Well this is one of the last chapters... bittersweet really. So I hope you like this chapter and please I ask for a comment on this one it would mean tons <3
Enjoy :)
Chapter 26
Katreena’s POV
The boat reached the dock just when the sky turned dark and the stars and moon has fully come into perfect view. My mind was jumbled as I looped my arm with Bryson’s. I took two steps forward and then one step back as I was hesitate to step foot on the land once again. I wanted to feel confident in going to this whole thing, but I had the feelings of Hanna’s whenever I looked up at Bryson. She truly loved him and I felt complete guilt standing next to him when she should be here. Taking in a deep breath I straightened my shoulders and made sure my face held little to no emotion. I was not going to walk into the castle looking vulnerable, there was no way.
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The large dark doors opened swiftly. The spiral staircase lay before my eyes. I tightened my grip onto Bryson’s arm. His face closed near me as he whispered “Are you okay?” My hands shook as I fumbled thoughts in my head. I held every memory of Hanna’s life, but what hurt was the feelings and emotions that ran through my mind nonstop. I was no longer this powerful witch who died with all the anger on the stake. But rather a true sixteen year old that had problems picking out what to wear in the morning or if her hair looks like it did when she left. Every emotion seemed to heighten and I was becoming more vulnerable each second that ticked by.
“I honestly don’t know what’s wrong with me” I muttered under my breath. I bit the inside of my cheek as we passed the thresh hold. My spine straightened as one of Hanna’s memories reached the service. The kiss.
I touched my lips with my finger tips and paused in mid tracks. The sudden and unexpected memory cleared my judgment. I looked straight ahead, straightened my shoulders and walked ahead with Bryson striding close behind. If I had to make this work sure in hell I wasn’t going to make myself present, I had to that my way.
My feet below me moved hastily up the stairs as I took two steps at a time. My sudden need of revenge entered my veins. Heinrik was on Hanna’s side and reminding me what I was capable of. The feeling of his lips touching hers had the emotions flood back hurriedly. The feeling of desire, want, and the need of something she couldn’t describe had the pieces come together when I felt terminate, disgust, and slaughter, those feelings where all mine. I couldn’t believe he was capable of such thing, able to tap into my emotions through Hanna. Although when I was clever enough to come through Hanna I was very much pissed when I saw Damian or aka Sean. The single thought of Damian at her side through her entire life had me shudder tremendously. I wonder how he was able to achieve such trust, but he had more power than any normal vampire, Demetri had no knowledge of his talents, and still do not. I wanted to slice a knife through his heart with great force and have him suffer what Hanna had gone through. I knew this was the only way to come back and take what Demetri has created. But the person she loved and who thought was her brother stabbed her in the heart, literally.
I reached the top of the stairs on the third floor and quickly walked down the hall straight ahead. There was only one place he would be and I was going to end him, here and now.
“Katreena!” I spun around laying eyes onto Hunter. His delicate features had him appear childlike in a man’s body. I knew otherwise of what he was truly capable of.
“Hunter…” I breathed out. I took two strides toward him and stopped a few inches away from his outstretched hand. A dagger laid across his fingers stained with blood. I traced my fingers across its blade as I spoke “Is he…”
“Dead like you wanted from the start” I bit my lower lip and thought how his face should appear being stabbed in the heart in Hanna’s blood. I nodded my head and looked deeply into his dark eyes.
“Find Bryson and point him in the right direction… he will know what to do from there” I talked quickly wanting to head in the direction I was headed.
“I wish you luck Katreena” I smiled timidly before pecking him on the cheek.
“Kiss my brother Heinrik goodbye” I closed my eyes knowing this secret will soon be told. He is and always has been my immortal brother. But witch he wasn’t, only one from a family can hold such power. My chest rose as I took in a deep breath, it was time. I opened my eyes seeing now one stand before me. I turned on my heel knowing Hunter will relay the message promptly.
Reaching the closed door I placed my hand on the knob and turned slowly. Walking inside the room was dim by candle light. Shelves of books were on the left side of the wall dating back to when I was here, which was way too long. The doors to the terrace were wide open, allowing a cool breeze hit my skin. The curtains moved with the wind as I neared closer to the man on the balcony. His back was turned and leaning on the brick wall. The knife was behind my belt on my back, secured. I neared closer as his back straightened, I paused holding my breath. He began to heighten in height as he stood. A small evil smile grew widely on my lips. The way he turned on his heel had me know who he was in seconds.
