I stirred, my mind straddling the realms of dreams and reality. As I slowly emerged from my 'slumber', the sights and sounds of my surroundings seemed distorted as if I had stepped into a surreal painting. Colours appeared more vivid, sounds echoed in an otherworldly manner, and even the air felt charged with ethereal energy, leaving me suspended between the tangible and the intangible.
A familiar voice cut through the ethereal haze, a whisper from the depths of my memories.
"Adelaide..." Mum's voice, gentle and tender, reached me in the surreal tranquillity of the dream.
"Mum?" My voice trembled with both disbelief and longing. I blinked, unable to trust my own eyes. Before me stood the unmistakable figure of my deceased mother, a radiant smile on her face as she reached out to touch my cheek. The air seemed to shimmer with an otherworldly presence as if the boundaries between the living and the dead had momentarily dissolved.
"Hello, my love," Mum's ethereal presence exuded warmth, wrapping around me like a comforting embrace.
"Mummy?" My voice quivered with a mix of disbelief and yearning.
"Sh... don't cry," Mum's soothing words tried to assuage the tumultuous emotions swirling within my heart.
"What is this place?" My voice, laced with wonder and confusion, cut through the dreamlike atmosphere. The meadow stretched out before us like a vibrant tapestry, adorned with a kaleidoscope of wildflowers in full bloom. The air carried the sweet scent of blossoms, while the grass beneath our feet swayed gently in the soft breeze. It was a place of serenity and renewal, where the boundaries between reality and imagination seemed to blur even further.
"I used to come here as a child. Your grandma would bring me to the meadows beside our home," Mum explained, her tone filled with reminiscence.
"But mum... you're..." I faltered, unable to bring myself to say the word 'dead'.
"I know, but I never left you," Mum's words were a balm to my ache, a reassurance that defied the boundaries of mortal existence.
"Why didn't you tell me?" My voice cracked with a hint of reproach, my longing for guidance and understanding palpable.
"I hoped I could've shielded you from this world. I didn't want you to live the life I did," Mum confessed, her voice tinged with regret.
"I can't control it, I can't," My despair echoed through my words, a sense of helplessness clouding my thoughts.
"But you can. My darling, you have no idea how special you are. And powerful," Mum's voice held a conviction that transcended the dream, imparting a sense of purpose to my confusion.
"I'm not strong, Mum. I am crumbling from the inside," my admission carried the weight of my insecurities and fear.
"Addy..." Mum's voice, filled with a mother's unwavering love, sought to reassure and comfort.
"Who's the traitor? I can't kill again, I didn't like who I became in that moment. I was just so angry..." My voice quivered with regret, grappling with the shadows of my actions.
"They didn't mean to. They were just doing what they thought was right," Mum's words offered a perspective, a glimmer of understanding amidst my turmoil. Her words only deepened my confusion, leaving me feeling even more lost and frustrated. It was as if she was speaking in riddles, offering vague clues that I couldn't decipher. The weight of the unknown pressed down on me, intensifying my longing for answers and clarity.
As the dream seemed to unravel, the world around me started to fade, slipping away like mist dissipating in the morning sun.
"Mum!" My desperate cry echoed through the fading dreamscape.
"My Addy..." Mum's voice, a last tender whisper, lingered in the vanishing dream.
"Do not fear your power," Mum's parting words echoed with a sense of encouragement and guidance, reverberating through my consciousness.
The abrupt shift from the dream world to reality jolted me awake. I bolted upright in my bed, my chest heaving with the remnants of the dream's emotional intensity. Slowly, the details of my surroundings seeped into my consciousness—a familiar room, their shared chambers. The vividness of the dream lingered, leaving me grappling with emotions that lingered between the realms of sleep and wakefulness.
I awoke to Elijah's familiar voice, a mix of concern and reassurance echoing in the dimly lit room. My gaze, still hazy with remnants of sleep, fell upon Elijah's figure, his silhouette cast against the soft glow filtering through the curtains.
"You're back," Elijah's voice, tinged with relief, reached my ears.
"Elijah?" My voice, laden with confusion, cut through the lingering fog of my mind.
"The others are interrogating Harold. I've been on watch for you today," Elijah explained, his tone filled with a sense of duty.
