Chapter 29: a contract with the devil- part 1

Zoe watched Eliot exit the room before falling to sit on the floor, as she clutched onto her chest …

The sky was dark and gloomy with the stars and moon that hung proudly on the horizon of the clouds, Zoe's grip tightened on her dress when an unwanted memory flashed into her mind. Her past still haunted her, although she tried her best to push it away it just kept coming back. And to Zoe it felt like a sharp painful thorn.

Days spent alone in Eliot's room caused her the sanity of freedom, whereas the thought of never escaping kept running through her mind. '*Pain…*it hurts... What is this? A cursed life? To die alone in the hands of a cold blooded demon…, (sobbing) Why me?' tears slowly fell from her eyes as she clutched her chest tightly, "how do I escape such a fate? I can't even avenge my mother.., just because I fear death- what kind of daughter am i!?"

"Zoe" hearing the whispering like sound that erupted with her, Zoe cautiously looked round her environment to check if anyone was present.., but to her surprise no one was there 'I thought I heard my- (GASP) it can't be!' "Zoe!" the voice hissed again, breathing and panting heavily in fear Zoe shouted "stay away from me! (Sobbing) please", the voice chuckled in a dark lady like voice, sending chills down her spine, suddenly everywhere became silent "I've come back for you… Zoe", 'it's her…, the witch!'

A small dark image emerged from a dark corner. It was a cat, the empress's pet cat. Zoe stared at the creature in confusion 'I thought… how come?-… what's the empresses cat doing in Master Eliot's room and at this time' Zoe shifted uncomfortably as she used the back of her hands to wipe the tears off her face before looking back at the cat who stood with a wide grin spread across its face, it made an unsettled feeling rest in the bottom of her stomach.

She could sense that the cat was no ordinary cat, she didn't know why but its blue eyes reminded her of the Empress and the Queen mother.

"Who are you? (Panting in fear) what do you want from me?" Zoe knew she sounded crazy but her guts was telling her something different than what she saw. That cat had something within it that felt terrible and quivering.

A loud cackling laugh came from the cat, "are you scared of me? I didn't think that something carrying so much power could be so … WEAK!" the cat hissed in a dim voice, 'Weak?' Zoe had her eyes widened in fear

"It looks like I've made a mistake by coming here", the cat walked past Zoe and towards the window, turning back, as its eyes that were once blue turned pitch black.

"Before Clare died she revealed the truth to me and she said one day you would realize it too…, but now I see you can't, as long as you're with... him", she said the last part coming out in a dark hiss 'I don't get it, how does she know my mother's name and what does this has to do with my master?'

So many questions were running through her mind and she didn't know what to do.

The cat smiled creepily and without another word she jumped off the window

"NO! Not yet don't leave! What do you know about my mother... please I need to know"

Zoe didn't know why but she had no control over her body. At that moment all she could do was move, at first she was as stiff as a stick, but having questions running through her mind she wanted to know, she needed answers to her questions, so without thinking she followed after the cat, jumping off the window when an unbelievable spark surged though her.

Zoe thought that she would fall to the ground, closing her eyes tightly she waited for the ground to break her back or worse. She didn't know what pushed her to do it but she felt much lighter.

…

Zoe opened her eyes slowly to see the ground beneath her feet, her eyes wide in amazement 'HOW!? This can't be! I jumped and I don't even have a single scratch on me'

"that's true and it seems like you made it…" the cat's smile fell as the temperature dropped around them like as if everywhere was made of ice, but it was not just an ordinary feeling "Zoe" the cat said in a dark tone "are you still willing… To go past this castle, do you want to discover the truth?" 'Yes! That's what I want, the truth'

"Yes, I want to know the truth!", "(Sigh) alright then, follow me. But know this when you have gone beyond this mansion I won't be able to assure your safety… I just hope you won't regret your choice", "whatever it takes to know the truth" Zoe said desperately without choosing her words, but what could she do, she wanted to know the truth.

Zoe followed after the cat, the cat walked slowly but soon the cat started running, and Zoe ran after her "slow down" Zoe shouted as she followed after it.

…

Eliot wondered if it was just his blood thirst or the rebellious ministers that made him act the way he did, not only did his aura feel out of place but his appearance also started to switch between his demon and vampire side, he was changing but the change wasn't good, "what are you day dreaming about Nathaniel?" Eliot's voice came out calm but the anger in his voice was clearer than expected. Scared Nathaniel quickly snapped his head at the voice that had startled him "n-nothing your highness" Eliot could read all of Nathaniel's expression, his nervousness was clearly written all over his face and couldn't be hidden, not when he continued rubbing his fingers together in a nervous way 'why does Nathaniel look so lost all of a sudden *SIGH*' Eliot thought as he reached for the dark coat that laid upon Nathaniel's shoulder.

"Prepare yourself" "What for your highness?"

"We're going to the underworld to meet an old acquaintance" Eliot's words caused Nathaniel's expression to change from that of worry to that of fear "why so sudden your highness? I t-thought that the demon king said he never wanted to see you there again or else you'd be killed, and he said it was an order" "*TCH* he just says things that makes him feel like he's the king. Sometimes I'd wish he would just crawl into a grave and die!", 'but still he's the only one who can seal back my demon, what if he refuses and it gets out of control *SIGH* it's better to try than to do nothing'

[Nathaniel's thoughts- it seems that his demon side is awakening faster that I thought, if this continues no one in the mansion can assure their safety]

…

Zoe followed the cat as she ran with each step getting heavier and painful than the last one "please (panting) wait for me!" "You should keep up, you're too slow", Zoe ran after the black cat until she reached a clear opening, but it seemed that the cat had disappeared 'I thought I was behind her, am i lost?' Everything was blurry due to the her loss of breath and Zoe could hear her heart pounding in her ear's 'I haven't done so much running like this in year's', breathing repeatedly Zoe started to regain her vison as her chest continued to rise and fall.

She could see the tall trees that surrounded the clearing as everything started to come into view, Zoe thought that she was finally going to learn the truth, but what she saw was too horrific and she wished that she hadn't followed after the cat in the first place.

. . .