Bitter Reality

The Letter

A month had passed tensely, all of us trying to come to terms with Castiel’s return.

Um…I should probably tell you why we’re so shaken up, huh? Yeah, I probably should.

Castiel and I met back in France, only a few weeks after becoming a vampire. I was starving for blood, dying; until he brought me to his house. He let me stay there until I was well enough to fend for myself. I didn’t know the vampire customs back then. He was already fifteen years as a vampire, so a little over thirty. He flirted with me. I didn’t know that it was practically a marriage proposal. I took his gift of ruby jewelry, and he and I started ‘dating’, as humans nowadays say. It was a charmed relationship. He thought we were meant to be together, because 98% of all vampires have black (for males) and silvery blonde (for females) as a hair color. Anything different means you might be destined for something very great.

Soon after that, I went out into the vampire world. I made a bit of a name for myself in the opera house. There, I met Aggie; who was a soloist like me. Many males chased after me. One of them started to flirt with me. That’s when things started to go wrong. Castiel started to murder the males that tried to court me; even some of the humans who did. A few of the murdered were nobles. Humans started to worry that I was cursed; that I shouldn’t be courted lest you die a brutal death, your blood sucked from your body. I found out that Castiel was behind the murders, and by then I had found the LeBeau family. Turns out, the eldest son from their family had died because of Castiel. They helped me confront Castiel because he was quite strong at the time.

I shuddered as I thought of what he had said to me:

“Julie, you are my heart. I thought would be together. Look! Your auburn hair; you are destined for something, just as I am! That is something that has always been in the vampires!” I had turned away from him that day. I brought the queen’s guards to take him; it was a strict law never to kill another. He was locked away, meant to stay there until he rotted away.

It is a cruel hit to know that he broke out.

I threw my pillow across the room, letting it hit against the wall. Slowly, I got up and walked to a cherry wood box. It was old, you could tell that very easily. Why it mattered to me so much was because it held things from my former life. A silk sash, a string of pearls. A hairclip adorned with emeralds and sapphires. I dug past all of that. In the farthest corner of the small box, I found what I was looking for: A delicate handmade ring. Silver strands plaited with tiny strips of white gold, little leaf indentions, along with my name inscribed on the inside. Lastly, there were tiny diamonds circling the gemstone in the middle: A blood red ruby. A knock sounded at my door. I quickly put the ring away and shut the box. “Yes?” My mom opened the door. “Julie, there’s a letter for you.” She handed me the small envelope. I looked at it. The writing was French. I nodded to my mom. “Thanks.” She left, and I sat down at my desk, cutting the envelope open to get to the letter. That was also written in French.

To my dearest Julie,

By the time you have read this, you will know where I am. I still love you. I wanted to protect you from the other men. It pained me that you abandoned me. But, love knows forgiveness. I still believe that we were meant for each other, Julie. In the past few years, I have learned enough of your new language to speak with your new friends. And I know you well enough to know that you still have my ring.

My blood ran cold. How could he know?

Julie, come away with me. I will love you enough for the entire world, because you are my world. Please, my Julie. I love you. If you do not want to, then rip this letter to shreds. I will find another way back to your heart.

                I took the letter in my hands, ready to pull it apart.

But,

                I stared at the parchment.

Be warned, my heart. The same shall happen to those who court you as it happened before. I know who has taken a liking to you. I’ve been keeping a subtle eye on you. Before you read this, I doubt you even knew.

                My eyes opened wide at that statement.

Know that there has always been a place for you in my heart.

                                                                      I will always love you, my Juliette

                                                                      -Castiel Antoine LeBlanc

The letter slightly shook from my trembling hands. Castiel gave me two choices: Go away with him, become a fugitive, be his mate for all eternity, or watch every guy that flirts with me, even if it’s jokingly, be murdered. No, I thought. I won’t let him force me into this. I opened my window, and tore the letter to small pieces, letting them float to the ground. I sat back down on my bed. “Well,” I whispered to myself. “There hasn’t been anyone who has really taken a shine to me. So…they should be safe for now.”