Part 16

Do you ever experience that tranquil feeling when you wake up from a restful night's sleep, with a mind as clear as a cloudless sky? It's a moment of pure peacefulness, unburdened by any pressing thoughts or worries about the day ahead. But as soon as you open your eyes and your mind starts whirring, you're hit with a flood of emotions. Remembering what happened the day before and contemplating the day to come can be overwhelming, especially if you find yourself alone and surrounded by vampires with no recollection of who you are or what you're meant to do. it can be exhausting and scary at the same time.

As I woke up, I felt freezing cold and uncomfortable. My face scrunched up in discomfort as my eyes fluttered open. I was confused when I realized I wasn't in the garden with Stanley anymore. I sat up and searched the room hoping to find him, but he was nowhere to be found. Memories of the ball and meeting Stanley flooded my mind, making me feel weak and exhausted. I sighed and dragged myself to the bathroom, looking at my dishevelled reflection in the mirror. I took a shower and felt a sense of relief as the warm water eased the cramps in my muscles, washing away all the tiredness.

I couldn't stop thinking about Stanley's words. I realized I might be from a witch bloodline and that vampires and witches both needed me for some prophecy. But the vampires who kidnapped me felt evil, and my gut feeling was telling me they were up to no good. I felt confused and scared, not knowing who I really was or what was in store for me. I wasn't sure if Stanley was telling the truth or just bluffing. All I knew was that something big was waiting for me, and I wasn't sure if I was ready to face it.

I closed my eyes and rested my head on the bathtub's edge, trying to make sense of everything Stanley had said. I knew meeting someone in my head was impossible in real life. Either my head is not functioning properly or everything happening around me is true. It left me feeling confused and lost. All I can think about is that I was from a witch bloodline, but the fact that both vampires and witches needed me for some prophecy made me feel uneasy. William once mentioned that there were other supernatural races who are looking for me and when I think about it my memories took me back to the accident. I am sure I saw a wolf jumping in front of the car causing the accident. So that means wolves are also looking for me? Why?

My gut feeling says that vampires are evil and they are up to something which will not end well for anyone. I must find out who I am before it's too late. But I couldn't tell if what people around me is saying was true or not, and I didn't feel ready for what might await me.

I started to shiver as the water turned cold, I got out of the tub and made my way to the closet. I picked simple plain black yoga pants and a loose T-shirt. to wear as my mind was restless and anxious. I dried my damp hair with a drier and let my hair flow down on my back. My mind was restless for some reason.

A loud knock on the door jolted me out of my thoughts. Startled, I walked to the door and opened it, finding William standing outside with a grin on his face. As he towered over me, I felt a bit small, but his warm smile eased my nerves. I didn't want to start the day with any trouble, so I smiled back at him.

He looked dashing in his white T-shirt and beige trousers, and I couldn't help but notice how put-together he was. He looked casual and perfect like a normal guy from the street, not a prince. "What's up?" I asked looking at him.

"It seems like you're already ready for the day!" he exclaimed, his eyes scanning my yoga pants and T-shirt.

I raised my eyebrows in confusion. "Where are we going?" I asked, hesitant but curious.

"Let's go!" He said, taking my hand in his.

"Where?" I asked doubtfully.

"Relax, I just want to take you out somewhere nice. A change of scenery could improve your mood," he replied, his smile softening.

"Where are we going?" I asked cheerfully. He studied my expression and let out a breath of relief.

"It's a surprise!" He said, walking outside and pulling me along. I just smiled and walked beside him.

As we walked, I noticed the hall was empty, except for a few vampires who walked by us, bowing to William but glaring at me. I held onto his hand tightly, feeling uneasy about the way they looked at me. One woman even bared her fangs at me, and I gasped in shock. My heart raced and my body tensed up in fear. I had never seen a fang this close let alone one who looked as menacing as this woman.

I had never seen a vampire with fangs before, and it sent shivers down my spine.

William saw the woman showing off her fangs and growled at her before walking towards the main door. The smile left her face when she saw William and disappeared from view. I breathed a sigh of relief, but the memory of the encounter lingered in my mind.

