Shannon van Toor
Chapter 1
It's a cold winters day when I am hunting with my sisters. So far there has not crossed any animal my path yet. I just wanted to give it up when I heard some rustle. Before I could do anything a arrow passes me. His pray was a little bunny. I pick it of the ground and smile. 'Well done Hillarey, thanks to you our stew will taste great this time' A young girl of 15 jumped out of the three. She looked to her left and sees Lisa. With a sprint she grabbed her and pushed her on the ground and then sat on her like she was a couch. 'Hillarey get of me before I will stab you' she hissed. Laughing she gets of the 17 year old girl and pulled the arrow out of the eye of the bunny. Then she disappeared in the trees again. Lisa waves with her curls and throws the sticks and leaves on the ground. 'I am always the one..' She grumbles. I start to laugh and put the bunny in her backpack. The big brown eyes are becoming big when she sees something behind me. I turn around and see the black mist coming toward us. 'Hunting time is over, RUN!' I yell. I push my younger sister forward. We hear how Hillarey from branch to branch jumps above us. Lisa stumbles forward and keeps snagging with her foot behind a bush. While running, I make graceful wrist movements. Then I turn around and let little purple streams come out of my fingers. The bush burns up in flames and Lisa kicks the last bit of the bush of her. We run further and at the border we jump out of the woods. We are rolling until we touch the fence of the pastures. We look how the black mist disappears within a second.
'Well we still have the bunny' Says Hillarey dry, she scribbles up and smiles. Yes we definitely don't look on each other. Hillarey has short brown hair, her skin is white as the snow on the ground. She has drawn eyes who are dark brown and a small nose. Her shoulders are wide but further she is very skinny and a bit muscled. Lisa in particular is very slim without muscles. She has a tan, light brown, Dark curly hair until her shoulders and big dark brown eyes. Most of the time man underestimate her, because of her looks, of course they shouldn't do that. 'Sephora are you ever going to stand up or what?' Lisa and Hillarey are staring at me. At ease I stand up and start walking. No I don't look like any of them. I have a peach colored skin, light brown hair until the end of my back. I have almond formed eyes whom are green/brown. I am not that skinny or muscled as my sisters but I am also not fat, it is just in between. As I said we don't look like each other. We walk over the pastures until we are at home, a little house, just outside the village.
People do not dare to hunt anymore. Since the black mist came and people disappeared in it. Still it doesn't stop us though. Actually we are the only ones who still go into the woods to get our food. Lisa is the first one who steps into our little home and walk straight towards her room. Hillarey stays outside and practice her shooting, while she doesn't really need it.
I remove the skin of the bunny and roast the meat before I throw it in the goblet. I add potatoes, carrots, herbs and some water in it. The smell overwhelmed me and I can't stop myself for trying. When I taste it I miss something. So I add some Parsley and taste again: Much better. While I let the stew simmer I grab the old bread of the shelf. It glows for a while because of the little magic I use. Slowly the bread changes is an good smelling, fresh one . 'Is dinner ready?' Hillarey asks and throws her stuff in the usual corner. 'I smell fresh bread!' Lisa grabs the bread out of my hand and tears a piece of it. She takes a small wooden bowl and scoop up a lot of the stew. When she sits she starts to eat like a hungry animal. Hillarey and I look at her with big eyes. 'What?' she asks and look at us, still eating. 'Sephora can I have some too, please' Hillarey asks. I nod and give her a bowl full of the stew. She sits on the opposite of Lisa and first looks at her before she starts herself with eating.
Late in the evening I sit in my room. I am making a drawing of my dead parents. I do this on parchment with charcoal.
It already happened 8 years ago. Our mother was very sick and Hillarey was the only one with her. Lisa and I were learning how to hunt. When we came back, Hillarey screamed and ran towards me. 'Sephora, fast, use your magic she isn't breathing anymore!' There I stood as 11 year old girl, not knowing what to do. My 7 year old little sister was pushing me to my mom, but I knew I couldn't bring her back, I wasn't that strong yet. My dad tried to resuscitate her, but we were late, too late. Out of anger and impotence my dad pushed me on my knees next to my death mother. He screamed that I had to use all the power in me, no matter what. I placed my hand on her cold front head and used all the power in me that I could feel. All kind of colors sparkled out if my little fingers. Candles and the stove flew out. The colors went everywhere: Every little corner, the candles, pots and pans just everywhere. It lightened the house and so I saw her still open eyes. Then there were still other hunters, they came with the other villagers to say goodbye and they saw how I tried ,and they knew, it did not help.
I stayed awake for 3 days, I did not eat nor sleep, I was tired but couldn't stop because my dad did not let me. How much I kept trying, she did not come back. On the 4th day, without sleeping I was so tired, my magic weakened me and with the no sleep and eating I could die if I would go on. But finally my dad let me stop. I felt noxious and sick that day. Still I was there on her funeral, she was buried near the woods, though she would have loved it more if it was near the sea. But we lived to far from the sea so it wouldn't worked out. Around 3 months later our dad died of cholera. Now we were the only ones left of our family. I thank my dad that he learned us how to survive by hunting.
