-------------Kaitlyn-------------
The crescent moon shone overhead as Kane and I stood in the dreary confines of the cemetery, staring down at the grave that had just been filled with Darwin's body underneath all the mud.
Victor had stayed behind to clean up the mess in the castle before anyone notices it and contact the creed's ally witch Amanda to find a potion to conceal Valerian's scent off the baby.
Typically, babies inside their mother's womb don't have their own scent until the moment they're born. So they have the mixed scents of their parents on them till birth. Which was a true horror for us. Because as long as I didn't conceal it, I'll be walking around with Valerian's scent on me and the baby. And God forbid if Keith. . .let's not think about it.
The mission was to hide every trace of my killing Darwin from the face of earth before Keith came to know of it. So here we are, in the graveyard with the task completed.
I turn to Kane who'd been oddly silent the whole duration we'd dug the ground and buried Darwin's body.
It was very unlike Kane who spoke a lot. But then he'd just lost his brother.
At first he'd been so furious about my killing his brother but as I explained why I did what I did and he sensed the heartbeat and the scent on me, his anger fueled down considerably to something akin to sadness. He'd then defeatedly said that what's done was done and now we had to hide the body before Keith or Narcissa come to know of it.
The vampire court would come to know of their king's death eventually but for now, we had to delay the news from leaking as much as we can. And enough for us to get done with Keith once and for all. Coming back to present,
The vampire prince had a forlorn look on his face as he stared at his brother's grave, "The only condition I had while helping Valerian by spying on my brother was that he does not kill Darwin once he's caught. Valerian had accepted telling he'd keep Darwin in the dungeon instead. I might've hated my brother but I never wanted him dead, Kaitlyn." He whispered, his voice so low it was barely audible even for my lycan hearing to pick up.
I felt my heart shrivel at his words. At the stark loss coating them. It was the first time I'd seen Kane so sad and heartbroken and it made me feel guilty for what I'd done. But at the same time, I didn't regret it.
"I'm sorry." I say sincerely bringing my eyes upto the prince, "I had no choice."
"You could've held him captive, Kaitlyn. You didn't have to kill him." He says softly this time.
I lower my head to the deceased man's grave as I recollect his last words, "He could've escaped and tried to hurt my child. He could've told Keith. It was either him or my baby. I chose what was more precious to me. And I don't regret it. If you would've been in my place, you'd have done the same. Darwin isn't precious to me like he is to you, Kane. But my child is."
"I understand your position." Kane sighed nodding his head before looking up at the dark sky, "I always knew he'd be bringing his own doom with how hungry he had become for power. But somewhere, I had hope he'd change for the good. That he'd become the brother he used to be before I gave him the throne."
My heart suddenly aches for Kane. He really did love his brother. Too much than the unworthy man deserved.
"I'm sorry." I say again, my voice apologetic as I place a comforting hand over his shoulder.
Kane sighs, "I did say I understood why you did it, didn't I? I'm not going to back out from my words, Kit Kat." He passes me a small smile, "Besides, I think what you did wasn't wrong in your place either. Maybe this was how his end was meant to be."
I return back his smile, "Atleast one good thing that happens out of this is you get to be back with your mate."
Kane's eyes widens as if he just realized about that before they snap to me in astonishment, "I forgot about that idiot!"
"Is that how you call your mate?" I laugh but he just shrugs nonchalantly, forgetting all about his gloomy mood at the mention of his mate.
"Ryrar is an idiot, not going to lie. I mean, he tried to resist me. Me! I'm not aware about others opinion but I know for myself that I'm hot." He fans his face as if to emphasize his point.
I shake my head despite myself, "Sure you are."
Well, he wasn't particularly wrong. He certainly had the face and the charms.
'IF VALERIAN WOULD HAVE HEARD THIS, HE'D HAVE GONE GREEN WITH JEALOUSY.' Pretty reminds, making a smile pull to my lips at Valerian and his caveman possessiveness.
