Call Of The Dark

"She is going to be my bride, Shira!" Lazarus had to intervene, puzzled as to why Shira was so hostile. He had started to feel uneasy and wanted to go back to Emma. He didn't know why he was experiencing this irritating ache in his chest.

Shira tore her eyes off from Maeve after their glaring contest. "Very well then." But her fists were still curled up in anger.

Maeve didn't want to waste her time. She flicked her hair back and said, "I want to know my future."

"Your future?" Shira scoffed. She sized her up from top to bottom. "

"Look in that globe of yours and see when will I ascend to the throne of Wilyra."

Shira let out a rough exhale and took them both to an even smaller room. It was darker. She pointed at the two chairs in front of the table over which a globe that was swirling with smoke inside was placed. "This works only once in a month, so whatever you will see is going to cost you a lot."

"Lazarus will pay whatever you demand!" Maeve shot at her.

"The globe demands blood," Shira said with a humorless chuckle.

Maeve cringed. "Lazarus, please give her what she demands!"

"I need blood from both of you!"

Maeve gritted her teeth. She didn't want to lose her blood. When Shira extended her hand for them to give their palms, Lazarus gave it to her. She caught it over the globe. She sliced his wrist and the blood oozed out his wrist and dropped right over the globe. The globe started to absorb it as if starved of it. "The more blood you give, the more in the future you can see," she informed. "And I want equal blood from both of you."

Maeve flinched. "Enough!" She commanded Lazarus. "I don't want to see more in the future," she said, afraid that so much of her blood would be lost. It was precious for her for the time being. Lazarus gave her a wary look and retracted his hand.

Shira extended her hand towards her and Maeve gave her hand reluctantly. Shira sliced her wrist over the globe. The blood dropped over it and it was as if the globe was hungrily demanding it. Maeve's teeth chattered. The gash on her wrist started sealing back and she was able to retract her hand.

The oracle placed her hands over the globe. The smoke inside it swirled and twirled until it was blood red. Her eyes turned charcoal black and as if the words were pulled out of her, she said, "The kingdom of Wilyra will accept you only by your bride's side. Only she has to make a choice between darkness and eternal light. She will be a vampire. The blood vassals will yield to you and swear their fealty to you."

Lazarus's eyes grew hooded. He imagined himself on the throne of the kingdom.

The globe turned back to its smoky gray and Shira's eyes turned golden.

"See Lazarus?" Maeve said, "I told you. I will be the one ruling beside you. You are going to be the king of Wilyra. Once I am with you, we will control the vassals also.

Lazarus was dying to hear those words. He would rule. He was going to get the revenge he wanted so hard.

"Lazarus, now that you know the real thing, can you have some jewelers attend to me? I need to buy a few more diamonds and emeralds and—"

However, amidst all that thinking, his heart ached with an unknown emotion. Suddenly, he wanted to see Emma. There was something very wrong about to happen. His breath labored, he clenched his teeth. His gaze snapped to Shira who was watching him intensely.

"Is anything wrong, Lazarus?" she said mysteriously, tilting her head.

And suddenly he traced away from there, leaving a very bewildered Maeve.

"Where has he gone?" Maeve asked, shocked, looking around everywhere in the room.

Shira got up from the chair and walked out of the room. "I don't know," she shrugged. "Ask him."

Peeved as hell with his behavior, she followed Shira out of the room. When they came out, Shira said, "You may leave now."

"What?" Maeve snapped. "How do you expect me to leave without him? I will wait for him."

Shira raised her eyebrow as she turned to look at her. "If you think I am going to babysit a goddess, then you haven't judged me well." She snapped her fingers and with a loud groan, the cottage started collapsing.

"What the hell are you doing?" Maeve shouted at her as winds whirled around her at a rapid speed. Every and each stone of the cottage whirled with it like it was struck in some form of typhoon. The stones disintegrated and dissolved in the wind. "Stop!" she yelled.

Shira watched her with her amber eyes as moments later she too disappeared. Maeve was left stunned with her eyes wide, disheveled hair and a lot of dust on her clothes and face beneath an apple tree. She whipped her head around and found that she was on top of the hill under an apple tree as the moon shone above her.

Her mouth fell to the floor. The oracle was really powerful. Shivering as a cool breeze blew around her, Maeve clutched her arms. She wasn't even wearing a cloak because she was wearing a beautiful gown to entice Lazarus. Even that purpose wasn't served. "Lazarus!" she shouted but only howling winds answered her back. She stomped her foot and then walked to the carriage that was still waiting for her.

"Take me to Upper North Jupan!" she hissed at the carriage man as she sat inside.

She couldn't understand as to how did Lazarus trace away so easily when the hill was laced with so much magic that even she could feel it against her skin. Did the oracle allow him? Also where did he go? When they were near the foothill, Lazarus traced back in the carriage. "Where were you?" she growled.

"With Emma," he growled back.