I put the drawing in my leather folder, whom is full of other drawings. When I look outside I hold my purple tear in my hands. It was a special stone that my mother gave to me. I always wear it around my neck against my chest. 'Sephora?' I turn around and see Lisa. 'What is it?' I ask. 'Since yesterday someone has been keeping an eye on us' She says. 'You mean the black mist?' 'No absolutely not, I meant the guards, they walk by more and every time we go to the forest I see them watching very nervous, something is wrong I just know it' Before I can say anything we hear the bell ringing. 'Fast, dress yourself and get some money' Hillarey is already standing, fully armed, watching the door. I stand next to her and also watch the door. Lisa stands behind me, already holding her daggers in defense. I know the procedure: First knocking, than banging and after that a built kicked door. But when all that happens the one who did that will get 3 angry sisters above him. Just as I said, someone started to knock on the door. After the banging the door flew open. It almost hit us! With a magic shield, I made, the door went back to my victim. He was too late to duck and fell down with a bleeding head. Lisa disappeared behind us, and reappeared behind someone else. She stabbed him and jumped over to someone else. Hillarey shoot the other bastards. The only thing I had to do was keeping my shield up. Lisa grabbed a younger man and stared in his eyes: 'Who are you?' When he did not answer, she bit him in his neck, and pushed him away. The arrow of Hillarey struck her enemy in his eye. 'Who are these people?' I asked out loud. I walked to someone who wanted to stab Lisa. As fast as I could I made rotating movements with my hands. The boy flew right for me. His eyes looked anxious up to me. 'Who are you?' I asked and kneeled next to him. A soft wind waves my hair. 'Bait' He said. 'Why?' ' 3 sisters, w-we need them' 'Why?' My hand caresses his cheek. 'Strong soldiers, we need their blood, the prototypes failed' 'Who gave you the assignment' I asked. He swallows, while I bend over, and look into his eyes. 'A vampire, in a dark castle, Please I don't know more!' I press my lips against his. It looks like a passionate kiss, but in real it isn't , I suck his life and energy out of him. Within a couple of seconds his skin ages and his hair turns white. When I let go, he drops on the ground, and breaks in pieces just like a vase.
Lisa reappears next to me while Hillarey shoots the last woman. 'So what did you get out of him?' She asks. 'A vampire' I say and stand up. I look to the tilt of the bridge and see a man standing. When he looks at me he disappears. 'Did you saw him?' I ask. 'Who?' Lisa looks to the same tilt and says she doesn't see anything. Typical
After we burned the bodies we went armed to bed. You cannot count on the night if there is a living vampire, who desperately would love to have our blood, for his soldiers. Slowly I shut my eyes and listen restless to the sounds of the night.
Chapter 2
The next morning, Lisa was already busy, making the horses ready. Hillarey already started with making 3 backpacks. We were planning to go to this dark castle and skewer that damn vampire. Lisa and I braid each other hair and take one backpack. 'So kill and after that back to home, doesn't sound difficult' Hillarey said and climbed up on her horse. 'First let's find out where that castle is' I say.
Days passed, weeks even, and still we had nothing. Nobody knew the place or they were just travelers who didn't even knew the place where they were walking. After a long travel we stopped at a inn. Hillarey and Lisa went to their rented room. I sat at a bar and drank ginger beer. A group of man took my attention so I listened carefully. 'Again a young girl, I say we go to the village and recruit villagers to kill that monster!' The man nodded. 'What if it's Amy the next time?' I think they were talking about my vampire. 'I don't know mate, I hear a lot of stories, not only the beast lives there but there are more things' A other men said. I turn around and pretend I am drunken. I walk towards them and sit on the lap of one of them. 'Hello sweethearts, I heard the word: castle so I was wondering, wich one of you lives in a castle?' They look shocked and I notice they don't buy my acting, dear god I didn't know I was that bad. So I do my most reasonable thing I can remember what actually worked. I grab a knife and put it against the throat of my "chair". 'Castle' I hiss. 'Are you sure you want to go there Lady?' one of them asks. I role my eyes, what do they think? I ask something for fun? And what do they care? 'I did not ask about your worries, I asked about the castle, because some people do have the balls to go somewhere without a whole army of villagers' I purr almost when the words role out of my mouth. All of them become red like a tomato, how nice they are ashamed. 'Go through the forest, and then a little bit further' The man said under me. 'Thank you, did that hurt so much?' I asked and then press my lips on his cheek and walk away. Before I can knock on the door of Hillarey she already opens it. 'I hope they are right otherwise I will come back and kill them!' She says and push me aside with her shoulder. Stunned as I was, I walk to Lisa's room and knock.
