⚠️Warning: Mentions of blood and gore mentioned in some parts of this chapter. If affected, please read with caution. ⚠️

~~~~~

{•Sebastian•}

"From what we gathered, that fallen angel was part of a flock of five years ago that fell to Earth, when the King was only a few days into his reign," Andrew explained as Larisa and I sat in the throne room.

The next morning we had Andrew, Emerson and Austin try and get any information from the fallen angel that attacked Lynette.

He won't say much, however, but they seemed to get lucky with something.

"What of the flock?" I asked.

"He admits that they met Alexander and Lilith after being rejects of God AND the people of Obsidian.... Somehow Alexander convinced Prophet to join their cause, so long as they helped recruit more people..." Austin said.

"They were promised a job...." Larisa said.

"Yes.... However, one member of his flock wasn't on board with the plan of joining forces with the Visigoths... Didn't seem to trust them.... So Lilith convinced Prophet to kill him.... So, he tore his wings out and gave them to her as a present..... Mutilated and burned him to ashes..." Andrew said. "He became power hungry and eventually did the same to the others, one by one, until it was only him left... Each of them had their wings torn off and gifted to Lilath by Prophet...."

"Wait, he killed his entire flock?" Larisa asked in shock.

"Fallen angels are usually only extremely loyal to each other..... Yet this one chose to be loyal to the rebellion over what was most likely his only family ever.... How is that possible?" I asked.

"My guess is, Lilath made him an offer he couldn't refuse, or Prophet was more tainted than the rest of his flock," Andrew said.

"What of Lynette? Had he mentioned anything regarding her?" I asked.

"Only that the Visigoths want her, but he won't reveal much," Andrew said.

"If Lilith and Alexander are able to make a fallen angel turn against his own family..... Then things are more dire than we imagined," Larisa said worriedly.

"I agree..... However I'm now finding myself more concerned for Lynette.... She's somehow immune to a fallen angel's compulsion.... Just like Alexander...... How is that possible?" I asked.

"I've heard rumors that Warhol was also immune....." Austin frowned.

Larisa and I froze and looked at each other in confusion before back at our advisors.

"What are you implying?" Larisa asked.

"Maybe we need to look more into Warhol, because something tells me that there is something much deeper going on that we all don't know about..." Austin said.

"Where do we start then?" Larisa asked.

"Well for starters, where did Alister and Hermes Warhol come from, and how they might connect to both the Visigoth rebellion and Lynette?" I said.

"Lynette is an Earth Human..... How can she be connected to the founder of our world?" Larisa asked.

"We'll have to look further and see," I said. "If anything, investigating her time on Earth can also help us."

"She was orphaned, as a newborn... Wasn't she? Finding who her biological parents were would be impossible...." Austin frowned.

"All she had left of her parents was a medallion with her initials on it, but its impossible to get it with the Earth authorities having it in their possession...." Andrew said.

"Leave the medallion to me and Shy," Larisa said. "When we can, we shall retrieve it ourselves."

I nodded before facing Austin and Andrew.

"Go. See what else you can get out of him," I said.

They bowed and left the room.

"Of all things, a fallen angel....." I sighed, rubbing the bridge of my nose.

"I'm worried about what he knows about Lynette," Larisa said, standing ip and pacing a little. "Why is she being targeted like this? She barely knows of this world like we do..... She's only just learning....."

I frowned and sighed, wishing I had an answer for her.

"I don't know....." I said.

{•Lynette•}

[nightmare]

"Dream...."

I gasped and opened my eyes, seeing I was in some hallway.

This place.... I-Its not the Blackwell castle..... W-Where am I?"

"Dream....."

No... Not again.....

I then noticed a hooded figure standing at the end of the long corridor I was in.

The same images that always flash in between my vision continue to do so.

The fangs. The tavern. The shipwreck. The ballerinas.

"W-Who are you!?" I shouted to the hooded figure.

The figure just walked into another room.

"Wait!! Come back!!" I screamed, running after him.

Claws.... Blood...... WS...... Rain.....

I rushed into the room, but found it empty.

"Dream...."

I furrowed my brows as I found myself in a strange bedroom.

There was a large canopy bed with a dresser and other things, but in the center of the room stood..... a baby bassinet.... Those old-fashioned ones covered in lace......

I frowned and looked over...

"Save her....."

