CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
24
Morwenna
If I’d had the chance, I would’ve plunge a blade deep into Draven’s fucking chest.
I knew, with a chilling certainty, that Draven was a killer. It was the very essence of his being, a vampire by nature, existing on a diet of mortals. Yet, a flicker of hope remained, a desperate denial that he wouldn’t sink his fangs into another innocent.
But hope was a flimsy shield against the weight of reality.
He’d murdered those servants before, and the memory of him holding Daniel by the throat, squeezing the life from him, sent a fresh wave of terror crashing through me. He wouldn’t hesitate again to do the same with Daniel.
You might wonder how I found them.
Well, it all began with a simple summons.
Lady Jen, a prim and proper maid assigned to my “care,” had me dressed for Lord Draven’s “audience.”
Gazing into the ornate dressing mirror, where I had foolishly requested my hair be dyed white and shorn to shoulder length, I saw a reflection that stole my breath – Daniel. He was running, calling my name with a desperate urgency.
Panic clawed at my throat. I spun to the bewildered servants, demanding if they saw what I did. Their blank stares confirmed the chilling truth – it was only visible to me.
Doubt gnawed at my sanity. Had the lingering effects of the dream, a disturbing encounter with the late Victoria (a nightmare if you will), addled my mind?
But the reflection refused to fade.
The setting, a haunting echo of Draven’s castle, solidified the terrifying truth – I was seeing Daniel, somehow trapped within the mirrored realm.
Ignoring the rising tide of fear, I followed an instinct honed by desperation.
The frantic pleas of his voice were my compass, leading me on a desperate chase.
Lady Jen, clearly flustered by my defiance of protocol, trailed behind, insisting it wasn’t time for my audience with “the lord” yet.
Her protests although, fell on deaf ears.
As I rounded a corner, a tableau of chaos met my eyes.
Draven’s vampire guards lay sprawled unconscious on the floor. A pungent, familiar scent hit my nostrils – garlic.
It was a tactic I had employed before, and its presence here spoke volumes.
Someone, most likely a Chimeran, had used it to subdue the guards. Vampires, weakened by the pungent herb, wouldn’t stoop to such a tactic. Witches, with their esoteric abilities, were an unlikely culprit, especially with Elara absent. The answer, a horrifying realization, slammed into me - Daniel.
Lady Jen’s bewilderment at the sight of incapacitated vampire guards proved a costly distraction.
The remaining Chimeran servants, seizing their opportunity for escape, vanished in a flurry of fleeing forms.
My focus, however, remained unwavering – I strained to locate Daniel’s voice amidst the chaos.
The unending labyrinth I found myself in was a hall of mirrors.
Every hallway, every chamber, reflected an identical scene – myself, trapped within a mirrored prison.
Yet, within these reflective surfaces, a disquieting truth began to reveal itself. I could see Daniel. Witnessing such a phenomenon sent shivers down my spine.
Following the trail of his image through the mirrored maze, I arrived at a balcony, drawn by the reflections converging on that single point.
There, on the precipice of the building, unfolded a scene of unspeakable horror. Draven’s grip tightened around Daniel’s throat, the sheer brutality threatening to hurl him from the rooftop.
My heart lurched. A fall from such a height wouldn’t be survivable.
This horrifying tableau solidified a terrifying truth – the visions conveyed by the mirrors were reality. These weren’t mere reflections; they were windows into a secret, a darkness veiled from the sight of the other humans. But why was I the only one granted this terrifying sight? Could it be a consequence of being Victoria’s reincarnation? Did this connection allow me to perceive the unseen?
A surge of adrenaline propelled me into action.
My eyes darted across the balcony, landing upon a discarded suit of armor and a gleaming sword.
Ignoring the weight that threatened to overwhelm me, I snatched the weapon.
Visions of vampire lore flashed through my mind – a stake to the heart, that was the instant demise of these blood-sucking fiends.
Fueled by this knowledge, I lunged with unwavering determination, aiming for Draven’s vital organ.
Yet, in that critical moment, emotions betrayed my resolve.
Vulnerability took hold, twisting the trajectory of the blade.
Instead of striking true, the sword found its mark on his chest above his shoulder.
The blow lacked the calculated precision it required, a combination of raw emotion and the unexpected weight of the weapon. Fuck.