'And they call this a forest?' Lisa looks to the marshy path. 'Villagers don't dare to walk here, probably it was a forest before this...' I couldn't make a better excuse than that. Carefully we entered the "forest" who was more dark then the black mist. 'I can't see a damn thing' Hillarey complained. She was right, magic could solve it, so created a orb who provided us a better sight. 'I think the end is over there ' Lisa pointed to a big opening. She disappeared and reappeared on her horse. 'Yes that is the end' she said. We went a little faster now, but still careful of course. As we reached the end my orb splattered. And there it was. A dark castle surrounded by the black mist. 'So you want to go in there like its nothing?' Lisa asked full of sarcasm. 'We have the problem with the mist' I mumbled. In the corner of my eye I see something moving. I use my magic to let a little boy of 12 coming out of the bushes. Hillarey aimed right for his head with her Bow and Arrow. 'No please' He begged. 'You follow us already for weeks!' Hillarey screamed. Lisa appeared next to him and looked into his eyes. I did not know that we were being followed by such a young person. 'I know' The boy screamed back to Hillarey. He was not that big, he had dark brown hair and dark brown eyes. 'Who are you?' I asked. 'I-I-Ivo' Lisa want to give him his death, but I stopped her. 'Ivo? Ladies if I am right this is the boy where our dad always talked about' Hillarey lowered her bow. 'How do you mean?' They asked in choir. 'This boy was kidnapped, when our dad tried to chase him he disappeared in the Black mist, they say however that he had survived the Black mist, and here we have the living proof of it' I try to explain it so they can understand but crossing looks says enough. 'Ivo was 4 when our parents died, but we never knew him because he was taken away when he was a baby' I saw that Lisa didn't believe it. 'God, Lisa' I jumped of my horse and walked towards him. I touched his face, who changed right away. Lisa and Hillarey swallowed. He looked exactly like our dad, unbelievable. 'Dear god, the only question is, are you friend or enemy?' she asked. Hillarey aimed again for his head. 'I say he is enemy' she said. 'Please, I wouldn't even hurt a fly if there was one, and when I found you guys I wanted to warn you for him' After these words slowly his feet were changing in stone. 'No' Ivo screamed. 'Your magic' Lisa plead. 'Listen, the vampire knows your coming!' I still tried to use my magic, but just like my mom, it did not work. 'If you find the vampire and you want to kill him, his heart is his weakness' The stone took his face and in front of me there was standing a statue now. 'I will keep it in mind' I whispered. We walked further, leaving our brother, behind.
The doors opened themselves and the feeling that we weren't alone became stronger. 'Ladies' Candles flew at once on. And there he was: short black hair, ice cold colored blue eyes. His skin was just as white as the clouds, his lips looked desirable. He was handsome and smiled charming. Too bad we have to kill him! 'I take that you did not come for a cup of tea?' He asked. Hillarey shoot a arrow aiming on his heart. But she missed! Hillarey never missed one single shot, accept now. The vampire was very fast, he ran towards her and then, pulled her arm out of the bowl. 'Before we go any further, My name is: Dimitri Charleston' Lisa tried to stab him to reappear behind him. Once again he was faster. Hillarey put back her arm and screamed because it hurts. She tried to shoot him again but he dodged all of her arrows. I tried it too! But my magic wasn't strong enough. 'You ladies are spicey, I like spicey ladies' He started to laugh and then made a perfect summersault. While he was in the air he catched a arrow. He putted between his teeth and broke it, right in front of Hillarey. She gasped for a while and tried to dodge his attack. She failed. He grabbed her and threw her away. Then he jumped to Lisa and broke her arm and throw her against the wall, she became unconscious. Hillarey was standing again and ran towards him. He grabbed her neck and turned, and broke it. Now it was my turn, will I survive this? I screamed while he was walking towards me. He pressed his thumb against my forehead and I felt live was slipping away. With all the magic I had and still could feel I used it for Hillarey. I saw the orange colored streams went right a way to her and slipped in too her nose. After that everything went black.
My eyes opened difficult. Everything looked so hazy, and I smelled a unfamiliar scent. I throw the blankets of me and roll out of bed. My legs did not accept this movement and showed that by letting me fall on my belly. In the distance I hear someone coming and I roll under my bed. The door opens and I see two feet appear at the end of my bed. With my magic I melted the feet in the ground and rolled out of my hiding place. When I looked up, I look straight in the eyes of Dimitri. 'You would make it, Alive I mean' He lifts me from the ground and carries me out of the room. Dear god, I did not knew that vampires were that strong. 'Sephora let me tell you this, if you would have made it out of your room the bats probably would have eaten you now' He smiled. Was this a joke or what? 'Your sisters, by the way, are still alive' He starts. I sight, I couldn't feel better. 'Hillarey's neck has been healed, magically' He says. We.. I mean he walks through the doors without even touching them, they just open... like he uses magic. We enter a big dining hall where old people walk from the other side and back. 'I hope you are hungry, it has been years ago when we had our last mortal visit' He tells me. He puts me in a chair and then sit on the opposite one. 'Virgin blood or O positive, sir?' The servant looked younger than me, of course he is a vampire too, obviously. 'O positive, please' Dimitri answers. The boy filled his glass and already walked towards me. 'Stop, she is human, share it with the others' As I could see at the face of the boy, it seemed that this would be a feast for them. And later I probably be the dessert. I take the knife and hide it on my lap. Why did I do that? He is a vampire, a sad knife wouldn't help me, he cannot die of it. I sight, and what if he dies, what can I do? My legs are paralyzed so I cannot walk away, I should probably role then. God I already see that happening. ' So did you already get used to you new home?' Dimitri asked. Now let me think that over: I am in a dark castle, full of creepy vampires, who are waiting to eat me as cake, Yes I am used to it. So I ignore him and his stupid question. 'Is this our communication for the rest of our time? Or are you going to use that sexy voice of yours' I look down and look at the knife: so tempting. I startle when a old lady fills my plate with good smelling soup and potatoes. 'I wanted to give you ladies a choice actually' Dimitri says that with a frown on his face. I look up. Choice ? WHAT CHOICE? 'There rests a curse on my family, and I needed one of you to come with me, the one with magic' He said. Oh god, are you kidding me? Am I going to hear about his family? 'It's all thanks to my grandpa. He fell in love with the witch Griselda, but she only used him for his money, and to experiment on him, and so she accidently changed him in a vampire. still he was madly in love and soon she was pregnant, so that was how our bloodline started' I try to eat my soup but his eyes keep me from it.
