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In a voice that was both alluring and menacing, he explained how things were. “I have orders to bring you and the child back alive. If you resist, I will not hesitate to use force upon both of you.”
This dire ultimatum was clear. I knew that any further resistance would lead to either me or even worse, Cass, getting hurt. I couldn’t risk that. I glanced over at Cass, her wide eyes filled with fear.
“It’s going to be okay,” I told her with as much assurance as I could muster, as my heart ached knowing that surrender was our only option.
With a heavy sigh of resignation, I lowered the fireplace poker and raised my hands in a gesture of surrender. The leader's enigmatic gaze bore into me, and I could feel the weight of his intentions. There was no way out, and I had to protect Cass at all costs, even if it meant facing an uncertain fate at the hands of these otherworldly beings.
Chapter Seventeen
Adrian
I rode back to the castle with a heavy heart, the journey through the woods a blur of thoughts and emotions. I couldn’t shake the haunting revelations I had uncovered about my shared bloodline with Constantine, and the consequences it might carry. The witch’s words echoed in my mind, their weight a heavy burden on my shoulders.
As I approached the castle, my anticipation turned to dread. The moonlight bathed the courtyard in an eerie glow, and the scene that greeted me was nothing short of a nightmare. The lifeless bodies of the castle guards lay strewn across the cobblestones, a grim testament to the fierce battle that had taken place.
My heart pounded in my chest as I dismounted and hurried to inspect the gruesome scene. Among the fallen guards, I saw the unmistakable presence of vampires—unearthly beings with pale, twisted faces and sharp fangs. The air was thick with the scent of blood and the echoes of a violent clash.
“Your… Highness…” I heard someone call out to me.
I quickly looked around to see where the voice was coming from. Finally, I saw someone on the ground move. When he lifted his bloodied head, I recognized him.
“Leopold!” I exclaimed, rushing over to his side.
He was wounded, his breathing labored, but his eyes still held a flicker of resolve. I knelt beside him. “What happened here?” I asked, fearing what the answer might be.
His gaze met mine, as he struggled to speak, a thin trickle of blood running down the corner of his lip. “The vampires… came without warning… We did… our best to protect… the castle…” He coughed violently, under the pressure of talking.
I clenched my jaw, anger and despair welling up within me as tried to help him. It was obvious that the castle guards had fought bravely, but there were obviously too many vampires. Worst of all, I believed that our castle was a safe place, that would keep everyone in it guarded. I was wrong. So very wrong. I should have anticipated that no place was safe before Constantine’s anger.
“Where is Lil? And Cass?” I asked, once his onslaught of coughing had subsided.
“They… took them,” he whispered.
As the realization hit me that the vampires had taken Lilith and Cass, a fiery rage surged within me, a tempest of anger and despair. The castle courtyard, once a place of protection, was now a battleground marred by the destruction wrought by the vampires. I knew who their leader was. It was easy to guess.
Now, Leopold’s words, spoken through labored breaths, confirmed my worst fears. My beloved wife and our precious daughter had been taken from me, their safety, their very lives hanging in the balance. The weight of their absence, the guilt that was pressing heavily upon me was equaled only by the anger I felt, which was a fiery inferno, consuming all reason and restraint.
“You must go…” he told me, coughing again. “Before it’s too late…”
“Do you know where they have taken them?” I asked, although I was fairly certain what the reply would be.
“No,” he shook his head apologetically.
The grim task ahead of me was clear. The hunt for Constantine had begun, and there was no force on earth or beyond that could keep me from reuniting with my family. My fury would fuel the relentless pursuit of my adversaries, and I hoped that Constantine knew that I would stop at nothing to bring Lil and Cass back home, safe and sound.
But I couldn’t leave Leopold like this. Gently, I helped him up to his feet. Leopold groaned with pain, his forehead wrinkling as he breathed heavily, fighting the onslaught. His wounded body leaned on me for support. He was pressing his hand to his side, which was all bloody. As we started to walk back into the castle, he was dragging his left foot. I made sure to walk as slowly as possible, helping him along the way.
As I looked around, I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. The battle had left a chaotic aftermath within the castle’s pristine halls and courtyard. The destruction was immediately evident. Scattered across the cobblestone courtyard were the lifeless bodies of the fallen guards, their armor tarnished and weapons scattered haphazardly. The air was heavy with the pungent scent of blood, and the echoes of a violent clash still resonated through the castle's walls.
Inside the castle, the mess was no less frightening. Furniture had been overturned, tapestries torn, and priceless heirlooms shattered. The once-gleaming stone floors were marred with the marks of combat, and the walls bore the scars of the fierce struggle that had taken place. I felt as if this wasn’t my home at all. It felt like a place that had been wronged, that had been violated. My blood boiled with rage.
As Leopold and I made our way through the castle's disrupted corridors, a few servants emerged from the shadows, their faces filled with a mix of concern and shock. They had witnessed the grim aftermath of the vampire attack and were eager to assist in any way they could.
“Your Highness!” one of them shouted as they approached us.
I turned to them with a sense of urgency. “Please, help Commander Leopold to the infirmary. He needs immediate attention.”
With a collective nod, the servants hurried to support Leopold, allowing me a moment to gather my resolve and plan my next steps. I watched them disappear down the corridor, then I turned around. I had no idea where to start looking for them. I considered going back to the witch to see if there was any way she could find this out, but that would take too much time. I couldn’t risk being late. The consequences could be dire.
