Candela

Vampire instinct never fails. Her instinct never failed her so she knows that someone is watching over her. Watching every movement she did, each step she takes. She’s still in the middle of the woods, walking alone and there’s no Primo beside her.

The tranquility of the surroundings shouts danger. An unknown and unpredictable danger that she can’t tell where would it come. She’s aware, very much aware that there’s a pair of eyes staring intensely at her but she couldn’t know where is the exact location of it. When her feet bump something, she instantly lowered her eyes. Seeing a tombstone where her name engraved on it. Suddenly, she felt her heart palpitated harshly against her chest. With her hand cupped on her chest, she kneeled in front of it. Her fingers then trace her curved name on the stone.

This is impossible. Maybe, she’s not only the one who has the name Candela. Maybe someone owned the name and the tombstone wasn’t meant for her. She couldn’t die, she’s still alive. Breathing and remaining strong as always.

She stood up, before roaming her eyes around the woods. Still, the intense heat coming from someone’s gaze continued to crawl on her skin. That someone is skinning her alive by just the use of its eyes. Damn it, why is she suddenly feared of being alone?

“Primo!” she shouted, searching for Primo but lots of shouts had passed her mouth, still, there’s no Primo shown up. “Primo! Where are you? This isn’t a good joke…” her words were cuts by an arrow that struck right on her left shoulder. She whined in pain as she could felt the warm liquid rushing out from the wound.

“What the hell!” she cursed before covering the torn part of her shoulder with her hand. The vampire could heal their wounds so she did it but surprisingly, the wound didn’t heal. The thick blood coming from it just seems double and she doesn’t know why? Helping herself to get healed wasn’t difficult for her but now, things just seem worse. The pain she felt was unbearable as if it was torturing and tearing every part of her. Heck, it’s just a piece of an arrow but why does it need to be that worse?

The pain is still there as she started to walk away, trying to escape from an unknown enemy. But to her shocked, another voltage of pain strike her. She looked down on her legs only to found out there’s another piece of an arrow buried in it. It worsens her situation. Her legs felt sudden numbness that she couldn’t even stand again even if she tried to. Shock and fear spread on her.

Someone wants her dead. And with her trembling hands, she supported herself. Forcing herself to stand up and run as fast as she can but seems like her feet were both nailed on the ground. The violent wind blows, making her messy hair blown away with it. It sent chills, but not just simple chills. Chills making her feel murderous goosebumps.

“Who are you!” she exclaimed, wanted to know who’s responsible for her situation. No one answer back, just the wind that chiming. “I said, who are you!? Why are doing this to me, are you an enemy!?”

Only the silence answered her followed by the rustling sounds from the bushes. She saw a speedy dark shadow passing from tree to tree, lurking itself from bushes to bushes. “Who are you, you on that bushes!” The shadow quickly disappeared and even if she tried to look for it again, she couldn’t see anything.

The wind stops from blowing so she alerted herself even more. Despite the double pain she felt, she started to contain herself. Lifting hands in front of her breast to serve as a defense. She knows it was futile to protect her body from the unknown enemy. She couldn’t even predict where the next attack would come from then she is now, protecting herself with just her bare hands.

Moments had passed and she only heard the deafening tranquility. No attack come from nowhere so she let out a deep breath. But she got it wrong, another arrow shoots and it’s now torturing the upper part of her leg. She kneeled instantly as she grabbed the arrow and pulled it out. She screams a loud and deafening clamor came from her. Breaking the silence.

“Candelita!” She unconsciously lifted her head. With her eyes shut wide open, she saw Primo caged inside someone’s white and glowing arms. Her eyes trace up, from the arms to the face of someone. The woman smiled at her wickedly, allowing the fangs of her to shown up. She gasped in horror when she realized that the woman she’s now facing off is herself.

“Glad you’re here, my Candela,” the woman said. Her white glowing skin, her long crimson hair, and the gown she’s wearing. Everything about the woman looks enchanting. But why do they shared the same face?

“Candelita, don’t listen to her? She’s… ugh!” Primo’s words were replaced by groans when the woman pulled up his hair before choking him. “Stop!” she yelled as she saw the pain drawn on the kid’s face. The woman, who exactly looks like she smiled at her again.

“Why do you care for him? He’s one of the Crimson who you loathed the most Candela,” she stated. Parts of her agreed to what she has said but also, part of her wants to stop the woman. “Do you pity him?”

“N–no… but he didn’t know anything!” she answered back but another devilish smiled shown up again followed by the woman’s satanic laugh. It echoed on her ears to the fact that she needs to cover her ears. It was demonic, sounds only ruthlessness.

“I gave you another life Candela, don’t you remember that? The father of this child killed your beloved parents so why are you stopping me to hurt him? Do you ever heard yourself, Candela?”

“Yes… I can hear my own words and I’m on my proper mind to make you stop what you’re doing. Primo wasn’t his father, I only loathed Magnus Crimson for killing my parents and not his innocent child!”

“Shut up!” the woman yelled back. Her iris became crimson red as if it telling her how dangerous it is. Her eyes, that was her eyes too.

“I won’t allow you to ruin my plan Candela, no way! If you can’t kill for me, then I must kill you all by myself. You’re such a disappointment. I shouldn’t have saved your life!” And with her shout, another arrow is heading towards her. She thought it would strike her but she was just blinded by a blinding light coming from nowhere.

She abruptly awakened to a familiar room. Still shock and feared. “Candelita!” Her head instantly turned to a familiar voice who called her. It was Primo, her young lord. Worries are visible on his baby face as his eyes looked like glistened in tears. Was he crying?

The kid climbed up on her bed and quickly cling his arms around her. “I’m happy that you’re finally awake. I wouldn’t forgive myself if something bad happens to you, Candelita. Thank you…” Her brows knotted for what Primo is uttering.

“What happened?” she cluelessly asked that makes Primo’s eyes narrowed. “You didn’t remember how you sacrifice your life just to save me from that exact death?”

Exact death? Was he talking about the woman who exactly looks like her? “We’ve been attacked by a group of rebels and they tried to get me. But you save me Candelita, you willingly gave your life for me. That was… that was worthy of my trust.” Rebels?

“If you’re telling me that I sacrifice my life then why I’m still breathing?”

“Because…” Primo averted his eyes from her. “Because?” she asked before she heard Primo’s deep sigh.

“Because my brother saved us. He saves me and you from that exact death and I did thank him for that. But…” he paused.

“But what my Lord?”

“But I’m not happy about what happened because he saw you. And now, I’m sure he would betray me again!” She was shot shocked when Primo suddenly broke down in front of her. The child palmed his face and covering his tearful eyes.

“I don’t want him to get you from me, Candelita. I don’t want him to take my best friend away from me…”

Did he just say, best friend?