'Only the bad thing was, my grandpa became greedy, and his love for Griselda disappeared. Their child grew very fast. And she saw the coldness of my grandpa back in her son. So she created a curse...' Of course she created a curse, why do I have to hear this overdramatic story? I started to eat my soup what became cold. When it was empty the servants came with a full one back and took the empty one with them. 'The curse sounds like this: We have to marry out of love. It will make us human again and gives us rest' How dramatic and typical. So the upcoming time I am stuck in a castle with a romantic vampire. My evening can't go worse! His eyes look to my food and see that it is untouched. I take my fork and start eating. 'Does it taste good?' he asks. His voice breaks my concentration of escaping. 'How about a nap?' He asks.
I HATE HIM, officially! His hypnotizing let me fall asleep while I was eating. The only thing I felt was how he lifted me again. My legs aren't paralyzed, I thank him for that, But still! When I get out of bed I am more mad! He putted me in a white cotton gown. Horrible! When I look around I see a little window in the wall. It's the only one in here so I walk to it. The only thing I see is the "forest" and the Black mist overwhelming it. A little bird appears in my "window" and he sings a song for me. I let him land on my hand and use my magic on him. Now he has a yellow glow around him and looks up to me. 'I want you to fly to my sisters and tell them I am stuck in the castle, but they don't may put their lives on stake for me, understand' The bird repeats what I said and then flies away. A skinny lady walks into my room when I turn around. She smells like blood, she probably just ate. 'My name is Isabelle' She snarls and purr on the same time. 'I came with a warning' Before I could defend myself she pushes me against the wall. I can't move because she has a Iron hold on me. A second woman walks into the room and stands beside her. Dear god where did I landed? In a harem? 'He is ours, and we don't like to share' Isabelle purrs. The other one licks her lips. 'Do you want to say anything, Mina?' Isabelle asks. 'Of course, seduce, touch or say something to him...' 'And we will kill you, rip you in parts, burn you' A redhead walks in to the room. If this were their threats, I was not impressed. Dimitri was everything I don't want so why bother? So I touch carefully Isabelle's arm and she starts to scream because I putted on fire with my magic. 'Ladies, because you were doing your threatening I have one of my own too: Touch me one more time and I will kill you all. Besides Dimitri is not what I want, and his charmes are a little rusty if you ask me, but what else can you do if there are cheapies walking around in this castle?' I Smile. Ow yeah, feel it burn stupid vamps. I stop the fire and they walk away. 'We keep an eye on you' Isabelle yells.
Dimitri walks in to my room and wanted to start but I was faster: 'Keep those bitches away from me or I will burn them! 2nd: Release Ivo and 3th Everybody who is dear to me, you will leave them alone!' His eyes blinked. Good, he was surprised, I walk past him and make my way to the dining room.
Chapter 3
How long was I already here? I was wondering after a while. It could have been weeks, days maybe months I don't know. My feeling for time was gone and I did not hear anything from the little bird anymore. The worst thought have been going through me: Maybe Isabelle and her two girlfriends have been eating the little bird. Or maybe Hillarey shot the little bird before it could give my message. I shiver by those thoughts. 'Sephora is actually a strange name, if you think about it' That voice, how did she came here? Isabelle is standing near the fireplace and I stand before the window, looking sad outside. They say vampires don't have a mirror image, but I can see Isabelle clearly, with her blonde hair and blue eyes. I keep an eye on her while she is playing with her pearl necklace. 'I am glad it's such a strange name, otherwise I would be called: Isabelle or Mina or Anna, god think about that' Yes, I just offended her name, and the ones of her little friends. I saw how her expression changed into a poker face. 'Sephora, makes me think of a poison of a tribe, if you have some in your body it will crawl slowly to your brain and gives you hallucinations and after that a slow death' I turn around. 'What do you want?' 'Your blood' She purrs. 'You are welcome to kill me, it will help a lot in this situation' Ow yeah, if Isabelle would kill me, I would be free from this stupid prison. And then I wouldn't have to hear the drooling thoughts of Isabelle and the others how delightful my blood smells. The only sad part for them would be the part with Dimitri, whom will kill them if they touch me, too bad. Isabelle laughs and says: 'Tempting, but I started to like your company' Mina walked into the room and whispered something in the ear of Isabelle. She talked so softly I barely understood what she said I only heard: Dimitri, Anna and Wedding. Mina walks away and Isabelle gives me one of her "We will meet again" glances before she walks too.