"Just don't mind them. They do not trust you yet, but they will come along in time." He said sincerely. Well, I am not looking forward to getting close to them or getting to know them. I thought and walked silently beside him.

"No one will ever dare to harm you here. So don't worry and just be yourself." He said reassuringly. I just nodded.

As soon as I stepped outside, the refreshing autumn breeze kissed my skin and I couldn't help but smile. I looked around and saw a breathtaking stone garden with a stunning fountain in the middle. This was the first time I had seen the castle in daylight, and it was absolutely magnificent. Without a second thought, I ran towards the fountain and began to splash water around, feeling the droplets sprinkle all over me. It was pure bliss.

William followed me outside and his smile grew even wider as he watched me play. I couldn't help but blush a little under his gaze.

"Sorry, I just got a little carried away," I said, feeling slightly embarrassed as I wiped the water off my hands.

"Don't be sorry, Kristen. I'm just happy to see you happy. And I hope you stay that way forever," he said, his words genuine and heartfelt. His hand touched my cheek, causing me to blush even harder.

We continued our walk along the stone path and eventually stopped at a stable. As soon as I laid my eyes on the horses, a pure white one stood out to me. It was absolutely stunning. But as I walked towards the stable, all of the horses turned to face me in an odd and eerie unison. It was as if they recognized me somehow which was creepy but it did not scare me. I went straight to the white horse, its long wavy locks of hair flew in the soft wind and I felt a sense of peace within me when I neared it. I couldn't explain the connection I felt with the horse, but it was strong and real. It was like we were communicating without words. When I stroked his head and placed my face on his forehead, he took a whiff of me and responded to me lovingly and never stopped wiggling his tail. I looked at the other horses and went to pet them and play for a minute before returning my white horse. Even though I have never seen a beautiful horse, this closes and even if I did, I wouldn't dare to go near it. But now I am hugging it like a friend or an owner. I just laughed happily when he nudged me and asked me to hug him again. I giggled.

I felt like I belonged there with them, in their peaceful world. Reluctantly, I turned to William and said, "I love them all, William." The joy on my face faded as I noticed the horrified look on his face. My heart sank as I realized there were a few other vampires standing behind him with the same expression, which I hadn't noticed before. "What's wrong?" I asked, stepping out of the stable.

"H.How did you do that?" He asked in a wavering tone, which scared me a bit.

"Do what?" I asked in confusion.

"Remos would never let anyone touch him apart from me." I looked at him in disbelief and smiled.

"You gave me a fright, William," I said, rolling my eyes. I think Remos likes me too. I said looking at the white horse.

"Have you ever ridden a horse before?" He asked, eyeing Remos.

"Nope, I never saw one this close. But I like it." I said, walking towards Remos.

"You like me, right? I asked, looking at Remo playfully. His black eyes stared deep into my eyes and bowed his head. Do horses know to show respect? I asked inside my mind.

The other vampires behind him said something to a person behind William, which was not audible. I strained my eyes to look at the person who was now standing in front of William, talking in a hushed tone. He turned his neck when I approached them. I gasped. It was John.

"John!" I said and took a step back. He intimidates and scares me in all possible ways. As if Remos felt my anger he tried to lose himself from the lease and tried to attack John. He was behaving like he is trying to protect me.

"Whoa…" He said and ran a few steps back away from us. "Remos calm down," I said trying to get his attention, he tried to scare off John before cooling down and it was kind of cute to me. How adorable I thought and stroked his head before stepping away from him.

"So, it's true that you have powers huh?" He asked sceptically, raising his right eyebrow and looking at the horses.

"What do you mean?" I asked. The tension between us had always been thick, but it gets worse when he questions me when he already knew I do not have answers.

William cleared his throat and stood next to me. "It's nothing." Let's go. I suppressed my fear of him and walked off.

I was taken aback by William's response. I could feel the tension between them and it made me feel uneasy. It looked like he was hiding something from me like always and he refused to elaborate. I could tell he was agitated, but I didn't know why. I tried to put my fear aside and follow him.

