The Braille Manor, Milpitas. Friday, 2nd Of August. 10 A.M Anna's POV “What are you doing?!” The aggrieved voice bellowed from behind me. “Mum!” I yelped and nearly jumped out of my skin. The broom clattered to the floor when I whirled around. I wanted to retrieve it, but the unholy glower she shot in my direction had me freezing to the spot. “I asked you a question, young lady,” she growled, her eyes flashing. “Uh, sweeping?” I smiled wide and hoped it eased her ire. Mum only glowered harder. “Rita!” I flinched at the sharp tone. But before she could screech our cook slash maid’s name again, the poor woman rushed into the kitchen. “Ma’am?” Rita Ingrand asked with a short bob and a confused frown. She was a round woman in her mid forties, but she moved fast for her size. “Why is my daughter doing your job? Have you become so incompetent and lazy? What do I pay you for if you cannot do something as simple as sweeping?” Mum thundered angrily, her ample bosom heaving beneath he
The Braille Manor, Milpitas. Friday, 2nd Of August. 10:45 A.M "Anna, is that you? You're back early." Arthur Braille called with a smile when he saw me entering his study. He sat behind his desk, still in the pyjamas he had been wearing earlier. I walked into the study and didn't stop until I was standing directly in front of him. "Where is Josie? I have to get to her. She is in danger." His smile disappeared and he started to get up, but I pushed him back into his chair. "Where is she?" I asked again. "Honey, are you okay?" "Where is she?!" I shouted. I needed to get to her. Now! "Don't you dare scream at me young lady! What has come over you?” His face turned mottled with rage and he shot to his feet angrily. “She is in danger! I need to save her!” I exclaimed. My brain went into overdrive and the urge to get to Josie became an itch under my skin that I couldn’t get out. Still, I scratched at my arms, seeking some relief. “How did you get this information? Who told you this
(Author's Note: It's the end of intermission! From here on out, the story progresses in the current timeline. The dates and time are still in place until Jo's birthday. Don't miss the countdown!) Axel, Variku, Tartu.Saturday, 3rd of August, 2024. 1:30 PMJosie's POV After my declaration, lady Piia had taken me in hand and waltzed out of Axel. To be more specific, we rode the elevator down to the reception, and instead of going outside, we went deeper into the building. A few meters after the reception was a garden. I blinked twice, and yep, there was a goddamn garden rigth in the middle of the building. The epicenter of the garden was not the array of green, vibrant yellow and pink flowers I couldn’t hope to name -well, I think I saw a rose in there, but I’m not sure- but a large, dark mahogany tree with a very round base. And for some reason, I was certain that- "Why are we going into the tree?" I asked with trepidation when Lady Piia headed not around, but directly towards the t
Josie's POV(Continued)After pulling the freaky stunt, lady Piia had grasped my hand with her glowing ones, a frown of concentration on her face. A while later, she released me with a frustrated huff. Then she gestured for the waiter and paid our bill. I was still in a state of mild shock as I followed her out of the restaurant. We left in the same way we had arrived. Juan had placed his palm against the wall and the bright light shone. When we got out on the other side though, we emerged into an alley instead of Axel. I didn't ask her why or how it had been made possible. I refused to believe her words or look for reasons to discredit them. For now, I was just going to go with the flow. A car pulled up as if on cue. Sleek, beautiful and luxurious was definitely a theme here when it came to cars.We entered the pretty toy and several minutes later, lady Piia urged me to get out. We had stopped outside an average looking bungalow. Again, I didn't ask why we were here or say anything.
