A Vampire's Night : New Beginnings

Chapter 7 - Danger In The Shadows

Mysterious Observer POV

I thought I had finally found her again... Princess Lilianna. My Lilianna. I first caught a glimpse of the girl during the festival that the humans were having in my Lilianna's honor... but this girl looked younger than the first time I had met the Princess many years ago, her hair was a few shades darker than my Lilianna's golden blonde, this girl was paler and her eyes were a brilliant blue-green. She was a mirror image of my Lilianna except for those few differences. I had spent the festival following the girl, everything about her bringing back memories of my Lilianna from how she danced to how she talked with those around her... even how she interacted with those tainted Van Dracens. Even when the festival was done, I followed her to the little farmhouse she lived in all by herself, feeling an immense hatred for the human boy who seemed to bear a level of affection for her that even had that pathetic Conner pissed off.

"Master?" My thoughts were disrupted by a soft voice from the shadows as a few of my familiars came out and awaited their orders, "How may we be of service to you?"

"Find out everything about that girl... I want to know if she has a connection to my Lilianna." I couldn't help the angry hiss in my tone as my anger showed within my eyes, turning them red.

"Immediately, master." They bowed before disappearing once again.

I spent the rest of the afternoon watching the girl as she did her chores around her home with the human boy. I relaxed a little more when he left to return home before it was dark and I used the shadows to creep silently closer to her home. A powerful energy surrounded the home something ancient and protective of those who lived within... but it was also very familiar.

"Mama, Papa... you won't believe what happened today." I hear the girl murmur, sticking to the shadows more because I assumed that she was speaking to her parents until I noticed that she had pulled out a small portrait that was carefully wrapped and set it up on the table to talk to as if they were really in front of her.

"Papa, you remember Thad don't you? I'm sure you do, he followed you around a lot because he loved your tales from when you were a knight, wanting to be just like you when he grew up and you always said he was a good lad, helping his mother and always helping to take care of his family. Well, that good lad says he loves me... that he has loved me for a long while and wants to love me for years to come." The girl speaks to her father first before turning her gaze ever so slightly to the other side of the portrait where the woman no doubt sits, "Mama, I've never felt so happy! I wish you were both here... that I could share this moment with both of you, but I know exactly what you'd tell me. Father would make a fuss about protecting me from men altogether and Mother you would be smiling as you tell Father to calm down and to let me enjoy my first love... that you'd both always be there for me as I experience so many new firsts."

The girl's expression takes a sad turn as she gently reaches out to touch the faces on the portrait, this expression makes her seem more and more like the Lilianna that I knew of. Watching her caused something in me to stir, something that hadn't awakened in years... something that made a dangerous smirk slowly take place on my face as I remembered the few memories I had with my Lilianna. Hearing the girl sigh, I watched her get up from the table, she said goodnight to the portrait before putting the thin fabric over it and heading upstairs to bed for the evening. After making sure that she was asleep for the night, I made my way silently into the house because I was not restricted in the same ways as the Van Dracen family and their kind. I made my way over to the portrait, pausing for only a moment to make absolutely sure that the girl was asleep before carefully lifting the fabric and meeting my Lilianna's gaze upon the canvas.

Rage filled me, my Lilianna was in a portrait with that stupid knight that I had wanted to kill all those years ago... but by the time I had gone to retrieve my Lilianna, the knight had taken her away. He had stolen my plaything, my Lilianna... and now it appeared that they may have left me a brand new plaything that looked almost exactly like my Lilianna. I carefully replaced the fabric so that it looked how it had before and then left the house as fast as I could without waking the girl up. I didn't care if humans saw me now, I began to make my way to where the town's Mayor lived. I wanted answers and I wanted them now.

"We have the Mayor's family in the main hall, Master." One of my familiars informs me as I casually stroll my way through the front door without caring about the fact that it isn't my own home.

I follow the familiar through the few short halls until we enter a rather large room, the Mayor's family is trembling in the center of the room as I walk in and take the seat that the rest of my familiars have set up for me right in front of the family. I look over each one of them, seeing that the Mayor has been roughed up a bit, I give him a dark smile.

"I'm going to make this very simple for you because I know that my creatures have already asked you... tell me everything you know about the girl who lives on the farm outside of town or I'll start killing your family beginning with your youngest child." I snarl at them darkly as I lean back in the seat.

"The girl's name is Amelia Roark. Her parents were killed back when she was a little girl and the whole town has been collectively raising her ever since. Her parents, Lily and Mark, were killed by some form of creature of the night but we never found out who it was. Amelia was a baby when Lily and Mark moved into town, she was only about Six years old when they died... she's soon to turn Seventeen as well." The Mayor began to explain because he feared for his children's lives.

"Amelia... she always did like that name. Now the parents, Lily and Mark Roark. What about them?" I ask in a dark tone sending shivers down his spine.

"Mark claimed that he was a former knight who retired due to an old injury. He wanted to live a more simple life after he was dismissed by the King." The mayor responded immediately.

"What of Amelia's mother?" I encouraged him to continue with a dark look in my eye.

"Lily stayed at home, she never seemed like she knew how to do much beyond some gardening. She only ever stated that she was sheltered at home before she married Mark." The mayor responded in a confused manner, "She kept to herself, she was always around her daughter, always acting like something was going to come after her if she looked away for too long."

"I have one last question, and it's going to be pretty simple for you." I informed him as I motioned to my oldest familiar and she came forward as she lifted a locket from her neck to hand it to me, "Amelia's mother, Lily... is this her?"

I open the locket, showing him the picture within and I get my answer before he speaks it because the recognition in his eyes is enough to tell me. I wait for the words though, I wait for the verbal confirmation even as I feel the excitement begin to build within me.

"Yes, that's Lily Roark!" The mayor responds, but then he seems to hesitate, "Why is she wearing such finery in this portrait? She looks just like a noblewoman..."

"That is correct, the most noble of women in the whole kingdom." I laugh in dark excitement as I close the locket and stand up to move around the room in elation, "You see Mr. Mayor, Lily Roark is none other than the kingdom's very own Princess Lilianna. The runaway Princess disappeared all those years ago after giving birth to her child in secret so that no one outside of her family would know of the baby girl's existence. My Lilianna... even in death, you leave me the best gifts."

"Then Amelia is the Lost Princess." The Mayor's wife says in shock as she holds her children close.

"Master, what would you like us to do with the Mayor and his family? Now that they know who the girl is would it not be reasonable for us to get rid of them?" my oldest familiar makes the request as she bows low to me and awaits my decision.

"No, I swore I'd let them live if he answered my questions and he did. Knowing who she really is will do nothing, it will change nothing for them. I will take what is mine regardless of anything they do, let them warn the girl if they desire... It'll be good for her to know where she's meant to be." I responded with a dangerous joy bright on my face as I began to plan out everything that I wanted to do with my new toy that reminded me so much of my beautiful Lilianna, "Lets go! We have much to prepare for Princess Amelia's arrival!"

We left the Mayor's home, disappearing back into the shadows that were my home... and soon, would be the home of everything my Lilianna loved most.

Amelia will be mine.