Chapter 14:

Chapter 14:

Shane looked toward the open door as the rest of the vampire army flew out into the darkness.
“We have to get her back!” Shane said standing up and going towards the door.
“Get her back yourself” William said coldly from behind him. He stood up, dusted himself and started to walk out the door. Shane stopped him, grabbing a handful of his shirt.

“What are you talking about?” Shane said, ignoring his werewolf strength and pushing him hard against the wall. “She’s your girlfriend!”

James just stood in between not knowing whether to break them up or join Shane.
“Oh, yea?” William said, ignoring the pain from the impact of being pushed against a wall “then why didn’t you tell me that she was a vampire? Why didn’t she tell me? “
“She was gonna tell you tonight!” Shane said, almost growling. William removed Shane’s hand roughly from his shirt.
“Forget it,” William said “I shouldn’t have trust Violet, Eliza, whatever! Forget we even met.”
“Stop acting like a jerk, William” James said patiently.
“Acting like a jerk? She’s the one who deceived us and now I’m the jerk? She’s just like those monsters she hates. Why did I even trust her?” William walked out the door.

“She loved you!” Shane shouted. “Don’t you know the pain she had because she was afraid you won’t love her as herself? But she gave it a shot anyway! Don’t you know how damn much you’ve hurt her when she tried to explain to you and you just turned away? If you seriously love her, would you even want to hurt her?!”

William stopped where he was and stayed silent. Shane took the time to keep talking.

“She’s my sister, I should know her. But you don’t know what hellish things that she’s gone through being a vampire. Did you think it was her choice to become one of them? William, you’re not the only one who lost a family! Eliza herself lost her own family when they turned away from her because she was a vampire! Will you do the same thing her family has done to her and take away her only hope of living? Think about it!”

Shane looked at James and nodded upwards, indicating they go back. James passed Williams silently, who was standing so still like a statue.

Ë

I felt myself being thrown into a cold place, my body hitting a hard floor made of stones. I felt my body shiver and flinch from the pain I had but going through all that, I just felt them. I didn’t remember anything more, all that I remembered was my heart has been shattered and William’s cold face was staring accusingly at me through my close eyelid. I tried not to cry out as I felt crystal droplets fall coolly and slowly down my face. I looked up at the moon through the only window there was, wondering what had happened to the others as I was taken away.

After a while, all my thoughts were suddenly washed away and I felt like an empty shell, an empty chest without a treasure, and an empty person without a soul or heart.
All that I could recall was, I had been there for a while. Maybe it has been a day or two or maybe even weeks. All I know was, there would be nobody coming to save me and I felt it would be better for it to be like this. That way, I wouldn’t cause any more troubles for others. My tears had run dry and I doubted if I could cry anymore. Suddenly, my strong shield has been broken and I felt so fragile. After a long time of lying there like a dead person, I heard a loud clang as the iron door to where I was opened. I realized for the first time that I was in a cell.

“You, Elizabeth Laurens, have been summoned to appear before Prince Caden Skyright” the guard declared “Arise”
I sat up weakly, my body weak from the lack of food I had been ignoring for a while. I didn’t even wonder how they knew my old name. Two maids appeared and helped me up, their porcelain like skin white seemingly like chalk against the black dresses they wore. They steered me towards a hallway full of paintings, making the situation more like a déjà vu and it was like I was back in that vampire’s house before I turned into one.

I know that my state right now wasn’t the best and I was glad that vampires didn’t have any reflection. They stripped me of my garments and bathed me while I just stood there, like a mannequin which little girls played dress up with. They fixed my hair, dressed me in a velvet dress and gave me food, ushering me to eat. They weren’t exactly kind towards me but they weren’t cold either.

Food tasted like cold tasteless porridge as I chewed it in my mouth. I didn’t know why I was the way I was but all I know that my energy to continue going on had been drained out. After a few bites, I dropped my spoon and looked emptily and the maid next to me, she started to take me to another place. The place where I was looked so vast, the corridors twisting and turning like a maze.

