Vampire and Witch (GL) - Chapter 10

Grey followed the Viscountess to the central estate, an hour’s journey from their small town. By the time they arrived in the afternoon, the sky was heavy with black clouds, a somber omen of an impending storm.

Grey couldn’t help but worry about Sif. How is she following me? At the thought of Sif, she found herself recalling the intimate, lingering kisses from earlier. The damp warmth between her legs threatened to surge again. She shook her head vigorously, driving the erotic imagery from her mind.

The estate sat near the river. Upon entering, one was greeted by a meticulously designed hedge maze garden, flanked by arched bridges, small streams, and a fountain. Further off was a bird-watching area. It was said to be a fortress built over a hundred years ago, passed down from the first Viscount Arnos.

The interior was magnificent. The ceiling of the grand hall was adorned with watercolor murals, and the corridors were lined with marble sculptures. Even more surprising was the “Oriental” style wallpaper—a design highly popular two hundred years ago.

As Grey recovered from her awe, she began to notice something unsettling. Throughout the journey, the Viscountess had only been accompanied by one maid and a groom. Now that they were at the manor, there were no other servants in sight.

Grey’s eyes sharpened. She grew alert as a pungent, putrid stench hit her—the unmistakable smell of a vampire monster. It was getting closer. Thicker.

When the Viscountess stopped before a bedroom door, Grey stood rigid behind her, every nerve on edge.

“Grey, this is John’s room.”

The Viscountess pushed the door open. Inside, the curtains were tightly drawn, leaving the room in a suffocating gloom. A powerful wave of rot poured out. Grey pressed a handkerchief to her nose, fighting the urge to gag.

She was certain. This was the smell of a monster. The Viscountess’s son was likely already…

“Apologies. John hasn’t washed in a few days. The smell is quite strong.”

The Viscountess turned and smiled, but Grey read a flash of danger in her eyes. She instinctively stepped back, trying to stay near the exit. “Madam, I am sorry. Regarding Lord John’s condition… I’m afraid I cannot help.”

“Grey?” The Viscountess lunged and grabbed Grey’s wrist, her expression frantic. “You haven’t even seen him! How can you decide so easily that he’s beyond help?”

Grey wrenched her hand away, falling into a defensive stance. “Madam, I fear Lord John is already gone.”

“Shut up!” the Viscountess screamed hysterically. “John is just sick! Why won’t any of you treat him? What’s with that look? You’re just like the other doctors—you think John is a monster…”

“Since you won’t save him, I’ll have to feed you to my precious John, just like the others.”

BANG.

The door was slammed shut and locked from the outside. Grey realized with a jolt—it was the maid.

A bolt of silver lightning struck outside, briefly illuminating the dark room. To the sound of “clank-clank,” a dark shadow emerged from the corners.

Grey stared in horror as the figure crawled slowly across the floor, dragging heavy iron chains bound to its limbs. He was pale and gaunt, the muscles on his face so shriveled that his blood-red eyes bulged out. He let out a low growl, like a starving beast finding its prey.

This was John, the Viscountess’s son—a boy who looked no older than ten.

Grey’s heart ached. The putrid stench reminded her that the child before her was already dead. This was a resurrected monster. Were the others in the manor killed by him? He was just a child… who could be so cruel as to turn him into this?

The monster stopped, peering at Grey. Suddenly, as if catching a terrifying scent, it recoiled in fear, whimpering and refusing to come closer. Grey understood; it had smelled the mark Sif had left on her—the scent of a more powerful vampire.

The Viscountess watched in confusion, calling out “John,” but the shadow only whined.

“John, what’s wrong? Aren’t you hungry? Mommy brought you food.” She moved closer, hope flickering in her eyes. “John… are you better? Look at me. It’s Mommy. Baby, it’s Mommy…”

“Madam, don’t go near him!”

Grey lunged to pull her back, but the monster, sensing a different prey, roared and pounced.

A massive crash echoed as the window shattered. Wind and rain surged into the room.

“AAAAAAAAAAHHH!”

A blood-curdling scream pierced the darkness, synchronized with a flash of lightning.

Grey was suddenly jerked back by a powerful force, falling into a soft embrace that smelled of damp rain.

“Don’t look.”

Sif held Grey tightly, pressing her forehead into her shoulder.

The Viscountess’s screams rang out, one after another, like a nightmare carving wounds into Grey’s heart. Even without seeing, Grey’s mind painted the horrific scene: the boy who had become a monster was draining the life from his own mother.

Grey’s eyes remained open as tears poured out. Her body shook with a terror that spread to the very core of her being. “Sif… save her, save her… Sif, Sif…”

Grey broke down, sobbing uncontrollably, her heart still desperate to save the woman.

