Love Comes In Many Dangerous Forms

Nothing was said between us, but Shane stood over me, a soft hiss leaked through his clenched teeth. Vera was next to my mother, looking over her. Her hand was over her mouth as tears streamed down her face.

“How did they die, Vera?” I whispered against the marble, my wet cheek stuck to the cold stone, soaking my hair in the blood of my servants and my family.

“Y-your parents died from blood loss,” she sobbed, but brought herself together the best she could. “Hill- your sister her heart was ripped out. I don’t know how Colton died, it wasn’t blood loss I think it may have been organ damage.”

I just lied there; it felt like there was a pile of bricks sitting on my chest preventing me from breathing. I felt so cold as I stared into my sister’s eyes that were staring back at me, blank.

“What the hell?” I heard a familiar voice behind me, Zach. “Where is she?”

“Here,” I mouthed the word, my voice was stolen away from me, but he still managed to hear me.

“Is she hurt?” he asked Vera, looking over me.

Vera took a deep breath, “The blood isn’t hers.”

I cringed as I felt him pick me up; my blood soaked dress stuck to me like a second skin, “Who did this?”

I didn’t want to say it again, and luckily I didn’t have too. Vera whispered it into his ear and I felt his hands dig into my left leg and arm. I felt something wet land onto my shoulder and a slight burning sensation seep into my skin as I heard him let out a low menacing growl.

“You’re hurting her,” Shane informed him harshly and gently took me away from him, holding me to his side.

“I thought you didn’t know his name,” Zach hissed at me, making me huddle closer under Shane’s arm.

“I… I-I didn’t,” I sobbed quietly as I felt someone stroke my wet hair. “He- he came into my room. He o-only stayed with me for a m-minute, but S-Sh-Shane showed up before he could d-do anything.”

Whoever was stroking my hair stopped, and the whole room was quite until I heard someone walk through the door.

“What the hell?” I couldn’t hear the voice clearly; it sounded like someone stuffed cotton in my ears. I tilted my head so that I could see the figure standing in the door way. “What happened here?” Athen glared at me, but then smirked.

“What do you want Athen?” Vera asked him quietly.

“Jimmy wants her,” Athen rolled his eyes, but he smiled biggest I have ever seen him wear.

“Jimmy,” I felt his name roll of my tongue, and I felt my heart clench. “Where is he?”

“With Elizabeth in the library,” he clicked his tongue. “Shane I would like to talk to you for a moment.”

I didn’t even care what he had to talk about, I bolted out of the death incase room and into the library. I saw Elizabeth sitting on the old leather couch; Jimmy and Carly were on either side of her, unharmed. Everything was fine outside the horrid ballroom.

Elizabeth looked up at me with worried eyes, “Are you alright?”

I shook my head, wiping my face free from my tears and blood that had smeared on my face. I picked Jimmy up, holding him against my chest, “My sweet baby.”

“What’s wrong Cassie?” he pulled away from me, but I just held him tighter, needing to know he was safe.

“Nothing sweetie,” I told him kissing the top of his head. “Elizabeth can you come with us to the foyer?”

“Of course,” she took Carly’s arm and followed us out the door. “Is Shane with Athen?”

“Yes,” I answered quietly looking around the dark hallway nervously. “Athen wanted to talk to Shane about something. Where are Audrey and Tristan?”

“Outside,” she told me, trying to understand what was wrong.

When we approached the foyer Vera and Zach were already there ushering in my brother and Audrey, Zach immediately locked the door securely.

“There you are,” Vera sighed wrapping her arms around me. “It’s okay sweetheart, it’s going to be alright.”

I knew it wasn’t but I embraced her comfort wishing that the words she spoke were true. But even if though my fate was set, I was going to make damn sure that no one else had to die because of me.

***

(Shane's P.O.V.)

“What is it Dad?” I sighed leaning against the nearby bookcase; I needed to see if Cassiel was alright.

“I’m so proud of you,” he never stopped grinning as he spoke.

“What?” I frowned tapping my foot impatiently.

“You only need to kill one more, and then we can be back in power. We don’t have to deal with their shit anymore, we don’t have to live in fear, and we don’t have to take orders from someone below us,” his eyes had a crazed glint reflecting clearly as he stared at me.

“What do you mean by kill one more?” I asked, I had a feeling that I knew who he was talking about.

