Chapter 61: Chapter 61

61 Chapter 61 : Shadowless

Julia rose from the little bed of her cell when she heard a door opening followed by slow heavy footsteps. She moved slowly towards the cell bars and stopped when prince Nathaniel came into view.

“Julia..” the handsome prince spoke. He pulled a chair that was usually used by whoever was guarding the black tower and sat down on it, looking sternly at the green eyed woman.

“How do you know my name?”

Nathan leaned forward and smirked tauntingly, “I have my ways of getting information.” He responded, “by the way, ‘Julie’ not a very good alias, you’re not very sharp are you? Typical of dwarves.”

“What are you talking about?” Julia felt uneasy around Nathaniel, he had a certain aura that just screamed ‘dangerous’. He was very intimidating yet very alluring.

Nathaniel tossed the book he was holding towards Julia, “who knew I’d get so much information from a mere children’s book.”

Hesitantly, Julia picked the book and peered inside it, “what exactly am I supposed to be looking at here?”

“A brief history of your people Julia,” Nathaniel responded, “tell me dwarve, have you noticed anything strange about yourself lately, any physical changes? Strange abilities?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

.....

*Oh but I think you do*

Julia jumped back and gasped when she heard Nathaniel’s words echo in her head. This was similar to what had happened with Ella last time, what was going on?

“Who are you?” Julia stammered nervously, what in the world was going on here? Was this sorcery? Or something else completely.

“I am the person whose going to liberate all our races,” Nathan responded casually, “and you’re the little stubborn dwarve whose delaying that.”n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

“I don’t under-”

“You see Julia, you and I are nothing like these lowly humans, we’re from far greater races. The reason you could read my mind just now,” Natha leaned back on the chair, “it’s because you’re a dwarve and I’m a lycan.”

Ella furrowed her brows, “are you trying to make fun of my height?”

Nathaniel rolled his eyes, “you’re straying from the point. Julia I need you to awaken, take grasp of your true form, because only then will I have the numbers I need to overrun this continent. We don’t have much time.” The silver haired prince stood up and pushed the chair back to its original position. “Time is ticking dwarve, our people are counting on us. The sooner you realize that, the sooner I release you from this place, so please cooperate.”

“You can’t keep me here!” Julia yelled, “someone is going to come for me.”

“I’m counting on that..” Nathan responded as he walked away. Leaving Julia puzzled and with a mouthful of questions.

The green eyed woman opened the book and read through the pages. There was a whole chapter about dwarves, Nathaniel had consistently called her one, maybe this was a clue to something bigger.

*

It was a whole hour till Zander returned to the inn with an elderly man who carried with him a small sling bag over his shoulder. The whole group had been anxiously waiting to get a second opinion on what was going on with the redhead, especially Adam who was pacing the lounge nervously. He knew it sounded selfish but he’d rather Ella was sick than pregnant for that bastard Nathaniel Aldos.

Ella was equally nervous, her bleeding wasn’t yet due, but she had been with Nathaniel a week ago, so was there a possibility she had conceived?

“I searched the entire town,” Zander explained, “and I was told his the best physician they have for miles, hopefully he’ll be able to figure out what’s wrong with lady Ella.”

The elderly man made his way to the beautiful red head and studied the woman closely, “is it possible to get a little privacy?”

“Yes, we have a room,” Adam responded and led the phycian towards he and Ella’s room form the small lounge.

Ella sat down on the bed when they reached the room and Adam sat on a chair across from her, praying with all his heart to whatever gods were out there that she was not pregnant.

“Are you comfortable with him being around?” The physician spoke as he pointed at Adam.

Ella looked at Adam who was looking back at her nervously, “yes it’s fine,” she responded, “I trust him.”

“Alright,” the man inched closer to Ella and took her hand, feeling her pulse and noting it down on small piece of paper. He then grabbed a small circular glass object, tilted Ella’s head up and used it to inspect her eyes. He did a number of tests, some of which made Adam a little uncomfortable, he didn’t like Ella being touched so carelessly by a man. The only little comfort he had was that the man was old enough to be their grandfather.

After about thirty minutes of checking her pulse, her temperature and other vitals, the physician put down his tool and held his chin while looking at Ella.