"Which one you wanna take?" He asked me looking a the horses.

"Of course Remos. He likes me." I said, smiling at him.

"Are you sure?" He asked me doubtfully.

"I can feel the connection with Remos, he wouldn't harm me," I said and held the head collar rope, without much effort, I placed one leg on the mounting block and swing my other leg around it and in no time I sat on the saddle gracefully and smiled at William. His expression was of shock, but he didn't say anything and mounted another brown horse next to him. I held the collar tightly and nudged his back with my toe lightly.

Remos took off from the staple and matched the mild speed with William. As we rode, the wind blew through my hair and the sun shone down on us. It was a beautiful day, and the scenery around us was breathtaking. I felt alive, free, and happy. Riding on Remos was an exhilarating experience, and I felt like I was in sync with the horse. I looked over at William, and he was staring at me with a mix of amazement and concern. I smiled at him, trying to ease his worries. We rode for what seemed like hours, and I enjoyed every moment of it.

"It's hard to believe when you said you've never ridden a horse before. You just did it so gracefully, like a professional." William complimented me when I swung my leg over Remos and landed on my feet. I patted Remos and thanked him for bringing me safely. He bowed his head once again and walked over to the grass to feed himself. I smiled at him.

"You never leave a chance to amaze me." He said and took my hand in his. "I am amazed myself. I just followed my instincts." I said, laughing.

William just stood there observing my every move and trying to figure out something in his head.

"What?" I asked.

"Nothing, I am just surprised to find out one of your natural talents." I am impressed. He said and walked towards the beautiful landscape taking my hand in his.

"Do you like it?" He asked hopefully looking at the garden in front of us. "Yes, I love it," I replied and started to walk among the flowers, brushing them with my fingers, I couldn't help but feel a sense of childlike wonder. William chuckled softly as he followed me, his eyes filled with admiration. It was clear that he knew exactly what would make me happy, and I couldn't help but appreciate his efforts.

We walked further into the garden, I spotted a tea table and took a seat. I couldn't help but ask, "Did you arrange all of this, or was it here like this?"

William's expression turned sad as he replied, "This garden was made by my mother. She had a special connection with flowers and animals. They submitted to her in the way that Remos did to you. That's why everyone was so shocked when they saw you with him. Remos was my mother's favorite and he wouldn't let anyone come near him. After my mom's death, he only let me be by his side." His voice trailed off as he was lost in thought, clearly still grieving the loss of his mother.

"I'm sorry," I said, placing my hand on his arms. His voice broke as he started speaking about his mother. He looked lost in thought, and I could see the sadness in his eyes. "What was she like?" I asked, curious to know more about the woman who had been so important to him.

He took a deep breath and described his mother to me. She had been a powerful queen, a hybrid of a witch and a vampire, with beautiful red hair and piercing grey eyes which turned to a shade of green after she became a vampire. She ruled our kingdom with kindness and strength, protecting our people from threats. Everything was fine until my 5th birthday when all hell broke loose and we faced war and my mother got killed.

The loss had been devastating for William, and his father had become a vengeful killing machine, seeking out and killing witches.

As he spoke, I felt a deep sadness for William and the pain he had endured.

"I remember it like it was yesterday," William said, his voice thick with emotion. "She was everything to me. The light in my life that made every day worth living. But when she left, she took that light with her, and I was left in darkness. She always use to feed me blood from blood bags and reminds me not to take blood directly from humans as it will harm them and make me go in blood lust. I always remembered her words and never hurt a human in my life.

My father lost all reasons to live when my mother passed and become a killing machine. He loathed witches and blamed them for her death and would stop at nothing to destroy them all. It was a war that nearly wiped out their entire race.

But there were a few who remained loyal to my mother, brave witches who fought for her and protected her. They are now the only ones left, serving as the loyal subjects of the throne.

William's hatred for witches ran deep, fueled by the pain and loss he had endured. He knew their powers were superior, but he also knew that they were outnumbered by their strength, speed, and heightened hearing. They dare not show themselves, forced to live in hiding for their own safety.

