CHAPTER FOUR
4
Morwenna
“Your hand feels different compared to the ones I’ve seen and worked on,” remarked Daniel’s aunt, Valentina, as she gently touched my injured arm, examining it closely. I couldn’t bring myself to look at the deep cut, knowing it was caused by the vampire. When Dr. Valentina spoke, I could sense her shock and horror mirrored in her expression. Meanwhile, I tried to endure the discomfort of the injury, feeling her tend to it with cotton and ointment from her first-aid kit. Finished, she held up two colorful bandages. “Pink or blue?” she asked gently, sensing my distress.
“Blue,” I managed to say softly, wincing from the pain.
“Blue it is,” Dr. Valentina responded, wrapping my arm carefully with the blue bandage. I clenched my eyes shut, gritting my teeth to endure the pain without a sound. After she finished, she closed the first aid box with a thud, signaling the end of the procedure.
“All done!” she announced, placing the first aid box back in a drawer across the room. Daniel, ever the opportunist, reached for my hand the moment she turned.
“Are you okay?” Daniel whispered, concern evident in his voice.
“No,” I admitted softly, finally releasing the tight grip on my eyes.
“How did it happen, Morwenna?” he inquired, his eyes fixed on my bandaged arm, a mix of curiosity and suspicion in his gaze. I struggled to come up with a convincing lie, the pain in my arm clouding my thoughts.
“I... I fell,” I stammered, feeling the weakness of my excuse.
“You fell?” Daniel raised an eyebrow skeptically.
“Yes,” I murmured, realizing my lie was unraveling before him. Daniel didn’t buy it.
“Come on, Morwenna, look at how deep the cut is. You think a simple fall caused this?” His tone was accusing, suggesting the possibility of self-harm. I tried to respond, but my words came out as muffled noises. Daniel reached out to touch my injured arm, searching for any sign of the truth.
“This doesn’t look like a mere fall. It’s as if you stabbed yourself. Don’t lie to me, Morwenna,” he insisted, his gaze piercing, demanding answers.
“I fell...” I reiterated, cutting off Daniel’s barrage of questions. I didn’t feel the need to elaborate further. As he tried to press for more answers, I countered, “And what were you doing in the vampire’s territory?”
My question silenced him instantly, his mouth hanging open mid-sentence. I was curious about his presence there, but his expression made it clear he wasn’t keen on sharing any information. I had no intention of giving him any either. That was my way of putting an end to his relentless questioning.
“Um...” Daniel’s voice faltered. “Observing,” he finally managed to say.
“Observing?” I echoed, knowing he was a terrible liar, worse than I was.
“Yes, observing,” he affirmed, though his tone lacked conviction.
“What were you observing in a vampire territory?” I raised my voice intentionally, hoping to alert Valentina. And it worked. It was a preemptive move to deflect Daniel’s potential retaliation of reporting me to my mom. He hadn’t done so yet, but I knew he was capable of informing her about my injury, and the last person I wanted to deal with right now was my mom.
“You went to the Vimic’s territory?” Valentina echoed my question, directing it at Daniel. “Who did?” she turned to me for confirmation.
I pointed my left finger at Daniel, the only part of my body that wasn’t throbbing in pain. “Him.”
Valentina’s gaze pierced Daniel like a bullet. “You ventured into the vampire’s territory... what were you doing there?” she interrogated, causing Daniel to visibly shrink under her scrutiny.
He shot me a familiar look of retribution before responding to Valentina, “Business. I was there for business.”
His words shocked me. “You work for the Vimic family?” I asked, the distaste evident in my voice.
“I don’t work for them. I purchase from them. I’m merely a customer,” he clarified.
“You buy from them? What could you possibly need from these so-called vampires that you can’t find in our city?” I pressed further.
“We procure rare items, and where I work, we have significant dealings with the Vimic family,” Daniel explained, attempting to justify his actions.
“So, you’re just a glorified errand boy,” I scoffed internally.
“What choice do I have? It’s the only way I can earn enough to cover household expenses, including rent and...” he glanced at me, “...you,” he added.
I rolled my eyes at his mention of me. “Find a job that doesn’t involve running errands, especially for the Vimics.”
“The Vimics are currently the most influential family, and nearly every company collaborates with them. They specialize in acquiring rare artifacts, cutting-edge technology and...” Daniel trailed off, as if contemplating listing more, before continuing, “and my company is fortunate to be among their collaborators.”
