Chapter 24: Living and Dead

The dark, desolate streets of the city rested in silence as the starry black sky wept silence over it. The stone chips on the road shimmered by the glow of the flickering, yellow street lamps. The small, dark green trees on the roadside swayed as the strong breeze hit them.

Above a faded zebra crossing, a faint traffic light frantically changed colors seeming rather like a disco light.

The streets of the city now rested again in lifeless silence except for the blazing headlight of the luxury Sedan that stood across proudly.

Vidhi stood silently indecisive of her next action as she heard CJ speak again.

"Come on Vidhita... What's there to think so much? Hop in and come with me or whatever... I can drop you anywhere if you want."

Vidhi looked up.

"Thank you. But, I'd prefer to walk back to Roy Chowdhury mansion. It's kinda late."

"Walk back? To that murderer's captivity! I don't believe this."

CJ fisted his hand on the bonnet of his grey car.

"What did you say? Murderer?"

CJ rolled his eyes at her dumbstruck face.

"As if you didn't know... He killed his parents... And that's how he won the palace and the business and everything."

"What are you saying? Anirudh killed....?"

CJ didn't let her complete her sentence.

"Don't believe me if you don't want to... But, you are next in his list."

Vidhi felt a hard lump in her dry throat.

"Vidhita... Come with me... I'll keep you safe." CJ extended his hand forward offering her to get inside his car. But, Vidhi stepped a few steps backward.

"No... I don't believe you! He can't kill anyone. I... I feel it."

"Oh you do?"

A sharp sarcastic chuckle polluted the pristine silence of the night as CJ inched forward and grabbed her hand suddenly.

"Did you just say 'you feel it'? Even after a hundred years! I can't believe this!" CJ eyes fumed up in a burning rage as he screamed the words again.

"I don't believe it... Bondita!!"

"Leave my hand." Her voice quivered.

"I said leave my hand."

"Not so soon my love." CJ cupped her face with his right hand, pulled her closer to him forcefully with his left.

"You have something that I need."

His thumb traced a line on her lips as she flinched her face in disgust.

"Leave me!" She screamed.

"Shhhh!!!! Absolutely Shhh! One scream and you won't see your mother ever again."

CJ tightened his grip on her as he hissed the words in her ears.

"Didn't he tell you what he is? You still want to go running to him? He is weak... But I'm strong. I can protect you more when the time comes."

"I don't need your protection... Leave me." Vidhi gritted her teeth trying to free herself from him.

"You are nothing like him... There is no comparison!"

She growled loudly making CJ make a chuckling noise.

"Bondita... Bondita... stop fighting your fate... because of this stubbornness you had to die last time... I wonder from where this strength comes from!"

His hands cupped her jaws firmly, hurting her mouth as he hissed into her ears again.

"Look at me... Bondita... Look into my eyes."

Vidhi widened her eyes and to her surprise she saw his pupils dilating, changing into a reddish hue which gave his face a more sinister appearance.

"What are you...."

Vidhi couldn't complete the sentence as she heard his gruff cold voice echoing in her ears.

"Bondita, I want you to forget everything about Anirudh Roy Chowdhury and fall in love with me... Madly... As if your life depends on it!"

His eyes glowed in a reddish hue penetrating the darkness of the night.

Vidhi listened to him quietly as she felt his grip on her face is loosening up a bit.

Without wasting any moment, she quickly jostled him with her elbows and moved quite a few steps back from him.

"How dare you!" She growled.

For a moment, CJ's face turned pale, unable to fathom why his compulsion didn't work on her, but in the next moment, he jumped on her like a hungry wounded wolf, seizing her by her hair.

"What did he gave you? Huh?

A pendent? Rings? WHATTT????"

His deafening screams reverberated through the night sky sending a chill down Vidhi's spine.

"Leave me..." She screamed.

"Leave you? And then what... Doom myself for another 100 years? Not a chance... I'm not letting you go this time, Bondita... That bloodsucker has given you the Sherman's metal... Where is it? TELL MEEE!!!"

Vidhi froze for a moment as his hands accompanied his harsh scream, roaming around frantically on her body in search of something.

"Anirudh...!!!!" Vidhi screamed.

"Anirudh... Please come and save me... Please Anirudh...!"

Her eyes started to burn, letting her fear stream down her flushed scared cheeks.

