The Bride and Her Bloodlust

Getting through to Eva was easier than I thought. All I had to do as dial the number, wait for it to hum at me for a moment and then a stern voice snarled at the end.

“What is it?” I recognised the voice’s owner as Dana almost instantly. She sounded tired and more irritable than usual. It didn’t surprise me with the recent events in the Lady’s house.

“I need to speak to Lady Eva. Now.” I responded with equalled ferocity.

She grunted with recognition, silently acknowledging who I was. “The Lady is exhausted and is resting with her son. I won’t disturb her.”

My eyes darkened. “Something has happened to Lucius. I need her.”

Dana paused. “What has happened?”

“I need to speak to Eva.” I said stubbornly.

Again, she paused. She thought for a brief moment, taking in the savageness in my tone, before she gave in and sighed sharply. Without a word she walked away from the phone. The clicking of her heels echoed sharply in my ear until they faded altogether. I sat there for several long drawn out minutes, waiting as I crushed my teeth together and tapped my lengthening claws on the perfectly varnished table. Memories of Lucius, his maddening eyes, lifeless mind and murderous strength kept flickering in my eyes. With every memory of his madness, my tapping grew more violent until I was punching small holes into the wood.

My fingers stopped moving when I heard movement on the other end. Sure enough, a soft tired voice spoke.

“Susan? What’s wrong?” Eva asked.

She did sound exhausted, even miserable. For a moment I felt guilty for disturbing her until I remembered that she was the only one who could help my Master.

“Lucius has gone mad.” I said sharply.

“What?” Eva echoed. Her tone was stronger now. She was waking up.

“Lucius and I were out the night before. On our way home we were attacked by a masked witch. She managed to get to Lucius and did something. He woke up this morning and tried to rip my throat out and slaughter Alphonse.” The words just jumbled out of my mouth, not letting her have a moment to question me.

“Do you know what this witch did?”

“I don’t. I was stunned at the time but Lucius said she stabbed him with something.” Eva stilled on the other end. I heard her breathe but she said nothing. “Lady, his mind isn’t normal anymore. I tried to feel him earlier but it was just a jumble. It didn’t feel like him anymore.”

“Do you recal what he looked like? How his eyes were?”

I swallowed thickly. I didn’t particularly want to recall it. It made my chest tighten in panic. “They were black. Lifeless.”

Eva let a gush of air out of her mouth. “Okay, I’ll be there tomorrow.”

“You’re coming?” I asked in relief, although I was surprised she was appearing so quickly.

“I am. For now, keep him locked up. I’ll do anything I can for him.” She said. “Keep calm, Susan. I’ll be there soon.”

I thanked her softly and she hung up without another word, leaving a horrible buzzing noise to replace her gentle voice. I put the receiver down and heaved out a sigh as I slouched into Lucius’ chair. I was a bit relieved that Eva was coming here. I felt some control over the situation tingle in my hands. But I still didn’t know what had happened to Lucius.

I looked up sharply when the door swung slowly opened and Alphonse entered. He was battered and bruised with stitches and bandages covering him. Both of us would take some time to heal from Lucius’ wounds.

“How is he?” I asked tiredly.

“He is still out of it. I took the chance to stem some of the bleeding and clean him up, but the wounds he got shouldn’t scar.” He replied and collapsed onto the sofa. “Did you contact Eva?”

“I did. She comes tomorrow.”

“That’s quick.” He commented but not without approval.

I nodded and thought deeply to myself, remembered her anxious and increasingly scared tone. “She’s worried about Lucius, more than I thought she would.”

“She cares for him. He’s one of the few Heads who’s treated her in a friendly way since she appeared.”

I couldn’t disagree but I knew she had an idea of what’s happened to him. I quietly had a idea myself. I kept thinking about her mate, Vincent. The mass murderer. He had gone mad apparently and turned into a parasite forcibly by the Allaway Family. I had a horrible feeling the same was happening to Lucius but I didn’t want to admit it yet or voice it. If he turns into a parasite, there would be no turning back. Both Lucius and I would end.

I stood sharply. “I’d go find James and Ella. They’re both worrying, especially Ella. She was quite frightened by all this.”

Al’s eyes softened. “She would be. She’s never gotten over the attack when she was young.”

I nodded. She hadn’t. It was why she refused to accept Al’s offer to turn.

He and I left together, quietly walking side by side until he ventured to the gardens. I quietly made my way back down to the dungeons, ignoring the panicked servants and youngsters I passed. I quickly walked down the spiralling stone staircase, enjoying the drop in temperature. The air was always cold and musty down here and stank of earth. I inhaled it now, enjoying the scent and crisp air.

Once I reached the bottom, what calm I had gathered shattered. It was dark with a single flame flickering about. The thick slabs of stone was covered in moss and chain and the faint dripping of water could be heard. A long row of wrought iron jails lined the walls. The Rain’s personal prison. It was ironic that the Clan’s Head was being held within these walls.

