CHAPTER 215: BLOOD STAINED DRESS

Special Thanks To Jany_Calypse For The Gift {≥≈≤}

...

Charlotte was already drifting off to sleep when a loud clanking sound jolted her awake. A yawn escaped her lips as she lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. She wanted to go back to sleep, but something within her tugged at her to get up and check the noise.

She stayed in bed for another five minutes before finally dragging herself out of it. From her wardrobe, she grabbed a shawl and draped it around her shoulders before making her way to the door. There, she paused, listening for any sound before gently turning the knob and opening it.

She peeked out, glancing both ways down the hallway. Nothing was in sight save for the fire torch hung on the wall. Letting out a sigh, she stepped out of her room and closed the door behind her before continuing down the hallway.

Her footsteps echoed in the silence, and the biting cold made her cross her arms over her chest, pulling the shawl tighter. Everything seemed to be in order, and there was no sign of whatever had caused the noise that woke her.

Still, Charlotte couldn’t help but wonder what it had been.

She turned left into another hallway lined with glazed windows. Normally, at night, the curtains were pulled to cover them, but tonight one side of the window remained uncovered which she found strange.

Charlotte inspected the window, searching for any sign of a break-in, but there was none.

Perhaps one of the servants forgot to close it, she thought. She was about to pull the curtain when she picked up on groaning noises, faint but desperate, as though someone was struggling to breathe. Her heart skipped a beat at the sound.

She turned around and cautiously followed the noise, which grew clearer the closer she got. With her heart pounding in her chest and her stomach tightening into knots, Charlotte forced herself to remain calm.

"...please, don’t do this. I will leave. I won’t say a word. Please..."

It was unmistakably the voice of a man pleading, shaking, choked with tears and fear. Charlotte’s terror spiked as she peeked from behind a pillar. Her eyes widened at the sight, a guard slumped against the wall, one hand pressed to his stomach as blood gushed from the wound.

And crouched before him was the demon, delighting in the man’s suffering.

"If I kill you, you won’t say a word either. And this is more fun," Zal said in a pleased voice.

"Please... I..." His breathing was labored, teeth gritted together as he pleaded with the demon. His tired eyes struggled to stay open.

Charlotte’s heart broke even more at the scene before her. She needed to do something to save this man. She wouldn’t be able to bear it if he was killed while she hid in the dark, doing nothing. Wiping her sweaty palms on her dress, her thoughts spiraled with desperate ways to save him.

Just then, something caught her eye, a dagger lying on the ground not too far from the pillar where she stood. Taking in a couple of breaths to summon up the courage to act, Charlotte let out a shaky breath and began to move silently toward the dagger.

With every passing second, she felt her heart beat louder and harder as she prayed the demon wouldn’t catch her. It seemed the gods were on her side when her fingers wrapped around the hilt of the dagger. She quickly grabbed it and rose to her feet.

Taking a series of breaths, she prepared to attack, planning to stab him in the neck and buy a few precious minutes to get the wounded guard to safety.

1, 2... 3...

She moved forward, her footsteps light against the tiles as she rushed toward Zal, who was still occupied with the guard. The man’s eyes widened at the sight of Charlotte. Zal smirked just as the dagger drove into his neck in one swift motion. Everything went silent after that.

Charlotte released the hilt and stumbled a few feet away, panting heavily.

Zal sighed before rising to his feet. He turned to face her. "You’re a brave girl, I’ll give you that," he said, then pulled the dagger from his neck as his flesh mushed back together without leaving so much as a scar. "Unfortunately, you have to come with me to hell. I wanted to kill you in a couple of days, but I guess... change of plans."

Charlotte felt fear creep up her skin and seep into her veins. Her face paled as she took slow steps backward, retreating from Zal.

Realizing her life was on the line, she spun around and bolted down the hallway as fast as she could.

"Ah... I do like a little chase."

