1692

Act XVIII

Cake of the day: Dark Chocolate Mousse Cake (Extremely good for pregnant women)

I lay awake that night, wrapped in thick blankets to keep the bitter nip of night out.

Bram was sleeping next to me, the butlers were gone, and the whole of the house was tranquilly quiet, the only light was a small, writhing candle on the night stand beside the bed.

I snuggled tighter into the cushions of the bed, pulling blankets over my head. The images of the wolves in the square, accompanied by the harrowing sound of gun shots, had plagued my thoughts all day. The scared, helpless look Squall held before she died seared my flesh and bone with guilt.

With a disgusted shudder, I shoved the thought aside.

I glanced at the tall clock at the other end of the room, 11:23 read on the solemn face.

I closed my eyes, letting the calming darkness caress me.

Suddenly, the sound of a bell. A large, ominous sound, like that of the deep bellowing from a cathedral.

It rang once.

Twice.

Thrice.

With a fourth blow, the sound stopped.

I opened my eyes with a start, my eyes quickly darting across the room, scanning everything in fear.

Nothing at changed.

It was only a dream.

The clock now read 11:39.

I settled down again, closing my eyes.

Suddenly, I was snapped back to consciousness by a frigid gust of wind. I stared before me in shock, I was standing deep in the forest, illuminated only by the pale light of the moon.

There was a figure before me, back lit and silhouetted by the moon. Suddenly, on the creature's body, an enormous, bloodshot eye opened with a sickening squish. Then another, lower this time. Eye after eye opened as I lifted my hands to my clammy cheeks in horror.

I was snapped awake again, my eyes sore and tired.

1:37.

After my vision adjusted slightly, it was if I was standing beside the bed, looking down. Bram was gone, but to my horror, I was still there, laying tranquilly on the bed. I was outside of my body somehow.

I watched myself breathe for a few minutes.

Suddenly, I watched in horror as another man entered the room. His hair covered his face, I couldn't make out any features as he staggered to my sleeping form. He knelt down beside me, opening his mouth to reveal sharp, vampiric teeth. He grazed the revealed skin on my chest with his teeth, then roughly bit into the skin with a sickening pop, like the sound of a small fruit between one's teeth. The red of my blood bubbled to the surface, dripping all around the cracked porcelain of my chest.

I screamed, but the only sound that came out was a hushed whisper. As hard as I ragged my throat, nothing but a hoarse crackling escaped.

My eyes opened slowly again.

Another dream.

The clock read 2:16.

I gently traced my fingers over my chest, I couldn't feel a wound.

The next morning, I sat alone at the breakfast table. The room was cold, the sky grey pouring monochrome light into the room.

Before me at the table was a large bowl, filled with eggs. Brown, speckled, cream, all eggs, quietly sitting.