"Today? What do you mean...how long has it been?" My voice quivered with disbelief.
"Four days," Elijah replied matter-of-factly. My eyes widened, feeling as if they had detached from their sockets in sheer disbelief. Four days? It felt impossible as if time had slipped through my fingers like grains of sand.
"I've been asleep for four days?" My incredulous tone was laced with disbelief.
"Honestly, I am surprised it hasn't been longer," Elijah remarked, a tinge of concern creeping into his voice.
My confusion painted my features as I glanced downward, catching sight of a thin needle embedded in my arm. Horror surged through me, startling me to exclaim, "Oh god."
Elijah chuckled softly, moving towards my bedside with a reassuring gesture for my arm. I instinctively turned my gaze away as he carefully removed the needle. He slowly removed the tap holding the needle in place, making me tense at the thought of the needle.
"Didn't think you'd be scared of needles," Elijah remarked, a gentle tease woven into his words.
"I just don't like things in my veins, thanks," I replied, a touch of sarcasm hiding my underlying discomfort as I felt the needle exit my arm making me cringe.
"Too bad you're mated to two upirs," Elijah quipped lightly making me give out a short laugh. "Ha. Ha. Very funny," I retorted with a wry smile before sighing to myself.
The conversation shifted, and concern etched itself onto my expression as I inquired, "When you say interrogating...?"
"I think you know what is happening," Elijah replied, a sombre edge to his voice making my heart drop in my chest.
My heart raced with worry, prompting me to leave the bed in my sleep dress abruptly. Elijah's urgent call faded as I sprinted down the halls, driven by an overwhelming need to reach my beloveds, my feet fueled by determination. Yet, an unfamiliar force seemed to seize my movements, halting my progress abruptly. A surge, an inexplicable sensation, rippled through my veins, grounding me in place. It was Elijah's blood magic—its unseen influence holding me captive.
"Elijah!" My desperate plea echoed down the corridor as I gritted my teeth together at the feeling of magic coursing through my body, It felt intrusive, and the weight of my limbs felt as if it had tripled.
"You didn't listen to me," Elijah's voice held a mix of regret and caution as he neared towards me.
"Elijah, let me go!" My tone, a blend of frustration and anguish, pleaded for freedom. That asshole, using his powers against me and freezing me in my spot like a glued mouse.
"You won't like what you see," Elijah warned, his words laden with a haunting certainty. I shook my head, hair flying as I kept trying to pull my limbs to move.
"They are my beloveds! I deserve to see," My voice echoed with determination, refusing to yield. Frustration grew in my veins as I stared at the man before me.
"You do not know your beloveds when they are like this," Elijah's voice carried a solemn truth.
"You don't know anything," My retort was laced with frustration and pain. My words were spit out harsher than I intended making ELijah's gaze harden. He gripped my arm in his hand as he hissed, "I know more than you do".
"Fuck you, I have seen them like this before," My voice trembled with the weight of memories. I knew what I was up against, I knew what monsters lurked in the world around me.
"I saw them rip the heart out of a boy I called a friend, then behead him," I confessed, the rawness of my past experiences surfacing. My thoughts pulled the memory of the sound of Daniel's head hitting the ground beneath him. I flinched as I looked away from Elijah's gaze, unable to let him see my growing emotions.
"I know what I am up against, Elijah," My voice quivered with resolve, a testament to the strength she'd gathered from confronting the unimaginable. I needed to stop them, I couldn't let them torture a man for my benefit. It wasn't right, it wasn't moral.
"Fine. Come on," Elijah relented, his expression reflecting a mixture of concern and resignation.
With a determined grip, Elijah took my hand, leading me purposefully down the hall. As they approached a seemingly ordinary portrait hanging on the wall, Elijah's hand deftly found a hidden button. A soft click resonated through the corridor, unveiling a concealed passageway behind the portrait—a secret doorway beckoning them into the unknown depths beyond.
Elijah guided me through the dimly lit, decrepit passageway, a stark contrast to the polished grandeur of the estate above. The stone walls, weathered and damp, exuded a chilling aura, the cold seeping into their bones with each step. The staircase spiralled downward, beckoning us into the bowels of the estate. Yet, amidst the eerie silence of the underground, a cacophony shattered the quietude—the gut-wrenching screams of a man, tearing through the stagnant air.
