Alan eventually returned to the palace with anger on his face and dirt on his clothes. He approached us looking criminally defeated, and there were bags under his eyes like he hadn’t slept in days. I was still frozen in place, my mind folding over the threat, trying to analyze it. A valid theory was that the woman in the woods who gave Theo “water” was Emily. She had failed to kill me, but maybe she was warning me that she was preparing to attempt again? That theory was cemented by the fact a maidservant was not only threatening me, but using Emily’s name as well. “We didn’t find any trace of the son of a bitch again,” Alan snapped, and Danika abruptly shushed him, implying a sleeping Theo in the next room. “Sorry I’m frustrated,” Alan sneered, narrowing his eyes at my sister, “have you done anything to help?” “I did, actually,” she argued, and a smirk split her face. I noticed the amusement kissing her features as they spoke, and the secret admiration
I must have stared at the note for twenty minutes. Reading it over and over, scrutinizing the way each letter curved and perfectly arched, the smooth black ink’s trail in the ivory, the capital S positioned like an elegant snake. I was holding my recent paranoia and insanity in my very hands; the threats I had been trying to predict, the thoughts slowly infecting my mind, now placed right on my nightstand. My worries materialized into a real threat. The note in the garden was more of a warning–not a threat. Now, the threat was written bluntly, as if it was a cold slap to the face. I watched the night submit to the dawn, still gripping the note between my fingers, a cool sweat coating my spine. If someone I love was being threatened, I had to do something about it. It was still dark enough to be concealed; the sun had not yet peeked over the horizon. It must have been around 4 a.m. Between night and day, between the unconscious and the conscious. A perfe
I aimed for my body weight to land on his head and make him fall to the ground, but as my knees locked around his neck, he acted as if a mere squirrel attacked him from the trees. The man cried out in surprise but was not affected. I started throwing punches at his neck, not realizing I was yelling, and he ripped me from his neck. His strong hands tossed me off like he was flicking a coin; I went lurching into the dense vegetation. . I fell hard on my back, the landing winding me. A heartbeat passed before I could breathe, and I gasped, sitting up before he could shoot me or attack. “And here I was assuming you’d be happy to see me,” the man said in a familiar voice I had been waiting day and night to hear again. I looked at his face, my heart nearly combusting from out of my ribcage. “Aldrich,” I gasped out, using my hands to aid me in standing up. My legs suddenly felt like sacks of heavy skin devoid of any bones.“Are you mad at me for being
When we finally returned back to the estate, the guards looked happier than I had ever seen them. The servants bowed and the maidservants that had cast me dirty looks were now smiling at me. The busy, bustling morning crowd was suddenly a small celebration banquet. His entourage cheered for him, and the foyer dispersed a narrow path for him. I simply walked behind him, witnessing it all. Alan came bounding down the stairs. His gaze automatically landed on me, out of habit, and his eyes slightly showcased his concern before diverting to Aldrich. Grinning, he approached his friend with one of the hugs that men do when they’re excited to see each other, but still want to appear masculine. “You didn’t alert me of your arrival,” Alan accused lightly, his gaze secretly flitting back to me again. That one gaze screamed: we are in deep shit. “I didn't tell anyone,” Aldrich said, looking around at his people, “it wasn’t much of a victory to celebrate. I would’ve rather
Aldrich “Nothing!” Cathy peeped, propelling over to me before delicately snatching the piece of paper from my hand. I looked at her incredulously. She took the note and buried it deep in the pocket of her trousers, where she sheathed her dagger. “It’s a personal note from my sister,” she said, and the polite buoyancy in her tone indicated she was lying. When she was overly kind, she was lying, as if she was guilty to be doing so. If it actually was a note from her sister, she would be nasty that I was picking it up. I only stared at her, my jaw tightening. The hurt at her surreptitious, nervous behavior settled into my bones. After being away for so long, I predicted a warmer welcome. And especially less secrets between us.“What is going on?” I demanded, raising my tone. She merely raised an eyebrow at me, annoyed at my volume. It was a habit I used as authority over my soldiers, and forgot it was not a tactic for her. “I guess you didn’t hear me right,” she
He did not flinch, but he had the decency to look upset about it. Aldrich stepped back, regaining a couple shreds of his composure after realizing what he was doing. “I’m sorry,” he muttered reluctantly. “I don’t care,” I sniped. “I have the right to know if my son was in danger. I need to know what happens to him!” he insisted, glaring at me. The thought of Theo being in danger seemed to hurl him into a spiral, and he was containing himself very well. Don’t say, don't say it, don’t say it. “I never told you he’s your son.” He froze. His rage froze. His body froze. His face froze. As if he was a volcano icing over, but would erupt even harder once thawed. “We’re still playing this game?” he demanded, his voice acidic and dripping with malice. He was so angry, he didn’t even seem like he was talking to anymore, rather a soldier that disobeyed him or an enemy. “I’m not playing a game,” I said weakly, “I was going to tell you what h
