DARKNESS
Blank.
Worried.
Pissed.
Everyone wore those looks every time I glanced at the people passing me by. They weren't even afraid that I was there. Which was ironic, as I knew the crowd would go crazy once they knew who was standing among them. But the survivor clan members were more interested in listening to the cold-eyed leader who was yelling like an obsessed man in the middle of the town square than me.
"I've already found the girl you all want. I know all in your blood revenge burns like a sage but I want to be the one dragging her here. I want to be the one ordering her punishment. At first, there will be whippings." The crowd yelled hell yeah as if they could feel the scenery already happening around them. "Then you all could take out your revenge on her as you wish and finally, she would be burned at this very place. In front of us and humans alike."
Ok, I had to raise my eyebrows at that. I didn't think they were this angry at that witch if they were willing to burn her like the century-old witch trials.
"I, Coen, promise to take this Red clan as mine. I will protect it, unlike our diseased leader who could not even tame his own daughter." His sneer made the crowd once again yell in frenzy.
I stood and watched the man order his clan members to get a cup and a knife, for sure to take his place as an official leader. But before he could go to that part, a woman rushed toward the man with a knife hidden in her skirt's pocket.
"My husband was not weak! You will not disrespect your former leader like that. I will not allow you! And what are you all doing?" She whipped around to glare at the people around her. "You're allowing this bastard to take over when you know it's my place in this clan. It's my responsibility to take care of you and yet you all doubt in me?"
Some of them were curious to watch both of them battling for leadership. Some looked like they didn't even care who would take care of them.
"What are you doing here? I thought you were still grieving?" Coen narrowed his eyes at the woman in displeasure.
"I was and I will keep grieving but that didn't mean I abandoned my clan." The woman furiously threw the words back at the man before drawing the knife she was hiding before.
I watched in amusement as the man's body ran cold with dread and he shrieked. "Help! Help me! She's going to kill me!"
What an utter fool.
When no one came to help the man, I walked toward the podium with my jaw tense, my eyes as dark as the night, promising violence in my stance. People around me gaped watching me join Coen leisurely.
"Who are you?" Coen snarled, noticing me for the first time. It was funny how his voice might've been strong but his whole body was shaking. It only took a minute when I dropped on my knees, showing my neck in submission.
"Sire, I'm here to help you," I whispered with a tipped smile. The woman glanced at me once and staggered back.
"D-Dark-" She couldn't finish her sentence when suddenly Coen turned around and slapped the woman across the face so hard that she dropped to the ground. I had to hold myself not to release my shadows when the woman started coughing out blood.
"Kill her." When no one responded, Coen took the knife from the woman's hand and gestured toward the whimpering crowd. "Kill her before I take one of your family members as her place."
"No need." I now stood at my height, staring down at Coen. "Just imprison her, my sire. I'm pretty sure she will die grieving alone."
The woman cried out in fright when five men from Coen's side dragged her away from the crowd. The said man had a satisfied smile on his lips when he turned to me.
"Who are you? How can I repay you?"
I still had the tipped smile on my lips when I replied. "I need to talk to you about a serious matter. It's about someone named Emeline."
Coen's smile dimmed instantly. To avoid the risk of other members knowing what I knew, he left the podium with me to go to an alley far away from the crowd. When both of us were sure that we were the only ones there, Coen turned to me. "What do you know? Tell me!"
"I want to know where you last saw her." At my tone, I could see the first hint of fear in his eyes. I was sure that he could tell something was different this time. My eyes looked too menacing, my face too blank for someone like Coen to understand. I gave him another five minutes to spare before my patience ran out.
"Answer me, you disgraceful fool!"
The way Coen looked at me then said what I needed to know. Must I always punish them? With a sigh, I gave them the signal. Shadows lurked instantly in there cutting off Coen's escape. He looked terrified watching the shadows trailed their cold touch at the nape of his neck, drawing blood. "I-I don't know, man-"
"You're lying." My voice was flat and cold. The shadows around him got more anxious when they didn't get any answer.
"No! Help! I swear I didn't kill her! I-I saw her last at Red clan's border. She was leaving town. I had people trail her but they lost her track in New Orleans." Thick drops of black blood dripped down his chin, making his voice high. His eyes were wide with fear when he took notice of the rushing shadows near his body.
"New Orleans? Interesting. I saw what you did to her. I just wanted to be sure you were the fool who hurt-" My voice was detached as I finished. "My toy."
I didn't give time for Coen to be surprised when the shadows ripped through his body, finishing him off in the process. His body dropped to the ground with a thud, but nothing could match the grin I wore while brushing past the dead clan leader in my path. There was a time when I might regret that but not now.
Not when I was sure that the little soul had something of mine.
***
EMIE
Alone.
Vengeful.
Terrified.
Those feelings kept bothering me throughout the shower I was taking. My skin probably became prone after scrubbing myself to get rid of the dirt and the memories that kept flashing before my eyes.
I never thought I'd be here today, full of bad luck one after another. Belle and that cruel man I called father never let me learn a spell. All because the prophecy said so. How easy it was for them to believe a piece of paper than my own words. And, now they've managed to wake up Darkness instead. With thoughts of that night running through my mind when my shower stopped, I didn't even realize. My mind was still not in control when I changed into a robe, drying my damp hair with a towel-
"So, what do you think about the deal?"
Shrieking at the sudden voice, my pulse increased watching the dark-eyed man near me. Talk about the devil... "Holy shit! How are you here?"
"Last time I checked you told me I was your imagination. But then again, this imaginary husband likes this view better." He winked staring at me as if coming inside a bathroom when people were changing was random for him.
Flinching at the comment, I tightly held the robe and looked at his arrogant eyes. "I'm not marrying you."
"You sure about that?" Blinking in surprise I watched as he reached for my cheeks, his wondering touch slow until he was hovering over my lips.
"Let me tell you-" He whispered, his eyes darkening farther. "I can hurt you in a way you can never imagine. So, do you? Want me to hurt you?"
"Hurt me? Please! If you think that I let you out, then I can send you back there. Every spell has loopholes." I croaked keeping my eyes anywhere but on his. I couldn't quite concentrate when he was so close, invading my personal damn space.
He scoffed, almost immediately backing away. "I call foul. You can't do magic, little soul."
Shit, how did he know that?
"Doesn't mean I can't learn now." My body stiffened when I remembered what he had done to the clan. "You are not getting that soul, Darkness. It's mine and mine alone."
"And you are the most beautiful and wonderful witch I've ever met." He licked his lips while grinning down at my small figure.
"WHAT!" I let out a shriek. I couldn't understand what on earth was wrong with this guy.
"Thought we were playing the lying game. Listen, you and I both know people who are chosen for that kind of sacrifice don't get to learn even a spell. You were marked before, weren't you? I saw that little detail when you were trying to run from me." He said with amusement filling his dark eyes.
Ugh! For the love of God...
"You-You make me so..." I couldn't choose the words to describe how frustrated he made me.
"Delightful, exquisite, devilish...There are so many choices. Come on now, I'm waiting for you to choose one." Of course, he was also full of himself. Why me?
"Angry. You make me so angry!" I finally chose the word. I could have said more to chew him into a new one if not Hannah slamming the door open to enter the room.
"Were you talking to someone?"
From my peripheral vision, I could see that unsurprisingly once again, the room was empty. The bastard disappeared after insulting me in three different ways.
Go figure.
"I was just talking to myself." And, a lunatic who wouldn't leave me the hell alone. "What are you doing here?"
Hannah beamed at me. "So, starting tomorrow, I will teach you all you have to know."
Finally, something I could look forward to...