Supernatural Tales - Book II

Chapter 10

(Unedited)

Athena's vampire was out of control as they attacked Esme...

"What did you do?!" The vampire roared at the silent woman before them and when Iris comprehended they were about to strike her again, she rushed in front of Esme only to get hit in her stead.

"Mother, please. Do not hurt her." Iris had mumbled lowly, her chest laden with grief and loss, and Athena's vampire bellowed so loud in rage that Aneka had to rush out to assure every dragon in the palace that they were not being attacked.

"Stand aside, Iris. You do not know what she has done. You do not understand--" Athena's vampire became silent the moment their daughter looked up at them, shock coloring their face, and the door to the war room burst open when Tulip, Yvette, and Fenrir came rushing in.

"What is happening here?" Tulip asked, breathlessly so because she had been running for a while as she tried to rush to her family and Athena's vampire looked away from Iris, fearing their anger would get the best of them.

"Did you find them? Did you find your mate, Mama Esme?" Tulip turned to Esme when no one spoke, her voice and eyes full of hope, and Athena forcefully took control of her body while Iris sighed deeply, unsure of how to explain everything to her.

"Yes, my heart. We did find her, your Mama Esme's mate." Keeping her voice soft and gentle, Iris replied to her daughter with a small smile and Tulip beamed happily before rushing to Esme only to embrace her happily, she was so keen for her.

"I am so happy for you, Mama! I can not-- Wait, why did your mate not accompany you? Is she already preparing to leave with us? Are we leaving soon? Does it mean Ethel will wake up now? What if they are already awake? Oh no, Ethel will think I do not love them enough to stay by their side." Poor Tulip was going through all sorts of emotions, her heart racing as she thought about her sibling, and Fenrir studied everyone's faces closely, before interrupting their mate.

"Settle down, kind Princess." The wolf whispered through their bond, causing their mate to finally realize the ashen expressions on Athena and Iris's faces and they walked closer to Tulip when her eyes pooled with fear too.

"Mama Esme?" The princess whispered lowly, her heart clenching with worry, and when Esme could not even meet her eyes, Athena turned to her before addressing her again, this time much more calmly.

"You need to explain yourself, Esme, and you need to do it now or so help me Almighty, I will end up doing or saying something that I could never take back." Everyone could see that Athena was struggling to keep her vampire in check, and when Esme still did not talk, she grabbed her by the throat before pinning her against a wall, making Tulip and Yvette gasp in terror.

"Tell me how could your mate be the same woman I found chained up in the dungeons of your old palace all those years ago?!" Athena roared at the woman, her vampire's voice bleeding into hers, and everyone but Iris gasped in shock, even Fenrir and Oro were startled.

"What is she talking about, Iris?" Seraphine had demanded to know too, standing tall and rigid, and Aneka, who had heard Athena's words on her way back, entered the room with a stony expression.

"Iris," Esme's voice was strained when she mumbled softly, her dull eyes clashing with her anchor's sad ones, and Iris looked distressed as she nodded slowly, something that made Tulip's heart clench.

Tulip had felt her Maman's magic just before everything shifted... 

Athena blinked and found herself in the throne room of the old Castle ruins where she had met Desdemona all those years ago. Her breath hitched as she looked around herself, understanding that Iris was showing them the past and she glanced to her right only to find Tulip and Yvette holding onto each other as their eyes studied the several dead bodies hanging upside down from the ceiling. Before Athena could even walk over to them, to keep them safe, she noticed Oro and Fenrir doing it, causing her to stay put. On her right, the vampire Queen found Seraphine and Aneka stunned with horror at the bloodbath before them and she understood their emotions well, she remembered feeling sick to her stomach when she first arrived there too. As she looked around some more, Athena recognized that this was a few days earlier than she was handed over to Desdemona in exchange for her to stop the killings. Before she could spot Iris and ask her about it, they heard gentle footsteps coming their way.