Chapter 2: Her Life 200 Years Ago

'Where the heck did that come from?!' Emily asked herself as she began to sink further down the bottom. Streaks of light then passed through the water, it was lilac, then it was green. The pendant she held began to dwindle in her hand.

Emily felt her body slowly tensing up and for a second, she passed out.

Crowds of memories then claimed her mind. All of it was unfamiliar. She didn't know if it was from a movie or something, but she was certain that it was not hers.

Everything around her then glowed bright white and, finally, her eyes opened again and she found unruly strength to swim up the surface. Her body felt a bit heavier as if something was pulling her back, but she fought the urge to sink.

She never took swimming lessons and even feared the ocean. So it's a wonder that she suddenly knew how to swim. Even her mind can't comprehend things. It's like... her arms and feet are moving on their own.

She successfully made it upwards and tangled herself in the vines coating the bricks of the thousand-year-old well. But things ain't easy. She almost ran out of breath, so she took a mouthful of air upon reaching the surface.

For a second, she stayed there, heaving weakly, "What the heck…"

Then, with a scream, she pulled herself up by pillaring her small fingers on the outer edge of the well.

"Damn it!"

The screeching sound she made echoed through the night. She was in pain that she didn't even notice that her surroundings had completely changed.

The clouds up above parted ways, revealing the shining full moon, making Emily's figure glisten. Her heavy dress that appeared out of nowhere was drenched, revealing her undies in an unprecedented manner.

A couple of coughs later, she finally looked up to see the silhouette of a man standing before her. She couldn't see his face because the moon shone brightly behind him.

Nonetheless, obvious fear was plastered on her countenance; it completely contorted to that of a silly painting. She exhaled in shock, shaking pupils and all before screaming, "What the fuck?! You're here but you just stood there as I almost drowned? I can't…" She inhaled, and then continued, "Believe you…"

Lawrence's brows met.

"Pardon?" He coldly asked, having a hard time comprehending everything Emily said. Her way with words is utterly confusing. But before Emily could even answer, her ragged breathing came to a pause. Her angry eyes became blank, and her parted lips, they shut.

She passed out in that dead of night, giving Lawrence an opportunity to come closer.

This woman… He sensed something different about her, so he kneeled to level her head and held her chin. The moon grew brighter than ever and before he knew it, his world had stopped.

Her face, aura, and scent… There's no mistaking it!

Lawrence leaned closer and noticed the shining gem in Emily's hand.

He planned to scrutinize it, but he sensed that they were nearing about a hundred meters from him. Could he be mistaken? After all, this woman is nowhere near the woman he once pined for.

They may look the same... but she has long died. So, what brought her back now?

…

"Ezekiel, they went Northeast! Near the Viscount's lair," Glenn reported, nervousness evident in his voice.

"Copy! Spread around!" Ezekiel's voice bellowed in the dismal night, and at once, the hooves of their horses shifted. Several men on their stallions and armored black sheathing heed their leader's order. They spread apart by taking different streets, eventually leading up to the northeast part of Osborn, Glasgow. It's dawn, so people are nowhere to be found.

Therefore, they can carry out their plans in secrecy.

One of the men from his group suddenly raced close to them from the direction Glenn pointed. It seems like some of them have reached it and are now about to report. "Captain, terrible news!"

"What?" Their pace slowed down but they kept going.

A ball of glowing fog blocked the entrance to the street of the well, so by the time the man said, "He's gone, and so is the 7th!" Ezekiel had seen it for himself.

The vampire has run away, but the block isn't empty.

Several bodies of the Shacklehook Brothers lay flat on the ground. Their bodies dried like raisins, with no trace of blood left inside them. Their eyes were empty, bleak, and screamed for unprecedented help.

Fresh horrors must've welcomed them before they met their demise. Ezekiel got off his horse and slowly trudged around, his expression indistinguishable. Nonetheless, words nor appearance don't matter since there's no question about how he's feeling.

Disappointment…

The members of his team scattered around on their feet, looking around the vicinity and some attending to the dead bodies. All of a sudden, Glenn yelled, "Ezekiel! You might want to take a look at this…"

Ezekiel walked over to the darker side of the block and saw a woman lying on the ground, settled on her back whilst evidently drenched in cold water. Ezekiel and Glenn check her pulse, it's slow, but it's a sign that she's alive. "Take her in, maybe she saw something. We can't take the risk of having someone know."

"Understood," Glenn replied and walked away to ask for help. Ezekiel was left alone with the woman, scanning her entirety, when a faint glint in her closed palm caught his attention. His brows furrowed as he extended his hand and took it.

It's a pendant, but a broken one.

Ezekiel's eyes traveled to the face of the woman again. "Who are you?"

…

It was unknown how many days had passed, but Emily had just woken up now.

Her head started to throb when the sun hit her face, and as she looked around, the unfamiliar room welcomed her. It was a toned-down chamber with little to no furniture. The walls were bricked up and everything was made of either wood, stone, or cheap metal.

The bed was comfy, but it reeked of a manly scent.

"Where am I?" she asked herself at first. About a minute into contemplating, she then got up and looked at the window. Her eyes widened in surprise.

There are people, many of them, moving about like everything is normal.

However, something about them is different.

"Mother, may we pay the Lord a visit?"

"This corset is killing me, Belinda."

"Well, the rats have infested the lands of our King. I can't blame the royal guards for inspecting the dwellers."

The way they talk…

The way they traveled in horses and carriages…

The way they're dressed…

"Am I… on a movie set?"

"You're awake," a manly voice said behind her.