Chapter 7: Wave of Broken Hearts
On the second day of school, Albel was introduced in his class and he was already the center of attention. Aena avoided Albel for most of the day even though they had some classes together and lunch.
"Hey Tanya, why are you avoiding Albel, is it because he made you mad?" Her friend asked her.
"…………Sorry, I want to be left alone." Aena replied.
"Whatever you say, but I assume you broke up." She smirked and went away. Aena sat on the empty bench eating very little of her lunch. Her mind bent on what Albel told her. After what he said, he heart felt broken into pieces. The wind blew at her face and threw her hair up. She sniffed the air to catch a strange smell. She wondered what it was. Aena got up and looked around in the direction of the wind. Around the school bushes, far from the bench was someone. She parted the bushes to see a disfigured face and body. Aena yelped and jumped back. He has been twisted terribly and dead. Blood streamed from the side of his head.
"Who could do such a thing?" Aena whispered. She turned around to see a demon right in front of her. She jumped back and magically summoned her trusted Heaven's Blade.
"Ah, the legend returns! If it isn't Aena the demon/dragon slayer, I've been waiting for an opponent and I've been waiting for someone's blood to feast on." A vampire-like creature said. He had a fair and handsome face with black hair that was very long. He had long pointed fangs and he wore dark clothes of a ninja.
"Such beauty cannot be ignored. I will take you as my queen if you agree. I won't hurt you if accept, but refuse and you'll die." He hissed.
"It isn't my destiny to die here and now. I will defeat you!" Aena cried as she clashed her sword with his claws. He swiftly moved on the side and threw himself at her. Aena was caught off-guard and felt his fangs sink deep inside her neck. She would have shouted out, but she didn't have time. Darkness was all she could see and she blacked-out.
Albel wanted to see Aena and wanted to apologize to her. However, he couldn't find her anywhere at lunch or after. He planned on walking up to her friends and asks where she was.
"Hey you, have you seen Ae…I mean Tanya?" He asked her.
"I'm sorry Albel; she was depressed and didn't want to talk to anyone. I know you care about her, but don't let anything happen to her. If you do, I will personally tear you apart." She growled. Albel scoffed and went off. She wasn't there. He skipped class and went to the lunch area once again. He searched everywhere around, but couldn't find her. Suddenly a gust of wind blew at his direction and he sniffed a foul smell. It was strong like rotting carcasses. He went toward it to find a body of a boy no more than 15. He was disfigured horribly and dead.
"Disgusting, whoever did this has a foul sense of humor." Albel mumbled. He looked at the ground to find a sword.
"Hmm, very interesting." Albel observed. He picked it up and looked closely. His eyes widened to see that it was Aena's Heaven's Blade!
"Damn it, a demon was at work here!" He roared. He failed to protect her once more and ran out the school. He had to find the demon or else everything will be lost once more.
Aena woke up to find herself in a chamber tied up with chains and laying on a beautiful bed. The room was elegant and royal. However, she did not bring herself to admire it. She looked at herself to see herself wearing only her undergarments. She blushed furiously, but that wasn't a concern when she saw blood all over her arm.
"That vampirism pervert!" Aena scowled. She tried to fight off the chains, but they continued to stay strong. She groaned at the pain in her neck and struggled against the chains.
"I guess this is how I'll die, raped by a vampire and then sucked of all my blood." She laughed nervously. If Albel saw her like that, she thought, he would think her an idiot. Albel, she couldn't apologize to him and she can't see him again for a long time. Her heart hurt more than ever. Suddenly the door shot wide opened. She saw the demon in a thin white shirt and dark leather pants with boots. He was muscular and slender. Aena became very afraid of what might happen.
"Ah, you are awake my queen. I will make you feel at home. I hope you'll be the one who will bear my children." He chuckled. Sweat poured down Aena's face and she began to stir to escape him. He took off his shirt and boots and came closer to her.
"Stay back or you will regret ever keeping me captive." Aena shouted fiercely.
"Ah, my queen is feisty, but makes love quite more entertaining." He smiled. He went over her and Aena tried to attack him.
"Let's see how my queen tastes." He moaned and placed his mouth over hers. She tried to bite his tongue out but his fangs prevented her from doing that. Tears streamed down her eyes. She was helpless; all she could do was watch him do things to her. She felt his hands roam up and down her body and she yelped as he bit her and cries out when he touched her. The blood went out so much that she once again lost consciousness.
Albel has searched for many clues and found many of multiple people disfigured and dead. He noticed that the ones the demon crippled were men. What happened to the women? He asked around and many said that their daughters, sisters, and wives have been missing for days and the men have been littered around like leaves. His most recent strike was the school. He thought of vampires. They usually kill the men and capture the women.
