The Blood Rose Lady

Romaine almost forgot that it's her birthday today if not for Cyrill and Rozelyn's surprise beach party.

Though she's not really a sea-lover person, this is enough anyway. It is not the celebration that is important to her. It is the people around her; the very people who had made this celebration possible. And most of all, she is grateful that she reached her forty-first birthday amidst all of those bloody attacks and unprecedented happenings.

"Happy birthday, stepmom," greeted Rozelyn, the one holding her birthday cake.

She never has felt something like this before, as if the humanity in her heart has been revived and has come to life again.

Stepmom. Rozelyn called her stepmom. This was the first time the contemporary Thaumaturge has called her by who she is to her, not the name she has.

"Thank you, stepdaughter," she sweetly muttered.

Rozelyn smiled, genuine and tear-jerking. A tear fell from Romaine's face. She never shed a tear like this before, a tear that contains the humanity she had long buried into the pits of bitterness.

"Happy birthday, Romaine." Cyrill chose to call her by her name instead. Still, it sends another tear falling from her face.

'Why am I like this?!' She asked herself, that even her mind cannot fathom. 'Is this some sort of a miracle or because the original power I have is weakening?'

Rozelyn clicked her finger across her face. "Are you okay, Romaine?"

Romaine releases herself from that stupor and returns to reality. "I am, Rozelyn."

"Good! Shall we now commence the digging of the cake?"

Rozelyn's eyes pointed to the cake, to the candles that are still alight.

"Ohh!" Romaine blew the candles, and Rozelyn immediately grabbed the cake and brought it to the guests.

"What did you wish for?" Cyrill asked as he stood beside her.

"Pardon?"

"I said what did you wish before blowing out the candles."

Her brows rose. "Do I have to wish-Ohh!" Romaine definitely forgot to wish.

"So you did forgot," her adoptive son declared.

"Well," she flipped her braided hair to the front. "I guess peace and concord within our world and the mortal realm."

He just nodded. That was a great white lie from her lips. "If you're the one celebrating your birthday, what will you wish for?"

He threw her a glance before returning his eyes to the gobbling Rozelyn and the other guests. "That I will have more birthday candles to blow."

Romaine watched him walk away towards the feast. Well, he was not wrong either. Who doesn't want to have more birthdays to come?

Romaine's attention drew back from what happened minutes ago. Those tears...it couldn't be. She thought that she had completely lost her human side of her. And yet...a tear of motherly love and somewhat longing to the daughter she bore miles away, living in an estate that her child had inherited from her foster parents.

She clenched and unclenched her fists. She shouldn't be feeling like this-never again. She's a creature of the night; and all those who walk in the night are forever blessed to feel nothing as their chests are filled with hollowness. They are wholly heartless. But seeing Rozelyn's and Cyrill's faces made her question what really is the Blood Rose's and the Moonflower's demanding price, or is there really a price to be paid... excluding the fact that they have to take another's life in order to prolong theirs.

"Never mind," she muttered. Romaine shouldn't be just nailed on the floor and stare at their delightful faces. She is here to tie the loose ends, and disregard everything including her emotions. She will do anything just to achieve the success of their plan to regain control over the Mighty Five, and overthrow the vampires and werewolves.

She will let the Heathens build a new world where magic and the supernatural are not afraid to be seen by every living creature on the planet-even if it means to build the new world from bones and blood, ashes and tears.

***

"Romaine!"

Dorrien wasn't expecting her to follow him into the silent part of the beach, to where a myriad of palm trees are located.

"Hello, Dorrien." That smile of hers...this gonna be a bad thing for Dorrien. He tried to casually walk away from her, making an excuse that he'll take a swim in the sea.

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"Liar. As you've always been," Romaine stated with an unfeigned grin.

"At least I am not a witch hiding in a vampire's skin," he countered.

Romaine lashed out at him with her claws before he could dodge, thereby wounding his face. He tried to shapeshift into a water snake but Romaine managed to stomp at his tail, preventing him from escaping into the crystal sea. "Let me go, you bloody witch!" He shifted into his human form and tried to fight her. But Romaine gained the upper hand.

"Relax, Dorrien..." She leaned and placed a kiss on his temple. "I just wanna have fun with you. Thank Lady Luck that you managed to be fortunate today as I am not in the mood to fight and bring out their plan, our plan." "Rozelyn will eventually know of this, mark my words!"

"That is if my stepdaughter will believe you."

Anger spreads on his face. "She is not your stepdau-"

But Romaine pinned him in a palm tree and drowned him in a passionate kiss.

And she feasted on him like how a woman savors a gorgeous, muscular, young lad.