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Million Shades of Blood

In the dark underbelly of Lake City, where power and secrets intertwine, a chilling murder sets the stage for a relentless pursuit of truth. Evelyn Dawson, the enigmatic heiress to the sprawling empire left by her deceased parents, finds herself plunged into a web of deceit and betrayal when her best friend, William Adler, is brutally slain. Haunted by a family plagued with dark intentions and burdened by her own extraordinary ability to hear the whispers of hidden truths, Evelyn stands at the center of a treacherous storm. As her family vies for control of the empire, their motives shrouded in secrecy, she must untangle the threads that connect her loved ones to the heinous crime. Enter Ethan Ashford, a seasoned detective with an unyielding determination to bring justice to Lake City. Initially suspecting the Dawson family, including Evelyn, as the perpetrators, Ethan embarks on a perilous journey. Reluctantly, Evelyn aligns herself with the detective, drawn to his unique ability to discern lies. Together, they navigate a labyrinth of long-held grudges, unspoken truths, and hidden pasts, realizing that William's murder is only the tip of the iceberg. As they dig deeper, Evelyn and Ethan unearth a far-reaching conspiracy that threatens not only their lives but the very foundation of Lake City itself. Each revelation uncovers another million shades of blood, leading them closer to the devastating truth. But with danger lurking in every shadow and the killer watching their every move, they must stay one step ahead, deciphering the tangled web of family secrets before it's too late. In "Million Shades of Blood," a gripping tale of loyalty, deception, and the pursuit of justice, Evelyn and Ethan find themselves entangled in a battle against time and the darkness that resides within the hearts of those closest to them. Will they unravel the sinister plot and expose the true face of evil, or will they become mere casualties in a game of power and revenge?

zehrashf · Urban
Not enough ratings
12 Chs

Betrayal

"I am here Eve" the sound like a whisper of wind caressed her.

Evenlyn looked around herself to only be faced with darkness. A darkness so black that she blinked over and over again but her eyes couldn't seem to adjust to it. The sound moved closer.

"Eve'' someone called out her name. She tried to understand the direction of the sound but it seemed to be everywhere like the dust particles in air. There was no particular direction. The sound came again. Her name was called again this time a little louder a little closer. And as the sound moved closer to her she felt it suffocating her taking her breath away, leaving traces of goosebumps all over her. She wanted to ask and question who it was but her voice was lost. No sound seemed to be appearing out of her lips. They seemed to be glued together.

"Don't you recognize me. Evelyn?" the voice called again this time right behind her and she turned around looking for it. The familiarity of the voice bothered her but she couldn't yet figure out where it was coming from.

Then it was there, the sound of footsteps this time. She tried listening for the heartbeat for the breathing but her senses couldn't pick it up either. As the sound of footsteps neared the darkness began to fade until it was enough for her to see, the darkness still loomed.

Someone tapped her shoulder and she looked over to find him there. His usually fleshed face was devoid of color, his lips almost white he smiled at her. His bones protruding out of his skin. "William?" Evelyn was startled by her own voice as she looked closely to the boy in front of her.

"Have you forgotten me already?" he tilted his head observing her, a ghost of smile lingering on his lips.

"William" this time she breathed out in relief leaping over to him pulling his skinny body close to her. She hugged him tight, afraid he would vanish. "What happened to you?"

"They killed me" he whispered right by her ear wrapping his arms around her waist.

The words registered in Evelyn's ear and she pushed him away putting distance between them. William looked up at her in confusion betrayal pooling around in his eyes. "How - how are you here?" she stuttered her breathing getting heavier. "You were dead"

"I am perfectly fine" he defended himself raising his hands to assure. Evelyn's eyes moved over him and she saw the red splotch growing around his chest.

"But- but I saw you getting sh - hurt" she asked in daze . "I even tried to help you I -" she looked down at her hands and they were covered in thick dark red blood. She wiped her hands against her clothes but the blood seemed to have become part of her hands. William walked over to Evelyn taking her hand in his cold ones. She looked up at him, fear and confusion mingling together.

