(Amaia)

(The Chapter contains sensitive material like assault. Reader discretion is advised.)

The nearer my feet carry me to Rigel’s room, the more dread occupies my heart. It’s like plummeting into an ocean of hopelessness—as being sucked into an abyss of bleakness, which is stripping me of every happy thought that I possess.

It’s foreboding, similar to the angst I had also felt in that dungeon.

But, I am not going to give up, not today. My feet become sluggish; similar to wading through a quagmire, which drains not only your energy, but also your joy and your very will to live.

Dragging myself forward, I reach outside his door and push it open, using every bit of strength left in my body.

My eyes can’t believe the sight I witness. Rigel is on the floor, writhing in pain. His body spasms as if his whole body is on fire.

SCREAMING...

Why can’t anyone hear him?

My heart trembles at the painful hisses that leave my mate. Every instinct screams to protect him.

"Rigel!" His name is snatched from my mouth.

A cloaked figure stands over him with a hood drawn to cover the face.

I don’t think, I just yank my necklace away from my neck, to blast whoever that bastard is. He is hurting my mate.

Split second and my hands whoosh through the air, gathering every element I can think of. The air vibrates around me, creating a bluish white vortex that I hurl towards the figure.

It doesn’t connect fully, the thick black mist that had the figure surrounded cushions the attack and yet it is strong enough to hurl that asshole back and collide with the window.

~Thwack~

The glass shatters, sending the pieces flying. The hood flies away and I see the familiar face. The ground shifts from under my feet once again.

The crooked smile, the evil intent, the darkened eyes.

"Enjoy your time with your mate. Let’s see if he kills you first or if your other mates kill him. You dare tell anyone, I will end his life in a second. Not only him but Saiph too and you will never find the truth behind him."

The figure changes into shadows and right in front of my eyes, flies away into the dark night like wreaths.

No, this can’t be. I shake my head, hoping to wake up but I don’t.

This is reality and I have just witnessed who Rigel’s tormentor is. Who has cursed him and kept him in a dungeon for 19 years?

I move, my eyes drift towards Rigel on the floor and I rush to gather him in my arms.

"Rigel," I painfully whisper, brushing away his dark hair from his face and forehead.

His body is shaking so violently, his eyes closed.

"I am here, you are safe." I wrap my arms around him, hugging him to my chest, giving him my warmth and assurance.

Slowly he opens his eyes and his gaze finds me. My breath gets stuck when I see his eyes.

Bloodlust and rage reflect back at me. The colour is so intense carmine as if the very blood has seeped into them. And yet there is an unimaginable pain in the depths of his irises.

"I am sorry....Amaia...I can’t stop," he hardly mumbles when his tongue twists and his hand, which has always been gentle, roughly grabs my transformed hair. He yanks them with such force, jerking my head backwards and exposing my neck to him.

A low hiss escapes me.

He is not in his senses. He is under the influence of what the serpent did to him.

His teeth elongate and with a feral ferociousness, he digs them into my exposed skin.

He doesn’t only drink, he tears apart my flesh, eliciting a muffled scream from me.

His other hand roughly holds my neck, the sharpness of his nails digs into the other side of my neck, piercing the skin and drawing blood.

"Ri...g.." I can’t even speak as I try to set my neck free. But the force he is using is inhuman and I am not going to use my powers against him. Never.

His nails are digging deeper, ripping open my neck and the pain makes my body shake. The tears gather in my eyes.

I know this is going to hurt him more than it will hurt me once he gains his senses.

I feel dizzy, and the pain is unbearable. Trying to speak, no sound comes out as I struggle to set myself free.

Rigel has an iron grip. He is a vampire and without using my powers, I am merely a human. If it had been someone else, I would try a different tactic but my mind is going blank thinking about everything I have witnessed.

When I think I am going to pass out from the blood loss, the door is hurled open. The combined scents of Alnilam and Saiph hit me. They barge inside and my pleading eyes collide with their horror-struck ones.

Alnilam’s hair elongates and wraps around me, pulling me while Saiph dives to capture Rigel and jerk him away from me.

His sharp teeth leave my skin as Saiph captures him in his buffed arms.

"No, no," Alnilam snatches me with all his might, separating us and I am pulled into his embrace.

Rigel’s snarls I hear as my hooded eyes find him and he struggles against Saiph. His eyes have upturned, whited out meaning Saiph has him trapped in a nightmare. His shadows have deflated as if given up.

"No, do...n’t hurt h...him," I gurgle, feeling Alnilam’s hair around my neck, keeping pressure to lessen the blood loss.

"Amaia! Amaia!" Alnilam’s soft voice has my head turning towards his extremely worried face.

"Heal yourself, you are losing too much blood." He gently holds me, his hands find my face, urging me to look at him. There is nothing but pain on his face.

"Please, heal yourself," he urgently asks again.

I know he is right, at least the wound will close.

Merging all my healing magic into my hands, I concentrate and press them against my neck.

Self-healing, before I faint in Alnilam’s arms.