I frowned and looked up.

"Go.... Save her....."

Fire. Screams. The coffin. More and more blood. Visigoth crosses. The woman in the portrait.

I then noticed the bed and something told me to walk over.

"Save her..... Please....."

I gulped and reached over, taking the sheet and pulling it back.

I yelled in shock as I saw the large blood stain on the bed, covering my mouth in shock.

"It was your fault...." another voice spoke.

I turned and froze as I faced a mirror.

Wait... No.... T-That's not.... My reflection..... T-That's......

"Lilith...." I gasped in shock.

W-Why does she-!?

"It was all your fault...!" she snarled at me.

Next thing I know, her hands shot out and gripped my throat, strangling me.

[end of nightmare]

"AAAAHHH!!!" I screamed as I shot up from my sleep in bed, panting hard as my heart pounded against my ribcage.

I whimpered and panted as I held my neck in shock, phantom feeling from her grip in my dream suddenly setting in, when suddenly the door burst open, Remington rushing in.

"Lynette! Lynette, what's wrong!?" He said as he rushed to me and I clung to him.

"I-I don't know, I.... I-I was in this corridor, and-and there was blood and-and...." I stammered, feeling tears streaming down my face.

"Shhhh, ssshhhhhh," he comforted as he pulled me into his arms and I cried into his chest.

"W-Why is this happening to me...?" I sobbed.

"I don't know.... I may have an idea, though..." he said.

I sniffled and looked up at him.

***

Emerson's eyes glowed white, white streak in his hair standing out as he held his hands around my head while I sat on a nearby armchair, a night robe wrapped around me as Remington and Leda stood next to me.

"When did these nightmares start, milady?" Leda asked.

"Ummm... A-Around the time I...." I said, then realized it. "Even since I met Remington....."

Remington looked at me with furrowed brows, confusion in his eyes.

"Sshhhh...." Emerson mumbled softly as he continued to examine me, concentrating.

I gulped and stayed still, Remington gripping my hand.

Soon, Emerson's eyes went back to their regular color and the strange warmth went away as he put his hands down.

"Well?" Remington asked.

"Our little duchess has a very complex mind, I'll admit," Emerson sighed, rubbing one side of his temples. "It was a bitch just trying to get in... Luckily she let me for the most part."

"I did?" I asked.

"Yes. You trusted me to look into your mind, but it wasn't easy... There's some sort of block on your mind, so my view was quite limited..."

"Umm.... I'm sorry?" I tried, not really knowing what to say.

"Not your fault, its just your mind's fault," Emerson shrugged.

"Emerson," Remington scolded.

"D-Did someone put it there?" I asked, placing my hand on the side of my head.

"No... It seems you've have it for your whole life," Emerson said. "Mind blockers are very rare, especially in humans...."

"Could a mind blocker be why the fallen angel wasn't able to compel her, my lord?" Leda asked.

"Its possible....." Emerson said, deep in thought. "The images of your dreams, however, there were things that weren't familiar with.... Like the room you were in, and the corridor... Its not any room I've seen here in the Blackwell Castle....."

"A-And the reflection? Why did Lilith look almost like.... Like me?" I asked.

"Oh please, you are nothing at all like that she-devil," Emerson scoffed.

"Look at her picture!" I said, pointing at the board. "You seriously don't see it!?"

He looked over, and tilted his head.

"Well.... Both of you seem to have similar hair," he said. "However, you are not a deranged lunatic with a god complex, Lynette. Let alone have a connection to her."

I frowned and sighed.

"Milady, you're still distraught.... Let me at least make you some tea," Leda said, holding my hand.

"Please, Leda," Remington pleaded, kneeling down next to me.

Leda just nodded and bowed before stepping out.

"This is all a mess...." I sighed, holding my head.

"I'll say," Emerson said with a sigh as Remington rubbed soft circles on my back.

"What about the baby bassinet?" I asked. "What could that mean?"

Emerson shrugged. "Not sure..... Are you by any chance pregnant?"

"WHAT!?!" Remington and I shouted in surprise.

Emerson then chuckled.

"Relax, lovebirds, I'm only messing with you," He said, smirking with a laugh.

"That's not funny," Remington scoffed, my hand over my chest as I sighed.

"Agreed," I said, rubbing my temple.

"Okay okay, in all seriousness, it is odd, but it can mean a lot of things. We'll have to continue our search to see what it means, if it means anything at all...." he said.

I sighed and nodded.

"Get some more rest, duchess.... You need it," Emerson said. "I'll look more into things, see what I find. I'll also tell Sebastian to let you sit out training for today, so you can rest."

