Chapter 6(Carmine)

"I love you" She looked up to find Cole smiling down at her. That smile made her toes curl each time. She leaned in for a kiss only to feel a sharp jab in her gut. She looked up in horror to find him with that terrible look in his eyes.

"Cole!" she gasped in horror.

The next thing she knew, he shoved her off the balustrade. She was falling to her death again…

"Eloise!" Eloise turned to Thorne with a distracted look.

"Are you okay?" He asked her with his brows creased in concern. Around them were several guests, elite vampires, wolves, fairies, daemons, and shifters all here to celebrate her arrival in style.

Thorne took the liberty of introducing her to the guests since her husband was still a no-show. He disregarded her that much, she thought.

She didn't know when she phased out but from the look on Thorne's face, she could tell, it's been some time.

"Not enjoying yourself, are you?" He asked.

"Not so much," she said with a sigh, draining the last of her wine glass.

"If you don't mind, I will like to go for a walk," She told him.

"Alright, let us go then," He told her while he took her glass. He handed it over to the waiter and then turned back to her.

"Are you sure that wouldn't be a bother?" Eloise asked glancing at the crowd.

"Not at all. Let us go" He said offering her his arm.

Eloise burst into giggles with her hand on her tummy. Thorne was hilarious. Seven minutes of walking around the garden and he sent her cracking up. And he didn't even try.

"Some adventure that was" She laughed holding her tummy to catch a breath.

"I know. I have always loved traveling" Thorne said in a dreamy tone, his eyes staring out into space.

They were walking along the bank of the lake now, barefoot in the grass. It was cold outside, with signs of the end of the fall.

"So why did you stop?" She asked, wrapping her white coat of fur around her, courtesy of her sister, Elaina.

"Tsk… I had to come home. He needed me at his side" Thorne to her.

He in this context must be his brother, no doubt, she thought.

"What is that?" Eloise pointed to a strange figure curled up by the bank of the water.

Thorne raced towards the figure with his vampire speed.

"Goodness, it's badly injured" Eloise rushed over bending next to Thorne.

In front of them was a huge black wolf with two arrows stuck in his left hind leg and another in its gut.

"Bloody…" Thorne cursed, quickly pulling the arrow out of the wolf's body. It whimpered but lay helplessly as it was before.

Thorne pulled out the last arrow receiving a loud whimper from him.

"Oh, poor thing" Eloise bent down at his side placing a hand on its head.

"He is not healing. He has been poisoned" Thorne said.

"Poisoned?" Eloise asked looking back at the wolf. Its eyes were closed and its belly heaved up and down slowly.

"Can you keep an eye on him for a minute?" Thorne asked standing up to his feet.

"Alright" Eloise replied. He rushed back to the manor leaving her behind with the wolf.

She recognized this wolf from earlier. It must be one of the pets in this place. Thorne seemed familiar with it.

Eloise gently touched its fur, smoothing it beneath her fingers. It whimpered as she touched its wound.

"Sorry. That must hurt a lot. Who could do such a terrible thing to you?" She muttered.

It was bleeding profusely from the wound in his gut. It was losing a lot of blood. At this point, it was probably going to die if not tended to.

Eloise glanced in the direction of the manor, wondering what was keeping Thorne. Suddenly, it struck her. She'd never dared to try it before, maybe because she'd never found herself in such a situation before. She could seal its wound with fire at least that could stop it from bleeding out.

Eloise quickly pulled off her gloves. She clapped both hands together and blue flames sparked from her palms.

She had no idea why her flames were still blue, but this wasn't the time.

"Here goes nothing," She said with a sigh. She slowly placed both hands on the open wound.

It whimpered at her touch but suddenly calmed. To her surprise, its wounds slowly began to heal, closing up rapidly.

In no time, all his wounds disappeared. The wound on its hind leg had healed too. The wolf slowly stirred, opening its eyes. Its golden eyes met with Eloise's. It slowly stood up to its feet staring at Eloise.

"All good now, right?" She asked with a smile. She was on her knees now with her hands in her lap.

The wolf rested on its hind legs staring at her.

"You must be wondering who I am. I am the new resident here, my name is Eloise" Eloise said with a smile. She introduced herself as if she were speaking to a human. But that's how she'd always been with animals. She loved animals, and although she never adopted one because of her busy life back in the future, she still loved to be around them. This hound was incredibly beautiful and gentle. Its black fur shimmered in the moonlight and its golden eyes were captivating.

It suddenly stepped closer to her looking at her closely.

Eloise slowly raised her hand to pat its head. It flinched but eased up to her touch. It stepped closer to her, rubbing its head against her palm. Eloise giggled pulling even closer. She tickled its jaw and it growled softly.

"You like that, don't you?" She asked with a smile.