“What is it? Did you figure out what’s wrong with her?” Adam blurted out, he was very eager to know what was going on to the woman he loved.

“I’m afraid I’m not suited to tell what exactly is wrong with her, if at all there is something wrong,” the man spoke thoughtfully.

“What do you mean? she’s freezing cold, her appetite is off the charts and her lips-” Adam paused and looked at Ella, “is she pregnant?”

The physician stood up and shook his head, much to Adam’s relief, he didn’t know what he would have done if she was carrying Nathaniel’s child. That silver haired bastard would have used it as leverage to keep her for himself.

“What did you mean when you said you’re not suited to know what’s wrong with me?” Ella asked the elderly man, she was also relieved she was not pregnant but now she was worried about what was happening to her. She had felt this way before, only this time she didn’t feel as cold, but it was the same sensation nonetheless, she was afraid of the worst.

“Am I dying?” Ella asked the man flatly, making Adam’s breath hitch.

“Ella.. don’t say something like that,” Adam spoke to her, worry and fear lacing his words.

“I’m not best suited to tell if you if you’re six or not because I am more inclined with working with humans,” the physician explained

Ella and Adam exchanged confused glances.

“What is that supposed to mean?” Adam asked, “are you trying to say Ella isn’t human?”

“I’m not trying to say it, I am saying it,” the man responded, “I thought that’s something that you were already aware of.” Seeing the confused faces on the two the man realized they truly had no idea. “This woman here is a nosferatu,” the man explained, “the people best suited to treat someone like her would most likely be found in the shires near the snow lands.”

“A nosferatu?” Adam asked the man as he looked at Ella

“And you’re not human either,” the man added on, “I’ve treated a few half breeds like you over the years. So I’m quite familiar with the ailments of elven blood. Not so much with nosferatu.”

The physician packed his things and looked at the pair, it was strange that they didn’t know what they were. Isn’t that why they were heading to the enchanted forest?

“Well what I can tell you is that the consistent hunger is because she probably hasn’t fed in a long time,” the man explained, “you may want to deal with that first while you try and find a more skilled physician to take a look at her.”

“But I have been eating,” Ella spoke out, “a little more than usual actually.”

The physician took a deep breath, wow, she really had no idea about what she was did she? “Young lady,” the man said calmly, “what you hunger isn’t food, it’s life essence, you need a dose of it every once in a while to keep your strength and health.” He threw his bag over his shoulder as he explained, “that is the way of the nosferatu, the way of the vampires.”

And with those words the man turned around and exited the room, leaving both Ella and Adam wide eyed and completely dumbfounded.

“Did he just say... vampire?” Ella stammered

Adam made his way to the blue eyed woman and rubbed her shoulders gently, “I’m sure he doesn’t know what he’s talking about Ella don’t listen to him.”

Ella pursed her lips and looked down at her lap. She had read about vampires in old fairy tale books, dark creatures of the night who fed on the life essence of other living creatures to sustain their own. They had pale skin that was cold to the touch, no reflection, cast no shadows and had a deathly frailty when exposed to silver.

The silver theory checked out, her cold skin did as well, and there was a time she had witnessed her reflection vanishing before her very eyes. Could it be?

She stood up and walked weakly towards the window. The light was pouring beautifully through it and it was ideal to cast a vivid shadow of anything placed in its path. Ella stopped a few inches from the light and took a deep breath, if she stood in that spot and cast no shadow, everything the old physician had said would be true.

Adam stood up and watched her step into the light that poured in through the window and noticed her expression turn dark quickly. He walked to her and grabbed her arms, afraid she might faint. “Ella, what happened?”

“He was right,” Ella spoke in a low cracking voice, “I am a vampire.”

“How are you so sure? That man is probably out of his mind.”

Ella pointed at the floor and Adam turned to look, he almost jumped in shock when he saw his shadow on the wooden floor, alone, Ella’s was no where to be seen.

“It can’t be,” Adam spoke. He looked at Ella who looked petrified and pulled her into his embrace, gently stroking her hair. “I don’t care what you are Ella,” he whispered lovingly and planted a kiss on her forehead, “my feelings for you will never change.”