Alpha Bennet, seemingly oblivious to the charged atmosphere, interrupts the silent exchange. 'So, this vampire king here let all these dark creatures loose to kill everyone hundreds of years ago?'
'According to the stories I've heard,' Yiselda begins, 'he was once a magnificent king until he sought revenge after losing his blood flame, Juniper, to humans. She was a witch and was burned at the stake hours only after Alec and Juniper met.'
A gasp escapes me as I stare solemnly at Alec. Yiselda shoots me an uncertain glance, and I catch Ela and Ria exchanging a peculiar look in response to my reaction. Disregarding them, I return my gaze to Alec, sensing the pain the recounting of the story inflicts upon him.
As Yiselda unfolds the tale for Alpha Bennet, the weight of history bears down on me. She narrates with a gravitas that captures the attention of everyone present.
'Forth of vengeance, Alec summoned Shadow Reapers and Grimghouls, ordering all vampires to slay humans. Werewolves tried to defend humans, attacking vampires before they reached human territories. Thousands of werewolves perished, and the vampires were winning. That's when the witches intervened. They harnessed their collective power to bring him here and have kept him contained ever since. The vampires vanished and went into hiding. However, there are sporadic tales of humans found dead with puncture marks on their necks. Humans attribute it to wild dogs, unaware that vampires still lurk. No one has survived an encounter with them to tell the tale,' Yiselda recounts, her words painting a vivid picture of a tumultuous past. 'After a few centuries, the tales of the vampire king became nothing more than mythical stories that eventually ceased being told. His existence was forgotten. Over time, werewolves turned against witches, leading to a near annihilation of our kind,' Yiselda concludes, her expression grim.
I've unknowingly moved closer to Alec's cell. My hand inches closer to Alec's cheek, drawn by an irresistible force. The longing in my eyes is evident, mirroring Alec's yearning gaze. But Yiselda intervenes, seizing my wrist firmly and pulling me back. Her eyes scrutinize me intensely, searching for answers that even I might not possess. Tension brews in the air.
Alec hisses at Yiselda's interference in frustration, but she pays him no heed. Instead, her focus shifts back to Alpha Bennet, though she keeps a tight hold on my wrist.
'Now that you know of his existence, you understand the importance of our survival to maintain the seal on Pandora's Box,' Yiselda elucidates, her words carrying heavy significance.
Alpha Bennet, with arms crossed, scrutinizes Alec, contemplating potential solutions. 'Why not just kill the king and those creatures?' he suggests.
Yiselda's expression morphs into incredulity. 'The vampire king cannot be simply killed. Starving him doesn't result in death; instead, he becomes erratic and loses his mind. Even sunlight, their aversion notwithstanding, doesn't kill them,' she imparts.
‘What about a stake to the heart?’ Alpha Bennet suggests, his arms are crossed, and he looks Alec over.
Yiselda's incredulous gaze intensifies. 'If you want to enter the cell and try staking his heart, be my guest. But we don't even know if that would work. Given his strength and speed, he'd likely drain your body before you could blink,' she cautions, her tone laced with a matter-of-fact sternness.
Alpha Bennet's scrutiny intensifies, his gaze shifting between the transformed creatures and Alec. A troubled expression clouds Yiselda's face, her lips drawn into a tight line as she unveils the grim truth about the entities in the cell. 'They weren't always Grimghouls and Shadow Reapers,' Yiselda begins, a sad note in her voice. 'The grimghouls were once pixies of Silverfay Forest, where they and familiars reside. They are the last remnants of their kind. As for the Shadow Reapers, they are souls from the dead that need to be returned to their resting place.' A shadow of regret passes over Yiselda's face. 'For many years, I've researched spells with the hope of reverting the pixies to their original forms and sending the souls of the Shadow Reapers to their resting places. The witches before me chose to seal them in this dungeon, aspiring to restore them to their former states. But now, if you're satisfied, now that you've seen them yourself, we shall return to Shadow Crest,' she asserts, her eyes meeting Alpha Bennet's.
Alpha Bennet gazes at Alec in contemplation, who, in turn, remains fixated on me. A subtle interplay of emotions unfolds, and Alpha Bennet, intrigued by Alec's peculiar interest in me, finally relents. 'All right then, let's go back to Shadow Crest,' he agrees, his eyes still lingering on mine with curiosity.
Yiselda comes to a halt as we approach the portal leading back to Shadow Crest.
‘Fern, Ela, Ria, and Lilac, I would appreciate it if you could return to Shadow Crest with Alpha Bennet while I stay behind with Luna here,’ she says.
‘Sure, Yiselda,’ they smile.
Fern grabs Alpha Bennet by the back of his shirt and shoves him through the portal.
Yiselda turns her attention to me with her hands on her hips and stares accusingly at me. Reaper mind-links a warning, 'Uh oh.'
‘Is everything okay?’ I ask Yiselda, sensing her unease.
'No, everything is not okay! What possessed you to approach the vampire king in such a manner? It seemed like you were about to touch him. Do you realise he has the ability to kill all of us, Luna, even you?' Yiselda's words strike with a sharp rebuke.
I step back, guilt washing over me. 'I'm sorry; I didn't intend to do that. I couldn't help myself.'
'You couldn't help yourself,' she scoffs, her frustration evident. I lower my gaze to the ground, feeling the weight of my actions, and clutch my wrist, sensing the tingles of Alec's mark.
Perhaps if I show Yiselda, she can assist me in figuring out how to sever the bond. Dizziness overwhelms me, a residual effect from the morning's near-drowning incident. I stagger, grasping my head, and Yiselda responds swiftly, steadying me. As I shake off the disorientation, I gather my resolve.
'Luna?' replies Yiselda, steadying me.
I concentrate and shake the dizziness away.
'I have something I need to show you,' I confess, unveiling my wrist to Yiselda and exposing Alec's mark. She lets out a startled shriek before falling back, then quickly regains her composure, taking hold of my arm and inspecting the mark with disbelief.
‘It cannot be. Alec has marked you. You are the vampire king’s blood flame,’ she exclaims, staring at my wrist in utter shock before locking eyes with me. ‘You have two mates!’ she gasps.