Chapter Eight: A taste of fear

BAILA'S POV

Baila stumbled back, struggling to breathe as her breath escaped her mouth in strangled hiccups. The creature before her was once human, she was sure of it.

It was a woman with hair badly ripped out that Baila could see the soft pink flesh of her scalp. Her teeth were a long line of small sharp triangles like a fish's teeth. The woman wore a tattered black dress and black veins littered her pale sickly skin which had a sticky transparent liquid on it.

But what scared Baila the most was her eyes.

They were endless pools of darkness like a bear's. Footsteps drew closer and Baila glanced backwards to see Sara approaching with a sword.

The creature looked highly amused with what was going on. Baila made a decision. She wasn't sure Sara's sword could even nick the creature. With a trembling hand, she reached for her necklace.

"Baila. Don't!" Sara snapped but Baila wasn't listening.

She ripped the necklace off with all the strength she could muster and it fell to the ground with a clink.

"Pretty girl. Dead witch," the creature croaked, stretching a crooked hand to point its index finger at Baila.

Baila groaned as red veins travelled up her arms and neck until they finally stopped at the sides of her head. She bowed her head to focus on the ground instead of the burning pain spreading rapidly through her head.

Her eyes turned blood red as she stood in the hallway facing the creature. She could hear nothing but the whispers and her breathing.

The creature cackled loudly and lunged for Baila. A whimper left its black lips when Baila caught it by its neck. Her right hand was wrapped firmly around the creature's neck as she continued to stare at the ground. Baila lifted her head slowly to lock eyes with the creature. She could see the fear in the creature's eyes as it clawed at her hand. She could taste its fear too and it was thrilling.

"Ugly creature. Dead thing," Baila pouted, squeezing harder and harder until the neck of the creature snapped and it exploded.

Blood and guts went everywhere. Baila wiped at the blood on her face but all she did was smear it all over.

With an annoyed sigh, she gave up and then she heard Sara's voice. "Baila?" the physician whispered.

Baila turned around so she could look at her. Sara was holding up the necklace Baila had ripped off. "I'm not wearing that again. It's annoying,"

Baila shrugged, smacking the side of her head to quiet down the whispers.

"It's what keeps you safe. You're a red witch. You can't control your demon. At least not without this necklace and you're going to wear it," Sara hissed.

"Make me," Baila sneered, readying for another fight.

"Come here," Sara ordered. "Now!" Baila folded her arms and shrugged. Sara was becoming annoying. She just saved both their lives and the redhead wanted to tie that stupid necklace around her again.

When Baila didn't move, Sara walked up to her. Her steps were confident and determined. She grabbed the hem of Baila's dress and pulled her closer.

"I really like you, physician. I don't want to wear it" Baila complained.

"I know. Wear it for now. Please," Sara said, placing the necklace around Baila.

Baila fell to the ground, groaning in pain as the burn in her head retreated to her chest. Sara knelt in front of her and Baila buried her face in the crook of her neck as the pain intensified. It would pass in a few minutes or hours.

It always did.

More footsteps echoed in the hallway as Nolan and Aaron came running in.

Baila lifted her head a little and for a brief moment, her eyes met with Nolan's blue ones. He looked concerned for her but then again, Sara had also been in danger a few minutes ago.

The burning pain in her chest eased and Baila went back to resting her head on Sara's neck.

"The creature?" Aaron asked.

"I'm sure you noticed all the blood and guts splattered on the walls. The creature is dead," Sara replied calmly but Baila could hear her heart thudding violently in her chest.

She was still scared for some reason.

"What's wrong with Baila?" Nolan's voice came through.

"She's a little shaken up is all. She'll be fine," Sara replied.

"I'll help you take her to her room," Nolan offered, bending down to grab Baila's hand but Baila wrenched her hand out of his grasp. He couldn't see her face or her eyes else he would know and Baila was sure that that was what Sara was scared of.

"No," Baila whimpered

"I'll take her," Sara rushed, stopping Nolan from trying again.

"Nolan. We have to check on other people," Aaron reminded but Baila could hear the hint of suspicion in his voice. Hopefully, he wouldn't be back for hours.

"Alright," Nolan agreed reluctantly.

Once their footsteps retreated, Baila stood to her feet and rushed into her room. Sara trailed right behind her. They placed a chair beneath the handle of the door and Sara helped Baila strip out of her bloody clothes.

They kept quiet as Baila quickly cleaned herself with a wet rag. After changing her clothes, Baila grabbed a mirror and slipped beneath the comfort of her bed sheets.

Just as she had suspected, her eyes were still red and the red veins on her neck had left a nasty bruise.

"Nolan and Aaron don't know what kind of witch you are," Sara spoke, her green eyes had darkened tremendously. " And we will keep it that way. Nolan's parents were murdered by a red witch. If he comes to know that you are a red witch yourself, he will kill you"

"Thank you." Baila breathed, placing the mirror down. "Why are you helping me?"

"I don't know," Sara answered.

Baila could hear the sincerity in her voice.

"But to be honest, I've always loved to play with fire," Sara added with a smirk.

Baila chuckled. "I hope you don't get burned then"

An awkward moment of silence passed between them before Sara spoke again.

"Those creatures....Have you seen them before?" Sara questioned.

Baila hadn't. She would have definitely remembered if she had seen them before so she shook her head.

"Have you heard of them before?"

"No, but maybe my mother or one of the older witches has,"

"They were so powerful and fast. It was almost impossible to cut through them with our swords but we were lucky. We might not be next time so thank you Baila for fighting it. Although, the creature stood no chance against you. Vaeya be praised but you were amazing." Sara gushed, her cheeks turned red.

"That was my demon half. I'm nothing without the demon blood that flows through my veins," Baila shook her head, Without her demon, she would have been dead by now.

Her mother always said that there were worst things than death but Baila was certain that nothing scared her more than death.

"You'd be beautiful without her. That must count for something," Sara murmured shyly.

Baila licked her lips thoughtfully. "It does. Thank you,"

"Why don't you write another letter to your mother? Tell her about the creatures. She might be able to help us," Sara suggested. "I'll make sure the letter gets to the village of ash myself,"

Baila gave it some thought. Whatever those creatures were, they were a threat to her stay in the castle. Aaron and Nolan would suspect her more now.

The creatures had attacked a day after her arrival. The lycan king and his beta would not see it as a coincidence. Baila hopped off the bed and sat behind the table with a quill ready in her hand. It was only then that she noticed that the candles that had gone off when the creatures came had lit up again. She made her observation known to Sara as she wrote.

When she was done, she sealed both letters in an envelope and handed it to Sara who tucked it away in the inside of her shirt.

"Aaron and Nolan should figure this out." Baila crossed her leg. "Who would want to do this?"

"Nolan does have many enemies naturally but I would bet on the vampire prince. That power was so dark. And they creatures reeked of him. They felt like him too," Sara responded. She had a faraway look in her eyes and a grimace on her face like she was standing in front of the vampire prince.

"Salem Kalamai right?" Baila inquired. She had heard his name before but she wanted to be sure.

"Yes. He's a bastard but he loves women and he treats them with respect," Sara sighed.

"Perhaps you and I could do a little digging ourselves,"

"What do you propose?"

"You said he loved women. When I was younger, my mother and I would go to the City of night during the eclipse. When we ran out of money, she would find a vampire and she was very seductive. Once she found a man who let us live in his house for weeks. He fed us well too." Baila explained.

"You want us to seduce Salem. What's the plan? You're the expert" Sara smiled, sitting in Baila's lap.

Baila laughed. Salem Kalamai would crash and burn right into her.