His dark orbs burned into mine as he caught my eye. He scanned my body and cocked his head to the side not sure if he was visualizing me was reality or not.
“No hello, darling?” My voice was playful but filled with absolute hatred of what he has caused to me and my kind. His eyes grew slightly from the sound of my voice. I placed my hand on my back as I took a step near him. “It’s been too long Demetri” His hair was shortened from the last time I remembered, yet it still fell in front of his dark eyes and strong face. Sweat appeared on his forehead once the light reflected onto him as he walked slowly closer.
“Katreena…?”
“What, surprised I’m even here?” I was now only inches away and I could feel his warm breath on my bare neck. A smile formed on his lips as his hand lightly touched my cheek. I fought the urge to slap it away, but closed my eyes to not see it happen. His fingers traced down my neck and circled where my pulse was once beating. I opened my eyes before our lips met. I was taken aback by his touchy feelings. His lips moved with passion against my frozen lips. I stood there as he kissed me with his hands wrapped around my waist. My hand was still securely wrapped around the dagger in my belt. I slowly lifted the dagger. However my lips parted from Demetri.
“God, I missed you” I took a sudden step back and glared my eyes at him, now not caring what I might reveal. “You’re crying” I looked away quickly and wiped away the tears I didn’t know I had shed. “You missed me didn’t you?” I heard the smile in his voice and let out a shaky laugh.
“Hell yes I missed you, you want to know why?” I barked at him filled with anger. He stepped forward and held me by the shoulders. His face became dark.
“You don’t have it in you Katreena. You were always kind at heart, even though all the hard times you seemed to look on the Brightside of things” I laughed as I pulled out the dagger but kept my hand firmly to my back.
“You have no idea what I’m capable of!” I yelled back. Tears formed in my eyes as I saw him change to the malevolent creature I knew he was. The loving man I fell for happened to be a vampire, and the malicious one at that. He was sweet when I first met him, older of course but back then none of that mattered or yelled creepy about a wide age difference. Yet, I fell for him minus that fact. I didn’t have knowledge of what he was or what he could truly do.
I now stood here with the chance I needed to end all of this. Taking in a deep breath as I closed my eyes, I tilted my head to the side as I tapped into my powers. It was harder to read him which required more strength. But he didn’t know I could, which was the perfect opportunity. Opening my eyes I reached out with my left hand, my right hand still pressed against my back. I touched his chest and slightly pushed. I opened my eyes as I felt a large thump against my hand. “What the hell!” He tried to jump back but it was too late.
“You don’t know everything about me, yet you know little about yourself” I smiled as I released my hand from his chest. “You know nothing what my kind is capable of do you?” His face grew worry as his heart began to thump. “Think really hard, you make a witch creature of the night you would wonder what kind of power she may possibly hold.”
“What did you do?!” I laughed as he ripped open his black button up shirt feeling the skin beneath the tip of his fingers. “This isn’t possible” He whispered. I removed my right hand from behind my back, dagger in hand.
“There was only one way to do this and dying a mortal would truly condemn you forever” His eyes met mine and a flash of guilt was spread across his face.
“I don’t know what to say…” I bit my lower lip as I heard his worried voice, which seemed truly to sound remorseful.
“You did this to yourself Demetri and I wish it could have ended differently” Stepping closer I traced my hand across his bare chest. Looking deeply into his eyes I knew there was a way to distract him. I combed my hand through his dark hair and cleared my thoughts that acquired negative thoughts of him. Remembering back to where I first met him. “It’s better to love than to never have loved at all, right?” I began to trace my finger on his jaw line as a small smile formed on his lips. He leaned closer, only an inch from my lips.
“I wouldn’t take any of it back if I could” For a reason my own heart skipped a beat, but then I realized his hand was firmly pressed onto my chest. A tear escaped and fell down my cheek. Demetri’s finger wiped the tear away quickly. I shook my head.
“I have to do this” I whispered to myself.
“I know you do so do it” I starred at his expressionless face worriedly.
“Why so easily?” I asked.
“Because I love you more than you will ever know” I closed my eyes as I fought back.
“No!” I punched his chest repeatedly, one after another. The dagger fell from my grasp hitting the title floors. I couldn’t hear this now. He took my hands into his and held them as I fought against him.
“Listen to me Katreena!” I slowly calmed down which was hard.
