Loving the leech (Guardians of Red Moon city #4)

Kaylin’s POV

I don’t know how to feel at the moment. Somehow I’ve managed to survive yet another challenge, and according to the announcer, it’s officially ended. Even so, I feel like something else, something darker, is about to explode in here with me. My arm hurts after the bite, and my whole body is tired after what I had to endure. I’m not even sure if I can get up anymore, which is why I’m staying on my knees. My eyes are looking for William, who smiles big and claps his hands with a joy I’ve never seen him show before. I smile back, but my smile disappears when I see Felicity’s and Joseph’s mocking grin; something is about to happen.

“I challenge Kaylin Clarkson,” Joseph suddenly says, and the arena silences.

The entire Everton family struggles with holding William back from attacking Joseph. I look at William, and when our eyes meet, one of my tears falls silently over my cheek. His eyes show pure agony, and I mimic “I love you” to him before turning to Joseph.

“What’s your challenge?” Salazar asks with clenched teeth, and Joseph’s grin gets even more notable.

“Kaylin is going to overcome and kill a feral vampire,” Joseph responds, and just when he says, that opens the same door that the werewolf got out through earlier.

I slowly turn towards the door and choke on my tears. How brutally cruel can Joseph be!?

“Daddy?” I ask and don’t even try to stop the tears that squirt out of my eyes. “Daddy, it’s me, Kaylin!”

For a moment, I think he recognizes me before showing his fangs and looking at Joseph.

“Attack!” Joseph exclaims, and my dad flies towards me.

We tumble around on the ground, and I’m desperately trying to get my father to stop what he’s doing, even though I know it doesn’t matter what I do now. This man is no longer my father but Joseph’s puppet to rule as he wants. I manage to get out of his grip and use my speed to create distance between us. However, it doesn’t matter when he runs after me and follows my movements as if he’s entranced.

{Kaylin?}

My mother’s voice echoes in my head, and I almost stumble by surprise. I don’t know how to answer her without others thinking I’m crazy.

[Mom?]

I think about the word and hope she can hear me even if I don’t talk openly with her. Gratefully, she hears me, given that she answers.

{I hear you, Kaylin. You have to finish this now.}

My mother sounds sad when she talks, and even though I know what she’s asking me to do, I pretend I don’t understand. Neither mom nor anyone else can expect me to kill my own father.

{Kaylin, listen to me. You’ve done wonderfully, but that man who’s currently chasing you like an aggressive dog is no longer your father; he’s a threat and will kill you if you don’t kill him first.}

[How can you expect me to kill my own father!? He’s the only one I have, the only one I’ve had since I was a kid!]

{I understand that it’s difficult and hurts. But you have to survive, Kaylin. Not for someone else’s sake but your own. As many times as you have overridden yourself for the sake of others, it’s admirable, but this time you need to put yourself first. You’re aware of why.}

My tears are flowing, and I slowly nod my head, not caring if she can see me or not.

{Your dad wouldn’t want to be a ferocious vampire ruled by someone else. He would’ve wanted you to be tough and do what’s right. Help him out of this hell, help him home to me.}

I suddenly stop, and he can’t prepare for it. My hand goes through his body and leaves a big hole behind him in his stomach. Dad stops and looks down at his wound before his gaze returns to me. He falls apart on the ground, and I quickly sit down on my knees next to him. “Samson” by Regina Spektor plays, and I cry louder than before; it’s our song. Dad weakly raises his hand and caresses my cheek while breathing heavily.

“Be strong, Kaylin. I love you,” he says. “You are my sweetest downfall.”

His hand falls to the ground, and his breath disappears. At first, I don’t understand what’s happening. My dad is lying in front of me on the ground, bloody, with an injury I caused. By instinct, I shake him several times.

“Dad?” I say, but my voice gets louder the more times I say it. “Daddy!? Wake up!”

The tears splash, and I can’t stop them. There’s nothing I can do; my dad is dead, the last of my family members are gone. The darkness that I felt within me so often since Joseph forced me to turn off my emotions comes back, and I struggle to hold it back when Felicity opens his mouth.

“I challenge Kaylin!” she exclaims happily.

The spectators growl at her, obviously influenced by Joseph’s challenge. No one should have to kill their last living relative like this, especially not an innocent one. I get up and wipe away my tears, aware that I can’t stop. Again, the doors open, and the Everton clan gasp. A tall and beautiful woman walks towards me with a sneer on her lips, like Felicity usually has. The woman has waist-length honey-blonde hair, gray eyes, and a slender figure. She’s beautiful, I can’t say anything about that, but I don’t know who she is.

“Hi, I’m Jennifer, William’s ex-beloved,” she says with a grin and stretches out a hand.

I gasp and turn slowly towards William, who looks ashamed, while I find myself seeing a particular love in his gaze when he looks at Jennifer.

“You’re going to fight Jennifer for two minutes, and if you survive, you’ll officially finish,” Felicity says, and I immediately become suspicious.

