Crimson

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I felt useless and helpless. Two emotions I wasn't used to feeling. No matter what situation I landed myself in, I had always been able to fight my way out. But I could see no way to do that now and worst of all, my actions had put both Saida and Lamech in danger as well. The two people I cared most about would die before tomorrow came, all because of me.

The blood continued to spill out of me faster than I would have thought possible. I was weak and barely conscious, though still painfully aware of that I was to blame for all that happened. If only the coven had killed me when they had killed my parents, at least then Saida and Lamech would be alright.

I slipped away, got further and further into darkness when a scent caught my attention. I was too far gone to know where the scent came from, but it was wonderful. Honey and sunlight and newly mowed grass. And power. I could smell the power and strength that belonged to the scent.

I grabbed it, though still unaware of what it was and unable to focus my eyes to see it. But I grabbed it and placed it to my lips. It tasted as magnificent as it had smelled and the power was even clearer in the taste. Whatever it was, I was sure I had never come across something so powerful before.

As I swallowed more and more of it, my mind cleared and I became aware of that it was blood I drank. I also became aware of that I wasn't chained anymore and that Saida was on the floor of my cell in front of me, looking at me with worried eyes.

Once I had finished the bag of blood, I let it fall to the ground and looked around, astounded at what I saw.

The cells that had held both me and Saida were opened and the witches that had been tasked with guarding us laid unconscious on the floor.

"What happened?" I asked her completely baffled.

"I don't know," Saida answered and cast a quick glance at the unconscious witches. "One second they were talking to each other and in the next they just collapsed and the locks on the doors and chains just opened. And the blood bag appeared and this."

She held up a flower. It was the most beautiful red flower I had ever seen and it was definitely not of this world. It did look like a rose, but there was just something so magical about it that it couldn't have grown from the ground.

In a corner of my mind, I knew what had happened. The story I had read in the Library, the story I was sure had been about me, said a faerie had protected me and then watched over and guided me my whole life. It had seemed absurd then. There had never been a faerie in sight at times when I would have needed help. But now it seemed that in the darkest moment, when death was just moments away and I had given up, a faerie had come and given me the strength I needed to solve it all.

But I didn't stop to reflect on that. I had more important matters to deal with which couldn't wait. The decision I made in that moment was a rash one, but not impulsive like the one to storm the coven's headquarters. This time, I felt strong and prepared for whatever awaited me. And most importantly, the desire behind the decision was a complete different one. I had gone to the headquarters to seek revenge for my parents, but now I would go to Betsom's Hill to protect my mate.

Saida though...

"You have to get to safety," I told her and watched as she started to open her mouth to argue. "Please Saida, don't. They might be killing Lamech as we speak so just do as I say. You have to go to the vampires' house. Ask for Alair and say you're my friend and that I told you to go there to wait for me."

"But..."

"No buts! You have to. Please do it Saida so I know that no matter what happens, at least you're safe."

For a moment it looked like she was about to argue, but then she nodded. I gave her the approximate location. We walked out of the prison together and after a quick hug, she teleported away.

I closed my eyes and steadied myself. Took a deep breath and then brought myself to Betsom's Hill.

Rain hit my face as soon as I landed there. I stood among some trees, looked out at a clearing. In it I could see a group of the coven's witches and a lonely figure kneeling on the ground. Lamech.

I hurried forward, running at the speed of a vampire, which meant that the meters I had to go only took a blink of an eye.

"Kendra, take a few and fetch Crimson here," the Priestess ordered.

"That won't be necessary," I answered her as I came to a halt right behind Lamech.

Everyone's eyes snapped up to look at me, everyone's except Lamech's. He didn't move a muscle. I walked the few last steps to him and saw the reason. It made my eyes turn to slits. How dared they not only chain him, but even force a stake through his heart, and by the looks of it, they had made him do it himself.

I wanted to jump at them straight away. Rip them to pieces with my bare hands. Make them hurt and beg for death. But I took a deep breath and remained in control.

I gently placed a hand on his shoulder to make sure he knew I was there and hoped to send some comfort to him.

"Crimson!" the Priestess gasped and to my delight she took a step back.