"Be sure to be careful out there next time, alright?" Eloise said gently caressing its fur between her fingers. It barked in response and she laughed.

Eloise turned to find Thorne, Miles, and Elric gapping at her. She didn't even hear them approach, she thought.

"Hi... I didn't see you there" Eloise said slowly standing to her feet.

"You...You healed him" Thorne said stunned, remembering the blue flames from her palms earlier.

"Err...yes... I didn't mean... I hope I didn't cause any trouble" She said noticing the looks in their eyes. They looked spooked. They must have seen her use her powers, she thought. Not everyone sees your power as a gift. Do well to keep it hidden. Catherine's words rang in her head.

"Not at all. He is healed. That is all that matters" Miles said looking at the wolf at her side.

Eloise glanced at the wolf and it looked up at her. It leaned closer rubbing its head against her. She smiled and bent down to give it a quick pat.

"He is very friendly," Eloise said.

Thorne and Miles exchanged looks that said otherwise.

"What's his name," Eloise asked.

The brothers glanced at each other, confused. She had no idea, did she?

"Carmine" Elric said quickly.

"Mmm, nice. Alright, Carmine what do you say we go up inside for some sleep? You must be exhausted" She asked him to receive a bark. She giggled and then turned back to the brothers.

"It won't be a problem, right? Me taking him inside?" She asked them.

"Not all" Thorne replied.

"Alright. Come on Carmine" Eloise said to the wolf. It barked and walked at her side.

Thorne and Miles watched as the two headed for the manor.

"What do you think he is playing at?" Miles asked his brother.

"Nothing good I presume," Thorne said with a sigh.

"Elric, keep an eye on him will you?" He said to the butler.

"I will, Master," Elric said with a bow. She walked towards the manor leaving the two behind.

"Do you think we should tell her?" Thorne asked Miles as they headed for the manor.

Miles ran his hands through his curly dark blonde hair with a shrug.

"I do not see any reason why we should not," he told his brother.

Down in the darkness of the cold room, stutters closed with no light from within. A single candle flame burst to life in the darkness.

Elvira abruptly woke up, shuddering from the cold water. She wrapped her hands around her goose-bumped skin wondering how she got here. In a cold bathtub in this dark room.

Flashes of memories suddenly flooded her mind. He did it. He succeeded. He killed her. Elvira gasped in horror.

He did it!

"Ah, look who decided to finally wake up" The very hairs on her neck rose on alert. She could recognize that voice anywhere.

She refused to turn around, scared to see what she'd seen a hundred times.

She felt a firm hand gently grip her neck, caressing her neck and up to her face.

"Welcome back, sister" He turned her face to meet his calm blue eyes. Those beautiful eyes she admired yet terrified her to no end.

"Cole" she muttered in a hoarse voice.

His smile illuminated in the dull light. His handsome face was younger than the last time she saw him.

"Did you sleep well, V?" He asked her, his voice more gentle than ever.

Elvira swallowed hard, with a nod. A lie, this was the worst nightmare she'd ever had.

"How long have I been dead?" she asked in a trembling tone.

"Come on now, sister. I wouldn't say dead. You've been merely asleep, for a hundred years" He said with a smile.

Asleep, what a nice way to put it! She wondered what went on in that twisted mind of his. Nothing but malice, she thought. She wasn't even surprised anymore. He killed her over six times, and every time she was reborn, he was worse than before.

"You saw it, didn't you? You saw her?" Cole"s eyes lit up, eager to know what she saw.

"I did. She… she died. You…did it" Cole's eyes wavered for a second.

"Did she love me?" he asked in a quiet tone.

Elvira looked up at him with fear. How could anyone love someone as cruel as him?

"She did. Even in death" she muttered.

A woman slowly stepped out of the dark to his side. The serpent tattoo on her neck swirled to alive.

"Welcome back, princess" Carella smiled darkly handing Cole a towel.

"Looks like, all the lives lost were worth it this time, sister. Come on now, let's get you something to eat. I have a feast waiting on you" Cole carried her out of the tub wrapping the towel around her body.

Elvira hugged him, burying her face in his shoulder, refusing to turn back to the sight beneath the tub. Cole chuckled.

Two hundred years and she still couldn't bear the sight.

He turned away from the tub heading towards the door. Elvira was tempted to look back. She knew she shouldn't but she did.

And there it was, about ten dead fairies lying at the base of the tub. Their bodies were placed at a vital point with their blood dried up in a contained seal.

The seal of the condemned. One life lost to resurrect another.

For the first time in two centuries, she didn't look away. Innocent lives were lost to bring her back again for the sixth time. The worst was yet to happen, terrible things. This was going to be the last time. The end to this unending cycle of viciousness.