Loving the leech (Guardians of Red Moon city #4)

Kaylin’s POV

I think I’m going crazy, for real. Everything that happens all the time causes a brain meltdown without equal, and I don’t know how to process everything before it’s too late. The conversation between William and me became emotional and loud very quickly, even though it wasn’t supposed to. How does he expect me to explain how everything feels? My world is falling apart in front of my feet, isn’t that enough? I hear voices downstairs talking in a slightly higher tone than usual, which can only mean one thing; something’s wrong.

The closer I get to the stairs, the louder the voices become, and eventually, it’s William’s voice that silences everyone else.

“I don’t know!” he screams. “They’re arriving here in an hour, and I have no idea what they want! She’s going to freak out completely and-.”

William abruptly turns around and looks at me with wide-open eyes full of horror. I look confusedly at those present and feel how the heavy silence proves that it’s just as I suspected; something’s seriously wrong. You can literally cut the mood in the room with a knife; that’s how tense it is. Ozzandra sits on the couch with her face in her hands, and that makes me worry. I sit down next to her and hug her. She looks up at me with tears on her face, and I gently smile back.

“What’s wrong?” I ask softly.

Ozzandra keeps staring at me, and I feel how the forces within me are working to calm her down. It takes no more than a few seconds before her previously tense posture relaxes, and she looks confused.

“You’re an empathic,” she whispers, and her eyes widen.

“What is that?” I ask with furrowed eyebrows.

“You can heal other people’s injuries and soothe them with your mind,” Benjamin replies.

“Cool,” I mumble, smiling, and then turn back to Ozzandra. “What’s going on?”

“The council is on their way here,” she whispers, and I solidify.

“What do they want?”

“We don’t know what they want, but it’s hardly anything good,” Elijah replies.

“How do you know?”

“Kaylin, the council hasn’t made any “home visits” to a clan since 1939,” Oliver responds earnestly. “And that time, they burned the whole clan’s land until only ashes remained.”

An involuntary shiver moves through my body by his words. Okay, I need to process as Ozzandra tried to help me with. The council is on its way here, we don’t know why and the last time everything burned to the ground, so what do they want now? I stiffen when the answer comes to me.

“They’re coming here because of me,” I say straight into the air while the others look at me strangely.

“Why would they do that?” Oliver asks, who has been silent until now.

“Think about it. Who is William’s beloved? Who’s a human from the beginning who transformed? Who is going to fight inside an arena soon? And lastly, who went on a rampage where over twenty people lost their lives?” I ask, and the others look at me with wide eyes. “Exactly, they come here because of me.”

“We don’t give up without a fight,” Elijah says, standing straight, ready for everything.

“It’s okay; I’ll fix it,” I answer and smile before walking back upstairs to prepare myself.

“Stay up here until one of us asks you to come down,” Vivienne says with a faint smile, and I nod.

She leaves the room, and I’m left alone. I don’t like this any more than they do, but on the other hand, I’m not going to cause the clan any more harm than I’ve already done with my uncontrolled bloodlust. William and I will be separated soon anyway, given the fight in the arena. Perhaps it’s better to do so now rather than later when it’s too late; everything depends on what the council wants.

“Kaylin, you can come down,” Wiliam shouts.

I breathe in deeply before walking out the door. My black dress flutters at my feet when I walk down the stairs, yes, I don’t like to be dressed up, but it’s tradition when the council visits you. Joseph stands before me as soon as my feet touch the last step. He kisses my hand, and I give him a disgusted look back, but I know I can’t cause any problems when the council is here. Joseph is the worst, a slimy weasel that can manipulate himself out of any situation. Elijah and Benjamin subtly hold back William, who looks ready to rip Joseph’s head off.

He takes my hand and leads me to the council. I stand straight and bow with my head in respect, which they return.

“Kaylin, let me introduce Felicity, Mark, Igor, and Salazar,” Joseph says.

“Nice to meet you,” I say in what I hope is a polite tone.

“So you’re the person who compromised the whole supernatural world in your bloodlust,” Felicity says in a disgusted tone, grimacing with her nose.

“Yes, I am, and I also take full responsibility for it. It’s not the Everton clan’s fault, and I’ll also gladly take my punishment for it,” I respond with due respect.

“You’re loyal to your beloved and a clan to which you don’t even belong; it’s admirable,” Salazar nods approvingly. “We’re happy that you take your responsibility, but that isn’t why we’re here.”

“Then, why are you here?” Ozzandra asks and gives Joseph a look that can kill him.

“Joseph, you get the honor,” Felicity responds with a grin on her face.

“Kaylin Clarkson, you are hereby not only appointed to fight in the arena for your survival, but you also represent the Everton clan,” Joseph says while looking at William with an evil grin on his features.

“No,” Vivienne whispers, horrified.

“If Ms. Clarkson fails to win in the arena, your entire clan will cease to exist by the council’s warriors,” Joseph tells William before turning to me. “The council requests to speak to Ms. Clarkson alone.”

