And it's a long chapter;)

The pungent smell of blood accompanied by various sorts of growls and screams of agony was the first thing that made the very soul of me shrink when we entered the dungeons.

I know James had turned into a monster but it didn't change the fact that once, he was one of the people who I have cared so much.

The boys had to stay out because Claire didn't want any distraction while she was doing the spell to break the sire bond -more like she didn't want Evan to scare James making the chances of her spell breaking- and causing the bond to become much stronger.

Stephen and Daniel wanted to come but had to stay on Claire's insistence to look after Evan so that he doesn't come after us. After a lot of tantrums, all the three accepted to stay and Olivia accompanied me and Claire to the dungeons.

Why was I here?

Well, because I was the only person who had memories with James. My job was to remind James about his past which would make the spell easier. Olivia was there for inquiring about the creator once the bond breaks and backup since the guys weren't coming with us and Olivia was just more stronger than any normal vampire. In case The Hybrid breaks loose, then we would be screwed. Even though Claire was a witch, she couldn't do anything at an instant. It takes time to read a spell!

I entered James' cellar with Claire while Olivia stood at it's farther corner looking at us.

He was rattling the chains in an effort to break it even though it was cutting his wrists brutally but then healing at the same time. His movement stopped the moment he saw me. His eyes flickered between me, Claire and Olivia.

"Look, hybrid" Claire stood in front of James "I am gonna break your sire bond and free you. So, I want you to behave."

"How long will it take?" Olivia inquired out of the corner.

"Just a matter of minutes. Let's start now, shall we?" Claire looked at both of us for assurance, and we instinctively nodded.

Let's get over with this then I have got many questions to ask you, James.

Claire placed her palms on either side of James' head as she closed her eyes chanting some spells which sounded gibberish to me. James was jerking, trying to break free. He looked murderously at Claire.

Suddenly, her eyes snapped open.

"Elina, I need you to make him remember about his past life. Hold my hand and imagine your moments together."

Removing her left hand from James' temple, she extended it for me to hold. But the moment she held my hand, she stared it with wide eyes. It was then I noticed when I looked down at my hand, there was a tattoo lying on my wrist which looked like an eagle with a cross marked chain around its neck. What kind of a tattoo is that? I have never seen it before on my hand. Hell! How did it even end up on my wrist?

We heard a loud growl snapping us out of our trance. Claire shook her head and smiled at me before continuing her spell. Ignoring the strange tattoo,  I did as she said reminiscing my and James moments together from childhood. The moments when we use to run in the fields chasing each other, When due to our hatred for numbers caused us to throw the curry on Mr. Mars (our maths teacher), when we confessed that we actually loved each other more than friends. I know, that's strange but it was one of the best memory for both of us.

I don't why, but it seems like it's not anymore that important for me, not because he's a hybrid, it's just that the attraction I had for him seems to fade away to the back of mind.

After a lot of growling and struggling, James seemed to calm down as Claire stopped chanting and looked at me with a Cheshire grin.

"It's done."

The moment she said that I felt a gush of air, next thing I know, Evan stood in front of James with Daniel. Stephen was standing beside Olivia, annoying her, much to her despise.

"Just one thing I told you guys to do was to STAY OUT and you're still here." Claire glared at the trio.

"Well, that applies till your chanting the spell. Now that it's done. We're free." Stephen grinned slyly out of the corner.

Claire flared her nostrils, the glare still intact. She was muttering something incoherent. If smoke could actually come out of a person's ears. What would her situation be? I chuckled at the thought shaking my head. For Heaven's sake! This isn't a time and place to laugh!

"Who turned you?" I flinched at the high pitched voice of Evan. His beautiful eyes looked so dangerous.

"Turned? What are you speaking man? And why am I here...like this?" James clinked the chains looking completely confused and a bit pissed off then his eyes set on me "Elina? Is that you? What-" before he could ask any more questions, Claire pushed Evan aside walking towards James in big and fast strides.

"Holy macaroons! You idiots, I told you not to enter this place! I should have cast a spell to trap you'll there. Look, he's forgetting his memories." She looked at Evan, Daniel and Stephen like she was going to chop their heads off before we heard a low grunting sound which turned into a loud painful groan.

"I remember...Aaah...the witch...she....Aaah....did....something to....Aaah....make me forget.....about....that woman...." James said holding his head tight as he started remembering fragments of his memories.

Evan had opened his chain when he was grunting. Claire bent down to where James was sitting, she released his hands from his head replacing it by her own. The next I know, a bright red light was emitting from her palms and when she opened her eyes, it's irises glowed silver then it turned into white even the black's turned white. It appeared as if she was mind linking or something has possessed in her.

