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Hi?

I'm SOOOO SORRY! I was just so effing lazy and I only managed to have my chapter written up and proof-read right now! You guys have every right to throw rotten tomatoes at me.

To make it up to you lovely people, I'll have the next chapter uploaded by the end of the week. I shall try to do everything in my power to give you the next chapter preferably before 23:59 in Sunday!

'Kay Thanks!

Chapter 17

It Has Begun

As I stumble through the cloudy darkness, I notice a mirror not so far away. Feeling intrigued, I venture towards it.

"We will soon meet again." A voice calls out, although I don't recognise it.

"Now…you must awaken now."

I walk closer towards the object and I don't meet my face as expected.

"Cordelia…" Somehow I manage to echo the words of the unknown entity.

The lady simply smirks and stretches out her gloved hand towards me. Her hand somehow makes its way to my heart…and squeezes.

.o0o.

I wake up suddenly, clutching my chest and breathing shallow breaths. I seethe in pain as my heart acts as if Cordelia is still clutching it in her hands. I hated it.

I sit in my bed taking deep breaths trying to ease the pain. It doesn't always work, but everything deserves a try doesn't it?

After the pain ceases I start my boring routine of getting ready for school; making sure that I have all of my books for today's classes and such. After the final check, I look at the time.

"Good God, I woke up early. " I had another hour and a half until breakfast. These stupid nightmares are making me wake up early…or late…you know what I mean.

"Well, I'm off for a walk." I leave my bag on the pink bed and make my way to the door, praying that I don't get lost, again.

.o0o.

"Goddam, it's another full moon." I say to myself as I walk along a lake that I managed to find. I rub my arms a little bit as I remember what happened the last time there was a night like this.

I'll be fine. I think to myself as I twist my rosary in my hands. You're with me, after all.

I read the engraving on the back one more time.

I'll be watching over you; always. –Melissa Lampton

I love you too mum.

I must've wandered for more than expected, because next thing I knew, I was in front of another abandoned building.

How many abandoned places do you need to have around here?

"Ok, Eliza, you have two choices: go back to the mansion where it's mildly safe, or go into the creepy abandoned building."

After weighing up my options I make a decision.

"Well, I bloody got this far. I might as well go in."

Is it a bad decision? Probably. But then again, I'm living with six vampires. See the logic?

I venture into the building, only to be greeted by a couple of bats.

"Bloody hell!" I thrash my hands about, trying to get the bats away from me. "Stupid, stupid bats!"

"Oh, be quiet." A tired voice rings out. However, the bats seem to obey and leave me alone.

I walk further in to see Shu sitting casually with a music book resting on his knee. How do I know it's a music book, I hear you ask? The front cover literally says 'Music'.

I know. I'm so intelligent.

"Do you want something?" He asks without taking his eyes off of his book.

I think for a moment, wondering if I should share my predicament with him. Finally deciding to confide in him, I answer, "Well, I'm pretty sure that I'm in need of a pampering day. I need someone's opinion on whether I gained weight or not since I ate that massive grilled cheese sandwich yesterday and also there's that biology homework that I really don't want to do."

In return he flicks another page over in his book.

"Not a comedy lover, I see. On a serious note, I think I'm going mad."

At the sound of his silence, I continue.

"I can hear the voice of a woman who isn't there and I don't feel like myself."

"Really?" He asks.

"Really."

He places down his music book and motions towards me. "All right, come here."

"Not before you tell me what the hell you're going to do." I cross my arms.

He raises a lazy eyebrow. "I'm a vampire, Eliza. I'm not going to give you an autopsy."

He's going to bite me. I should've known. But if this is going to get me answers, I'd better go through with it.

"I'm surprised you know what an autopsy is." I say as I sit down in front of him.

"I'm surprised that you're willingly letting me drink your blood." He answers as he unbuttons the first two buttons of my shirt.

"You tell any of the others and I'll make sure to mess with your music." I threaten.

"I highly doubt it."

"You'd be surprised what I can do."

He raises his eyebrow once more and suddenly pushes me down. "Can you escape from this?"

"I refuse to answer that."

He simply chuckles and bites my neck. I hiss at the pain.

"Your blood has changed. The Awakening is at hand."

What the hell is The Awakening?

"Your blood is different." He remarks as he swipes escaping blood from the wound and licks his thumb. "It's hot and bursting now."

He dives in for another drink and I instinctively push him away. "That's enough, thank you very much."

He simply grabs my wrist and pushes up my sleeve. "Your neck isn't the only place supplied with blood. Fresh, new blood flows through your wrists. I can tell even through your skin. It smells good."

He brings my wrist to his mouth. "Don't move." He warns.

Crap! This is what I get for willingly giving a vampire my blood!

I make a noise in pain quietly as he bites my wrist, not used to the strange feeling.

"You have blood of the finest quality. I'll give you that much."

"Well, that's quite the back-handed compliment, isn't it?"

"Beggars can't be choosers. You should know that by now." He taunts slightly, as he lifts me up and bites me for the third time.

