Chapter 16: Chapter 16

[Nivera’s POV]

I looked up to see who was at the door, and a smile appeared on my lips as Celeste, Lucien’s friend walked in with a small gift bag in her hands.

“Hey, how are you doing?” she asked with a broad smile.

I stood up and offered a seat on the couch next to the bedroom closet. “I am okay. It’s good to see you again,” I said.

“Same here. Lucien thought you would be glad to be around another woman,” she said.

“He’s not wrong,” I said, smiling shyly.

She slightly raised her brows in a suspicious manner. “Is it me or have you taken a liking to him already?” she inquired.

I chuckled and sat beside her. “Who wouldn’t? He’s a really nice man, and he’s always so thoughtful,” I said.

“Yes. I got you this by the way,” she said, giving me the gift bag.

I opened it gently and was surprised when I saw what it was – a red velvety lingerie set. “What… what’s this for?” I asked.

She feigned ignorance. “I don’t know. It’s just a present,” she said.

“I get that, but it’s such an unusual present. Why did you give it to me? Did he…”

She cut in, already knowing the question I had in mind. “No, of course not. Lucien isn’t like that. He didn’t send me to you. I just thought it would come in handy since both of you live together in this big house all alone,” she noted with a wink.

I chuckled. “That’s not going to happen, but thanks for the present,” I said, setting it aside.

“You’re welcome. So, tell me. You’ve been here for a few days. How are you enjoying your stay?” she asked.

“I am enjoying it so well. I don’t want to ever leave. Everything is so comfortable and I really do like it here. However, something’s been bugging me,” I said, because for some reason, I felt like I could confide in her.

“Go on,” she said, flicking her sleek straight brown hair to the side of her neck. She had an angular face and always wore gothic makeup and was putting on a black dress like the first time I had ever seen her face.

“Is he just nice to me because I look like his first love, or is there something more? He’s so nice to me that it sometimes scares me. Please, don’t tell him I said so,” I told her.

“Of course, I won’t,” she said, holding my hands. “Listen, child. You’re right to feel the way you feel. No one’s ever been nice to you, so it’s confusing for a stranger to be this way to you. Yes, he isn’t just nice to you because you look like Eloise, and although I can’t tell you why, I can promise you that he has good intentions for you,” Celeste said.

“Why do you call me child? How old are you? Are you also a vampire?” I inquired.

She began to laugh heartily. It was the first time I heard her laugh, and truth be told, it sounded kind of eerie.

“Of course not. I am not a vampire, dear. I am a witch and I have lived for four hundred and thirty years,” she said.

I flinched and drew back from her a little. “I’m… I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to act that way,” I said.

“It’s okay. You’ve always been taught to be scared of witches. I can assure you that I am harmless though,” she said.

“I can see that. But aren’t witches supposed to be mortal? How come you’ve lived for so long?” I inquired.

“I have this age masking potion that I use. It prolongs my life and masks my true age,” she explained.

“Oh, I see. But… but why don’t you want to die?” I asked.

She snickered. “I won’t ascend with the witches in the sky if I die. You see, I’ve done a lot of terrible things, so I am too scared to die.”

I felt sorry for her. “That’s sad. Can’t they forgive you if you repent of your sins?”

She shrugged. “Maybe they can, but Nivera, you have to be sorry to repent of your sins, not so? Well, I am not sorry for the things I’ve done. Their definition of what’s good isn’t what I agree with. I have to stay on earth for as long as I can, so I won’t feel bad spending the rest of eternity in the flames of hell. Besides, Lucien would have ran mad a long time ago without me by his side,” she said to me.

I wondered why she said the last line, but before I could ask, the housekeeper, Mrs Phil, who came thrice a week, knocked on the door.

“I guess that’s my cue to leave. Come and see me one of these days, child. I’ll give you a charm to protect yourself from danger,” she said, standing to her feet.

I stood up as well. “I am sure I don’t need it. I already have Lucien to protect me,” I said.

She gave me a small smile. “Child, there’s more to life than meets the eye. Take care of yourself.” She snapped her fingers and in a twinkle of an eye, she vanished right before my eyes.

“There she goes, acting all holier than thou,” I heard a voice which wasn’t mine say.

When I turned around, I saw it was Mrs Phil, the housekeeper, who had spoken.

“I’m sorry, what did you say?” I inquired.

She was a woman in her mid-fifties who always dressed in pinafore and cotton slippers while she tied a scarf around her short hair. Lucien claimed she was mentally unstable, but was good at her job and that was why he had employed her. She minded her business and it was the first time I had ever heard her say a word.

I was even more surprised when she pulled my arm and looked at me with wide eyes. “Be careful of these people, my dear. If not, you’d end up like all the other girls he has believed to be his first love,” she said in a hoarse voice.

I was terrified. “What are you talking about? You’re insane!” I yelled.

“No, dear. I only act insane because I need this job to take care of my children. Why didn’t you ask the witch what she meant by the vampire running mad if she didn’t stay by his side?” Mrs Phil asked.

I calmed down, and tried to make sense out of what she was saying. “What do you think she meant?” I asked.

The woman stared at me with her bulgy eyes without blinking, and that sent a shiver down my spine. I swallowed hard as she looked around her before speaking. “The vampire helped the witches destroy your kind four hundred years ago. When his lover died, he blamed the witches and turned against them, killing each and every one of them he could find. Even innocent humans weren’t spared in the massacre. Guess who helped him do this,” she said.

My heart began to beat really fast. “Celeste?”

She nodded her head. “Yes. She helped him because she was chased out of her coven for practicing black magic, but at least, she’s still more rational than he is. Without her by his side, he’d have ended the human race a long time ago. Here’s where it gets worse. Contrary to what you might think, you’re not the first person the vampire claims to look like Eloise. There have been other girls before you, and he’ll obsess over them for a long time. When he realises they aren’t and can never be her, he slaughters them. Soon, you might suffer the same fate. If I were you, I’d leave now that I still can,” she told me.

“No, no,” I said, shaking my head in denial.

“You might think this is all a lie, but…”

“No, you’re a liar! Get away from me!” I yelled, pushing her outside the room and shutting the door with a loud bang, then with a whimper, I slowly sank to the floor, refusing to believe what she had just said.

Was that why Celeste had offered me a protection charm? To protect me from the very being I thought would always be there to help me?

No, I couldn’t possibly be believing that crazy woman’s story. Lucien had been nothing but nice to me, but… but what if it truly was an obsession? Was I just a reminder of the woman he couldn’t forget even after four centuries had passed? Was I just going to be his fantasy till he came back to his senses? Was he going to end up draining me of my blood?

I was scared, lost and confused. Once again, I felt like I was all alone in the world and like a fool who had ran away from one danger to an even more dangerous situation.