* Trigger Warning - Mild gore/ death *

"Dad, stay with me," I begged, trailing the dried bloody gash on his cheekbone with my finger.

His breathing was harsh and ragged. "It's alright, kiddo. I'm alright."

A swoosh of air drifted through the confined space, rattling the metal chains draping from the ceiling.

"Haven't you got something better to do than torture innocent humans?" Alani glided into the room, revealing her face from under the hood. Swirls of magic exploded from her fingertips, gifting us with light.

As the light spread to the back of the dungeon, the Igneous vampires clawed at the stone walls with their long talons in despair.

"Stop it!" Nadine screamed, charging for Alani with vampiric speed. Her creations were her pride and joy, but they had many limitations. That was why she wanted to experiment further by using my blood to make them stronger and more resilient.

There was a connection between my dad, Edwina and me, and it wasn't because we shared the same bloodline.

"Why is my bloodline so important to you?" I asked because that was what it came down to—my blood. "There's a reason why you both want my blood so badly."

Both caught in battle masked by vengeance, Nadine was the underdog. Any vampire standing up against a witch would lose from the lack of power and skill when it came to sorcery.

"If neither of you answers me in the next five seconds, I will strike a match." Holding the box in my injured hand and a match stick in the other, I hoped it wouldn't result in playing fire with fire. "Five." With a flick of my fingers against the side of the box, the match screeched. "Four."

Wielding her magic, Alani had the upper hand and wrapped the iron chains around Nadine's neck, crushing her Larynx. "Your bloodline is linked to a coven of witches. Your mother was a witch, a descendant of the most powerful coven—The Azure Coven. Since Samuel burned the last remaining witches, we're sadly becoming extinct."

"My mother? She isn't involved with Shadowbrook. Dad made sure of that." I gazed down at my dad as he adverted his eyes, turning his head to the side.

"Your biological mother was a witch, Erika," Alani replied.

"Was?" The unlit match stick slipped from my fingers as my mind wandered to all sorts of possibilities from Alani's words. "Isobel isn't my mother." The lie hit me like a ton of bricks.

"Kiddo, don't listen to them," Dad whispered, trying to reach for my hand. "Shadowbrook is far too dangerous for you."

I couldn't look him in the eyes, knowing Isobel was simply a stranger and nothing more. I had spent years consumed by her addiction, and even though I had stopped caring to a certain degree, I wished for her to get better so she could be the mother I deserved.

The woman that helped me bake cakes and let me lick the spoon wasn't the same person I knew today, nor was she related to me by blood.

"Stop lying to me, please. God, Dad. For once, tell me the truth. I deserve to know." Biting my tongue restricted me from saying too much or something I would later regret.

A dry, throaty rasp escaped Dad's lips as he coughed. "I left Shadowbrook because Penelope was pregnant. She knew the risk of leaving, but we escaped anyway to give you a better chance at living. Everything I did, I did for you, Erika. We both did. She gave you years of protection, Erika. You have a gift."

As I shook off his hold, a high-pitched whine broke our conversation, reeling me back to my surroundings.

"Sorry, I'm late for the party. Next time I'll be sure to fill in the R.S.V.P." Samuel dropped Alani's body to the floor in a heap, fang marks on her neck. Positioning his tie, he inclined his head to the side. "What did I miss?" Her magical restraints faded, a sign that she was unconscious.

Nadine was impatient and swift when taking out her revenge. A sudden intake of air left my dad's lungs in a heartbeat. His eyes widened, staring up at the ceiling. His bloody heart ripped from his chest in the centre of Nadine's palm, taking a leaf from Samuel's book.

My lip quivered from the realisation of the destruction in front of me. Mumbling incoherent words, I choked on gut-wrenching sobs that tore through my chest. Tears descended my cheeks as I violently shook my dad, waiting for the never-ending nightmare to reach its climax. My heart was hollow as I lie my head on his chest, wishing he could pat my leg as he did when I was five years old for the last time.

It was like I was drowning in a slow and painful death. A weight dropped on my chest from a great height as I gasped for air, clawing at anything to re-emerge. Akrsna's link overwhelmed me, crushing me from the inside.

Each vision became intelligible and lengthy. Darkness invaded the dungeon, tinting the walls with his essence. Large spikes extended from his human-like figure, but the tentacles with the red, alluring eyes remained. If you looked closely, you could see tiny mouths attached without teeth. Two large sickles appeared in the form of hands, slicing through anything that got in his way.

The air was suffocating as he sucked every ounce of energy from my soul, leaving me lifeless and ready for his submission. Wrestling within his grasp, I kicked at his seizing tendrils hooking into me and swam to the surface, breaking free from his compulsion.

A/N

Word Count: 940

Did Richard have the right to lie to Erika about who her biological mother was? Her mother was a witch, but what does that mean for Erika?

Have a fangtastic day!

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