My beloved nods unwillingly and leads us to a room that seems to be of use during meetings. I’ve been in here before when Ozzandra showed me around the house. They have their conversations in here that no one else should be able to hear; hence the room is soundproof. William leaves us, and I remain alone with five council members who seem to hate me.

“You have a choice to make now, Ms. Clarkson,” Igor says in a cold tone. “Either you train here with your beloved and his family, only to fail in the arena, or you come with us to train. You’ll train by the best warrior of the council members, and you’ll certainly win.”

“What’s the catch?” I ask with a suspicious look that makes him laugh.

“You were right when you said she was clever,” Igor tells a grinning Joseph, nodding. “The catch is that you have to turn off your humanity, now.”

This is really no choice at all. Either I and everyone in the whole clan dies, or I die. Rather me than the others, I have to choose to go with them even if I don’t want to. I must protect William and his clan; it’s my duty, not only as his beloved but also as the vampire princess.

“I’ll go with you, in exchange, that you don’t hurt anyone in the clan in any way. I also want to write a letter before you take me out,” I answer and stretch out my hand.

“Deal,” Igor replies, shaking my hand.

I write down my last thoughts before Joseph takes hold of my upper arm and drags me out while his grin spreads over his face. The others growl loudly when they see how he handles my body, but I just smile sadly at them and shake my head.

“From this day forward, Kaylin Clarkson will accompany the council on which we’ve agreed!” Joseph declares, and the others go berserk.

“No! Kaylin, what have you done!?” Ozzandra exclaims, and I feel my tears flowing.

“It’s you or me,” I answer. “I’m so sorry.”

“Kaylin, you have to fulfill your part of the deal,” Joseph says and grins. “Come here.”

I walk up to him, and William gets devastated when he doesn’t realize what’s going on.

“What deal!?” he exclaims, horrified. “Kay, my beloved, what’s going on!?”

“I’m sorry, Will, but I need to protect you,” I cry, and Joseph stands before me.

“Turn them off,” he says in a voice full of authority.

“Turn off what!?” Benjamin screams.

“She comes with us and gets trained by us; you and your pathetic clan get left alone, in exchange that she turns off her feelings,” Joseph answers laughingly.

“Kaylin, please don’t!” William asks. “We can think of some other solution! I can’t live without you accepting me as your beloved.”

“Forgive me, my beloved,” I reply. “I’ll grant your wish. I hereby accept you, William Everton, as my beloved; perhaps this is the last time I get the opportunity.”

“Kaylin,” Joseph growls and twists me toward him so he can look into my eyes. “TURN THEM OFF!”

I hear William yelling my name and Ozzandra’s crying before a big piece of myself disappears. All sadness, anxiety, anger, and basically all other emotions disappear; I sincerely don’t care anymore. A grin spreads on my lips, and Joseph laughs at his creation. He kisses my forehead and takes me by the hand before turning to William.

“How could you persuade her so easily?” he asks in a broken voice.

“Do you mean that none of you understand it yet?” Joseph laughs. “I sired her; we share a sire bond.”

“No,” Ozzandra whispers, and I laugh low at the sight in front of me.

How I could at all care about something earlier, I don’t understand now. Joseph caresses my cheek, and for some reason, I lean towards his caress.

“It’s no wonder this happened,” Joseph says. “I’m her creator, after all. Come on, pet, we have to go.”

I smile lovingly at Joseph and walk out the door. William continues to yell at me and try to get to me, but the others hold him back the best they can. I have a plan that I must fulfill that no one can know about, and I need to play my part. My focus is on my beloved, and hence I don’t notice when Joseph is by my side in no time and then bite my neck. Then everything turns black.

William’s POV

She’s gone, Kaylin’s gone, and I don’t know how to react. My beloved agreed to a deal with the council to protect not only my family but also my clan. What person besides her does such a thing? I sit on my knees at the front door, staring out into the darkness with tears streaming down my cheeks, unable to rise. My mother cries hysterically in the living room, and Vivienne does everything she can to try to calm her down unsuccessfully. Kaylin doesn’t know what she agreed to when she accepted the council’s terms and conditions. I don’t think she understands what she has done.

I have failed to mention how it works with turning off her emotions and its great consequence on the soul afterward in fear of just something like this. It isn’t sure that Kaylin can get back after such a thing, and I know that if she succeeds, she won’t be the same anymore. You change when you find yourself inside the arena and turn off your humanity. Considering what a pure and kind soul Kaylin is, I also know that she’ll take it hard when and if she comes back. My biggest fear is that she won’t be able to continue living without choosing to end her life for good.

“We have to get her back, William,” mom loudly cries.

“You know we can’t do that at the moment, mom. Nothing can stop the council now that they’ve made a decision, and Kaylin has made a deal with them,” I answer in a broken voice.

She gets up quickly from the couch, uses her speed to get to me, and pushes me up against the wall with a sadness I’ve never seen before.

“Kaylin is coming back! I’ve never liked an outsider this much before, and that she’s also Miranda’s daughter doesn’t make things any better. I’m her godmother for god’s sake! I’m supposed to be her guardian. We have to have her here! I finally have a daughter-in-law worthy of you, and she, she...” mom’s crying takes over her words, and she falls to her knees at my feet.