The visceral sound clawed at my senses, a primal instinct making my stomach lurch. My steps faltered, a mixture of horror and concern etching lines of distress on my face. Elijah's grip tightened around my hand, offering silent reassurance as we descended deeper into the heart of the estate.
The descent seemed to stretch on, each step intensifying the echoes of anguish reverberating through the corridor. The walls seemed to close in, suffocating me with the weight of the unknown. The air grew thicker, carrying the scent of fear and desperation, an ominous foreboding that tightened around them like a vice.
My heart raced, the chilling screams urging me onward, a fierce determination driving me past the threshold of fear. My breaths came in short gasps, adrenaline coursing through my veins, mingling with an unspoken dread. Elijah's presence beside me provided an anchor in the disorienting darkness, his steadfast demeanour a source of strength in the face of the unknown.
Finally, as we neared the source of the agonized cries, the passage widened, revealing a grim scene. Shadows danced ominously on the walls, the flickering torchlight casting macabre silhouettes across the space.
The torment in his voice cut through my resolve, stirring a primal empathy within me. The man's cries painted a haunting picture, igniting a visceral response in my core. I felt a surge of conflicting emotions—fear, compassion, and a desperate need to intervene. The screams continued, piercing through the darkness, pulling at the very fabric of my being. My hand tightened around Elijah's, as he led us to the impending doom I felt.
My instincts screamed for action, but an overwhelming uncertainty gripped me—uncertainty about the horrors lurking in the shadows, uncertainty about my capabilities in the face of such raw suffering. Yet, despite the fear clawing at me, a determination ignited within myself, a resolute flame fanned by the unwavering belief that I had to confront the unknown, that I had to face the truth awaiting me in the depths of the estate.
In the heart of the ominous chamber, amidst the swirling shadows, stood Knox. His figure, bathed in the flickering torchlight, exuded an otherworldly aura that sent shivers down my spine. His once familiar visage was now contorted by a primal ferocity, a raw savagery that emanated from his bared fangs. His black shirt was opened at the top, black blood dripped ominously down his chin and neck. Staining the pristine white of his teeth, a haunting contrast against the pallor of his skin.
My breath hitched in my throat as my gaze locked onto his eyes—piercing orbs that blazed with an intense crimson glow. The vividness of his gaze bore into my soul, igniting a primal fear that danced with the remnants of my inexplicable connection to him.
In that moment, Knox appeared both ethereal and grotesque, a juxtaposition of the familiar and the terrifyingly foreign. His feral state painted an unsettling portrait, an image that clashed with the memories of the gentle, caring being I had known. His presence, shrouded in a darkness I had only glimpsed in my nightmares, now stood before me, a chilling reality that demanded reckoning.
The chamber echoed with the reverberations of his snarls, a primal warning that reverberated through the depths of my being. I felt a surge of conflicting emotions—an overwhelming fear tinged with a sliver of recognition, an inexplicable pull that defied reason.
Elijah's protective stance tightened, a silent shield against the looming threat, as his eyes darted between me and Knox, gauging the perilous tension that hung heavy in the air. His expression bore a mixture of concern and caution, a silent plea urging me to tread carefully in the presence of the formidable creature before them. From Xander's story, Elijah has seen his fair share of torture by the upirs. He wasn't scred for himself, he was scared for me.
My mind raced, torn between the instinct to flee and the inexplicable urge to confront Knox, to delve into the heart of the darkness that now consumed him. I felt a tug—an inexplicable, intangible tether that drew me closer to the feral figure, urging me to uncover the truth hidden beneath the layers of savagery that cloaked him.
A fragile moment of recognition flickered in Knox's crimson gaze, a fleeting glimpse of a past connection that seemed almost lost in the ferocity of his current state. It was a fleeting spark, a whisper of the being he once was—a haunting reminder that buried beneath the veneer of darkness, a trace of the Knox I knew might still linger. This was the monster within him, the shell of his humanity.
My voice quivered with a mixture of apprehension and desperation as I dared to speak Knox's name, hoping to reach the flicker of recognition that seemed to dance in his crimson gaze. "Knox...?" My voice wavered, a plea tinged with fragile hope.