As he spoke, I could feel the pain and sorrow in his words, and my heart ached for him. To lose someone so dear at such a young age was unthinkable, and I wished there was something I could do to ease his pain. But all I could do was hold his hand and be there for him, hoping that my support would bring some comfort to his broken heart.

"When I grew up, my hunger became uncontrollable when I think of her and all I could do was scream in pain until I find a blood bag. I promised her that I will never hurt a human for my hunger. Sometimes the hunger used to kill me from the inside out, but now I trained myself to keep it under control." The air felt uncomfortable, filled with sorrow and pain. I felt sad for him and reached out for his hand and gripped it softly. He looked at me and gave me a half-hearted smile.

"Now I have you. I see the light in your smile. You are so much like her." He smiled, lightening the mood. I blushed.

"I am sure she was nothing like me. I can picture her being graceful, powerful, kind, and far more beautiful." I said, smiling at him and the tension in the air dissipated.

"I envy and respect her," I said, looking at the clouds. "It's still hard to accept all these but I believe I will find out soon."

"You will, my love." He said, hugging my shoulder.

I feel sad for William and I wish I could do anything for him. He took a small gift box from his pocket and gave it to me.

"What is this?" I asked, admiring the box.

"A gift for you." He said, smiling, and opened the box. I stared at the stunning blood-red stone resting on a silver chain. The way it shimmered and glowed in the light was truly mesmerizing, and I couldn't take my eyes off it. I have never seen such a huge stone in my life, not even in movies. I held it carefully and felt a strange sensation wash over me. It was almost as if the stone had a life of its own, and was reaching out to connect with me in some way.

"You like it?" William asked with a pleased smile on his face. "It's a rare gemstone and my mother always adored it. He said while his eyes glazed with unshed tears.

"It's beautiful," I said softly and pushed it back politely into his hands. "I am sorry. It's your mother's and you should not give me something precious like this. I cannot accept it." I said, looking down at my feet. I felt like the stone was calling for me and it was meant to be mine. I know it but I cannot take it when I am not sure about anything that's happening around me.

He sighed and opened the clasp of the necklace and tied it around my neck. The stone felt heavy against my chest. I looked at him with wide eyes.

"William." I started, but he cut me off.

"Kristen, I understand your hesitation, but I feel like this belongs to you. I use to see my mother in my dreams when I was a kid but a few years before it stopped but last night I saw her. She was standing right beside your bed with this necklace in her hand. She smiled, looking at you and disappeared. I believe this is what my mother wants, and I want you to accept it." He pleaded.

Although it sounded creepy yet I sighed in defeat and accepted it.

As we returned to the castle in the evening, I realized that we had spent the whole day in the gardens. I was glad that William had opened up to me, but I was still trying to keep my distance from him, not fully trusting him. But, as he opened up to me about his mother, I felt a warmth in my heart. Maybe he genuinely cared for me and trusted me enough to share his secrets.

As we walked down the hall to my room, the chandeliers lit up the darkness and I felt relieved to have learned more about witches and vampires. I was starting to understand and slowly getting a hang of it.

When we reached my room, I turned to William and thanked him with a smile. He smiled back. He turned to leave.

"William," I held his wrist and stopped him. He looked at me and I hesitated to put my thoughts into words.

"I'm sorry for being a pain in the ass. I never knew how hard it must be for you to put up with all this stuff." I apologized, feeling guilty over my actions. He gave me a small smile and hugged me. I hugged him back, burying my head in his warm chest.

"You have nothing to be sorry about. I should be the one apologizing for dragging you into our world like this. I cannot change the past, but I will make sure to stay by your side and protect you." He said those words kindly, which made tears well up in my eyes. I sniffed.

He sighed and reached out to softly brush a tear away from my cheek. I leaned into his hand and sighed.

"Thank you," I said, and opened the door to my room.

"Get some rest, Kristen. Everything will be alright, I promise." He spoke gently. He said those words many times now but I still have a hard time living at ease. I smiled appreciatively and bid him good night. He smiled and left. I walked inside the room with a sigh and suddenly felt a shiver run down my spine. Something wasn't right.