'He surely would have.' I retort before shutting her off.
"Are you going to tell Valerian about the babies?" Kane asks making me turn to him in confusion.
"Babies? It's just one baby." I tell him.
Kane gives me an 'are you serious' look, "You don't know?"
"What?"
"The Verakov Bloodline." He says face-palming himself as if my obliviousness baffles him, "There's always been twins. Your grandfather and your grand aunt. Your father and Narcissa. You and your twin. Obviously, your children would be twins too."
"I didn't know that. . ." I murmur, my hand involuntarily moving over to my stomach, "So they're two of them?"
"Yes!" Kane turns to me, "And the elder one is going to be a lycan/witch hybrid. All of the first borns were. Even your father. Most likely, your twin brother is one too."
"Woah. I didn't know this either." My round eyes stare at him as if he was a creature from another planet.
"Moishka. You're clueless." Kane shakes his head, "Your grand mother was a creepy witch who used to worship the demons in secret to gain eternal power. Theirs only two percent of people whose offerings are accepted. And she ironically happened to be that person. Her offerings were accepted and she became a demonic witch who gained few powers as gifts which could only be considered a curse, as per me."
"Why?" I ask suddenly dreading for my unborn first born.
"Because these dark powers are not just limited to her. Once a witch gains eternal power of the demons, she sacrifices half her soul to them and even half the souls of her future generation's first-borns. Which means, all the first borns who'd be her descendents will be half demonic witches too. Whether they want to be or not, they're stuck with it. That's why your father was a lycan/ demonic witch hybrid. And now yours and your brother's future first borns will be too."
"That's a lot." I mumble feeling dizzy at the array of information dumped on me.
"Tell me about it." Kane shakes his head, "Your family has always been complicated. I wonder how your brother's life is."
My mood sours as I think of my twin who I've never met, "I do wonder sometimes too. I just hope his life is less chaotic than ours."
Kane nods but as a loud howl resounds through the silent graveyard, we both turn to each other in alarm.
"Hounds!" Kane and I shriek in unison before looking at each other in fear.
"Wait, you're scared of them too?" I ask Kane to which he gives me a deadpanned look,
"I not very fond of creepy beauties who give me nightmares. Have you seen their faces?! They're creepy as hell!" He wraps his arms around himself, "Let's get out of here right now!"
I nod vigorously.
It was ironic how we, the ancients, who were definitely more lethal and powerful than the creature yet just a single howl from the hound had us both scurrying through the forest towards the castle fearing for our dear lives.
By the time we're back to the white castle, we're a huffing and puffing mess.
Just as we're about to sneak in through the large ground floor windows, Kane turns to me with big wide eyes before staring down at my stomach, "Was it safe for you to run like that with your...uhm...condition?"
"You're reminding me this after we ran a mile like maniacs?!" I growl at him feeling horrified because I didn't know myself either whether it really was safe.
Kane scratched his head in stupor, "I thought it's never too late?"
"Oh, it is!" I narrow my eyes suddenly feeling too snappy.
"Ah, let's get in and then you can release your pregnancy hormonal anger on me later." Kane pulls open the window and climbs in gesturing me to follow the same.
Huffing some more, I land my feet on the windowsill and climb up to the other side of the window landing into the interior of the castle.
"Gosh, we're finally safe now!" Kane let's out a sigh of relief.
I'm about to agree myself when a voice that sends a chill down my spine speaks stopping us both on our tracks,
"Are you really?" Keith's eerie voice rings in my ears.
I turn to the man, feeling my heart sink to the bottom with dread as I take into a wounded and bloodied Victor laying on the ground motionless at the Keith's feet who stood proud and mighty dressed in a black tuxedo, staring at us with that ever-present chilly smile.
I feel my mind go numb with anxiousness as my feet moves towards leader's limp form in terror but Keith's next words make me freeze on my steps,
"Don't worry, he's alive." He says way too calmly before his lips tug into a cynical smile, "But he will not be if you don't do as I ask of you."
