3. November, 11 am
The low hum of the fridge droned like a restless mosquito in my ears, the sound sharper than it had any right to be. I clenched my jaw willing myself to ignore it but it cut through my thoughts like a dull blade, grating and constant.
It used to be a background hum I barely noticed just a month ago, but now...
Now it was maddening. A vibration crawling under my skin. Proof of the heightened senses I never asked for.
I sat cross-legged on the floor, tracing patterns on the dusty surface. The lightbulb, right above me, buzzed just as irritatingly as the fridge. The ticking of the clock in another room just added to the chaos in my ears.
"Was it always this loud?" I muttered under my breath.
Charlie, seated on the sofa, glanced at me over the rim of his glass. "What, the fridge?"
"It's taunting me. How do you live with this?" My hand wiped the map I was unconsciously drawing in the dust.
Charlie smirked, his expression tinged with pity. "You get used to it. Eventually, it'll all blend together. Or you'll learn to tune it out."
"It's like my head's been stuffed full of static ever since I turned."
"Welcome to the club," Charlie said with a dry chuckle, draining the last of his drink. "It only gets worse."
I sighed wishing I could drown out the noise the way Charlie drowned himself in alcohol.
Cora paced around, cradling her swollen belly. She looked tired, her eyes dulled by the sleepless nights. The weight of her pregnancy seemed to press down on her more with each passing day.
"She's not going to make it like this." I glanced back at him. "She's human. Pregnant. We can't keep running and hiding forever."
"She needs to rest," Charlie cut in, equally quiet but sharper in tone. "Not you plotting to send her back to him."
"I'm not plotting," I argued. "I'm considering options. You've seen her. She's worn out. She barely eats, she's constantly stressed, and I don't-" I exhaled sharply, "I don't know how much more she can take."
"And you think handing her back to the vampire who got her into this mess is the answer?" His eyes narrowed. "Real heroic of you."
"He's the only one who might be able to protect her and the baby. He has resources. Power. Things we don't."
"And what's the cost of that protection?" The vampire shot back, his voice low, laced with venom. "Her freedom? Her dignity? Or do you think he's suddenly going to grow a conscience and treat her like a person?"
"I can't say I know him well, but I do know that he wouldn't hurt her. She said so herself that he treated her well."
He poured another glass of wine and took a slow sip before responding. "You think she'd agree to it?"
I shook my head. "I already asked her, she rejected it."
"Nothing you can do then."
I look back at her. Dismissing her decision is the last thing I would do but she can't stay here. The baby can't be delivered here. She needs proper care and as scary as he is, Calius is a doctor.
"If I cant take her to him, I'll just bring him to her."
Charlie cough as he choked on his wine. He straightened up as he put the glass on the table quickly glancing at Cora who was still not paying attention to us. "Have you lost your mind? You can't just go and bring a member of the royal family in my house. First of all he might kill you on the sight if you approach him, second of all, he will kill me if he sees me near Cora." He wisper-yells at me.
"Why would he kill you? Do you know him personally?" I wonder.
"We had a disagreement that ended badly. Let's just say I'm not his favorite person." He mumbled.
"Was it trully that bad?"
"Remember when I told you that I lost my lover to a noble?" He took a sip.
I nod.
"She married his brother, Leroi. That night I had a bit much to drink so to stop me from causing a scene, Calius took me outside. I was emotional and drunk so I pushed him away. One thing led to another and, well..."
This all happened after Cora and I left. If Leroi did get married that could mean my sister got a new master.
I tried to hold myself back, not to ask. He was telling his story after all, there was no room for me and my feelings at this moment but my mouth opened and before I could stop myself-"Was Luise there?"
He looked at me, confusion visible in his eyes. "Of course she was at the wedding."
Right. That was a stupid question. "I mean, how did she look? Was she happy? Sad? Did she cry? What kind of dress did she wear? Did she have a new pet?" I rambled as I could not stop myself from asking about her. I wanted to know so badly.
Luise wasn't just a memory; she was in my veins, her presence a current that refused to ebb, no matter how far away she was.
Her scent lingered in my mind, rich and intoxicating, like rain-soaked earth and wildflowers crushed underfoot. It haunted me, filling my lungs with the phantom promise of her, sharp and sweet. I craved it with a desperation that bordered on madness, an ache that clawed at me from the inside out.
