Crimson Sea

Time to spill the beans.

Carina

"Mother! stop pacing. you giving me a headache. " I said, messaging my temples, moving my fingers slowly along my hairline, all the way through my scalp and forehead. We have been standing around like this for the past ten minutes since I had woken up earlier. We were still in the parlor discussing last night's events.

     " Who was that man from my dreams? What did he mean by you should've told me everything when I came of age? " I asked again for the fifth time. She nibbled at her fingertips and looked everywhere but me. She suddenly took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

       " I think it's best if I Just showed you instead. I know that you, and I don't exactly have the best relationship, But I just want you to know. I u-understand if you don't want to ever see me again after this. Just -

     " MUM! " I yelled, breathing heavily. " How can i "understand" if you won't even explain or show me what you speak off"

        She moved towards me and held out her hands forward. I held her hands and noticed her hands were shaking. She gave me a nervous smile, and to say was I shocked! was an understatement of the century.

        I closed my eyes, as waves of memories unknown to me flooded my mind. It was almost like having an out of body projection. Every time the memory changed, I was dragged along with it. I saw every memory of my mother. They all seemed to pass through my mind all at once. From her childhood to her teenage years, to her adulthood, It was all too much to keep up with it. I could already feel a migraine forming in the back of my head. Finally, the memories began to slow down, I could now see the memories enough to process it, but couldn't really hear the conversation.

         She looked terrified and very pregnant! The scene then changed my mother, Who was now talking to what appeared to resemble the devil himself. Again I was dragged along with the memory, as it changed to what looked like a palace throne room. I immediately recognized the man sitting on the throne proudly. It was the same man from  my dreams. Whatever they said clearly spooked my mother, as she instantly wrapped her hands around her stomach. The memories continued to flow into my mind at a fast pace. I was now standing beside my mother as she lay on the ground unmoving, legs spread wide open. Above my mother was the biggest magic circle I had ever seen.

         Piece by piece the memories began to make sense. When I opened my eyes, it was like I was seeing my mother for the first time. I have literally lived my mother's entire life in just a span of few minutes. I honestly had no idea how to feel about the whole memory lane trip I just had. I now understood what Kaizel meant when he said, my mother was supposed to tell me everything when I came of age.

          She looked away, the unspoken guilt and shame clear in her hollow sunken eyes. Were her eyes always this sunken and hollow, I thought, She suddenly summoned her cigarette holder. A slender silver tube in which she held her cigarette in for smoking. Her hands were still shaking, and she seemed a little out of it. She inhaled the nicotine and leaned against the floral painted wall.

          " So now, you know how your mother shamelessly made a deal with The devil. It was never my intention to ruin your life like this Carina. Believe me when I say that, but desperate times call for desperate measures. " 

     Desperate times, call for desperate measures. She said that almost as if that explained why she threw me down the rabbit hole. I wished I could say my mother sounded remorseful for her actions, or even slightly apologetic, but as always whenever it came to my mother's personality, she was unpredictable as the sky.

        The floor suddenly seemed to sway under my gaze. I  began to feel slightly dizzy. I reached out for one of the sofas in the parlor for a balance and breathed in again very heavily. Finally, I asked the question that has been swirling in the back of my mind all night.

      "What did you do to Lucas? is he o-okay? " I asked quietly, afraid of what her response will be. She shrugged her shoulders and blew the smoke in my direction. The stale scent of the nicotine filling my nostrils and burning my eyes.

         " I had to call for clean up and had the boy taken to the nearest hospital. Fear not dear, He lives. He was just In dire need of blood transfusion. You almost drained the poor boy of his blood. Worry not dear, I erased his memory of what transpired here tonight. As long as you avoid his path, he won't remember anything."

        I breathed in relief. It felt good to hear he wasn't dead.

         " I wouldn't be too relaxed if I were you," She said casually, shrugging her shoulders. I tilted my head to one side, astonished by her nonchalantly way of speaking. was she out of her mind. does she forget she is the reason am in this mess in the first place. I closed my eyes pinching the side bridge of my nose. She must have noticed, the bamboozled look on my face, for she choose that moment to explain herself.

        " Look honey all am saying is if he's already walking through your dreams. It won't take him long before he manages to find a way to get off that island. "

  " Get off that island? what do you mean by that? " I asked confused. My mother just blew another smoke and looked away. 