"Oh no, Aena may be getting killed as I speak!" He exclaimed. He thought some more. He knew that vampires liked castles and dark places, but where? He searched around and found a newspaper showing a man-made castle. It said it lasted since the medieval times but has recently closed down due to strange events.
"That must be the one." Albel muttered. He stole a motorcycle and started to the castle. When he arrived there, he swiftly went in and located the king's room. It's likely that he would be there. He ran without slowing down. He reached the door and put his ear on the door. He heard moans and yelps. Albel was furious. He opened the door to see the demon doing something to Aena he didn't want to see.
"You monster, stop touching her!" Albel roared as he attacked the vampire. Albel took his katana and struck the demon's heart.
"Lord Albel…Still here…!" The demon breathed. He was smothered in ashes. Aena's entire body was bloody and Albel became worried. He took off the chains and carried her. Though he did not want to see her like that, he wanted to look for any wounds. He searched her body and blushed every time he looked at where he wasn't supposed to. He carried her and took the covers of the bed and wrapped it around her. He went back to the motorcycle and could feel her shake violently. He heard police sirens everywhere and sped away. He couldn't return to the old woman's house because the police blocked the way, nor could he go anywhere so he camped out next to a lake. He put Aena down and used a fire spell to light a small fire.
Aena suddenly sprang up hardly aware that the covers on her dropped. When she regained her sanity, she realized what happened and put the covers back on and turned around.
"Albel, you rescued me?" She asked. He nodded, but turned away. He couldn't understand why he did however. He felt as if his heart had no life in it anymore and it felt broken.
"You should sleep." He mumbled and he took off his shirt and gave it to her. She accepted it and put it on. It was enough to cover her. Albel dozed off. She felt thankful and took the blanket that she had and swept it on him. She lied on the ground and slept. Nightmares haunted her, but in her dreams Albel was there. She felt guilty and felt like she betrayed him. Most of the hurt came from her heart. Aena didn't realize that the blanket was back on her and Albel, tired, fell asleep over her. Together their dreams were sweat and enduring. The next morning came and Albel woke first. The police were still not letting their posts go. Aena woke up later. He looked at her but she flushed with guilt and looked down.
"I'm so sorry Albel, though you don't deserve this horrible apology from a horrible person." She murmured.
"Aena, it wouldn't have happened if I kept my tongue." He replied though he was deeply hurt by how the vampire touched her. She shook her head.
"I feel horrible and, ouch!" She winced. He immediately went over to her.
"I'm fine, just a few scratches here and there." She winced. "Here, I might have to bandage some of those wounds." He reached over, but Aena held tightly to the shirt, which some spots were stained with blood.
"I'll be fine." She said trying to persuade him. Again he reached over and she couldn't fight him off. He took off the shirt and ignored trying to cover up her modesty. She blushed furiously. With supplies from the motorcycle, Aena was bandaged up. She quickly pulled the shirt on and thanked him. She put her head on the ground and tears suddenly poured out. She got up and tried to wipe it away quickly, but Albel saw. He went over and embraced her.
"What are you doing?" Aena hesitated.
"I'm going to hold you like this until you stop hurting." He said. His voice sounded unusually soft. She felt as if she was holding Lock again. She realized that his dormant feelings came out and unusual comfort stopped her from crying. Though she didn't like the idea of Albel holding her after what he said, she felt better.
"Aena, I'm sorry that you got hurt and I'm sorry I couldn't protect you. Let me make it up to you, please." He whispered in her ear.
"You can't…you can't…can't!" She groaned.
"I can and I promise we'll make a new destiny for you and me." He told her. Happiness overflowed her and what was once broken, was now fixed. She held him and they felt a sense of belonging. They got up and found that the police posts cleared and they rode off.
"Let me treat those wounds Aena and you say it was a vampire!" She growled at them both.
"You made me so worried and I got reports from the principle that a boy was killed and you two were discovered missing. They said that you might have been murdered and are looking for your bodies. Also, mourning ceremonies have already been set! How am I going to explain this?" She asked.
"Will it make you happier that Albel slew him?" Aena asked politely.
"Bah, forget it. Come Aena and let me help you." The old woman said. Aena followed the old woman. When they went out Albel noticed a grim expression on the old woman's face.
"So Aena was touched by a vampire? This isn't good. A vampire signifies unclean." The old woman said.
"Let's hope, but now we have to purify her once more." The old woman explained. Aena sunk in the pool and rose up healed and clean.
"Hmm, I see no mark on her. What a relief!" The old woman sighed. Aena could almost see a smile a relief on Albel.
"You should rest and I'll make up a story that Aena was kidnapped by the vampire and Albel went to rescue her. That would explain the bandages." The woman grinned.
Albel's or rather Lock's feelings are surging out and Aena doesn't know what to think anymore.