I quickly found Lucius. He was held in the largest cell, where a bed was kept and nothing else. It was in this cell that chains were kept. The chains that caused pain to any it held who thought of escape was put through agonising pain. The only metal that could hold a Silver. While it was cruel to put him in these cuffs, I agreed with Alphonse grudgingly. We needed the strongest locks and chains to keep Lucius in one place.

He was unconscious, as Alphonse had said. He was sprawled out on the uncomfortable bed, with his shirt removed for all to see those ragged wounds on his chest. At first I just pressed my forehead against the bars, staring at his unmoving body forlornly. I kept telling myself I couldn’t go near him. He could wake up randomly and slay me. The chains wouldn’t stop him from that. But I found myself seeking out the master key I held tightly and unlocking the door.

Quietly and cautiously, I approached my master. Strangely the wound on my neck burned as I drew close. I remembered the pain of his claws ripping into my flesh and the burning agony and betrayal in my chest.

I knelt beside his best, letting the flat of my hand stroke his chest, feeling the rough hair covered skin that I so enjoyed. It made me remember being held by him and how tight he would hold onto me. How loved and content I felt when rest my cheek on his chest.

I let my fingers lightly touched the wound he had gained. Alphonse had done a good job. They were sealed up and the blood cleaned away. I hoped he wouldn’t scar. So far Lucius hadn’t gained any in his long life. It would a shame if he gained his first by his nephew trying to defend himself from Lucius’ mad attacks.

I knelt there for some time, listening to his heartbeat, to the sound of his breath, touching his skin. I couldn’t stop myself from making contact with him. My fingers would dnace down his chest or arms and my hands would stroke his face affectionately. I just wanted him to wake up and tell me everything was okay. That was wasn’t mad or lost. That he was fine.

He never did. He remained quiet and still. The damage I did to his head and the stress of his mind rendered him cold.

The more I realised this nightmare wasn’t going to abruptly end, the more angry I became. My soft affection twisted into savage protection. I continued to trace his features as my eyes narrowed and darkened with rage. Hot anger bubbled in my blood and the beast within my roared for blood and vengeance.

“I’ll find who did this to you, Lucius. I promise you.” I whispered firmly.

I stood and bent over him, pressing my lips firmly against his. It was when I drew away and noticed tears on his cheeks that I realised I was crying.

I wiped my eyes and turned away, locking the door behind me and pocketing the key. I didn’t look back at him. It would only make me angry. I stormed out of the dungeon and ran upstairs as quickly as I could. In the warmth of the house I marched, grabbing the first couple of youngsters I found.

“You’re to guard the dungeon. If the Master wakes, you inform either myself or the Young Master, and you remained away from the cell when he does. Understood?” I snapped.

The two nodded and scuttled away, leaving me to continue my purposeful walk. Just as I reached the arching main hall where the thick wooden oak entrance doors elegantly stood, Mo called me from behind.

“Susan, where are you going?” She demanded. “It’s only a couple of hours from dawn.”

“I’m going out regardless.” I said firmly.

She frowned, not approving of my idea. “You need to stay in now.”

“I can’t.” I snapped. “I can’t, not while Lucius is the way he is. Not while he’s not him and that bitch is out there, laughing at what she has done.”

Understanding dawned over Mo’s face but her frown remained. “You won’t find her, not without your Matter.”

“I’m trying, Mo.”

Mo paused and scowled, eyeing me carefully. She could see the uselessness in my eyes, the desperation and panic that gnawed in my stomach. She slowly registered that I had to do something even if the result got us nowhere.

She gave in with a soft sigh. “Then go. Just be careful and come back quickly. I don’t want to have to send out a search party for your unconscious body in broad daylight.”

I nodded and bounded outside. It was cold and rain spat lightly from the grey clouds above. I shut the door quietly behind me, glancing at Mo as she watched after me with worry. With the door shut, I wrapped my arms around my chest and set off down the long driveway in the thickening.

The search was fruitless as Mo predicted. I bounded about the city, leaping from roof to roof, constantly scouring the horizon and inhaling the billions of scents. Even as rain fell hard and my ill-fitting clothes clung to my skin and my hair slapped against my face like a whip, I continued to search. I returned to the place Lucius and I were ambushed but found nothing. There was nothing. But I couldn’t give up. I wouldn’t.

But the witch was gone. Standing high on the rooftops, staring down at the city below, I realised this. The witch who had poisoned my mate was gone and, with my current strength, what could I do if I did find her? She was powerful and swift and already proved she was above my current standing in strength. I had to have my Matter to stand on an even footing but Lucius was the only one who could unlock it and he was lost in madness. I couldn’t avenge him the way I was. I needed him back to be able to get the strength I needed and I quietly doubted he would return to me.

Frustration filled me. My fists clenched tightly and my claws lengthened and blood dribbled my hands as they dug deeply into my skin. With black eyes and bared fangs, I breathed heavily. I hated feeling so trapped and useless. But I wouldn’t always be. I would find a way to release my Matter. And once my Matter was with me, I would find her. She wouldn’t be able to hide from me.

And then I would tear her limb from limb for what she had done. I promised Lucius then and there that I would.