Cathy At first, I didn’t know where I was going. Before I left the estate, my body decided for me. My heart whispered to the muscles in my legs and soon enough, they were weaving through the familiar forest. I had no fear, no desire to stay, just a picture in my mind of the one place I needed to be. I knew every footfall, every groove in every tree along the path, and every fallen trunk or notable pinpoint. Soon, I saw the weeping willow tree, signaling my long awaited arrival. My prison cell had become my solace through the years. I was grateful for more space, more convenience in feeding my son, and the large area he could play without it being interrupted by trees. But I still felt like this was home. I walked through the garden arch, looking at all the flowers that preserveered on their own. Most were dead, but it must have rained more out here. I stared at my spot on the swing that I used to read on, where I had no worry in the world, where the estate
My eyes detached from his wound and reluctantly met his. “I wanted to leave before you could ask me to.” He frowned at me, a mix of confusion and exasperation clouding his features. “Why would I ask you to do that?” I stood up suddenly, wanting to increase the space between us as my confessions plagued the air. The willow watched us wearily. “You do all of this because you think you care for me.” I insisted, waving my arm toward the garden that he made glow. “I know that I care for you,” he corrected me matter-of-factly as he leaned back on his hands, “but go on.” “No, you don’t,” I said, turning my back to him. “Why do you think that?” he demanded with annoyance still in his tone. “That makes no sense, Cathy.” I whirled back to him. “Just listen,” I hissed through gritted teeth, glaring. He stayed silent when he saw my expression. “I believe you when you say you care for me. I see it in your eyes, your word
I froze. My hand gripped the door, and I was contemplating if I should run back inside the house and slam the door. The vampire would be on me before I could even get it all the way closed. I noticed it was morning, but the sun was not out. Shit. “Hello there,” the vampire drawled, blood seeping from his lips and glowing in his eyes. I stumbled back, my breath shortening. “I wouldn’t try to run if I were you.” I gulped, trying to figure out how to morph into my wolf form before the vampire could kill me. “I’m not as weak as you think I am,” I threatened, willing my hands to stop trembling. “I admire the delusion,” he chuckled, “you have no one to protect you now when you fail to make even a mark on me, little girl.” I looked around the empty field desperately. All the guards were in the emergency battle or dead. He was right that no one was here to protect me now. But that meant there was no one left to protect the estate, eith
The dread became heavy in my stomach the moment they left. I felt cold when Aldrich was gone. It was like losing the sun, the land becoming a snowy and desolate wasteland where nothing lives. The only rays of light came from Theo. He looked like the light in him was completely gone after the vampire attack. I hadn’t slept in two nights, but there were still things that needed to be done. I needed to tend to my son and make sure he was okay. The royal therapist and I sat in his bedroom, where three guards manned the door and outside the window. It probably didn’t help his fear, but we had to make sure what happened didn’t happen again. I sat with him on my lap, arms wrapped around him while I cradled him in a fluffy duvet. “I want daddy,” was the only thing he said, seemingly refusing to say anything else. On one hand, I was thrilled that he was referring to Aldrich as his daddy and that he felt safe with him around. He also liked to
Just as I felt my wolf teeth and claws ready to slip out and attack, I looked into the afraid, wide eyes of my sister. “Danika,” I gasped, pulling her against me in shock. I allowed my eyes to fall closed for a moment, breathing her in. “You’re okay.” She squeezed me reassuringly. “I’m okay, Cath. You think I’d let these weird looking fuckers lay a finger on me?” I laughed, pulling back to examine her. She had no wounds, not even a blonde hair out of place. “Let’s go show Alan you’re alive before he secretly has a heart attack.” She rolled her eyes before taking my hand. I weaved through the crowd again with her, wondering how she found me.“Where were you hiding?” I asked as we sidestepped a woman trying to console her crying child. “In the corridors,” she answered, shrugging nonchalantly. “If any vampires got in, I figured they wouldn’t vehemently be searching through hallways. But none got in—all the injured people are from the village.” “