Late in the evening I lay still awake in my bed. I haven't seen Dimitri for a while now. 'Tjirp, Tjirp' It was the little bird! I jump out of bed and run to the window. In his beak, he carries, a little parchment piece. 'Thank you' I take the parchment and give him some bread crumbs that I had been sparing for a while. Then I read whats standing on the paper: Dear Sephora, we tried to save you, though we cannot do a thing because the castle doesn't exist anymore. The Forest became more dangerous than first, we do hope you can make a plan to escape, we also hope you are still alive. OF COURSE, How can I be that stupid? Damn vampire, he wants to keep me here like forever! The courage in me sank until my shoes. What am I supposed to do now? 3 female vampires can't wait to rip me apart and drink my blood like wine. Dimitri disappeared in the middle of nowhere...Wait...What am I doing? Self pity? Think! Dimitri is gone, and those stupid Female vamps are scared of me, I could escape if I want too. Still I have to be careful. I rip my the ugly mint green colored dress until my knees. Then I kick those stupid shoes out and put my old boots on. Yes much better, thank you, that the servants didn't notice my old boots that I hid under a tile under my bed. I take my oil lamp and start walking.
I walk towards the stairs, when I hear the familiar sound of heels, walking to my room. Isabelle. I use a magic trick to change myself invisible, and hope she doesn't smell me, or hear me breath. Fast I turn off my oil lamp and try to walk further, silent, as possible. 'Sephora?' I hear her purr. Then she screams when she comes in my room. 'Anna, Mina, She disappeared' she screams. The other two run past me. So I continue to walk down the stairs without them noticing me. I hear my name 100 times more as Isabelle screams and offend me in different ways. The doors don't open themselves anymore and I have to push them with all my strength to open them. Out of the blue, a little, purple butterfly flutters around me. He knows where I have to go, and he leads me the way. We end in the big hall where I met Dimitri for the first time. Before I go further, I look around. Its quiet, and that gives me the shivers, Silence... is never a good sign. I walk slowly towards the door and when I reach it the butterfly changes in glittery ash. Strange. I push the door open and need to use my magic because it's too heavy. The cold cuts in my bare knees. I run as hard as I can to the forest. The invisibility did not work anymore. So everybody could see me running now if they looked out of the window. Come on Sephora, almost there! If you have reached the forest, you will be save!
I make a high jump over the border between the castles place and the forest. I fell right in the darkness and I can't see a thing in it. But I don't care, as long as I am away from there, that's my priority right now. I walked for a while now and walked straight in a mud puddle. My legs already disappeared and now I understand it wasn't mud but quicksand! PANIC! I should not, I know, but I do! As fast as I can I make a left to the right movements with my hands. Small colored streams come out of my fingers. A branch lowers down and convulsively I keep a hold on it. Still I am to stuck, so I use my magic again, and climb out of it. I was worn- out.
From a small distance I hear something moving. Oh god what are we going to get now? A pack of wolves come out of nowhere sneaking to me. I scribble up and start to run. WHY? WHY? I ask myself and dodge a branch. Shall this be my end? I stop in the middle of a open spot. Dear god, I am lost. I see a little river that makes me think of home. Yellow eyes look hungry at me. In one time they all run to me. No I won't let my life end like this, that wouldn't be honorable. I make a fist and put a spell on it, so every time I punch one of them it will be more effective. They drop and I only catch a couple of scratches, but after a while, my body is weakening, it cost too much power physical and mentally. I break a neck of one of them and then I drop down myself. It becomes dark front of my eyes and the only thing I remember is Dimitri's voice and footsteps.
'No, No, No' I scream. When I wake up, I wake up out of a sweaty nightmare. Dimitri sits next to me and hugs me. 'It's alright, my love' He whispers. And before I know it I fall asleep again. The next morning I wake up, I don't feel very well. I have headache, feel noxious and have a fever. Dimitri isn't here, so he can't help me now. The cold floor feels good under my feet as I walk out of my room. The castle is very dark and I stumble a couple of times before I reach the stairs. The sweat comes out of my body like it's a waterfall. I feel like a soaked cloth.
The doors just open, and there he stands. A deep frown and a forced smile. 'Sephora?' He asks and examines me. My sight becomes hazy and I almost fall down the stairs. 'D-Di-Dimitri' I fall, but he just catches me on time, hallelujah. 'You feel like a bubbling cauldron' He says. I smile weak. Of course I feel like that, I have a fever, shucks. Dimitri looks in my hazy eyes and starts to breath faster. 'Sephora, sweetie, who went in your room?' He asks all of sudden. I think about it..Who could have been in my room..? I don't remember any visitor or servant who could have been there. My body starts to feel more weaker and I start to look like a patch doll. 'N-N-N-Nobody' He looks furious, and it says enough for me: I have been bitten and I lost to much blood. 'I know who it was, sir' Anna says it with the same annoying purr like Isabelle. She comes crawling from the wall to us. 'Say it before I kill you myself' Dimitri threatens. 'Isabelle of course, her jealousy was very high, Since Sephora came in our lives' She turns on her back and try to look desirable. 'Well then before that will escalate I will let you all execute immediately' He says growling. I see him running up the stairs and grabbing Anna who starts to scream. Dimitri lifts me up and carries me downstairs where we go to the kitchen.
