The Blind Count's Secret Bride

The Vulture’s Shadow

(TWO DAYS LATER)

The gloomy room was filled with the last people I had expected—ones who were related to Emilia, but from her memories, I could tell they never showed up for her or her mother. Somehow, the pains inflicted by their indifference throbbed in my chest.

Each one of them claimed to be related but turned their back on her and Mother the moment things turned for the worst. They were never there, but now here they stood at her mom's burial like they truly cared. My hands curled hard into a fist. I couldn't stand it, the looks, the fake words, everything about them.

"How... each one of them?"

The possibility that the enemy could be part of them also clung deeply to me. I walked up to the dry ground Mom had been buried under, holding a handful of the sand in my hand. One I slowly scattered on her grave. "I promise, Emilia... whoever did this, I will find them..." I vowed again.

"Oh, Emilia... it’s been a while, hasn't it?" A voice caught my attention. Turning my back, my eyes landed on an old man. From Emilia’s memories, I could recall he was her uncle. But the nausea that came from the realization left a rage in me.

"Why are you here?" I spat. He was the last person I wanted to see. After Emilia’s father fled with a lot of debt, Emilia’s mother had pleaded with him. The monster never showed any favor; instead, he tormented both her and her mother. Secretly, he had approached Emilia, requesting her body in return if she truly wanted his favor. They were in dire need; she saw no choice. I knew that, but the memory held a rage that burnt deep in me.

He never helped them after that; instead, he made sure the hell never stopped. Emilia found out later that he was the reason behind her father holding so much debt.

"What do you mean, Emilia? Of course I should be here," he claimed. His words were like acid, breaking the chains that held me back. "You know I have always cared, Emilia..." He reached out, his hands brushing my cheek as I flinched them away, watching the amused grin that formed on his lips.

"Oops... you shouldn't act so shy now," he chuckled, his very words carving deep into me.

"Stay away from me and Mom... we don't need you," I snarled. But that only left him chuckling out loud, coldly. His eyes darkened, and for a moment my words caught in my throat. The fear—this wasn't mine; it was Emilia’s. The monster had truly traumatized them to this extent, but not anymore. I wasn't Emilia, and I had promised to make every one of them pay.

"Don't get cocky now." His words snapped me from my thoughts, a sudden change in his tone as I felt a sudden grasp on my arm.

"Let me go!" I commanded, my gaze meeting his, not flinching this time. "Let me go now... or else I will make you regret it," my tone was serious, with a narrowed glare.

He didn't reply, just glared for a moment before he finally released his grasp, a sinister smile forming on his lips. "Seems there are some things I must take care of, dear niece... but do contact me if you are in need of help..." He sighed. "I would be sure to lend a hand... that’s the least I could do for my brother's daughter," he claimed, but those false smiles were only meant to fool the people present. Beneath it, I could tell he must be plotting something.

Everything about my life had only ended up in me getting betrayed and framed... and even now I get to endure the same feeling. But somehow that only left a bitter chuckle from me. This was the very reality I had guarded myself away from, but not anymore. I would be the very villain if I have to... to the very end, I will make sure they pay.

I watched Emilia’s uncle leave after leaving his flower at her mom's grave. The relatives present also slowly reduced in number as some began leaving.

"Seems there isn't even any property left anymore," I could hear some of the gossip of one of the relatives. Well, that was the truth; they must have come thinking for some swing of a deal with one of the properties father left. But the truth remained that most were gone. Emilia’s father placed everything on the loans he took.

The late night came, meeting me still in the cemetery. The pains were still something I couldn't let out. "I had just lost another mother," I whispered, looking at the second part of the twin bracelet Emilia had given her mom. Somehow, staring at them left a bitter, lingering feeling.

My very aim was finding those three men; I knew they must have something to do with Emilia’s and her mom's death. It only seemed my best bet was hiring some information brokers for anything on them. Given their actions, it can't be labeled as coincidence, and if it was truly a job, then there should be a link to them on how to get in contact when hiring. "That seems like my only option," I whispered, finally standing up to pay my last respect to the grave.

I made my way leaving the place as I found my way to the street. It seemed quite late already, judging from the few people I saw on the way. I could hardly feel much of my body. Well, it was expected; I hadn't slept for two days now... but I can't afford to collapse. My first aim was gathering information on the men and also... about myself. I still wasn't sure of the details, but it seemed thirty years had already passed after my execution. There were still many things I was ignorant of.

Making my way further on the street, a sudden chill caused my legs to stop midway. I turned, checking my back, and caught no sign of anybody. "My imagination?" I wondered, resuming my steps, but then the same feeling came.

