Chapter 5: What Dreams May Come

"Helena, please take Sidia to her chambers. You and the others should help her bathe and dress for bed. I'm sure she must be exhausted from all this activity." Severus turned back to Sidia after issuing his orders. "I will come find you soon. For now, make yourself at home. We will talk again and figure out what to do once everything has settled. Is that fair enough?"

Despite wanting to run out of the cavern and never look back, something deep in Sidia's heart urged her to jump into the unknown and trust whatever was happening to her. She looked back at Marcus, just a small glance. Her heart fluttered again, a feeling she was not at all used to. No matter the outcome of her conversation with Severus and her decision about staying or going, she needed sleep and a bath. She had to be somewhat logical about this. Besides, she desperately wanted to speak with the aunt she had never met.

"That is fair enough . . . Your Grace." Sidia wasn't sure if she was allowed to call him by his first name.

Any concern about her etiquette melted away when Severus smiled again. "Please, call me Severus. I am yours, my dear." He bowed to her, sending a whisper of pleasant hissing through the court.

Helena took Sidia by the hand, her flesh cold and dead. The other female vampires who had been waiting patiently for instruction surrounded her, and Sidia lost all view of Marcus or the rest of the coven.

"It'll be faster this way. Hold on." One of the vampires, a woman with luscious blonde hair and twinkling green eyes wrapped an arm around Sidia's waist.

In the blink of an eye, Sidia was suddenly moving. Everything around her became a blur, and she felt nauseous, swept away by the speed of her attendants. After what felt like much too long despite how fast they navigated the mountain, they finally came to a stop in a much smaller room.

Dim light from wall sconces covered in vines, colorful mushrooms, and lichens illuminated a spacious bedroom. A massive four-poster bed with thick velvet curtains took up one of the walls, piled with luxurious blankets and pillows. To her right, the room opened a little wider to reveal a deep stone tub carved from the wall. An opening in the wall let water trickle in constantly, and Sidia couldn't tell how the tub never overflowed. Not to mention how it stayed warm. Steam rolled off the perfectly clear water, so inviting and tantalizing. A table with cosmetics and a gold-framed mirror was set to the side as well. It was truly a beautiful room, and Sidia couldn't help but admire everything.

"This mountain castle is truly one of the most amazing things you will ever see." Helena interrupted the silence, and Sidia was startled to find the group of attendants watching her with fascination.

"Yes. I always thought the home estate showed off our family's wealth, but this is something else." Sidia agreed. She fiddled with her hands, not sure what else to say or do in the presence of so many strangers. Clearly they were to be her attendants, but did that mean they would help her undress and bathe? She had never had servants for that.

"If you're ready, Empress, we can help you use the bath and dress for bed." The vampire with blonde hair grinned. It wasn't entirely pleasant to Sidia considering the woman's fangs were extended.

"Well, I'd rather know your names before letting you dress me. But, do you have to? I don't mean any disrespect, but I've always bathed and dressed myself." Sidia admitted.

"Is Rosa not with the family anymore?" Helena asked. "She always took care of me."

"No, Rosa is still at home. I just never let her bathe me." Sidia chuckled, comforted by someone else being so familiar with her home.

Helena smiled. "I love Rosa so much. She was more of a mother to me than my own."

"I don't remember Grandma Elena being particularly kind, but she died when I was young." Sidia cringed as she realized what she had just said. "I'm so sorry. Did you know that your mother had passed?"

Helena shook her head. "No, I did not. His Grace doesn't keep up with much about our family except the eldest daughter of each generation."

"Why does he specifically want the eldest daughter? That doesn't make much sense. None of this makes any sense!" Sidia spoke faster as she went on, but a cold look from Helena silenced her before she continued.

"His Grace explained it to you perfectly. He is following the prophecy given to him by the seer. I know it seems. . . ludicrous, but it is the truth." Helena's face revealed nothing, but Sidia noticed the other vampires watching Helena very closely.

"The rest of you are awfully quiet." Sidia addressed them. "Are you from my family as well?"

The blonde spoke once more. "No. Your other relatives are all throughout the cavern. They've married the generals or soldiers His Grace chose for them, and they are loyal subjects. My name is Catarina. I've been a vampire for over sixty years. His Grace rewarded me with immortality after years of serving as sustenance for the coven."

"Sustenance for the coven?" Sidia grimaced. "What does that mean?" She had a feeling she knew the answer already.

Catarina smirked. "Exactly what you think it means. I offered myself as a human, and they kept me here for a few years. None of the vampires here kill humans. His Grace finds willing servants, and they prove their loyalty. They live comfortably here in exchange for willingly letting us feed on them when necessary. We can get what we need without killing."

"How are there humans willing to live such an existence?" Sidia didn't mean for her tone to sound so judgmental, but she realized she made a mistake when anger flashed in Catarina's eyes.

"Not everyone in the world gets the same comfortable life as your family, Empress." She hissed the last word. "Your village is protected by His Grace, and you have lived in mortal luxury. In the rest of the world, most are lucky to have a safe place to sleep and a scrap of food. Who wouldn't offer their neck once a day in exchange for protection and comfort? His Grace offered salvation."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend you." Sidia meant her apology. The temptation of safety and comfort had to be enough to entice anyone used to suffering, even if giving in meant sustaining such terrible creatures.

