Warning!: The following chapters contain graphic violence and disturbing imagery.
Reader discretion is advised!.
Penelope's heart skipped a beat as she heard the shattering glass sound, and she jolted back in fear. She thought someone was breaking into the house to save her, probably Julius. She wanted to leave the room but hesitated, thinking, "What if it's a thief? What if the person tries to hurt me when I step out of the room or takes me as a hostage?" In moments like these, Penelope wished Julius was with her. He was like a second father to her, always ready to lend a hand, especially when it came to making tough choices. "If he were here, he would know what to do," she thought, sighing sadly. She couldn't keep wishing or hoping; she needed to take action.
With a deep breath, she decided that leaving the room was the better option. There might be a chance of her getting saved. She opened the door and peeked into the hallway to ensure it was safe. After making sure it was clear, she took the first step out of the room, waiting for a laser beam to pierce through her skull. But nothing happened, at least for now. With a big sigh of relief, she walked out of the room, mesmerized by the eerie beauty of the hallway, it's a majestic hallway adorned with ancient antiques, oil paintings, and ornate mirrors, history. Rich wood floors, plush crimson runners, and delicate consoles with fresh flowers create a symphony of textures, colors, and scents, transporting her to a world of refinement and sophistication.
She stood in front of the door, staring at the right side of the hallway, which had a left turn "That doesn't seem like a place to navigate carefully" "Turn to the left side," she muttered to herself, but instead, she bumped into something that felt like a wall. 'When did this wall get here?' she wondered, rubbing her forehead. Her eyes closed, she thought the word "wall" again, but it didn't feel right – it seemed to have arms. Her eyes snapped open when a pair of strong arms grabbed her by the shoulders forcefully.
In front of her stood Ryak, his expression identical to the one he had when he kidnapped her, except this time, the other half of his face was not covered. Ryak's eyes were bloodshot, his mouth open wide, revealing his sharp pointed fangs. He didn't look like the Ryak who had been kind to her just minutes ago. Instead, he looked like a ravenous beast, a hungry monster who couldn't wait to devour her whole and alive. Penelope's body began to shiver, and she screamed. The piercing sound snapped Ryak back to reality, and his expression softened as he realized what he was about to do. He released Penelope's shoulder and ran off the right side of the hallway.
Penelope sank to the ground, biting her fingernails, tears rolling down her face as she sobbed loudly. 'Why does this keep happening to me?' she wondered
"Because you are a vixen, a witch to be exact".
Penelope looked up and saw Ivy staring down at her, her face twisted in anger, with handprints on her neck. Ivy's eyes blazed like a raging dragon's.
"Everything is happening because of you," Ivy clenched her jaw hard, her fangs scraping against each other. Penelope felt a shiver run down her spine, recognizing the strained behavior, first it was Ryan strange behaviour and her. By now, Penelope knew she shouldn't be surprised by Ivy's actions, but a part of her wondered about her back story and what made her so bitten but then she realised she doesn't even know her name. Just then, Penelope felt a sharp pain in her right knee, Ivy kicked her. The pain would have been manageable if it were a human, but Ivy's vampire strength made it unbearable. Penelope hugged her knee, blowing on it gently, hoping the pain would subside. She wanted to cry, but she knew it would only make things worse.
Ivy would be more pissed, with a sharp piercing death glare and cold face Ivy said "If you don't die, I will kill you," her voice as icy cold as their skin. Penelope shivered and dared not look into her icy gaze. "Get that straight into your dumb brain," Ivy sneered, pushing Penelope aside by the head before leaving with a disgusted sound. Penelope felt a wave of relief wash over her and cried silently, whenever she's happy that's when the devil decides to play with her, "I want to go home, I miss my family. As she stood up to walk back to the bedroom, she realized it wasn't a safe option – Ivy might return and attack her again. With puffy eyes, Penelope took a left turn and hurried down the hallway, glancing back every second to ensure Ivy wasn't behind her. Despite her fear and sadness, she couldn't help but admire the luxurious corridor, adorned with paintings, ancient artifacts, and hints of magic.
Penelope reached out her hand for the door knob, the door clicked open. "The door is open," she thought with joy, maybe this was the universe's way of saying sorry. Ever since she was little, her love for books had been strong, growing day by day, year by year, filling her up with knowledge. Past experiences, like being locked up at the castle, had taught her a few things through books. Penelope stepped into the library, her eyes gleaming with joy and excitement. Her smile was probably the most radiant one you'd ever see on earth, a true book lover's delight.
Wiping her puffy eyes dry, she rushed over to the shelf, scanning each book in search of the one that spoke to her. After some minutes, she finally found it - "Chaos in Dreams" - what an intriguing title she thought out loud before settling into a desk and chair in front of a window. Looking around, she made sure she was the only one there, as her heart couldn't handle any more sneak attack or pain. That's when she noticed a broken window, and her face lit up with hope. "Thank you, Lord," she prayed, rushing over to the window with her book and shoes in hand. She took off her shoes to avoid making a sound. However, when she reached the window - the fourth one - her face dropped. The shattered part was high above, far from her reach. It was one of those long arched windows, making it to escape would attract them and if Ryak can tell her to roam around the house freely then he must trust her or have some kid of trap. With a sad sigh Penelope returned to the desk, book in hand, and began flipping through the pages. Her hand stopped at a particular page, it's contents falling onto the table revealing pictures. But pictures of who, with unsettling eyes Penelope reached for one of the pictures and saw the name "Ivy" scribbled on the back. "Who is Ivy?" she thought, turning the picture over. Ah, she gasped out loud, but not too loudly to be heard, and stood up immediately, throwing her hand over her mouth to stifle her scream. With a whisper, she said, "Her name is Ivy." In the picture, Ivy was wearing a green V-neck vest over a white T-shirt and a pair of straight blue jeans, matched with blue and white sneakers. She was grinning from ear to ear, her eyes glistening with joy. She didn't look like the cranky, evil vampire she was now, instead, she looked sweet and kind.
