Chapter 12: Traitor

As William woke the first thing he saw was a grinning Aleera bending down in front of him,

"Good morning dear friend, did you sleep well?"

Before he could answer she stood up and laughed. William tried to stand up but he fell back down to the ground, his arms and legs were chained to the wall,

"I wouldn't try and move sweetheart you will only hurt yourself,"

He growled and looked at Aleera. He always hated that she had an answer for everything; he hated how Verona could make her sisters change their minds, she was so in control! He hated how Marishka made him feel, he didn't think he could love anyone like he loved her but all she felt in return was nothing. But most of all he despised Nshina, everything about her he hated, how she walked, how she talked and how she could get away with everything. All he wanted was Marishka; he didn't care how he got her. Suddenly he heard footsteps walking slowly down the stairs; Aleera turned to him and grinned,

"My Master is awake,"

William rolled his eyes and groaned,

"Oh great,"

He looked up and saw Dracula standing in the doorway; Aleera ran over to him and laid her head on his shoulder,

Suck up,

William thought bitterly. Dracula glanced down at Aleera then continued to walk over to William, as their eyes met a surge of uneasiness shot through his body and he looked away,

"Look at me William; look at your master, the one you betrayed,"

Dracula's voice echoed around the room, his voice was empty, like the ancient vampire had suddenly lost every single emotion he had, just like his youngest bride,

"Did you sleep well? The floor is more than fitting for you now,"

William just sighed and looked away. Suddenly an upside down head appeared in front of him, he knew it was Nshina because it had a feminine face but looked like Dracula when he was in vampire form. She opened her mouth so that her fangs were only inches away from his face and she hissed menacingly. William screamed and jumped back, hitting his head on the wall, Nshina jumped away from where she was clinging to the wall above him and landed directly in front of him, smiling,

"Oh I'm ever so sorry William! What was I thinking?"

She giggled and spun around on the spot, Aleera walked over to her laughing,

"Nshina! You shouldn't tease the poor man. What am I saying? Go right ahead,"

They both burst of laughing, Dracula stood behind them both and smiled. Verona appeared beside Dracula and looked at Nshina, raising an eyebrow. Nshina was still in vampire form,

"Nshina what are you doing? Are you tormenting William again?"

Nshina turned around and grinned at Verona, who smiled back. Dracula took Verona's hand and kissed her cheek,

"Good evening dear,"

"Good evening Master,"

Moments later they could hear another set of footsteps walking very slowly down the stairs, before they even saw anybody they could see flowing golden material and they knew that it was Marishka. Nshina turned around and started to walk over to Marishka and as she did so she changed back into her human form. Marishka came into view and took Nshina's outstretched hand and smiled at her,

"Good morning sister, did you sleep well?"

"I did thank you,"

William caught Marishka's attention and smiled at her, but she did not smile back. Instead she just growled at him and Nshina and she walked over to Dracula. Aleera smiled and Verona, she was happy that Marishka and Nshina were friends again, everything seemed right,

"Do you want to know what I find strange? That Nshina can betray you and break your hearts and then go off with someone who is meant to be your enemy and you just forgive her! But when I just try and win Marishka over you treat me as if I killed one of you!"

William shouted out. Marishka walked over to him and punched him hard in the face,

"But you tried to kill one of us! Nshina can't help it, she doesn't know how we feel anymore because she can't feel herself but you can! If you truly loved me then you would have seen that trying to kill Nshina was a very bad idea!"

William sat up on his knees; he had become very desperate now. He didn't know what they were going to do to him but he knew that it couldn't be very pleasant,

"But I couldn't see that! Your family was breaking apart; I just wanted to be there for you when it happened, surely you saw that?"

But Marishka didn't, she couldn't understand why he thought what he did was right,

"Our family was breaking apart because of you; I almost lost Nshina because of you. I hate you William, you now know this,"

Marishka told him in a calm voice. William lowered his head and didn't say anything else to any of them. A low rumbling filled the room, Dracula and his brides turned around and saw that their Master was standing behind them smiling,

"Ah well done, you finally caught him then?"

