Thank you theoneandonlyweirdo2 For taking the time to make some covers.
It beautifully shows how I imagine Anastasia to look like with her Artemis Rod and long hair!!!!

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I felt as though I was being weighed down. An invisible forcefully tugging me down to an unmerciful void of darkness, swallowing me whole.

Darkness making me it's prisoner once more, drowning me in it's murky waters.

I turned to see Kai's eyes return to a muted jade, glistening in desperation as though he was imploring me to listen to him.

A deep hole punched through my chest as the uneasiness in my stomach descended to the pits of darkness.

The feeling of betrayal.

I couldn't recognize his familiar hazel eyes. The warmth that once emitted from them as he spoke and laughed. Instead, it was a mask. Covering the cruel truth that ran in his veins.

They were now just cold, black and empty. Sheathed in an unrecognizable cloud of grime.

"Kai, are you alright?" My Father's deep velvet tone interrupted the deafening thoughts in my mind. The underlying hints of ice pulling me back to reality.

"Yes, sir." Kai croaked. His throat evidently sore. Now sitting upright as he looked straight at me, scanning my face with wide eyes.

I bought my trembling hands to touch my face. The wet patches of skin indicating I was crying. Tears were gliding down my face.

Immediately I rubbed my eyes with the back of my hand briskly.

"Anastasia. What have I told you about crying?" Father's deep voice resonated down the corridor. "Keep your feelings to yourself."

I looked up at him. My face flushed in embarrassment. His calm demeanor and authoritative posture dominating me. His arms crossed as he look down at me.

I docilely cowered before him. My eyes trailing down to his feet, yet I could feel his intense gaze puncture through me.

"Both of you. Follow me."

-------------------

Keeping his distance from me, Kai dragged himself a few meters behind me as we reached the top floor. Limping and groaning as we walked up the stairs to the Headmaster's floor.

I felt a cold trepidation enveloping my body. An electric chill running down my spine, piercing through every nerve making my features numb like ice.

A NewBorn was right behind me.

Once Vampire Hunters turn 16, we are given our first mission. A mission directly sent from the Hunter's Association. We are expected to put our training and lessons into action as we are sent into the busy streets of London, finding NewBorns and killing them.

I've only been to 5 missions in total, killing only 3 NewBorns.

Nowadays, NewBorns are hard to find. Adapting to their surroundings, sheltered under the perfect disguise of a human being. Smart and quick.

There hasn't been any traces of a NewBorn for over 9 months.

Until now.

Father opened the door to his office. Walking in and standing behind his wooden desk. He opens the drawer next to him, bringing out a packet of Blood Tablets.

"Swallow." He demanded, chucking the packet towards Kai. His tone had no hints of warmth like they did before. Instead, it was filled with assertiveness and dominance.

Kai caught it effortless as he made his way inside the room after me.

He stood beside me and I couldn't help but notice the dark aura surrounding him now. Pure evil and gloom, radiating from his cold skin.
And from his hardened eyes.

"No." Kai replied with a stern tone coated with anger.

I looked at him. A frown etched upon his face as he glared intensely at Father.

"I can't." He said in a small voice a few moments after. Sighing, his eyes softened as though he looked disappointed in himself.

"But you must."

"No!" Kai shouted, throwing the packet on the wooden floor. His hands made into fists beside him, his muscles contracting tensely.

"Malachi." Father warned, his eyebrows now arched as he looks Kai dead in the eye; his arms crossed in front of his chest.

"Don't you get it? If I consume blood, I will turn into a NewBorn!"

"But you are a NewBorn. You have been for the past 4 years, Malachi. Why stop the inevitable?"

4 years?
They have been keeping this a secret.. for 4 years?
I've been talking. Laughing. Living under the same roof, with a NewBorn.
A NewBorn that I have considered family.
A NewBorn that I loved like my own brother.
A NewBorn that I almost had....

"If you're not a NewBorn, then what are you!" I blurted out, interrupting my own thoughts. My eyes still fixated on the desk, not meeting the eyes of Kai's or Father's.

I could feel the seething blood rushing to my cheeks, every muscle in my body tensing.

You see, feelings... human emotions. They're raw. Completely unpredictable. They have the ability to either make or break you; to better ourselves or completely destroy us from the inside out. There's no in between.

But now, I feel nothing. Numb.

Betrayal. A poison dipped in venom and sin. Hand crafted by the Devil himself. It has the ability to shatter one's own emotions. Their ability to feel nothing but eternal suffering; a stab in the back. Where the knife cannot be removed, sinking in deeper and deeper as time goes by.

"I've still got my humanity, Annie. I haven't lost control." Kai spoke gently, "Give me a chance to explain everything, please Annie."

I could feel Kai's pleading eyes burn into me. His hands yearning to touch me as they hitch towards me, trying to comfort me. He shoves his hands into his front pockets as a means to stop himself.

"He's right, Anastasia."

Finally building the resilience, I look up at my Father. His defined frown was soften, more at ease.

"Malachi isn't a NewBorn. But he also isn't human." Uncrossing his arm, Father took a seat behind his desk.

"How? How is this possible?" Every thought and emotion invading my mind was pushed away. I needed to know everything.

I deserved to know everything.

"Would you like to explain, or should I?" Father directed the question at Kai.

I looked at Kai, his eyes not meeting me as they looked shamefully down on the floor. Defeat carved in his face.

He was disgusted with himself.

Having to live under the skin of a beast that he detested most in the world. Repulsed by his own blood that coursed through his veins. Revolted by the color of his eyes, and the shape of his teeth.

"No, I think I'm gonna head to my room. I'm quite knackered, you know. Transitioning into a NewBorn and all that." His voice faint, with hints of rancor as he turned around making his way to the door.

His hand on the doorknob, he lifted his head, "I'm sorry, Annie." He whispered meekly.

He didn't turn to face me, instead he disappeared into the dark corridor, devoured by his own self-hatred that obscured within his own mind.

Deep breaths.

Crossing my arms, I looked my Father dead in the eyes, standing my ground.

"Talk."

Whew, so um... this was kinda a filler. IM SORRY THAT ITS BAD OKAYYY

I allowed my brother to read my book and he approved which was kinda funny

^ yesss my TWIN brother as some of you may know LOL

Should I do another Hardin POV ?