"Go back to our chambers, Adelaide," Knox's voice, cold and laced with a command, shattered the fragile moment. His words held a firmness that brooked no argument, a stark contrast to the tenderness I once knew.
"W-What did you do to him?" My voice trembled, my gaze darting between Knox and the figure hunched in agony on the floor, my heart clenching with concern for the tortured man. I fought back the tears making their way into my eyes, pushing away the weakness in my bones.
"Addy-" Elijah's voice, filled with a mix of caution and concern, hovered between a warning and an attempt to shield me from the unfolding darkness.
Amid the tension, a chilling presence emerged from the shadows—a figure looming with an eerie intensity. Xander materialized from a hidden corner, his countenance void of empathy, dragging the whimpering man by his neck. The pitiful figure crumpled to the cold floor as Xander's ruthless grip released him.
The man's pained gasps echoed in the chamber, the stark contrast of agony against the indifferent aura that emanated from Xander. His gaze, devoid of mercy, swept over the scene, assessing the unfolding situation with an unsettling detachment.
My heart clenched with a sickening realization, my gaze flickering between Knox's feral form, Xander's chilling presence, and the suffering man at their feet. The air thickened with tension, a suffocating weight pressing upon my chest as I grappled with a rising wave of emotions—fear, confusion, and an inexplicable sense of entanglement in a world veiled by darkness.
Elijah moved closer to me, a silent shield against the looming threat, his expression a mix of concern and urgency. The unfolding scene bore the markings of a precarious standoff—a fragile balance teetering on the edge of unknown dangers. The echoes of anguish reverberated through the chamber, a haunting reminder of the price paid during unseen conflicts and buried truths. His hand held in mine, the only support I could need right now.
The tense air crackled with an impending confrontation as Knox's command sliced through the fraught atmosphere, his words laced with a possessive edge that reverberated with authority. "Hands off her, Elijah," Knox's voice, though firm, carried an unsettling weight, commanding a respect that surpassed mere words. His primal instinct, tinged with protectiveness, clashed with the urgency of the situation.
"You're scaring her," Elijah's voice, tinged with concern, held a plea for reason amidst the mounting tension. His protective stance softened slightly, a flicker of concern etched into his features as he glanced towards me.
"And I am her beloved, hands. Off. Her," Knox's words, sharp and decisive, brooked no further argument. His gaze, a chilling blend of possessiveness and ferocity, bore into Elijah, issuing an unspoken warning. I could feel Elijah's hand lifting out of mine, as Knox watched.
Amidst the standoff, the man's agonized screams continued to pierce the walls, a haunting chorus that echoed through the halls. My gaze darted towards him, horror gripping my heart as I witnessed the grisly sight before me. The man's neck, torn open in a jagged gash, oozed black crimson, a grotesque wound that seemed to defy the laws of nature. I had to bite back the vomit tracking its way up my throat at the sight of it.
The scene was a macabre tableau—a grotesque display of violence and agony that stained the chamber. The man's flesh appeared as if it were melting, a horrifying transformation that sent shivers down my spine. His anguished cries pierced the air, an unrelenting reminder of the unfathomable horrors lurking within the shadows.
My breath caught in my throat, a mixture of terror and revulsion seizing my senses. The sight before me painted a chilling reality—a glimpse into the horrors concealed within the depths of their world. My instincts screamed for flight, yet an inexplicable tether held me in place, a morbid fascination and a grim fascination that rooted me to the spot.
Elijah's protective stance shifted, a silent acknowledgement of Knox's authority, as a heavy silence enveloped the chamber. The air grew thick with the weight of the unspoken, gruesome spectacle serving as a stark testament to the darkness that lurked within our midst. And amidst the turmoil, my mind raced, grappling with the chilling reality that I had barely scratched the surface of the harrowing truths concealed within their world. Maybe they were truly beasts as well.
In the charged atmosphere, Xander's commanding voice sliced through the tension, his words a stark demand echoing in the chamber's stifling silence.
"Leave Adelaide," Xander's voice, devoid of empathy, bore the weight of authority, a chilling warning veiled in his steely tone.
