanted me back, even though I ended up whacking his face, which I had the right to, after all, he'd put me through. Something was off, no doubt. Yet, I couldn't deny that I still loved him. Our brief relationship brought me back to life in ways I'd never imagined. I lay on Taylor's bunk, staring off into mid-distance at the star design on her ceiling, lost in thought. I didn't want to be involved in a game of back and forth where I would be easily swayed by Vlad's seduction. I wasn't that stupid. Taylor didn't see a big deal in Vlad wanting to come back to me. "It was bound to happen," she chuckled, scooping the last of her vanilla ice cream."I know you don't see it that way, but I knew his relationship with Nova was not going to last." "I'm not buying that bullshit," I sighed. "I know something triggered him to ask for my fo