Lurking in the Shadows (Completed)

Chapter 4

Nyx (one week later since ball)

Snow has melted and so is our evidence… Mina is still knocked out despite the poison being out of her and I’m scared for her. Father is still cranky that someone would do this. He’s talked to the vampire court and whoever did this will not be a sire anymore and exiled. So this is a serious charge. I’d hide too if it were me, but thankfully it’s not. Father has questioned every single guy who was at the party and unfortunately they turned out clean even with a truth potion cooked up by Juniper. They were all at the ball… which makes this even more frustrating. Edward and I have been sitting with Mina in the infirmary for the entire week. She’s been looking paler and paler which makes me worry.

“I have to tell my father, he must know what’s going on with Mina!’ I get up from my chair next to Mina and get up to leave when Edward grabs my arm.

“I completely agree, do be careful. With this unworthy sire going around I don’t want you to be alone either.” He kisses me on the cheek and he just makes me melt.

“I’ll be careful, Edward and if something is wrong, I’ll scream if I can.” I kiss his cheek back and run the best I can to father’s study. With my mermaid-style black velvet dress with cape-like sleeves, it’s not so bad to walk in, but sometimes I wish I wasn’t so restricted.

“Father! Mother! Come quickly to the infirmary! It’s Mina!” With no hesitation, they followed me to the infirmary. If it was possible Mina got more pale in the quick minute I was gone. “Is she supposed to be this pale? I thought all the poison was out of her!” I could feel the tears about to fall but I didn’t want Mina to see me weak.

“I definitely got it all out, so whoever this is, is a strong vampire. Even with all the poison out, she’s still transforming! Leila, go to our personal supply and get some bags ready, she’ll need it whenever she wakes up!” Mother leaves as quickly as she can. I still don’t understand who would hurt my sweet sister. Maybe she was just outside the wrong place, at the wrong time. Or she was targeted… I hope not since she’s always naively nice to everyone. I sit back down and just hold her hand as I have for the past week.

Mina (during her coma)

Ugh, I feel like I’ve been knocked into something hard… The last I remember was being at the ball... Wait… I was sitting in the garden, near the fountain… flashes of that night are coming back to me. I hear myself scream! A blur of someone running away but I can’t tell who.

“Mina…” A beautiful voice calls out to me and I try to find who it is, but I see no one.

“Who’s there?” I call out to this strange voice, but no one calls back.

“Mina…” The voice calls again, but still no one. Stars are all around me and a moonstone ring appears on my right hand. The smell of pine, sage, and jasmine filled all around me.

“As the curling whispers of smoke rise to greet the night sky, so does my mind rise along the rivers of dream time to welcome you, beloved goddess, into my dreams, I invoke you and I invite you to inspire my dreams that I may experience your divine grace.” Thousands of black and purple candles are lit and someone is outlined but I can’t tell who yet. “I step between the worlds into your sacred groves, the beautiful eternal heaven of your creation. The candle lights my path as the moon lights the night sky. I gaze upon your great beauty in wonder, Goddess of the Ages, Lady of Mystery, thou who art brighter than all the stars!” The voices disappeared, and they turned into owls. A beautiful woman walked toward me. Long, wavy, black hair and silvery-blue eyes. A crescent moon on her forehead. She was wearing a long black corset dress with flowy sleeves, which kind of reminds me of something my sister Nyx would wear.

“My dear child…” She looks at me with a smile and I’m shocked that she’s in front of me. She’s drinking something in a chalice which seems to make her smile.

“Yes? What am I doing here?”

“I’m sure you have a lot of questions for me. You will get your answers, but we don’t have a lot of time together.” She offers me a seat with me.

“First off, who are you?? I’ve seen pictures of you sometimes, but no one has told me who the pictures were.” She gives me a gentle smile and I get a feeling she’s very motherly. She wraps me in her black cape-like she’s wrapping a blanket on me.

“My name is Nyx, a primordial goddess of the night, mother of sleep, and pleasures of love.” 

“My sister is named Nyx…” She smiles at me like she’s honored by that.