But amidst the cacophony of commands and warnings, I remained resolute, deafened by the cries of the suffering man. Ignoring the authoritative directives swirling around me, I advanced toward the crumpled figure, my heart heavy with empathy and a fervent need to ease his agony.
Tears welled in my eyes as I knelt beside the tortured man, the grotesque sight of his injuries tugging at my soul. I brushed aside the warnings and the looming threats, my singular focus on the broken being before me.
"Adelaide," Knox's warning, sharp and tinged with a deadly edge, pierced through the charged atmosphere, a desperate plea urging me away from the perilous course I was set upon.
Xander's sudden appearance, his hand gripping my face, sent a shiver down my spine. It wasn't like that day in his office, it wasn't gentle and caring. It was deadly, his grip holding my cheeks harshly as he stared into my eyes. His eyes, once familiar and warm, were now pools of ice, void of the kindness I had known. I felt the weight of his warning in the tightening of his fingers, a menacing pressure demanding compliance.
"You said you wanted no part of it, so...", Xander muttered darkly.
"Leave," he repeated, the syllables laced with an unspoken threat. His voice, once comforting, now carried the weight of command, its authority cutting through the chaos around us.
Struggling against his hold, my gaze remained fixed on the injured man. I could sense his suffering, a palpable agony that transcended words. At that moment, the cacophony of orders fell silent, drowned by my resolute determination to offer solace amidst the despair.
"Forgive me", I whispered.
My magic surged within me, an untamed force fueled by determination and a desperate need to break free. With a swift flicker of my mind, I directed my powers toward Xander's grip, a surge of heat emanating from my touch.
As my magic cascaded, a searing warmth enveloped Xander's hand. His fingers, once clenched around my face like an iron vice, now recoiled from the sudden burst of intense heat. A hiss escaped his lips, a mixture of surprise and pain, as my magic seeped through, scorching the once unyielding hold. I held my ground as I watched his eyes fill with different emotions at my action, my eyes hardened as I held my arms out in shield of the man.
Knox, Xander and Elijah watched me as I held their predatory gaze and made my way towards the man, walking backwards.
Driven by a sense of duty and an unwavering determination, I paid no heed to the cautionary words. With trembling hands and a heart heavy, I reached out to the man, my touch a gentle caress against his anguished face. His face was covered in sweat and blood, my fingers sticking to the wet surface of his cheek.
"I'm so sorry," My voice, laced with regret and determination, held an earnestness that transcended the haunting echoes reverberating in the chamber.
In that harrowing moment, I knew what I had to do. The realization dawned upon me, a daunting truth that propelled me forward. I closed my eyes, focusing on the wellspring of power that lay dormant within me, a force that I had barely begun to comprehend.
Summoning every ounce of my will and strength, I channelled my latent magic through my trembling palm, directing it into the man's crumpled form. The magic, a raw and untamed force, surged from my touch, weaving tendrils of ethereal energy that danced upon his skin.
My brow furrowed in intense concentration as I delved deeper into the connection, my mind threading through the tangle of memories that surged forth from the man's consciousness. The flood of emotions and images washed over me, each fragment a jarring collision of sensations and fragmented thoughts.
His memories crashed against my mental barriers, a tumultuous assault that threatened to overwhelm my senses. Echoes of his past screamed for acknowledgment, a cacophony of pain and despair that reverberated through the fragile link we shared. I winced, a surge of empathy coursing through me as I sought to navigate the storm of his memories, my own emotions entwined with his anguish.
The man's cries echoed in the chamber, a haunting symphony of agony that pierced my resolve. I cringed at the sound, my heart clenching with a desperate hope that this act of empathy would bring relief rather than exacerbate his suffering.
This was different from when I just grazed people by accident, it wasn't a sudden set of images, but his whole life flashing in milliseconds felt as heavy as the years he felt.
Struggling against the weight of his harrowing experiences, I pressed on, a silent determination fueling my efforts. My mind raced, seeking a path through the labyrinth of his memories, a maze wrought with pain and shadows. I fought to weave a shield of solace amidst the turmoil, a fragile sanctuary within the man's shattered consciousness.
But the intensity of his torment threatened to overwhelm me, the torrent of emotions crashing against my mental defences. I clenched my teeth, my focus unwavering as I reached deeper, striving to unravel the threads of his distress. Each memory I encountered was a shard of his anguish, a fragment of a life scarred by unbearable suffering.
