(Kate) “MOMMY, does your shoulder still hurt?” My hand automatically stopped from brushing Mira’s hair when I heard her question. Did she remember the past? We are currently in Zachary’s chamber. He summoned the Mages, the head of the knights, and the Council for an urgent meeting. He promised that he would be back before lunch. I also intend to talk to the Mages later. “My shoulder is fine, sweetheart. Why did you ask?” “I never forgot about it, Mommy. I remember what I did. I remember how I bit you,” she said in a low voice. “I remember how you bled and how I hurt you.” Mira turned to me. She looked like she was about to cry again. This was what I dreaded the most: the explanation process. How do I tell her the truth? Where do I begin? I held her hands and softly kissed them. “If you remembered what happened that night, then you should also remember me telling you that it was not your fault,” I started after a long silence. She nod
“YOUR highness, is everything okay?”I turned on the faucet and wiped the blood off my mouth before responding, “Yes, Violet. I’m okay. You worry too much. My stomach just hurts a little. I’ll be out in a while.”The coven will be staying in the city. Violet volunteered to protect me along with Jonathan, Damon, and the Vampire knights who had sworn their loyalty to me. The number of people around me had increased so much. Half were assigned during the day and the other half was during the night. Mira was currently being protected by both Mages and Vampires as well.Violet was here beside me; she was on night shift today. She was the most promising Mage in her generation and also one of the most powerful.I feel like the Mages were seeing Dayanara in me. All of them had sworn to serve me the way they did to her. They even performed a blood oath in front of Zachary, of the Council, and of the knights.I could now feel Dayanara’s presence and love through these people. She may not be by
(Violet)I CLENCHED my hands. Then and now, there was only one vampire in the whole world who could raise me up so high to the point that I’d feel invincible. Sadly, that vampire was also the same person who could drop me so low to the point that I’d feel worthless.And he was this man in front of me.If it was up to me, I would never associate myself with anyone in this kingdom, in this city, and with any vampire. But my duty as a mage had brought me here.Queen Dayanara had called me back to the very place I swore I would forget. I have her daughter to protect that’s why I have to endure seeing Damon again who still looked at me as if he was seeing an enemy in me.I stared at his hand holding my wrist and smiled mischievously. He was holding me so tightly it hurt.I pretended it didn’t sting. This was the best I could do: to put this playful mask again to be able to save my pride at least.Come to think of it. This masquerade ball suits me. I don’t even have to wear this gold mask I
(Zachary)MY BLOOD pressure rose at its peak the second I saw Kate wearing her black lace bikini as the men feasted on her body. I was so furious that I wanted to burn their eyes but I could never win against Kate. She was wicked, she knew my weakness.When she showed me that winning smile, it was game over. I heard the men behind me took a deep breath upon the incredible view.I knew it. I should have accompanied her. When the butler sent me her picture wearing that silver gown, I wanted to hurry home and just hide her in our bedroom. I wanted to be the only man who could see her in that provocative dress.But our little princess was enjoying the amusement park too much that I could not just get away. I could not remember how many times she grabbed my hand and pulled me towards the roller coaster and Ferris wheel ride that around the fifth time we rode in that blasted thing, I was too damn dizzy that I forgot about the party.I just remembered it on our way to the castle. I could not
(Kate)MY HEART raced when I heard a commotion outside. As soon as I finished changing my clothes in the guest room, I followed where the noise was coming from.I saw Aleman, he was currently being surrounded by the knights. He was holding a sword with blood still dripping from it. There were two dead bodies on the ground, a man and a woman, both were still wearing their swimming attire and both died from the sword.Aleman was quicker and stronger than the knights and warriors tonight. When he wielded his sword, the vampires surrounding him flew away. All had cuts on their stomachs, but thankfully, they were still breathing.I knew that move. I had seen that many times before.Jonathan showed up in front of me, ready to protect me anytime while Zachary was in another corner with the hellfire in his hand.When I saw the king about to attack the culprit, I ran to Aleman to shield him from Zachary and from the knights who pointed their swords at him.“Please stop!” I shouted.Zachary’s e
(Kate)“DID you receive the flowers, sis?” I remembered Terrence asking me before via phone call.I embraced the bouquet of yellow roses and nodded even if I know that he couldn’t see me at the moment. “I did, but what are these for? It’s not like it’s my birthday today-oh, wait.” I stopped and glanced at the calendar that I hung on the wall when I realized the date today. “It is indeed our birthday. I’m sorry, Terrence. I forgot again. I just came back from a mission. I didn’t notice the date.”We treated the day we were found by the nuns as our birthday. Between us, Terrence had always been more thoughtful. He would always send me flowers during days like this.“It’s okay. I understand.”I bit my lower lip. We were both busy. And yet, he still remembered. “This is so embarrassing. I didn’t even get you a gift again.”He laughed. “I told you it’s okay. You don’t have to buy me anything. For my birthday gift, can I just make a request instead?”“Anything, Terrence. Anything at all. Ju
(Zachary)THE SPELL had been lifted. Unlike the first time when Kate got emotional in the rose palace, tonight, there was no rain. The wind was calm and gentle. Silence filled the air. No one was moving, including the guests and the owner of the manor, as if they were afraid to create even a little sound that would distract her.Kate remained staring at the knight’s face. We now knew who he was. We had heard their conversation; we heard them weep for all the lost times. We had witnessed their final reunion. Terrence may be using another person’s face and body, but we clearly saw him break down.We saw how the siblings shatter. The royal family died a tragic death. Kate was now officially the last surviving member from the Gregory clan. They were all victims of the century-old war between the witches, hunters, and vampires. The twins were the ones who loved each other the most in this world, and yet, they ended up pointing their swords at each other. All we could do was watch from afar
AFTER confirming the witches’ location, I did not waste time anymore. I kicked the steel gate of the two-storey house where the witches had been hiding and immediately set their hideout on fire.I heard them shriek. The furious warriors broke the door. We found the witches in the middle of casting their spell, all of them were sitting on the floor. They formed a circle and were holding each other’s hands while chanting but Jonathan and Damon were quick to throw their swords at the witches’ heads.Despite the two witches who died, the chanting did not stop. Instead, their voices became louder. The warriors’ ears bled, but none of them stopped from marching forward.I allowed these little devils to live before. I gave them mercy when they begged me thinking that they could not do any harm to me and my people anyway. It was just recently when I discovered that they were the ones backing up Dimitri’s disciples.Showing them mercy was my mistake. That same mercy I gave them had bounced bac