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After a few twists and turns, as always, they came upon an enormous door that was a deep red. As they walked closer, Adelina could see the intricate markings and pictures. They were nothing like she had ever seen before.
"Do those markings mean something special?" She leaned into Asmund and asked.
"They are the symbols of our kind. The images tell a story of how our people rose out of the darkness. It is a long story, but I'd love to tell you someday if you want?" Asmund beamed down at her. Adelina nodded her head as guards opened the doors.
The room was large with carvings and sculptures scattered about. Adelina let her eyes gaze upwards and noticed large glass lights dangling all throughout the room. The floors were a deep cherry color that gleamed under the lighting. As she began to survey the space around her, her mouth hung open in shock.
A few feet in front of her stood her mother, father, and sisters, minus Tessa. They were all dressed nicely and cleaned up from the last time she saw them.
"They let my family attend this too?"
"Since it was Falentine's engagement party, he wanted the family of his betrothed to attend as well. Of course, because of that, there are more guards attending the party than usual. Everyone will be under careful watch."
"Oh.... Can I go over and talk to them? Is that okay?"
"Yes. I'm going to stay back here and wait for my brothers to arrive; if you need anything, let me know?"
Adelina nodded, turned and bounced over to where her parents and sisters stood. As soon as her family noticed her, they jogged to meet her as they all grasped each other.
"I'm so happy to see all of you," Adelina cried as she pulled away to stare at them. "Are you all okay? They haven't hurt you, have they?"
"We are fine, Adelina. Wow, you look beautiful!" Molly exclaimed.
"Thanks, I've never quite worn or even seen anything quite like this before."
"You really do Adelina. We were worried about you. And Tessa. Have you seen her?" Irene asked and Adelina looked at her parents in shock.
"You guys don't know yet?" Adelina accused.
"What do you mean?" Irene walked forward, grasping onto Adelina's arm. "What exactly is going on?"
" Tessa...she has...Changed? This party that we are all so dressed up for is for her and Falentine. He is awful and she is engaged to the monster. She is engaged to one of these monsters." Adelina began to let the words flow out of her. "I don't know. I really don't know what has happened to her. She slept with Daniel." A gasp escaped out of everyone's lips.
"DANIEL!" Adelina continued. "Then she attacked me and afterwards she announced that she was going to marry Falentine. I just don't know how to explain any of this," Adelina blurted it all out before she could stop herself. Her family stood there with their mouths hanging open.
"I was worried about this," Beth finally spoke.
"Wait, what? Worried about what?" Adelina's voice was louder than she wanted.
"The last time we saw her, she was already showing signs of the change. I thought we could keep her pure and untouched."
"Wait, what the hell are you talking about?" An angry tone fell out of Adelina's mouth.
"How much have they told you about where you are from?"
"They say that I'm an angel, but surely they are crazy, right? Tessa supposedly is one too."
"It isn't just Tessa and you. Molly, Irene and Lydia are half angels as well. There were other half angels that resided in our village; we were supposed to protect you and all the others, something we seemed to have failed," Beth stuttered.
Adelina shifted her eyes to her three older sisters. They all had blank expressions on their face.
"Wait, you three knew? You knew?!" Adelina accused.
"Yes, they knew, and we were planning on telling you and your sister soon. It was our plan for your 18th birthday to come clean," Carlson interjected. "There are things you need to know. Important things that we should have told you. I'm not even sure I even have time to tell you all this, but I'll try. Adelina, you are a pure angel, one born of the light and are the purest of soul that exist. Tessa, who is your twin, is also a pure angel, but of a different kind. She is born of darkness. However, we were told that she could be nurtured and her dark side would hibernate deep inside of her. We were very careful with you girls, we had to be. You girls are very important to us. You girls are.."
"Presenting Falentine and his fiancee, Tessa!"" A loudspeaker boomed, interrupting Carlson.