As I waded through the fragments, I felt a surge of sorrow that resonated within me. A flicker of remorse gripped my soul as I yearned to alleviate the man's agony, to offer solace amidst the depths of his despair.
The man's pained cries intensified, a chorus of torment that tore through the chamber. I winced, my heart heavy with the weight of his suffering, my distress mingling with his anguish. In that excruciating moment, I clung to the hope that this act of empathy, though agonizing, would ultimately lead to his liberation from the torment that imprisoned him. If I could just do this and get it over with, they wouldn't need to torture him anymore.
If I could just do this right, he wouldn't have to suffer anymore.
In the torrent of memories, amidst the anguish and chaos that flooded my senses, my mind stumbled upon a chilling revelation—a truth that shattered my world. As I delved deeper into the man's memories, a horrifying realization began to dawn upon me. He wasn't merely a victim; he was complicit, a betrayer hiding in plain sight.
My heart clenched with an indescribable agony as the pieces of the truth fell into place, a stark revelation that tore at the very fabric of my being. A knot formed in my throat as the images coalesced, painting a damning picture of betrayal and deceit. The man, once a figure of sympathy and torment, now stood unveiled as a traitor, his actions a catalyst for the anguish that engulfed their world. He was a stepping stone for information, delivering it to the beasts. But as the memories flowed inside my head, I could see who gave him the information...
My breath caught in my chest as I saw the identity of the informant—someone I knew, someone I trusted. The agony of the revelation cut through me like a blade, rending my heart into two. It was a face I had seen countless times, a face I had confided in, a face I never fathomed could be tainted by treachery.
My mind reeled, unable to reconcile the conflicting images—the familiar visage of the informant juxtaposed against the devastating reality of betrayal. A hollow ache settled within me as the truth sank in, a searing pain that shattered the fragile trust I had placed in those around me.
"Oh god," My voice quivered, a whisper laced with disbelief and heartache. The weight of the truth bore down upon me, a suffocating realization that the world I knew was a fragile façade veiling the darkness that lurked within.
In that excruciating moment of clarity, the bond of trust I had held dear unravelled, leaving behind a cavernous void of betrayal and shattered faith. The anguish of this revelation gnawed at my soul, leaving behind scars that would forever mar the tapestry of my existence. The agony of knowing the face of the traitor—someone I had once cherished—tore at the very core of my being, leaving me adrift in a sea of betrayal and heartbreak.
Oh, god.
"What did you see?", Elijah's voice, a gentle whisper amidst the chaos, reached my ears, drawing my attention to the trio of men standing nearby. Tears streaked down my cheeks, my eyes reflecting a tumultuous storm of emotions that raged within me. I turned to face them, my quivering breaths a stark contrast to the haunting silence that enveloped the chamber.
The weight of the devastating truth bore down upon my shoulders, an unbearable burden that threatened to crush my spirit. Unable to articulate the searing pain that gripped me, I shook my head in denial, a silent plea for the horrifying reality I had unearthed to be nothing but a cruel fabrication.
"I-I..." My voice quivered, choked by the overwhelming sorrow that seized me. I struggled to form words amidst the tumultuous waves of grief that washed over me, each syllable a struggle against the suffocating anguish that enveloped me.
Elijah, his expression a mix of concern and empathy, stepped closer, his presence a pillar of support amidst the tempest of emotions. He reached out, a wordless gesture of comfort, a silent understanding that transcended the need for words.
As sobs wracked my chest, I grappled with the torment of the truth I had uncovered—a betrayal that cut deep into my soul. The name echoed in my thoughts, a lamentation of shattered trust and heartache. I whispered the name, a name that once held warmth and camaraderie, now tainted by the venomous sting of betrayal.
"Oh, Cassandra..." My voice, barely a whisper, carried the weight of profound sorrow, a mournful cry for a fractured bond that could never be mended. The revelation had unravelled a bond I had cherished, leaving behind shards of shattered trust and irreparable pain.
"Get Fredrik. Now", Knox demanded.
_______________
Well....who was expecting that?
Any ideas on why Cassandra would do such a thing?
Until next time my darlings :)