When everything seems near perfection, you have to tip the scale and ruin it. It’s not like everything was perfect for me though. I had lost Landon to a witchy siren, I’m stuck in Hell with a cloaked man, my dreams are of a princess that Julian has feelings for. Sure, on the bright side, I managed to trap Julian but he has the perfect excuse to be set free.
My dearest father wished to meet me. What if he’s just saying it out of desperation? What if there’s no father in the page? What if What if What if.
Couldn’t Julian just disappear and reappear beside me? Just like he did in the time when I had him in my hands choking him. Maybe he can’t use his powers in Hell, if so that would be stupid or the coffin is the one not allowing him to do so, I tried to use my astral and failed.
Who is my father anyway? Elizabeth said he’s the one of the most powerful creatures, so if he resides in hell, he must be a demon of some sort. I remembered Jason telling me he’s a demon, a minor demon like him with such strong powers. It wasn’t hard to imagine what the powerful demon could have to create his very own species with Cecile.
Managed to ask myself a load of questions, came up with no answers. “Audrey!” Julian continued yelling. I jumped having been tuning the obnoxious screaming for a while. “Let me out, you—“
Tuned him out again, went to the desk, and sat on the chair that’s far enough from the coffin’s banging needing to dwell some more. Is it fair? Nothing in life is fair, the supernatural only emphasizes my words. I grabbed one of the blank papers on the floor, rummaged the drawers for a pen and began my old list.
- Find out what the spheres are and do.
- Destroy Julian but not before figuring out what he wants exactly.
- Assemble friends, and figure out the evil aura around them.
- Discover the traits of a vampire.
Again, not my best list but it cleared my mind. I tapped the pen on the desk nervously, unsure of anything anymore. It seemed eons ago that I was bantering with that old lady, how I killed that man to avenge his victim, meeting my Wildmasters friends, the maze that afford afterwards a friendship with Jason, Zorya pushing me through that cellar, Eilith and Vienna.
Landon…
I quickly jotted down a new goal.
- Save Landon.
Don’t know if it’s just me, but I had a doubt I could do any of those things on the list.
The coat rack caught my eye, dozens of red cloaks hanged among it. Perfect. I grinned and ran over and started clothing myself with all the cloaks until I was drowning in red. Immediately I started sweating, but I paid no attention since the warmth was intense enough to drown the cold outside of the office room
“Shame, Shame Julian.” I sang, fixing my sleeves and hood securely. I fiddled with the sleeves some more until they covered my hands like an open glove. Made my way to the ice door and took deep breaths until I was calm enough to touch the knob.
Considering was ice around it, the knob turned smoothly. I shivered even in my cloaks at the wind of wintering ice entering the room past me. Jutting my jaw, I forced myself out of the office room, jumping when the door closed behind me successfully cutting Julian’s screams.
I bundled myself tightly, and when I looked up from the crystal ground that reflected different creatures swimming below me not caring for who stood above them, I felt my jaw drop. I was in a vast room with small office cubicles and grey uniforms behind them, bending over their work unaffected by the blizzard happening that kept blowing some of their papers away.
Feeling myself weaken, I stood hesitating over what to do. I’m out, now what? I looked at the exits but they were bolted shut. Unless the thick lock is for decorations, I’m not getting myself out with them. Julian took all precautions with me.
Shivering, I took cautious steps towards the invisible people in the grey uniforms. Before I could even reach one of the many cubicles, a hole opened up beneath me to swallow me. I screamed and swallowed a handful of icy water.
I looked up and saw the spot where I fell close up, leaving a mirror-like ceiling of the office above me. The cloaks dragged me down, and the cold weakened me too much to even fight the current and remove them. Creatures swam past me, uncaring of my struggles.
The very same siren I meet with today appeared in front of me, out of nowhere. Tilda smiled with those shark teeth of hers and waved her hand, Landon appeared unconscious to the world. I screamed trying to reach him, but I just continued sinking to the darkness below.
Tilda raised her left arm, which held a silver knife and brought it to Landon’s neck. I screamed more, not caring of the water that killed my lungs. She slashed his neck open, and blood tinted the waters. My eyes widened and the bloody water sloshed into my system. I blacked out to the pain, lack of oxygen, and heartsickness.
“Wake up Audrey.” My favorite voice whispered. I felt someone poke me, I swatted them away playfully. The sleep still clouding my mind, I peeked through an eyelid and broke into a lazy grin.
“Amber!” I shrieked feeling delighted; Landon scowled at the nickname but said nothing. “What are you doing here?” I asked, looking sideways expecting a scowling Vienna to emerge.
“Don’t bother looking, we’re at Paradise.” Landon said smoothly, his scowl now replaced by an outgoing smile. I nodded like a love-struck teenager not bothering to ask what Paradise was or where exactly. “Can you do me a favor, Dree?”
My heart struck a chord at the nickname but I nodded silently. “Can you let me brush my teeth first? I feel violated right now.” I admitted shyly, Landon rolled his eyes. “Afraid not sugarplum, you’re about to leave soon.”
“No, I won’t silly.” I murmured, looking around again. The room white, everything was white. the landscape outside of the bedroom window, white as well. “Is this Paradise? not what I expected…” I said, trying to change the topic.
“Audrey, look at me.” I did, meeting his amber eyes. My heart raced, my palm sweaty. I chastised myself for being so weak to that boy. “What is it?”