"Why you look so scared?" I asked and tilted my head. "Weren't you about to fetch me? I only saved you the trouble."

"But... how..."

She looked around at the other witches and as if they were to blame.

"Well, you see," I said as I moved forward, placed myself between her and Lamech. "Compared to you, I have a pleasant personality. Pleasant to the point that I am able to make friends without even knowing about it."

"What..."

"Did you really think the friend that help my parents out wouldn't come to my aid as well?" I asked and that piece of the puzzle fell into place. The faerie must have helped them, the same as she had helped me. "You really should have killed me when you had your chance."

"So what if you escaped?" the Priestess said and seemed to regain some of her confidence. "You're alone against fifteen. What were you really planning on doing? Do you actually believe that you can take us all? You've always been overly confident and it will be your downfall."

"I might be overly confident," I agreed. "And rash and impulsive. And yes, one day that might be my downfall. But today is not the day because you are making the same mistake as so many has made before you."

"I've had enough of your empty words," she snapped and then turned to the witches she had with her. "Restrain her."

A witch opened up her hands in my direction and ropes shot out from them, rushing towards me. Right as they reached me and would have started to bind me, I grabbed hold of the ends. I mumbled a spell and turned them to snakes, with the heads in the other witch's hands. The snakes bit her and she shrieked of pain and surprise alike.

Another witch moved forward and mumbled a spell that would have locked all my muscles together, but I was faster and said one that reflected the spell back at her.

A third one sent fire in my direction but I pulled the rain in the air and drenched the flames.

It wasn't until then that they started to catch on and understood that they needed to attack together to have a shot. So two attacked as one, trying to chain me with roots from the ground. But I simply grabbed hold of the roots and pulled them free from the earth.

They underestimated me, as so many had done over the course of my life. It had before always been vampires that had thought I was just a witch. It was a disappointment to see that the coven, that knew better, also didn't realize what the truth of my parentage meant for my magic and especially my fighting ability.

They kept on attacking and as I stopped attack after attack, the number that sent spells my way the same time increased for each attack. I had always been a skilled witch and combined with the true senses, speed, and strength of a vampire, I became unstoppable in that moment. Even if they sent five different spells in one go, I was quick enough to counterattack them all.

One after one, I made them fall by turning whatever spell they cast against them. Like the two that were stupid enough to one use water and the other lightning against me at the same time, that instead ended up shocking one another. Or the one that flung a knife that simply turn direction in mid-air. Or the three that together caught me in a prison of stone that crashed to the ground from the flying debris as I kicked it down.

I had just sent some fire hurling back, that was stopped by Kendra who had cast it, when the Priestess voice sounded.

"Stop!"

I turned and froze. Yes, I had been winning the fight, and I had kept it at a distance from Lamech so he wouldn't accidentally be hurt. But I hadn't been able to keep the Priestess in my line of sight.

She stood behind him, with a knife to his throat, a victorious smile on her lips.

"If you move another muscle, I'll cut his head off," she warned me, but I just narrowed my eyes and in my mind I laughed. Did she really think she could beat a vampire when it came to acting quickly?

I shot forward, and as I had assumed, she didn't even have the time to make him bleed before I plunged the knife into her stomach.

"As I said," I told her and twisted the knife. She coughed and blood came out. "You are making the same mistake as so many before you. You underestimated me."

I pulled the knife from her stomach and slashed at her throat. It opened up and more blood left her as she fell to the ground. I turned to the others and looked at them one at a time. Six witches still stood and they all were frozen to the ground, horror written across their faces.

"I'm giving the six of you a way to survive," I told them. "You will never disturb me, Lamech, or any member of the Midnight Refugees, ever again. If we ever cross paths, you better bend your heads and give me your respect. And you will not harm any magical creature ever again for your own personal gain or vendetta. If you ever do anything that displeases me then mark my words, I will burn the whole coven to the ground. But as long as you follow what I've said, I will leave you all to live in peace. No more innocent blood needs to be spilled."

They kept still for about a second longer, before they as one bent their heads and mumbled: "Yes, Crimson. We promise."

Then, with a popping sound, they all disappeared.