Then in the speed akin to the flash of a lighting, Keith is in front of me. I take a step back in alarm trying to maintain a safe distance from the psychotic person but before I can step far enough, he pulls me closer by my arm and places a palm over my stomach, "Neither will these." He says as his charcoal eyes stare into mine with an evil glint in them.
From the corner of my eyes, I see Kane go very still as my own heart shrivels in my chest, draining all the colour off my face in it's wake.
"Did you think I wouldn't know what you all were plotting against me? Did you think I wouldn't know if you killed one of my allies? Or slept with my enemy boring his filthy child? Or the said enemy is your mate? Did you take me for a fool?" Keith shouts on my face making me flinch at the fury in them.
I don't reply. My brain was too numb from the threat he'd just directed towards Victor and my babies and knowing the fact that he knew Valerian is my mate. I don't understand how. He didn't know about Valerian all this while. From where did he know now. . .
My silence seems to irk Keith as his arms go round my throat, "Did you, Kaitlyn?" He yells, his spit marring my face and fingers tightening around my wind pipe.
When I still remain motionless, his glower increases, "Speak!" His eyes takes into the misty whiteness telling me he's trying to compulse the answer out of me.
He didn't know I had the oak on me. I could only brisk in that fact.
"No, I don't think you're a fool." I reply in a monotone acting as if I'm under his compulsion.
Keith tilts his head to the side as his eyes narrow into slits, "Do you have oak on you, my love?" The chillness in his tone makes my heartbeat stop.
He didn't know. He's just trying to get a reaction out of you, Kaitlyn. Act neutral. This is the best time to make use of the assasin abilities.
"No, I don't." I retort robotically.
Keith's lips pulls into a lop-sided smile as his anger drops. I feel myself feeling a bit less worried but that heightens the moment those eyes eerie charcoal eyes goes down to my stomach.
"It doesn't matter now." Keith let's out a laugh that brings nothing good to the one on the receiving end of it, "You know why women in the olden days were kept far far away from ravens during pregnancy?"
"It's because. . ." His white eyes connect with mine making my breathing go still at the cruel intent them, "Even if the mothers are wearing the oak, the child inside their wombs-" He pokes a finger to my flat belly making me flinch at the force he uses, "-their minds are completely unprotected of any talisman. And you can't even put an oak charm on them since they're not born yet." His smiles turns evil, "Which is why raven's can easily control an unborn child's mind without any hindrance. Even if the mother is protected by oak, they can't be. Because we're compulsing the mind of the baby, not the one carrying them in their womb."
"Which my dear Kaitlyn, means I could compulse your children to kill themselves inside your womb if I so wish." He laughs again before peering into my eyes, "Want me to show you an example?"
Before I can comprehend his words, I feel a sharp stab in my stomach which sends me falling to the ground on my knees holding my stomach as waves of pain rock through my entire being.
My eyes well with tears as the pain intensifies making me feel dizzy and my sight go blurry.
"S-st-stop i-it." I manage to get out shiveringly as I start to sense the metallic taste of blood in my mouth.
Then all of a sudden, the pain stops.
The next moment, in a harsh grip, my face is being lifted to connect with Keith's eyes which I know will haunt my dreams from this day on as he says, "There'll be a war happening soon. Either you kill Valerian during the war. Or either I kill your children. Make your choice."
"Until then, both of your children's minds will be in my control." With that, he backs off, shifts into his crow form and flies away in the darkness of the night.
All the while I stay rooted to my spot thinking how the lives of the two most precious thing to me were on line. My mate and my children.
What if you're stuck in between falling off a cliff and being crushed by a stone?
Which path are you supposed to choose?
How do you think Keith came to know about Valerian and Kaitlyn being mates?
Your views on what Kaitlyn will do now?
The upcoming chapters are chaotic and we're nearing the end of this book. I'm so sad😢