Sorah’s POV
-I clamp both palms over my mouth and turn away from the mirror in terror. Who is that? Is that...really me? I feel cramps in my chest suddenly.I flee to the open window and gasp as rattling bouts of fright distill my being. Is that how I’ve been moving about since? Carrying my inner misery on a display over my face like that. Like announcing to the whole world just what level of damnation has befallen me.My watery eyes elevate into the night sky and I stiffen at the sight of something disturbing perched in the distance on the old Oak tree.It’s...returned.The silhouette of a person that I often saw the previous week at night times like this. I’ve only ever shaken in fear and pulled my curtains while I ran into bed to hide.It’s a mystery I’m still bugged about, but suddenly, it stopped appearing out of the blue and now, it seems to have returned as if to mock me as well.I wipe the tears away from my face and fist my tremoring hands. Keeping keen eyes on the unwavering silhouette, I whip away from the window and hasten downstairs and out of the cottage through the back door.To my expectation, the silhouette is still there, as if staring down at me, and I march forward.The weather outside is cold but not chilly. The breeze is strong, foretelling the impending rain as dark clouds color the sky. Thanks to this, it’s extra dark out tonight, with my vision relying on the reflection of the lights at the cottage as I close in on the fence.I jerk my head back and squint my gaze, jolting with surprise at the silhouette making movements.Is it coming down...to meet me?My displaced fear returns to grip me, but I shake it off and work my legs to go closer, ignoring the warning alarms set off in my head.I’m broken anyway. If whatever it turns out to be, is a foe that might kill me, I do not need fear. It’s not like I had a purpose, to begin with. I’m a worthless and disposable existence. I hold no grudges nor malice either.This way might be best, to liberate my soul and find solace.Snap.I halt just as I get close to the slanted branch resting against the crack in the fence. What’s that sound just now? It came from above. I jerk my neck back-“Ah!”I scream when something comes crashing onto me and pushes me flat on my back on the damp lawn. A crackling spasm of unimaginable pain breaks in a convulsing rush down my spine and resonates throughout my being as my lips break apart to gush a gasp.The sudden weight condemning my body to pain and tremors is making restless movements as I wince ceaselessly from the devouring pain. My head swirls an entire sixty degrees, the back of it throbbing badly. As the restless movement ensues, I start to feel grazing motions over my body.Are those hands?Aish! What’s this wetness soaking into my dress? I wince once more with confusion weaving onto my face as I try to lift my head since I can’t connect with my limbs properly. The wetness seems to be spreading fast!I hear a deep defiant groan just then that sends the coldest chills down my body and restricts the air I’m breathing. Blinking many times, the image starts to form as the darkness gains clarity.Hot air smears across my face and bright crimsons set fire as they meet mine and transfix them. My skin sizzles each time they exhale against my face, panting laboriously, yet, their magnetic eyes refuse to unhinge from my bedazzled ones.Wait- Crimson eyes?“Don’t look at me like that...filthy human woman”Ah! I snap out of my trance, wincing with a bite of my lower lip when sloppy hands brush off my legs and their form heaves off my body and fall onto the lawn on my right side. This brings them into the light shining from the cottage and I make out the visible form of a man clad in an onyx cloak and bare is footed.I want to move when he breaks into rough hacks, his entire form quaking heavily, but I recall the wetness in my clothes and retract my hand a bit to peer down my body. I exclaim loudly to see the red stain drenched in my dress and I turn to him with great alarm.I start to see it, the redness starting to dye into the grasses, and my heart sinks.“H-hey! You’re badly injured...we need to get you treated- To a hospital!”Fierce disregarding crimsons shun me at the mention of the hospital, and I shiver when he picks himself up to growl so reproachfully, “Don’t you dare...take me to any hospital-” He breaks off rudely, cowering beneath with deathly weight of his hackles.What do I do? I can’t leave him like this. He needs immediate treatment. I know, I can bring him into the cottage and help stitch and treat his wounds. That’s it.