She heard Zal’s voice behind her. He wasn’t running, yet she could feel his presence growing closer and closer. Charlotte dared not look back. If she did, he would definitely catch her. So she kept running.

Just when she was about to get to the end of the hallway, she saw Viktor making his way up the stairs. He, too, looked disheveled. His brows furrowed the instant he saw her.

"Lucy, what’s going on? Why are you running?" He caught her before she could rush down the stairs.

"He... we... need to leave now. He is coming," she managed to say, panting heavily as she tugged on Viktor’s arm. "We..."

"Ah. There you are," Zal said casually, strolling toward them with the dagger dangling in his left hand.

Viktor and Charlotte froze in shock. She tugged at Viktor’s arm, desperate to drag him down the stairs.

Before either of them could react, Charlotte felt herself flung violently across the hallway. She hit the ground with a thud, the air bursting from her lungs as pain seared through her body. A loud gasp escaped her lips.

"Lucy!" Viktor cried, sprinting toward her, but Zal stepped into his path.

"Wait your turn, will you? This won’t take long, I promise." Zal winked at him before turning back to Charlotte, who was struggling to push herself up.

Without thinking, Viktor shoved past him and helped Charlotte to her feet before placing himself squarely in front of her, shielding her from the demon’s gaze. "Get away from her, you fucking bastard!" he shouted.

"Me? Bastard?" Zal laughed as if Viktor had cracked a joke. "I might be evil and cruel, but I’m no bastard."

"Get out of this palace. You don’t belong here. Return to the hellhole you came from!" Viktor roared.

Zal stretched his arms lazily over his head, then gave a casual shrug. "Unfortunately, I can’t do that. Let’s get this done and over with. I need a bath soon." He chuckled darkly.

Viktor’s eyes narrowed with fury, his jaw clenched tight. He released Charlotte’s hand and stepped forward. "I will kill you."

"No, you won’t. You can’t, even if you tried." Zal pointed toward Charlotte. "That one behind you already tried and failed woefully."

Before Viktor could move, Zal appeared directly in front of him, seizing his collar in a brutal grip. With effortless strength, he slammed Viktor hard against the pillar between the window frames. The impact rattled the glass. Zal leaned in close, his red eyes burning with hunger.

"I’ve always wondered what your blood tasted like," he hissed, his smile twisting into that of a madman.

"What..."

Viktor’s words were ripped from his throat when Zal drove the dagger into his stomach with a brutal thrust.

"Fuck..." He groaned, blood bubbling in his mouth as he tried to push Zal away, but the demon’s strength was overwhelming. Zal didn’t budge, instead, he twisted the blade deeper, relishing the way Viktor’s body jerked against the pillar.

"Viktor! You..." Charlotte’s voice broke.

"Lucy, no!" he barked through clenched teeth, blood dripping down the corner of his lips. "Don’t come any closer. Get out of here, go hide somewhere."

"No, I..." Her voice trembled as tears poured down her cheeks, her hands shaking violently at her sides.

"Don’t argue with me!" Viktor coughed, his face pale and glistening with sweat. Yet, through the pain, he forced a weak smile for her. "I’ll be fine... Please, just go."

Charlotte’s chin trembled as her heart cracked inside her chest. With sobs breaking free, she finally turned and bolted down the steps, her footsteps echoing down the steps.

"Hades," Viktor gasped, forcing his words through ragged breaths. "Please... snap out of this. We need you. Lilith needs you. Don’t give up on yourself because we will never give up on you. We’ll always be here for you..." His voice broke, blood dripping freely now, staining his shirt.

Zal scoffed, his face twisting into cruel amusement. "Pathetic. You really think your pitiful little words can reach that fool? That he will save you?" He shoved the dagger in deeper, savoring Viktor’s strangled cry.

"Stop!! Please... Let him go!"

Both Zal and Viktor turned their heads to see Lilith standing a few feet away. Her eyes shimmered with unshed tears, her breath uneven, fury and anguish radiating from her trembling body. Her blue dress smeared and streaked with blood.