〖𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐁𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐓𝐨 𝐖𝐢𝐧𝐞〗│The Darkling

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟑

┅┅✹✵┅☾┅✵✹┅┅

Those eyes, that look.

That very look has haunted me for years.

In his eyes I see my past, this hope, greed and this unmistakable success that is reflected in his eyes. Just now he lay bleeding in front of me.
Now I can literally read his thoughts.

I never underestimated my powers, just united with me and my abilities, but he has the look that everyone had:

He wants me.

Not in a romantic way like everyone wants someone to do, but in a dominant and possessive way.
Like a secret that you find to overthrow the king.

Without a moment to think, I turn away from the fireplace and clench my fists. "No." My steps in his direction are slow, but threatening.

Blood drips from my palm and my fingernails are pressed further and further into the skin.

"No!"

A tension runs through my body like I haven't felt in a long time.
His dark eyes are fixed on me, showing a spark of fear.

Through my emotions, I almost didn't see it. Only our breath separates us and my fist clenches around his shirt, pulling it up slightly.

His dried blood crumbles under the movement and mixes with my fresh one. In that moment, the fear in his eyes disappears and I see will.

Will to take what is asked for.

I don't care what has happened to him in his life or who he is. No one will ever be allowed to look at me like that again. There is too much behind me to be used by someone again.

"But it's the chance!"

Those words. This look. This moment.

┅┅✹✵┅☾┅✵✹┅┅

"But it's the chance!"

Anastasia could not believe her father's words. He was the one who helped people in need. The one who helped the children when another parent didn't return.

And yet he stands in front of her and asks her to help people only for money.

"We live our whole lives in poverty. You have to work so hard for us. We can live in luxury Ann'!"

She can't hold back her tears. When did her father become this man?

"Pa'...I can heal people with this.... My blood... Why should they pay for something that saves their lives?"

Then his eyes change too. The ones that were once so good and sparkled in the sun became pale and filled with greed.

"I am your father. You won't make a decision without me!"

Anastasia's eyes filled with tears.

Days ago she thought he was going to die. After his healing by her blood, she had never been so happy.

After his recovery, she told him that she wanted to travel to Os Kervo to help people.

But now they are standing here and she has to learn how greedy humanity is.

She remembers that day clearly.

She left Tsemna and her old life in the next few hours. As the only memory of her, she left her father a vial with her blood, in case he should get sick again.

┅┅✹✵┅☾┅✵✹┅┅

My vision widens again.

Tears have spread in my eyes and I have to blink several times to see what.

The air seems to get stuck in my throat and my lungs contract. With every attempt to breathe, a sharp pain runs through my body and new tears form.

My breathing is uncontrolled and filled with panic.

I realize far too late that my body is once again surrounded by darkness, pulling me powerfully forward.

"No, no.... I don't want to- why-"

Then I see him.

The shadows envelop him and wrap around his skin like a blanket.

"Shhh... breathe. Everything is fine. It's just you and me."

Even though I was scared about him in the first place, his words reassured me. My breathing became shallower again and I surrendered to the shadows.

The tugging and the heat disappear and I only feel the warmth in his eyes and his darkness. The shadows feel like an embrace and I almost feel something like loss as the shadows disappear again.

I watch as the shadows slowly clear like a fog and disappear back into the dark corners of the house.

As the dark haired man breaks away from his kneeling position and sits on the floor, my gaze returns to him.

"I'm sorry if I scared you, but you almost walked into the fire."

My gaze wanders to the wooden floor and the blazing fire maybe a foot away.

Did I perhaps just perceive something wrong after all?

Is he perhaps not trying to take advantage of me after all? Is he perhaps just trying to gain my trust?

My eyes water again and I look at him again, hoping to find an answer in his eyes. But he only tilts his head and there is only concern in his eyes.

"What chance? You've said that it's the chance."

His eyebrows draw together at my words.

"Chance? I never said anything like that."

Now it's my eyes that widen. Is he lying? Am I lying to myself?

I look into a corner of the room and question myself.
Has time caught up with me after all and am I going crazy? 

I hear him exhale heavily and look at him expectantly.

"You know, I understand how burdensome time and its past can be."

With these words, he triggers a series of questions. But how would he? He's maybe 20... in Grisha age at most 40.

My hope that he could understand me shatters with my thoughts, like a vase against the wall. So I stand up and look at my wounds on my hand, my joint and the burns over my arms.
No, he has too few wounds, too little experience to say.

"I doubt it. You've lived far too short a time for that."

At these words, he shakes his head slightly in disbelief and smiles blankly.

Still, at the sight of him I'm not sure, this guy has something in his eyes that I've never been able to find in anyone. Like a soul that tries to stay alive and warm through the forces of time.

With that, I leave the room and head towards my bedroom to get some sleep myself, despite the high sun in the sky.

┅┅✹✵┅☾┅✵✹┅┅