“Promise me, you won’t doing anything to help me?” Landon started, I just froze and absentmindedly nodded trying to consume his words. “Audrey, promise me you won’t do anything stupid for me. Nothing, don't accept anything from--”
"Landon, what are you going on about?" I whispered, feeling intimidated.
“Nothing Audrey, nothing!” Landon said, his voice raised now. I nodded and whispered, “I pro—“ but the world started shaking, the water from the beach started rising. “Landon?” I asked, my voice shaking. I felt weak, stripped naked from my powers. Like I was a human, weak and vulnerable. I watched the waves rise until they slammed the room, breaking the barriers.
Watching Landon drown as he was lost from my grasp, I didn’t complain since I was fighting my own current. Creatures appeared and ripped apart my limps painfully, whispering shanty songs only stopping when a red hand emerged from out of nowhere and captured my neck.
“One task and you couldn’t f*cking do it. The f*cking imp had to get me to set you free, you worthless piece of sh*t.” An inhuman voice hissed. I groaned at the pain in my chest and the voice stopped the accusation. The day proving how horrid it is shook me as I remembered the last memory before I fainted underwater.
I started crying, choking my sobs out, uncaring of the two people in front of the strip of bed. I lost him, twice on the same day. I staggered out the bed still wailing, the two figures moving away as I frantically searched the room for something, anything really.
My eyes settled for the blade sitting on the posh desk that wasn’t there a moment ago, looking so innocent and just perfect for the moment. I quickly ran and grabbed it and aimed it at my heart. I brought the blade down with as much force I could muster in my state.
Nothing happened. The blade, the blue blood, the painful cut all proved I did it. “You can’t die in this place, unconscious yes but die? No.” the same voice hissed. I shivered and turned to the voice, dropping the blade with a loud clatter but it disappeared along with the desk.
A man in a smooth black suit, buzz cut black hair, glistening black eyes and a hard look on his face. “Who are you?” I whispered, the vibe of the room depressing and dead. I looked down and saw the wound healing and the shirt sewing itself shut, aswell as the blood leaving my skin.
He broke into an evil grin, two sharp fangs showing but something told me he’s not a vampire. My eyes darted to Julian who stood rigidly behind him. I only noticed the room now. Red, everything was red and black with only a bed, looking out of place I supposed it was brought for my usage.
“I got many names.”
My mind clicked and I stared at Julian horrified, but his hidden face didn’t show me anything to confirm it. “Let’s focus on you calling me Dad?”
I shook my head, shaking visibly, the sobbing stopped but tears kept streaming. “Fine Devil is out of the question so let’s settle for Devin, shall we?” the man said with force, I knew I couldn’t say no now. I nodded, eyes flickering between Devin and Julian.
My father, the creator of the vampires is the Devil.
“He is the only man that I can never know of,” echoed my thoughts. Of course, Elizabeth could never track the father of the vampires, he is the Devil, the creator of many dark things, vampires only one of the few. It pained my heart knowing this, for years I thought vampires aren’t what the media pins them as. Cold and evil, boy was I wrong.
“So you’re the one Cecile kept hidden from me all those years.” Devin whispered with an edge. I felt my jaw tighten and I balled my fists. “You’ve –“
He stopped and glared at the woman that just entered the room. I looked around for a door but saw none, guess by magic. “Darling, you have business.” The woman sneered, not looking at Devin but at me. Blonde, pale and wearing heavy dark makeup, you could class her as gorgeous in an evil way.
Suitable for Hell, I suppose.
“Who is this?” She purred. Defiantly one of his mistresses then, Isn’t that what the reports say? The main sin that the Devil teaches the many sinners of the world is seduction, the way to manipulate at will with seduction. The way he must have used it against Cecile.
“Audrey Derosiers, my daughter from Cecile.” Devin told her. Even when he said Cecile, he held no emotion, always cold and detached. “What is it?” he asked impatiently when the woman just stood glaring at me.
“The S—“ She started but Devin quickly snapped his fingers and vines started coming out of her mouth, choking her. I took a step back, unable to look away from the withering body that the vines ripped apart. I didn’t dare to ask why he just killed her before finding out the answer to his question. I had a feeling he doesn’t want me to know, but did he have to kill her?
“What do you want from me?” I whispered quietly just as the body stopped moving. Dead at last, I felt a twinge of pity for the woman despite the hate she seemed to feel for me.
“I have an offer” He paused searching my face. Finding what he needed he continued, “I’ll give you and Landon that fairytale ending if you work for me.” I remembered the dream with Landon at Paradise, how he strictly forbid me to do anything to will involve him.
I never promised him though. I'm not bound to it.
I grimaced, some of my fear leaking out with my stray tears. “You’re the Devil, what do you need me for?” He bellowed out a cold laugh and looked me in the eyes with his black ones. “You’re a first generation vampire, did you know that?”
My world tilted that moment. “H-h-how?” Devin rolled his eyes looking somewhat comical, Julian stayed rigged in his position, the professionalism coming out in his masters presence. “Cecile hid you after I killed the early three, and now I see why killing the first born was a mistake. You have too much power to ignore. And I that power is exactly what I need to destroy The Heavens.”
I should have seen it coming, what else would be the Devils goal in life? Destroy The Heavens, the very same thing that helped create him. Could I say no to my own father? I could say no to my father but not to my creator.