"What do you mean someone killed him?" I asked Gretta hoping that is what not true. I won't be able to lose him as well. Malachi alone is enough to destroy me, but the man who guided me, who stayed with me during my expedition into the world, would make me lose all hope.
"I had a spy of sorts keeping tabs on you since you left." She said with a pained expression as I let her into the room and let her sit on the side of my bed. "One of her descendants got into contact with me when she failed to contact Jonas."
I let the fact that she had a spy assigned to me due to the fact that I know she was looking out for me. And to the fact that my parents were never told. All she did was keep tabs on my whereabouts. I let her vent as I hugged her close. I know how much Jonas meant to her. When they both lost their Beloveds in a long past war, they were each others rocks.
"She went over to his house and found him in the basement drained of his blood." She said as her face fell. I have never seen Gretta cry and I don't I ever will, but the look on her face was the closest to it that I have ever seen. "She said that the pain she felt in the room. The distraught, the confusion, all the emotions flowing around the room was overwhelming. Whatever happened there, something was angry."
"It will be okay." I reassured her as I hugged her tighter to me. "We have each other." I tried my best to reassure her wondering if it was enough. And at the same time I began to wonder just what kind of monster could kill Jonas. He was one of the strongest people I have ever known. He fought alongside Dracula himself against the Turks. Just what managed to kill him.
"Do we know anything about it? Can you give me your contacts number?" I asked her as she handed me her black smartphone. Amazing, even the vampires here made use of the human's technology. It was odd that the hatred they had for humans still allowed them to use their inventions.
I put Gretta in my bed as I went through her phone's contacts. I made it to my door and began to open it slowly. I stopped short, when I came upon a name I did not suspect from her phone. Haylie Andrews. Why the hell did it have to be her?
I called the number and listened as it rang twice.
"Gretta, we have a problem!" Came Haylie's frantic voice on the other end. I have never heard her sound so troubled.
"Haylie." I responded as I closed the door softly behind me.
"Ashlynn?" She asked as her voice dropped. I don't think she expected to be hearing from me.
"What is the problem?" I asked her hoping that we won't have to visit any of the memories of when we were in high school.
"Where's Gretta? I need to talk to her." Haylie quickly snapped back, trying to order me.
"Haylie, I will warn you this one time." I told her lacing my voice with authority and hoping it transferred over the phone. "Gretta is currently busy, tell me the problem or hang up. And mind the disrespect. Today is not the day to be disrespecting me."
"Yes, your Highness." She said softly before she took a deep breath. "Malachi's body is gone." She added as I took a deep breath in. "Jonas looked to be attacked and savagely drained. The bags in the freezer are untouched and Mal's body is gone."
"Malachi." I told her knowing that Mal didn't like others using his name.
I thought about all the possibilities of what might've happened, but I came up blank. I couldn't think of a way that could explain what happened? And why would whoever did this, take Mal's body. And why would they kill Jonas?
"Just keep your eye out. Any information would be greatly appreciated." I told her over the phone before I decided to hang up. I rested my head against the wall as I thought of the future. First Malachi dies, then Jonas, and now Malachi's body is missing. Why would anyone do this?
"Ashlynn." I heard my mothers voice come from my left as I tilted me head in her direction, keeping it on the wall. I wonder what she wants now. After all she has done, she still acts as my own mother.
"What?" I snapped at her not wanting to deal with anything at the moment.
"Don't snap at me." She said offhandedly as if it meant something. "Your father wants to see you." She added with a soft smile adorning her face.
I already knew where he would be. I have rarely seen him anywhere else. I made my way to the main hall and saw him on his throne with a dark look on his face. I said nothing as I walked to him. It is odd that the loss of your Beloved makes you void of any of the previous ties you once held with everyone. I came to a stop seven meters from his throne as he regarded me with searching eyes.
"What did this human of yours do to you?" He asked straight off the bat. So that is what he wants to know. He wants to know if I was still the pure princess that left centuries ago. Is that all I mean to him?