I rolled my eyes once more. In Chimera City, everyone seemed obsessed with working for the almighty Vimic Family. The very thought of it made me scoff. The last thing I wanted was to crawl back to their outskirts, especially now that knowing Daniel’s job made me want to throttle him for aligning himself with my worst enemy. But fatigue sapped my strength, leaving me powerless even to swat him on the arm. Back then, his work hadn’t mattered. Now, it left me speechless.
“Now, Morwenna,” Daniel persists, “now that you know what I do, care to explain what you were doing in the vampire’s territory?” His question catches me off guard. This wasn’t the exchange I had anticipated.
I racked my brain, but it was empty. I couldn’t conjure up a convincing lie. Should I claim I was drunk? No, Daniel knows I don’t drink. Maybe I could say I fainted and woke up with a cut on my hand? Still a lie, and Daniel’s penetrating gaze made me squirm. I needed to deflect his question somehow...
“Hey, Ms. Valentina,” I interjected softly, hoping to divert Daniel’s attention. She turned to me expectantly. “Do you happen to have a large hoodie? You know, to cover...” I gestured to my bandaged arm. I couldn’t bear the thought of wandering around town like this, inviting stares and questions from curious onlookers.
“Oh, I believe I do!” she chirped, disappearing into another room for a moment. Leaving me, once again, alone with Daniel.
“Okay, now...” Daniel’s voice interrupted, still waiting for an answer. “Please, tell me,” he added.
“Shh!” I hushed him as Ms. Valentina entered, holding a large hoodie in her hands. It was oversized, perfectly matching my style, and in a shade of blue that complemented the bandage on my arm. She handed it to me, and I accepted it with my unbandaged hand, my left hand.
“I hope this suits your taste,” she said with a smile.
“Of course, it does!” I replied, knowing that baggy clothes are my preferred aesthetic. “Thank you,” I added, attempting to rise from my seat.
“Do you need assistance?” Daniel inquired, noticing my struggle.
“No, thank you,” I declined politely, despite my difficulty. I didn’t want Daniel’s help, especially not with something as simple as putting on a hoodie. I retreated to one of the rooms, shedding my blood-stained shirt and donning the fresh blue hoodie. Once dressed, I returned to the room where Daniel and Valentina were waiting. Daniel had already settled in, with a drink in hand, while Valentina appeared fatigued.
Approaching the table where I had been seated earlier, I folded my blood-stained shirt and the cloak I had used as a disguise, placing them on the table. I doubted they would fit into my bag. Daniel, observing my actions, handed me a plastic bag. I accepted it, sliding the clothes inside and tying it shut.
“We should probably start heading out,” Daniel suggested to his aunt.
“Already?” Valentina questioned, her fatigue evident.
“Yes, I understand we’ve kept you up, and...” Daniel began.
“Don’t be silly, you’re not a bother at all. In fact, it’s nice to have both of you here, even if...” she paused, swallowing hard, “it is late. Why don’t you two stay a while longer? It’s too late to be out,” she proposed, hoping Daniel and I would extend our visit.
“No, Aunt Val. My shift starts early this morning, and I know you have work too, so we don’t want to inconvenience you,” Daniel began, but his words were cut off by a persistent knock on the front door. Valentina’s tired eyes shot up, startled by the unexpected interruption.
“Who could be knocking at this hour?” Valentina murmured, rising from the couch.
“Are you expecting someone, Aunt Val?” Daniel inquired.
“No...” Valentina paused, a thought crossing her mind. “Well, I’m supposed to be expecting a patient, but not at this hour,” she explained, moving towards the door. As she reached for the doorknob, she hesitated, her voice cracking as she asked, “Who is it?”
“It’s Theresa!” came the response from outside.
“Theresa!” I exclaimed in surprise, as I hadn’t anticipated her visit. Valentina glanced at Daniel and me, recognizing Theresa as my stepsister, though they weren’t acquainted well. She opened the door to reveal Theresa standing in the doorway, exchanging greetings with Valentina but not stepping inside.
Theresa and I locked eyes, the first time we had seen each other in three years. Given her busy and distant nature, I had assumed she was still at the Vimic’s mansion. We remained silent, her expression holding an inscrutable emotion.
“Come on in, Theresa,” Valentina urged, noticing her visitor’s odd stance. “No need to stand on ceremony.”
