Chapter 46 Dying Crystal
The question hung in the air like a toxin. She didn't want to speak or act like she could, yet Draco’s insatiable gaze kept stinging her.
“That was not a question for you to answer, it was command, dog!” Draco said, rising to his feet. His hot careless breath reached her skin unfavorably.
Evyths said nothing still, confused and heartbroken.
…
Evyths was dragged by her arms, the excruciating pain that clung to her like a second skin.
She looked around, only to find lots of greenery and thick trees unlike the acorn trees back in the Vampires’ castle.
This place was strange, they were walking through the thick foliage with no visible building around. The air was fresh and soothing, birds in their nests, chirping nonstop while squirrels made their entertaining escapade visible, making Evyths' heart beat calmly.
Yes, she had no idea what she was with the supposed hunters.
Earlier, she was hit by Draco which made her lose consciousness only to wake up on the grass, still tied up. No Cliff, no waterfall, nothing.
It all seemed strange.
Where was Draco taking her, she didn't know. Along the line, the other man from before joined them out of nowhere, startling Evyths.
“What did he say?” One asked Draco.
Draco huffed, his face squeezing tightly into a thicker frown. “He doesn't want the girl, I've tried to make him understand that with her, the walls if Ravencroft cannot be over fortified—nothing we can't break,”
“That is strange,” the interlocutor snapped in disbelief while Evyths sharpened at every word that they spoke to each other concerning her and the vampires.
“For once, Hermes, let's not dwell on King Hugo’s decision. We have been lurking around the Kingdom’s walls for months. First, it was the full moon, then the blood moon and now what next? An eclipse?” Draco huffed angrily, halting their steps while his grip was tight on Evyths' arm.
Hermes looked left then back to Draco, clearly disagreeing with Draco's decision to raid Ravencroft with Evyths as his bait.
“It is risky. We can't be alone with the vampires, we need our full army…” Hermes firmly said to Draco. “Taking her with us is pointless. How sure are we that she has been with the vampires?”
“I am positive,” Draco said indignantly. “I smelled one of her. My senses cannot be wrong, never been...” he added.
“I agree with you, Draco, but one last time, we should speak with King Hugo again—”
“Oh, please, Hermes, he's a cunt!” Draco let out impatiently, rubbing his face across. “We do the thinking, and he takes the glory. How long? You know know, I'll let the girl go and we would have to start all over again waiting for a damn comet in the coming weeks. “ Draco snapped, anger dripping his tone as he released Evyths hoarsely, making her fall to the ground, grazing her forearms against the crushed sticks.
She winced as Hermes helped her back up while Draco growled in anger. He looked like he could eat a horse at that point.
Evyths was surprised by Hermes' help, giving him a thankful nod yet without a word.
“I can see that you are far driven by something else, Draco. Our loyalty lies with the king and our ancestors…”
“Oh well, wake up, Hermes. For how long are we going to keep answering to a cunt—”
“His father wasn't—”
“Yet his father is dead, that was where our loyalty lay. Not with… Hugo!” Draco snapped, still pissed by Hermes' unbending decision to follow protocols instead.
Hermes sighed with frustration lacing his exhausted expression despite being huge. “I understand and I feel that way too but this cannot be risked. What are two hunters against a coven that has lived for eternity?” he asked but Draco fell silent. “Exactly what I thought. Not now! When we return, we'll persuade ‘the cunt’ and he must agree to our decision to raid tomorrow, fair?” Hermes asked with a poised gaze and Draco nodded sharply.
“Fine, brother. You're always the one to think with the brain and not strength or—”
Before Hermes could finish his statement, a whirlwind of dead branches and sticks began to spin in vigorous circles, catching the attention of the hunters.
They were clearly perplexed by what was strangely happening.
“Fuck! The vampires! Shadow sighters!” Draco yelled as the circles continued until Evyths was snatched from Draco as Hermes pulled out a dagger and pierced the whirlwind and all the sticks dropped to the floor.
