I caught a glimpse of Damien's glowing golden eyes before his imprecisely moving hand jabbed my nose…he was hell bent on doing what he pleased.
͞
WAYNE’S POV
Although I could not still figure out why the witch suddenly killed my Father, this conversation could be that Damien was up to something. I was sure Lucerne also suspected it because the look on his face did not say otherwise.
I stood from the bed and approached Damien, my hands finding their way to his shoulders. “If the witch was, indeed, sent by the Alpha, then it is the more reason for us to be careful and bound to protect the Shore from a worse attack.”
“Do not lecture me, Wayne!” Damien snapped and potently shoved my hands off his shoulders. I instantly drew back at his reaction; he was getting furious. “This same witch had been coming to you at night for close to a decade! If you had taken action, maybe we would have avoided all these. Nevertheless, what did you do? Stay calm and enjoy as she feels your skin!”
“What was I to do? She did not show up physically until today!” I retorted. Sometimes Damien spoke without thinking! How was I supposed to fight back when all I could remember when awake was a piece of all that occurred in the dream? Even if I felt it was real, there was no guarantee until today that it truly was.
However, Damien was not even considering that. He abandoned me and went to squat beside Lucerne's Bed, he placed his hands on Lucerne's thigh; a move to buy the Latter’s favor. “Elder brother, please give me a pass out of the Shore. I promise to avenge the death of Father and protect the Shore from an attack.”
I turned to face them.
“You cannot leave. The Chiefs would soon announce me to the people as the new Lord of the Shore, and I need you two to stay by my side,” Lucerne replied casually, “Especially now that the Shore is likely to be under attack anytime soon.” ,
“And that is why I need to do this― to find my fellow vampires, train more demon warriors, and protect the Shore together,” Damien insisted persuasively, impelling me to butt in.
“The vampires have all been wiped out by the Alpha! Even if you find any, history will only repeat itself.”
Damien craned his neck to spare me a glance as he fired back, “The vampires went into hiding, and they were not wiped out!” I recoiled and stood aside. Damien was indeed stubborn!
“Come on now, we should not fight with ourselves,” Lucerne spoke softly. “We never know which of the stories are true, but one thing is sure, and that is I need you two beside me. Let us fight this together.”
Damien sprang to his feet and threw his hands carelessly in the fits of anger. “So you will just sit back and watch as the bastards bring the Shore to destruction? Even if you want to, you cannot tell me to do the same when there is a probability that the werewolves are triggering a war! Father never told us how mother died or how he first got poisoned, but I have an instinct that it is all connected to the Alpha!”
“Calm down, Damien,” I cooed.
“Do not tell me to calm down!” Damien yelled again, this time a rush of wind whizz past my face, causing me to close my eyes shortly. Passing that, I approached him and placed my hands on his shoulders again, which could have been the mistake I had made.
“Can we just stop talking about this?” I spoke softly, praying in my heart that Damien saw reason in my words. “Fighting already is like disrespecting Father when he just kicked the bucket a few minutes ago.”
“Well I do not care!” I caught a glimpse of Damien's glowing golden eyes before his imprecisely moving hand jabbed my nose. Fuck! My head swayed back at once, and I staggered backwards. I would surely have plunged to the ground if Lucerne did not quickly spring from the bed to support me by the shoulders, keeping me from falling.
He glared at Damien. Although he knew it was an accident and so did I, Damien never bothered to apologize, he was hell bent on doing what he pleased. “I can see that you two are finding an excuse not to avenge our Father's death!” He began instead. His eyes burned even more than a flame as they looked between Lucerne and I, jabbing us a fierce blow.
“I am taking my revenge whether you guys agree with it or not.” Damien stated and dashed out of the room on that note, slamming the door behind him. I shuddered when the loud sound from the banged door reached my ears, following an echo. With my hand now massaging the sides of my nose, I stood flabbergasted at the now closed door.
“Are you okay?” Lucerne asked after. I turned to him and nodded, though it was too late because he had already seen the streak of blood that trailed down my nostrils. He reached out and wiped the blood off with his index. “I hope you do not take Damien's actions to heart.”