"I see the gold cross on your neck. I can only imagine what you think of vampires." Catarina turned to the others. "Let's take care of our empress and go about our evening, ladies."

"Wait!" Sidia exclaimed. "Please, I don't feel comfortable around so many strangers. Would it be possible to just leave me with my aunt? I'd feel better if it was just a member of my family tending to me."

Catarina made a strange face, an unrecognizable emotion squinting her eyes. "I don't think that to be wise. His Grace made it clear that we were all to attend to you. We shouldn't disobey his orders."

Sidia tried to hide the disappointment. She was trying to speak to Helena alone. She could tell by her aunt's coldness that something was off. Helena said Severus had been telling the truth, but Sidia wasn't sure. She had the distinct impression that they wouldn't let her be alone with Helena. But why?

I can figure it out later, Sidia thought to herself. If she couldn't be alone with Helena right now, then fine. She just wanted to be completely alone.

"I wouldn't want you to disobey your emperor. Can I at least bathe alone? Please?"

Catarina was silent for a long moment. She glanced at the others, made brief eye contact with Helena, and then turned back to Sidia.

"His instructions were that we attend to you. If you think we have fulfilled our duty, then yes. We will leave you to it." Catarina snapped her fingers, and suddenly they were all gone.

Sidia finally noticed the stone door that led into her bedchamber. She didn't even have to try and pull on the handle to know that it was locked. Despite appearances, she knew she was a prisoner here. They would not let her go. Strangely, that realization didn't frighten her as much as she thought it would. So much information had been pelted at her, but Sidia was certain of a few things. Unless she outright defied Severus and the coven and tried to leave, they would not harm her.

Still, Sidia couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't right here and that she was being lied to. Marcus had been obviously mocking Severus when the seer and his prophecy was brought up. Why did he do that? She needed to speak to Helena alone, but it was clear that would be difficult. If there was nothing to hide, then why wouldn't Catarina leave them alone together?

And the final thing she was most certain of was that since she was stuck here, she needed to figure out exactly what was going on and find a way to end the hold Severus had over her family.

That last moment of clarity struck her hard. She hadn't verbalized that thought yet, but it rang like a bell. Vampires had been stealing her ancestors for centuries, and it had to stop. If that meant Monterosso lost its protection from the rest of the world, then so be it. Humans did not need to make deals with demons like these.

Satisfied with her decision, Sidia undressed and approached the bath. She might as well enjoy the luxuries offered to her, right? And a warm bath could help her think and formulate more of a plan. She sank into the clear water, the heat seeping into her muscles. The scrapes and bruises from falling in the woods stung a bit but quickly eased. She sighed with pleasure as she lowered herself down and the water went up to her neck. She had never had such a lovely bath before.

After soaking for a bit, she noticed the shelf with soaps and oils and thoroughly washed her hair. The water was cloudy and sudsy now, but Sidia wasn't sure how to drain it or clean it. She could ask whoever came to her bedchamber next.

She stepped out of the bath and brushed her hair before braiding it into one thick rope. The wardrobe had an impressive array of dresses ranging from casual to formal, and a small selection of silk and satin gowns obviously meant for sleeping. She chose one of the sleeping gowns and settled into the ridiculously comfortable bed. She had never imagined pillows and blankets so soft and warm. There were no windows anywhere in the secret castle as far as she could tell, so she had no way to tell the time. Time didn't really matter, though. She was exhausted, and she quickly fell into a deep sleep.

It felt like she had only been asleep for a few minutes, but her eyes flew open. Her room was mostly dark. Somehow, the lights had dimmed. Only shadows and shapes surrounded her. She sat up in bed and froze when she noticed the outline of a shadowy figure standing by the door.

"Who are you?" She immediately got up from the bed, looking around in the darkness for some kind of defense.

"Sidia, it is only me." Marcus's voice flowed through the air, sending a shiver down Sidia's spine. The figure stepped forward, and the lights grew just a little brighter. She could see half of his smooth face, but the other side was veiled in shadow.

"What are you doing here?" Sidia relaxed a little. She knew no harm would come to her, but her heart raced. She was alone with Marcus again, and they were alone together in a private room and she was barely dressed. This was scandalous, but she found herself not caring.

"I had to see you again." His voice was low, raspy with an emotion Sidia had never heard in a man's voice.

"But why?" Sidia was terrified to hear the answer, but a spark ignited in her chest at his words. Was this . . . desire?

"Why do you think?" he chuckled. He stepped even closer, closing the gap between them. Sidia fell silent as he stood before her, just a few inches away.

"Do you feel it too?" she whispered. She was trembling, not entirely sure what she meant by her question. She had never felt anything like this before.

"Oh, yes. I feel everything." Marcus raised his arms and slipped them around Sidia's waist. She gasped at his touch. He was cold, but a warm sensation radiated from where he held her, some new rush of energy surging in her veins.

"We can't do this," she protested weakly. "What about Severus? And we only just met! What is happening?"

"Stop thinking so much." Marcus pulled her in, pressing against her and running his hands over her body. Sidia thought about pulling away, but he felt too good. She couldn't think, couldn't process anything. She wrapped her arms around his neck, shuddering in his arms. She was panting, breathless at the wave of desire building deep inside. She was about to push him away, to end this madness.

Then he growled with pleasure and grabbed the back of her head before delivering a passionate kiss, Sidia's very first.