"Goddam Shu. What the hell is wrong with you?" He's taking quite a lot of blood. Not exactly good for me.

"Your blood is more delicious than anyone else's. It slakes my every thirst."

"Who the hell says words like 'slakes'? What does that even mean, for that matter?"

He chuckles once more. "So this is The Awakening? Women are so terrifying. I'm worked up in spite of myself. You're impressive."

"Shu, what the hell is The Awakening? Why are you acting as if this is the first time you've seen one?"

He stops and moves away from me.

"No sacrificial bride has ever survived to the point of The Awakening." He sighs.

"Is it a good thing that I'm the first?" I ask as I stumble up to face him. Even though he's taller than me.

"How should I know? I told you that no sacrificial bride has survived up to this point."

"So I'm back to square one? Bleeding, clueless and with questions I need to answer."

He simply sighs once more. "He'll answer your questions." He calls over his shoulder to the shadows. "I know that you're in here."

"You always have been very perceptive, Shu." A man walks into the building. He has pretty long dark green hair and red eyes. He's either mourning or very depressed since his whole outfit is black. From his gloves to his coal boots.

"And who's this guy?" I ask, getting tired of the new family members appearing everywhere.

"This is Richter. Our uncle."

(Just saying guys. I was actually debating whether or not I should finish here, but then I decided to continue. You're welcome.)

Oh God. This was the guy that had affair with Cordelia. What is this guy on? Messing around with his sister-in-law.

Shu picks up his music book and leaves me alone with his uncle.

"Please forgive the poor manners of my nephews. I try to smarten them up, but it never takes."

I wonder why?

"So, what is it you wish to know?" He asks.

"I want to know why I was sent here. Why it was specifically me chosen. And I want to know how my father is involved in all of this."

He scoffs. "Chosen? How conceited can you be? You came to this house because you're of suitable bridal age and you were the easiest mortal to obtain. Only a foolish mortal would consider such a thing necessity or chance."

I ignore the fact that he's incredibly rude and continue with my quest for answers.

"What does my father have to do with this?"

"This does not involve anyone as inferior as your father."

"…He really doesn't know about this?"

Richter simply shakes his head.

"Alright." I collapse to my knees as I experience another wave of pain coming from my chest.

"Oh, I will finally see you once again. Finally my darling."

"What…the hell…are you on about?" I ask in-between pained breaths.

"How I have waited for this moment to arrive. Now, come to me." He spreads his arms out wide and a strong wind picks up, blowing cold air around us both.

This can't be good. Yet I'm rendered powerless due to these stupid chest pains. Richter walks over and crouches down to my level.

"Now, let us go…to her." He holds out his hand and suddenly everything goes slightly out of focus. My body responds on its own and I end up taking his hand unwillingly.

What's happening to me?

But as I internally fret, I stand and we walk hand in hand towards the mansion.

.o0o.

We end up in the room where I first saw Cordelia. But before that, we went to my room. Richter said that there were a few things I wouldn't need anymore.

As much as it pained me. I was forced to give him my father's diary along with the picture. But that wasn't the worst.

I was forced to leave my rosary behind.

I hated it. I had it with me since I was born, and now because of some stupid thing happening to me, it's now lying on my bed.

I wanted to cry, but I couldn't. I was bound inside my own body with no control whatsoever. And now I'm here, standing opposite Richter with the diary and photo in his hand.

"There is no further need for this." He simply states and he turns both of them into worthless dust.

Goddam you. Damn you to Hell and back, you bastard.

My body starts to move again and I stand in front of a bookcase.

Good God, you're a nutcase, aren't you? What do you expect this to do? Open up like in some sort of spy movie?

Life simply wasn't on my side. The door did exactly what I though it wouldn't do.

With him following close behind me, I enter a room with a couple of chandeliers, paintings and lamps. But the one main ornament of the room is a tattered, bloody dress on a mannequin.

No…

This was Cordelia's dress. Why is it here?

"There is no need for you to hesitate. The dress belongs to you." Richter says.

No it doesn't, you idiot!

But despite my wishes, I walk up to it and outstretch my right hand, aiming for the bloody white rose that's on the bust.

Don't do it! Don't do it! My mind screams but I make contact with the rose and everything turns black. Leaving me on my own.

Until Cordelia appears in front of me, that is. With her arms outstretched, she grabs hold of me and everything…just turns weird.

I can hear everything, I can see everything, I can even feel the ground beneath my feet. But I still don't have control over my body. Almost as if, someone else was controlling it. A completely different person has taken over my body, but I'm still conscious. I'm trapped in my own mind.

I turn slowly, I feel a sly grin spread along my face. "We finally meet again, Richter."

Richter bows to me. "My beloved Cordelia."

My mind freezes yet Cordelia still uses my body as her own as she looks at my hand and starts to laugh. I'm not laughing, I'm horrified.

This is not good.

This is not good at all.

I'm sorry Eliza.

We shall see if her situation improves before Sunday 23:59. Fingers crossed!