'Lisa Jump' Hillarey screams. The black mist almost had her. 'Sephora my arm' I look at her arm and see the big wound in it. I whisper softly all kind of words what no one would understand, and then I touch it with my right hand, And slowly the wound heals. Proud we walk to our little home where we throw our bait on the table. We catched: 5 birds, 3 bunny's, 1 chicken and pieces of boar.
'Sephora? Sephora?' Overgrown I look around me. The environment changes and my sisters become hazy and change in 2 servants. I blink a couple of times with my eyes. Everything was a dream? Why did they wake me! I felt so comfortable! Then I see Dimitri and his blouse wich was full of blood. My blood. His cold hand touches my for head. 'No fever, that's a good sign' he concludes. My hair falls over my shoulder and I see a big Blond pluck. Is that mine? Of course it's mine, but still, how did I get this? When I grab the whole pluck it seems to be my whole bang. WHY? 'W-what is this?' I ask. 'Privacy' Dimitri demands. The servants make a reverence and walk away. 'I gave you some vampire blood' He starts. My eyes become big and anger takes over me. 'VAMPIRE BLOOD?' 'Not that much that you will change in one' Well I felt a bit relieved now. 'But because you own magic, it had side effects, and this is one of them' I don't get the whole picture and he notices. 'Your magic will be separated from you if you bleed. Vampire blood changes almost everything: Skin, face, blood, bones and more' So he actually wants to say that I changed in a Half Vampire? And this stupid blond bang is a side effect of my magic? Oh well. I am still a live thanks to him. 'Thank you, for saving my life' He smiles cold. 'Come, I have clean clothing for you' I look down and see the blood stains on my clothing. 'Why is there so much blood? Did you stole some for your soldiers?' He starts laughing. 'Soldiers? Where do I need soldiers for? No Isabelle bit you, but when she did, her tooth broke because your magic had a self defense mechanism' Her tooth broke? Damn I have a good defense. 'And because that tooth broke, it kept stinging in your skin, so you became very sick of it' He explained.
After I've changed my clothing I look at myself in a bowl of water. It doesn't make me uglier though, I mean my blond bang. Still I'd rather had my own light brown color. Dimitri appears next to me and looks at me. Out of his eyes are little diamonds falling. Is he crying? 'Are you okay?'I ask with caution. 'Yes' He answers and catches a couple of those diamonds. 'These are vampire tears, a lot of humans will kill each other for them only because they are diamonds, in their eyes. The only thing they don't know is that these diamonds can do a lot more' He throws them in my bowl with water. 'Mention a name' He says. I look doubtful. Would it work? Well if I don't try it I will never know it, right? 'Lisa' The water starts to shiver and slowly I see my sister in it. She is drawing on a map and she looks absent. Her eyes are red and her hair is grease, something that never would happen. Hillarey walks towards her and there comes a fight. Too bad I can't hear a word what they are saying. 'What do you see?' Dimitri asks. 'I-I see my sisters, they look very bad' I whisper. 'Would you like to go to them?' He asks. ' Very much' I answer. 'Then go, goodbye my love' Was he serious right now? I finally can go after so much trouble? Of course I know the answer but still I question it myself. 'Thank you so much' I say and hug him. Then I press my lips against his. He startled there for a second and kissed me back. I was the one who stopped the kiss and walked away out of that room, leaving him behind.
Chapter 4
Ivo has disappeared. His statue was nowhere to be found when I drove to it. The black mist was gone and I could pass the forest easily. But how further away I was from the castle I got the feeling I was missing something. I passed all the old hostels where we stayed when we wanted to kill Dimitri.
After a couple of days my horse dropped death. He was all dried up and exhausted because I didn't take a break. I am sorry, I just wanted to go home as fast as possible. 'Rest in peace my friend' I whispered. I run into my old forest and find my old path back home. The black mist doomed up, but I won't stop, not until I reach the end! Faster, Faster, Faster I say to myself. I jump and role until I feel the fence in my back: HOME. I check my arms and legs, but there is nothing, not even a scratch. I scribble up and see my old home. Run, Run I think.
Hillarey is shooting arrows into a hay bale out of boredom. Lisa is tied up on a chair and looks annoyed. 'Will you let me...' 'No' 'But we...' 'No' Hillarey shoots another arrow right in the middle. 'Is that Sephora?' I am walking towards them with a smile. Lisa disappears and reappears front of me. Her hands are still tied. 'Lisa' I burn the rope with my magic and we embrace each other. 'I thought, I mean, We thought you were dead' she says sobbing. Hillarey comes standing next to us with a poker face. 'Nice bang' she says with sarcasm. 'Thank you, long story' A little boy is running towards us. 'Ivo' He hugs me like a little boy would do with his mom. Then he shows me his freshly caught fish. 'Come lets go inside' I suggest. And they follow me like young puppies. Lisa listens thoughtful when I tell my story. Hillarey sharpens her new arrowheads and Ivo is eating his 4th bowl of stew. 'How did you came here?' I ask him. 'I woke up near the house' he answers and eats further.
