My Second Chance Mate is a Vampire

Chapter 10: Lamirs

Ellie spent the day giving tours of the castle, her mind drifting back to the events of the previous night. Each time she spoke of the castle's history, the long lineage of its inhabitants, she couldn't help but linger a little longer in the room full of painted portraits. The faces staring back at her were solemn, their eyes following her as if they held secrets she was desperate to uncover. She studied each portrait closely, hoping that some small detail might provide a clue—something that could explain the strange events that had been unfolding. The deer, the figure in the shed, the wood carvings—it all seemed somehow connected to the castle's mysterious past.

But no matter how hard she looked, the painted faces remained silent, offering her no answers. She noticed how the children in the portraits were holding beautifully carved wooden toys, each one unique and intricately detailed. Ellie couldn't help but think of the wooden doll she had found and wondered if there could be a connection. It wasn't possible that the same person was still making them—the portraits were over three hundred years old. By the time her last tour ended, Ellie felt the weight of her unanswered questions pressing down on her. She needed answers, and she knew just where she might find them.

With determination, Ellie made her way into the village, her steps quick and purposeful as she headed toward the strange little museum she had visited before. The building seemed even more unassuming in the daylight, its exterior plain and almost forgotten amidst the festively decorated village. Ellie pushed open the door, the small bell above it chiming softly as she stepped inside.

The air inside was cool, and the familiar musty scent of old paper and forgotten relics greeted her. The small, strange woman who ran the museum was there, her sharp eyes watching Ellie as she entered. Before Ellie could say anything, the woman gave her a knowing look and gestured for her to follow. She led Ellie to a back corner of the room, where a worn, leather-bound book sat on a table. The woman's fingers brushed the cover reverently, her eyes meeting Ellie's.

"This is what you seek," the woman said softly, her voice barely more than a whisper. She stepped closer to Ellie, her movements deliberate, and Ellie caught the subtle incline of her head—a gesture that felt familiar, almost instinctive. Then it clicked. It was a wolf’s greeting, one of respect and recognition.

Ellie stiffened, her heart racing. "You’re a wolf?" she asked, her voice barely audible.

The woman gave a small, knowing smile. "Yes," she replied. "I was born here, part of a small family of wolves who travelled far from the larger packs." She paused, studying Ellie closely. "You didn’t realize there were others here, did you?"

Ellie shook her head, stunned. The idea of another wolf in the village, someone who understood her world, was both comforting and unnerving. "No, I hadn’t," she admitted. "I thought I was alone."

The woman’s eyes softened. "You’re not," she said gently, before gesturing toward the book on the table. "This will help you understand what’s happening here."

Ellie looked down at the book, her fingers trembling slightly as she reached out to open it.

The pages were yellowed with age, the handwriting faded but still legible. It was a journal, written by a villager who had lived near the castle during its most turbulent times. The author seemed deeply concerned about the royal family and had even admitted to being in love with the daughter of the family. He often watched the family from a distance, documenting their strange behavior and the growing unease within the castle walls. Ellie began to read, her eyes scanning the elegant script, her heart pounding as the story unfolded before her.

The journal detailed the strange happenings with the royal family, the author's suspicions that they were Lamir's and had joined the cult of another royal family. The author wrote of their fear for the castle's many staff, their worry that the family would turn more people into creatures such as themselves as a means to create an army. The entries were filled with tension, the author clearly terrified of what they had witnessed.

One entry in particular caught Ellie's attention. It spoke of a conversation with the groundskeeper, Nicholas. The author described him as a kind man, someone who had always been good with his hands, often seen carving wooden toys for the royal children. The author had asked Nicholas about the strange behavior of the family, but Nicholas had refused to speak ill of them. He had seemed terrified.

