Chapter 98: Chapter 98

DAHLIA:

The glow of the red ruby was far too stronger, far too mesmerizing than my own will power. It was calling me, beckoning me, stirring the depths of my soul, and I just had to concede…

Breathing shallowly, I extended my hands until my fingers touched the glass.

‘Dahlly, no,’ I heard Eva shout inside our head.

In an instant, I wanted to take my hands back, but it was too late! Almost immediately, a blinding light coming from the glass surrounded me.

This is it! I must be dying from the curse infused on the glass!...

I don’t know how long the light consumed me. I was convinced that I had died and that when I open my eyes, I would probably be in heaven… or hell since I just attempted to rob an auctioned item.

However, when I opened my eyes, all I could see was the empty glass globe in my hands. The red ruby was nowhere in sight.

‘Ah, what did you do, Dahlly,’ Eva shouted as we spiraled into a near nervous breakdown.

My whole body was trembling uncontrollably. I almost dropped the globe I was clasping with my hands into the marble floor.

Just then, someone shouted from behind me, “You there! Where’s the stone?!”

It was one of the three vampires who tried to loot the red ruby earlier. He must have seen me touch the glass just before it disappeared.

By instinct, I turned around and channeled Eva. I needed to run as fast as I could and get out of there this very instant!

As soon as I reached through the wolf inside my head, I felt the muscles of my body twist in knots and my bones elongate, tearing my dress completely.

Surprise of all surprises though, the dark violet amethyst necklace that hung on my neck did not break. It was still intact, making a sharp clinking sound as I ran into the hall from which Sir Casior and I had entered earlier.

Eva and I had never run as wildly as we could in our entire lives! I could hear the swishing sound of the Blasted One behind me, and I ran even faster, breaking the door of the hallway.

As I entered the lightless hallway, two more vampires joined the hunt for me as my original pursuer started to shout in what I could only guess as Apricusian language. It didn’t matter though. I was determined to get out of there no matter what!

With Eva’s faster and sleeker body and her perfect night vision, I was able to swiftly exit the hall. I bravely slammed my body against the small, wooden door, hoping to finally gain freedom from my hunters.

However, as soon as I tear the door away from its hinges, something heavy descended on my back, and I found myself violently slammed into the floor.

“Hah, we finally caught you, b*tch,” one of the muscular vampire who guarded the door said.

I whimpered. I was caught into a large, silver net, and it was taking every inch of energy I have within my body to stay in Eva’s form.

The guard raised a hand and pulled on something, and I found myself completely dangling from the ground.

“This is one heck of a wolf! Are you sure she really stole the red ruby?”

“Yes,” my original pursuer answered. “I saw the stone disappear when she touched the glass, just like how the madam had predicted!”

They peered through the net into my head, and almost suddenly, the vampire’s face lighted up.

“Yes, yes, she really did steal it. Very well… We must be careful. These Shadow Runes are really no joke!”

Shadow Runes?! Why did he just refer to me as a Shadow Rune?

I remembered the necklace that was still wounded against my neck... Did they make a mistake by thinking this was a spirit stone? Plus, how the hell can they say I took the red ruby? I didn’t even get to touch it when it disappeared… right?

“Anyway, let’s give her to the madam. She’ll know what to do. She can definitely extract the stone from her.”

I tried to thrash about for my freedom, but my efforts were fruitless… I could not even lift my head from the silver net as it sapped away my energy completely.

I tried to growl as fiercely as I could, but only a thin whimper escaped my snout…

I thought of Tristan, and fat tears started to roll down my eyes. I should never have left the auction floor with Sir Casior!… If they hurl me somewhere now, what will happen to Tristan? Will they eventually catch him with a silver net like this that might kill him eventually?

I was still busy imagining the sordid thought in my head when something quick and black bumped into the vampire guard’s burly body. He was instantly sent flying into the wall a few feet across us.

“Tristan,” I howled as loudly as I could although the only sound that escaped my lips was a weak howl.

As quick as thunder, the vampires bared their jagged teeth and their hands curled into enormous claws. They descended upon the wolf that was my husband.

No matter how quick and vicious they look, however, they were no match for Tristan’s black wolf, Arthur. He simply swerved around, and immediately, he sent two more vampires flying away with a swipe of his paw. The other vampire’s leg was caught in between Arthur’s teeth, and he immediately snapped it away in a gory fashion.

I watched in horror as more and more blood was spilled between Arthur and the Blasted Ones who tried to kidnap me.

I remembered how scared I was when I first saw Tristan’s white wolf by the ravine when we first met. He also sent the rogue wolves to their deaths on that day, but looking at how he was killing his foes now, he looked like a gentle and merciful puppy back then…

So, this really must be what a Shadow Rune wolf’s true nature was like...

“Dahlly, are you alright,” the black wolf growled to me in between the fight.

I could only nod. The silver net has succeeded in taking away my power of speech just now.

“Dahlly, do you trust me,” Tristan’s wolf shouted again.

“Yes,” I whimpered hoarsely in Eva’s form.

“Then, no matter what happens, just stay still. Stay still, do you hear me?!”

I nodded as vigorously as I could. After I did, Tristan’s black form charged towards me, his snout wide open, and to my surprise, something was coming out of my mouth.

It was a ball of dark-violet flame, and it was coming straight at me.