The Rolling Stones, Variku, Tartu.Sarturday, 3rd of August, 2024. 5:10 P.M.Jo's POV(Continued)An horrified gasp escaped my lips. Sometimes, even I am astounded by the level of my pettiness. I glanced at Anna's face out of the corner of my eye, a guilty flush swamping me. The thought that just crossed my mind was just mean and petty. There was no other explanation for it. So what if her skin was somehow miraculously back to it's previous unmarred shape, and the only evidence I have that the attack had truly occurred was Anna's blood still pooling on the floor? The point was, she had been attacked and nearly killed! "Josie?" A gruff voice called from somewhere behind me. I swiveled my head and found Lady Piia's concerned face. She approached us slowly, two of her fingers out and high in front of her. For a minute I thought that she was holding an invisible weapon when I realized that her glowing fingers were the weapon. "Hello, lady Piia." My voice sounded odd, even to me. "Are y
The Beach, Variku, Tartu.Sarturday, 3rd of August, 2024.8 P.MJosie's POV(Continued)I limped towards the artsy shop I could see a light emanating from. It was also the closest. There, I got a bottle of water and directions to the nearest bus top and how to get to Ru's hotel. But when I turned around to start walking in the direction of the bus station, I found a black Mercedes Benz C class idling not far away. A man wearing a chauffeur uniform was next to it, looking right at me.I marched up to him slowly. "Can I help you?""No, ma'am. I'm here to help you," he replied drily.My nose twitched and I sniffed delicately. Did Grayson have one of his guys follow me? Though the man's suit was black, it didn't in any way resemble the uniform of the hunters. "Who sent you?""Mr Vladimir Sedof. I'm your driver. I will take you to any location of your choice." Even my heart was quite confused tonight.I deflated because it wasn't Grayson who sent him even as my heart skipped a beat because
Our Lady's Convent, Soinaste. Sunday, 4th Of August, 2024. 3 P.M Jo's POV(Continued)The church was more of a disaster than I expected. The main church building had it’s roof caved in, probably from a storm or something. It was so bad and unsteady that we only managed to get the shell of a door open -and that was it. Unless we wanted to walk on parts of the roof, it was best not to go in. The other two buildings weren’t in much better shape. The building in the middle looked like a dorm of some sort, and would have housed no less than ten nuns or thereabout. It was probably where they slept and had their personal belongings and stuff. Do you know how I know it’s a dorm? There was a hole in the wall. Soot and debris several years old littered the floor and told the story of a horrific incident. Only, I still had no idea what that horrible incident was. Why had this place been left in this condition for so long? Someone -the government probably- should have taken the building down
Josie's POV(Continued)There was another shot. I know this because more dry cement exploded next to my right ear, most of it pelting the back of my head and my injured shoulder. I ran for my life, heedless of which direction I was running in.My mad dash came to an abrupt halt when I stumbled. With a cry, I crashed to the ground as the pain in my shoulder flared up with every sudden movement. I rolled over to ease the pain -and promptly screamed again when the grass next to my head shot up into the air. Instinctively, I started rolling as more and more of the earth kept springing into the air as bullets were shot into them. Maybe I rolled too fast or I was simply very lucky, but I didn’t get hit again. And then I hit something solid.I looked up in dismay and found myself at the base of a small tree. It was tiny, and alone. There was no thick grass or cluster of trees for me to hide amongst. There was a dark flash again and I turned to look. I really wish I hadn’t.Standing about thre
FlashBack.Somewhere in Durbent.March, 1724.Sven's POV“Little prince.”Careful not to startle Lydia, my pet komodo dragon, I kept my fingers steady even as I moved only my head to glance up at the approaching figure.Even before I looked up, I knew who the familiar voice belonged to. After all, his voice was the same rumbling cadence that read me bed time stories, coached me though my horseback rides and walked me through my sparring sessions; it either sung my praise or gently corrected my mistakes. Besides, he was the only one who ever came to look for me in my hideout.Lydia was done feeding, plus she was weary of humans who were not me, so she turned, her long tail flicking my hand as she trotted back into the out-building.“You know she will make a meal of you one of these days,” he murmured, walking further into my line of vision.His rich brown hair was cut short once again, but it highlighted the brown and gold flecks of his eyes. He was not that much taller than me, but wi
Josie's POV(Continued)“Hello? Are you okay -”“NO!!” It was instant. One minute, I was splat on the ground, having just spilled out of the elevator like a roll of tissue, the world spinning around me, then the next, a flash of light hazel irises, freckles and a button nose.Soft hands gripped my shoulder, and I whirled around instinctively, catching the boy’s wrist in my fingers. And the next thing I knew, a rush of light so bright and warm I went dizzy with it. Then it was over in what felt like seconds. I blinked, and for a single minute, I didn’t understand why there was a gray haired man with sallow skin lying unconscious beneath my feet. The yellow shirt of a store attendant looked so oddly familiar that when reality smacked me in the face, I squeaked and scrambled away on my butt.The warmth rushing though my veins turned to molten heat, threatening to roast me from the inside out. But still, I kept crawling backwards, my stricken gaze on the unconscious boy. My back hit a wa
The Mall, Variku.Monday 12th of August, 2024.8 P.MJosie's POV(Continued)People said that when it rained, it poured. For me, the heavy rain turned into a thunderstorm and now, it was a motherfucking tornado. Of all the terrible ways the day from hell could have gotten even worse, running into Kora was the worst thing that could have happened to me. In a way, it was actually fitting. First, I woke up with the ability to drain people of not just magic but their youth as well. Then I found out that I drained not 1 but 12 women. And now, when my control was nearing it’s limit, I chose to willingly walk into a building with over a hundred people in it -stupid decision, yes I know. So of the hundred, who else would be more appropriate to run into than my cousin?“Hey, cuz. You’re looking especially horrid today.” To accentuate how utterly fucked I was, the elevator dinged as its doors closed, and Kora and her friends were definitely not in it, as evidenced by her cruel words.I bit my li