The next entry was written several days later. The author wrote in frantic, hurried script about the disappearance of the castle staff. The once-bustling grounds had fallen silent, the castle doors and windows shuttered, an eerie stillness taking hold. Eventually, the villagers, driven by fear and concern for the royal family, broke inside. What they found was a scene of horror—the castle foyer, its floors slick with blood, the walls stained with dark evidence of violence. The royal family had vanished, and so had every member of the staff. The silence that followed was deafening, and the author’s words captured the terror of that discovery, the lingering fear that whatever had taken the family might still be lurking somewhere unseen.

Ellie felt her breath catch as she closed the journal, her hands trembling slightly. She looked up at the strange woman, her heart pounding in her chest. The woman met her gaze, her eyes dark and unreadable.

"What happened to them?" Ellie asked, her voice barely a whisper.

The woman gave Ellie a small, sad smile before finally speaking. "You’re asking the right questions, but the answers are not simple. My name is Heather," she said, her voice steady yet tinged with a quiet strength. "And yes, I’m a wolf, like you. But there’s more to this place than you realize."

Ellie stiffened, her mind racing. "What do you mean?"

Heather gestured toward the journal Ellie held. "That family you’re reading about—the Krähenburgs, or Lamirs as some call them—were the reason my family came here. They were vampires, cursed beings who sought power at any cost. They brought terror to every place they touched."

Heather’s expression grew somber. "My grandparents were hunters. Wolves who dedicated their lives to eradicating the Lamirs wherever they were found. This village was the final place they had been discovered. My family destroyed them here, ending their reign of terror once and for all. I was born here, the last of my lineage, carrying the weight of their legacy."

Ellie’s breath caught, the weight of Heather’s words settling heavily on her. "So, your grandparents... they killed the Lamirs?"

Heather nodded, her gaze unwavering. "Yes. They risked everything to rid this world of the darkness the Lamirs brought. And while their actions saved countless lives, it cost us dearly. We’ve lived in the shadows ever since, guarding what remains of this place, ensuring their evil never rises again."

Ellie looked down at the journal in her hands, her mind spinning. The pieces of the puzzle were beginning to form a picture, but it was darker and more complex than she had imagined. Heather’s presence added another layer to the mystery, and Ellie wasn’t sure if she felt comforted or overwhelmed by the revelation.

Ellie felt a chill run down her spine as she looked back at the journal, the weight of its words heavy in her mind. The pieces of the puzzle were beginning to come together, but there were still so many missing parts, so many questions that remained unanswered.

Ellie asked Heather if she could borrow the book. The woman nodded silently, then stepped closer and inclined her head—a formal wolf's farewell. "Take care, Ellie," Heather said softly. "May you find the answers you seek."

Ellie returned the gesture, a mix of respect and gratitude in her movement. "Thank you, Heather. For everything."

"Goodbye," Heather replied, her voice tinged with a quiet sadness. With the journal clutched tightly in her hands, Ellie turned and made her way back to the castle, her footsteps purposeful. The lights and music of the village surrounded her, a stark contrast to the dark secrets she now carried. 

—

Arriving back at the castle, Ellie felt Kida stir anxiously within her. She caught Nick's scent in the cold night air, drifting toward the forest. "Follow him," Kida urged, her voice laced with excitement and yearning. "We need to claim him!"

"Not now, Kida," Ellie thought back, trying to calm her wolf. The weight of the journal and her own exhaustion pulled at her, but the scent was unmistakable. Against her better judgment, Ellie allowed her curiosity to lead her, her steps quiet as she followed Nick's trail.

The deeper she went, the darker and denser the forest became. The trees seemed to close in around her, their shadows long and oppressive under the faint moonlight. The trail was faint, and the unfamiliar woods soon swallowed her sense of direction.

"I told you this wasn’t a good idea," Ellie thought, her frustration growing as Kida huffed impatiently. "We’re lost now."

"Keep going," Kida growled. "He’s close. I can feel it."

But Ellie’s patience was thinning. She called out his name, her voice trembling in the cold silence. Only the whisper of the wind answered her, and panic began to rise in her chest as the woods seemed to grow darker still.