Right as I turned my head up to look around, a plethora of pale and red-eyed faces were jumping upon us. Instinctively, I curled down around Theo, squeezing my eyes shut in feared shock. Aldrich acted quickly, shooting up to defend us. They came flying down from everywhere, as if they had been lurking in the trees. “Alan, take Theo and run back with Cathy until they’re inside,” he called before transforming into his notoriously murderous wolf. I startled at his swift transformation, one moment looking up at my handsome husband and the next seeing him with glowing eyes and bloodthirsty teeth. He immediately sank them into the nearest vampire’s throat and spit the decapitated head out into the trees. Theo saw all of it. Alan rushed over and fluidly picked him up. I couldn’t protect Theo as well as Alan could, and Aldrich wasn’t insulting me by instructing him to take him. “Cathy,” Alan urged with alarm, looking behind us, “run.” He didn’t have
I wasn’t sure if anyone tried to catch me, but I fell to my knees in the snow. My son was captured. Aldrich immediately came and scooped me off the ground. I was ashamed to display such weakness, for he had been seeing me at some of my lowest points recently, but when it came to Theo’s well-being I could easily melt into nothingness if it was threatened. “Cathy, maybe we should get you inside,” he said with some alarm, most likely concerned by whatever look I had on my face. “I’d rather die,” I immediately spat out, shaking my head violently, “Let’s go.” I used his arms as balance beams before digging my feet into the ground. There had to be more footsteps trailing to wherever my son and his captor went. Who knew if it was even a captor? He could have willingly gone with him. Theo had been targeted so many times throughout this experience, that I would not be surprised if he was coaxed right out of his bedroom window and scaled down the wall with
He didn’t say anything. The anger began to brew in his eyes like a storm from the west, but it never hit the east. Instead of letting it hit, he left the room. I stared at him before letting out a sigh. I supposed he was rather gracious for exiting rather than yelling at me in a state like this, for why wouldn’t he? I had basically sworn away our happily ever after. Instead of following him, I tossed aside the duvet before slipping out of bed to then cross the room to Theo’s door. He would be waiting for me to kiss him goodnight. I opened the door as quietly and tactfully as I could, making an effort not to wake him in case he fell asleep waiting. The moonlight drenched the room a little more than usual; the curtains were drawn. As I peeked into his room, I discovered the moonlight was shining onto an empty bed. “Oh, my god,” I sputtered, hurrying over to his bed. The sheets were void of any presence, wrinkled as if there was a body on it a me
“The last time I was honest with you, you stormed out of here saying you didn’t love me,” I declared acidicly through gritted teeth. “I did not say that,” he snapped back, matching my energy. “I said you were not acting like the woman I love.” I laughed humorlessly at that. “Well, maybe she does act like that. Do you not love me now?” There was a challenge in my voice, and I almost wanted to push him to the point of saying no. Aldrich looked at me with incredulous belief, his lips parting like he was offended by my words. “Of course I love you, you fool. How do you think I felt when the guards alerted me that you were unconscious?” I hesitated before simply shrugging. “Cathy,” he said, his nostrils flaring. He stormed up to the bed in a small fit of rage. “I thought they finally got to you,” his voice became gruff, like it was weakening, “I thought you were dead.” I stared at him wordlessly, not knowing what to say. “So many people ha
Once the sun was gone and the moon had returned, the mysterious healer returned to Emily and Elias’s residence like every night. “Everything is going according to plan,” the man informed the couple. They silently rejoiced at this, the mischief twinkling in Emily’s eyes. Elias looked at the ominous healer. “Tell us.” “The poison I concocted worked with ease,” he said with a predatory smile, “the staff is slowly dying off one by one. They soon fall dead within two hours.” Benjamin was present as well at the meeting. He provided no brains behind the operation, just willingness to do anything to get ahead. While of course, not knowing the two people he was working with were also working against him. “Perfect,” Elias smirked. “That estate will fall apart piece by piece.” “She is going to pay for what she has done,” Emily sneered. The mysterious healer seemed to be formerly proud of his plan, but uncomfortably shifted at that. *
Aldrich soon bounded into the room a couple moments after I did. I did not turn to look at him, too busy staring at the doctors with my arms crossed tightly. I was not afraid of the answers they had evident all over their faces, and I was even slightly agitated at the concern in their eyes. I wore the same nightgown for seven nights in a row, only leaving my bed to occasionally bathe, and had not eaten or drank much. I probably looked more like the corpses they have been examining rather than their hostess. “My lady,” our main doctor, Dr. Laurence, regarded me. His lips were set very tightly; he was not thrilled about the news either. “Have you come to a conclusion?” Aldrich inquired from behind me, the worry in his voice further irritating me. “I’m afraid we have,” Dr. Laurence answered, nodding curtly. He looked at us warily over his thick glasses. “We have deemed the victims’ causes of death as all poison.” “Poison?” We both echoed in unison. I glanced