Blood And Vows

Shadows of the Past

The clock struck midnight, and the O’Connell estate lay still under a pale silver moon. Only the soft ticking of the grandfather clock echoed through the halls, a reminder that some nights refused to end.

Anika tossed in bed, restless. The rain had stopped, but her mind wouldn’t. Every time she closed her eyes, flashes of that night replayed, the gunshot, the scream, the look on Liam’s face. Then came the newest images, Richard’s cruel smirk, his cold words, “You have no idea what’s coming.”

Sleep finally took her, but it wasn’t merciful.

She was standing at the marina again.

The fog was thicker this time, heavy and suffocating. She could barely see the water, only hearing it crashing somewhere far below.

“Anika…”

The voice echoed from behind her, Richard’s voice.

Her pulse spiked as she turned. He stepped out of the mist, that same faint smile curving his lips, a gun glinting in his hand.

“You should’ve stayed away,” he said. “You always come back to what destroys you.”

Anika stumbled back, shaking her head. “You’re supposed to be in prison…”

He raised the gun. “Prisons have doors, my dear. And doors can be opened.”

The sound of the trigger clicked…

“No!”

Suddenly, another figure appeared, stepping between her and the barrel.

Colby.

The gun fired.

The sound ripped through the air, echoing like thunder. She screamed as he fell, his hand reaching for her, blood spreading across his chest.

Anika dropped to her knees beside him.

“Colby! No, no, please!”

He looked up at her, eyes full of pain and something else.

“Don’t cry,” he whispered. “I’d do it again.”

Then everything went white.

Anika shot up, gasping for air. Her heart pounded violently in her chest, tears stinging her eyes.

The room was dark, silent, only the rain had started again, tapping gently against the windows. It took her a few seconds to realize it had been a dream.

Just a dream. But it felt too real.

She swung her legs over the bed, trembling, and without thinking, she found herself walking through the dim hallway toward the main bedroom.

The door was slightly ajar, light spilling from inside.

Colby was there, asleep on the bed, one arm resting across his chest, the faintest trace of exhaustion on his face.

Anika stood in the doorway, hesitating.

Then quietly, she stepped in.

“Colby,” she whispered, her voice trembling. “Colby…”

He stirred, opening his eyes immediately alert even half-asleep.

“Anika? What’s wrong?”

Her throat tightened. “I… had a dream. Richard… he was… he shot you. You were trying to protect me, and… ”

She stopped, voice breaking.

Colby sat up quickly. “Hey, hey, it’s okay. It was just a dream.”

She shook her head, tears spilling down her cheeks. “It didn’t feel like one. It felt like a warning.”

He stood and reached for her hands. “You’re safe here, Anika. I promise you. Nothing will happen to you under this roof.”

She looked at him for a moment, searching for something she didn’t even know she needed, reassurance, safety, maybe just someone who understood.

“I… I don’t want to sleep alone tonight,” she said finally. Her voice was small, vulnerable. “Just tonight.”

Colby nodded without hesitation. “Of course.” He gestured to the bed. “You can sleep here. I’ll take the couch.”

She shook her head weakly. “You don’t have to… ”

“I insist,” he said softly. “You’ve been through enough.”

Anika hesitated, then nodded.

He grabbed a blanket from the foot of the bed and made his way to the couch across the room.

“Colby,” she said quietly before he lay down.

He turned to her. “Yeah?”

“Thank you.”

He smiled faintly. “Anytime, Mrs. O’Connell.”

She gave a soft laugh, the first in what felt like forever.

As she lay down, the silence between them felt peaceful this time. For the first time since Liam’s death, she drifted off without fear.

The next morning, Anika woke to sunlight spilling through the curtains. Colby was gone, but a folded blanket and a cup of tea waited for her on the nightstand.

A note lay beside it, written in his neat, strong handwriting: Had an early call with the lawyers. Ethan’s coming by later. Drink the tea before it gets cold.

– C.

She smiled faintly but the warmth didn’t last. Her phone buzzed with a new message from an unknown number.

“You’re looking in the wrong place. Marisol isn’t hiding. She’s watching.”

Anika’s heart froze.

She showed the message to Ethan when he arrived an hour later.

He frowned. “Where did this come from?”

“No clue,” she said. “But whoever sent it knows something.”

Ethan rubbed the back of his neck. “You think it’s her?”

“I don’t know,” Anika whispered. “But if she is watching, then she’s closer than we think.”