Chapter 116: Power Awoken

Chapter 116: Power Awoken
Roderick's POV

As I was once part of the Vampire Council, I knew exactly where they would be whenever they came into town.
I hurried into the cave. As soon as I entered, I saw Seraphina sitting on a massive chair which I presumed to be the throne of the Vampire Council leader. The moment she saw me, a wide smile plastered itself onto her face; she was clearly enjoying messing with me.

“Where is she?” I demanded. My eyes scanned the entire space, but there was no sign of Lif.

“Who would have imagined that a single woman could make you this scared?” she asked.

“Why would she make me scared? She’s nothing. I just need her for the sacrifice,” I denied. I hoped that if I acted careless about Lif, Seraphina wouldn't think of torturing her to hurt me.

“Really?” She smirked, standing from the throne and moving closer to me. “Then I will let you watch as I cut her throat—watch her bleed out until she loses consciousness.” She stopped directly in front of me, only inches apart. “You wouldn't mind that, would you?”

My hands balled at my sides and rage flared within me, but I couldn't let it show. I had to make her believe I didn’t care for Lif, hoping she might let her go if her goal was only to punish me.

“So?” I returned. “She’s meant to die anyway. It would be a waste if I didn’t have her for the only thing I chose her for from the beginning.”

“Playing dumb, aren't you?” she asked, catching on. Her face twisted into a mocking laughter that went on for several moments, the sound gritting on my nerves. Then, she stopped. “I know you truly care about her. Stop pretending like she means nothing to you but your salvation.” She leaned closer, her eyes boiling into mine. “She is more than that to you. I saw it myself...” She placed her palm on my chest, letting it rest there. “It is so unlikely for any vampire’s heart to beat like yours. You truly want her, and I know it.”

“So?” I retorted, dropping the act since she had seen through it. “Are you going to kill her?”

She shrugged. “You know...” she started, turning her back and taking a few steps away. “I watched you for centuries, planning and hoping to get my revenge on you for sucking mine and my mother’s blood. For killing my mother who—”

“Your mother killed my father, remember?”

“Then what about me?!” she shouted, whirling around. Her eyes bled into a deep red, rage etched into every line of her face. “I never wanted this... I just wanted to live the life of a normal girl. Grow up, get married, have kids, and grow old with my family... but you destroyed that dream overnight.”

“You think that’s my fault?” I demanded, rage rising from within me like a volcano. “Your mother sent me to the same place that destroyed my life. She told me to go to the doctor who would heal me—and I met this.”

“What a fool!” she scoffed. “She didn’t send you to any doctor. She sent you to bandits who were supposed to kill you and bury you, but you survived because you were lucky.”

A gasp escaped my lips. Her mother had sent me to be murdered, not healed. But how had I met Vila there? How did he get to that place? I sighed inwardly; there were still so many things I was confused about.

“You should have just killed her, not destroyed my life,” she said.

“Why?” I returned. “Are you angry because I got in the way of your dream?” A mocking laughter erupted from my throat. “Why should you be angry when your mother did the same to me? You only reaped what she sowed.”

Her face distorted into a mask of fury. “Then watch as I get rid of her,” she said, gritting her teeth.

The rage in me amplified into something worse: fury. I shifted into my vampire form, but as I moved toward her, a dozen vampires emerged from the cave corners, baring their teeth and ready to pounce.

“Neither of you are getting out of here alive,” she said with a smirk.

I watched as she headed toward a corner I knew led to the cells where prey was kept. Anxiety stole my breath; my body trembled. As I tried to go after her, the vampires threw themselves in my way. Then, the fight began.


Lif’s POV

I crawled into the corner of the damp, dirty cell, my chest heaving with frustration. My heart ached at the thought of them hurting Roderick. It was enough to cut my breath and make my heart pound with terror.

I didn't know what to do or how to save him. I felt powerless. In the ordinary world, I was a doctor who saved lives, and in the extraordinary world, I was a witch—yet I couldn't save the man I loved. I felt useless. That fear transformed into a bitter irritation toward myself.

I never wanted to be a witch, but to protect my loved ones in this dark world, I had to become one. I had to embrace the side of me I had spent years running from. I had to accept that I was a Dagon.

I shut my eyes, inwardly praying to find something powerful enough to break me out of here so I could save Roderick. I knew he didn't care much about me; even if his evil stepsister had called him, I doubted he would come for my sake. He never cared from the start.

However, I still wanted to break free. I wanted to feel his cold skin again and the intensity of his gaze.

Suddenly, a strong energy began coursing through me. It was like a tidal wave of exhilaration crashing against the walls of my soul. I felt ALIVE—every fiber of my being thrumming with a power I never knew existed.

It was intoxicating, this raw, unbridled force. My heart pounded like a drumbeat, and my senses heightened to a painful degree. The air seemed to vibrate around me, shimmering like the surface of water on a summer’s day. I felt wild, untamed, and unstoppable. The rush was addictive, making me crave more. My mind was a whirlwind, barely able to contain the power surging through me.

For a moment, I forgot about the cell and the desperation. All I could think about was the thrill of wielding this energy. It was terrifying and exhilarating—a newfound freedom. The power I had spent years running from, I had finally obtained.

My eyes snapped open. I stood and moved toward the wall. I laid my hands against the cold stone and, as if possessed, I mumbled ancient words.

BOOM!

The wall blew open. I walked out of the cell, heading out of the cave to stop Roderick from coming any further.

However, after only a few minutes of walking, my body began to feel weak. The great energy that had filled me moments ago was gone. My knees wobbled, causing me to sink into the ground. I lay there, trying to stand, but I couldn't. My body didn't feel like my own. Exhaustion weighed me down like lead.

I couldn't continue. I had failed. If anything happened to him, it would be my fault, and that hurt more than anything. Tears tracked down my cheeks. Slowly, my eyes drifted shut, until I finally lost consciousness.