Bella:
Time seemed to slow as I watched the life being drained out of Lyra. My eyes didn't leave her for once. She stared into blank space as she screamed from the pain, then suddenly, she shut her mouth with her eyes glued to both Mabel and me. What puzzled me the most was that everyone in the room watched as though it was a normal thing that was supposed to happen, and I looked like the only one who was genuinely worried for Lyra.
As he drained the life out of her, her lips curved into a smile, and I knew at once she had turned back her emotions, allowing the pain in her heart to match the physical pain so she wouldn't feel it. This was her peaceful death, and I felt a tear fall from my eyes as I watched the great Enzo Darkmoore return to life, and Lyra lay on the ground, drained.
I glanced at Mabel to see her watching without a single tear. Her emotions were probably turned off, and I didn't blame her. Lyra had been her friend for a while, and even I, who had only been here for a couple of days, felt bad for her. I couldn't imagine the amount of pain she would be in.
"Feels good to be alive again!" Enzo exclaimed as he got to his feet, and we all glared at the seven-foot man who had the most distinguishing facial features.
He looked charming, and one could easily mistake him for a gentleman, but the stories about him weren't pleasing. This man enslaved the entire werewolves and refused to return power to the wolves when his tenure was over as a vampire. He said wolves were beneath vampires, and he made sure to wipe away the hybrids because he believed they were cursed for having a little wolf blood in them.
"You all are so many," he said with his face scrunched up as he stared at us. Then the entire population in the room got on their knees, and I followed suit.
As we bowed for him, I glanced up slightly to see he was looking at me, causing me to swallow hard.
"You!" My heart flew out of my chest as he said this, because I knew he was referring to me. "Look at me, child!" he ordered, and I looked up.
His gaze remained for a while, then he said the words I dreaded. "Come."
With trembling legs, I got up, walking toward him to meet him. Then he walked around me, sniffing me like I was some dog.
"Do you all know that there is a hybrid amongst you?" he barked, and the entire hall remained silent. "Where is my descendant who was supposed to be in charge of this operation, and why is this hybrid still living?" His hands gripped mine, and I swallowed hard as I watched his eyes, which burned with fury.
His claws dug into my flesh, and streaks of blood dropped from my hand, but he didn't stop digging his hands deeper.
Sue stepped up at once, and from where I was, I could tell she was trembling in fear. Everyone feared this man, and he knew exactly the effect he had on people because he didn't hesitate to show it off.
"She is my link, and she is the great unifier who is supposed to put an end to your reign, but she was wise enough to join us," Sue began, and Enzo let go of me, causing me to whimper in pain. "The wolves hate her, and she is an outcast who has not been able to live her authentic life, but with us, she is a vampire."
Hearing Sue try to defend me felt unreal because I expected her to let Enzo cut me down. He glared at her for a while, stroking his beard. Then he turned to me.
"Very well then, hybrid. You are welcome to join the alliance." I took a deep breath at once, commending myself for surviving so far. "You may return to the crowd," he said, and I turned away at once, standing close to Mabel.
I watched as a man walked up to Lyra, plunging a stake into her heart, and she turned into ashes, disappearing into thin air. My heart remained in my mouth as I watched everyone carry on like that didn't happen. This served as a reminder to me, and I once more woke up to the fact that I was treading on uncharted waters, and anything could happen to me, but I wasn't going to give up easily.
"So, what do you want from us, great vampire king? Do you want an orientation on the plan for the war, or...?"
Enzo held his hands up, and Sue stopped speaking at once.
"What century is this?" he questioned with a brow raised.
"The twenty-first century, and it is the year two thousand and twenty-four," she replied, and he gave a casual nod, sticking his lower lip out.
I tried to study his mannerism, and it didn't look like that of a great vampire king who would kill anyone. He seemed so unserious.
"What is in fashion in this generation?" he asked, and I watched Sue, who was trying so hard to please him. "I need to get out of these clothes. They are what? How many centuries now?"
"About two hundred years?" he questioned, and Sue kept a straight face.
"We can take you for shopping to get something more in fashion if you would like," she said, and Enzo nodded eagerly with a smile on his face.
"I would like that much, and all this talking of taking over the world is making me hungry. I need more blood," he said, and I could literally hear everyone in the crowd swallow hard. "You are safe, hybrid, because I have something for you already." My body relaxed further, but the look in Sue's eyes said otherwise.
It was as though she was signaling to me not to trust Enzo, but why would she do that?
"With that, this meeting is further adjourned. I will send for all of you when I need you. For now, I need to fit into this town and enjoy being alive for the first time in years," he said, and then everyone got up.
That was when I noticed I was the only one who had been standing beside Sue and Enzo. The room began to empty out, and I followed suit. Mabel rushed through the crowd of people, making it back to her room, slamming the door.
I went after her, opening the door to see her face planted on her pillow. She let out a muffled cry, and I shut the door, walking up to her. At first, I was silent because I did not know if I should speak yet or allow her to feel what she was feeling. I was right; she had turned off her emotions, and now she was feeling every single thing at once. My heart ached seeing her that way.
"That fool had to die. I warned her to stop saying she wanted death, but she wouldn't listen. The universe hears, and now it has granted her wish," she said in between tears. Then she punched her hands into the pillow really hard. "She is foolish, and I shouldn't be crying for her!"
I took a deep breath, sitting on the bed. Then I inched closer to her, stroking her back for a moment. She turned at once, and I took my hands away. Then she lay there, staring into the ceiling.
"It is not your fault, Mabel, and Lyra is probably in a better place." Mabel glanced at me when I said this. "I mean, she wouldn't tell us what exactly she had bottled up in her heart, and seeing her clash with her emotional pain with the physical one made her happy as she died. You saw the look on her face when she was going," I said. Then she covered her eyes with her hands.
My heart ached more, and I threw a hand across her shoulder, pulling her closer with her head resting on my thighs.
"You are a good friend, Mabel. Honestly, I was waiting for you to rat me out about the phone incident, but you didn't. Then I realized Lyra was just your actual friend, and that was why you told her," I said, rubbing her shoulders gently. "Lyra is happy to have had you as her friend, and one day we all will be together when it is our time. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't cry. Feel the hurt. It is better that way, because that is what makes you stronger."
My words were more to me than to her because, truly, I had been through a lot. What led me to this operation was to avenge my mother's death, and I will not stop until I get to it.