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THE NIGHTMARE Chapter 101
“I propose a truce,” Rafael said after a few minutes of silence, “For Mirela’s sake at least.”I extended my right hand to grasp his firmly.“I accept.”I jolted back to the present and saw that Mirela was already asleep. She was smiling in her sleep and looked peaceful. I reached out a hand to cup her face and she fluttered her eyes open.“Vale,” she murmured, “I’m glad that you are both finally getting along.”I leaned in and kissed her lightly on the lips.“Rest, my love. We will resume our search in an hour or less.”We stood in front of a dark and hollow cavern. My body trembled as we grew closer to the entrance, and I nervously followed behind Valerian. I had my arm twisted around his as I buried my face behind his shoulder.“Aleksei is down here. Be prepared. Keep your eyes open,” Valerian demanded as we crossed the archway of the cave.Water was dripping from the top of the cave causing my shoes to become drenched. A cold breeze blew through the tunnel with a terrifying whistl
THE NIGHTMARE Chapter 102
“Where is Aleksei?” I growled dangerously.“Safe.”I sat up straight. “I’ve been inside your head. I know you plan on betraying Dragos. Don’t test me, Alma, I will not ask you again.”At the mention of the King, I had caught a flash of fear as it passed through her face. Now she narrowed her eyes at me and frowned. She had probably realised that if she gave up Aleksei, she would have no leverage left. Nothing to bargain with. She pursed her lips and was thinking fast. I watched her closely.“He is right outside this room,” she said. “I cloaked him with a spell when I sensed him coming.” She gave a nod in Valerian’s direction.I nodded. “You will uncloak him and we will take him with us when we leave. But before we get to that, tell me about the Emerald Tablets. What are they really?”She looked amused as she shook her head and said, “You mean you don’t know?”I replied to her question with another of my own. “Who made them?”She rolled her eyes sky-high. Like she was saying, “here we
THE NIGHTMARE Chapter 103
Alma smacked her tongue shamefully. “I hate that I wasted such precious dark magic on someone that I have no use for.” She rolled her eyes.“You said you would set him free!” I snapped as I rose to my feet and angrily engulfed a ball of fire in my palm.She waved her finger at me. “No, I said I would uncloak him.”My heart sputtered out of control. I should have known Alma would have tricked us and manipulated us into getting what she wanted. I couldn’t allow Aleksei to be trapped there. Since Alma had no use for him, she would most likely kill him. My brother deserved to live. Everything started with him being sick and being near death, and now he was near death again. All those years and all that fighting couldn’t have been for nothing.My sorrowful eyes analyzed the curves of my brother’s face. He was deep in a coma and unaware of everything that was going on around him. I inhaled a deep breath and then blasted my spirit into his mind. I appeared in the mists of a blizzard storm. T
THE NIGHTMARE Chapter 104
I shook my head and tried to convince myself that he had to be wrong.“This is bigger than you and I, now,” Valerian said in resignation. “The truth is that you are our last chance of defeating Dragos and putting an end to all this. And if I have to give myself up to see that done, so be it.”Alma had been holding onto Aleksei all this while and she had been watching our reactions closely. She looked equal parts amused and bored at our exchange. Just before I launched another plea at Valerian, she interjected with a low hum.The song she hummed to sounded dark and as she steadily increased her tempo, the air seemed to come alive. I heard the fluttering of wings somewhere to the right and to the left, echoes of her hum reverberated intensely. Rafael and Valerian looked at each other and tried to communicate without speaking. My eyes were locked onto Alma’s who began to cackle at our obvious discomfort.“I’m glad that now I finally have your attention.” She smirked. “As entertaining as
THE NIGHTMARE Chapter 105
“I’m just worried about you. I don’t want you to be trapped for the sake of me,” I whispered before I kissed the back of his arm.He exhaled through his nose as he glanced over his shoulder at me. “Don’t you get it by now? I will do anything for you. I would give up my life if it ensured you would live forever.” He turned around and embraced me in his arms. “I can handle whatever Alma throws at me.”I deeply sighed as I buried my face into his chest. “I will stand by you through it all,” I promised.He pinched my chin and lifted my lips to his. He gently kissed me, and I melted from his taste. Our souls collided together as my heart filled with the warmth of his love. I wished that we could just go back home and live our lives quietly together, but there were still more issues for us to face in the near future. Those problems that we faced concerning the King were not over yet. We still had a major battle before us and, if we lost, the world would end.Suddenly, Valerian quickly relea
THE NIGHTMARE Chapter 106
I pulled her to me and I kissed her on the lips. Slowly at first, and then more intensely as I deepened the kiss. I felt her initial surprise fall away as she opened her mouth and let me in. I kissed her with all the fears and worries I felt, hoping that underneath all that, she would feel the steady flow of my love and eternal devotion to her. I kissed her breathless. Like I would never kiss her again.When our lips finally drew apart, I held her face in my palms. “Mire, please remember this. You have nothing to worry about. If Dragos ever took hold of my mind, you would always have my heart. I swear this on my love for you.”Despite Vale’s words, I still walked towards Dragos’ lair with a heavy heart. I knew that whatever we would face, we would do it together, but his words weren’t as comforting as he thought they should be. I tightened my grip on his arm.“What should I expect of the lair?” I asked. Vale’s hand tightened on mine. He took a moment to answer, and I watched the pensi