After what seemed like minutes of endless turns and twists, we reached two large wooden doors. The maids opened them and suddenly there was a huge a mount of light, compared to the dim corridors and it blinded me. I had to raise my arms to my eyes, trying any way to take away the light. I was pushed into and, my eyesight sluggishly adjusted.

What I noticed first was the immense chandelier that hung brightly above my head. It shone like diamonds in the ceiling and the interior was greatly designed. I would have stood there admiring the interior designing of the area but I became aware of the eyes that pierced me at the back as the people -pardon me, vampires - ogled curiously at me.

My eyes fell onto a guy sitting on a throne in the middle of the area. I realized that I must be in Castle of Aduton-Aduton meaning cannot be entered. Prof mentioned it to me once. This castle was a home to the most powerful vampire royals and here I was standing in front of one. He didn’t seem older than me but you could never underestimate a vampire’s age. His hazel eyes stared into my steel gray one and I didn’t hold down my gaze. His skin was as white as the others but it looked as if there was more life in him than the other dead vampires. Amusement was shown in his eyes and the corners of his mouth turned upward into a smirk. He stood up and went towards me. I didn’t move back or anything but I stayed there like, as I had consider my self now, a mannequin

“Eliza,” he took my hand and lifted it towards his mouth, planting a cold kiss on it. “It is finally glad to meet you”
I stood there motionless and mute. He looked into my eyes and frowned a little bit.
“Call in Cecelia” he said aloud. Cecelia? Why did that name sound so familiar? “And bring in her other self as well”

There was a sound of protest outside the door and Lila walked in. Not only did she walk in but also a similar girl, who looks just like her, was thrown in, bounded with rope. The girl on the floor looked at me and gasped.
“Violet!” she cried aloud. I looked blankly at her and her happy face turned shocked. She just sat there looking at me but I had looked back into the Lila that was standing.
“Cecelia,” The guy said walking towards the Lila who was standing. Cecelia? Why was he calling her that? “Didn’t I say bring her to me, alive?”
Cecelia shot a glance towards me and looked back towards the guy.
“Caden,” she said, “she is alive”
“Alive you say?” Caden looked at me and snapped his fingers in front of my eyes but I didn’t blink. “Do something to get her out of this trance.”
Cecelia looked at me contemptibly then she had the maids dragged me back into my cell. After a few minutes, I heard the iron door opening and I didn’t know if it was Cornelia or Cecelia. She looked at me, her olive eyes soft but sad. I realize they were Cornelia’s eyes. Again, I was filled with confusion on how there were two of them.

“Eliza…” she walked towards me and sat down by me. “I know you are Violet.”
I didn’t shift much, just stared down at the stones below my feet that made up the floor.
“I know you can hear me and I don’t know what happened to you but I should explain first.” She gave a deep sigh “I have a twin sister, Cecelia. I know she didn’t really treat you nice and I’m sorry but there wasn’t anything I could do. In the party, they just abducted me before I could do anything. Cecelia is a vampire, she was bitten before you arrived and she disappeared. Nobody knows and I didn’t talked to anyone about it but she just suddenly, appeared again. She’s not the Cecelia I know anymore and I overheard their plan one day. That’s when I fond out that you are a vampire and I was shocked at first but I accepted it. When you were to come here, I knew we could escape together but…”