Suddenly, Crystal fell to the ground, with a stab in her side.
“My lady!!!” Evyths screamed as she ran to Crystal who laid on the ground, half alive.
Meanwhile, the men were shocked that Evyths could talk and pretended that she couldn't.
“I told you, she could talk and is associated with the vampires,” Draco clarified.
Draco and Hermes charged forward, strutting upwards the women as someone blocked their access, using a sword to strike Hermes on the thigh and deftly striking Draco on the arm.
Evyths caught Valerio’s skillful act as the hunters groaned, still attempting to press forward. But with each attempt, Valerio struck them yet the hunters weren't giving up.
They were swift, skilled and fearless just like Valerio but Valerio's speed was unmatched as well as his strength. It was his gift and nothing could change that, not even the hunters.
When Valerio drew his sword to slice Draco’s throat, both men were steering saggers at each other.
“Tell Hugo that I await his attack,” Valerio said , as he kicked Draco with his gauntletband Draco groaned painfully.
Valerio appeared next to Evyths and Crystal, scanning Crystal, his face was laced with worry.
“Cry- Crystal, are you okay! Stay still, I'll get you help…” Valerio said, barely glancing at Evyths as they all vanished.
…
It has been three hours since they materialized in the castle, Valerio had been all about Crystal and no one else. He's been standing over her bed for hours, waiting for her to open her eyes but she didn't.
Evyths had been watching both the prince and Crystal, as he didn't know if it was the right time to thank him for saving her life from the hunters.
However, she had waited hours as well but Valerio said nothing to her, nor did he ask if she was okay.
Evyths didn't bother, she understood that he was in a dilemma, his favorite and only niece had been attacked by hunters because of Evyths.
Because of that, she felt damned and cursed even more.
Evyths mustered the courage to speak with him regardless, she moved closer to Valerio and gently slid her fingers into his big ones, interlacing them with his.
Surprisingly, he interlaced his fingers with heart, which made her heart beat a little less faster.
“Please, forgive, this is all my fault. You did not have to come to save me—”
“Enough, Evyths! It is okay for you to hate me at this point.” He said in a calm, unhurried tone yet carried weight and despair. “I took you there, we got intimate and then I couldn't discipline myself to control my demons. I thought I could, but it got too much and I flipped. I almost marked you in the process, I wanted to drink your blood so bad, to say the least,” he paused shortly and continued. “We should not talk about this right here,” he said, forcefully ending the conversation.
Evyths swallowed hard, “It was not your fault. You said it, you couldn't control it. Just like me, I couldn't stop myself from… having sex with you and I felt your… your fangs slowly dig into my skin yet I stayed—”
“Evyths, this is not the right time!” He started, turning fully to face her. His eyes were gloomy and burning with rage, uncontrollable rage that frightened Evyths yet she knew why. She was used to his expressions from time to time.
“I do not want to speak about it. My only niece is dying, if she dies, I have failed Kaya. Again…” he stated firmly and Evyths' thoughts spun. She wasn't the reason for his despair, she thought again, he was pained by the situation, blaming himself for Crystal’s situation that hunted at death.
“I thought I knew what I wanted as king, I realized that I'm less of a vampire now. I did nothing good for Kaya or Crystal. To make it worse, I made wrong choices that include…” he paused, with unspoken words.
“Me?” Evyths asked, her brows tilting up in shock, her tone was thinner and hurt. “Say it, we made a mistake and I lured you into it because my alluring scent was irresistible. Tell me, Valerio, is it my scent that makes you drawn to me or do you truly love me?” Evyths confidently asked Valerio but as expected, he said nothing behind an expressionless face.
“Leave now, I'll cater to her like I am supposed to—”
“Eva—”
“Leave, Valerio. If it's because Crystal is dying that you're saying these harsh things to me, I promise that Crystal will be well again. And once that happens, return me back to my kingdom, back to my tormentors. It will be better to die in pain than live here with you in great
er pain,” she stated as she turned away from him, wiping off the tears in her eyes aggressively.