“How could you after all this time?!”
“I was protecting you! You would have gone all haywire on Damian if you knew the truth and you could have ended up dead!”
“Damian’s dead!” Demetri stepped back confused.
“Who killed him?” I caught myself from answering when thunder roared above.
“That can only happen if…” I started.
“Damian’s dead and the warrior have wakened” My eyes grew and I struggled to get free from his grasp. He lessened letting my hands drop to my sides.
“You were never their creator…” I muttered softly.
“It was all him and I was the mask” I looked up at him at touched his cheek.
“That’s why you told me at the stake we’d meet again” I smiled while I said the words but I had to make sure. I lifted my hands and placed my palms up. “Let me see?” I asked. He looked at my hands with an amused look on his face before doing so. I closed my eyes before a flash entered my eye of vision.
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“Damian she’ll find out” Demetri’s face became clear as he looked worried talking to Damian.
“No she won’t she loves you remember or did you forget? Trust me when the time comes you’ll have her right in your grasp”
“I don’t know if I could…”
“Loving her is just collateral damage. Get over it”
“You’re right she’s just collateral damage”
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My hands shot from Demetri’s when the vision subsided. I knew this would happen. One minute I start believing him the next I’m back where we started. But I knew he was telling the truth about Damian, but Demetri on the other hand had me played. I wanted so bad for this all to be false and go back a few minutes where all my revenge on him was gone and back to loving the man I fell in love with.
He turned and wiped the back of his neck. I bent down and picked up the dagger I had secured in my belt not too long ago. His back was faced to me and I took a step toward him.
“Guess you were right all along” I forced a fake smile as he turned with a loving look. He took half a step before kissing me on the lips. I felt my knees loosen, the need to melt into his arms. Clearing my thoughts quickly I kissed him back as I raised the dagger high above his back. Hanna crossed my mind and how she could have lived a normal life if none of this happened in the first place. She would have still met Bryson since his family is mortal and all. I took one last longing kiss wanting to remember the times we did share when I did fall for him.
With my free hand I pulled him closer, deepening the kiss. His hands held either side of my cheeks. The warmth of his bare chest had my mind go crazy. The feeling of his heart beat against my own thumped in unison. With one last breath apart I looked into his eyes longing as we parted slightly. Tears trickled down my cheeks from what I was about to do. “I love you” I whispered regretfully.
A small smile spread on his lips. “As I love you, my Katreena” He pecked my lips one last time. I forced my hand down, plunging the dagger into his chest. He let out a sharp gasp and stumbled forward. He fell to his knees as I tried to ease the fall. I grasped his face with both of my hands and starred deeply into his eyes.
“You can’t play me even if you tried” A smirk formed and he let out a bloody cough.
“Worth a shot” I was taken aback by his words but I kept calm.
“I know you still love me…” He looked at me with guilt. And I knew those words I said were true. “Yet it was collateral damage, was I not enough?” I choked back tears as blood trickled down his mouth. He was now in my lap, unable to move so I had to ask before it was too late. “Was I not enough Demetri?” I waited for his response.
“Yes…” More blood flooded out of his mouth as he stuttered the word.
“Then why?”
“I said before, he was going to kill you” My hard expression softened slightly. My hand was covered in his blood as I combed my hand through his hair, his eyes began to close.
“I know you’re telling the truth but you being alive isn’t right” His eyes flickered open faintly.
“I know and so aren’t you” I nodded understanding, since I knew what would happen all along.
“Which is why I need you to do something for me?”
“Anything”
I picked up the dagger that was in arm’s length. I placed it against my palm putting pressure to draw blood. “Repeat after me” He nodded momentarily.
I pressed my slit hand on Demetri’s wound and took in a deep breath.
“From the land of the living,
I call upon thee
in the land of the dead
to unleash thy fury of thunder
bring back this soul
from purgatory!”
Doors behind me opened, banging on the walls. Footsteps entered my hearing, it was too late. My body loosened as my heartbeat started to diminish. I looked down at Demetri and smiled timidly. “I still hate you” I stuttered.
“Perfectly understandable” He whispered through a cough. His eyes began to close as my body went limp. I fell to his side with my arm outstretched over his now chilled bare chest. The warmth of his skin was no longer and the beating of his heart was no longer there. My vision began to darken. I kept my eyes on his face. One last time I would ever be with the one man I ever loathed but loved with all my heart.