Chapter 7

I opened my eyes as sunlight began to filter into the room and I sniffled, rubbing my nose with my sleeve. Vlad leapt from the bed and itched himself, walking over to his cat bed and settling down for a nap. I sat up groggily and stood, staggering into the hallway. I heard another giggle and walked to the throne room to see the woman sitting in Vladimir's throne, giggling as the boys made her laugh. They seemed distant though. They're eyes had gone from red to pure white, making them look like the undead.

I gawked in horror as the woman's eyes changed to completely pure black and she leaned forward, pressing her lips to Stefan's lightly. My nails dragged down the doorway, creating little rivets. I wanted to rip her face off. I took a step forward and froze, watching as Stefan began to glow and his eyes opened in shock. The woman was grinning into the kiss and her hand flew to Stefan's chest.

I gawked and then strode forward, "HEY!"

The woman gasped, let go of Stefan and stared at me in rage, "What do you want? Can't you see we're a little busy?" Vladimir nodded along with her dumbly, his eyes glazed over and pale.

I ignored him and glared at her, "What did you do to him?" The woman chuckled and smiled at me like I was stupid, "Why, I was kissing him. I understand how you wouldn't know what that is. I'm Kathleen, by the way. I just wanted you to know the name of the person who kicks you out of this castle and steals your boy toys away so you can run home to your mommy and cry about it."

Rage flared in me and I glared, "What right do you have to come in here and... take over their minds!"

Her face went from pleasantly amused to angry in less than a second. She stood, towering over me as she snarled, "I don't know who you are or how you know of my powers but I will not be outwitted by a stupid, little girl."

I blinked at her dumbly and it clicked in my mind, "You... you're controlling their minds?"

I reeled back as she slapped me across the face. She grasped ahold of Vladimir's shirt and tugged him into a kiss, his eyes bulging in fear as the same glow began to radiate from his chest. He gasped and then fell backwards as something dropped from his chest into Kathleen's hand. She grinned and I stared in horror.

In her hand was a crystal with a pure white heart in the middle. She twirled it in her hand and then strode to Stefan, doing the same but getting a crystal with a black heart from him. My face turned a shade paler as she gazed at the two men in boredom, "Well, I've had my fun." To my horror, she tossed the crystals in the air and disappeared.

They rose and then fell quickly. I jumped up and slid, catching them in my hands before they could shatter on the floor. I sighed in relief, "Whoa..." I stood, cradling the crystals in my hands and looking from Stefan to Vladimir, "It's okay, guys. Hold on."

I kneeled over Stefan and pressed the crystal with the black heart back into his chest. His eyes flew open and he groaned, covering his face with his hands. I didn't wait to see his reaction to it and instead walked to Vladimir, placing the crystal with the white heart on his chest and pressing down. His reaction was the same. His eyes opened and then he groaned out loud.

As they stood, I tapped my foot on the stone floor, waiting impatiently for an explanation and an apology. They held their heads and then turned to me, hugely guilty looks on their faces. Suddenly, I felt like I needed to apologize. I left them alone with that horrid woman for hours and if I hadn't left them alone, they wouldn't have almost died.

Since none of us had the guts to apologize officially, we settled for a group hug and a big round of sorries. They were sorry for being stupid and I was sorry for being jealous and mopey. Another hug and we were on another adventure... hmm... perhaps we'd trudge around in bear fur and scare the locals. I smiled at the thought.

Alright, this is hard to visualize but I have a remedy for that. You see, half this chapter is based off a Blood On The Dance Floor music video (Don't hate me please.) The video is about a witch (boy witch, eh, weird) that steals people's souls and then uses the soulless people to get more souls. Pretty weird but the souls take the shape of a clear sphere with a real beating heart on the inside. You don't have to look it up but if you want to, the song's called Bewitched. Till next time.

~Penny (the Impaler ;D)