“No, Ms. Valentina,” Theresa declined, her gaze fixed on me. “I’m here to see my little sister,” she said, her eyes locking onto mine. “Morwenna.”
I inhaled sharply, clutching my bag tighter on my left arm. Stepping forward, I approached her while Auntie Valentina and Daniel observed the silent exchange.
Daniel wanted to speak with Theresa, but she didn’t seem interested. As I approached Theresa, I couldn’t help but wonder how she had found me at Ms. Valentina’s place so quickly. My mind toyed with other possibilities, but I dismissed the thought of him finding me.
When I was close to Theresa, I asked, “What are you doing here, Theresa?” Her lack of response only heightened my curiosity. “How did you know I was at Ms. Valentina’s?” I thought, but I pushed the question aside.
Instead of answering, Theresa simply said, “You need to come with me. Now!” Her words sounded more like a command than a request, which irked me slightly.
“Come with you?” I echoed, frustration evident in my voice. “You show up after three years, and now you want me to go with you?”
“I’m trying to be calm with you, sister. Just listen for once and come with me,” she insisted, her demeanor making me suspicious. Theresa was attempting to appear composed, a stark contrast to our usual interactions since we stopped talking. These days, we barely tolerated each other.
“What do you want?” I finally asked, unable to contain my curiosity any longer.
“Come with me, and we can talk,” Theresa urged, stepping outside onto the porch. I hesitated for a moment before following her lead.
“Now, talk,” I demanded once we were outside, but she seemed hesitant to explain.
“Get in the car, and we can talk,” she insisted.
“Car?” I whispered, more to myself than to her, scanning the neighborhood. My gaze settled on a parked SUV in Valentina’s driveway, carefully positioned.
An SUV? The thought puzzled me. Did Theresa bring it, or did she arrive with someone else? Initially, I assumed it would be a harmless conversation between us, but as I inched closer, a foreign scent hit my nostrils, thick and cloying. This place smelled like...
Vampires.
The unmistakable aroma of vampires invaded the space around us. I glanced towards the SUV and spotted one in the driver’s seat, his face pale and fitting every description associated with vampires. I suspected there were more inside the car, and Theresa, after three years of radio silence, wanted me to get in?
Was Theresa planning to deliver me to these vampires, to drain my blood? I couldn’t be certain of her intentions. Our lack of closeness left me unsure of what she was truly capable of.
I took two steps back, my gaze fixed on Theresa, annoyance evident in my expression.
“Really?!” I exclaimed. “So you don’t think I can see the vampires in that car, huh, Theresa? You think I’m foolish enough to believe that your sudden desire to talk to me was entirely your own choice...”
Theresa paused, taking a deep breath. “It’s just a private conversation, sister. That’s why I need you in the car...”
“With vampires?!” I raised my voice, ensuring Valentina and Daniel could hear me. They both seemed to catch on, and Daniel attempted to interject.
“Wait... there are vampires here?” he inquired, his curiosity piqued. Theresa ignored him, attempting to take my hand to lead me away from the porch where we stood. I quickly pulled my hand away from hers, refusing to comply.
“Stop trying to create a scene, Morwenna,” Theresa retorted. “And get in the car,” she commanded.
I detested being ordered around. “If you can’t explain what’s going on right now, then I refuse to get into that car with vampires,” I stated firmly, pointing towards the SUV where the vampires sat.
“Oh, you want to know what’s happening?” Theresa responded. “Then I’ll tell you.”
“Tell me!” I snapped impatiently.
“You followed me,” she declared, causing me to fall silent for a moment as her words sunk in. “Didn’t you?” she added, seeking confirmation. It was clear from her demeanor that Theresa already knew the answer; otherwise, she wouldn’t have shown up.
“Yes,” I admitted with a sigh. “I followed you. Is that why you feel the need to make a fuss because I entered the Vimic’s estate uninvited?” I questioned, frustration evident in my tone.
“Make a fuss?” Theresa echoed with a scoff. It was she who had brought vampires into the neighborhood, thus causing the commotion, not me. “You’re the one who already stirred things up, Morwenna...”
“No one saw me at the Vimic’s estate, so relax. I didn’t cause a scene. And how exactly am I stirring things up?” I countered. Sure, I had sprinkled garlic dust on the guards at the Vimic estate, and I may have triggered a few security alarms, but besides that, I hadn’t caused any further disturbances. I was simply defending myself. Theresa, on the other hand, was the one stirring up trouble.