But I don’t have time to think about it before Williams ex throws herself at me in the same way every creature I’ve met. We fight back and forth, but in the meantime, I feel something shifting. When Jennifer takes a grip around my neck and starts running around the arena fast enough for no one to see, I realize what’s happening, but by then, it’s too late. Her features change quickly to my own, and I notice how my black hair fades until it looks like hers. I look horrified at her while she laughs, and when the gong sounds to indicate that the two minutes are up, I don’t know what to do.

William jumps down from the stands and runs towards us; for a moment, I smile because I think he’ll recognize me. He instead pushes to me so that I land on the ground while I can’t do anything but watch as he embraces his ex and kisses her lips. I slowly stand up and look at him with horrified eyes. How can my own beloved not recognize me, despite what this is now that changed me!? My eyes fill with tears again, and my heart breaks in my chest. The rest of his family comes up to us, and not a single one of them does anything but growl at me.

How am I supposed to tell him about my secret now? His eyes move to me, and it’s scary. With threatening steps, he walks towards me and growls me right in the face.

“This is the punishment and karma for all the evil you caused in the world. I hope you die slowly,” William says in a quiet and menacing tone.

It hurts me, but it’s not until Salazar’s voice interrupts that I really give up.

“Jennifer Swetzon, you’re as a result of this arrested for the crimes you committed,” he says out loud in a harsh tone. “Guards, escort the prisoner to the council’s cells; there she’s admitted to stay until we decide on her verdict.”

Jennifer grins at me, and with all that has happened, I realize that I can’t do anything anymore. The darkness I’ve been fighting over and over again is too intense.

{Kaylin, please don’t let go! Don’t do this to yourself!}

My mother’s voice pleads with me, but this time I can’t stop the darkness from taking over. All emotions, every single one, disappear until there’s nothing left. I feel empty. I’m done, tired of caring, tired of sharing, tired of being and feeling weak. I don’t feel like bothering about anything. Caring makes me soft. With those thoughts, I let the guards lead me to what I assume are the cells where I’m supposed to die, not because it matters. I’m already dead.

William’s POV

My love is okay! I didn’t think she could handle having to kill her father and also having to fight with my ex. I don’t look forward to that discussion because I know that I deserve her anger and harsh words; I predict a considerable debate about this in the near future. I jump over the wall down to the arena, and when Jennifer looks at me with hopeful eyes, I just push her away. Kaylin smiles big at me, and I press my lips against hers, enjoying her closeness. Something feels different, but I don’t attach much importance to finding out what because it doesn’t matter.

My beloved is okay, that’s what matters most, and everything else can burn up in the fires of hell; I don’t care. Gratefully, Salazar decides that Jennifer should be thrown into the cells before she gets her verdict, and I hope it’ll be a painful one. She looks all cold, unemotional as they lead her away. For a moment, I feel guilty, but I quickly shake it off and focus on my beloved in my arms. I can’t and don’t want to let her go. My family surrounds her and hugs her, everyone but my little brother Benjamin.

“Don’t I get a hug from you, Ben?” Kaylin asks, smiling, and he backs away before leaving without looking around.

“What’s his problem?” Vivienne asks and looks at us.

“I have no idea,” Kaylin replies, shrugging her shoulders.

“Who cares,” I say, kissing my beloved again. “I thought I lost you.”

“You’ll never get rid of me; no one can stand in my way. We’re meant for each other,” she replies, and I smile big before walking together from there.

Elijah’s POV

“Kaylin, it’s time to advertise that you are of royal blood,” Salazar says when we reach his office.

Her face shines up like a sun, and it’s yet another thing that baffles me. Kaylin doesn’t like to be in the spotlight and get attention, so why is she so happy about this? Enough because she may have changed inside the arena, but not like this. Something isn’t right. She just killed her dad, for god’s sake! Is that why Benjamin stays away? I need to talk to him when I get the opportunity.

“When?” she asks and giggles.

How the fuck can she be giggling after having to lose the last family member!? Is she that delusional now?

“In four months, that should be enough to teach you all there is to know. Find Margret, Esther, and Elisabeth to help them pick out a dress that suits a real princess,” Salazar replies with a big smile.

Something dark moves across Kaylin’s facial expression before she looks at Salazar with a half-sad half-innocent expression.

“Can I choose someone else?” she asks quietly.

“Why? They helped you before the battle in the arena, and, as I understand it, you got along well,” Salazar replies with a raised eyebrow.

“They just didn’t feel right to me,” she replies, looking at her hands.

To say the least, this is suspicious behavior, especially since it’s Kaylin who says so. The majority of vampires who have met her like her; only a few don’t. Kaylin gets along well with everyone, so why wouldn’t she get along with the three friendliest vampires that exist? Again, something doesn’t connect. However, no one else seems to be suspicious beyond me; hence I won’t mention it either. Why risk my clan leader’s anger when I have no idea what’s going on? I can’t start accusing William’s beloved without having any evidence to prove what I’m saying is true.