Later on the evening I am in my old room. They did not change it, it's only a bit dusty. I take a parchment and charcoal and start drawing. When I come out of my hyper focus I see Dimitri. How is it going with him anyway? On a other parchment I draw: Isabelle, Anna and Mina. On a weird way I miss him. After a while I change my clothing, when I throw my old clothing on the ground, I hear a sound. It sounded like a coin what fell on something soft. I feel in the pocket and hold 3 little diamonds in my hand. Could it be? I open my hand and I see them floating and bumping each other. I walk to a bowl with water en throw them in. 'Dimitri' I whisper. I see his castle dooming up and then I see him.
Dimitri sits restless in his study room. Angry he throws a charcoal away and pushes his chair a side. He drawed me...Me in a beautiful dress standing on a beautiful place looking happy. His lips form my name. Small diamonds role in his hand. I see his face appear in a close up now and for a moment I have the feeling we look to each other. I want to touch him, feel his cold skin against mine. I want to kiss his lips, and take the coolness in my heated body. The water starts to shiver and his pretty face disappears. The diamonds dissolve and in one hit I feel sad and depressed. I start a new drawing. Again with Dimitri but then on the same place like he drawed me. I hope he is still looking in the water and that he will see my drawing. I hope, I hope, I hope, I hope too much. Behind me a door opens. Lisa jumps on my bed and stares. 'You must miss him' she says. I stop with the drawing and look at her. She took a bath, and her hair is combed, she smells good now. 'Do you know how long you have been away?' She asks all of sudden. How long have I been away? Days? Weeks? Months? I don't know, I never really kept track of time. 'One year' She whispers. The charcoal fell on my lap. One year? It felt like one month. 'Well, tomorrow, we are going to hunt so you'd better go and sleep' She says. Then she disappears.
Hillarey looks around her while I make a web of magic. She shoots two arrows and startled I turn around to see what she did. 'Boar' She says dry. Ivo comes back from the little lake and carries 5 fish with him. 'Well I think someone doesn't want us to starve of hunger' Hillarey says and climb in her favorite tree. Lisa comes out of the bushes and carries a branch with 6 rabbits. Before I can say anything my web captures: 3 pheasants and 1 wild chicken. Dear lord I almost must think of my dream. 'Well this is a feast' Hillarey says when she jumps out of the three and holds a squirrel. 'I suggest to sell some of this, the villagers would love to have some meat, I guess' Lisa says. I nod and put the birds in a back pack.
When we are at home we choose the meat we want to keep: The chicken, a couple of pieces Boar and 2 Pheasant. Then Hillarey goes to the market with Ivo to exchange the meat. Later she comes back with silverlings and gold. 'They ask a lot for meat and fish' Ivo tells it on his childish way, it's cute. They walk to our jewelry box and throw the money in it.
'You still miss him don't you?' She scared me. I was alone in my room, underline on Was. Lisa just warped in my room without me noticing. 'Yes I do' I admit it, I miss him very much. 'Why don't you just go back? We can save ourselves' She offers. She choose her words, that means, that she is worried about me so I smile and say: 'No you guys need me more then he does' She smiles back and disappears, this time with sound.
2 Weeks have been passed and I looked terrible. I had dark circles under my eyes, my skin look very white actually I look very sick! I slept very bad, I had nightmares, and if I scream Hillarey came and hushed me. Gosh why am I acting like this? At the beginning of the new week we all were sick and tired of it. 'Your horse is already waiting' Lisa said. I walked towards it and pet it. 'I am only going to check him out, nothing more, unless he is not doing well' I promised. Lisa start to laugh. 'We can save ourselves, you only have to send a letter, or a bird' I smile, the bird, is he still alive? Ivo pulls on my cape. 'I gave 5 fish for this food' I take the haversack and give him a kiss on his forehead. Even though I don't know him that well, I have the feeling I know him for years. Hillarey will ride with me until I am at the border of the forest near the castle. And there we went in silence.
When we finally reached the border after days of riding I am the one who said something: 'Thank you Hillarey, I have a small present for you' I take an arrow out of my saddlebag. It's gold and light weighted with little feathers. 'Wow a golden arrow' she says sarcastic. 'You know I used my magic' I answer. She takes it, and when she holds it in her hand it starts to glow. She gives me the : What is this? expression and I answer it: 'If you shoot it, you will always hit something' She smiles. 'It also takes it back to you, so you will always be able to have food' Her eyes look like rocks. That's a good sign, I greet her, and jump of my horse and give her the reins. Then I start my lonely walk through the forest.
As I walk I see small changes like: There isn't any black mist anymore nor quicksand. The end is almost near and I start running. The castle is still there.
