A vampire's Choice
Chapter 23

"It was dark times back then." Vanessa leaned back in her chair as she tried to get comfortable. The story she was about to tell would reach personal, trenching up bad memories that should stay buried.

Roland, Ruby, and Mark retook their seats. At the same time, Nix stayed next to Roger and Lisa, only turning towards Vanessa in silence as she also listened to the story: one she had participated in, without the rest knowing.

With a quick side glance towards Roger and Lisa, both on their knees and heads were thrown back, Vanessa faced each person around the table before resting on her mate's gaze, Mark. With her chest dropping after taking a big gulp of air to calm herself, Vanessa traveled back in time, retelling the horrors that had led to that fateful day.

"Our town was small, barely 1000 villagers with even fewer supernatural. After the death of my family, I had realized my curse, as you all know, and decided to run. On my journey, I sold healing elixirs and other spells to stay afloat, under the table, of course, since in those times, they would stone a woman if she even seemed a trifle like a witch. Months passed in our village, and with ties I had begun forming, the place became my home. One night, this man showed up, a vampire, and inquired about a potion to extend life. You see, he had met his mate, but she was human. This vampire hated what he was and did not wish the same fate for the one he loved, so he turned to a witch for help. I took pity on Roger, for I could see the pain behind his eyes, the humanity he still held within him. After searching for a way to help with his request, we became closer. He was a brother to me and one I knew would not die on me. Weeks later, we both realized there was no way to prolong Rebecca's life, but he did not blame me. In fact, he thanked me for helping him."

Mark squeezed Vanessa's hand for reassurance when she stopped talking for a few seconds, knowing the pain it was causing her. Rarely would they speak about her past or his, so he knew he had to help her, even if it was just by being by her side.

Vanessa gave him a soft smile, a silent thank you, before continuing. "That is when it all went south. Villagers started showing up dead. Men, women, and children. All ages and sizes, the only connection was their hearts. When we found their bodies, it was gone, ripped from their chests. I assumed it to be from a supernatural and asked Roger for help. It led to a dead-end until one night, a woman was brought to me. She had managed to escape her captors before death but was badly wounded. In her dying breath, she spoke a name, and my blood ran cold. I had to do something. Without the technology we have today, I could not warn him, so I went alone."

Roland and Ruby etched closer in their seats, eager to hear the rest. Eager to know had done those unspeakable acts. Mark did the same, unable to help his curious nature, but Vanessa turned towards Nix before laying her eyes on Roger. The rest of the story would be dark, shining a terrible light on him, something she knew he regretted till this day. He was indeed a good person who just made the wrong decisions or instead manipulated into doing. Turning her attention towards Lisa, the hate resurfaced. The two women might not be the same, but they sure as hell looked exactly alike, so Vanessa could not help but feel like this towards the human.

Keeping an eye on Lisa, Vanessa revealed the rest of the fated night. "Rebecca. That was the name the dying woman had whispered. My fears had come to pass, for I did not know if Roger was a part of her heinous acts or just an innocent bystander, but I was prepared. I searched for them all night until I came upon a horrific scene. I had silently watched as Roger dug a knife into a bound woman, killing her instantly. The shock froze me on the spot, watching as my friend did the unspeakable, the one thing that made him who he was. So, I decided to stop them both. I ambushed them, sword and magic ready, when she overpowered me. Rebecca was not a human, for she managed to block my spells, making me realize something far darker was at play. Seconds before she would have killed me, Roger must have snapped out of whatever trance he was in and killed her. His own mate to save me."

"He had to." Roland intervened.

Vanessa swerved to face him, "I know, but the pain must have been excruciating." A hand molded her shoulder, drawing her attention to Mark, making her notice a single tear rolling down his cheek. "I can't even imagine having to do that, no matter how dark the person is."

"I can," Mark whispered, dropping his head in shame.

Vanessa shifted to face him with her whole body, reaching up to grasp his chin, forcing him to watch her. "You were under a harmful influence. You had no choice."

"I know, but...”

Placing a finger over his mouth, Vanessa comforted Mark. “Yes, you gave in, but in the end, you stopped yourself. You chose the light like Roger did that night. It is a rare trade, one that not many people or supernatural have."

"She is correct, Mark."

Everyone looked shocked as Nix left the two behind her to sit down in her chair, hands folded on top of the table. "This is what I am trying to tell you. You are all special in your own way, all connected through your light but also your darkness. To fight darkness, one must experience it to understand it."

Ruby finally understood what she had spotted earlier. Their circle has become more than friends, but a family and a smaller bundle would soon join them. Lazily drawing circles on her stomach, Ruby wondered about something else. "How are you connected to Roger and Lisa, then?"