“The bitch Cassiel,” he snorted. “Save the best for last, I raised you well.”

“No,” I snapped, glaring at him. “I won’t hurt her; I didn’t kill her family or the Nevatrix’s. I’m not you anymore, and if you even think about harming her, I’ll never forgive you.”

His face went blank, his eyes darkened but then he smirked again, “I won’t be the one who hurts her, and you better stay out of their way when they do.”

“They who?” I hissed at him.

“You’ll find out soon enough,” and he left without another word.

I narrowed my eyes as I watched him walk away, biting my tongue back. I didn’t want to get into a fight with my father – not tonight anyways. But I knew I needed to get back to Cassiel.

I sighed in relief as I caught her intoxicating scent close by, and I could hear her faint heartbeat sputtering erratically at my approaching footsteps.

“It’s just me,” I told her as she looked over Vera’s shoulder. “It’s alright.”

“No, it’s not,” she rubbed the tears out of her eyes trying to be discrete about it. “My family and my fiancée are dead. And that monster is running around the castle waiting to kill me too.”

“He is not coming near you,” I growled tasting the bitter liquid seep into my mouth.

“He controls everything, he could be in this room right now and we wouldn’t even now it. I can feel him watching us, Shane, and every time I feel him near me something bad happened. The first time I got an IV ripped out of my arm, second time I got a lovely little message on the back of my neck, third time I reopened my wounds and got a few more, the fourth time I almost died in the labyrinth and now the fifth time my family…” I saw her hug Jimmy closer to her and she looked like she was going to be sick.

Zach and I both scanned around the room, gravitating closer to them. It was eerily quiet as I watched the shadows making sure none of them came any closer to Cassiel.

“Blaine’s coming,” Jimmy told us quietly.

And not even a minute later a shadowy figure stood next to Cassiel and Jimmy, examining them.

“He wants to know if you’re hurt,” Jimmy looked between Blaine and Cassie confused.

“Not physically, no, I can’t promise you on anything else though,” she answered shakily. “Y-your brother is here.”

“He knows,” Jimmy replied in a small voice leaning his head against Cassie’s shoulder. “I’m tired Cassie.”

“Go to sleep sweetie, everything will be better in the morning,” she comforted him, and started humming her lullaby, swaying back and forth as he slowly slipped into unconsciousness.

“Do you want me to take him?” Vera offered her, running her hand through her bloodstained hair.

Cassiel shook her head immediately “I-I need him.”

Vera sighed, but backed off giving Cassie her space.

I turned to Blaine, my eyes narrowing as he stood next to Cassiel, “Where is he?”

He went over to Zach, but Zach backed away not trusting him.

“It’s fine Zach,” Cassie told him in a hushed tone. “I want to talk to him anyways.”

He sighed and gave in, letting Blaine take over.

***

(Cassiel’s P.O.V.)

“What do you know so far?” Blaine’s voice echoed throughout the silent hallway.

I felt my mouth run dry as I spoke, “I know his name is Blake. He has been terrorizing me for months and he raped me six years ago.”

He was quiet for a few moments, staring at me blankly, “You’re the little girl.”

“What?” I blinked, adjusting Jimmy so that he was on my other hip, careful not to wake him.

“He always talked about this girl, everyday he said that he saw her again. I didn’t know who he was talking about,” he explained.

“Until now,” Audrey finished for him.

Blaine was quiet again; he didn’t take his eyes of Jimmy.

“Do… Would you like to hold him?” I asked him hesitantly, my voice broke as I spoke.

He nodded and I handed Jimmy over to him gently so I wouldn’t disturb him, his head lulled slightly on Zach’s shoulder but I could hear his steady breathing continue effortlessly.

I suddenly felt empty as soon as he left my arms and Shane came up beside me stroking my back trying to soothe me. It didn’t work as much as I hoped it would. I wrapped my arms around myself as I watched Blaine rock Jimmy.

“I don’t think that he’s going to attack again tonight,” Blaine informed us. “He likes to have his victims surprised.”

I bit down on the side of my cheek I could taste my own blood on the tip of my tongue, “That’s the worst part though, the waiting and not knowing when he’s coming.”

“And death hasn’t claimed you yet,” Blaine sighed as he looked at me.

“H-how long?” Vera pressed hesitantly.

“A few weeks, maybe a month,” he told her, guilt covering Zach’s face.