" Kaizel is not a good man Carina. He tends to Not care who gets hurt by his consequences. and believe me, many have paid the price for his sadistic ruthless ways. Since he can't be killed, The first order of the celestial council sacrificed their lives and magic to keep him sealed away in Arkala. Somehow over the millennium , he managed to turn his prison into a majestic kingdom, but the fact still remains he can't leave Arkala."

       I instantly sprang to my feet and ran my fingers through my hair. My mother eyes wide, with anticipation. She looked at me almost unsure, Suddenly a memory of Kaizel watching me, while closing the shop came to mind.

"Carina, are you okay-"

"I always felt him near, for as long as could recall.  How come I can feel the presence of a man that's supposedly locked away in a mystical mysterious prison island?" I interrupted her Immensely troubled by where this conversation was heading.  I hated being used a pawn, to be manipulated and exploited. and that's one thing my dear mother was exceptionally great at.

My mother summoned another cigarette and walked over to stand by the window. She breathed in heavily and turned around to give  me a sympathetic look.

" I guess he found a way to break the celestial chains temporarily," She said, as her voice trailed off the conclusion of her sentence  was inescapable. I angrily stumped  towards her and forcefully grabbed her by the shoulder and turned her around to face me. Caught off guard she almost dropped her cigarette she yelped and gasped. Tightening my grip on her shoulder, i asked through clenched teeth.

" Why? what does he want from me? i get that am bound to him through blood magic in exchange for your freedom. but what can I really do for him?" I asked as I willed the anger out of my voice. I knew I couldn't blame her entirely, but I needed someone to blame for all of this.

" Your blood and magic, that's what he wants. I know it will be difficult to resist him since your blood will call out to him. His kind. His kind is not capable of love, Carina. they are as cold inside, as they  are  undead and unfeeling outside. You will develop intimate feelings for him in the near future, But you must not give in. What you'll feel for him will not be feelings of love, NO! it will be one of blood and lust. He will drag you down into the sea of Crimson Passion filled with nothing but blood and chaos. He'll convince you that you are the best thing that had ever happened to him, that you are his light. Among many other lies, and deceit. He'll make you doubt everything you have known your whole life to be true."   My mother turned away from the window and approached me. She  had look of distance in her eyes, almost as if she was recalling a painful memory. she then composed herself and any immediate emotion that were  in her eyes were gone as quick as they arrived.  she  continued her conversation almost nonchalantly saying

"Your connections to Kaizel Radomir Must also remain a heavily guarded secret. At least until we can find a way to break your connection to him." She said it all too fast and loudly at that.  She sounded a lot like she was trying to convince herself. 

I instantly stepped back and looked at her like she'd suddenly lost her mind.

" Is that even possible? I mean to break our bond? I thought it was blood in out, and blood out. The only way out of blood-bond is through death. " I whispered, looking around cautiously. My mother then stepped forward, with a dark smile on her ruby lips. Her eyes smoldering with an unspoken vengeance.

" With enough  magic, and the right spells and ingredients  nothing is ever impossible when it comes to magic. at the end of the day it is all about how  strong your desire and resolve is, I thought I taught you that a long time ago. we just have to find the right time, to complete our task. " She whispered back, I felt a sudden, soul-shattering chill run down my spine. Whenever my mother smiled like that, there was always a bloodshed somewhere. Clearly not getting where she was going with this, I blinked twice. she just patted my head and smiled.

" I know I haven't exactly been the best mother in your eyes over the years, but I'll fix this. Someday, you'll thank me for all the things I made you do when you were growing up. I got you into this mess, I'll get you out of it Even if it's the last thing I do, this I promise Carina. " she vowed her voice thick with conviction and guilt.

" Oh... and when I said your connection to Kaizel must remain secret I also meant,  that talkative friend of yours.

"Mira! her name is Mira" I said voice so sharp it could cut a glass. My mother always disliked Mira, just because she was half witch and not a full-blooded witch. she always called Mira half -breed Mira meant the world to me. She was also one of my only true friends. Unlike me, Mira was very laid back, mischievous, wild and sarcastic as hell. Strangely enough, she also had a knack for smacking my ass while making profoundly vulgar remarks about it.

" yes, yes. My apologies  I forgot how fond you were of that insolent brat " I just rolled my eyes at her and went to the kitchen to get something to eat.