The Sentinel's Conduit

| 6 | Chimes of Doom

◈ Celia ◈

I stand in front of the full-size mirror, fixing my lip gloss as I try to ignore the sinking feeling in my gut. Behind me, Amon is putting his clothes back on, the rustle of fabric filling the silence between us. The room feels stuffy, the air thick with the scent of sweat and sex.

Why did I do that..?

As I stand here, staring at my reflection, I can't shake the utter disgust and guilt gnawing at my insides. I can't believe I let him touch me again, let him inside me, after everything he's done. After he betrayed me, broke my heart, shattered my trust. My skin feels sticky, tainted by his touch, and I have to fight to the urge to scrub myself clean.

There's only one thing that's gonna wash away the sin, and a shower isn't it.

We'd sworn celibacy a year ago, a promise to save ourselves for marriage. And now, as the guilt washes over me, as the disgust churns my stomach, I can't help but wonder if that's one of the reasons he cheated on me. If my refusal to give him what he wanted drove him into the arms of another woman.

No. What he did is not my fault. His choices are not on me.

In the next moment, Amon comes up from behind me, his hands sliding down my shoulders, his lips pressing against my skin. His touch feels wrong, invasive, and I shrug him away, stepping out of his reach.

"I'm done," I say, my voice flat, emotionless.

He looks surprised, his eyebrows rising. "What do you mean?"

I turn to face him, my arms crossing just beneath my breasts. "This was a mistake, Amon. I'm sorry."

I don't give him the chance to respond, to try to change my mind. I grab my shoes and rush out of the room, my heart pounding in my chest, the sound of my bare feet slapping against the cold marble floor echoing in the empty hallway.

As I make my way through the corridor, my mind races with thoughts of what I've done, of the shame and regret that threaten to consume me. The hallway seems to stretch on forever, the walls closing in around me, suffocating me with the reality of my actions.

Just as I turn the corner, as though my life couldn't be any more of a fucking cliché, I collide with a solid wall of muscle. I look up, my eyes widening as I take in the sight of Xavier, his dark eyes boring into mine, a hard look on his face. His scent envelops me, a mix of leather and something distinctively masculine.

I can feel myself cowering away, shrinking under the weight of his gaze. Then, Amon comes out from behind me, his presence practically a noose around my neck.

Fuck.

Xavier's eyes flick to Amon, then back to me, and I can practically see the judgment in them, the way they scream 'whore'. The word hangs heavy in the air, unspoken but deafening.

But he doesn't say anything. He just goes about his way, his footsteps echoing down the hall, the sound of his black combat boots against the floor fading into the distance.

Great. Now, he thinks even less of me.

I exhale sharply, my shoulders slumping. I begin my steps, walking away, my shoes dangling from my fingers, my bare feet padding against the cool marble.

"Celia, wait," Amon calls after me, his hand reaching for my arm, his fingers brushing against my skin.

Just leave me alone.

Before he can touch me, before he can say another word, my father appears, his face a mask of terror as he sees Amon. The hallway suddenly feels colder, the air crackling with tension.

"What are you still doing here?!" he asks, his voice tight with anger, his words sharp and biting. "You're supposed to be with the others!"

Amon opens his mouth to respond, but I cut him off. "Go," I say, my eyes locking with my father's, my tone leaving no room for argument. "I want to speak with my dad."

Amon hesitates for a moment, but then he nods, excusing himself and disappearing down the hall.

I wait until he's gone, until it's just me and my father, alone in the empty corridor. The silence is heavy, oppressive, broken only by the sound of our breathing. When I turn to him, my eyes narrow, my heart hammering in my chest, I confront him.

"I overheard you," I say, my voice shaking with fear and anger, my words feeling like broken glass in my throat. "I know about the sacrifices. About the deal you made with the Vampire Lord."

My father's face goes pale, his eyes widening, his skin taking on a sickly sheen. In the next moment, he grabs me by the arm, his fingers digging into my skin, his grip tight and desperate, and he drags me down the hall to the library.

Once we're inside, he slams the door shut behind us, the sound reverberating through the room, my body involuntarily flinching. His breathing is ragged, his hands shaking, his forehead beaded with sweat.

"Dad, what's going on?" I ask, my heart pounding in my chest, my mouth going dry. "What did you do?"

He runs his hand over his face, his shoulders heaving, his entire body trembling. "The demons were closing in on the area," he says, his voice barely above a whisper, his words heavy. "That's why Elion arrived two years ago. And when he saw how bad it was, he called for the other Sentinels to come and help him protect the city. But before they came, any of them, I made a deal with the Vampire Lord."

My blood runs cold, my stomach twisting into knots, bile rising in the back of my throat. "What kind of deal..?"

He looks at me, his eyes filled with a desperate, haunted look, the shadows under them deep and dark. "They would stay away from the city, leave us in peace. And in exchange, I would...I would sacrifice ten people every month."

I stumble back, my hand flying to my mouth, the taste of acrid on my tongue. "Oh my God," I whisper, my voice breaking, my eyes burning with unshed tears. "Dad, how could you? You're the Head Pastor...people depend on you! We're supposed to trust you to lead us, to —"

"Don't you think I know that?!" he snaps, shaking his head, his face crumpling, his shoulders sagging under the weight of his guilt. "I did it out of desperation, Celia. Churches are being infiltrated left and right by these...degenerate cult of devil worshipers! It was only a matter of time before they'd come here and help the vampires take over. I didn't know what else to do. I thought I was protecting our people, keeping them safe."

The Crimson Covenant...

I've heard of them. The entire city has. They're a cult of humans who idolize vampires. They worship them, want to be like them. So they carry out the dirty work for them. Where vampires can't go, they go, weakening the Church from the inside out, destroying anything and everything Holy to give way for the Vampire Lord to come in and make a meal of us in exchange for 'eternal life'.

I close my eyes, trying to process it all. The room feels suffocating, the walls closing in around us. "And now?" I ask, my voice trembling, my heart in my throat. "What happens now?"

As if in answer, the clock strikes midnight, the bells chiming through the air, the sound echoing through the library, vibrating through my bones. My father's face goes ashen, his eyes widening in terror, his lips trembling.

"They're coming for me," he whispers, his voice filled with a sickening certainty. "God help us all."