Besides, what would I say? “Your beloved behaves suspiciously; get your thumb out of your ass and do something about it,”? No, it’s not a good idea until I know what’s going on. Benjamin is my best hope now since it’s evident that he’s also picked up the weirdness, whatever it is.

“Okay, I’ll fix it,” Salazar replies, looking at her suspiciously.

Kaylin yawns and William immediately lifts her in his arms. They walk towards the door while he smiles big down towards his beloved. Salazar indicates that we can leave the room, and I split up with the group to find Benjamin. Something made him react negatively after the last challenge, but what? I see him outside the big arena, staring at the closed doors with an empty gaze as if he is far away in his thoughts. I sit down next to him, and he looks at me with anger before realizing it’s me. None of us say anything.

In my 240 years here on Earth, I’ve learned that it’s better to wait for the other one to start talking than it is to ask. If Benjamin isn’t ready to talk yet, then I won’t press him. All in due time.

“It’s not Kaylin,” he says after a few minutes of silence without looking at me, and I look questioningly at him.

“What do you mean?” I ask with furrowed eyebrows.

“That woman my big brother has in his arms is not Kaylin,” he replies and finally meets my gaze. “That’s Jennifer.”

“How do you know that?” I ask.

“Only Jennifer calls me Ben. Kaylin calls me Benny. It surprises me that not more of you notice the difference,” he replies.

Jennifer? But how can that be true? I think back to the fight, and new questions pop up in my brain. It’s suspicious that Jennifer didn’t use her full strength because, honestly, I don’t think that Kaylin could beat her. No, it’s not that I don’t believe Kaylin is strong enough. Instead, it’s about Jennifer being 372 years older. Jennifer is older than the rest of us, except Ozzandra. Why did Felicity set just two minutes for the challenge, and why didn’t Jennifer make any more effort? If not-. My eyes widen, and Benjamin nods at me.

“You’re starting to get the hang of what’s going on,” he says.

“But that’s impossible! How would that even be achievable?” I ask and desperately try to come up with an answer to my question.

“She and Felicity have always had a good eye for each other; you know that too. How hard do you think it is for two evil vampires to persuade a greedy dark witch to do their sick deeds?” he asks, and I realize that he’s unfortunately correct.

The witches of darkness are greedy and always strive to gain more substantial power. Both Jennifer and Felicity are wealthy; above all, Felicity. In addition to that, she also has access to the council’s safe, where they store powerful, dark, and valuable items that ordinary witches are terrified of. With those kinds of objects, the evil couple can persuade any dark witch to do what they desire without hesitating. Typical witches don’t use such dark spells, as it most often requires some kind of sacrifice. A witch a few years ago sacrificed an infant to create a portal down to hell.

They stopped her before creating the portal, but the child was unfortunately already deceased when they caught the witch. This only shows how evil some can be in our world; few of those who live here belong to the powers of light. Therefore, it’s even more devastating that just one of the most innocent people I know ends up in the crossfire; Kaylin.

“What do we do?” I ask and look at the doors Kaylin got out of early this morning.

It already feels like years since our nyx made her way through hell on Earth, only to have to experience it again, and this time it’s not sure she can get out of it. Hypothetically, say we get Kaylin out of the council’s cells and convince the others that she’s actually the correct Kaylin. Then what? Her psyche was on the border to breakdown already when we met her in Salazar’s office. What says that she didn’t turn off everything now that not even us, the closest, stands on her side? I can only predict two different scenarios right now.

The first is that she’s broken down and crying her eyes out, the second one that her humanity is gone with the wind. Whatever it is, both options scare the crap out of me.

“I don’t know, Eli, I don’t know,” Benjamin replies, sighing soundly before putting his head in his hands.

My gaze studies him carefully, and it’s only now that I realize that his behavior ever since we encountered Kaylin at the bar is reminiscent of William’s, apart from William choosing a more aggressive approach. That’s when it hits me.

“You like her,” I mumble and look at Benjamin with big eyes when he doesn’t deny it.

“I don’t like Kaylin,” he growls before sighing and puts his head in his hands again with a sad look. “I love her.”

Fuck! This will complicate the situation even more. The idea strikes me that even if Kaylin survives this and we manage to convince the others of the truth, there’s still the risk that someone gets hurt in the end... And there’s not a damn thing I can do about it.

A/N:

Hello dear readers!

Apparently, Kaylin is destined for darkness and pain. Jennifer truly is an evil creature, so are Joseph and Felicity!

❀ Will she ever come back from such heartbreak?

✿ How do you think she’s doing in the cells?

❀ Can Benjamin and Elijah help Kaylin in time?

✿ What is Kaylin’s secret?

Please let me know your thoughts since they help me develop in my creative process! Thank you for reading, lots of love.<3