THE NIGHTMARE Chapter 107
Dragos sat leisurely, one leg crossed over the other, swirling a goblet of blood like it was a fine wine.Valerian knelt before Dragos’s throne and bowed so low that his forehead touched the floor. He had gone completely silent once we passed the army of vampires outside. And now Valerian was so still that he could have been a kneeling statue. “Is this a sire-bond thing?” I thought. Well if it was, I wanted no part in it. I decided right then that I would not be bowing down before the tyrant whose blood flowed through my veins. I folded my hands across my chest, raised my chin high, and stood facing the man who had raped my mother. Once I made my decision, I sensed Valerian reaching out to my mind through our bond. He prodded and nudged the thoughts in my head apart gently until he secured the space he needed to plant his.“Mire,” he said inside my head, “please don’t do this. Kneel down and bow to Dragos. It’s only a bow my love, think of it as respect for his position. It doesn’t ha
THE NIGHTMARE Chapter 108
The world went dark, whether for moments or eons, I did not know. I tried to open my eyes, but I couldn’t as a sharp pain stabbed through my head. I lay there for a few seconds more before trying to open my eyes again. I assessed what had happened.I had crashed into a fluted marble pillar, and it felt as if my ribs were cracked. Breathing caused pain throughout my torso. I was still seeing spots and had the wind knocked out of me. I lay on the floor for a little while, still in a daze. I could hear a chorus of laughter from the King’s audience. I looked up from where I lay and found Valerian. His eyes were riveted to me, and his face was a rictus of anger.“Valerian,” I gasped, wiping blood from my mouth, “please help me.” I could feel his angst and his despair as he struggled against his sire bond with the king. The effort he was putting in was easily felt through my bond to him. He was doing everything in his power to reach me, but he couldn’t. I felt guilt and remorse as he apolog
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- THE NIGHTMARE
Chapter 121
[APPRECIATION]Dear Readers, I aspired to be a writer for a significant portion of my life.It began when I was a young child. When I first started writing, I began to realize the power of words. I can recall those early days. From sonnets to brief tales, I started to string words together, making my craft gradually Even then, I realized how deeply words could connect with other people's experiences and how validating that could be.I began to write more as I got older. I wrote poetry and short stories in journal after journal. I spent every spare moment jotting down my thoughts on napkins and torn notebook pages. I was courageous in offering my work to other people, and it seemed like I could write constantly.The shift started in college. I had little time for anything other than studying and working full-time as a college student. My writing ceased gradually. I switched from undergraduate to graduate school and increased my work responsibilities.I wed someone. I had a family. Beca
- THE NIGHTMARE
Chapter 120
“Guys, we can hear you from the reception room,” they said.We both jumped and then we burst out in laughter. Valerian lowered me to my feet, grinned like a little boy, and kissed my birthday. He danced as he dressed in his tux and he blew me a kiss before he left.“I’ll see you downstairs, Mire. Hurry down, we’ve got some unfinished business.”I sat naked for a few more minutes and thought of the turn my life had taken. Dragos was gone, I was about to marry the man I loved, and we already had a baby on the way. I giggled in delight, hopped off the bed, and started to get dressed.I walked down the stairs ten minutes later and was delighted to find the staircase decorated with flowers. Rafael was going to give me away, and he smiled when he saw me coming down. I held my flowers with my left hand and extended my right to him.“Are you ready to become our new Vampire Queen?” he asked.I smiled as I hooked my arm around his. “I have never felt more alive. Or more ready, Rafael.”Rafael g
- THE NIGHTMARE
Chapter 119
[Epilogue]2 MONTHS LATERMy wedding dress was draped over the armchair next to the window. The curtains were drawn slightly and Valerian’s tux had been folded away neatly into the top drawer in our room. There were representatives of the twelve most powerful vampire covens downstairs, and the witches took quiet tours of our home as they waited for the ceremony to begin.I lay naked on the bed, wearing only my diamond ring and bridal garter. Valerian’s head was buried in between my legs. My head fell back on the pillow and I cupped my left breast, rolling the nipple around with perfectly manicured fingers. Valerian was stark naked and his tongue pushed in deeper with each moan that escaped my lips.I looked down my belly and I met his eyes. They glinted wickedly as Valerian thrust his tongue in deeper. I fell back to the bed, grabbed the bedsheets with both hands and arched my back. Valerian pushed me to the edge, brought me back, and pushed me right back. My hair stuck to the sweat o
- THE NIGHTMARE
Chapter 118