"He made me fell wanted. Like I mattered." I told him as I saw the look of anger cross my father's face. He was about to burst when I decided to pour oil onto the fire. "He made me feel like the woman I am."
He stood up quickly, faster than anything I have heard before. The speed causing a loud bang to be heard.
"He dared to defile you?!" My father shouted and I could almost see the anger seeping from body. I have never seen him as angry as this. "You are not pure anymore. I don't think Lucas would want you now." My father added as his face fell. He just heard I was not a virgin anymore and yet all he cared about was the fact that due to my impurity, Lucas would not accept me. Nothing ever concerns me. I am just a tool for him to use.
I ran out of the hall and made my way to the main castle doors knowing what awaited me outside. I knew that the sun was shining brightly in the afternoon sky. That there was not a cloud in the sky.
I heard the shouts of father warning me to not open the doors and I began to push. Soon my mothers voice came through as well. Both warning to not open the thick dark brown wooden doors. But I didn't care.
I couldn't live a life where my concerns, my opinions didn't matter. I couldn't live a life without Mal and I could most certainly could not live a life as a toy for Lucas. That is what I would be to him. A toy for his amusement.
I burst through the doors as the sunlight hit my skin. I expected pain. I expected the burning feeling covering my entire body. I expected flames bursting around me. Burning me until I was nothing. Yet nothing happened. No pain. No flames. No burning.
I looked up at the sky noting the sun shining down on me. This can't be happening. How is this even possible. I am not a virgin anymore so that means that the spell that gave me the ability to walk in the sun should be gone. It should have stopped the moment Mal and I shared our first night together a couple of nights ago.
"How is this possible?" I said allowed as I let the sun hit my skin. It didn't feel the same as the last time. I felt the warmth of the sun against my skin. It felt good.
"The spell, of course." My mother said as if it was the most obvious thing to say.
"No." I said as I turned to her. "The spell has no affect on me anymore. Not after Malachi." I said with a smile before his lifeless body flooded my memories. My arms dropped as my eyes widened. How can I be happy when the love of my life is no longer with me.
"What?" She shouted as she heard my confession. "What do you mean 'after Malachi'?" She added on as she avoided the sunlight leaking through the door.
"She let him defile her." My father said in a disgusted tone.
"What?" She shouted once more as I noticed her eyes staring straight at me. "You let a human defile you when you already had a fiance?"
"You chose him. Not me." I added as I stayed far from the door, still enjoying the feel of the sunlight against my skin. "I have no intention of marrying that pig."
"You will and you will reign by his side!" She shouted at me still unable to walk through sun. "And if you do not, we will kill Gretta." She added with a smirk. My face fell. They wouldn't do that would they? Why reason is decent enough to kill her. The one who kept this castle up to standard. The one who is responsible to keep the grounds as pristine as they were. And now they were threatening to kill her.
"Why?" I asked with a pained look in my eyes. I wouldn't even be surprised that with all the shocks and with all the pain I have felt in the last two days, if my hair became bland, if it lost colour, if my normally pristine skin became rough. But of course, that won't happen because I am vampire, but again I will still not be surprised.
"We can always replace her." My father said with a straight face. His tone went back to his old non emotional one. He showed his disinterest for the staff at this moment and I wondered what they would think about this.
But I could not let my parents take Gretta away from me. She is all I have left. If I can't end my own life then I will ensure she lives hers. It took me a minute but I finally made my way over to the doors and into the house. The doors closed behind me as my mother came up to me and slapped me. She put enough force in the slap to jar my thoughts and throw me to the floor.
The look on my face didn't even phase her or my father. This is the first time that either of them have hit me and they didn't care. It seemed to them that they should have started this sooner.
"You will marry Lucas and you will appear happy to do so." She ordered as my father stood behind her motionless. "We are not having this conversation again. And the fact that you are defiled. Well, we will just have to kept that a secret." She ended the argument and turned to leave.