HIS WICKED SALVATION: HIS ONLY WEAKNESS

Plotting escape

She opened her eyes and shut them immediately as pain hit her like a freight train.

She groaned, pressing her face into her arm. She could feel pain in her stomach and lower back, and she felt her head swell behind.

The room smelt weird, like a zoo, but with better decor, like different species mixed together... different species!... she raised her head abruptly and realized where she was. She called it a ritual room in her head.

She saw faces of innocent girls, half human, half wolves, and half vampires, and fae, and gargoyles, and merfolk, and shape-shifters all unfamiliar, all Zeniles, with mixed blood and confused expressions.

It seemed like half of El'fer was here. Of course, only the females of El'fer were here, no more than these girls. Where the hell did they bring them from? And why was she here?

"You awake?" a fae beside her said in a squeaky voice. She had delicate, ethereal features, with her wings, and skin that shimmers like moonlight. Faes were petite, mischievous beings with a deep connection to nature and magic, but the ones with mixed blood had limitations to such powers.

"Yeah," Elsa nodded, still disoriented. "Where are we?"

"I knew she was new," the fae's friend chimed in, their high-pitched voices resembling a chorus of excited chipmunks.

"Poor thing..." "How could she not know where she is?..." "Do you think she is a..." "I knew she was a ...." They continued their tiny little argument, talking and interrupting one another and Elsa decided to pay no attention.

"You are in Umbravale," someone offered to explain. She sat across from Elsa. A shape-shifter.

Shape-shifters had a humanoid form with the ability to transform into various animals or humans. She had a tall, lean build, piercing eyes, and skin that seemed to shift like shadows. "I'm Piper,"

"Elsa," Elsa replied in a dry voice. Piper smiled, and she smiled back.

Elsa traced her hand to her neck, and then to her chest. She felt weird. Something was wrong somewhere. She looked for a sharp object around and tore her hand deep, wincing as red, thick blood spilled out of the cut... but... it wasn't healing. Her wound wasn't swelling up and then closing like it used to.

"We can't use our abilities in here," Piper told her. "If we could, I would have loved to transform to look like you. You seem so pretty..."

"We can't use our abilities. Why? How's that possible?"

"Odessa makes it possible." She squeezed her face. "God, I hate that woman."

"Sounds like a tough sweetheart," Elsa whispered.

"You won't believe if I told you we used to be friends, would you?" someone else joined the conversation. A merfolk this time. Merfolk were humanoid in form with the ability to transform into aquatic creatures. She had a sleek, athletic build, shimmering scales on her skin, and flowing hair that resembled seaweed. She was pretty, but her skin was pale because she longed for water.

"Who controls this ritual?" Elsa asked. Last she could remember, those bastard vampires had kidnapped her.

"We don't know," Piper said. "We just wake up, and we're here."

"Do you... do you know El'fer?" Elsa asked.

"Whoa, are you also from El'fer?" the pale merfolk asked in surprise.

"Of course, EVERYONE'S from El'fer, you silly," Piper snapped. "I knew I've seen her before."

"I think she worked at the palace," the fae next to her began. "Do you think that's why she's here?" "Did she do something bad?"... went their chatting.

Elsa's suspicions were clear. Everyone here was from El'fer, which meant this had something to do with King Valtor Mortlake. Elsa's curiosity piqued. "Piper, what do they do here?" she asked. "They don't kill us and eat us, do they?"

Piper's expression turned serious. "They sell us... to dark kings, and vampires." Changing her voice to sound like some narrator, she continued, "The merfolk and faes are bought to use as potion and spells. The gargoyles... well, I'm not sure... I haven't figured that out, but they're running out of them, so it can't be good."

Piper leaned towards her. "You wouldn't like to be bought by Alpha."

"Alpha?" Elsa gulped. "Who's he?"

"Thane Blackwood," Piper whispered "leader of ALL the vampires pack. the man who controls all creatures. Handsome, powerful, and rumored to be immortal. I'm sure you've heard of him. They come here regularly to pick a wolf, now, they rarely pick shape shifters. those girls don't last up to a week before they come for another. Vivian was the last to go. I hope she isn't dead"

A fae chimed in "the young man who came for her was really handsome." "Piper did you see him?"

"of course I did!" Screamed Piper with dreamy eyes "that green eyes of his and the dimple when he smiles..."

"He doesn't have a dimple" the other said

"wouldn't it be so good if we could see him ..."