Penelope picked up another picture, and in it was Ryak with a black-haired guy who had his hair styled in a half ponytail,he looked a bit lean but his abs under his white, semi-transparent shirt says otherwise. "Who is this guy?" Penelope's cheeks flushed bright pink. "No, no, no," she muttered to herself, slapping her cheek. "He's for sure a vampire, probably related to Ryak or, even worse, Ivy." she gulped hard, she could feel the hairs at the back of her neck standing on end. "She's scary as hell," Penelope thought. She went through all five pictures, and all of them featured Ivy, Ryak, and the black-haired guy. "Maybe Ryak is bi," she whispered to herself. Nevertheless, she decided she should read the novel. She put the pictures back in their place and began to read the book, wondering if it was safe to do so, considering it might belong to Ivy. Despite the potential danger, she continued to read because the story was intriguing, even if it might lead to her dead.
Ryak felt disgusted with himself, torn between his nature and his feelings. As a vampire, blood was their primary source of sustenance, while human food is only meant for satisfaction. Yet, Ryak didn't know why he felt uneasy about what to do with Penelope or why he hadn't drunk her blood yet. It was as if he was avoiding anything that would make her hate him. However, he didn't feel the same way about Ivy. "I think I'm going crazy," he muttered, yanking at his hair, his eyes wide open with a mix of confusion and desperation.
"I'm not crazy, I just need something to cool off. Books will help," he thought. He adjusted his neon green T-shirt, which matched his pair of black jeans, and headed to the library. As he walked past Penelope's room, he was too ashamed to look in that direction. In fact, he was so ashamed that he didn't even notice the door was slightly ajar.
Upon arriving at the library, he quietly shut the door behind him, afraid to make a sound that might alert Ivy about his whereabouts. She had been trying to apologize and had been looking for him everywhere, but he wasn't in the mood for it.
She was becoming increasingly annoying day by day, clinging to him like a leech, desperate for his attention and affection. However, he had never felt any romantic or affectionate feelings towards her. Instead, he saw her as someone who had imposed herself on him. He admired her bravery and confidence, perhaps viewing her as a means to an end or a tool to achieve his goals. He had been clear with her, telling her that he would never love her or anyone else, or so he thought. But she refused to accept it, claiming she could make him fall in love with her. It never happened, and now he had reached his breaking point. She disgust him.
He tried to calm himself down, gather his thoughts, and clear his mind. But all the while, she was on his mind. The face she made when he almost uttered the fear in her eyes, and her stifled scream, made his chest feel tight. "What's this feeling?" he asked himself, feeling confused and disgusted.
Then, he heard a giggle, a light one, a soothing sound that was like music to his ears. It surprisingly calmed him down until he saw her from a distance - the source of the giggle - Penelope, she was reading happily, unaware of his presence, which he was grateful for. A back was facing him, and he wanted to leave, needed to leave, so as not to do something he would regret.
He wants to leave—but he can't. He doesn't know why.
It was as if she were begging him to do his worst… wasn't she?
She was tempting him—and he couldn't resist.
Ryak shut his eyes tightly, trying to force himself to leave. But then, another giggle pierced the air. It made him open his eyes, and the sight before him shattered his last bit of control.
Penelope gently moved her hair aside, revealing the curve of her neck. Her smooth, fair skin made his mouth water. He saw himself walking toward her—compelled—but with the last ounce of restraint he possessed, he stopped.
He turned to leave, stumbling into a shelf. Books tumbled down around him with a crash. He felt dizzy. Unsteady. Out of control.
The sudden noise startled Penelope. She spun around in fear—but relaxed slightly when she saw it was Ryak, not Ivy.
Hesitant at first, she walked over to him and tapped him on the shoulder. He looked pale, almost sickly, like he was about to gag. His hand clamped over his mouth, and his eyes were wide open, dark, and glassy, giving the impression that he was lost. She was saying something to him, but he couldn't hear her. His gaze was fixed on her neck, and before he knew it, he grabbed her by the shoulder and pinned her against the shelf.
Penelope's body stiffened with fear.
He looked more dangerous than before.
She struggled to fight him off, twisting and kicking—but it was no use. He was stronger.
She tried to scream, but he slammed a hand over her mouth.
Only her muffled cries and his ragged breathing filled the room.
He stared into her teary eyes, soulless and cold.
Then, slowly, he brushed her hair aside.
Leaning in, his icy skin sent shivers across hers as his hot breath brushed her neck.
He inhaled her sweet, lavender scent—and then sank his fangs into her flesh.
She gasped in pain, paralyzed.
There was nothing she could do.
Only tears escaped her as she silently begged for it to end.
She could hear it—her blood, rushing into him with every gulp.
Minutes passed, and the world started to blur.
Her head spun. Her limbs weakened.
Ryak still didn't stop.
He was lost—intoxicated by her blood.
He only pulled back when her body went limp in his arms.
Stunned, he let go.
Her fainted body crumpled to the floor.
Her final thoughts were shadows—darkness and silence.
Only the faint sound of her breathing remained.
Everything else was still.
Ryak staggered back, trembling.
"What have I done?".