I was being followed. "But how?" I wondered in my thoughts. Could it be the same people that attacked Emilia and her mom? I had little idea who they were, but I knew it was best to get them off my trail. As much as I wanted them to pay, I couldn't deny the weak body I found myself in. I no longer had my wolf or abilities. I was a mere fragile girl by the looks of it.

I increased my pace, only to branch at a side street as I broke into a run. I can't let them catch me! At least I thought so, only to halt immediately, my gaze meeting two strangers who stood blocking my path. How they suddenly appeared in front of me mattered less than my fear in those moments. "I have to—!" I thought of making a run in another direction, but that proved useless as, just in the blink of an eye, I found myself surrounded.

Their was no sight of those three men? I thought.

"W... who are you? What do you want with me?" I shouted, yelling at them, but they only approached me, closing the distance with a curling grin painted on their lips.

"Hold it!" A loud voice cut in suddenly as the strangers halted in their steps. But that voice... it couldn't be. That can't be right. "Does that mean he is involved with this?" I thought, my gaze darting at the side where the voice came from. It met him: Emilia’s uncle, making his presence known.

"Uncle Silas?" I blurted subconsciously.

"Oh, dear little niece... it’s been a while, hasn't it? Or hours, should I say?" He wore an amused grin forming on his lips as he slowly took off his hat, his hands clasping together and rubbing greedily.

"Is this your doing also, Uncle? What do you think you're doing exactly?" I demanded. I couldn't deny I had just been trapped, and powerless at that. Why would he show up now? Could he really be behind Emilia’s mom's death? If so...

The mere thought left me boiling in rage. "Oh, don't misunderstand, dear niece," Emilia’s uncle laughed as, in a sudden movement, he closed the distance between us. My words froze in the second as I flinched, trying to step back from the sudden shock. "I didn't mean to scare you with so many men," he claimed, but beneath the grin, I couldn't shake off the malice.

"Then why don't you let me go?" I hissed, hoping to buy time. I needed time to gather the strength needed to mark him down and make him pay. Not now... I can't have him coming after Emilia’s life now.

"Oh, sadly, I can't have you leaving also..." he sighed. "What—" I was saying, but my words were silenced by a sudden grasp on my neck. "Gaah!" I choked through my words, watching Emilia’s uncle grin. His hand tightened more as I gasped harder for breath. "I must say, dear niece, you really have gotten some loose tongue lately," he mocked. "Le... let me go," I struggled, but that seemed useless against his brute force. How weak... just how weak was I exactly? Would I truly be able to make them pay, to have my own revenge?

"You're just pathetic, just like your dead drunk mother," he mocked, his words stinging as I spat at his face.

"Go to hell," I cursed. But in the blink of an eye, I felt a hard kick right at my abdomen—one that sent a sharp, ripping pain through my core. "Aahh!" I screamed, only to crumble to the ground, my hands clutching my injured stomach as I felt another hard hit. "Damn you, b***h!" he cursed, slamming his legs at my ribs over and over. Heavier than the first, the pain tore through each muscle as I bled out, my breath heavy. I felt my vision slowly fading.

He gripped me tightly by my bloodied cloth, forcing me back up. My legs were bruised and trembling as I could hardly hold a proper vision. “You know, I was really hoping on sparing you... at least you do have some use as a pleasure tool... but now you have really done it, you b***h,” he growled.

I could tell one of the strangers approached his side, handing him something. “Wh... what?”

The moment a silver dagger blade glinted at my eyesight, I froze. “No... no... .” I couldn't move. It felt like truly my whole body had failed me in those moments.

I felt the sharp edge of the dagger ripping through my clothes as he mocked with a grin. “Don't you worry... I will send you to your dear mother and father...” he sneered, as I felt a sharp sting. A sudden burning sensation spread from my stomach. He released his grasp on my shirt as I dropped to the ground. My hands pressed against the wound unconsciously, feeling the hot blood soak through my fingers as the world began to spin

No... I don't want to die.

I can't die yet... not now!

Someone... anybody... please... am I going to die again? I had promised... was it all just a dream?

I am sorry, Emilia... I am sorry I couldn't keep my vow.

“Now just die a failure, just like your silly father,” I heard him mock, which was the last thing I should have heard, but...

“What's going on there!” a loud voice cut in. I hardly could see anything due to my fading vision, only hearing the thunder of footsteps with a voice ordering them to run.

“So this is really it... my end... so pathetic, dying like this...” I moaned, and just before my vision went blank, in a blurred sight, I caught a shadowy figure. Almost white-paled. A blindfold tied round his eyes.

He really was like a ghost. A ghostly smile formed on my lips before everything was swallowed by the darkness.