7 Thirsty

"Miss Lucia? … Miss?"

"What happened? Irina?"

I woke up to the voice of my cute Irina.

"Miss! you are awake!"

"What happened?"

I could hear screams and voices from outside, something huge was going on.

"We are under attack. The forces from yesterday tried to enter the castle and the knights are fighting right now."

"Yesterday?"

"Miss, you've been sleeping since when you were with the Duke, it's been a day, Miss. I tried to wake you up but you didn't answer, I was so scared. How are you feeling?"

"I… I don't know."

I tried to remember what had happened when suddenly an excruciating pain hit my head. What the?! Then I felt how a sting in my chest burned my skin. I had to lower the cloth covering my chest to find a tattoo of a rose, a black rose. What the heck, what is this? What did he do to me? I was scared, for the first time after many years I felt so powerless. Even worse, the dryness was taking over my mouth like pulsating anxiety and thirst invading my mind. I knew my eyes were turning red and my hair black, welcoming the ferocious predator inside me. The little voice demanded blood, lots of blood.

"Irina, my potion." My little bit of sanity that was left tried to confront the voice. "My potion quickly."

"Miss, the potion is downstairs with our other things, I can't go out, there are guards in front of the room."

"What?"

"I don't know why, but the Duke ordered to lock our doors."

"Irina, you should stay away from me."

"Miss Lucia."

"I am thirsty."

I looked around and found out that we were on top of a tall tower. The windows allowed me to see the battle below and the soldiers shooting arrows at the army outside. It was crazy. Many cries of women and children below echoed throughout the castle making everything a chaotic scene. I was starting to lose my focus. Who would have the courage to attack the powerful Duke of Docrem, unless it was his own King, his brother?

I looked around trying to spot him, and I found him below giving instructions to the archers. Then he turned around as if he could feel my eyes. He looked at me, but something was off. His eyes were glowing with a tint of red.

What? What is going on?

Then the shout from the enemy forces came from the forest sending shivers to the knights, a horde of mercenaries were coming in great numbers. I could see the frightened faces of the Duke's men, their eyes couldn't hide the doom deep in their hearts. The gate was about to break, and more and more soldiers were arriving from the forest, the castle was about to be completely besieged.

How did he counterattack in the novel? He had the help of his Princess of Crotia. I remembered she had led her army to fight against the enemies of the Duke. But now, that the story deviated, what am I supposed to do?

Goodness! My mind is clouding again. I can't think, I am so thirsty. The blast of light from before had depleted my energy. Again, the shout of battle from the hundreds of enemies down, those bodies full of blood, tasty blood. I couldn't contain a lick on my lips sending the last strain of clarity to the dust.

'Hehe, food!'

The paleness of my skin reflected the moon and the stars but the glow of my red eyes was my signal to start the hunt. It was time, my hair became loose and beautiful as the night. I climbed the window and jumped. "Miss!" Oh dear Irina, right now, it's dinner time.

*****

Nobody paid attention to the beautiful woman falling from the tower as they were too focused on the battle. However, the Duke turned around right at the moment to see her jumping. His eyes were bulging in panic and anxiousness took over his heart. But before he started running towards her, he saw her body floating around and flying extremely fast to the main gates. She was surrounded by a strange shadow spreading it to the entire army outside the walls.

Darkness covered everywhere beyond the castle. The silence was deafening. Knights who did not know what was happening were frightened by the dense blackness. However, what terrified them more was the dreadful screams of the soldiers outside and the cracking sounds of bones.

Some enemy soldiers were knocking on the doors in a panic asking for help and surrendering, however, no one opened the door. After a few minutes, the lights from the torches outside came back. Half the enemy army was destroyed, and many corpses were lying around. Those who were alive were shocked and scared. They started to run away. The knights inside the castle were petrified, worried that it was their turn to suffer.

However, the Duke was smiling.

"Tend to the injured! Give me a report of the damages." He turned around and walked towards the tower, her tower.

After two full days of battle, he knew his reinforcements were not that far away and he just needed to hold out a little longer, but now he was in awe. He could feel her soul, her thirst, and when she was satisfied.

Indeed, Lucia felt powerful and satisfied. Her energy came back almost instantly, and her abilities increased. However, she felt the black rose tattoo powering as well. It was like an energy sack.

"Miss! Miss Lucia! Are you all alright? You frightened me. Please don't do that again, Miss."

"Calm down Irina, I am fine, in fact, I am feeling really fine."

Lucia hugged her to let her calm down, but she was also stunned by what she did. The next moment without warning she felt something pulling her soul, calling for her. She turned around to face the door and the Duke came inside with a smile on his face, a very big smile.

"I want to talk to you alone."

Lucia turned to look at Irina and nodded.

"What did you do to me?" She asked concerned but in awe.

"How are you feeling?"

"Powerful."

"I know, I could feel it too."

He walked over to her with his eyes turning red.

"What? What did you do?"

"We are connected."

"What? You did what?!" She recalled that inside the novel something like this happened, but the one who he bonded his soul to, was Rebecca after several years. He did it to share his power and to save her life, although the connection also shared their deaths.

"Take it away, now!" She was panicking.

"No, darling, you will be mine forever."

Then she threw a punch to his face, but he grabbed her hand extremely fast. A shadow surrounded him like hers, his eyes were glowing, and his strength was not normal.

"You?! You stole my powers!"

"No, darling, we are connected. My soul can feel your soul and your soul can feel mine. Feel it darling."