I push the doors open and expect a warm welcome. It did not come. I look around and see nothing but darkness. 'Se-Se-Se...' His voice! I recognize it out of thousands! Little streams of magic come out of my fingers when I lift them. They crawl upon the walls and change in little flames which give blue or green light. And there he sits, on the chair, just like the first time we met. Only now he doesn't look that handsome anymore: His eyes are red, his skin is more paler, sunken cheeks, his muscled shoulders are nothing anymore. 'Dimitri' I whisper and walk to him. He sticks his thin fingers to me and let thousands of diamonds fall on the ground. 'Dimitri, what happened?'I ask and hold his hand against my cheek. 'W-where were you all this time?' He whispers. His voice sounded hoarse. And now I understand what happened. Because I was away for so long he did not eat until I came back. 'Dimitri drink my blood' And offer my neck. 'N-N-NO' Softly he pushes me away. I take my knife and cut my arm, not where my artery beats, of course. 'Drink' I command. Dimitri looks with a face who is in pain. I take my knife again and hold it against my throat. He can fix me, right? 'If you don't drink...' God, please help me, I hate to threat to him. 'I will cut my throat' His red eyes say they don't believe me. A little drop of blood fell on the ground. Dimitri grabs my arm and starts to drink. His skin changes slowly and he looks already a bit better. Good for him, because I am feeling weaker. The flames deaf slowly. I fall in a bed of roses, or it feels like it... I try to hold my eyes open, but I can't , I just can't. Finally he stops and I open my eyes a little. 'Would you have done it?' He asks. The blue eyes carve in mine and I nod weakened. My eyes close and darkness surrounds me and hold me tight.
'Sephora' His beautiful blue eyes look into mine. 'Are you okay?' he asks. I nod. 'Thank you for your blood' He says and picks up a big tray full of food. 'Hungry?' On the tray there is bread, grapes and cookies. I smile, Yes I am Very hungry. 'I'll be back in a bit, I need to take care of something' When he walks away I start my delicious breakfast.
I take a bath and when I come out of it a clean dress is laying on my bed. It was the same beautiful dress as from the drawing of the one Dimitri had made. I smile. After I dressed myself I brush my hair and see the other blonde plucks. He gave me vampire blood, again. Thanks Dimitri, I sight.
I have waited a whole hour now and he still did not come back. I am bored, so I walk out of the room. I walk through the halls and end up in the Library. I see interesting books and even a diary of: Isabelle. I just wanted to open it when I hear the purring voice. 'Your life is going to be mine!' She hisses. I turn around and see Isabelle. She is raging like a mad woman and starts to run towards me. Isn't she supposed to be death? Of course not, otherwise she wouldn't be here. I dodge a fist and role to a bookcase. Again she comes to me and this time she hits the bookcase. The books fall down right upon her. She jumps out of it like a bunny jumps in the grass. 'MINE' She screams. I hear a soft sound somewhere and then I see a golden arrow flying right in the heart of Isabelle. To quicken her death, I use my magic, red streams come out of my finger tips and they burn the skin of Isabelle. She screams en pulls the arrow out of her heart. Dimitri comes out of nowhere and turns her neck around. With a wooden stick, he ends her life. 'Everything okay?' He asks. I nod and watch how Isabelle turns in ashes. The arrow starts to shake and floats above the ashes. 'He always takes his pray with him, right?' Hillarey jumps down. 'How are you doing sis?' She asks. The arrow goes in her quiver and the ash falls for her feet. 'Aren't you supposed to be home?' Hillarey smiles. 'I supposed to be, yes, but I am not. When you left I took a night in the hostel and heard a woman speaking about Sephora the one who tried to kill her, and she needed help to kill her so she could live in peace' 'Well I am glad you came back'
I lived already a week there again and Hillarey got her own room. She could stay and help with hunting on daytime. 'Maybe it's too early, but I want you to know it' Dimitri and I walk in the garden where every plant and tree is death. We take a seat on a bench and look too each other. 'I love you' He said. He loves me? It sounded so weird out of his mouth. Do I love him? I think, I already know the answer. 'Dimitri, I love you too' I whisper. Diamonds fall on the ground like it's raining. He kisses me passionately. Everything around us starts to change: The plants and tree's start to bloom again and I hear little bee's . Dimitri stops his kissing and starts to float. A bright beam blinds me, and when it stops, I see Dimitri. He is human again! His eyes are now more dark blue and his skin isn't pale anymore. 'Sephora, it worked' He smiles and our lips lock again. We walk back to the castle and see that everything has lightened up and what was broken has been made again. The castle isn't dark and creepy anymore but Light and welcoming. The servants look to each other with a happy smile: 'It worked' the scream of happiness. 'Sephora, will you marry me?' I look a side me and see Dimitri with in his hand a diamond ring. 'Of course I want to marry you!'
Soon after, we married ,and I got pregnant. Lisa married too and came to live in our castle. Ivo still catches fish and teached the servants how they could do that easily.
Years later, Ivo married a servants daughter, Lisa had a twin and Hillarey still kept it with being single. But we are happy, and we will stay that, if it depends on me.
The End
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