The thought was a balm for my grief. For a long while, I just rested in Ivan’s arms, tears soaking what was left of his torn and bloody clothes. I felt him crying too.“There feels like something is missing from me,” Ivan confessed.“Me too,” I said. “I feel like I will never again be whole, despite this power that flows through me.”I turned around. “Thank you for everything you suffered for me. I know you went through a lot. How are your hands?” He raised them to show her that the wounds he received from the spear were still not healed.“I can help you with that,” I said, and took his hands in mine. I closed my eyes and once again accessed the power that felt like an inferno in my body. I rubbed the wounds, and they slowly closed under my touch.I then focused on his other wounds. I sent waves of my healing power flowing through his whole body. I saw other cuts and scrapes close. His cheeks also regained their colour.“Thank you,” Ivan said. “One rogue stabbed me in my side. I thoug
- THE NIGHTMARE
Chapter 117
I glared at Dragos and he gave me a cocky smile. I gave him the same smile right back. I was going to defeat this Vampire King, one way or another.I let all the anger and hate I felt for Dragos flow through my body and into the Emerald Tablet. I felt my bond with Valerian fading away, and the fear of losing him threatening to split my soul in two. I tried to steady my nerves as I locked my eyes on Dragos’.His smirk was gone now, his arms suspended directly above his armour where it hung, as if he couldn’t decide between letting it hang there or picking it up to wear it again. He looked worried and concerned as he looked around him. He might have sensed that I was connecting to the Emerald Tablets, but I didn’t think he knew that I was harnessing the One Power. I was stealing his dream from right in front of him, and the thought warmed me.I felt the energy I had directed to the Emerald Tablet flood back into my body. It started in my fingertips and didn’t stop until it had spread to
- THE NIGHTMARE
Chapter 116
I looked around to see if anyone around me could help. I saw Ivan out of the corner of my eye, fighting some invisible force, as was Rafael. They appeared pinned where they stood, with Ivan having a sword in hand poised to pierce someone, but he wasn’t moving. Rafael looked like he was running towards me, but his feet seemed glued to the floor. Both were totally unable to help Vale and I. Still the witches’ chanting continued, and I knew they were responsible for holding my two friends in place.Was there a way I could stop the witches? I looked around for anything to help. There were no weapons nearby, except for the sword piercing Valerian’s heart. I was too afraid of pulling it out. I figured that would only make his blood loss increase, causing him to die quicker.I looked back towards Ivan and Rafael. Rafael met my eyes, and I could sense that he still cared for and loved me. He had tried his hardest to defend me, but that plot also failed. I felt hopeless and leaned back over Va
- THE NIGHTMARE
Chapter 115
I focused on the faces of Valerian’s soldiers who I had grown to love. I focused on the clashing of their swords and the flood of relief I had felt when Rafael barged into the room with those familiar faces behind him. I focused on Ivan and Balrus, but most of all I let my love for Valerian well up in my mind. Like a cool stream of water, I felt it pool up and gently flow through my head, seizing my mind power back from the spells being cast by the witches. I couldn’t reach out to Valerian through our bond. Something or someone seemed to be blocking our connection, but I wasn’t worried. I knew that whatever spell that was, it could only last for so long. “Once I end Dragos’ life,” I thought, “this sandstorm will clear and everything else will return to normal.”I regained control of my thoughts and I instantly began to feel better. My senses opened up once more, and I was able to fully sense the movement all around me. Someone ran past me, knocking their shoulders into mine, and I was
- THE NIGHTMARE
Chapter 114
Dragos looked down at his armour angrily. He had likely paid a pretty penny for that armour or, more likely, he had stolen it. It might be ornate, but it did its job. I could not get any successful body shots in. Neither I, nor Valerian and Ivan, had armour on, so we were much more vulnerable to his attacks, and Dragos knew it.I assessed the room. Valerian was finally rising from the ground and was readying himself to begin attacking his sire again. Ivan was leaning heavily on the marble platform I had been laying on. Too much blood loss. I am not sure how I did it, but I sent a wave of energy to both Valerian and Ivan and watched them perk up in seconds. Both stood straighter and their eyes glistened with uncontrolled rage.Valerian began approaching Dragos at a run, but Dragos merely raised his hand and said, “Stop, Valerian.” And, against his will, he was once again under mind control. But I could feel he was defeating it through our mind link. He was focusing on me in his mind. I
- THE NIGHTMARE
Chapter 113
The vampire fell, clutching at his chest as he struggled to breathe.“Thank you,” I said, my voice overwhelmed with gratitude. “you just saved my life.”Ivan flashed me his signature smile and shrugged. “That was nothing, you would do the same thing for me.”We stood back to back and watched the vampire guards box us in a circle. Somewhere in the background, I heard Valerian and Dragos grunting and hitting each other brutally. I didn’t turn around to see, there were about sixteen vampires surrounding Ivan and I, so I couldn’t afford the distraction.One of them suddenly ran towards Ivan. The guy went to step around him, his arm stretched out, trying to grab me. “Let him go!” I screamed.I shot out flames in the shapes of little daggers and I aimed it right. I hit him in the temple, causing him to bounce off the wall and drop like a puppet with its strings cut.Ivan turned to the vampire nearest to the fallen guy. “This is your final chance. Pick up your trash and leave. Or don’t, and