Theresa let out a scoffing laugh, swallowing it down. “You definitely caused a scene...”
“I didn’t!” I interjected firmly.
“You stole from the Vimic Family, Morwenna!” Theresa exclaimed, her usually soft voice betraying her frustration.
“Stole?!” I stumbled over the word. “I didn’t steal,” I said. “This must be some kind of prank or misunderstanding. Why would I ever want to steal from the family I despise?”
“If you trespass on their property, Morwenna, you’re capable of stealing from them,” Theresa countered.
“Come on, Theresa. We’ve never been close, but you know I’m not a thief. Why are you letting the Vimic family accuse me?” I retorted, irritation creeping into my voice at the mere mention of their name.
“That’s why I need you to come... before they decide to take drastic measures,” she said, her tone taking on a threatening edge. I scoffed at the notion of being killed. I couldn’t bear the thought of returning to that dark mansion that felt like it was casting a spell on me with every passing second.
“I’m not going anywhere,” I asserted, brushing off Theresa’s attempt to frighten me into compliance. I knew I wasn’t a thief, and I refused to entertain the idea that I had done anything wrong.
“Morwenna, quit being stubborn,” Theresa urged, well aware of the tendency to dig in my heels. “We’re running out of time. Let’s go before the Lord of the Vimics changes his mind.”
I scoffed again, but Theresa’s expression remained serious. Could she be telling the truth? I couldn’t let myself be swayed by her urgency. “I don’t care,” I stated firmly.
“Please, just come with me!” Theresa pleaded, frustration evident in her voice.
“Is the so-called Lord of the Vimic estate threatening your life too if I don’t come, or are they going to drain your blood if I refuse?” I retorted, recalling the disturbing scene I witnessed with Theresa and the other humans being drugged for vampire encounters.
“So, you did see,” Theresa acknowledged.
“Not much,” I admitted, noticing Theresa’s displeasure at the mention of her encounters with the vampires. I quickly shifted the conversation back to the current situation. “And that’s precisely why I refuse to follow you,” I stated firmly, attempting to retreat to Valentina’s place. However, my path was blocked by a face-pale vampire, causing me to stumble back. There were three of them, and I recognized one as a guard from the Vimic’s estate, the same one I had sprinkled garlic dust on. I never forget a face.
My breath caught in my throat.
“I brought backup, sister, a whole lot of them, so please just get in the car!” Theresa pleaded.
“One, I’m not getting into that car with vampires, and two, I refuse to follow you to the Vimic’s estate!” I stated firmly, my breath hitching as I continued stepping back while the vampires closed in with Theresa standing in front of me.
“That’s why I’ll have to force you, sister!” Theresa’s voice trembled with urgency.
“So if I don’t go, does that mean I’ll be killed?” I inquired, fear creeping into my voice.
“Time is running out...” Theresa trailed off, her concern evident.
Seizing my chance, I scanned for an escape route. My eyes landed on a gap in the vampire horde, but before I could bolt, a blur of dark movement cut me off. A vampire with lightning speed snagged my right arm – the one still healing from the injury.
Pain erupted, a strangled cry escaping my lips.
“You fool!” snarled another vampire, shoving the first aside. “You know he warned us not to touch or harm her!”
Another cursed, “Do you want to get us killed by Lord Draven?”
I winced, cradling my injured arm, while Theresa noticed the pain in my eyes. “You are hurt?” she asked, but I ignored her, blocking her attempts to help me.
“Stay away from me!” I warned, my breath growing labored.
“Morwenna!” Daniel exclaimed, attempting to intervene as he noticed my pain. However, before he could reach me, a hungry vampire seized him, his red eyes glinting with hunger. I hitched. Was he going to feed on Daniel? And Theresa said nothing.
“Get your vampire hands off me, you bastard!” Daniel cursed, struggling against the vampire’s iron grip, but his efforts were futile against the creature’s strength.
The vampire scoffed, laughing. “Don’t involve yourself in matters that don’t concern you, human boy,” he taunted.
“That’s my girlfriend you’re fucking threatening, so it does concern me!” Daniel retorted, but the vampire only tightened his grip, causing Daniel to struggle to breathe, much to the horror of Valentina, his aunt.
“Please,” Valentina pleaded, her face flushed with fear. “Don’t hurt him. Let him go!”
“Stay inside!” Theresa commanded Valentina, who was on the verge of stepping outside. If she stepped out, she would be vulnerable to the hungry vampires waiting outside. Staying indoors meant they couldn’t enter without an invitation, or so I had read in books.
