Scarlet Palace

Chapter 5: Awakening

CHAPTER 5:

Iron King POV

The fangs sink in. Peircing my skin with scars that may never leave. Pain. Pain is all I feel right now. Nothing else matters. Nothing at all. I dont know where I am, who I am, or what I am. The only feeling I know is pain. I wish it was over. I wish I was dead.

The bite is deeper than last time, and all the more excruciating. I try to distract myself by conjuring up her enchanting beauty and the future we shall have together, at another time and place. Anything to take my mind to another place. A better place. But nothing works, I can't stop myself hurting. I hate her...no, this is my fault, I taunted her, I wanted this. Is this what real pain does to people, fill them with hate? Pain...pain...pain...

My neck is red hot and burning, as if an iron rod is on it. Will this torcher ever end?

Finally the throbbing disappears. Where my neck was burning is now ice cold. Its going numb. My whole body is going numb, im loosing all sensation there ever was. Its over, the pain and my life.

I fall towards my satin bed, the bed where we were meant to be in ecstasy. Maybe I'll just die. Maybe i have lost so much blood, it will be over before there is time to regret my life. My life flashes before me in an instant, as the darkness begins to fades in. The last thing I see is her blood covered frown.

Scarlet's POV

His eyes flutter close and my stomach sinks. Panic bubbles up inside and I yank myself away from his lifeless body. I think I killed him. Wait a second his chest is rising, I didn't kill him. But, what do I do? I should've resisted him.

If he dies, I'm dead and so is the rest of the nation. He's a young king with no heir, the country will be in turmoil. But he is the reason why my mother is dead. What would my mother do?

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Scarlet's flashback (3rd Person)

Munich, 1393

"Mother, I couldn't stop myself", Scarlet cried hysterically, cowering away from her distant cousin's body. Her body shook, as she edged away, resisting the urge to feast again.

Her mother's boney hand, yanked her away, she hit the wall with a quiet thud. Her mother reached forward, probing her cousin's mouth open. Sharp teeth lengthen out of her red gums, she ripped her own flesh open. Her Crimson blood flowed down her hand and into the open mouth.

Scarlet watched in awe and desperation, still fighting away her new found hunger. Her cousin convulsed, arching her back towards the straw roof. Her eyes flashed open, blinding red eyes met Scarlet's own. The guilt consumed her till, the hunger ended in darkness.
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Iron King POV

The rhythm of blood throbbing in my temple, increased. But I didn't dare open my eyes.

There I laid on the unfamiliar ground, shacking from the cold air grasping my entire body. I wanted to scream and demand for help but I knew none could hear me. She hid me.

My eyes were tightened shut, it must have only been a dream, I hope and any moment now I'll wake up and as time passed the hungering cold leeched the warmth from me. Realisation flooded my body, it was no dream. Choking back panic rising, I opened my eyes and all around her was an utter darkness.

My gums ached and throat burned. Movement caught my eye from the corner, there she was in a stunning red Hanbok. Her face was still covered with exotic makeup from our last meeting. But blood stained her small lips and chin. My blood.

Panic flared up in my body, you wanted this, I reminded myself. Somebody else was with her, dangling from her frail hand. A lowly elderly palace maid, someone I wouldn't even glance at. She smelled divine.

Juhong pulled out a silver dagger, decorated with red rubies. She twiddled it between her delicate fingers. Her face emotionless, much like our first meeting many years ago.

The palace maid's shrieks of fear captured my attention. Her aged face had tears dribbling down towards he exposed neck. Her protruding veins pulsed as she sobbed hysterically.

Juhong shoved her forward, towards me. I slowly raised off the ground, me legs trembled slightly beneath my unsupported weight. She said nothing, but her eyes said it all. Her eyes tempted me towards the elderly palace maid. I couldn't resist. But I don't know exactly what I should be resisting.

"Juhong?" I mumbled, reaching towards them. The palace maid was a mess on the ground, her hands rubbing together begging the gods. Juhong yanked her up and she fell into my arms. Her head turned, as if she was unable to watch me.

My arms held up the Maid's frail frame from crumbling to the ground. Her head was angled at an awkward position, her neck exposed. Her vein pulsed and quicken slightly as my finger grazed it.

My gums tingled, and an sudden sharp pain erupted from my gums. Something sharp grazed my tongue. My heads fuzzy, not aware of my movements. Before I knew it my mouth was on her neck. My teeth punctured her soft age ridden skin. Blood flooded into my mouth. I am in euphoria.