Wulfric brought her back his palace in midnight. He step into his bedroom and lay her down gently on his bed, tucking her in his warm blanket, he can feel her breath is cold.
Slowly but softly, he brush a strands of hair out of her forehead. He let out a relieved sound that the tea give her a deep sleep. He can't bear to see her breaking down if the tea not work.
"Snowflake….i will protect you, any cost it take, but you will be safe in my under my home…I make sure of that." - he whispering a promise to her.
He know all of this just the beginning of the nightmare she have to facing with. He spending his night to lay beside her, observing her features under the dim light from his lamp on his table.
He slowly sit up, taking a knife in the chest under his bed, he looking at her over his shoulder. "It's just for her own good, it's for her safety."
He taking a little strand hair and carefully cut a lock of hair, carefully put it in a wooden box carving a moon symbol in the middle and closed it.
He holds her hand, put the knife blade on her palm, he slice a cut on it, blood bleeding down a sapphire bowl, her blood was no ordinary crimson, it shimmered, dark yet radiant.
His sensitive nose can catch a faint sweetness and metallic, through his eyes, smelling her blood that can even send him to standing in the middle of a peach blossom garden. It's too…unreal.
His breath hitched; pupils dilated. A shiver rippled down his spine as if a thousand unseen claws had hooked into his veins, he looking at her palm, slowly bring it to his lips and lick slowly.
The moment it touching his tongue, is like a burned and sweet venomous, his nerve being more sensitive with adrenaline increases. His face flushed in excitement, holding his face in his hands, he let out a satisfied sigh.
"Damn it! You always driving me crazy…do you know that.."
He touching her softly face, he lean closer just to have a better look at her eye lashes, is long, curly and, is also white too, her lips her lips were not the painted perfection of portraits, but real—soft and perfect in his eyes.
He pressed a soft napkin on her hand to stop bleeding, the blood stop flowing immediately, in his expectation, her poơer of regenerating is powerfull. If it being seen by the eyes of the world. "They will tearing her apart…just to have a drop of blood of her blood….even me…"
He kiss her forehead, wiping a single tear escape her eye. "Momma…is my fault.." - her voice breaking in whisper. She having nightmare.
"
Wulfric holding her against his warmth chest, her hand patting her back slowly.
"I know it hurts. It's painful—like someone is squeezing your heart, and you can't cry out, you can't tell anyone. You just let it chew at you slowly, and it feels like dying piece by piece. But one day, when you wake, it will be different. The pain will not own you anymore."
He holding her for a few moment more, then put her back on bed. He stand up to walk out the balcony of his room. From the balcony, the city stretched before him like a living tapestry. Lanterns glowed along the winding streets, their light flickering against tiled rooftops and narrow alleys that vanished into shadow.
This the legacy his entire family left behind, he raised his hand out of the air, this is the first time in his life
"He feels he has everything, yet there is still something just beyond his reach."
An eagle swoops down from the clouds, wings cutting the air with power, a sealed letter clutched tight in its talons as it descends with fierce grace.
"Kaa!"
He slowly reading the letter, then slowly burn it on the fire next to him. He petering the eagle, it flying away.
"The ritual will be start tomorrow midnight, this is the price for her peace, she seems not remember anything after ten years
she in hibernation state. I can sense there is more than the eyes can see….something happened in her family…." He thinks.
Under the same moonlight, in the crowded of the night life, the red-light district always be the place that everyone once stepped in, they can't get the addicted feelings out of their mind.
Wooden signs, painted with curious symbols, swung from every doorway, announcing pleasures of flesh behind velvet curtains
Painted smiles and eager eyes promised forbidden pleasures, a hidden world tucked within the heart of the kingdom.
Behind carved doors and silken curtains, the brothel radiated luxury. Soft music floated through perfumed air as jewel-adorned courtesans moved among wealthy patrons, there he is, Roberto, he is the special guest here, always be the priority customer, he being lead by a unforgettable lady that every man have to paying their half of life to have a talk with her. But for Robert? Nah, is effortlessly.
Their bodies entwined with each other, she just doing her job, satisfying her customer, but for Roberto, she desires him more than ever, Rober just spitting and enjoying the momentary pleasure, his face emotionless expect for his laboured breath until they reaching the peak of pleasure together. After all, she just laying on his chest.
Her finger tracing his chest, she purring "Hey…keep attention on me, don't think about anything else.." her finger touching his chin and turn his face to her. "Why you cold towards me today so much…Master?."
He looked into her seductive eyes, but they stirred nothing in him. Calmly, he rose to his feet, lit a cigarette, and gathered his clothes.
"Who are you?"
The girl froze at the sudden question. "I am your Sienna… you don't remember me, Master?" she said softly, stepping toward him, bare and unguarded.
In an instant, his hand was at her throat. His grip tightened as he leaned close, whispering harshly, "Did you think you could fool me—hiding your scent and shadow?"
With a violent motion, he slammed her against the wall. She gasped in pain, a broken cry escaping her lips, fingers clawing at his wrist as her eyes filled with shock and fear.
"Show your true self before I done it" his voice cold and low.
The madam, owner of the brothel rushing to the room when she heard the commotion, she slamming the door in panicking " Sienna!!! Are you in there!????…"
An Imposter Sienna suddenly let out a guttural laugh, deep and wet, is not human..
"I came here to take back what's mine, this girl face is reminding me of my old self…fierce, full of life…" her nails start to turn to into claws .
Without giving her a moment to think, he sprang into action, drawing a knife carved from sacred peach wood. The blade flashed as he lunged for her neck, but she exhaled a cloud of strange pink dust that engulfed his face. He faltered, stunned for an instant—yet the knife still found its mark against her throat.
A horrific scream tearing apart the room, he can see a fox shadow following the lamp light and escape the room through the windows.
He put his knife back, look at the dead body under his feet. That creature take away this poor girl soul and replace it. He opened the door and walk out, the Madam rush in to check and let out a scream drawing everyone attention.
"MUDERER!!!!!"
Madam rushing out to call out for everyone, accusing him for her death. But people just walking pass her. In this red-light district, is a normal story that criminal happenings . A dead bodies being found, tyrant customers.
It's simply that because they chose this job, so it's obvious they have to accept the risk can happen to them.
Robert return his place, he sit down in front of a mirror, slowly wiping his face with a warm towel, he know something was wrong with that dust, but is intoxicating when it hit his sense.
He just let out a heavy sigh, then put up a forceful smile. "Well, you will be okay Robert, you thinking too much".
"Everything will be fine"