I gave a dishonest smile before I huffed, “I am the last person you should ask this because I am more used to his attitude than anyone else. He has been like that after all.” I sighed at the last sentence. “I think I need something to eat, I will go get myself breakfast. Please rest.” I turned around and left the room, but not without sparing Lucerne one glance.
He stared back at me, probably hoping my calmness was not the fact that I deeply hurt within. Truly, I was. It was not because of Damien’s reaction. It was still about Father’s passing, and I could not find a way to let out the shrouded emotions in me. My heart was heavy with a pain that lingered in it, yet I could not pour out the burden to ease myself.
I reached the Kitchen to find a few handmaids preparing a small amount of food. Although demons do not eat and if they do, it was just once in a full moon, and a little quantity too, so I find it strange how I was the only one who consumed the meals. Sometimes I think, maybe it was an effect of my weakness, whatever!
I spotted Anastasia in the large Kitchen; I guessed she already dished my breakfast, so I approached her. Each of the maidens curtsied before me with greetings as I passed them and I tried my best to reply to them all. With the sorry looks on their faces, I could tell that they have already heard the news of the Demon Lord's passing.
“My Lord,” Anastasia curtsied when she saw me. “You should have waited for me to serve you breakfast, my Lord.”
“No,” I smiled before thrusting out my hands for the tray she held. “No need, I should do certain things myself sometimes.” Anastasia did not protest, she handed me the tray of my breakfast and curtsied. Nonetheless, just as I made a move to turn around, I heard whispers from the handmaids standing before the counter beside me.
“Have you noticed how the sky suddenly changed from bright blue to gloomy?” A maiden queried another, and more whispers followed after.
I looked up at the sky to confirm what they just said. The atmosphere had indeed, suddenly changed from the bright, beautiful morning sky to a dark, shady one. It slowly affected the brightness of the room as my eyes locked on the blankly dark sky― so blank that I could not even see the clouds.
This could not be rainfall and I was sure of it. There was only one person I knew to have been able to do this and it was Damien. However, he only manipulated the weather when he needed to go out during the day; otherwise, he stayed in his room until the sun went down.
Now the horrid realization dawned on me that something must have gone wrong, and if anything bad happened without the watch of Lucerne or me, Damien was likely to act on impulse. No, this does not sound good to me; I need to check it out!
Her body moved swiftly at her disposal despite the form fitting leather Jumpsuit…a familiar scent instantly hit me at her sight… nor could I take a good look at her face because the moment she saw me coming, she took to her heels and dashed into the woods. ͞ WAYNE’S POV I immediately handed the tray back to Anastasia with a divided attention. “Take this to my room! I will be back.” I told Anastasia, the look on her face depicted that she was worried for me, but I gave her an assuring nod, and she took the tray. I then hastened out of the kitchen and headed to the back of the castle. I walked along the Castle flank to the backyard, just before the woods, as the sounds of a combat slowly filled my ears. I confirmed that indeed Damien manipulated the weather, but then there was something more in the sight before me. He fought with someone― a female clad in all-black attire. I did not see her face, but fuck, her form enticed me. Her body m
“Believe me, you know what you are, but you refuse to admit it. Say the word and save the Shore from destruction.” ͞ WAYNE’S POV Throughout that night, I could not sleep. I had the same experience of the former nights coming back to me. I shifted uncomfortably on the bed, yet like other times, I still could not open my eyes, to reality, or speak. Nevertheless, things slowly took a different turn in my head. I laid on the sands of the shore, facing the sky as I watched the stars sparkle in their glory. It was nighttime and I loved it, a smile spreading across my lips like that of a satisfied merchant as the cold wind flushed my skin. My hands were crossed behind my head to support it and my legs were stretched to let my feet touch the cool, silently waving Coral water. I suddenly had an eerie feeling and the hairs on my skin precipitously stood alert as a mighty gust of wind invaded me, not only that, it carried me w
I did not count anything into it until recently, maybe it was really the answer I needed― the answer to what I was. Yet how true could that be, how possible. .? ͞ WAYNE’S POV My stomach reminded me that all I had to eat yesterday was the supposed breakfast that I ended up having as dinner due to my loss of appetite. I got out of bed and stood on my feet. My ankles tingled and my knees ached, but I walked to the door anyway. Opening my door and looking at the two sides of the hallway, I noted how empty it was, which made me realize it could be one to three hours past midnight. Well I had in mind to get a meal from the kitchen, but with my experience just now and the calmness of the castle, I think I should just remain right in my room and endure the hunger. It is not even as if I will eat much if the meal is before me anyway. I locked the door and returned to the comfort of my bed. I did not know what to do, sleep had gone far from me and even
