In Damien's Keeping

Chapter 24

I was amazed by beauty of the palace as my eyes gazed at its tall structure and fine architecture, with my neck bending back. The view took my breath away and threw me in the era of palaces and castles, where young maidens were hidden away.

"Lets get in, you have a lot of time to enjoy the view." Damien said from behind me. 

"Really? Exactly how long are we going to stay here?"  I turned to him with curiosity in my eyes.

He seemed to gaze at his right where there were empty lands filled with greenery. "As long as I can keep you here." He said and turned his gaze on me and then walking ahead.

Stupefied with his answer, I followed him inside the castle he owned. "You can't keep me here forever. Its looks boring here."

"Your eyes say otherwise."

Surprised, I stopped in my tracks and tried to hide the blush in my cheeks at being caught. 

The mesmerizing golden hue of the walls and high ceilings had me entranced. Picture frames and antique paintings graced the walls inside and I couldn't help but gaze at them. Following the paintings, I entered a passage not knowing where it leads.

"Do you realize where you are?" A distinct but familiar voice echoed through the walls of the passage, from behind me.

"In your castle," I said and turned my neck to glance at him with a smile. He stood a few meters away with his hands folded across his chest with a scowl on his face.

"Yes, but what part of my home have you entered?"

At his question, I walked around a corner, taking left and was faced with darkness. Another passage filled with creeping darkness greeted me. Surprised, I stopped in my tracks and asked Damien, "What's here?"

My voice echoed through the walls making me realize it was empty all along. A few seconds later, a screech came back in reply from other side of passage. Afraid of what might be on the other side, I staggered back in fear and my back collided with Damien's chest. Turning around, I whispered, "What was that?"

Damien kept staring at me until I averted my eyes and gulped. "Come, I will show you," he said and walked ahead of me, almost disappearing in the darkness of the passage ahead.

"Are you sure?" I whispered.

"It's my home, Lia."

Afraid to be not left behind alone, I ran into the darkness to catch up with him and crashed into a muscular back.

"Ooomf... Sorry, I didn't know you were here."

In reply he grasped my hand in his warm one and began to walk ahead, almost dragging me into the dark abyss. "Please slow down, what if we crash into something dangerous?"

He continued to be silent.

"Vampires live in these kinds of places." I said and shivered.

I heard a chuckle in the darkness.

"You're not a vampire, right?" My voice sounded so little, I was surprised he could hear it at all.

"Will you be afraid of me if I said yes?"

I couldn't see his face to check if he was lying or not. Honestly, I would not be surprised if he turned out to be one. He had surprised me in so many ways that I didn't think I could be anymore surprised by him. But God knows, he had a habit of breaking records.

"'We should head back Damien, you probably don't know where we are going. Remember you are back after a very long time?" I asked, trying to dissuade him in entering the ghostly place.

He remained silent like a statue. I wished I could punch him, but my fist would probably land on the concrete walls of this castle.

A cool gust of air greeted me, making me realize that we had reached another entrance or the ending of this corridor, at last. Our breathing could be heard in empty darkness, the louder one being mine

"You never told me if you are a vampire."

He stopped suddenly and I heard the sound of patting something which I realized later was Damien searching his phone. He accepted the call and walked back, leaving me standing in the dark corridor. 

"Victor." He said into the phone. 

Sprinting after him, I dared a glance back into the corridor.

I was sure like before I would not be seeing anything other than darkness but my hand stopped from patting Damien on the shoulder and stopped mid air when I saw a bit of light in that darkness.

"What do you mean Italy? Old man, she lived in US since childhood." Damien said.

Damien's voice entered my ears but my mind never registered them, it had its attention on the fact that the darkness across the corridor was slowly being illuminated. How was it possible? We needed to get out of there before something happened. My hand which was now clutching Damien's biceps tightly began to tug onto him.

Desperate prayers uttering from my lips, I kept my eyes firmly on the corridor.

"Someone's coming Damien!" I whispered, hoping he would hear my voice over the string of curses he was speaking into the phone.

"Father? You're kidding me... Get his name at first." He remained speaking on the phone.

"Damien!" I spoke up and pulled him with force. His attention was finally on me, with curiosity in his eyes and a frown marring his forehead.

"What is it?" He asked with irritation and put his phone back in his pocket, indicating he had ended the call.

I pointed to the corridor and Damien's eyes lifted towards it. When I glanced back at the corridor, it was just as dark as before. Scowling, I turned to Damien.

"There was someone, I swear. It was beginning to light up." I said to Damien with hands waving and pointing at the corridor.

He pulled me towards the other way and muttered, "I know, Lia... but it has to wait, I have some questions for you first. I am showing you your room, get ready and have something to eat, we will talk then."

Nodding, I began to follow Damien then out of curiosity I glanced back towards the corridor. I wished I hadn't because immediately I saw shadow of a man disappearing into the darkness.

So there was someone there and was it what Damien was going to show me? I turned to the front, eyeing Damien and thought of the secrets he had been hiding all along. Danger was the ground he walked on, and was I ready to follow him?

Oh god, yes. 

Shaking my head at my utter foolishness and hearty desires, I knew it was what I would do.

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COMMENT AND VOTE FIRST!

Hi, so sorry for not updating in such a long time. But I am here and Inshaa Allah this story will be completed with regular updates.

Express your views on this update, do you think it should have had more details of Italy? Or more story?