Worth Waiting For

Chapter Twenty Three

"Gertrude, is it true what you said?" Gretta asked the old witch as she continued to sit by Haylie's side. "Is Malachi really such a monster?"

"Monster, huh?" Gertrude said with a soft chuckle. "That's quite a relative term isn't it? A monster is only a monster if there is someone to fear it. Malachi is merely a being with immense power. How it will be perceived by those around him, will determine what he is called."

"How do you know that he will not go on a rampage and destroy everything?" Gretta asked as her gaze met Gertrude's.

"As long as Ashlynn is by his side, it should be fine." Gertrude said with a serious tone. "I sincerely hope so." Gertrude suddenly looked up towards the ceiling with a curious expression. Something didn't seem right to her. It felt as something bad was filling the air. "Something's wrong. Stay here." She ordered Gretta as she teleported to the castle yard.

The rain that continuously fell earlier was now dying down but the dark clouds remained high in the sky. 

Gertrude's gaze fell upon the crying Ashlynn who was kneeling beside the limp body of Malachi. She kept pushing against his chest pleading, begging for him to wake up. But to no avail.

Gertrude stood still in shock. How could this happen? How could someone like Malachi be dead? How could he be out powered? Her gaze shifted to Lucas who had backed up a feet paces but still looked down upon Mal's unmoving body. Why is he here? Gertrude thought to herself. It is odd for the royals to be messing around with that family. She turned her gaze towards Ashlynn once more and quickly made her way over to her. She knelt down beside her and rested her right hand on Ashlynn's back.

"You need to feed him your blood." Gertrude told her sternly. "It is the only way you can save him."

"What?" Ashlynn turned to Gertrude with a blood-tear stained face. She looked distraught. TO Gertrude, she could understand why. Ashlynn had just lost her Beloved without the knowledge that he may be able to be saved.

"Feed him your blood. It is the only thing that will save him. Remember, I told you that you two are linked. Because you made him, you can save him." Ashlynn seemed to be getting what Gertrude was saying as she slowly shifted her gaze back to Mal's body.

She brought her right arm to her lips and bit down, removing some of her flesh. She moved her now leaking arm to Mal's lips and allowed the blood to pour down his throat.

They waited for a minute as the blood seemed to have no effect, but Ashlynn was not giving up. Suddenly she let out a shriek as she was pulled backwards. Lucas had a fistful of her hair as he dragged her backwards, as she screamed in pain.

He managed to pull her a few meters yet Gertrude's gaze never left Mal's body. She was enamoured with the what was happening to it. It seemed as if there was thousands of bugs underneath his skin as they all crawled their way to the would. All she saw was the indentations on his skin.

"Now there is nothing stopping you from continuing with this marriage." Lucas said with a distinct evil tone in his voice. He seemed excited at the fact that he had beaten Mal.

"Please let me go." Ashlynn pleaded. She tried to get away from him but he was too strong.

"Now why would I do that? We have a wedding to get to." He laughed once more which sent shivers down Ashlynn's back. "And then the long awaited wedding night. Once I take your innocence then there is no slight chance you can run from me." Lucas laughed once more as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"That is what you're after?" Ashlynn said through gritted teeth. She was trying to get used to the pain and not let it show as she did earlier. "Then you are too late. I already belong to Malachi." She wanted to spit in his face but due to their positions with him being behind her, she couldn't.