“I’m sorry, but I need you to go into that building with me. I promise not to take you to a hospital” I start to say in a low and coaxing voice, looking at his trembling frame cautiously.Crimsons regard me with suspicion but he says nothing, grumpily heaving his body up. I spring up at once and catch him on time before he stumbles forward. This sudden action drives me beneath his arm and pressing into his side.I blush impulsively, an electric jolt burning down to my toes as I flounder in my grip to hold him. When he groans, I snap out of it and begin to guide him toward the back entrance of the cottage.It’s not until I drop him on the rug in the living room to quickly go fill a bowl of water and grab a rag that it strikes me.I come to a standstill by the threshold of the kitchen on my way back. It downs on me so heavily...that I’ve let a stranger into the cottage without an ounce of doubt.My conscience begins a battle with my humanity.After all, I did submit to whatever fate I would meet when I approached the silhouette. But turns out it’s only a man who’s in deep trouble. I won’t think of anything else other than the task at hand. I need to help him and that’s all there is.It might’ve been nothing I’ve never done since I have a phobia of men, however, when it comes to treating a patient, I give no damn about sexes.I return to the living room to find him writhing in pain. I get down on my knees and reach my hands to help him do away with his blood-soaked and torn clothes.“Please, try to hold on while I get these off. It must hurt too much...I’m so sorry”How can he even survive this long with such ghastly injuries? My heart pangs for him and I have to force my tears back as I begin to rip the fabric of his clothes since I can’t get them off the normal way. The blood is everywhere. He’s coughing up blood, and the lacerations are too deep.He’s losing too much blood...this is horrible!My hands wobble, losing hope as I fall back on my heels with anguish. Watching him writhe and squirm, suffering from internal and external misery, the dying voice of pain, and the ever-oozing blood soaking into the rug...I feel defeat like never before crush my being.Don’t give up, Sorah. Use it, I’m sure it can help save him.A small voice rings within my soul and at once, it invigorates me with a spurt of courage I’ve never felt before. I feel it tremor into my arms and swell in my chest.This unfamiliar, yet very familiar warm course of energy tingling across my being.I can do this. It might’ve been ages since I last tried, but I’m confident I can do it.First, I need to stabilize him, it won’t be effective if he’s restive. So I reach for some sedative herbs next to me and dart forward to feed them to him. I make him turn on his side to face me. I nearly slip when I see the despair on his bloody face, but my resolve assures me and I gently chide him to chew the herbs and swallow them.It takes effect after a few seconds and I watch as his body starts to lull into stillness. I’m glad, even if only for a little while, I can relieve him of his misery. And I can get to work properly.The amount of blood sends a jab of nausea to jitter me, and I feel my hands tremble with reluctance.No, I can’t falter now, the life of this man depends on me.I take in a deep breath and firm my face as I flatten my palms over the deep cuts tarnishing his torso.Think of the help you wish to render, and let the energy flow smoothly out of your palms. The kinder your heart, the more effective and faster the healing takes place.My eyes flutter shut as I start to douse my mind into a trance. Concentration happens in seconds and I feel the old warm energy permeating through my entire being and flowing gently out of my palms. I keep this process up until exhaustion kicks in and nudges me out of my trance.I’ve had this strange but miraculous power of healing since my conception. It’s rare, so rare that most people out there believe it’s only a myth.A strange phenomenon happens exclusively within a family of generational elite Hunters, where a girl child will be born with zero talent and skill for being a Vampire Hunter. In exchange for these, the child will be bestowed with the exceptional prowess of Healing.I’ve been a living myth ever since, one no other soul asides from my grandmother, is aware of.In grandmother’s words, no matter what, no other soul must come to know of this power, or else it’ll herald chaos that will threaten to ruin me. The last time I made use of it was when Upma was attacked by a Bear ten years ago. I never used it ever again so I can protect myself.But today, I know it’s right to use it to save a life, and I’m proud of it as my grandmother will be as well.To my surprise, most of the cuts are closing up, patching themselves. For sure, it’s not as I expect it to