“She’s a lucky girl. Your parents probably named her after me. Vampires usually worship me since they can only come out at night.”

“Makes sense, my parents are vampires, and I think I am too, but I’m not sure.”

“Your father tried to get the poison out, but vampirism works fast. Once the poison is in your system, your thirst hits you first, then the pale skin, and then your fangs. Since your father tried to stop it, you probably only have your thirst. You’ll need to take care of that when you leave here.” She offers me some dark chocolate and I gladly take it. Soon I can hear the screams of my family and I try to follow them.

“Not trying to insult you, but I’d like to go back to my family soon. Just one question. Who attacked me at my parents' blood ball?” I ask her with as much seriousness as I can muster.

“Only someone who should’ve been dealt with for a long time, and will finally get his punishment.”

“So it’s a man? Why would this person do this to me!? I was saving my first bite for my true mate! Now I can’t give him that…”

“I’m sorry child, but your mate will forgive you. And you'll meet him soon.” She gives me another smile and another bite of dark chocolate. The chocolate helps calm me. “I know you want more answers, but our time is up. Go and be with your family.” After a bright flash of light, I can hear the concerned voices of my family again. My throat is so dry it’s screaming for something to drink.

“Mina? Are you with us?” I hear my sister again and it makes me smile. I feel her hand in mine and I squeeze it. I feel her relax in my hand, but my eyes won’t open yet.

“Mina, if you can hear me, I’m going to put a chalice in your hand and try to get you to drink. It’ll help you feel better.” Father instructs me and I feel him moving my hand and chalice to my face. My lips taste something and at first, I’m disgusted by it. It tastes metallic and salty, but then tastes… sweet? Like salted caramel? I feel myself calm down and I feel… rejuvenated. I don’t feel as sick anymore and I finally open my eyes to see my parents, my sisters, and a strange man that I’m not sure who he is.

“Oh, thank goodness!” Mother hugs me first and I can feel her tears on my shoulder. My sisters join her and I can feel their tears stain me too.

“You’re alright!” Willow wipes away her tears and smiles at me. Nyx smiles too and brings the man closer to her.

“I met my mate Min… his name is Edward.” He smiles at me too and squeezes Nyx’s shoulder.

“Take care of my sister or I’ll come after you.” They chuckle but I’m serious.

“Of course Mina.” Edward smiles at me and squeezes Nyx’s shoulder. I look at the window and realize it’s night out, and I see an owl by the window. It flew away before anyone else noticed, but I did.

“I was right…” Father looks serious and I’m so confused.

“Right about what, father?” I look into his worried eyes and he doesn’t smile at me.

“You were partially turned, and whoever it was, is powerful enough to not need all of his venom to turn someone. Whoever we’re working with is strong…” The room got heavy and quiet. I gently have more to drink from my cup and that caramel taste calms me again.

“What is this drink? It tastes like caramel.” I try to make the room less serious, but that doesn’t seem to help.

“Blood dear…” Mother tells me calmly but I squeal and almost drop the cup all over my bed. “DON’T SPILL! You’ll need that for the first couple of days.” She quickly grabs my chalice and gives it back to me with a smile.

“What do you mean, mother? What’s going on?” I shriek at them.

“What do you remember from the night of the ball?” Father asks me seriously.

“Well, I went outside, walked through the garden, and I sat at the fountain. I was, then I heard something in the snow, I screamed and then it all went black…" My family all got serious and sad. "While I was in a coma, I know this may sound crazy, but I think I talked to the goddess Nyx…" Everyone looked at me shocked.

"What did she say?!" Father asked me eventually when he could get his words back. I told them what happened and Father slumped in the other chair from shock.

"At least we have a lead… it's a man who attacked me. Someone, even a goddess is mad at." Everyone looked so serious and sad. 

"Yeah at least we have a lead and you back." Father hugged me and gave me my chalice again. "Drink this, it'll help with your thirst." I take the chalice and sip it. Father carries me back to my room with a smile and kisses my forehead to get some sleep. I put my chalice on my side table just in case I need it. I change into my nightgown to get comfortable and have a comfortable sleep.