“Don’t turn around. Don’t look.”

The arms around her back vanished. Grey didn’t look back. She heard footsteps moving away, followed by the monster’s snarling. Then, a heavy “thud” hit the floor—dull and final.

The tragedy was over.

Grey knelt before the Viscountess. After a long silence, she spoke softly. “She lost too much blood. She’s dead.”

Sif stood by her side, heart aching as she looked at Grey’s wooden, hollow expression.

“Will she turn into a monster?”

“No. Only Purebloods have that power.”

Grey threw herself into Sif’s arms and wailed. “Why? How can they be so cruel… how could they do this to a child…”

Sif held her tight, patting her back. “I’m sorry. It’s my fault they were involved.”

“What?”

“I suspect because I ruined the Howard situation, they used the Arnos family to lure me out.” Sif paused, her voice low. “The Church received word that Howard planned to breed monsters in Scotland. I’ve been lurking here to stop them. Once I exposed them in Edinburgh, they likely guessed I was nearby. The Viscount was probably just a pawn to bring me into the open.”

Grey looked up, her wet lashes trembling. She hesitated before asking, “Are they coming to kill you?”

Sif gently wiped away Grey’s tears with her thumb. “Mm.”

“Why do they keep hunting you? Aren’t you… a vampire too?”

“Because half of me is human. Purebloods loathe humans.”

“Why?”

Sif shook her head. “Conflict from a long time ago… I only know that some Pureblood factions have already infiltrated the Royal Family…”

Grey was speechless. Pureblood vampires want to replace the British Empire and rule over humanity?

“Grey, I didn’t want you to come because I didn’t want you caught in this…”

Grey slapped Sif’s hand away, interrupting her. “You drank my blood, you marked me, and then you say you didn’t want me involved? You’re so selfish, Silvertica!”

“If you really didn’t want me in this mess, you should have stayed far away from me instead of coming back over and over!”

Grey’s vision blurred with more tears. She didn’t want to know about vampires. But this woman had shamelessly approached her, circling her, tempting her to fall into the abyss named Silvertica.

She couldn’t leave Sif now. She couldn’t let Sif face danger alone, and she certainly couldn’t push her away. She couldn’t bear to lose her.

Sif looked down at her hand, where a red mark bloomed on her pale skin. It didn’t hurt; the pain was in her heart. “I’m sorry…”

As Sif began to step back into the shadows, Grey grabbed her hand and pulled her forward. “Where are you going?” she asked petulantly.

“I…”

Grey caught Sif’s wrist and pulled her into an embrace, wrapping her arms around Sif’s waist and burying her face in the crook of her neck. “You promised to stay by my side. If you dare leave me, don’t you ever think of getting my blood again.”

“But I—”

“Enough talk. Are you staying, or leaving?”

Grey covered Sif’s mouth, looking up with tear-filled eyes that were both fragile and stubbornly fierce. Sif’s heart melted. Her fangs instinctively began to ache and emerge, and her throat felt parched. She parted her lips, her fangs lightly grazing Grey’s soft palm. Her breath was burning.

“Grey… I want your blood.”

Grey withdrew the fire from her palm, and the massive manor was instantly engulfed in a roaring blaze. Even the torrential rain could not extinguish it. This was the Flame of Eternity, the Witch’s Fire.

The Janos Church staff hauled away the monster’s remains. In the fire, only the Viscountess was left behind. They left traces around the estate to suggest the monsters had escaped to forage elsewhere, hoping to buy time and confuse any pursuers.

The crimson flames devoured the night, casting long shadows behind Grey. Sif stood behind her, hand hovering in the air before pulling it back. Grey turned as if sensing it, catching Sif looking like a puppy with drooping ears.

Grey’s lips curved slightly. She beckoned. “Come here.”

Sif’s eyes lit up with joy, and she obediently walked over.

“The maid…” Grey asked. “What are you going to do with her?”

Sif was silent. Grey fell silent too. She knew—only the dead keep secrets. Grey sighed. “Can you not kill her? Give her some money and let her leave?”

Sif frowned. “But—”

“Please.” Grey took Sif’s hand, her voice pleading. She didn’t want Sif to have more blood on her hands.

Sif’s throat worked as she swallowed. Finally, she gave a soft “Mm.”

“I understand.”

In the rain, a carriage rolled slowly toward the outskirts, stopping in a remote forest. A petite, slender girl dragged a battered, half-dead woman deep into the woods.

A silver blade sliced a curve through the night, instantly stained vivid red. The woman’s final breath vanished into the damp night.

Hailey’s sweet voice rang out softly: “Since Sif is unwilling to kill you, I’ll do it myself.”