Tayanna: A Vampire's Tale

Chapter Fourteen: Masks are taken off

I woke up as weak as ever but in a place I did not recognize. I was starting to get annoyed by me passing out and waking up in different places all the time.
I sat up and realized I was on the floor. I was in my normal black dress now but it was covered in dirt and stone. I tried to get up and walked forward but was jerked back by my am. I looked and saw someone had handcuffed me, one cuff was attached to my one wrist and the other cuff was attached to the stone wall.
Looking around I saw that I was in a cell. I could not see beyond the outside of the cell, the only light was from a candle outside the cell and a small barred window on the back wall.

I tried to pull the chain off the wall but even with my vampire strength would not break it. I pulled a few times before becoming to weak and losing my breath. I sat on the ground beginning to feel drowsy.

"Help!" I tried to call out, "Help! Someone please!"

Suddenly, I heard footsteps and a tall figure appeared from the darkness.

"Please..." I said.

Along the footsteps came a third knock on the stone and Edmund appeared in front of the cell door, a smirk on his face.

"Still alive I see" He said.

"I don't understand," I stood, "Edmund let me out. What's going on?"

"Firstly, do you really think," He laughed, "that my son wanted to marry you?"

"...well, no..." I stuttered.

"Of course not. But I forced him to. Our plan would be incomplete if not"

"What plan?" I asked curiously.

"My wife Marianna is gravely ill, cursed actually, by a witch and is slowly dying."

"That's horrible" I said, "but...but what's that got to do with me?"

Edmund stared at me through the thick metal bars then started pacing slowly.

"You have magic powers," He said, "One would even say the powers of a witch. Your magic is very powerful because you are born with it, making it extremely precious. It is so strong that it can even bring back the dead..." He looked directly at me, "or heal the sick"

"If you wanted me to heal her, all you had to do was ask" I replied.

"Unfortunately, it is not as simple as that," Edmund paced, "For her to live she needs the source and power from another life. And that would be, yours."

I gasped.

"The necklace Marcel gave you as been and will continue to drain you of your magickal essence and life, until you are dead" Edmund smirked at my expression of sorrow and shock.

"Goodbye, Tayanna"

Edmund began to leave but turned and spoke over his shoulder,

"To answer your question, you're in your grave."

I sat shocked on the floor. I began to cry, I did not want to die. I grabbed the necklace by it's charm and pulled as hard as I could but I quickly felt burning on my hand and let go. An imprint of the necklace was burned into my hand, I felt the wolf venom burning my hands before what little vampiric powers I had left, sealed the wound. No matter what I did the necklace would not come off. I tried pulling the chain but the small chain was just as strong as the chain holding me to the wall.

I wanted to keep trying but every muscle in my body ached, my head pounded and my vision faded.
I could not do anything. This was it.
I felt a pinch of regret and guilt in my stomach as I thought about my mother and father. I'd disappointed them and the last they saw me I hated them. They'd never know how sorry I was and I'd never feel their touch or hear their voices again.

                            ❦ ❦ ❦

My eyes opened and I stood in Frankenstein's castle. Broken glass, stones and tree branches was scattered across the floor. Wooden chairs were on their sides, flowers petals covered the ground and blew in the soft wind. It took me a moment to realize that I could not feel the breeze. I put my hand out and a bigger gust of wind blew but I felt nothing, strange.

I heard voices and followed them to a room that came off the room where the wedding took place, or didn't.
Inside I found them. My parents. Dracula stood over Aleera who was laying on a stone table with her head propped up by a pillow, she held tightly to his hand and had her arm across her stomach, a red colour stained her pink dress.

I was about to go to her when I saw others. Draven and Alexander stood looking down at something. Actually, someone. A girl who looked about my age sat tied up in a chair. She wore tight black clothes and had long dark brown hair. She had different coloured eyes as well, one was a regular brown, the other was a magnificent light blue. I stared at her for a while, wondering who she was, until started I wondering why no one had acknowledged that I was here.

I walked over to my father and stood directly next to him. He and Aleera had their eyes locked.

"Father..." I said.

No one reacted, I called again.

"Father..." I said.

"He can't hear you" I heard someone say.

I looked over at Alexander and he was looking at me. He began to walk to the door and motioned me to follow. I did. Once we were out of ear shot, Alexander spoke.

"He can't hear you" He said.

"What?" I asked, "what do you mean he can't hear me?"

"Touch me" Alexander held out his hand.

"Excuse me?" I said.

"Just do it" He said.

I rolled my eyes and placed my hand on top of Alexander's. At least I thought I did. I did not feel his cold skin beneath mine.

I looked down to see my fingers go straight through Alexander's hand. I gasped in shocked and tried to touch Alexander again and again but my hand was transparent.

"What's wrong with me?" I asked scared.

Alexander sighed and looked at me sadly, "You're a spirit", He said.

"I'm...." I stuttered, "I'm dead?"

Alexander nodded slightly, his bleach blonde bangs hung across his face.

I sat down on a chunk of stone in horror and shock, Alexander sat down beside me.

I looked around at the destroyed room.

"What happened?" I asked.

It took him a minute but Alexander answered,

"You caused a storm..."

"Yes, I remember that." I cut in.

"But you lost control," He continued on like he wasn't interrupted, "and the storm became to powerful for you and another tree came and was about to hit you but Edmund ran and pulled you out of the way but I guess he and Marcel had bigger plans for you..."

I felt a cold tear roll down my face.

"I didn't know spirits could cry" I said not looking at Alexander, "But now it hurts even more."