Despite her fear, Valentina still wanted to step outside. I spoke up, echoing Theresa’s warning. “Don’t come out, Ms. Valentina, or they’ll kill you,” I cautioned, trying to protect her.
“They’ve made a truce. They can’t just start killing,” Valentina protested, her voice trembling with fear.
Yes, they did agree to a truce, but whether they’ll honor it, I doubt it. They’ve already broken one truce by entering our human neighborhood when they’re supposed to leave us be. I blame the mayor of Chimera City; he’s in cahoots with the Vimics’ family. I had tried to convince Daniel to let me expose the Vimic’s actions in attempting to infiltrate Chimera City, but he had dismissed it.
They didn’t even dignify Valentina’s words with a response; instead, they laughed. It was clear she should stay indoors. Crossing the threshold would mean she’s signing her death warrant.
Summoning all the strength I had, I approached the vampire holding Daniel’s neck, his grip cutting off Daniel’s breath. I screamed at him.
“STOP!” I demanded. “It’s me you want, not him. Let him go!” I pleaded, trying to reason with them.
“We want his blood!” the vampire guard who had attempted to harm me declared, his eyes glowing red. Something had caught his attention, and when I looked, I saw a cut on Daniel’s lip, blood trickling from it. Daniel had always been in the habit of biting his lips, which must have attracted the vampire’s keen senses.
“Take this instead!” Theresa intervened, thrusting a black vial at the vampire threatening Daniel. He snatched it with one hand, draining its contents as his other tightened on Daniel’s throat.
“You’re suffocating him! Let go!” I exclaimed, fear coursing through me as Daniel’s face was rapidly losing color from lack of oxygen.
“Let go now!” Theresa added, reinforcing my plea to the vampire. “We’re only here to retrieve my sister and mean no harm. You don’t want to cause a scene and anger Lord Draven!”
Finally, the vampire released Daniel’s neck, and Daniel collapsed to the ground, gasping for air. I tried to rush to his side, but the vampire blocked my path.
“Ah, ah, ah!” he chided.
“Morwenna, get in,” Theresa urged, adding a veiled threat. “If you want to see the last of Daniel.”
The air left my lungs in a whoosh. I had no choice.
Theresa opened the car door, and I climbed in, settling in the back. She followed, and moments later, the vampires piled in as well. Apparently, there were more of them than I’d initially noticed. They squeezed into the remaining vehicles, and the engines roared to life. We sped off, followed by two other cars in our impromptu convoy.
I tightly gripped my handbag, my fingers wrapped around the straps, refusing to even spare a glance at Theresa’s way. These vampires were incredibly dangerous, and I couldn’t comprehend why Theresa was aligning herself with them. As we drove deeper into the streets, the sky grew darker, the clouds looming ominously overhead. It was evident that we had entered the territory of the vampires, particularly the Vimic family.
Breaking the tense silence between us, Theresa spoke up. “This will be brief if you follow instructions, Morwenna,” she began. I didn’t bother to meet her gaze, but she continued, “You need to beg for forgiveness for stealing from the Vimics and show them how sorry you are. They might consider letting you go.”
I scoffed at the notion of begging, especially to the Vimics. It was the last thing I would ever do. I couldn’t believe they had the audacity to accuse me of stealing and threaten my life.
“Just because they hold power over others doesn’t mean I’ll ever stoop to begging,” I muttered under my breath. I didn’t say it directly to Theresa, still feeling annoyed with her, but she heard my words loud and clear.
“And that’s why I need you to swallow your stubbornness, Morwenna, and pride and just mutter the two words,” Theresa insisted.
And those two words were, ‘I’m sorry.’
Never. It would only weaken me in front of my enemies, and I refused to show weakness, even though they terrified me to my core.
The atmosphere between us felt heavy, the cold breeze sending shivers down my spine. I knew I needed to stay calm and composed.
I couldn’t stand the vampires, but I had to find a way out of here at all costs, even if it meant following Theresa’s instructions and apologizing for something I didn’t do. But I doubted it would last long.
As the car came to a stop, I knew we had arrived. The darkness of the surroundings was suffocating, but I told myself it wasn’t that bad.
“Just try to be less stubborn and keep quiet for an hour, Morwenna, and then you’ll be out of here,” I reassured myself, repeating the mantra. “Deep breaths, deep breaths...”