Taming the Wicked Rogue (Scarlet Legacy Universe)

Through New Eyes

A/N: Hi! First of all, this novel is a standalone and can be read without reading Scarlet Legacy. There will be new and old characters as the story unfolds. Like Scarlet Legacy, this is my first draft and will be continuously edited and revised as I write. Expect errors. I appreciate it if you could point them out. But more than that, I hope you enjoy the story. Only 6 chapters will be posted here on Wattpad as I have signed this story on Dreame. I hope you give Taming the Wicked Rogue a chance. Thank you! 

It was one of those nights again of seeing the world in another person's eyes.

I had turned in early after a busy day at the bakery. Dove in under the covers. Relished the comfortable feel of the memory foam mattress, which, quite frankly, was the only redeeming furniture that came with the run-down apartment. Although a bit cold from lack of heating, the quick shower did wonders to my aching feet. I rubbed myself at the sheets, inhaling the mint scent and finding solace in the familiar smell. The only thing I could look forward to was sleep. Outside, the cacophony of city noise faded to a soft hum, lulling me to oblivion.

Then, it came. A tide of weightlessness crept from the soles of my feet to my head, dampening every physical connection I had with my own body. A world devoid of color but black and white greeted me as my eyes fluttered open.

My body sat up from bed in a fluid motion. A pair of bare feet touched the wooden floor but never felt the chill of its cold surface. She – the force that took over my body, walked towards the wardrobe. She parted the hanging clothes and bent over to pick up a dark cardboard box nestled between boxes of shoes.

Opening the lid revealed a strapless, shiny sequined red dress. The color was striking against the black and white hue of everything around me. From the reflection of the broken mirror on the side, I saw her lips stretch in an unsettling smile. The elation coursing through my body was the stark opposite of the dread of what was to come. This was not good. I had never been as awake and aware of what was happening when she took over until now. It was as if she wanted me to watch.

She took off her clothes on the spot, wore the red dress, and strode towards the vanity table. The dress felt cool and featherlike despite its striking appearance and the color prominent against my white, pale skin. She picked up the rogue lipstick, application slow and meticulous. The glint in her eyes spoke of bone-chilling mockery as though she knew that I was there. She knew I was powerless to stop her.

She slipped her feet into a pair of black heels, grabbed my purse, and sauntered out of the apartment.

I knew from experience she was a head-turner. Gone was the plain jane I Lilian Lux was known for and was replaced by a woman that beckoned attention. There was a stunning countenance about her – beyond elegant. Almost ethereal in the way she held herself.

The first night my body was taken over was a night filled with despair. My fiancée had left me on the altar, and the whole town had gloated at my misery. The pain from the betrayal was unimaginable, and I had wanted to end it all. I tried to.

As the sharp blade cut against my skin and the blood welled up and dripped down the porcelain tiles – something awakened in me. The piercing sound when the knife dropped on the floor seemed so far away. All I could focus on was the steady stream of scarlet. The weightlessness from blood loss came, but another sensation came with it. An invisible force had awakened, clawing at my insides, encasing all I am within.

I heard her voice then – soft yet mocking as it said, "How pitifully weak." Instead, the night I had tried to end it all awakened 'it' from slumber.

When we turned to a familiar dark street, a three-story dark building came into view. Its' signboard glowing neon and spelled in cursive font - Au-Dela. The whole structure felt out of place. As if somehow, it had materialized out of the blue amidst the dirty, trash-littered street.