be, to be of the level where there’s no longer even a slight remnant of the cuts. But if anything, the bleeding has stopped and the depth of the cuts is now shallow.I stagger and fall back, croaking with amazement. “Woah...I really did it after all”Sharply, I’m sinking the rag into the warm water, wringing it, and dabbing about his bare torso to rid the blood.My eyes keep dancing about his unnaturally defined muscles and deep grooves. What a fascination, I’m in awe at the giddy exploration of this stranger’s body.He’s gloriously ripped and seems to have a rather athletic build, perfect for combat.I gulp and caution my gaze, taking my eyes away to assess other parts of his body. My eyes roam his long legs clad in dark long pants ridden with little holes here and there. I can tell from a greedy glance, just how developed his leg muscles are.Oh, Sorah! You read too many novels!I clap my face on both sides to stop my escalating unpleasant thoughts, hitting my cheeks a bit too loudly and I hear the gruff sound of a grunt. I quit my nonsense and turn stiffly to see him grunting awake and scrunching his face.He’s awake!“Um, do you feel any better?” I tender carefully, worrying over his well-being as I stare at the scars and cuts I couldn’t heal properly.“Do you still hurt anywhere?”Along with my second inquiry, I don’t notice my hand stretching towards him until a large and rigid hand prevents my move by wrapping around the wrist of my hand.“Don’t you dare touch me, filthy human woman.”Sorah’s POV.-“Don’t you dare touch me, filthy human woman.”Yeah, I’ve heard that before.Such effusive hostility in his blazing narrowed crimsons rattle me with fear, but for some reason or so, I can’t cower in fear and recline away from this enamoring stranger. Rather, I’m taken in his impeccable stunning looks.Fortunately, no abrasions are tarnishing his model face. Discard the full-blown scowl of apprehension contorting his face and making his eyes scary, he’s the most attractive male I’ve ever seen in movies, real life- not like I’ve seen many men in reality. Even the men in the novels I read will be stripped of their pride when they see him.“Have you no manners or are you simply dumb? Don’t stare at me like some candy you bought”Again, he speaks in a voice that rattles me to my very bones, intent to infuse fright in me and make me cripple before him. But I merely blink my eyes in confusion and wonderment, shoving his rude hostility aside to press forward and dra
Sorah's POV.-“We finally get to meet,” He speaks with such allure, proceeding particularly, “My astonishing bride-to-be”. Oh my God.This is Devon Claude? The man Mother arranged for me?I feel my throat run dry and my muscles tense involuntarily as my wide eyes stay with his charming gaze. I didn't realize yet, that during Stella's wedding, all I saw of him was a glimpse of his face. It didn't last long enough to give me a profound impression, and I was in an abyss of despondence to spare a second glance.Right now, being under the shade of this handsome and charismatic man, I have no alternative but to shiver, rescind, and shy away.Faster than my internal calculations, I'm dashing on my hot toes and seeking refuge behind a stunned Mei."Oh," He marvels with humor, turning around to see where I'm hiding. "Your mother did mention you were the shy type"His comment might feature soft jocular elements in other to ease my tension, but it only spikes it to the forceful straight of my
Sorah’s POV.-“So, what’s this I’ve been hearing about the hidden princess of the Strauneuff family getting engaged to the unrivaled Vampire Hunter prodigy, Devon Claude?”I’m in trouble.The ecstatic energy electrifying my body ceases its gushing current and brings about the falter and rescind of my mood. Mortiz becomes intrusive, clearly not going to accept my reel into the cover of my fragile whorls.“There’s no hurry,” She scoffs and reaches for my hand, forgetting all about Upma and the bag of souvenirs. “You’re gonna either spill it all, or I force it out of you one way or the other”Her adamance rattles me as I gulp in fear of the implications of her words as she starts to pull me toward the cottage. My chest cramps suddenly and I stop walking, a wave of panic hitting me.We can’t go in! I haven’t told Mortiz, and I can’t risk anyone else coming to know of the man in my cottage with me.“What is it? Are you ready to start dishing answers?” Mortiz corners me with a hard
