Chapter 9: Chapter Nine

It was dark and cold. The girl could feel the cold deep in her bones. So cold it burned. And the pain–the pain was wholesome. The pain consumed her so much that all she could feel, see and breathe was pain. Strong, fitful things that wracked through her body making her convulse. Her screams of agony could be heard all over the castle. It felt like all her bones were breaking and forming anew. Amidst the pain, she could feel a presence, someone watching over her. The girl was too focused on the pain to think much of it but sometimes when it became too unbearable, the presence in the corner felt like an anchor. She passed out from the pain so many times she lost count.

When she woke, her body numb, it was to a bedroom. She sat up slowly in the bed looking around. It was night outside but somehow to her eyes, it looked brighter, sharper. A young girl with red hair was sleeping on a chair by her side, her head lolling to the side. She tried to speak but her throat felt raw and sensitive. Everything hurt–her head, her jaw, her eyes–it was all so stark. She wanted to stand but her body felt leaden and her eyes started to close again. The sleep, this time was filled with nightmares and screaming and blood. So much blood.

Briar startled awake with a gasp looking around wildly. Brooke and Alaric immediately came to her side.

“Shh, it's okay, you're okay." Alaric said steadying her. He sat beside her on the bed, his arms around her shoulders. She looked into his eyes, trying not to cower under that intense gaze.

“What…happened?”

His jaw clenched. It was Brooke that answered.

“You were out.” She said quickly. “But you're okay now.”

“Brooke,”Alaric said, his voice, edgy.

“What? What's going on? Did we break the curse?”Briar asked, looking between the two of them.

Alaric nodded his face tight. From his expression , Briar knew there was more to this, something they weren't telling her. She had a sinking feeling in her chest. Or at least she thought it was a sinking feeling. It just felt cold inside, hollow. She placed a hand on her chest, the space in between her breasts. No heartbeat. She gasped, realization hitting her. Her hands begin to shake slightly.

“Briar, I'm…”

Before she could think about it, her hand collided with his face so hard, she heard his jaw crack. Her eyes widened at the sound as she marveled at her strength.

“Ow,” was all he said looking back at her.

No fucking way.

She looked around the room with a renewed sense. Every colour was brighter, every smell, stronger, every sound, louder. Her hands immediately went to her mouth dreading what she would feel. There it was–her fangs. She felt like she was about to throw up. No, this couldn't be. It wasn't real. She had died and this was her own fucked up version of hell.

She kept whispering ‘this isn't real’ to herself over and over. She didn't stop–not when Brooke told her to, or when Alaric left to give them space. Not even when Alaric returned hours later trying to get her to stop. Briar wanted so desperately to feel something other than the pain and hurt coursing through her. It was only when Azriel came in with a trembling human girl that she stopped.

Her fangs instinctively grew longer at the sight of blood dribbling from the girls' wrist. A kind hunger overtook her like she had never felt before. It was all-comsuming, temporarily taking away her sense of reason. The overwhelming tang of fresh blood blotted all the pain. All she wanted to do was to feed.

“Az no” Alaric said holding her back. Briar didn't even realize she had stood.

“What do you mean? You won't let her have any blood? Put her out of her misery for fucks sake."

The moment Alaric let go of her, she lunged for the girl going straight for her neck, sinking her fangs in her throat. Briar would've moaned if her mouth wasn't stuffed full of blood. It was euphoric. She never imagined blood would taste this good, this sweet…

“Briar, that's enough.” Alaric said, wrenching her back. The maid collapsed to the floor, her face deathly pale. As the haze of bloodlust slowly cleared, Briar felt panic well within her.

“Is she…?”

“No.” Azriel said, hoisting the maid up. “You're a vampire now. Get used to it.”

Briar didn't want to get used to it. She didn't want to have to murder humans to make herself stronger. She turned to Alaric, hoping he could see the hate in her eyes. “I thought you said I wasn't going to die.”

“ Something went wrong with the ritual. It was the witches. Their magic killed you after the curse was broken.”

“Then you should've let me stay dead.”

Briar didn't fail to notice the hurt look in Brooke's eyes when she said that but in that moment, she couldn't bring herself to care.

She took a step back towards the door.

“Where do you think you're going?” Alaric asked making a move to follow her.

“Don't, come near me.” Briar said holding her hand out before her.

"Briar..."

"Stay back!"

Something weird happened then. All the emotions she was feeling in that moment–anger, fear, self hatred welled up inside her with explosive intent. She felt overwhelmed with a sort of power, a heat building from within her and concentrating at her fingertips. She had a rushing feeling in her head and suddenly Alaric couldn't move. He struggled but it was as if an invisible force kept him from moving. She could see panic flare in his eyes. Briar, confused, lowered her hand and Alaric fell to his knees on the floor, heaving.

Everyone stared at her stunned. Even Brooke looked on with fear.

“What the fuck was that?” She whispered.