All of them turned towards the door as they watched the two enter into the room,hand in hand. Tessa looked breathtakingly beautiful in a light blue dress that glittered and flowed when she moved. She smiled widely up at Falentine when he wrapped his arms around her small waist and pulled her into him. They kissed passionately as the crowd clapped and cheered.
Adelina looked around and noticed that a bunch of people had filtered in when she was talking to her parents. The crowd grew and grew and the room was filled to the brim.
"Welcome! And lovely to introduce you all to my beautiful, soon-to-be bride, Tessa," Falentine's voice echoed throughout the room. "Tonight is a very special night; a night of new beginnings, a night of revelations and a night of fun. For now, though, let us enjoy ourselves!"
The room roared with claps and cheers. Falentine raised his hand, gesturing towards the orchestra, and music started shortly after. Adelina shifted back to her family. Their eyes were locked on Tessa and Falentine. Adelina turned back to the crowd and began to look around at the mass of people in the room. She tried to figure out which ones were vampires and which were human, but it was impossible to tell the difference. She saw a few demons that were recognizable, but even they had more human features than the guards.
"Adelina," a voice sounded from the crowd.
"Daniel..." Adelina said breathlessly. A few seconds later, the crowd parted and there he stood.
His face was still painted with multiple bruises of various colors. He was dressed in a simple black suit, white shirt underneath and a bow tie around his neck. He took a few steps towards Adelina, closing the distance between them. Music began to play loudly and the crowd began to dance around them. The gaps filled in around them until there was no room to move. Adelina searched around her for her family, but it seemed they were swallowed in with the mass of people. Adelina turned her eyes back towards Daniel, taking in his presence.
"Are you okay, Daniel?"
"I'm sore but I'll heal. You took quite the beating too from your sister, are you okay?"
"I'm fine; just a few bruises but nothing damaged. They let you come to this too?"
"I guess. I was just cleaned up and brought up here. They didn't tell me anything. I really don't understand what's going on."
"Oh," Adelina trailed off facing back at the crowd.
"I know Adelina. I know I messed up." Daniel grabbed onto her arm, forcing her to face him. "Don't forgive me; I'm not asking for forgiveness. But I need to talk to you. We've always been best friends, have we not? We were always able to talk to each other about everything."
"We were always close. You've always been there for me. But this, Daniel, this is something that I never expected. My sister? Of all people?"
"I don't know. I can't explain what got into me. She had been flirting with me secretly for weeks. I didn't think much of it, until one day she kissed me. She told me it would be our little secret. From there it just warped into something. The whole thing felt like a dream, Adelina. My head still feels fuzzy thinking of the memories, they all seem so distant. I'm not trying to make excuses for what I did, I'm just being honest with you. I don't know, it just happened. That is really all I know."
"I thought you loved me," Adelina interrupted.
"I did, I do! I've loved you since the moment I laid my eyes on you. I'll never forget that day for as long as I live. We were about 7 when I first laid eyes on you. Your parents had brought you into town with them to shop. You smiled brightly at everybody who passed by. You had this light that shone through your smile and your eyes." He moved closer to her, lifting her chin up. "Those brilliantly beautiful eyes of yours. You were always so kind, even when others were cruel. You always saw the better in everyone, including myself. I know you don't see how wonderful you truly are Adelina, but you are. You may never forgive me, but I will never stop loving you." He pulled her into a tight hug.
"And I'll always love you too Daniel. All the moments we've shared are forever in my heart. But I just can't do this with you right now. We were waiting for each other. We were supposed to be together forever. But you, you broke my heart. I waited for you but you couldn't wait for me. And of all people, you had to sleep with my sister; do you not understand how screwed up that is?"
"I messed up. I really did and I wish I could take that back. I am so sorry Adelina. I really am so sorry."
"I know you are, Daniel. I just..."
"You can't do this. I understand. I just really want you to know how sorry I am and how much I do love you. I will love you until the day I die, Adelina. You'll always be in my heart."