The Knight's Sisterhood Territory, Variku. Monday, 12th of August, 2024. 5 P.M Josie's POV (Continued) An empty vacuum. That was my brain. Adrenaline pumped through my veins, elevating my heart rate, but the world moved at a snail’s pace. Everywhere I looked was nothing but vibrant colors. So many colors, even a rainbow looked washed out next to them. The buildings, the trees, the ground and even the very air rippled with an array of colors I wasn’t even aware were on the spectrum. I had no idea where I was nor could I order my thoughts. The only thing I could do was watch my surrounding in awe, feeling like I’d been under water my whole life and I’d only just been let up. The colors were deep and contradictory, looking almost like a child tried to paint a picture without giving a rat's ass about the lines. I could see buildings and trees and what not, but the colors made it difficult to immediately identify what I was looking at. And the vibrancy of everything was making my eyes a
FlashBack. Somewhere In Durbent. December, 1724. Sven's POV The sun shone brightly, a rarity at this time of year, but I felt none of its usual warmth today. I ran down Sabnova street, the harsh rays of the sun beating down on me. My hand stayed firmly on the hilt of my sword, hope and fear warring for dominance in my heart. Still, I uttered payers to a god I could only hope truly existed even as I used all of my spare energy to run. I hoped Kros would find me before them, but simultaneously, I prayed he had the good sense to run as far as he could. Far away from here. Even if it meant my life was forfeit, at least he would be safe. The corner ended at a dead end. I’d seen no one behind me, but I didn’t delude myself into thinking I’d managed to escape them. I scanned the area furtively, my panicked gaze latching on to a small rotten ladder in the corner. Half of its rung was missing, but there was still about three rungs left on it. Good enough for me. All I really needed wa
Outside The Knights Sisterhood Territory, Variku.Sunday, 11th of August, 2024.Vladimir's POVHer heartbeat was faint, but steady. It’s been three days since I drugged Joanne, but for some reason, she was still unconscious. I would be worried if the rhythmic sound of her heartbeat didn’t assure me that she was alive and well. For all intents and purposes, Joanne was taking a rather long nap. I could only hope that she wouldn’t need the kiss of a true love to wake up because if that was the case, she was shit out of luck.The wind rustled, bringing a sharp bite to this cold night. The sisterhood’s territory was deserted at this moment, a notion which I was inclined to believe was unusual for them. Perhaps they were all dreading the wrath of the high priestess?Two days ago, after I’d drugged Joanne and had her blood drained -not enough to kill her or send her into shock, thank you very much- my warriors had returned her to her friend’s hotel room. Rupaul Carrignton was not in his room
Braille Mansion, Lourve, Hiiu.Saturday, 10th of August 2024.10:30 AMLilya's POV“The timeline has been moved up. Be ready to move in two weeks,” Yasha’s crispy voice was direct and uncompromising.My lips thinned, but I held in whatever objection I had. “Okay.” I hung up without another word.What could have happened? Did he and Vladimir have a falling out? Of course, the only reason I knew that Yasha and Vladimir had a tentative alliance was because Yasha wanted to rob it in my face that I had fallen out of grace with my sire. I grimaced and quickly squashed that train of thought. Panicking would do me no good right now.All I could do was focus on my own plan. But that led me to the new problem Yasha’s announcement had wrought. Anna met her clan just two days ago. She was nowhere near ready to be chosen by the mark. And I wasn’t her confidant yet. Unfortunately, I was on Yasha's time now, so his word goes.I took out my phone again and dialed one of the only four numbers on speed
FlashBackEstria - February 16,1991.Lady Piia's POV“Enough!” the voice thundered. Leaves rustled and even a few ravens flew away. That’s how bothered the whole surrounding had been by the sudden booming sound. Even from twenty feet away, I shivered at the uncontrolled rage in the tone. But the brown haired waif of a girl who was probably seconds away from being throttled by the irate mountain of a woman stared back defiantly, not a single hint of fear in her expressive chocolate eyes. Albus Nogru, wearing the brown and gold robes of an instructor glowered, her veins bulging as her hands shook, probably from the effort it took not to wrap it around Inna’s neck. “They are people too. They have a right to be taught and you can’t deny them their right!” Inna, my ever defiant, ever reckless friend snapped back loudly. She tilted her chin up, literally and figuratively digging her heels in. I sighed wearily, already knowing what the argument was about even without moving closer. Only
La Niche. Thursday, 8th of August, 2024. 9pm.Jo's POV(Continued)The brown and gold two storey building was at the very end of a cul dé sac. The street was very quiet and the nearest neighbour was about half a mile away. If it weren't for the luxurious cars parked outside the house and the different elite men and women dressed to the nines walking into said building, I would have thought that Vladimir had me brought all the way out here to be murdered.In a way, it sort of reminded me of house of Pulé. I gulped hastily, doing my best to quash the lurid images that sprung up at the thought of that house.Not the time, I admonished the lusty hoe residing rent free in my head."Miss Puhvel?" I turned my head at the voice.Staring down at me expressionlessly from outside the limo was Castor. I blushed for no particular reason and held my hand out to him. Without a word, Castor helped me out of the white rolls Royce limo we just arrived in.Dressed in a sheer cotton pink and white ruffle