With a snarl, Draven released Daniel, sending him tumbling towards the edge of the balcony.
My heart hammered in my chest as I rushed to his side, catching him just in time to prevent a fatal fall.
Weakness clouded Daniei features as I cradled him in my arms.
Frantic, I checked for a pulse.
Relief washed over me as its faint rhythm continued beneath my fingertips.
“Morwenna,” he murmured, his voice barely a whisper. His hand, trembling uncontrollably, reached out to touch my face. Just as it threatened to fall away, I captured it in mine, allowing it to linger on my cheek.
“Dan,” I whispered back, my voice thick with emotion.
Heart pounding a frantic tattoo against my ribs, I strained to lift Daniel further. Daniel’s ragged whisper, “I get to see you again, Morwenna!” sent a fresh wave of terror crashing over me. The choked cough that erupted from his lips only amplified my fear.
“It’s going to be alright,” I managed, his clammy hand finding a desperate purchase on my neck.
Just then, Lady Jen burst onto the balcony, her face a mask of horror.
Draven, in a feat of sheer desperation, had managed to yank the sword from his chest. It lay discarded on the floor, its crimson blade slick with blood. But that blood... it wasn’t the natural red I expected.
To my growing horror, it darkened, turning an inky black, the color of obsidian. It was as if the very lifeblood coursing through him was laced with dark magic, potent yet sinister. A chill snaked down my spine. I knew I needed to delve deeper into those forbidden tomes to understand what I was witnessing.
“Don’t touch me, Genevieve,” Draven rasped, a flicker of his old imperiousness momentarily flashing in his eyes.
Lady Jen, ever obedient, retreated a step but remained vigilant. “Are you well, my lord?” she inquired, her voice laced with frantic worry.
Ignoring her concern, Draven rasped, “The servants… they’re escaping, aren’t they?” His voice held a disturbing echo of his precognitive abilities, as if he could pierce the veil of distance and witness the unfolding chaos.
“The guards will be after them shortly, my lord,” Lady Jen assured him, her voice tight.
Draven’s response was a guttural grunt. “Most likely incapacitated or worse by now,” he rasped.
“A few managed to flee beyond the estate borders, my lord,” Lady Jen interjected. “The servants wouldn’t dare venture far.”
Draven’s dark gaze flicked towards her, his tone laced with a dangerous undercurrent. “And if they do?”
Undeterred, Lady Jen met his gaze. “Escape from this estate is no easy feat, my lord. The wards are as potent on egress as they are on ingress. They won’t leave unscathed.”
“And what about Morwenna and the human boy...?” Draven questioned, almost as if I weren’t present.
“They are here, my Lord...” Lady Jen responded quickly, her voice laced with a hint of defiance.
“Excellent,” Draven rasped, lifting his head from the floor. Red hair, still riotous despite the chaos, framed his face. His crown, a defiant symbol etched into his very locks, remained stubbornly in place. A high ponytail, once neat, now served only to hold the crown secure, strands escaping to veil his features with a seductive disarray. Even amidst the impending danger, he emanated a raw magnetism.
Draven rose, a deep groan escaping his throat as he stretched his neck. With a flick of his hand, he straightened his back and strode towards me. Instinctively, I took a step back, clutching Daniel’s limp form tighter.
We locked eyes in a silent duel of wills. My gaze held firm. His eyes, yes, captivating, held the potential to lure the unwary like moths to a flame, but I wouldn’t be swayed. Daniel, on the other hand, remained a pitiful figure, his head hanging low, drained of any fight.
“He’s a monster, Morwenna,” Daniel rasped, his voice a mere whisper against my ear. The warning resonated within me.
“Release us,” I countered, my voice gaining strength with each word. “I believe I’ve lingered too long. It’s time...” I faltered for a moment before correcting myself, “We need to leave.” The emphasis on ‘we’ left no room for argument.
A low, dangerous whisper escaped Draven’s lips. “Morwenna...”
“You are a monster,” I declared, meeting his gaze head-on. “A seductive one, to be sure,” I conceded, a tremor of honesty running through me. “You ensnared me once, but no more. This ends now.”
Silent but deadly, a chilling possessiveness flickered in his eyes. “I can offer him freedom,” he began, his voice dropping to a seductive purr, “but you... I can’t loose you.” Then he paused, his words hanging heavy in the air.
