The Purple Eyed Girl

51. A drop of salted water

Haimon got up with a loud battle cry, grabbing a knife from the table in the process. He aimed for my neck, but I blocked his lower arm with my own and send him tumbling over the golden table. Covered in blood, food and drinks, he fell off it at the other side. When he stood up, I pushed the table to him with a casual kick, trapping him between the two metal surfaces of the wall and the table.

I jumped on the table and ran over it, sliding on my knees during the final meters, punching him hard in the face, blasting him through the golden wall behind him. I watched as the force behind the punch send him flying through the next couple of metal walls as well.

Within seconds I stood in front of him, ignoring the approaching guards. He laid on his back between the rubble. Cuts and bruises covered his body and his suit was torn at several places. Coughing loudly, he tried to get back on his feet and I grabbed him by his collar and lifted him up.

He spat on me and my nose twitched. My fist made contact with his face over and over again while I walked forward, continuing to hold him by his collar, dragging his feet over the ground. His head shot backwards time after time and when I trapped him against the wall, my fist moved from his face to his chest. My fingers hovered over his heart, and a deep breath left my nose as I clenched my jaw. All I could see and feel was fury.

"Do it." He breathed out, causing me to look at him.

His face was covered in blood and one of his eyes was closed and swollen, but he was healing. Although it happened at a slower pace than normal, probably because of the impact of my powers. I was so incredibly done with him, I was slowing down his abilities subconsciously. All I wanted was to just end it and get at least one problem out of the way.

"DO IT!" He screamed, grabbing my hand and pulling it to his chest.

Looking him in the eyes, I let in his feelings. My gaze switched from side to side as I pursed my lips, struggling with what to do. While my veins throbbed, I glared at the joke of a vampire in front of me and released him, causing him to fall onto his hands and knees.

"No." I looked down on him and he scowled. "I gave my word that I would let you live. Besides, there's no bigger punishment for you than life itself. You hate it and yourself. You have no idea what to do now that everything that was once familiar to you is gone. Your past trauma and current hopelessness have caught up with you. Now that everything has settled in, dread has taken over every bit of your relieve up to the point you'd rather die than face it one more day. I'm not going to give it to you, it's not going to solve your problems. You have to let it all in and deal with it, even though it won't be pretty."

"Oh, like you're dealing with the loss of your father?" He spat out.

He was playing a game. He wanted me to snap and kill him, because he didn't dare to do it himself. Shame I didn't want to play it.

"I thought you said everyone was free to grieve in their own way?"

"They are, but that doesn't mean it's a healthy way. Can you honestly look in the mirror and say you like what you've become?"

"I became what I had to in order to remain standing. A lot of this could've been prevented if people didn't let their greed and hunger for power get to them, but they did." Crouching down in front of him, I frowned. "Do you think I want this crown? I don't. But who am I supposed to give it to, huh? You? The generals? Valerio? Oh please, it would only get worse. There's no one and that was the fucking problem in the first place. I had no choice and believe me, I wish I had, because the crown I have to wear is far heavier than yours.

So to answer your question, I don't fucking care what I see in the mirror, not anymore. I have way more important matters to worry about and so do you. After everything I've been through, I could either let it tear me apart or I could tear it apart. So call me a monster, a villain, but at the end of the day I get the hard work done. The same cannot be said for you, but dying isn't going to get you there either. Unfortunately for everyone, the only way out of hell, is through."