Every person around her disappeared, and the skies grew darker. The laughter dimmed away, and the image of him doubling over seemed to be zooming in on her.
"Caius!" she shouted and began to walk toward him.
Seeing her worried face, and in agony, Caius lifted himself with what strength he had and kept limping toward her. He did not know that Nathaniel's first move would be poison. Nothing in the world prepared him to feel his stomach crunch with millions of thin needles crawling up his skin as he spat blood again. The image of her running toward him with tears and worry on her face made him stand up again and walk without halting.
This time—the time he stood back up again—a sharp whistle-like bullet flew past Odette and crashed upon Caius's chest. He had only just picked himself up for the second time when he was shot right below the shoulder, sending him back a few steps.
All the motion that had stopped for her suddenly began to screech its way back into her ears. All around her, the guests began to spasm and spit blood... some were screaming in pain, and some were running out for water. Behind her, she could hear an uproar due to the loud gunshot, and in the midst of various individuals fainting and vomiting blood, falling unconscious, she saw Caius hold his chest.
"Odette..." he seemed to hiss out as loudly as he could. The hand covering his wound soon turned dark maroon, and dark red flowed endlessly from the wound created by the bullet.
She walked... then found herself rushing toward him. "Caius!" She stretched her hand as he fell to the ground. Even from afar, she could hear him wheeze with a bloody mouth, blood trickling down his lips, his skin pale, and his white shirt now painted red.
From behind her came another explosive sound, and the second bullet drilled through his leg. He screamed in pain, and a loud voice demanded—
"Take one more step toward him, and I will blow his head off."
She could not believe it was Nathaniel who held the gun, fuming from its fresh release just seconds ago. All she could do was stop and turn around, facing the young man who had already begun walking toward her. When he reached her, he wasted no time grabbing her arm, a sinister smile on his face.
"We are leaving this place to its doom, Ette."
"You're insane to do this!" She fought back and tried to pry his hands off, yet he only made things worse by pointing the gun at Caius, eyes filled with oblivious rage.
"I will come!" At the sudden threat, Odette removed her hands and stepped back. "Don't do anything." Tears welled in her eyes. "Let's leave then... let's leave soon."
The mansion—and everything about it—had been breathtaking just a few hours ago. As she followed Nathaniel toward the gathering exit, a few of the men she had seen around two weeks before the preparations appeared beside them. They wore the same clothes Paul or Daniel wore. They carried the same bearing of the Constantine family, yet their loyalty was sworn to someone else.
"I have things to take care of today." Handing her over to his personal guard, Nathaniel spoke. He began to realize how she looked—haggard from the chain of events and unable to speak or act on her own because of fear and anxiousness.
Odette was scared that her actions might have cost the life of another human. He was not someone worthy of being executed in such a way, even if he had done wrong. She saw the other man's gentle smile and frowned, her eyebrows scrunching together.
"What are you going to do to him?" Her voice was stern with anticipation. "Nathaniel, you were in on all these plans from the beginning... am I right?"
Realization dawned upon her, and as she watched his smile disappear, it was fatefully replaced by dead eyes and emotionless malice. He grabbed her hand and pulled her closer, towering above her and radiating disdain at her choice of words.
"I am doing what should have been done twelve years ago," he spat. "I don't know what type of lies he told you to—"
"I want to go back and take Gideon." Odette smacked his hand away. "He's my son." Her eyes threw daggers. "I want to go. You won't shoot me, would you?"
Nathaniel nodded and ordered one man to open the door of the car, ready to take off. Inside was the child she longed to see. Gideon was fast asleep—it was unusual. She looked at her son and glanced at the tall man, questioning.
"Did you... take him—"
"I had to feed him some sleeping pills." Casually throwing out the words, the man nodded satisfactorily. "Now that the person you wanted to see is here and is going to be with you..." He cornered her. "Get in and wait for me at the residence."
Odette could have punched him in the face for the way he behaved. She had never been treated and thrown around like a doll in her entire life. Caius could be killed inside that mansion as they spoke. How had this bright individual turned so crooked in such a short time?
She stepped closer and lowered her voice. "You don't tell me what to do." Her eyes were void of affection and pleasantries. Nathaniel could only nod and push her into the car, shutting the door tight.
"I never wanted to control you like that."
* * * *
He had never felt his heart release such a burden before he met her. Now, thinking back... as his life flashed through his mind, ironically, it was she who occupied most of the memories. They were bad ones... some were sweet. Caius could see nothing as he stood in a vast land of shadows. In the distance, he saw her—dressed in the beautiful dress she had danced in. Her hands, which once held him close, now fell at her sides. What sent chills down his spine was the tall man standing behind her.
Under the heavy rain, his eyes shot open.
"Welcome home, cousin."
The familiar scent of rust and blood was toxic. Caius tried to lift his head but was suddenly forced down by a foot, crushing his ear against the damp floor. He could smell the chains and old blood. Every bone screamed for a savior. He gritted his teeth and turned his head—it was the same cell he had been locked in twelve years ago.
"Brings back memories?" Bloodshot eyes met Nathaniel's victorious smile.
"I will kill you," Caius hissed, coughing violently as pain erupted through his chest and bullet wounds bled more. The poison still coursed through him. He had to act smart.
"Your father may have been a failure..." Nathaniel cleaned his gun slowly. "He may have died at your hands when you broke free that night." He pressed the barrel to Caius's head. "I, however, will not fail in killing you in this place."
When Caius heard this, he screamed and struggled. Gathering momentum, he swung a punch. Nathaniel dodged. While he was distracted, Caius staggered up, swallowing needle-thin pain, and landed a solid punch to Nathaniel's abdomen.
"I will kill you here!"
Nathaniel stumbled but retaliated with a blow to Caius's face.
"You took everything from me." He grabbed Caius by the hair and slammed him into the wall. "Everyone had to die for you—my mother, my father..."
The rage kept within him for so many years had awakened.
"You know nothing," Caius spat. "My uncle and aunt died not for me—but for you!"
With one swift move, Nathaniel struck Caius's jaw with the gun handle. Caius crashed into the wall.
"If you never escaped that day, nothing would've happened!" Nathaniel snarled.
"Like an animal craving blood, you couldn't just stay and die." Images of his parents flashed. Rage—not grief—consumed him.
"Your mother died because of you, Caius," Nathaniel hissed, tears red with fury. "You killed your only wife."
"No."
"You killed your own father."
"He was not my father!" Caius screamed as Nathaniel stepped on his wounded leg. Blood burst forth, and Caius let out a painful yelp.
"It's true." Nathaniel spat on him.
"You are the one thing that should never have been born."