A smirk appeared on Nix's face, the movement highlighting her beauty, the golden glow doubling in radiation. "I think it is my turn to explain that night, but we will need everyone to be present." While still seated, Nix turned her upper body towards Roger and Lisa, extending her right hand towards them, palm open and facing up. A Golden hue appeared on their motionless bodies before shooting out and into Nix's hand. As soon as the power vanished, Roger dropped forward, hands bracing against the ground as he took in deep breaths. Lisa returned at the same time, falling to her back, keeping her eyes closed. Roland shot up and moved fast, reaching for Lisa to help her up. She gladly accepted it, reaching for his extended hand. Roger allowed the Alpha to touch his mate, knowing she needed space from him, especially after what she had just witnessed.

"Thank you," Lisa's voice came out rough and broken, the dryness in her throat making it hard to breathe. Ruby noticed and moved quickly to grab a water bottle on the side table, opening it and offering it to Lisa as she sat down. With a nod, she accepted the water, viciously downing half the bottle in one go. With one need sated and still shocked from the weird experience, Lisa looked towards Nix, needing answers.

Roger silently moved about the room, keeping his gaze glued on Lisa as she drank the water, before grabbing an empty chair and pulling it next to Mark, away from Lisa. She noticed his character change, and deep down, it hurt to see him retracting himself, but another part was also glad, for he was also a monster, just like the one who had attacked her twice and killed her best friend.

"Can someone please explain what just happened?" Lisa asked while watching Nix.

The God of witches had remained seated as the two returned to reality, but the story of that night was still not done. "I needed you to see the bigger picture of what had happened, so you may understand why I did what I did."

"You mean you were there? I think I would have remembered you." Vanessa stated.

"She was," Roger exclaimed, straightening his shoulders as he directed the following question to Nix. "And I would like to know why you did this to me? For years, I punished myself after that night. The changes in me, I had believed they were a curse for what I did. Taking the life of an innocent and my mate,” Roger spat out, angry at this God for what she did.

"Relax, man." Mark reached out towards Roger, trying to pull him back. "Let her explain."

Roger shot a deadly look towards Mark, and he pulled his arm away, lifting it in the air as a sign of surrender. "Don't worry. I won't try to attack her. I just need answers." Looking back At Nix, he said, "But I don't promise about after."

"I understand your pain, but please be open-minded about what I am going to tell you," Nix explained.

"Then please, begin," Lisa spoke softly, forcing Roger to look at his mate. Pain and love pierced him at once. The need to rub his skin against hers overwhelmed him, but the shame of what he did stopped him.

Lisa felt his piercing gaze on her as it sends tingles up and down her spine, but she needed to be strong. They needed the whole story before she decided about him and having him distract her from the mission was not an option. Forcing herself to focus on Nix, Lisa became lost in her soothing voice as she began the tale that started this mess, not only in herself but also the rest of their lives.

"As I said before, the evil that is trying to take hold of this world comes in many forms. Human, supernatural, it does not discriminate, but either way, I can feel its presence. But unfortunately, I can only sense it after the deed is done. For weeks before that night, I felt a small rumble on the plane, tipping scales between good and evil. Every day I had roamed the earth, trying to find the spark, but I was too late. The influence he had over you was small in the beginning," Nix pointed towards Roger. "A whisper here, a nudge there. That is always how it starts, but it is stronger when it comes from a mate."

"The darkness was there that night." Lisa interrupted.

Nix turned towards her. “Yes, that is what I needed you to see. To know that it was not just your fault for what had happened."

"But I still willingly acted on them," Roger whispered, but everyone heard him. Glances softened as each snuck a look in his direction, but he did not want their pity.

"Yes, you did. But who could blame you? Finding your mate is a precious gift almost half of the supernatural do not get to experience. It is a bond very few can break or resist, so when she pointed you to the dark side, do you really think you could have stopped yourself." Nix explained, but Roger was not buying it. She saw the wheels spinning behind his eyes, knew she needed him to see the whole picture, for he was still hung up on that one act.

"Tell me, how did you meet Rebecca? Were you just casually strolling the streets and caught her scent, or was the first meeting darker?"

Lisa's ears perked up as she wiggled in her chair to straighten up. The meeting between them was dark with him forced to save her, but was it the same for his first mate?

"It is even worse. I was hunting one night deep in the woods. The temptation of human blood was too strong, you see, so the further I went, the easier it was to contain the darkness." Roger replayed that night in his head, as he often did, but no one knew this part, not even Micheal. "I heard her screams and the pain it held.” With emotionless eyes, Roger peeked up towards Lisa. His breath faltered for a second as the force of her gaze locked with his, giving him strength. "It was the same as our first meeting. Your screams called out to me as well, even across a big city."

The new information kicked her in the gut. From what she knew about supernaturals, they had superb hearing, but not one species could hear a cry for help miles away. "How?"