My body quickly follows her down until we lie on our knees with our arms around the other. I’m not the one for crying, and that’s why the others are surprised when my tears flow more than before. My crying echoes in the house, and my mother hugs me with all the motherly love she has inside her.

“I can’t help her! I can’t...” I cry, and Vivienne hugs us both.

Shortly after that, the others also join our group hug to show their support. Kaylin has made more impact on our lives than any of us could’ve imagined, and it’s noticeable when you hear how every single heart in the room bursts at the same time. A knock on the door interrupts our emotional moment. Elijah opens, and outside stands one of the council warriors. The man bows deeply before standing straight and gives something to Elijah.

“Good evening, the council sent me to deliver a letter from Ms. Clarkson,” he says, and Elijah nods before closing the door.

“Should I read it out loud?” Elijah asks.

“Who is it addressed to?” Oliver asks.

“It seems to be to all of us,” Elijah replies.

We sit down on the sofas, and I nod for Elijah to begin. He breathes in and out a couple of times with anxiety mirrored in his eyes before he reads my beloved’s last words.

“Dear Everton family,

I can’t begin to explain how much you mean to me. In just a few weeks, you’ve given me more love and consideration than I’ve experienced for the last twenty years of my life here on Earth. I’m genuinely grateful for everything you’ve done for me.

Ozzie, thank you for taking on the role of the mother I never had the opportunity to meet. I know I can speak for my mother when I say that we’re both grateful.

Ol, keep being the fun-loving and excited guy you are. You’ve given me so many reasons to laugh during my time with you, and you are amazing!

Benny, even though you’re a man of few words, through your subtle gestures, you’ve shown me that you’re a person I really want to call my friend because I know that your loyalty will never go away, and I hold your back through everything.

Viv, even if we haven’t talked much, I appreciate your kindness and generosity. When I needed to bury Britney, you made such a fantastic kind gesture and helped me manage to go through with it.

Eli, your knowledge and friendship helped me down in the basement when I didn’t know if I would be able to continue. You shared a part of your life that helped me focus on what’s essential; you’re a true friend.

And finally, my dear Will... Although we’ve had a complicated and aggressive beginning, I’m almost sure that you have somehow managed to nest into my heart. You mean a lot to me, and it has nothing to do with our bond; this is just my human feelings for you. It isn’t until now that I’ve made a choice that all of you will probably hate me for that I realize that you’re all I ever wanted; a family. I love you, William, and I know it’s going to be tough for you. Therefore, it’s also so difficult when I now need to ask you for something heavy for you to carry... If I survive the fight and I’m aggressive or uncontrollable, please give up on me. It would be best if you didn’t give up your future and happiness for my sake; I’m simply not worth it.

Thank you for all the help, love, kindness, and respect you’ve given me. I love you all and ask you to keep fighting even though I’m not there. Even if you can’t see me, you should know that you all have a special place in my heart.

Take care!

Love,

Kaylin.”

By now, everybody’s crying loudly, except me. Instead, it’s a rage I don’t know I possess that spreads like wildfire inside my veins. I run up the stairs into my office, pick up the phone and call the clan headquarters.

“Boss, what can I help you with?” Mikhail asks.

“The council has taken my beloved and your nyx,” I respond in a painful voice.

“Against her will?”

“No, she made a deal. Gather the clan; we must be there when she fights.”

“What really happened?”

I tell him everything about how we met Kaylin at Polly’s lagoon until now, and when I finish, Mikhail announces that everyone will be here in a few days. My clan is never all in the same place; we’re always on different missions to help in one way or another. It could be about us protecting someone or spying. No matter what the task is, we rarely gather for no reason. If you’re wondering what “nyx” means, that’s the equivalent of “luna” for the werewolves. Luna means moon and comes from the moon goddess, the werewolves’ top female is called luna.

Nyx is after the goddess of darkness; it’s the vampires’ top-ranking female, which Kaylin, in this case, is. I walk back downstairs, where my family is still sitting.

“I have called upon the clan members,” I say in a cold tone.

“Why?” Benjamin asks confusedly.

“Because if Kaylin is going to have to fight in the arena, then she’s going to do it with every member nearby. The council shouldn’t be able to get away with manipulating our clan’s nyx and my beloved without a fight,” I growl, and my fangs come out.

My clan needs to stay strong. Yes, my beloved will return to me, cost whatever it costs!

A/N:

Hello everyone!

The council has taken Kaylin to their training grounds to be a good fighter in the arena in a matter of weeks.

❀ Do you think Kaylin made the right choice?

✿ Will William be able to save her inside the arena?

❀ How much do you believe Kaylin will change now that she’s without her humanity?

✿ Do you think William will get back the Kaylin he fell in love with, or will he have to settle for an aggressive version that simply doesn’t care anymore?

Please let me know your thoughts since they help me develop in my creative process! Thank you for reading. Lots of love.<3