I often thought of her touch-how it had burned and soothed me all at once. Her hands, cold and soft, had traced my skin like she was mapping something sacred, as if I were a scripture only she could read.
He shrugged. "I don't remember. It was not her I was looking at."
I got up and headed towards the door. "I'll be back as soon as possible. Make sure Cora is presentable when I return."
Charlie stood up, glaring at me. "You can't possibly think about bringing him here."
"He won't lay a finger on you. I'll make sure of it." I walked out, leaving all the buzzing and ticking behind me.
I put my hands deep inside the pockets of the winter jacket I borrowed from Charlie. The same hands that had once held hers, once felt the steady pull of her touch as if her very presence had gravity.
My legs carried me as quickly as they could as the cold winter air bit into my skin.
I couldn't sit idle anymore, couldn't keep pacing the floorboards of Charlie's home, waiting for the inevitable. She was breaking-I saw it in the way her shoulders sagged, the way her hands trembled when she thought no one was looking. She wouldn't last much longer in their borrowed safety, and the thought terrified me.
More than anything Calius or Charlotte could do combined.
Her giving birth surrounded by two vampires who never even patched a wound let alone delivered a baby. Not to mention the insatiable thirst for blood. She would be doomed with us.
The wind howled louder, almost as if it was trying to stop me, but I pressed on. I imagined Calius's face when I show up unannounced, the arrogance and disdain that would possibly greet me. It didn't matter. I would ask for his help, plead if I have to. But I doubt that will be the case.
I had been moving for what felt like an eternity. The day had come and gone, the pale winter sun sinking below the horizon hours ago, but I didn't stop. I didn't need to. My legs carried me forward with relentless determination, my steps steady despite the icy terrain.
As a human, my body would've failed me by now-my muscles cramping, lungs burning, fatigue dragging me to the ground. But that was all a distant memory.
Now, even after a full day of pushing through snow and frostbitten winds, I didn't feel tired.
There was a faint ache in my limbs, a ghost of weariness I knew would've crippled once. But now it was nothing more than an echo, a reminder of the human limitations I had left behind. My new body-the cursed body-was stronger, faster, unyielding in ways I was still struggling to accept.
I hate it. Hate how unnatural it felt, how the absence of exhaustion didn't come as relief but as a cruel reminder of what I had become. There was no break in the tension in my muscles, no sweet release of rest calling to me. Only the constant, unrelenting drive forward, like a machine that didn't know when to stop.
But for once, I was grateful for it. Grateful that my body could keep going, that my legs wouldn't betray me when Cora's life depended on me reaching Calius. The wind tore at my jacket, the snow numbed my skin, but the cold barely registered. It prickled, sure, but it couldn't bite into me the way it once did. Another reminder of what I had lost.
Ahead, looming against the dark sky, was the silhouette of the castle. Its towering spires stretched high, like jagged claws reaching for the heavens, and its stone walls stood imposing and cold, like a fortress of forgotten time. It was so close now-closer than I'd dared to believe.
I know what I came here for but I couldn't shake the guilt of leaving my sister behind. If I can find her, then I can bring her with me to safety. If she's still alive, that is.
Right, my sister and Calius. That's all I'm here for. Nothing else. I will not sacrifice everyone else just to go see Luise, no matter how much I miss her.
The stone walls of the castle were cold to the touch, my senses honed to the slightest noise. The creak of the snow beneath my boots made my heart skip a beat, but I forced himself to keep going, each step calculated, precise.
I reached the back door, a heavy wooden thing, reinforced with iron and aged by years of use. It creaked slightly as I turned the handle, but the lock gave way with little resistance. My heart pounded louder in his chest, a rhythmic beat that seemed to echo in his ears.
I whispered to myself. "Just Calius and Lina. Don't get distracted."
I slipped inside, careful not to disturb anything. The kitchen was large and sprawling, old wooden shelves filled with dusty jars and pots. The faint light of a flickering candle cast long shadows along the stone floor, making it harder to see into every corner.
"Aster and Lina." I repeated as I took a turn in the hallway leading to Luise's room.