Adelina looked at him one last time before backing away. Her heart ached with every step she took, getting swept up by the crowd. She loved Daniel, so very much.
But that was the past. She could never go back to that blissfully unaware life she lived. The world had changed and the reality of it all had swallowed her whole. She sifted through the people, completely unaware of the stares she was receiving. As the crowd parted, the wall came into view. Adelina leaned her frame up against the wall and let it support her. Her mind was clouded with thoughts that she couldn't make sense of.
"You okay?" The voice startled Adelina as she jumped straight up.
"I'm fine," she stated flatly, her eyes never leaving the ground.
"You don't really look okay, now do you?"
Adelina didn't respond; instead she glared at him and picked herself off the wall. She swept past him, their shoulders connecting, and proceeded to walk away. Finding a quiet corner to herself, she leaned against the wall once more and took some deep breaths. She stood there, staring at the crowd as they laughed, twirled, and danced. Most of them seemed to be enjoying themselves, completely oblivious to her.
As she stood there, the crowd began to part and Tessa stepped through them and towards her. Adelina stared at her before starting to move into the crowd, but Tessa stepped right in front of her, blocking her way.
"Can we not do this right now, Tessa?" Adelina stated flatly.
"Wow, someone has got an attitude today."
"Yeah. Yeah, I do. Last time I saw you, you decided to share with me all kinds of information and proceeded to throw me to the floor. You'll have to forgive me if I'm not thrilled to be talking to you."
"You always did love making everything about you."
"Seriously? This has nothing to do with me. It has to do with you and whatever this thing is you've become." Adelina's finger pushed into Tessa. "What happened to you anyways? I don't even know you anymore. We were always so close, Tessa, and now I don't even recognize you."
"I haven't changed. I've just embraced who I am. I belong here, Adelina. I am happy here. I don't feel trapped like I did at home. I'm free to be myself. And Falentine, he is everything I've ever wanted. I'll admit, I do understand why you followed Daniel around like a little lost puppy. Love is a wonderful thing. Too bad Daniel's love didn't run deep enough, huh?"
"Yeah, too bad you had to go and ruin things for everyone. You are engaged to Falentine; why didn't you go and ask him to release our parents? Why did you leave them down there along with our sisters to rot?"
"Our parents? They aren't even our parents, Adelina. They are more like our guards. They kept us locked up. I thought they deserved a bit of their own medicine."
"They raised us, Tessa, doesn't that mean anything to you?"
"No, not really, it doesn't. I don't care at all about them. Or you, for that matter. I'd love to be rid of you, but Falentine insisted on keeping you around."
"You are sick, you know that? Just leave me alone," Adelina began to push past Tessa when a loud voice sounded over the crowd.
"Can I have your attention please? Tessa can you join me on stage please?" Falentine boomed from the stage. As Adelina inspected the stage, she noticed guards began to crowd around it.
"I think you should get a good seat for this, Adelina, you don't want to miss it," Tessa said as she sauntered through the crowd. Adelina sat there for a moment, afraid to move, but finally she twisted her way, weaving in and out of the people, to the very front.
Tessa and Falentine both stood closely together, arms linked.
"As you know, we are here to celebrate my engagement, but tonight isn't just about that. As many of you know, we recently took over a village. We couldn't have done it without Frederick, Charles and Samuel." The crowd applauded as the three men stepped up to the stage. "We found some things in this village that were necessary. Some things my brothers and I have been looking for. Now that we have them, it is our time. We can begin the ceremony and wake our father from his eternal slumber." The crowd broke out in deafening cheers as Adelina's heart began to race. She looked out onto the crowd, hoping to see some faces she recognized. Asmund came into view, standing right by Taavi, but neither of them took their eyes off the stage. Adelina tried to push past people and make her way to Asmund, but they wouldn't budge.