The last straw that broke the Camel's back was when I found Damien on the floor, holding onto his chest and groaning, while the Witch stood before him. I did not know how she did it― how she managed to get Damien to the floor. ͞ WAYNE’S POV “I believe we have met before,” The woman before me, the witch, said and took a step closer. I needed no soothsayer to tell me that this woman was dangerous, so my survival instinct kicked. I pointed the dart to her, trying to scare her from coming closer. Though it seemed this did not work better because she did stop, the frosty expression on her face did not give out anything as fear, even a little. Instead, she smiled; a smile that never reached her ever-cold eyes, yet for a moment, I felt hypnotized by the smile. I found myself sidetracked as I checked her out, this woman was indeed beautiful, and she was young. Despite my 6’6 stature, I could tell that the witch had her own share of height as well bec
I found my brother in an unexplainable situation when I hurled the guards out of the way and barged into the room. He lay still on his bed, just the way my Father laid. ͞ WAYNE’S POV “Will he be okay?” I picked up the faraway voice in my head. “He should be recovering soon,” another said, and my eyes fluttered open. “Wayne!” I heard Lucerne's still anxious voice call as I felt his hands on mine. I opened my eyes to find his pair of jade eyes searching my face with concern. He had an eye-bag, and his orbs were teary and red as if he had spent the entire time in tears. “How do you feel?” He rasped softly. I gave him a reassuring smile, “a bit dizzy, but I will recover soon.” Lucerne smiled, throwing a glance at the physician who stood beside the bed. “Thanks to him, we found out that you were sort of affected by an uncommon poison. But fortunately, the physician took it out through your veins.” I nodded, realizing my bro
A feeling of fear coursed through me and sent chills down to my spine... Something about this woman before me instilled in me a fear I could not comprehend, and those eyes of hers… I am not mistaken; I saw her vale orbs shortly flash silver before she turned around to face the window. ͞ WAYNE’S POV “Lu-lucerne?” I called with a croaky voice; it barely even came out in a whisper. I wanted to run to my brother's side, hold his hands and call for him to wake up, but I could not even move; I was too shocked to do so. What happened to Lucerne? I swore he was just fine when I saw him at the announcement. Even if he looked sick, at least not close to this. My legs moved slowly to stand beside his bed, my eyes squinting to stare at his face. What happened, was it the witch, what did she do? I did not know how to react, but I crouched to take a closer look at my brother. He did not seem to be affected by the demons-bane poison because his skin looked jus
We had finally arrived at the woods and I must say that there was something off about it. I mean, what was with the numerous vultures, why the fog, why the utter silence? I could not even hear a Bird’s song or a tiny Cricket sound. Everything about the woods was just too creepy… ͞ ANASTASIA’S POV I never knew my Lord was not in his room until Sage sent me to call on him when the Master could not wake up. I had knocked several times on his door and got no response, then walked in on my own due to the urgency of the matter. However, I found the room empty; he did not even make use of the bath I had earlier prepared for him. I could not recall anywhere he was likely to be that I had not checked so far because I had gone to the seashore, searched the woods, and searched the Master’s garden, yet he was not there. I even checked the Throne-room and the temple, but he was not. I only realized that my Lord was nowhere around the
I noticed that she had said more than she usually did and it was not just to tell me what I did not know. I realized she was technically giving me a clue to whom she worked for, so I do not mess around. ͞ WAYNE’S POV I stopped on my track at Phyllis’ words, was she throwing me to the wolves or what? “They are so, and you want me to stay with them for the night, what if they come at me when you are not looking?” I asked and the thought alone sent chills down my spine. Phyllis stopped and turned to face me. “Are you not man enough to protect yourself? I see you can make use of your mouth more than you do your wasteful muscles,” she snapped, the whip in her hand vanishing as she turned and continued walking. I did not know why, but her insult got to me more than Damien’s usually did. Maybe it was the fact that it was a female telling it to me, or the fact that it was a stranger. Whichever reason it was, I just f