Blood Slave

Chapter Forty-Three: Moving Closer

ZURIEL

"Why am I here?" I ask Mother with irritation when I find myself standing in a white space, standing on some invisible floor. Everything is just white.

She stands in front of me looking as beautiful as ever with a calm expression on her face. "I just want to talk... The only time I can get to you is when you're dreaming."

My eyes narrow. "I don't sleep, though."

She shrugs. "I put you to sleep. You're safe. No one is going to hurt you or Ari so you have nothing to worry about."

I nod slowly. "So what am I doing here? What do you want to talk about?" I ask her quietly.

She smiles gently. "Ari is a sweet girl, isn't she?"

"Yeah," I agree quietly. "Very sweet."

Mother watches me with awe. "You look a whole lot better... You look calmer from the last time I saw you."

I nod slowly. "I've calmed down a bit."

Mother turns serious for a moment. "But your goal is still the same, isn't it? It's to make Calico suffer as much as you did."

It was my turn to grow serious this time. "Yes."

She nods as she breathes out slowly. "Then I need to tell you something... I actually need to warn you to be more precise."

My brow arches. "Warn me about what?"

"There is an artificial form of what you are. I brought a creature back from the dead... He's like you...only he didn't come back from the dead out of sheer will. I brought him back through my will."

My narrows narrow suspiciously. "Who did you bring back?"

Her blue eyes harden coldly. "Radu the first lycan. I'm sure you noticed the lycans were acting quite strange from earlier."

"You brought back the first lycan..." I mumble quietly as I study her carefully. "I'm not mad actually... If you brought him back then there must be a good reason for it."

She nods slowly. "It is for your purpose, Zuriel. You know what you are. You need closure in order to move on... You need closure in order for you to live the life you've always wanted."

"Why did you bring him back for me? I don't understand," I say as I shake my head. "Why do you like me so much?"

Mother's gentle smile returns to her lips. "You have a good soul. Even now, even with what you are, you still have a good soul. You've made it this far, and I only want the best for you." She pauses. "Do me one favor though..."

My body tenses up. "What?"

"I can't tell you everything just yet, but there's only one thing I want you to do. I want you to protect Ari no matter what. I want you to always protect her no matter what it'll cost."

My brow arches up with confusion. "Why?" I ask her. I mean, I wouldn't mind doing it anyways.

She just grins. "She's very important to your future. If anything, she could be the one that gives you the life you've always wanted." She loses her smile for a moment to tell me this though. "If you want that kind of life, you're going to have to move on... You're going to have to get what you have to get done finished soon."

My eyes narrow. "To make Calico suffer just as much as I did."

My eyes open slowly after the dream, and when I look over, I see Ari asleep beside me on the bed. It's still late. I feel that it's still dark outside so I roll over and watch Ari as she sleeps.