"They killed me Evelyn" he complained using her full name, his eyes drooping sadness masking over his face. Evelyn was again at a loss of words. The darkness had begun to take over once again. "Come with me" he offered, grinning widely at her. "Come where no one will try to hurt you or me again" He vanished, darkness spreading instead. He was gone and she looked around but there was nothing again. Only his voice echoed off the darkness that blinded her. "Come with me" he repeated.

Her entire body felt as if made of sand. Fear taking control. She took a step forward and DROP. Nothing was there. Her heart dropped to her stomach.

She took in a huge gulp of air sitting up. The world changed, the darkness was swapped by blinding light. She swallowed a load of air breathing again and again as if someone had cut off her oxygen supply. The clothes stuck to her sweat drenched body. The dream still vivid in her mind she looked up at her hands clammy with sweat. There was no sign of the blood that covered the fair long fingered hands a few days before and the dream. She sighed out in relief, calming herself assuring it was nothing but a dream. Her breathing finally dropping to a normal level she finally registered her surroundings.

Evelyn Dawson was imprisoned by the machines and drip tubes surrounding her in a private hospital room filled with the cool air of the best quality air conditioner. She fell back on the soft mattress of the hospital bed, the haunting dream lingering fresh in her mind.

Footsteps approached closer to her room, she heard the wheels of the trolley scratching against the marble floor. Her eyes remained trained on the off white wall above her. Sleep lost in another dimension.

"Oh, you are awake?" Eve looked over at the nurse at her surprised exclamation. The nurse, covered in a mask and hospital gown, filled the syringe from a small vial of liquid.

"What is that for?" her voice came out hoarse, she squinted at the small bottle in the nurse's hand.

"To put you back to sleep, it's just a medicine to calm you down, you are still exhausted" she softly responded, moving closer to the iv drip attached to Eve's hands.

"Can you.." she gulped her throat entirely dry "can you not give me that?" The thought of going back to sleep and dreaming disturbed her.

The nurse looked over suspiciously, her hand reaching the IV drip paused. "I can't do that, I am sorry but this is for you"

I assure you she is faking it

She is doing all this for attention

Their whispers reached her clear. Evelyn froze hearing their words, annoyance bubbled in her heart. She had no desire to meet them.

"I am sorry in advance" she turned to the nurse sitting up in her bed. The nurse's brow joined in confusion and before she could question Evelyn had snatched the syringe from her baffled form. In one precise movement the syringe pierced through the woman's vein on her neck. She let out a strangled scream, her eyes rolled to the back and she fell beside Evelyn on the bed.

Without consuming much time Evelyn pulled open her room door and walked out of it without paying much heed to the two suited bodyguards that stood attentively by the door. With a mask hiding her face she pushed further the medicine filled trolley out in the corridor breathing calmly through her nose fighting the nausea that threatened to consume her. She heard their voices before she saw them. Her aunts walked up the staircase at the end of the corridor. She took a sharp turn towards the emergency staircase abandoning the trolley she had escaped the floor.

The scream echoed against the closed room reaching the brooded men standing guard outside.The guards skidded across the tiled floor stopping right outside the open doors of the VIP room of the hospital.

The men rushed inside their shoulders straight, eyes searching, entire posture alert. The guards skidded to a stop facing the older bemused women who stared back at the hospital bed where Evelyn was supposed to be. The guards followed their train of vision staring at the nurse who snored peacefully in Evelyn's stead.

"Find that damned girl" Zatana fumed, her entire face turning red with anger. The phone rang in her pocket and she fished it out, breathing through her nose calming herself before receiving her husband's call.

"How is Evelyn?" the voice transmitted through the speaker.

"Perfectly fine" she glared at the unconscious nurse gritting out the lie right through her clenched teeth. "Sleeping soundly" there was no end to the curses she silently sent towards Evelyn.

"I'll be there soon"

"Search every corner of the earth if you have to" Her focus was back on the guards as soon as the call ended. "Find her before my husband arrives…."

"Or god forbid the media finds her" Alia added from the side only having the direction of curses directed towards her. The guards were gone in an instant but what they were unaware of was that Evelyn had already gone far away to meet a certain someone who was adamant to haunt her dreams.