"Brothers, would you join me on stage and help me welcome our special guest up here as well? Frederick, Samuel, Charles will you please go and invite our guest to stage," a wicked grin spread across Falentine's face.
She watched as Asmund and Taavi made their way to the stage. A few seconds later, the three guards also made their way to the stage, dragging a man with a hood on his face. As Adelina looked forward, her stomach dropped and her heart began to beat wildly.
"Daniel!" She screamed.
"Ah, well, someone gave away the surprise, Adelina," Falentine scolded as the crowd laughed. Falentine made his way over to where Adelina stood, directly in front of the stage, and with one fell swoop, he lifted her up and onto the stage. Frederick moved towards her, placing himself directly behind her. Falentine smiled wider and stalked to where Daniel stood, grabbing the hood and lifting it off.
Daniel's eyes met Adelina as tears streamed from them, his arms tied tight behind his back. Charles kicked him forward so that he was kneeling in front of Falentine.
"Let's let the fun begin, shall we?" Tessa spoke this time, moving towards Falentine.
"What are you guys doing?" Adelina looked towards Asmund, but he wouldn't face her.
Nobody answered her. Charles stepped forward, blocking Adelina's view of Tessa. He pulled something from his pocket and handed it to her. As he moved away the gleam of a knife caught Adelina's eye.
"Oh god. Please, no," Adelina gasped.
"God has nothing to do with this," Falentine corrected. "Make sure she doesn't get in our way."
She felt Frederick's arms engulf her body and watched as Tessa moved forward, knife in hand.
"Please don't do this Tessa. Please, this isn't you," Adelina begged.
"Oh, my dear sister, but this is me now. Any last words to my sister?" Tessa said as she bent down to where Daniel kneeled.
"I am so sorry, Adelina. You must know that I love you so much."
"I love you too Daniel, I forgive you." Adelina tried to lunge towards them, but Frederick's hold tightened.
"Lovely. Just lovely,." Tessa said as she lifted the blade up to Daniel's neck, pressing it firmly on the side. She pulled the blade quickly and blood poured forth from him
Adelina screamed and thrashed as Frederick held her in his arms. She watched, helplessly, as the life drained out of Daniel's eyes until there was nothing left of him.
"You can let her go," Falentine spoke up and Adelina threw herself out of Frederick's arms and towards Daniel. Tears streamed down her face as she lifted Daniel's lifeless head onto her lap.
"I'm so sorry, Daniel. This is all my fault. I'm so sorry," Adelina rocked back and forth as everyone watched in silence.
"And now we can let the real ceremonies begin. We shall hold festivities all week long. Let the music begin again and enjoy ourselves," Falentine broke the silence.
As Adelina sat there, weeping, she felt something dig into her leg as she remembered the knife she had tucked away. She looked around and saw that everyone had gone back to talking amongst themselves. Tessa and Falentine had turned towards each other.
"How could you?" Adelina wiped the tears from her face as she faced back towards them.
"Oh this is just the beginning, my dear sister." Tessa faced back towards Falentine and Adelina tucked her hand carefully into her skirts, grabbing the knife. She placed Daniel's head gently onto the floor and lifted her body back up . She casually strolled over to where Tessa and Falentine stood, glaring at the both of them.
"Are you done mourning your darling Daniel?" Tessa giggled.
"I'm done with everything, Tessa," Adelina said and watched as they turned away from her and back towards each other. Adelina felt adrenaline surge through her veins as she lifted the knife, quickly and silently. In one fluid motion, she plunged the knife straight into Falentine's neck.
Tessa's scream rang out through the room as everything went silent. Blood poured from Falentine and onto Adelina's white dress. She felt arms encircle her body and pull her back. A sharp pinch erupted into her neck as she turned and faced Asmund. She let him hold her as she faced back to where her sister was. Her body swayed and her vision began to waver. She smiled blissfully as she watched Falentine fall to the floor before she felt the world go black.