I sighed and nodded, and was going to walk out, but then stopped.

"What about the woman?" I asked, turning around.

Emerson looked up at me curiously. "I beg your pardon?"

"There was a portrait.... Of a woman.... I see her every single time I get those dreams...... She has blonde hair, blue eyes, almost like glass.... She dressed elegantly in the portrait, like she sort of noble I guess..." I said.

He listened closely as I explained.

"She's the only thing in those dreams that doesnt make me feel any fear, yet.... I'm worried something happened to her......Something really bad...... Yet I haven't seen anything similar to her here...." I said.

He furrowed his brows curiously. "I saw a part of a portrait of a woman.... However, I couldn't see it very clearly...."

"Could she maybe be one of the missing people Prophet recruited for the rebellion?" Remington frowned. "She's probably held hostage...."

"No... I-I don't think so.... She kept sayinf to 'save her' but....." I said, then turninf to Emerson. "Were you able to see her face? Maybe you recognize her?"

He signed sadly. "Forgive me, dear duchess.... It was hard to tell who the woman in the portrait was by just her hands.... It was all I was able to see...."

I pursed my lips and nodded.

"I will look into these files, however, see if any unknown woman is named somewhere, but its all I can do," He said.

I nodded. "Thank you....." I said, and walked out, Remington following.

I then stopped as I got a familiar feeling, and turned around, seeing Remington's eyes slow turning red.

"Come on," I said softly, taking his hand.

"Lynette wait... I'll be fine for a little bit, but I need to talk to you first," He said in a serious tone.

"Remington really, I'm fine, it was just some dream I can't understand," I sighed.

"Not that....." He said, making me turn to face him. "Look.... Shy talked to me this morning before she left....."

I was confused at what he meant, then realized it and sighed.

I guess the conversation worried her more than I thought...

"Remington...." I said.

"I just need you to understand, Lynette, this is a bigger thing than being my blood source...." He said. "I want to be sure that you want this....."

I looked up at him, and sighed.

Him and Shy are right.... This is a lot I'm committing myself.....

There would be no turning back once I do this......

I took a deep breath and looked up at him.

"I'm sure about this....." I said to him.

His eyes widen.

"I trust you, Remington.....You're all I have left, and I can't imagine losing you....." I said. "I feel safe with you.... Despite everything going on right now, whenever I look at you.... I.... I feel like its all going to be okay....."

He gave me a soft look as he held his arms around me.

"I'm willing to pay whatever price to be your other half...." I said.

He seemed surprised, but then smiled down at me.

"Lord Remington! Duchess Lynette!" A voice suddenly said, making us turn to see Billie rush up to us.

"Billie, what's wrong?" I asked as she rushed up, quickly bowing.

"I-Its the fallen angel...." she said.

We frowned, looking at each other before back at her, her face full of worry and shock.

***

We hurried to down the dungeon stepa to where the cells were, and soon arrived.

I gasped in horror at the sight.

There was blood everywhere.... Feathers as well, and there in the middle of the large iron cell laid Prophet, his wings were torn out and tossed aside, his throat slashed wide open, bloody all over and in a pool of it.

Next to him in his cell, to my surprise, laid Bernadette, completely eviscerated and lifeless, a large stake right in the middle of her abdomen, her insides spread around, like if she were attacked by an animal.

I was horrified as then Remington stepped up, covering my eyes with his hand and pulling me close to him.

"Andrew, get Emerson to figure out what happened," he ordered as he quickly lead me back outside.

"Lynette," he said. "I'm so sorry you saw that, are you alright!?"

"I-I.... H-How could this have happened?!" I asked in shock.

"I don't know, but.... I'm going to find out what happened...." Remington assured, holding me close to him.

I clung to Remington as I buried my face into his shoulder, and that's when I realized something.

"We have another problem, though, Remington," I mumbled, looking up at him as he then gave me a confused look.

"Any answers we were looking for... They died with that fallen angel....."

~~~~~

A suspenful, surprise chapter in honor of that spooky time of year, as a treat for you all! 🖤🖤🖤

Also because its been one year since "Tonight is the Night I Die" so, yay! 🖤🧛🏻‍♂️🖤🧛🏻‍♂️🖤🧛🏻‍♂️🖤

Hope that everyone had a great and safe Halloween 2021! 🎃👻🦇🕸💀🧡

🎹 Currently in Sapph's playlist:

Motionless in White
"Timebomb"

https://youtu.be/49Ln8Suk0p4

♡~ sapphire.