CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE: VENUS

No matter how many times he called me, I never looked back as I walked away. Even though walking away from him was going to get me in trouble, I was done being scared of him. 

I missed the girl I was before I came here. She was strong, smart, and had a backbone while the girl I am now is pathetic weak because of that unfortunate night when Michael did what he did to me.

I never intended to feel weak, but lately, it has been a struggle. I always wanted to avoid playing the victim, but his actions made me feel like one. However, now I'm determined to find my way back to the person I used to be before I came here.

As I went back to my room, I was still concerned for Xavier, so I went looking for him.

With no clue of Xavier's whereabouts, I found myself inexplicably drawn to the forest that surrounded the castle. As I delved deeper into the dense woods, my heart raced with a blend of fear at being caught by a guard and excitement to see Xavier again. 

A mysterious force seemed to guide my every step, propelling me towards an unknown destination. The rustling leaves and whispering wind enveloped me, adding an eerie ambiance to my search.

As I cautiously navigated through the labyrinth of trees, my senses heightened, I couldn't shake off the feeling that someone, or something, was watching me. But I kept my eyes peeled, scanning the surroundings for any signs of Xavier's presence.

Finally, I stumbled upon a small clearing, bathed in the soft light of the moon. In the center stood a quaint cottage, its presence both comforting and foreboding.

With trembling hands, I pushed open the creaking door and entered the dimly lit interior. The room was filled with an eerie silence, broken only by the faint sound of someone's labored breaths.

And then, I saw the person. No, not a person, some sort of creature. It was standing in the corner of the cottage, crouched in a fetal position. I took a step closer to see what it was when the creature noticed my presence and looked up. It was a vampire, and it looked injured. My gaze searched the room, trying to find something to fight it off in case it lunged for me.

The vampire loomed over me, his figure elongated and foreboding, his visage contorted with unearthly malice. His eyes emitted a piercing, otherworldly glow, striking fear deep into the core of my being. 

I struggled to move, immobilized by terror, as I gazed upon the vampire, his outstretched hand reaching towards me. A primal instinct took hold, and I unleashed a bloodcurdling scream that pierced the air.

"Stay away from me!" I shrieked, my voice trembling with fear, "or I will set your ass on fire"

"Venus-" the vampire said as he groaned in pain trying to reach for me again, "Help me."

"How do you know my name? And keep your paws to yourself," I said, pushing myself further into the door of the cottage.

"It's me-," the creature said as he fell to the ground in front of the window, where the moonlight reflected over his face. Then, I recognized him. Even if he was looking like a monster, I could never forget his face. It was Xavier. But why was he a bloody vampire?

"Vee, please help me," he said, his voice clearer and more recognizable. The vampire was really Xavier.

A mix of confusion and fear overwhelmed me, but amidst the chaos, his words ignited a faint flicker of recognition within me. With cautious eyes, I stared intently, desperately hoping that my senses weren't playing tricks on me. Yet, there he stood, before me, unmistakably Xavier, despite his monstrous visage.

I cautiously approached him, my voice trembling as I spoke. "Xavier? Is that really you?"

His features twisted into a contorted in agony, his voice trembling and strained. "Yes, it's me. I... I've undergone a change, but deep down, I'm still the same person. Simon resorted to cheating and coated his sword with Neiraide, a substance that triggers uncontrollable bloodlust in vampires. That's how I ended up like this."

Struggling to process what I was seeing, I stammered, "But... how? What happened to you? You're a wolf not a vampire,  this doesn't make sense"

"It's a long story, but you need to trust me. I won't hurt you, I swear, but I need your help," Xavier begged, his nails digging into the floor of the cottage.

"I'm scared, Xavier. I don't understand."

"Please, I will explain, but I need your help," Xavier said, looking up at me, his eyes vulnerable. I couldn't help but move closer to him. Something told me he wouldn't hurt me, no matter how out of control he may be right now.

"Tell me, Xavier. Tell me what I need to do."

"There is a cure hidden deep within one of these cupboards. A rare flower known as the Moonlight Lily has already been made into a potion. It holds the power to turn me back"

"I will get it, Xavier. Hold on."

"Thank you. Please hurry. I can't hold back any longer," Xavier growled as I rushed to the cupboard to search for the vials. After searching for a few minutes, I found them and took three vials to him.

"Xavier, here it is," I said as I knelt down beside him. My previous fear was gone. He needed my help, so I had to trust that feeling that he wouldn't hurt me.

"Don't come too close, Vee. I don't want to hurt you by mistake, please."

"You're hurt and can't take the antidote on your own, so let me help you, Xavier. Please, let me do this."

