When Gem woke up the next day, she couldn't move her arms and legs at all. It was as if all the parts of her body were now tied up in strings.

When Elizabeth came over to check on her, she tried opening her mouth to speak but nothing came out.

"M'am? M'am?" Elizabeth whispered, shaking her.

Gem could only stare at her with unblinking eyes. When Elizabeth disappeared from the room, she felt like screaming: Don't go! Don't leave me in the darkness!

Moments later, the maid returned with Carolo who looked a little startled by her appearance. He came over and touched her forehead.

"The poison is overtaking her body." He shook her head.

"Is there no way to halt it?" Elizabeth asked worriedly.

"We have an ancient medicine," Carolo paused. "But it won't help much. The only way to save her would be to get a cure."

There's a cure?

"There's a cure?" Elizabeth repeated incredulously. "Then let's go get it."

"Get it?" Carolo threw back his head and laughed, his black curls shaking. "There's only one person who possesses the cure and I will be damned before I go beg him for it."

"Who?"

"Luke Garon," Carolo said darkly.

"Well, he will give it to my mistress," Elizabeth said confidently.

Gem tried to move her mouth to protest. She hated him. The vile bastard who lied to him. It was all because of him that she had landed in this state.

But he told you the truth. The truth of your mother.

Sometimes, it was better to live in a lie. It was numbing at least. Besides, why would Luke Garon give her the cure? He was probably sitting on the throne at this moment and laughing his ass off. The poor little girl who fell into his trap and ended up getting killed.

Bastard.

"Your mistress knows Luke Garon?" Carolo demanded, looking strangely frightened.

"Yes," Elizabeth said confidently. 

"He's just an acquaintence," Gem said weakly. "Why are you so frightened anyway?"

"Every vampire on this earth fears the dark lord," Carolo said darkly. "Though he's a fair and just immortal, he's merciless as well. My own vampiric grandfather contested for his position as the king and he lost and was killed. All his supporters were exterminated as well."

"No one arrives at the coveted positon as the king without resorting to some dirty tricks," a masculine voice rang up. 

Gem shifted her eyes and found that Michael had entered the room and was listening on to their conversation.

"Don't tell me Luke Garon killed your grandfather too," Gem added dryly.

"No, but he has done worst," Michael muttered and stalked out of the room. 

"What's wrong with him?" Elizabeth winced. "Took the wrong pill this morning?"

"Don't mind him." Carolo waved his hands. "Michael is always moody. It comes with the aging but his words still have sense. As a warning to you, my lady, you should steer clear away from Luke Garon for he is merciless."

"What about my mistress?" Elizabeth cried out. "She's dying. Only Luke Garon has the cure."

"You can try contacting him and hope for the best."

"Contact him?" Gem raised her head. "By what? Wifi? There are no computers here."

Carolo ignored her jab and said, "We vampires have a special way of communicating through dark magic. If you want, I can help you contact him but after that, I want nothing to do with him."

"Mistress?" Elizabeth tapped her on the shoulder. "Let's ask Luke Garon for a cure."

Gem winced. "I refuse to ask him for a cure."

"Don't be so headstrong, Mistress Gem!" Elizabeth cried out. "Better be alive shameful than dead with dignity."

Gem closed her eyes. The poison was slowly coursing through her body. As much as she hated asking for help, she needed this cure.

"Fine, do it. But if Luke Garon wants me to bow down to him and get a cure, he better be damned. I will personally stake him," Gem croaked out.

"That's the spirit!" Carolo said cheerfully. "I will go prepare for the contacting process." 

After Carolo left the room, Gem sighed, "I highly doubt he will help me though."

"You will be surprised m'am," Elizabeth lowered her voice. "Do you think what Pierre Monet said was true?"

"Everything he said are fucking lies," Gem coughed and splatters of blood came out.

"About the vampiric mate part," Elizabeth said as she wiped the blood off her mistress. "Do you think you could be Luke Garon's vampiric mate?"

"Mercy, Elizabeth, don't tell me you are reading those crappy romance books again," Gem muttered. "Yes, vampiric mates exist and I've heard of them but they are one in a gazillion chances. It's almost an impossible event."

"Nothing is impossible, mistress."

"You do know that I don't believe in true love." 

"Why mistress? Is it not tragic to believe that true love don't exist?" Elizabeth looked a little appalled.

"It's practical, not tragic," Gem muttered. "How can a feeling that is caused by changes in hormonal levels be a true thing? It will fade away."

"We shall see, m'am, your views will change."

"I won't even need to care about it if I'm dead by tonight."

"Mistress! Don't say things like that."

Gem sighed. "I've long prepared for a day like this. It was to be expected."

Elizabeth started sniffing and crying and Gem pursed her lips. She hated when people cry. It was awkward and she didn't know what to do as she was not one to express her emotions openly. 

"Elizabeth..." Gem said irritably.

"I'm sorry mistress, I let the emotions get the better of me." Elizabeth wiped her tears hurriedly. 

"Leave me be. I need to rest."

"What if you don't wake u once I come back?" Elizabeth asked, looking horrified.

"Don't worry. Just go," Gem sighed.

Nodding, Elizabeth disappeared out of the hut immediately and Gem stared at the ceiling.

Luke Garon.

That was the last thing she thought before she drifted off into the reassuring and numbing unconsciousness.