A rasping whisper, barely audible, escaped Daniel’s lips. “Don’t fall for it.”
My mind reeled, flashing back to Victoria’s words and the unnerving abundance of mirrors that seemed to occupy every corner of the castle. Today, for the first time, I truly noticed them.
“Mirrors...” I breathed, my voice tinged with dawning realization. “Everywhere, mirrors. It was through them that I found you, Draven. I mean, Lord Draven,” I swiftly corrected myself, the formality a bitter pill on my tongue. “You’ve filled this castle with them, with the sole purpose of keeping me captive.” My gaze held his unflinchingly. “To fulfill your one, twisted desire. You want to use me to bring her back, the very woman who haunts you. There’s nowhere left to hide that truth, Draven. Your offer to lift burdens? It’s a farce. You want to see your late wife free, not me. Those words you whisper, they’re for a ghost, a memory, not for the woman standing before you. I won’t compete with a phantom, because there’s no competition to win.”
Instinctively, I tightened my grip on Daniel’s hand, anchoring him to me, refusing to let him slip away. “I understand my purpose, this endless cycle of reincarnation. Names echo around me, labels thrust upon me like unwanted garments. But I won’t be a pawn in your game, Draven. No more. This charade won’t last. Release me. Let me go, for now, until your grand scheme comes to pass. I have someone who cares for me, someone who sees me, not a tool. Let me care for him, Draven. Let me choose something real.”
“I don’t want to keep falling over and over for…you,” I whisper.
His facade, usually as impenetrable as stone, seemed to crack for a fleeting moment. He took a step closer, a predatory move I mirrored by stepping back.
An unreadable thought flickered across his face, but I refused to be drawn into his enigmatic world. I had burdens of my own, secrets churning within me like a tempestuous sea.
“Very well, Morwenna,” he finally conceded, his voice a low rumble. “I won’t force your choice. You are...free. For now.” The last word hung heavy in the air, a veiled threat.
Despite the chill that snaked down my spine, a part of me yearned to reach out, to offer a sliver of comfort.
He carried a weight far too heavy, but I quickly banished the thought. My own burdens were overwhelming.
Taking a deep breath, I found my voice, quiet yet firm. “Let it all go,” I whispered, more to myself than to him.
He broke eye contact, his gaze shifting to Lady Jen.
“Teleport them home, Genevieve,” he commanded, as he strode off the balcony, the thud of his boots heavy and deliberate. At last, he was releasing me, at least for now.
Home. The word echoed in my mind, a melody so sweet it was almost unbelievable. I was going home.
Lady Jen stood her ground, her gaze unwavering but devoid of the warmth I might have expected after seven shared weeks. “It’s been... enlightening,” she finally said, her voice laced with a hint of something akin to regret. “I won’t deny, Morwenna, your presence stirred a disquieting echo within Draven. An echo he couldn’t ignore, hence the... ‘special treatment.’“
My reply was a curt nod. Disquietude was an understatement, but the truth held little comfort now.
A crackle of energy emanated from Lady Jen’s fingertips, sparking a jolt of recognition. It mirrored the power I’d glimpsed in that unsettling dream, the one reflected in the warped surface of the mirror. Could it be? Was she the one Victoria spoke of, the one who turned traitor? No, Victoria had mentioned a sister. Genevieve couldn’t be her. Yet, Lady Jen’s claim to have served Victoria muddied the waters. Serving one sister surely entailed knowing the other. The question burned on my tongue, a flicker of defiance against the swirling mist that began to engulf us.
“Don’t. Return. Morwenna. If you still value your life,” Lady Jen’s voice grew distorted as the cloud swallowed her whole. My world dissolved into a swirling vortex, darkness claiming me as swiftly as it had arrived. I squeezed my eyes shut, holding Daniel tighter.
Then, a cacophony of sounds: the insistent honking of horns, the cheerful chirping of birds, and the soft patter of rain.
Rain. A familiar melody on the symphony of Chimera City. A sound I’d yearned for during those seven sequestered weeks. My eyes fluttered open, the world coming into sharp focus. Daniel, warm and secure against my chest, stirred with a contented sigh.
We were home.
The world shimmered with an almost tangible sense of relief.
Home. I was finally home.
Finally.