He looked hesitant but he nodded, and I moved close to him, taking one of the vials and pouring it down his throat before pouring the rest, hoping it was not too much.

"Vee, you need to step back. I tend to get restless after taking it," Xavier ordered. I listened and went back to stand at the door. A few seconds later, he started to scream out in pain as his appearance started to go back to normal.

It took a whole ten minutes before he was back to normal. When he was fully transformed, he got off the floor and almost tumbled to the ground. 

But I rushed to him, steadying his heavy body with my small one as I helped him to the couch.

"Thank you, Vee. If you didn't come, I didn't know what would have happened," Xavier said, his breath labored as he tried to catch his breath.

"You were a vampire, Xavier. How?" I asked, still trying to get over the fact that he was a vampire only a few moments ago.

"I guess I owe you an explanation, Venus, but promise me no one else will hear about what I'm about to tell you."

"I swear on my life, you can trust me Xavier."

"I know Vee, I know, it happened when I was five," Xavier started....

"My mother wasn't loved by my father, even if she was his mate. I guess he was in love with Dana when he found my mother, but his father forced him to get married to my mother because he believed in the old days when mates were destined for each other," Xavier explained, a sad look crossing his face.

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to, Xavier. You don't owe me anything," I said as I held his hands in mine, trying to give him some form of comfort.

"It's okay, Venus. Even though we only met a few months ago, I feel closer to you than I ever felt with anyone. I guess this is what having a friend feels like."

"I will gladly be your friend, Xavier, and I feel the same way," I said, giving him a small smile, which he returned.

"After a few years, my mother accepted that my father would never love her. So, she focused all her attention on the realm, helping out where she could," Xavier said with a smile, "She always cared about everyone except herself. It was a good and bad trait she had."

"Caring isn't a bad thing, Xavier," I reassured him.

"But they didn't deserve it. No matter what she did, they never acknowledged her because the king didn't care for her," Xavier explained, anger evident in his tone as his eyes changed colors from green to brown. "She was the most caring and loving person I knew, but they still treated her like shit."

"I'm sorry, Xavier," I said sincerely.

"After three years had passed and she hadn't convinced a child, the maltreatment got worse. But she endured everything. She took all their insults because she was the queen."

"Oh," was all I could say, feeling a mix of sympathy and anger for Xavier's mother.

"Then my father brought that woman in as his concubine, and she conceived after months. So, my father had a real reason to toss my mother aside."

"That's horrible!" I exclaimed, feeling a surge of anger towards Xavier's father, he was really an asshole.

"But the mate bond was too strong, and he came looking for her," he whispered, his voice trembling. "She fought him off, but he overpowered her and forced himself on her. Months later, she also got pregnant with me."

Tears welled up in my eyes as I struggled to find the words. "Oh my God, he... he..." I choked on my own anguish, unable to complete the sentence.

"Even though the circumstances of my conception weren't ideal," he said, his voice filled with a mix of sadness and love, "my mother still loved me unconditionally when I was born. She provided me with everything I needed and wanted, but she couldn't give me the throne. Michael had already been made heir, despite me being the Queen's son. Yet, my mother didn't let that bother her."

"She must have been an incredible woman," I said softly, tears lingering in my eyes. "To prioritize love and peace over everything else, even after everything she went through"

"She was, I was happy living with her, despite the politics messing with our lives. But that unfortunate day came. We were on our way back from a meeting when we were attacked by vampires because my father was fucking greedy."

"No," I gasped, gripping Xavier's hand tightly.

"We lacked proper security because my father neglected my mother," he said, his voice trembling with emotion. "As a result, we were unable to defend ourselves when they attacked. That unfortunate day, everyone lost their lives, and I was the only survivor."

"I can't imagine what you've been through. How did you manage to survive?"

"I was discovered by a werewolf family, who treated me and returned me to the castle. I was already a hybrid by then, which gave my father another reason to despise me and lock me up besides being a late bloomer."

"You've really been through alot, Xavier," I said, admiration laced in my voice.

"Thank you vee," he replied with a sad smile, "then I found out, when I was released from isolation, that my father had married Dana and made her queen when my mother's body wasn't even in the ground yet."

"That's... just-," I muttered, struggling to find the right words.

"It's okay, I've moved on." Xavier said, his tired eyes reflecting his pain, "Thank you for assisting me, Venus. You could have fled, but stayed and helped me. You have my heartfelt gratitude," 

"And I would do it again, wherever you need my help. Just look for me," I said, a warm smile spreading across my face, causing him to laugh.

"I promise I will," he replied.