Nshina grinned as Dracula, Aleera, Verona and Marishka all bowed down,

"Yes we did, took them long enough to realise who was the bad man in all this, but eventually they did,"

Lucifer laughed and looked at Dracula,

"Sounds a lot like you, blind to the obvious put open to the complicated,"

Dracula frowned but shrugged it off,

"Master, we do not know what to do with William. I do not want him here around Nshina but there is no where else to put him,"

Lucifer looked at William and smiled,

"It would be strange to keep the person here who tried to kill Nshina yes, how about I take him? He may learn a lesson or two if he is with me,"

Nshina smiled and watched the Devil pick William up, the chains broke from him as if they had been made of play-do. Marishka took Nshina's hand and looked at her, she was so happy they had sorted things out, everything seemed right again,

"Nshina, how are you doing with your new gift?"

Lucifer asked her; Nshina looked at him and rolled her eyes,

"I wouldn't really call it a gift, I hate it,"

Lucifer raised an eyebrow,

"But I gave it as a gift to you; I thought it would help,"

Nshina smiled at him, she knew what game he was playing,

"Master, it was a lovely gift but it isn't to my taste. You have been able to live with it for your whole life but it just isn't me, I like being able to feel emotions. It's strange how much I miss them actually,"

Lucifer smiled at her,

"Alright then my dear, I understand. How about your new flying form?"

But Nshina shook her head; Lucifer folded his arms and laughed,

"What an ungrateful child,"

Nshina smiled and bowed,

"That would be me I guess,"

Lucifer dragged William away and waved his hand,

"Now Nshina, this may feel incredibly strange, expect the worst ok?"

As Nshina nodded she could feel something trying to worm its way inside her heart, it felt like a prodder poking its way around her body leaving her with confused feelings. Everywhere it went it left traces of anger, love, hate, sadness, happiness, confusion. Nshina closed her eyes then opened them again. Suddenly she felt like she had just been hit with a wall of emotions, the strongest of them being hate. Lucifer watched her and looked over to Dracula,

"My son you might want to hold her back,"

Dracula caught Nshina's arm just before she flew at William,

"IF you ever come here again I will KILL YOU!"

She screamed at him, Marishka laughed and ran over to Nshina,

"You are back! My Nshina is back!"

Soon Nshina forgot her anger and felt content,

"When did I ever go away?"

Aleera jumped up and down clapping, Verona laughed and spun around in a circle and Dracula just stood there smiling, after weeks of feeling like something was missing he could now feel the emotion from Nshina, her love, her hate and he could feel her soul. Marishka let go of Nshina and ran over to Lucifer, she threw her arms around him, not being carful if she hit William,

"Oh thank you master! Thank you so much!"

Lucifer laughed and looked around at the vampires,

"You are all very welcome, you deserve it anyway. But now I must go and see what I can do about the little traitor, does anyone have any requests?"

Nshina grinned at Marishka,

"Just whatever you do, make it incredibly painful,"

Lucifer bowed to them and disappeared. Dracula turned around to face Nshina and held her close,

"Oh Nshina my dear, everything is going to be alright!"

Nshina smiled and breathed in his musky scent,

"Yes, everything will be fine now,"

Nshina pulled away from him and looked at her sisters,

"I think we should celebrate! Let's go on a hunt, I'm sort of hungry,"

Marishka took her hand and led her and Aleera out of the room. Dracula and Verona were the last to walk out, Dracula turned to look at Verona who was smiling to herself,

"What are you smiling at my dear?"

Verona looked up at him,

"Oh just… everything. Nshina is better and William is going to get what he deserves! Nothing can get much better than that,"

Dracula shook his head and took Verona's hand,

"No it can't. But I feel that there is still a little to sort out,"

Verona nodded and closed her fingers around Dracula's,

"Let's worry about that later Master, we should go with my sisters, they are right! We need to celebrate,"

They took off into the night sky to catch up with the other brides, floating about on the wind they could hear a faint werewolf howl.