"Shut up... You bitch!"

CJ grabbed her by her arm and tossed her inside the backseat of his car.

"You won't tell me where you are hiding the metal, fine... I'll strip you and then I'll find it myself."

Vidhi shivered at his words, her eyes closed in the fearful apprehension.

CJ locked the door and positioned himself at the driver's seat, ready to accelerate the vehicle.

"Leave her ALONE!"

Vidhi heard the familiar growl and opened her teary eyes slowly.

"Anirudhhh!!!!" She screamed at the zenith of her pitch.

"Bastard!!"

CJ gritted his teeth as he dashed out of the car pulling out Vidhi along with him.

"Let her go Chandrajeet!!"

Anirudh's loud growl echoed through the sinister silence of the night.

"Really? Let her go for you?" CJ let out a sharp laughter, mocking Anirudh's words.

"Why would I? I was defeated last time... But not anymore... I want her!"

"No... You don't want her... You want to possess her powers."

Anirudh growled back.

"Isn't it the same...!" CJ chuckled.

"The righteous Anirudh fucking Roy Chowdhury... Did you tell her what you actually are?"

He turned towards Vidhi and spat the words.

"A bloodsucking monster!"

"Nooo!!!" Vidhi cried out trying to free herself frantically from Cj's grip.

"Leave her.... I won't ask again!"

Anirudh inched forward as Vidhi witnessed his face distorting into a sinister monstrosity.

His eyes had turned bright golden as tiny red blood vessels shot around his face. His teeth were gritting as a pair of tiny sharp fangs emerged in view.

"Ahh... Aniru...Ah...." Vidhi froze as her heart started to thump un-rhythmically.

CJ had left his grip on her. His fists balled up as he too gritted his teeth revealing a pair of sharp fangs. His eyes were blood-red and his face distorted with an animalistic monstrosity.

He growled and paced forward, pouncing on Anirudh with a hungry instinct.

Anirudh, although prepared, couldn't resist the violent blow as CJ's fist landed up on his jaw in a punch.

"Anirudhh!!!"

Vidhi screamed again, her word coursing a new vigour in Anirudh's veins. He turned around to face CJ, dodging another blow from him. With a swift skillful movement, he turned around and lift his elbow, hitting CJ under his chin, making him whither in discomfort.

"Fuck you Anirudh Roy Chowdhury."

CJ groaned, wiping his blood that had gushed out from the corner of his mouth where his own fang had pierced his tongue.

"You want to prolong this... Fine... I gift this another 100 years."

He turned towards Vidhi in a swift movement, and before Anirudh could fathom the situation he simply pulling out a wooden knife from his pocket and pierced it deep in Vidhi's chest, and vanished from the spot in a flash of a moment.

"Bondita!!!!"

Anirudh cried out as in a lightening speed he rushed towards her to cradle her body from falling down on the street.

Blood was oozing out from her body. Anirudh pressed his palm on her chest.

"Anirudh... I... I... "

"Bondita... I'm sorry... "

There wasn't a moment to waste. Every passing second was draining away her life-force. Anirudh took a deep breath and held his left hand to her mouth. He closed his eyes and pierced his fangs in his wrist, letting his dark red blood gush out from the veins.

"I'm so sorry Bondita... Drink this... Please... There is no other way."

Light was fading away from Vidhi's eyes. All she could feel was the sharp pain in h chest and the indomitable desire to live...

Anirudh offered her his blood, and at that moment she was willing to do anything, drink anything to be alive.

He helped her lift her head and held his blood dripped wrist to her lips, letting her sip his blood slowly.

"Bondita...

Don't close your eyes... Bondita..."

Anirudh's voice was fading away... So was the pain.

But another sharp discomfort took its place. Her skin was burning at the waist where the chain had touched.

"My... My... Waist..."

Vidhi murmured the words, feeling Anirudh's hands sliding underneath her nightgown, touching her body, searching the source of her discomfort.

"Bur... It's burnin..."

"Bondita... No... Open your eyesss..."

The dark night faded infront of her hers, so did Anirudh's concerned face, leaning on her. His fangs weren't visible and the last thing Vidhi's mind registered was his worried eyes... reflecting love for her.

"I ... wan... too... liveee..."

She breathed the words, before collapsing down completely in the pleasing warmth of Anirudh's arms.