A MAZE OF GREED

Darius sat on the ground that was covered with grass and fallen leaves. His mouth was covered in blood so did his hands. His nails had flesh stuck in them. His dark eyes stared blankly at the body of a boy that was torn and wounded at various places.

The chase was fun. Darius enjoyed it as it helped him take his mind away from the pressing thoughts. He could have prolonged that chase, but his throat became as dry as sandpaper. The monster inside him recklessly caught the boy, and after five minutes, his dead body lay on the ground.

Darius was upset... very upset with his father. His parents had never denied anything. He just had to think of a thing, and it would be presented in front of him at the very next moment. Then why they could not understand him this time?

He was tired of this game of hiding and seek. If Edwin O'Dell could kill their spies and eradicate more than half of their espionage network, then why could he not do the same thing?

Darius watched as the flies flew over the disoriented dead body. He heard the vultures screaming above his head as they flapped their wings while flying in the sky. They had found their feast, but they also sensed the danger that was present beside it.

Lassitude washed over him, and he lay on his back. The blood around his mouth and on his hands had started drying up, but he did not care. As soon as his back rested on the grassland, he relaxed a bit. The tension in his shoulders lifted to some extent.

The silent and slow breezes lulled him to sleep. The vampires did not need to sleep that much, but after going through a mental battle and yelling for an hour at the coven meet, he could not keep his eyes open for long.

The only thing for which Darius envied the humans was those worthless creatures who could have a peaceful sleep. There was no discrimination, nor did how their day went mattered a lot. They could sleep and forget about their problems for a while.

But as a vampire, Darius was not blessed with such pleasure. He found his mind slipping into the darkness only to see faint and grainy images in front of his closed eyes.

The images turned clearer as he kept exploring the place. It was a familiar place... very familiar.

He stopped by the sounds of someone's war cries and grunting. He followed the voice till it brought him to an open courtyard. A young man with pale skin and dark hair was engrossed in playing with his favourite toy- a sword.

It was his favourite sword that weighed more than the other swords, that were aligned in the weapon room of the Academy. He was alone, he always preferred to be alone. He did not like his fellow trainees, neither they were very fond of him for what and who he was.

Darius dreaded every moment in the Academy, the only thing that kept him living amongst the fools was his father's words.

-'You are my son and one day you will take the reigns of vampire world from me. I want you to get the best of the training to become the warrior that will destroy the evil and claim this world again. And this is the only place where you can turn into a leader that the vampires need!'-

Darius admired how the man used his sword effortlessly and skillfully. It cut through the air like thunder cuts through the clouds.

Then he felt something, perhaps the man also felt it as his next move came not as powerful as before, his mind got distracted by something. Darius was about to scold the man for losing his focus that way but stopped when he saw a shadow behind the curtain.

"Who is there?" the man asked, but came no reply.

Annoyed, he walked towards the curtain and moved it aside with the tip of his sword. Darius did not know if the man was affected by the sight or not. But she surely was.

He sucked a deep breath at the sight of a beautiful girl whose glimpses he had during the classes. She was surprised by his action, her round eyes opened wide, her pink lips parted slightly apart.

The man felt the warm gust of air she released from her mouth. His skin got covered in goosebumps. Darius watched them stare at each other unblinkingly for a long moment.

And then slowly blush crept the woman's face. The man inched towards her to touch her rosy cheeks. Darius screamed in horror at him, but no sound came out of his throat. He watched with fear-stricken eyes as the man's finger touched her soft skin.

The moment it happened, her demeanour changed. The smile on her face vanished as she glared at him, with her darkened eyes. Her canines and claws shone in the daylight. The man, startled, scrambled away from her.

He thought of using the sword in his hand before the woman attacked her, who looked thirsty for only his blood.

But he could not lift his hand. Horrified, the man looked down to find his hands were empty. His favourite sword was nowhere in sight.

His chest constricted with fear as he kept backing away from her. She looked nothing like the beautiful woman who made him feel things that no other woman could.

"You! You turned me into this. You are the reason Darius. You ruined me!" She bellowed in an animalistic voice that caused his ears to ring in irritation.

"No... no... I did what I was supposed to do. I... I did not mean it to happen."

It was not the man speaking but the pleading voice that came from Darius's throat even though his lips did not move.

"And now it is time for you to pay back!" Her cold laugh ringed around. The man tried covering his ears with his hands, but he was immovable. His body had paralysed as he lay on the ground at her feet, begging for mercy.

"I wish it had not turned his way Darius!" Her voice softened a bit as the man saw tears roll down her dark eyes.

He saw a chance of escape, but his misjudgement became evident when she leapt ahead to attack him.

"GRACE!"

Darius's eyes snapped open. His chest felt compressed without the availability of air. He took in the air, till his lungs hurt. His head ached, and he found his body shaking in fear.

Even after decades, those memories still haunted him. And they might keep haunting him till his last breath!

*

*

*

The next day, Ruth was already entering the gates of 'the great manor' after wishing good morning to the guard with whom she had conversed yesterday.

She reached near the fountain, where she and Ida had decided to meet till Ruth gets accustomed to her new routine. She saw Ida walking her way, not after five minutes.

They wished each other 'good morning' and began walking towards Elsie's chamber while chatting amongst themselves.

Ruth was exceptionally happy, and the nervousness had lessened a lot than yesterday.

"Is Rees here?" Ruth asked.

"Are not you his best friend, Miss Ruth?" Ida countered with a raised brow.

"Yes. I am!" Ruth said proudly. "But I do not know his schedule of work."

Ida smiled. "He comes at eight in the morning."

Ruth bit the inside of her cheek, reprimanded mentally her tongue to not ask what it wanted to ask. No matter how much she tried, her will fell weak.

"Why Eight? Does your young master wakes up that late every morning?"

Ida passed a sideways glance to her. "No. He does not. He wakes up at six in the morning which is better than before."

"Better than before?" Ruth asked curiously.

"He had a problem with sleep. He could not sleep more than four hours in one day."

"Why?" Ruth was intrigued by her response and wanted to know more.

Ida did not answer for a moment, then said, "I do not know. Maybe he did not had the peace he needed."

Ruth frowned at her cryptic answer. And why did she give her that strange look?

Ruth did not ask more about Edwin, and kept walking till they reached the residential complex of 'the great manor'.

While passing near the building where Edwin lived, Ruth could not help but look up and, wondered if Edwin was awake. It was fifteen minutes left for seven. And if Ida was right, then he should be awake by this time.

Ruth's eyes searched for him, and she did not see the way she walked. A loud gasp left her mouth as she came to an abrupt halt before colliding with a wall.

If she had collided with it, it was not her body that would have been hurt, but her heart. Startled she looked up to meet the cerulean blue orbs staring directly at her.

"Good morning, Master!" Ida greeted Edwin.

Ruth looked at him in his loose shirt and pants. Sweat trickled down his tan skin in rivulets. He must have gone for a morning run or might have been busy with the practice of warfare, Ruth thought.

Edwin did not leave Ruth's eyes while he nodded at Ida. Ida elbowed Ruth lightly in her side. Ruth pulling herself together bowed, and said, "Good morning!"

She was hesitant to call him lord or master because in her opinion he did not deserve any of those titles. So she had decided to avoid addressing his name or title.

When Ruth straightened up she found no one in front of her. Confused she turned around to see Edwin's retreating figure.

She sighed angrily. That man could never change!