"didn't you say they come to take girls?" Elsa asked in surprise

"they do, but i like him so much no matter what he does " Piper said dreamingly

Elsa snorted and rolled her eyes "I know it's because you haven't been in those poor girls shoes. He's coming to buy us, not attend a tea party"

****

She spent the night thinking about all this. If all of El'fer was here, what happened? did king Valtor Mortlake fully become a monster?

Thane Blackwood. She's heard a lot about him. his real name was Xandros Xanthos but after the death- after he killed his evil father, he named himself Thane Blackwood and forbid the surname Xanthos

"Such a history" She whispered. She turned to her side, facing Piper who was sleeping so quiet that Elsa had put a hand to check if she was breathing

Then Elsa began to reason her escape plan. She was going to watch and observe the room and escape later. She wasn't going to be bought.

Escaping was a part of her and if she could escape from El'fer, she could escape from here too

Then she was going to find out why she was used for some collateral only to be dumped here. She closed her eyes to sleep but sleep wasn't coming no matter how hard she tried so she just left then open, hoping for morning to come.

****

Thane cold blue eyes roamed about the paper on his desk. he ran his long fingers down and up as the report on the recent rebellion in one of the territories file took his attention

His eyes scanned the list, his expression unreadable. He nodded to himself, his mind already moving on to the next task.

Sven cleared his throat, trying to get Thane's attention. "I'm going to get you a another gift, Thane," he said, picking up the keys from Thane's desk.

Thane's gaze flicked up stared at the wall, then slowly towards Sven, his eyes narrowing slightly. "There's no need for that, Sven," he said, his voice cold and detached.

Sven hesitated, He was always like that when working, cold and unconcerned

But Thane's attention was already back on the list of prisoners to be auctioned off tonight. "I've got to finalize the arrangements for the shipment to the Dark Kingdom," Thane muttered to himself. "The wolves are getting restless, and I need to ensure they're delivered on time."

Sven nodded, backing away slowly. "I'll just... go get the stuff then," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

Thane didn't respond, his focus entirely on the task at hand. Sven knew better than to disturb him when he was working.

Thane reached out for another document and took out it's content. As expected it was a plea for survival from the poison attacking the wolves in their village. "The Krael's Breath" Thane muttered, a faint smirk on his lips.

He dropped the paper on the desk and went to the window, his hands in his pocket. The shadow weaver. long time no see, he thought. if he was begging for attention, Thane was bound to give him some.

He watched the vampires outside as the chatted, cleaned and laughed. then he shifted his gaze to the sky that was exceptionally bright for a dark day. Then he saw Sven, that cunning smirk on his face as he got into the car and drove off to who know where.

****

She hadn't been here for long but she had already realized that if she stayed here a little longer, she would either die or get sold off.

King Valtor had become a monster, he gave out El'fer to the Vampires and the girls were taken to be made and sold as slaves. The male vampires with mixed blood were made stronger by Odessa who used Merfolks and fae for her potion.

That explained the powers of those half breed that attacked her back in her home which meant that in this world, mixed bloods were never save, as far as they were females.

She didn't even know what happened to Ryan and the others. But if she was to ever escape she would make sure to find them.

When they leave to the different hall to have their meal, she took note of the doors and windows. She knew that of course this Ritual house was big and spacey which will make escaping a little bit hard.

She planned to leave by dinner because that seemed like the time they had their guards lowered.

She stared at the clock, it was just five minutes to dinner, she reached for her gown and tore the side ready to run at any moment, here or in the dinning room. Lucia, the Merfolk beside her saw her and giggled "Trying to be sexy eh?"

Elsa would have liked to alert everyone of her plan but them escaping could get them killed. Also they would have escaped If they wanted to.

****

She had been waiting for this moment, studying the vampires, the layout of the room, and the timing of the dinner service. She knew she had to act now, before they were taken to their cells for the night.

Elsa's eyes scanned the dining hall, taking in the rows of long tables and benches where the Zeniles prisoners sat, their eyes downcast

The vampires stood at the doors, their arms crossed, as Odessa walked in, Elsa's been seeing her much lately and had began to hate her

"Enjoy your meal, girls," Odessa said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "You never know when you'll be leaving us." she locked gaze with Elsa.

Elsa's grip on her spoon tightened.

As the servers brought in the food, Elsa pretended to eat, her mind racing with her plan.