I shook my head at him, “It’s not your fault, don’t feel sorry for me.”

He said nothing just continued rocking Jimmy.

“And look on the bright side, we didn’t have to find him,” I felt my bottom lip quiver without my consent.

“You’re not going to kill him,” Blaine stopped moving, staring at me seriously. “He has too much over you; I can’t let you do it.”

“What do mean? I’m fine,” a laugh of hysteria bubbled off of my lips. “I mean what he has really done to me. He killed my family; fine they were going to kill me anyway. He murdered my fiancée who was the reason my people are living; big deal. He ripped my best friend apart before he raped me and then framed me for his murder; who cares,” I felt Shane wrap his hands around the tops of my arms.

“Cassie,” he frowned staring intently at me.

But then I heard a loud ‘smack’ and a few moments later I felt like someone threw a brick at my face.

I blinked and saw Audrey stand next to me with an apologetic expression on her face. “Better?”

I nodded mutely rubbing my blurry eyes with the palms of my hands, but it didn’t help so I just let the tears fall.

“Come here,” Shane murmured gently and brought me into him letting me cry into his chest, ruining his shirt in the process. “Shhh, you’re safe, we’re safe,” he tried to soothe me, but unfortunately his efforts didn’t pay off.

But I noticed something when his thumb brushed away the liquid drops from my cheeks. The vein in his writ wasn’t a faint blue anymore; it had been darkened contrasting against his pale skin. I grabbed his hand and examined his wrist closer, and my fingers went numb from the cold radiating from his flesh.

He gently tugged his hand back as I spoke, “You’re changing.”

“It’s nothing,” he reassured me with an empty smile.

“Later,” I sucked in a ragged breath turning my head towards Blaine. “I need to find out as much as I can about him.”

He sent me a concerned look, and shook his head at me opening his mouth but I already knew what he was going to say.

“I’m fine; I don’t care how much it’ll torture me. I have to know what I’m up against,” I crossed my arms over my chest. “I know you have to have books on him and your family somewhere.”

“Clara destroyed all of the information about us,” he explained as he held Jimmy tighter to him.

“I know you better than that Blaine,” I clicked my tongue on the roof of my mouth narrowing my eyes at him. “Don’t think that I won’t rip this castle apart until I find what I’m looking for.”

“She’s right,” Elizabeth spoke up behind Tristan and Audrey, carrying Carly in her arms. “If you don’t show her it, I will.”

“Elizabeth, please,” Blaine pleaded. “You know much it’s going to frighten her. Hasn’t she seen enough for one night?”

“She should still see it, it’s about her,” Elizabeth stated as she took my arm and guided me to the library. The determination that was set on her face wavered as we walked through the opened double doors.

I frowned at her confused, “Where are we going?”

“You’ll see,” she searched through the books until she removed one and smiled. “I suggest you step back, dear.”

I did as she said and she started ripping apart the bookcase. The cracking of the wood echoed throughout the room. Books toppled on top of the scattered pieces of wood and formed a pile around Elizabeth’s feet. She finally stopped demolishing the casement with a solemn look on her face.

“Wh-” I started but cut myself off when I saw an old wooden door replacing the aging bookshelf.

She broke the thick metal lock and the door swung open with ease. I stepped carefully over the broken wood and peered into the room, but I saw nothing but darkness. I heard something scrape over a rough surface and the room was dimly lit by a candle that Elizabeth held. I scanned the small room seeing old bookshelves that held ancient novels that I was afraid would turn to dust if I touched them. Tables and chairs were covered in white dusty sheets that had obviously been untouched for years. Cobwebs cluttered the room so much that they covered every inch of everything. Elegant cases were scattered across the floor, jewels and lace decorated each of the armoires.

Elizabeth went around the enclosed space lighting each of the candles illuminating the room. She blew out her flame and searched through the books.

“What is this place?” I touched the spines of the worn books trying to make out what the titles said, they were all written in a foreign language that I couldn’t make out. I heard a light thud behind me and saw Elizabeth staring down at a worn down book that was falling apart at the spine. I couldn’t help but feel a sense of dread wash over me as I looked at the tattered sheepskin cover encasing the yellowing pieces of parchment.

“What is that?” I chewed the inside of my cheek, wrapping my arms around myself.

She hesitated but eventually answered me, “Your past.”