NIGHTS OF HALLOW

Sthena left his chambers allowing the maids to bathe and take care of Perdita because she needed it.

The reason for her bathing was not only to keep her clean, but it was also a way to keep her head cool so she can think straight and perhaps remember when she had bitten and drank his blood.

He had his reason for not telling her exactly what she did. Suddenly telling her that she had bitten and drank his blood after many years of vowing not to take blood that was not that of a cat would break her spirit.

She was a strong-headed woman and he noticed she always held unto something very dear to her with all her might. She always remained true to her words. So finding out from him she broke her vow in her unconscious state will leave her blaming herself each time she remembered it.

However, if she remembered it herself when her head was cool and clear, she will be able to think it through and take in the outcome with a calm heart.

Such a troublesome and feisty woman. Sthena thought and shook his head while he made his way to the room where Marco was in.

The two guards stationed outside the door bowed their heads deeply and respectfully at the King and then opened the door for him.

Sthena walked in and the guards closed the door behind him. He walked further into the room and saw Daemon sitting on the couch in the room with a book in his hand and his glasses propped under his nose.

Daemon pushed the glasses up his nose and kept the book aside when he saw Sthena walk in. He stood up and bowed his head in greeting.

”It had been long since I last saw you reading a book,” Sthena commented, his eyes briefly looking at the closed book and then at Daemon. He also noticed the man was back to wearing his glasses. Sthena’s brows slightly rose in surprise and question, wondering what happened. It was one of his hobbies when he wanted to be alone or when he was avoiding something.

”Yes. I thought to accompany myself with it while I stayed here.” Daemon vaguely answered and walked towards the bed where Marco still lay. He switched the topic and asked,

”What really happened to him?”

”Briggs found something about him and he added nightshade to the blood he gave him so he can perform whatever he wanted to do on him,” Sthena answered with a sigh and narrated everything that happened and also everything the royal had told him when he went to check up on Marco before he killed the royal doctor.

”The royal doctor,” Daemon muttered. ”But I thought nightshade doesn’t affect vampires to the state of making them unconscious? And he has been this way for a long time now.” Daemon questioned. His brows furrowed in thought as he adjusted his glasses.

”Yes, it doesn’t. Only Lemon Juniper can terribly affect vampires. But because he had inhaled the smell of the exorcism ritual and was then given the nightshade mixed with blood, his body couldn’t take it anymore and it left him unconscious.”

Nightshade is a thin and semi-shrub plant that is usually found in wetlands and creeks. It has a dark green and sometimes purple-tinged color. It is a dangerous and poisonous plant that can kill humans instantly. But because of the ability of vampires to heal faster, it had no effect on them.

Lemon Juniper and holy water were the only substance that could affect vampires though they had little to no effect on pureblooded vampires.

On the other hand, nightshade did not affect both pureblooded vampires and also average vampires. The reason why it had affected Marco was that there was another deadly substance already in his body, the ritual’s smell, which had aided the nightshade to affect him.

Sthena continued to explain, ”Also, before this happened, it looked as if his body was fighting off the smell of the ritual. As if his body was resisting it from entering his body system.” Sthena paused with a serious and thoughtful look on his face. He continued,

”I don’t know if my analysis is correct. But I think his body was trying to take control over one form of him. As if he was fighting to take the form of a vampire or another being which I’ve been suspecting he and Perdita are.”

”When you said another being. Do you mean the siblings are not originally humans?” Daemon asked skeptically while paying rapt attention to what Sthena was explaining though it was somehow confusing to him.

And to Daemon’s question, Sthena replied, ”Yes. They are originally not humans. Both he and Perdita. But I haven’t fully confirmed what they could be.”

Sthena further spoke in explanation, ”Because he was not originally a human and was then turned into a vampire, I think and suspect the ritual caused his other dormant side to try to surface and take control, and this caused an imbalance in his body. Where his former self was trying to take control over his vampire self that was surfacing because of the ritual’s smell.” He explained to Daemon who nodded his head in understanding as he tried to wrap his head around everything the king had said.