After a few moments of deathly silence, she blinked and got up. Taking a long breath she spoke.

"So, I just got inside his head and...it seems like a bitchy witch has fogged some of his memories. The things he remembers is everything we know, His transformation, attacking the queen except one thing -- someone's helped him get into the masquerade ball. Though I can't see the face, I can say it's a woman wearing dark clingy clothes."

All of us were in deep thoughts when an alarm ringed in my head.

God! How could I even forget that?! I should have said it earlier! It's never late.

"Giselle." Everyone snapped their heads in my direction "When I was returning back from the washroom in the party, I heard Giselle speaking to a lady in the dark corridors about bringing someone in the party who would cause harm to the people. I couldn't see the lady's face due to Evan dragging me out of there before I could get a glance." I stated everything in one single breath.

I shouldn't have mentioned about Evan? But it seemed like he didn't feel offended or angry. I guess I didn't mess up this time.

"Are you sure?" Evan asked moving towards me. I nodded.

"Let me see how this Giselle girl looks-" Claire's statement was cut short as she collapsed on the floor, making us all shock.

"Claire!" Stephen and Evan were now in front of her unconscious body lying on the ground.

"That spell still extinguishes her whole energy." Daniel came in and scooped Claire in his arms exiting the cellar with all of us trailing behind him along with James who walked in the middle of Stephen and Olivia who were looking at him with calculating gazes.

Evans POV

After Daniel laid Claire on the bed, he exited the room leaving me to look after her in case she wakes up.

I looked at her sleeping form, a smile made its way to my face looking at her punching the air trying to hit the imaginary beings in her dreams. She didn't change. My adorable sister was still the same just a bit mature now.

Claire's father was my mother's elder brother. He and his wife use to manage the kingdom with my father. They died protecting my parents at the time when someone killed them. Claire was all alone at that time, so I and Stephen decided to bring her in the mansion once she recovered from the grief of her parents' loss.

I still remember the time when she was here. She was noisy since birth. When she stayed here, it seemed like the mansion was full of her voice.

She stayed with us for a century before she met her soulmate, Jacob. I balled my fists at his thought. It wasn't like I hated him or something, it's just that the fact that she eloped, abandoning me for him made me angry.

Jacob was a wizard just like Claire. He was a good and trustworthy man. I wouldn't have been angry if she would have just said me that she wanted to marry him. I would've accepted him.

I heard the shuffling of blankets which made my attention snap at Claire who was trying to get up but to no avail as she falls back on the bed.

The spell she cast to look into someone's memories takes a lot of energy. The last I remember she used the spell, she was asleep the whole day. Well, she's improving, I see.

"Sit, Clara. We'll talk if you're bored." I said her to see a scowl form on her face. Nevertheless, she agreed to rest as she rested her back on the headboard.

Since she wasn't saying anything, I asked the very question I wanted to ask since she left.

"Why did you elope a century ago?" I looked at her as she leaned back closing her eyes.

"I thought you would get angry at me for marrying a common man but I was wrong. Stephen told me that you wouldn't mind. The time I realised, it was too late and things got so much messed up." She inhaled a long breath before continuing.

"Jacob's death and then me losing my child when I was still in labour. I was so depressed, Evie. But then I handled myself, even Stephen consoled me. So, I am fine now and back to track." She smiled even though it didn't reach her eyes.

"I am sorry, I wasn't there for you" I replied feeling bad for her.

"It's okay. It wasn't your fault. You behaved like any brother would do."

I was still processing the information I got. I didn't know Jacob died. Claire loosed her child. It must have been so heart-shattering for her. And here I was, blaming her for abandoning me and Stephen when it was all way around.

"Evie, you didn't tell me you found your mate!" She squealed. All of a sudden, her demeanour changing into excitement.

"Mate? I didn't find the girl with the matemark, Clara." I sighed.

My mate. Yeah, my mate who has a mark on her hand, who can make me control my powers, who I haven't found in my 436 years of existence.

I have some powers which could be destructive when I loose control. The only person who could help me control my powers would be the woman with that mark, my soulmate.

All the first-born royal sons have soulmate whether vampire or werewolf. I think Daniel will have his as well. But mine, she doesn't exist.

"That mark isn't visible, you idiot! Except if you're a witch. " She looked at me with disbelief then widened her eyes "Don't tell me you don't know!"

"What?" I was still confused. The mark was supposed to be visible or that is what I thought.

"Elina is your soulmate."

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