Trials of the Heart

Chapter 6

 

 

 

The hallway seemed to stretch for miles before her. There was a buzzing in her ears, getting stronger by the minute; her knees were buckling underneath her, but she forced herself to go on. She could see the magical elevator. She reached out her hand, but even that simple movement caused her head to spin.

She managed to flip the switch on the elevator; she heard machinery clanking within the shaft. The doors creaked open and Carrie managed to find her way inside, where she collapsed on the bottom of the lift. The floor was cool against her cheek, and she closed her eyes as the elevator slowly rose to the towers.

All thoughts left her mind, except for the image of a boy clad in purple. Her lips curved into a smile, though it was so small it was hardly noticeable. All of her thoughts were focused on that boy; he brought happy memories into her poor, tortured mind. The pain left her as her weary body went numb; it was the only salvation she could hope for now. The light that usually shone in her eyes died, and her lips formed two simple syllables before she ceased to move:

Malus…

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Rosa looked at her master, concern in her eyes, when she saw him cringe. He was facing away from her, but she could tell by the fact that his shoulders were curved that something was upsetting him. She knew that he, too, had heard the words. They had not been spoken, but they had resounded throughout the room all the same.

Malus… I’m coming for you… Please wait for me… Malus…

It had been more of a vibration than a sound, as if some greater being had bounced his words off the walls of this place of filth. Rosa was not a fool, and knew immediately who had spoken. The girl.

Which meant she was still in the castle. Rosa clenched her fists and suppressed a growl. She knew that her master had gone to see the girl only a few hours before. What had he been doing with her? She had thought that he had killed her or sent her back to the village.

She looked back up at the master. He was still looking out at the courtyard of the dark castle. He had not moved.

"Master!"she said shrilly. "I thought you had done away with the girl. What is she still doing here?"

The master did something which made even Rosa, with her cold skin and bones, shiver. He heaved a long, sorrowful sigh.

"… Master?"she said slowly. "What’s wrong?"

"Nothing…"the master said in a quiet voice. "Please leave me be, Rosa. I need to think…"

"What did she do to you?"Rosa demanded.

The master sighed again, and shook his head slowly. The simple movement seemed to take all of the energy he possessed.

"What are you talking about, Rosa…?"he asked wearily.

"The girl!"Rosa hissed. "She has done something to you! You are not acting like yourself at all!"

"She did nothing…"

Rosa’s lips pressed into a thin, angry line.

"I am going to find her and kill her,"she declared.

She turned and stormed off into the hallway. She heard the rustle of her master’s cloak behind her, but he said nothing. She supposed he was too tired, or weak, or depressed to say anything. Of course, she didn’t mind; at least he couldn’t stop her now.

She rushed down the stairs, taking them two at a time, careful not to trip herself, laughing gleefully the whole time.

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Dracula knew what Rosa had gone to do, but felt that there was no point in stopping her. She was probably too late anyway; he could no longer feel Carrie’s life force. The grief was filling his cold, dead heart. It was an emotion he was not used to experiencing – much like love. And he found that he was uanble to handle either.

In trying to protect Carrie, he had killed her. 

He should have made her go back when he had the chance. He never should have given her the opportunity to present to him her smooth, white neck. The taste of her blood remained in his mouth like the bitter residue of death.

And from the stairs came Rosa’s howling, maniacal laughter.

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The elevator came to a clanking stop. Renon gently rubbed his chin, deep in thought, as the doors opened. On the floor lay the cold, curled-up body of the young girl Carrie. He briefly wondered what she was doing there before his thoughts were interrupted by a blonde vampire racing into the room.

"Where is she?"Rosa demanded, stopping next to the demon. "Have you seen her?"

"If you mean Carrie, why yes, I have,"Renon said pleasantly. "In fact, she is right there, on the floor of the elevator. What business have you with her?"

"I come on behalf of my lord Dracula,"Rosa said waspishly. "Is that the girl? Why doesn’t she move?"

"I thought it was a bit obvious, my dear lady,"Renon said jovially.

"What do you mean?"Rosa said questioningly.

Renon turned slightly away from Rosa to peer at the small, unmoving form of the vampire hunter. He sighed, then said:

"Why, she’s dead, of course."

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