Lila placed her warm hands on my cheek and turned my head to face her. She looked miserable and her usually glossy hair was a little dry and it hung dead around her face.
“Violet,” she said, “What’s happened to you?”
I looked at her and recalled the past events that had happened and realized that I wasn’t really betrayed by her. It wasn’t Lila it was Cecelia.
“Please Violet, talk to me!” she begged, “What’s wrong with you? What did they do? I swear I don’t know what I’ll do to Cess!”
She rose angrily to confront Cecelia but I grabbed her hand to stop her.
“It wasn’t Cecelia…” I whispered, talking for the first time in days. My throat felt dry and it felt troublesome to talk with such a throat. She looked at me, surprised for a moment but then I could see the glint of joy that came back into her eyes as she sat down.
“I-It was my fault,” I said, my chest feeling tight and painful as my eyes began to water again. I had thought that my tears were dry but why was I still crying? In that moment, all my pain tumbled out my mouth without any stop and I doubted if Lila could understand them since I had spoken non-stop. When I finally stop, I felt the weight on my shoulders decrease significantly and I finally felt at ease. Lila pulled me towards her and gave me a hug.
“Violet,” she whispered, crying as well “I’m sorry. I didn’t know…”
We sat there crying together for a while and when we finally stopped to look at each other, we laughed. I had finally laughed. I had comprehended how much I had missed Lila these past few days and I was glad she was back.
“Violet,” Lila said, “You must be strong or else we can’t escape. I know that you are in deep pain right now but you cant act like you are dead.”
“What are we supposed to do?” I said, “This place doesn’t have any ways to escape!”
“I don’t know but I’m sure we’ll think of a way.”
We sat here and we heard the iron gates open again. Cecelia stood in the doorway, staring impatiently at the both of us then she turned to me,
“You done being desolated and depressed?” she snapped and I shifted my eyes to the wall, being soundless.

“Whatever,” she turned to Lila “Bring her to his majesty.” And she left, leaving the doorway open. I looked at it and calculated how long it would take us to run without being caught by the guards.
“You don’t want to escape now,” Lila said breaking into my thoughts. “The are guards right outside now. Plan it carefully.”
I looked at her and nodded. Lila took me back to that Caden guy and we entered the room, together.
“At last,” the Caden guy said as we entered “Eliza, you have awakened!”
I stared at him with pursed lips trying to figure this guy out. Was he a foe or a comrade? He walked towards me and Lila shifted away uncomfortably. I sensed she was still a human and it was a miracle she wasn’t being bitten, yet. Being in Aduton Castle, the castle of the vampire royals and being surrounded by vampires, it was indeed a miracle that she hadn’t been attacked.

“Eliza,” the royal said, “I am Caden Skyright, you can call me Caden.”
“Caden,” I stated. “Nice name. Now what do you want?”
He chuckled, his Adam’s apple bobbing up and down cheerfully and his chuckle reverberated in the immense room.
“You really are as they say,” he said, taking a strand of my black hair and holding it towards his face. I wondered how I stayed a vampire “Feisty and one of a kind”
I kept silent and his hazel eyes returned to meet my gaze.
“Eliza, what should we do with you?” he sighed. “You know that I can’t just ignore the cries of those family of the vampires you have…slain.
“Let’s see…” I said pretending to think, “Oh, how about this, you let me go and I’ll never return here.”
He laughed again, not taking his eyes off me. If he wants a staring contest, I’ll give him a staring contest.
“How does a death sentence sound?” he said.

Ë

“Wait!”
Shane and James turned back to William. William looked at them his face, unreadable.
I do…love her. I admit I cannot forget about her.” William said, “I know how much of an ass I’ve been and I’m sorry. Please, let me help.”
Shane stared silently at him and James looked at them both worried that a fight would start. However he was relieved when Shane gave a wry grin and William smiled sheepishly. The three of them ran to Professor Terrison.

Ë

“How does a death sentence sound?” Caden said.
“How if I say no?” I said. Caden smirked a little.
“I admit,” he said “I have grown favourable towards you. I’ll make the punishment more bearable. Does anybody have anything against my decision?”
The vampires in the hall didn’t make a sound and Caden smiled, returning to me.
“I have a proposition for you. In exchange of the death punishment, you will be given three tasks and if you succeed, you and your friend’” he shifted his gaze towards Lila and back at me “can go freely and we will all forget about you.”
There were murmurs in the hall.
“But” Caden continued, “Should you fail… you will belong to me.”
I kept looking at him and thinking about his proposition.
“What are these three tasks?” I questioned carefully.

“Nothing too hard for you. Getting the ring of Lykia, defeating the Ravens and slaying beasts.”

I looked at Lila and she shook her head in disapproval but I shot her an apologetic look. This could be our only way to escape. It doesn’t matter if I don’t escape, just as long as Lila makes it.

“I accept”

“You have to get her back, no matter what!” – Nancy