A Ghost of the Past

Inferna made her way down to the gallery, a certain weariness to her countenance. Apparently another new guest had arrived. Why she hadn't been made aware of this sooner, she knew not. It seemed that she was being kept out of the loop more and more by the day, and in her own castle no less. She should've been concerned. She should've, but she wasn't. She could hardly think, let alone care about, the mission with the cloud of emotional pain and inner turmoil that was pressing down on her. 

Why did history keep repeating itself? What was so wrong with her that she kept turning people against her and chasing them away? She wiped away a stray tear from her cheek as she stopped just outside the gallery. She took a deep breath and steeled herself for whoever, or whatever, was just beyond that door.

She pushed her way into the room, taking everything in with a sweep of her gaze. Her eyes landed on an athletic frame with a head of dirty blonde hair standing between Obsidian and Mortem.

"What a pleasure for Your Highness to take the time out of her day to join us," the Deathstalker king proclaimed, catching her eye. The stranger turned around to face her. And then her whole world went up into flames all over again. 

As familiar red eyes met hers, she felt her breath whoosh out of her like she had just been kicked in the gut. "No," she breathed out, her legs quaking underneath her.

"Your Highness?" she barely registered Mortem's concerned voice.

"No no no, this is not possible. You're dead. I killed you! I held your heart in my hands!!"

"And yet here I am," the man exclaimed, a wide grin coming to his features. The light glinted off his fangs as he held his arms out.

She shook her head vigorously, as she staggered backwards. She closed her eyes, willing him away. "You're an illusion. You have to be." 

She let out a small scream when she suddenly felt arms wrap around her, and a chill went down her spine as she felt his breath on her neck. "Shhh," he crooned. 

Adrenaline coursing through her veins, she fought to break free of his grip, desperate to get away. "Don't touch me, you bastard!" she screeched, as she struggled against him.

"Now now, is that any way to talk to your sire?" he chided, tightening his grip on her. His arms felt like steel rods.

"You may have turned me, but we are not family. You ruined my life!! Made me do--unspeakable things."

"And you enjoyed every moment of it, my naughty girl." Her stomach lurched as he smoothed back her hair. She felt so weak, so powerless, being in his midst again. It was a feeling she had hoped to extinguish long ago. 

A fresh shred of terror ripped through her as he grabbed a handful of her hair and yanked her head back, baring her throat to him. Time seemed to slow down as his fangs descended upon her vulnerable flesh.

An odd haze fell over her as glowing red eyes bore down on her. Energy rippled from her forming a stream, in which he then consumed. Her body shuddered in his arms, and she grew limp as he drained her.  

"That's enough. I need her alive," a voice piped up after a while, but it sounded far away to her. The vampire licked his lips. He released Inferna, and she collapsed to the ground in an unconscious heap.

"Of course, My Lord. That should take some of the edge off of her," he replied. His skin rippled, changing shape to take on the form of a Deathstalker. He turned to Mortem. "You missed out, brother. Her fear tasted delicious."