Darcia's pov

I was simply counting down the days, minutes, and seconds until one of my family members arrived at my doorstep.

In fact, they came much sooner than I anticipated.

Talia was downstairs for too long. She never takes so long to come back. I knew, or more like, I had foresight of everything that was going to happen.

Nicoli being away made me a bit nervous. I don't underestimate my skills in a fight, but I cannot handle more than five vampires at a time. Me, not drinking blood was more than a bit of a mistake. Without blood, I am weak, completely defeatable.

Perhaps I was deceiving myself. I was confident that I could manage anything that came my way. But I was completely wrong. The first thing that came my way was her.

Since then, I've been forbidden from doing anything that could harm her. I avoid any obstacle. Simply because of her. The only light in my immortal life. I'm no one without her. I couldn't possibly live without Talia. I would rather die at the hands of my own family than not see her again.

The soft but loud scream from downstairs made my cold, dead heart regain its pulse once again. I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw Talia being wrapped in the hands of my only beloved sister.

Her hand was placed at her neck, pushing her chin up. Her long nails were almost scratching her stomach. She stood there, shaking, with tears streaming down her face. Her heart was racing; she was almost paralyzed with fear.

Only one soft cut at her throat, and it would be over for me. I would do again what I promised I would never do. My eyes were widening, and I was terrified of what I was seeing. I hoped that I would spot Nicoli any minute, enter the door, and help me, but unfortunately, he didn't come in time.

"Speak now! Or I shall cut her throat in this instance." My sister screamed at full lungs.

The space between us was so big, but I could feel Talia's warmth like she was next to me. I could see how fast she was breathing. Her pulse was abnormal. Her face said, "Please help me". And I simply froze and couldn't move.

What if one step forward would cost her life? My sister is someone I've never understood. I'm not sure what her following action will be. My gaze shifted from my sister to Talia every second. Constant switching of my gaze so I would prevent her from doing something to her.

"Don't you have a tongue, Darciana? You were always talking, and my head was constantly in pain. So, why are you quiet now?" She provoked again.

I didn't move or speak back. The fear took over me. I just wanted Talia in my arms.

"Alright, your time is up! Since you don't want to talk, perhaps this girl will untie your poised tongue." Her long nails dug into Talia's throat. I gasped loudly, which made her hand stop moving. I focused on Talia's pumping heart, and that made me panic.

One light move with her finger, and Talia is bleeding to death. That was the only thing that crossed my mind. The image of her dying awakened something in me. Maybe the only strength I had left inside my body. I knew I had to do something to save her. I had to act, and I had to act fast.

With insane speed, I ran toward my sister. I grabbed her neck and shifted her up to the wall. She finally let go of Talia, to which she fell to the floor. My mind got so distracted by her that I forgot who was in front of me. My sister took advantage of it and switched our places. Now I was the one lifted up to the wall.

"Elvira, let go of me," I whined with furred brows. She simply smiled at me. Seeing me weak made her very happy. Being in this position reminded me of my childhood. Elvira was always the one who won every fight with me. I never had a chance against her. The painful truth I didn't want to admit to myself.

My parents always favored her. She was the strongest and most intelligent person in our family. And me? I was only good for their needs. My beauty was all they cared about. If only one strand of my hair was in the wrong position, my mother would kill, cold-heartedly, with her own hands, the one who styled my hair. She is a freak of perfection.

While my older sister could go outside and have a fun time with other vampires, I was completely alone, locked up in my room. They would often laugh at me. Climbed into my tower and grimaced in my face.

I couldn't do a single thing. I needed to behave and not say a word back either to my mother, sister, or her friends. If I did, I would be punished. The only memory I remember clearly is when my mother couldn't stand to look at me and left a big scar on my back as a kind reminder.

Over the long eighteen years I lived there, every day was torture. Without Nicoli, I would never have survived and stayed there for eternity.

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"Ohh, my dear little sister, you don't have the strength to fight back? Why is that, I wonder?" As she finished the sentence, she looked at Talia.

"You are weak, Darciana. There is no human blood flowing through your body right now. You really think you could overcome me?" She laughed hysterically, "Don't be ridiculous." She softly said, peering into my eyes.

I needed to change the conversation until Nicoli rescued me. I had no other choice, even though she knows I haven't fed.

"Why such an unexpected visit, Elvira?" I asked. She smiled at me again and pressed harder on my neck. Even me, questioning her arrival couldn't help the situation.

