Death’s Embrace

Vaius

{Amara’s POV}

I closed my eyes when I felt the knife dig into my chest, and when I opened them again I was in a strange room. White and gold decorated a massive living room, a balcony hung overhead and as I walked up the stairs I could see a city, one I didn’t recognize. What was this place, and how did I get here? I looked around seeing a man asleep on a couch below me. His skin was pale, and he had long white hair that looked like it had been brushed back with his fingers. He had stubble across his face, and strong eyebrows that looked angry even now. He wore a white button up shirt, and white pants. Beside him on a chair was a six inch tall man, grey skin, white hair, white clothes, and white wings that surrounded him like a blanket.

The man sleeping on the couch was massive, larger than any man I’d ever encounter, at least 7’5. He was bulky, muscular, he looked like he could break me, and that alone was enough to send a chill up my spine. I was in his home.. and I had not idea how I got here. I turned around looking back to the window, I could see that further up the stairs there was a balcony that led outside. I crept up the stairs, looking down at my bare feet, and the long, long sleeve white dress that I didn’t remember putting on. I reached the doors, finding them open, and stepped outside. The air was freezing, I could see my breath, as snow fell all around me coating the outdoor furniture. I walked to the edge of the balcony finding that below was a straight down drop into nothingness, pitch black as far down as the eye could see, the lights of the city in the distance doing nothing for the shadows below.

When I turned back I could see the grey six inch man watching me. He had landed on the railing of the balcony inside, his bright white eyes watching my every movement. “W-Where am I?” I asked, looking him over, before taking a step towards him. I felt a wave of cold, and suddenly pain, that shot through my body. My spine feeling as though it were on fire, ignited all at once. I tried to scream, but no sound came out, just silent tears that slid down my face. I clawed at the dress, trying to find the source of the pain. I fell to my side, unable to breathe as the cold air burned in my lungs. “Kade..” I whimpered, I could see him there, his hand holding the knife, I felt it pierce into me.. I felt him turn me over.. the pain that shot through my back as I felt something being carved in. “Please.. make it stop!” I gasped out, looking up and seeing the small grey man standing just inches away, watching me with a strange look on his face. I couldn’t place it, he looked angry, sad, disgusted, all at once. Then another look flashed across his features, worry, as he reached out, his tiny hand touching the side of my face.

Suddenly the pain stopped, and I gasped deeply, trying to catch my breath. “T-Thank you..” I whimpered, reaching out with my hand and touching his hair, a sound akin to a purr escaped him before he backed away.

“Come on, we have to get you out of here before he wakes up!” The little man said, looking me over.

I nodded, carefully standing to my feet. “O-Okay..” I whispered. He floated in front of me, leading me back down the stairs, I watched the sleeping man, terrified of what would happen if he woke up. I tiptoed past him, and made it to the door, I opened it carefully, and the small grey man jumped onto my shoulder sitting down.

“Come on, I’ll show you the way to one of the others.. you need to get out of here though, Vaius isn’t going to take too kindly to a stranger being in his home.. especially a human.” He said, pointing me down a long black hallway.

I nodded, “Okay, so he’s Vaius, then who are you?” I asked softly as we began the long trek down the seemingly never ending hallway.

“I am Vael..” he said, pausing for a moment, and listening. “He’s waking up.. he’s looking for me..” he said, turning back towards the door. “Run!” He whispered, as I heard the door behind us open, I turned back towards see the man from before leaning out of the doorway staring us down. “Run!” Vael screamed, and I did, taking off down the hallway, fear was the only thing keeping me moving.

“Vael! Get back here!” The man behind us shouted.

I kept running, my legs burning as I did, we rounded a corner and another small flying man was in front of us, he was all blue, and looking at me with anxious eyes. “You’re supposed to be with Evander, what are you doing here?”

“Who?” I asked, looking up at him, “Do we know each other?”

“He’s coming! You have to keep running!” Vael shouted, and soon the little blue man grabbed my hand pulling me forward.

“Hurry! This way!” He said, practically dragging me.

Suddenly I felt a sharp pain in my shoulder, and was twirled around to face the massive white haired man from before. He glared down at me, before looking over at Vael. “How dare you help this creature! You know better!” He snapped at Vael.

I pushed Vael and the little blue one behind me. “No! Don’t hurt them!” I shouted, feeling anxiety rising in my chest again. I saw the knife.. the smirk on Kade’s face, it was sudden, unexpected, and terrifying. I glared up at the man in front of me. “Leave them alone!” I gritted out, feeling that same pain from before flaring up in my spine. I breathed through it, as the wind began to whip up around me again, I reached out one hand towards him and suddenly his feet left the ground as he flew backwards crashing through a wall.

I turned quickly, grabbing the two small men and cradling them to my chest before running even faster down the hallway. I heard rubble behind me, the sound of growls, and I knew he was getting up. I didn’t stop though, I kept running, even with the pain I felt, I ran until I reached another turn. As I rounded the corner a tall woman stood in front of me. Red hair, pale red skin, and ruby red eyes. She was tall about 6’8, and thin, but curvy. “You.. you’re awake.. but how did you get here, I just left you with Evander.”

“Who?” I asked, as the sound of the man chasing me grew louder. I turned back towards the corner, seeing his long fingers gripping on the side of the wall.

He leaned around, glaring at me, gold eyes glowing. “Mine..” he growled, I took a step back before planting my feet firmer.

“Don’t make me put you through another wall as*****!” I shouted back at him, feeling that pain in my spine flare up. I began to try to reach out, but this time as he flew backwards into the wall, the pain was too much. I screamed out, my cries filling every inch of the hallway. I dropped to my knees, feeling as though lightning surged within me, writhing under my skin. The sound echoed loudly, reaching through the space like a creature trapped in a cage. I felt the knife piercing my back, dragging down, and tearing through the skin. I felt the warm blood oozing out and covering me. “NO!” I screamed even louder, the windows in the hallway all shattering at once. Then, I felt it, someone hitting me on the back of my head, and I fell to the side, my eyes blinking slowly. I saw the large man getting up again, walking closer than he had before. “Don’t.. hurt.. Vael..” I whimpered, my eyes finally deciding to stay shut for now.