Chorales of Tears.

CHAPTER-18

'Wolves asleep amidst the trees
Bats all a swaying in the breeze
But one soul lies anxious wide awake
Fearing no manner of ghouls, hags, and wraiths
For your dolly, Polly sleep has flown
Don't dare let her tremble alone
For the witcher, heartless, cold
Paid in coin of gold
He comes he'll go leave naught behind
But heartache and woe
Deep, deep woe
Birds are silent for the night
Cows turned in as daylight dies
But one soul lies anxious wide awake
Fearing no manner of ghouls, hags, and wraiths
My dear dolly Polly shut your eyes
Lie still, lie silent, utter no cries
As the witcher, brave and bold
Paid in coin of gold
He'll chop and slice you
Cut and dice you
Eat you up whole
Eat you whole.'

I gasped as I abruptly woke up and panted, sweat beaded on my forehead as I clenched the sheet. 'Azuraaa...' Someone whispered. I whisked my head to my side but no one was there. What the hell was that? I rubbed my chest as I felt a tug in there. My throat felt dry, it was like I haven't tasted water in years. I tried to swallow my saliva but that too felt dry. I got out of my bed and walked to the door. I wanted water. As I turned the doorknob I felt someone's breath near my ear. I looked at my back but no one was there. So I opened the door and walked out of the room.

And the next thing I know that I was walking in an unknown place. It looked like an abandoned place. The moon was shining in its full glory as I stood in an abandoned mansion, or that's what I thought because the roof was broken above me. I looked at the dead and decaying trees around. The walls looked grey and they too were corroded. What place is this? I asked myself. I was in my house one minute and the next thing I know I'm in some haunted place.

I stepped forward as the dead leaves crunched beneath my bare feet. The place was too cold. I rubbed my arms to feel the heat of my palms. To my left I heard someone crying, and I know I should have run but my legs having minds of their own took me in the same direction.

I came out in some sort of an open area. I looked at a dark tree that had no sign of life not even a leaf on it. I slowly headed in its direction. As I walked I could see small pits here and there filled with black stinking water. For once I thought it was drainage water. Maybe some underground drainage pipes were leaking.

As I ran my gaze around me suddenly I stopped dead in my tracks. I felt cold, literally ice cold. My stomach churned at what I was looking at in front of me. I wanted to puke. I felt a huge lump forming in my throat. I felt cold but my blood was boiling at the same time. I wanted to move my body, but not even a single cell in my body would listen to my command. I was never afraid of ghosts not even any insect or animal since childhood but literally, this sent a shiver all over my body. Not due to fear... okay I will be honest I was a little scared but my anger overpowered that.

My head was drumming so hard that I was shocked it didn't explode. My throat worked and I gulped. I don't know how but I reached for a familiar mind, Rowen. 'Azura?' I heard him in my mind. My body turned weak as every second passed. I screamed in my head as questions were burning in my mind. I brushed my mind against his once again and asked for help.

"Azura," I heard Rowen's fainted voices that were echoing in the entire place. My throat went dry as I didn't even have the power to utter a word. I took some heavy steps forwarded as I crouched down and my hand reach forward. I turned the body of a naked girl whose back was facing me. Mice were all around her, eating her bit by bit. I covered my nose due to the stinking foul smell. I was sure even a skunk would have puked.

She looked in her early twenties. She was all bloody, the bite marks on her body were more like animal bites. The flesh of her cheek was hanging and the teeth marks were around the wound. The person bit her cheek until the flesh was ripped off her face, and blood was seeping out of her slim leg along with the intestine coming out of her vagina. She was brutally beaten and was penetrated with an iron rod in the genitals, and almost eviscerated by the mirror, who had pulled her intestines out through her genitals. The rod was still inside her vagina.

I heard footsteps behind me.

"What are you-" Rowen stopped as he came beside me and looked at me then in the direction to where I was looking. I heard another heavy footstep and I was guessing it was Asterion. My heart nearly dropped when I looked at her stomach.

'Dark' was engraved on her skin. My body went numb for a moment. I wasn't exactly knowing what to do.

"What the-" I heard Asterion behind me as he looked at the sight in front of him. I couldn't care more than to look at anyone around me. I lost the power to even say anything. I touched her naked body but then cringed. Her wounds were not that fresh. She was dumped here more than 10 hours ago or so, as the black water was seeping from her cuts. Whoever the person was, their target was me. I balled my fist, unable to think what should I do. I stood up and backed away.

I heard another set of footsteps coming in our direction.

"What the fuck!"

"Hell!"

"Fuck!" I heard Rowen's sentries curse at the same time.

"It was a demon who did this to her," Rowen said. Ella nodded and cautiously bent down and touched her palm. She closed her eyes and chanted something.

I sucked in a sharp breath as my body started heating and it felt like I was put into a furnace. My body shook violently and I fell to my knees. Rowen immediately came beside me and brought his arm around my shoulder. I screamed and I clutched onto his coat. I was sucking her agony, even if I didn't want to. Sweat beaded on my forehead as my body shook.

"Shit! What is happening to her?" Lucas asked as he bent to my other side.

"She is taking her agony in herself," Asterion answered. Rowen held me tighter in his arms as tears formed in my eyes. I shook my head violently to cease the pain.

"Liam, take the girl's body. Ella will check her body. Asterion, call the healer. I'll take Azura to my place." Rowen barked orders as he picked me up in his arms. I whimpered as I felt my heart aching. "Lucas, look around the place. See if you find something. Mara, find who was this girl."

I buried my face in his chest as I sucked every last bit of the girl's pain. And then suddenly my body stopped shaking and turned cold.

The last thing I remember was Rowen ordering-"Azura, don't you dare close your eyes."

When I opened my eyes, all I felt was hollow from inside out, nothing but pain and bitterness. I don't think I could intake the agony of some human. Demons sure but not humans. I don't know what was happening to me.

"Are you alright?" Asked the voice. I looked at some unknown man who was dinging me a soft and reassuring smile. I looked around myself to locate where I was but I don't think it was my place.

"What is this place?" I managed to croak out.

"Well, you passed out Miss Norwood. And we brought you to Mr. Hade's house." He answered.

"How do you feel." He asked packing his stuff.

"Peachy," I replied truthfully. He nodded and gathered himself with a long breath and left the room. Well, that was weird. It felt like he wanted to say something. I was deep in thoughts when Rowen entered the room and covered the gap between was in three long graceful strides.

"How do you feel?" He asked monotonously. Wasn't he all sweet and careful?

"Fine." I huffed. I rubbed my chest as it felt sore. Rowen was silent as he was analyzing me.

"What are you, Miss Norwood?" He finally asked.

"I'm... What?" I asked in confusion.

"You are human but at the same time, you are not. You have a soul but I cannot see it, feel it yeah but not see it." He explained.

"So you can see souls?" I asked raising my eyebrows.

"That does not matter what I do or not. But-" His voice dropped an octave and I couldn't drop the shiver that ran down my spine. "You intake the souls in you I see." I took in a sharp breath at his comment. Fuck, did I do it in front of him? But why does it bother him?

"I think I do," I said meekly.

"We'll talk about it soon Miss Norwood, very soon." He deadpanned and left the room.