After a while, he asked, ”So because of the nightshade mixed with blood he drank, it made him turn out this way?”

”Yes,” Sthena replied.

”Will his body be able to fight it then? I mean, he’s not showing any sign of waking up.” Daemon touched Marco’s forehead as he spoke. He noted how his body had turned colder than it was before when he came in. With his body temperature decreasing with every passing second, he feared the boy won’t...

Daemon swallowed the rest of his thought. It was too early to make assumptions and come to a conclusion. Anything can happen.

”He will. He is strong and he’ll pull through it.” Sthena answered Daemon’s question and walked around the bed and stood on the other side of the bed.

What about his sister?” Daemon inquired.

”She’s awake and very soon she will know the state her brother is in,” Sthena replied and exhaled deeply.

He knew how attached Perdita was to her brother and if anything happened to him, he didn’t think she will take it well. With all the pressure on her shoulder, she must be going through a lot. Though he wondered why the smell of the exorcism affected them differently.

While Marco looked as if his body was trying to take another form, Perdita on the other hand readily took the form of a vampire. Was it a situation of their different body systems?

Or was it because of the pills?

Yes, the pills. They could also be the reason behind whatever was happening to Marco. But weren’t both of them taking it? Why did it have to only affect Marco as it did to him but it was not the same with Perdita? Sthena questioned in his head but found no plausible answer to come up with.

Instead of finding answers, everything was turning more complicated. He had a lot of things he wanted to make sure were accomplished. Matters like this one were hindering him from moving forward.

Sthena took Marco’s hand in his and checked his pulse. When he pulled his hand back, his expression turned grim.

”Where is Serena?” Sthena suddenly questioned after some minutes of silence in the room between him and Daemon.

”I don’t know. After she conducted the ritual, I haven’t seen her but I think she had gone into hiding or had resumed her exploration or should I call it hunting.” Daemon replied.

”Hmm,” Sthena hummed and turned to look at Daemon. He said, ”How long do you think it will take before you can reach her?”

Daemon tilted his head in thought. After a while, he spoke, ”Considering we don’t know where she is off to and also we don’t know how far she must have traveled, I think it would take quite some time.”

”Find her. No matter what it takes, I want you to find her. She has something to do for me.” Sthena ordered.

”Yes, Milord,” Daemon obliged with a small bow while also wondering why the king suddenly wanted to see Serena. Was it because of the siblings or was he planning something else in his head? Daemon questioned himself.

Unable to hold his curiosity, he asked, ”What are you going to do? And Serena?”

”She’s the key to finding everything I want to know about who Marco and Perdita really are. Their generation and everything about where they came from, I want to know them all. Something is not right here.” Sthena said.

”I’ll be away from the castle tomorrow. Take care of everything in the castle.”

”The church members will be here tomorrow and also the court members and the ministers of the castle will be here.” Daemon reminded.

”Reschedule every meeting I have tomorrow to the following day. I have a more important task right now.” Sthena replied and turned to leave the room, ”I’ll leave you with him for now.” He said.

”Yes, Your Majesty.” Daemon bowed his head and watched the king leave the room. He exhaled and walked back to where he was sitting to continue with what he was doing before the arrival of Sthena.

Just when he thought everything was beginning to fall in place, it had to turn upside down. Daemon thought and shook his head with a sigh. Only the future knew what it held. If what the king thought the siblings were was true, especially on the part of Marco, then there was bound to be a problem in the Kingdom that even the king might not be able to control.

According to what the royal doctor had told the king, Mr. Briggs was right when he said the boy was a threat to the throne and kingdom. He can only wonder what will happen when the time came for disaster and chaos to ensue in the kingdom.

What will Sthena Acheron who never bowed to anyone do then if ever Marco and Perdita became a real threat to the kingdom? Daemon asked himself and unable to find the answers to his questions, he resumed reading the book in his hand.