A Shadow of Light |girlxgirl|

Chapter 7

|CHAPTER 7|

He seemed infinitely amused with her response to his 'gift'.

She shook her head wildly, and sought out Kali with blurry eyes.

Her once contemptuous attitude had bled into blind agony, as she stumbled to the ground, moaning like a wounded animal.

Liana felt dizzy with the amount of blood that had drained from her face.

He had ripped her fangs out.

"Tell me, my dear. What is it you felt, when you first saw Kali?" The question spread smoothly across the room, like honey, until even Kali froze in her writhing, and the twins stopped squirming uncomfortably.

The shock of the past few minutes removed the usual barrier from her mind, and she answered honestly.

"Confused. I felt confused."

This earned her a deft chuckle, as the Ring Master's hulking form glided back towards the crouched woman.

"And why is that, my dear?" The whispered words seemed only for Liana's ears, as the insidious figure reached out and viciously pulled Kali to her feet, by her ponytail.

Swallowing the dirt-covered rock that seemed to be lodged in her throat, she thought about her answer this time, before speaking.

"Her mannerisms blaze like yours – fiery and merciless. But her words are ice cold, and she wields her fangs similar to the way the twins do." It made no sense to her whatsoever, that the rash woman could hold such opposing elements inside her.

A soft laugh laced the air like an aphrodisiac. "I knew you were smart, my little human."

Liana opened her mouth to question him in return, but he abruptly threw the dazed woman to the ground.

Kali ended up slumped on the dewy grass near the edge of the bed.

"Come now, my dear." The Ring Master crooked a bloody, gloved finger at her.

She slowly inched her legs off the side of the bed, and hesitated at the sight of the once proud woman.

If she were to step off the bed, her feet would almost brush Kali's hunched body.

"Worry not – she will not attack you any more. Step over her broken body, and come to me." The command was not veiled in any sense, as steel coated his tone.

Liana quickly stood from the bed, and edged around the woman, who once more took up moaning piteously.

She moved rapidly and spared only a single glance at the defeated woman before standing beside the tall demon.

It was not so much that she was scared of Kali anymore.

She was more afraid of what she represented – before, a disdainful bully, now reduced to a cowering girl.

She was a reflection of the Ring Master's true face, of his lethal capabilities; a mirror that Liana did not want to gaze into.

"As for you two." The whip of conflagration caused the twins to fold further into themselves, if possible.

"I made a simple request. You were to escort Liana to Mira and ensure her safety. Yet she had not even left her own bed before harm befell her." The calmly spoken accusation was empty of emotion, but somehow still packed with threat.

"W-w-we just wanted..." It was Shine who spoke up, but her bravery seemed to evaporate as the Ring Master cocked his head, and stalked forward a single step.