Sorah's POV.-“Yes, Mother”The rest of the morning is hectic with Mother calling in a file of professional women to groom me for the big day. Every speck of my body needs optimum attention, starting from the tips of my frizzy hair to the soft pads of the soles of my feet.All through, while the women fuss over me after fixing my butt before the dresser, I'm unable to stop my nerves from racing anxiously. I fumble with my fingers and keep stealing quavering glances to see if Mother is still standing there and supervising the process herself.The consecutive spasms occurring in my chest refuse to relent as I continue to fret in place. She's still there, with a blank face and arms crossed, bold eyes sharp and keen as she watches like a Hawk for the slightest slip that never occurs.Mei once came in to discreetly inform me of the stranger being in her bedroom, and Mortiz had to leave when she heard my mother is around. She despises Mother a lot."Your natural soft hair texture is a beau
Sorah's POV.-He's a Vampire.I remain still as stone, eyes tearing wider as a tremendous bout of fear I never felt before increasingly dawns on my being. I feel cold, the air feels stuffy and thick, I can’t respire and my heart is implosive chaos. The poor auburn rattles her body, dying as her skin grows paler by the second. The color is almost out of her dull skin, her white chapped lips tremble as if in desperation to push out her dying call for help. Her eyes are partly open, almost as if she’s in a trance as they sink in, and quiet trails of tears glide out from them. The sinister sound crackling in the air is that of the great strength he quips to grip the back of her head and her shoulder to make a wider way for him to devour her neck. My ears twitch painfully from the creepy noise of his greedy feast, his beastly pants, and the amplifying clattering of the tray in my hands. I let a Vampire into the cottage. I brought in an enemy and kept him under my roof. I kept him so cl
Sorah's POV.-Mei knows asking any further won’t bring answers to her many questions, so she quietly goes out to get cleaning supplies while I remain to squat next to the Vampire and stare down at his lean and peaceful face.The implications of my bold actions pelt me in this position as morals and humanity clash within me. I’ve broken the law, and I’ve become the first and only human to ever save a Vampire and sully the Hunter bloodline. I saved a Vampire. I feel blank, I feel no emotions at all. There’s no judgment of right and wrong, such things don’t matter when it comes to the cost of a life.I feel no regret and no remorse for what I did."My Lady," Mei's pensive voice brings me away from the Vampire and I turn my body around to answer her urgent call."What are these holes on Julia's neck?" She asks with grave terror, her face darkening and brows shooting up as her shaky fingers point to the slumbering woman's neck.I hasten closer, noticing Mei is about to freak out the
Sorah's POV.- I made a mistake. We have to go back!I storm into my bedroom with a stumbling burst, my feet getting caught in the hem of my dress and shaky hands gripping the knob to prevent a forward fall. My breath hitches with fright and I frantically dart my wild eyes about.The place is as calm as we left it. To the sofa, Julia's breathing evenly, and to my bed ahead, lies a stretch of an enamoring figure. Propped up on his elbow with his pointed sculpted nose deep in the novel in his hands and beneath his silent scrutinizing gaze. His maroon locks flow down his bold strong shoulders, glimmering softly from the orange light of my bed lamp.It distorts my rationality as I take a step back with a rattling hand flat on my pounding chest. Sweat makes my skin itchy, reminding me I haven't stopped by the rack to pull off my cloak. Flabbergasted, I suck in a challenging breath and hasten towards Julia on the sofa, barely two steps gone when I hear Mei race in behind me."My Lady, Upm
Sorah's POV.- I throw my face away, my shoulders rattling like never before as if I've been drenched with ice-cold water. My teeth clatter from the devouring freeze as I buck forward and drill my nails into my skin.What have I done? If Devon sniffs him out, I'll be in serious trouble. They won't just kill the Vampire, but me as well who's betrayed my race to keep him alive!I have to let him know!"Sorah"The warm breath that fans against my face gives me a terrible jolt and I swiftly turn around to see Devon's spring-greens with a deep concentration of worry as he stares at me, seeming apologetic for causing me such anxiety.He leaves me bashful and speechless as I shake my being a bit to compose myself. I need to assure him somehow and ensure he doesn't suspect anything else.I try a nervous laugh and shake my head to convince him, "Ah...no, it's nothing. I'm just-"I blink suddenly at the passing thought that flashes in the back of my mind. I'm not certain it's Andreas Devon was