"Your souls. A mating bond connects the souls, and yours cried out to his, your other half." Nix explained, "That is how one knows it is a true bond."

"But twice is impossible," Roger exclaimed.

"In due time, child. Please continue."

"After hearing her, I followed the sound, coming upon a group of men closing in on her—dark intentions in their eyes. So, I did the only thing I could. I was slaughtering them where they stood as she watched. Back then, I could not see her intentions, but over the years, I replayed her reaction in my mind, and her vile smile as she watched me tear those men apart should have been an indicator of her true intentions. But meeting my mate overshadowed the doubt I had, so we began our life together. Which let to meeting Vanessa."

"That is the one good thing she brought into our lives,” Vanessa pointed out, glad to have befriended this man.

"Yes, it is." Roger nodded in agreement.

"I know this is going to be hard to hear, but even then, she was wrapped in the tentacles of evil, forced to do his bidding. You being one of them, but not the last."

"How could I have not noticed?" Roger needed answers.

"How could you have guessed that she was leading you down this path. The acts she made you perform might have seemed like small favors, gestures she needed from you, all leading to the last night. Does that seem familiar?" Nix asked.

"Yes, there were a few, but I did not see them as evil. It was justice, just like the men who attacked her. It might have been a setup, but those men were evil, their actions unspeakable." Roger tried defending himself, but deep down, he knew he was a killer.

"But that is how it starts. You think evil just appears and suddenly you are one with it." Nix spoke, standing up as she explained. "True evil begins with a small spark and grows until you are fully controlled. The darkness knew who you were deep down and tried to corrupt you one death at a time." Nix stopped when she stood behind Roger, placing her hands on his shoulder. "The death you caused saved lives for those were bad men and the darkness knew if you got used to killing the vile creatures, you would eventually kill an innocent, for you believed it was right, the honey-covered words of your mate making you see."

Lisa took in his conversion of murder, not knowing how to feel about it. On the one hand, she agreed with his actions, for ending the life of a genuinely evil person saved the lives of countless others. But then again, who was he, or Rebecca, to judge who deserved it and who didn't. "So, we know now that Rebecca was under the influence of this thing, but how do I come into this? Surely I would know if I am also under the influence."

Nix let go of Roger, making her way back to her seat before answering Lisa. "That is my influence, not the darkness."

"What? How?"

"As I said before, I was there that night, but you might not remember me because I made you forget everything just after I showed up. It was not the right time to reveal my plan, but now it is." Nix opened her hands, placing them side by side on the table. Wind formed in her hands as the golden light swirled with the current before developing into a sphere of light. Everyone leaned closer, mesmerized by the light. A movement came from within, and as each focused, a scene emerged. The image of Roger came first, drenched in blood with the knife in his hand.

"I arrived too late, for the darkness had felt after you killed Rebecca, " Nix explained while they watched what happened. "Even after you had accomplished what the darkness needed, the light fought back, and you knew the only way to stop it was to kill your mate, so you did. I had believed you were too far gone, and I was there to kill you, but when I came upon you and Vanessa, I knew I could still do some good. After I send Vanessa away, you fell to your knees, begging me to kill you, for the pain of a lost mate was too great. But I knew I needed you. Not now, but in the future, so I gave you the curse. But not for what you did, but to save you the pain. Turning you into this creature made you retreat from society and ignore all bonds until you are ready." The sphere showed Roger on his knees, tears in his eyes as he spoke to Nix. Suddenly, a ball of light she had produced in her hand shot at Roger, hitting him in the chest. As he squirmed on the ground, a change began. The olive color of his skin turned white at the same time as his hair. With an open mouth sending out a silent scream, his eyes turned black as all the rest of his humanity pulled from his body. Within seconds, the old Roger was gone and in its place the one they all knew. "Not only did I spare you the pain, but also gave you the ability to walk in the sun, for you would need that to find your mate."

The sphere evaporated into thin air as Nix pulled her hands back. Roger remained frozen after seeing what he had forgotten. It sickened him she would do this to him. Sure, she saved him the emotions of killing his mate, but it was replaced with another type of pain. Isolation. Roger was about to give her a piece of his mind when Lisa spoke up.

"I do not understand why you did that to him, and honestly, I don't think I ever will, but how do I come into the picture? His mate is dead. I saw it with my own eyes."

"Yes, she is but also not. In each human, there are good and bad. Roger killed the darkness in her that night, but something else stayed. After I send him away, your lifeless body stared up at me, but something told me you were not gone. Using most of my powers, I extracted the soul of Rebecca and sent it to the wind. But before I did, I made it a promise. Wait until the right time to be born, and it will connect to the other half. To Roger."

"So, you are saying..." Lisa muttered.

Nix stared straight at Lisa. “You and Rebecca are the same."

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