"Let go of her, you monster!" Talia yelled as she saw me struggle.

Talia's pov

As I was thrown to the floor with such strength, I heard that perhaps my arm had broken. In that state, I couldn't think of pain or some of my broken bones. Seeing Darcia tied by her throat by her own sister, fighting for her life because of me? I possibly couldn't run and leave her all alone. Even if it means sacrificing myself.

The pain in her bloody eyes I saw right away. Her family is the one who hurt her the most. Because of them, she became cold. Closed and locked her heart so well that no one could enter it. Except me...But I could never imagine Stacey, whom I think of as a sister, threatening me and possibly killing me. Darcia is no sister to me, though; she means something else to my heart.

Darcia endured everything that was happening at that moment. Her weakness stood in front of her, and she could not let it win at all costs. As I was trying to come up with a solution and save Darcia, something clicked in my mind.

Darcia is in danger, and I will gladly do everything in my power to prevent it.

A vase that broke into a million pieces when Elvira threw me to the floor and I accidentally hit it in the process was right next to me. I stretched my arm as far as I could to reach the biggest shard and instantly took it.

"Let go of her, you monster!" I yelled across the room and then cut my leg upward with so much pressure. Blood was slowly starting to flow, covering my whole leg in red. Elvira immediately let go of Darcia and was in a second right in front of me.

Her dark ruby eyes were so horrific, I prayed someone would stop her from feeding on me. There was no life behind those eyes. Same as Darcia once showed me.

She giggled at me and dipped her finger into my little puddle of blood, slowly pulling her hand toward her mouth and licking then the blood. She sighed after doing so, looking straight into my eyes.

"You taste incredible." These were her words. A cold sweat started to drip down my body. I knew my life was over at that moment. She thirsted for my blood so exceedingly that she would finish me off here on the floor while Darcia was looking.

She dug her long, sharpened fangs into my leg, which left me screaming in horror. She was pulling my chest away from her, so I wouldn't be able to stop her. As if I could do so...

My last glance at Darcia hurt me seeing her more. Those wine-red eyes looked wildly at me, slowly losing my life. My heart felt like a rock. So heavy that it made me completely lie down.

I couldn't look at her during my last moments. I couldn't see the agony. All I heard were her screams from across the room. But the pain did not stop; it only continued spreading faster and heavier.

I never really gave much thought to how I would die. I don't think anyone is mentally prepared to just be gone. My only regret is that I have unfinished relationships here. My sweet Stacey, whom I wanted to see. And now Darcia, whom I want to be close with more than ever.

Maybe it was my head that started hallucinating, or I was gone and saw and heard things I wanted to. But I could clearly see those snowy white strands lingering above my head.

Like an angel, trying to make my last moments better. I don't know why, but for some reason, I felt safe. I saw the shining light above my head, and I finally let go and shut my eyes slowly.

***

"I'm leaving, Nicoli, but do you really believe you've won? I'm curious what is causing such delusion."

"Leave," Nicoli urged.

"Haha. I know we are both very powerful. Our strength is or I shall say on the same level, if not identical. Doesn't that make you frightened?" She asked as they were standing outside on the road, where the trees only surrounded them. The storm rapidly got rapidly worse. The wind turned into a devil as it couldn't stop destroying small trees around the area. Lightnings striking among them.

"Why should it, Elvira? You are, and now, pardon me, bellow me. I destroyed your little friend in seconds. And I do think I could also finish you." Nicoli took a step forward. His icy-white hair floated gently in that crazy wind. He could never lose his elegance. But his wine-red eyes, peering at Elvira, made him look again like a monster.

"No." She moved a mile away. Raindrops fell on her perfect pale complexion. Dull face set, as she wasn't scared of Nicoli. Or at least she tried not to look.

"Let me tell you this, Nicoli. Something to keep in mind and properly think about." She paused and shifted on the tall pine tree to keep a safe distance.

"Isn't it terrible to love something that death can touch?" She stated with a smirk left on her face.

Nicoli cackled at her statement, shaking his head in disbelief to hear this indirect threat.

Nicoli shifted to the nearest tree to her. "You will pay for what you caused, Elvira. I will find you and turn you into ashes."

Elvira furrowed her eyebrows at him. "Are you threatening the daughter of Voltaire Valdis? Do you even realize what you stated now?"

"You heard me well enough, princess." He said and bowed his head before disappearing in a few seconds.

"Your little friend is dead anyways. My work here is done." Those were the last words, she mumbled to herself before returning back to her world.