Love The Void (Palaye Royale - Book 2)

Chapter 10

The first time I'd seen her since coming to live with the Kropp family, was simply passing by her on the street. Her floor length, crimson red cheongsam dragged the sidewalk lightly, the floral lace fabric stained with dirt at the tips. Her red heels, merely a couple inches, made her already tall frame even more towering as she brushed my shoulder harshly. The red winged eyeliner on the top lid of her short-lashed, slanted eyes was mesmerizing. The beauty of her olive, unblemished skin was nearly overtaken by the crimson of her stained lips, pulled into a cruel smirk. Thick, black tresses were piled up in a faux-curled half bun, contrasting greatly against her complexion.

She looked like she bathed in blood.

The second encounter was during one of Palaye's recording sessions. I'd stepped outside of the building because the room was too stuffy, too loud, and I had a headache. Across the street, standing next to a sleek, red vintage impala, was that same woman. Same makeup, same dress, same smirk. She stared at me, a burning heat passing over my body though there was no flame.

For a moment, I was sure her eyes shone gold but the second I noticed it, the glow was gone and her eyes were back to their chocolate brown. She raised her taloned hand up in a wave, a whisper leaving her lips. It should have been impossible for me to hear her with the heavy traffic just a street over but I did. I heard her clearly, as though she were right next to me. A thrum of fear struck my heart like a knife and within merely a few seconds, the woman was gone and beside me was Emerson.

I tried to focus on what he was asking me, the worry pulsing through our bond and coating his words, but all I could hear was her voice echoing continuously in my head.

"You will be ours."

The third occurrence, and the most recent, was yesterday. I'd been with Elizabeth, just walking around with no destination. The boys were off doing their own thing, band related like the previous encounter, so it was just Elizabeth and I. She'd been working on not relying on Remington so completely, and its been hard for the both of them. They'd spent many years constantly around each other, be it in their line of sight or at least the same building, with few exceptions.

"What're you thinking about?" The woman questions, the kindness deep in her soul shown brilliantly in her heterochromatic eyes.

"The woman I keep seeing... she scares me Birdie, and she hasn't even done anything." I reply, eyes downcast and wide, thoroughly conveying the fear filling my bones.

'This time.' Is my minds reminder, a thought I shove away to the recesses of my head.

I'd taken up Emerson's nickname for the girl, so used to hearing him fondly call her by it. They have such a lovely relationship. They care for each other much like how Remington, Sebastian, and Emerson do; as siblings.

"What did you say she looked like?" She inquires, wrapping an arm around my shoulder gently, staring at me with this look, a special sort of look that I can never quite place.

"Red. Everything about her... her clothing, makeup, car... all crimson red. She seemed to be Asian, and... Birdie I think she's a witch. Her eyes glowed gold like the boys' do."

I noticed immediately how she stiffened up momentarily, her grip on my shoulder tightening an infinitesimal amount. "It must be a different person..."

Elizabeth's voice is hardly a whisper, a slight shake to her tone, a reflective glint in her irises. "Do you think you know who she is?" I ask, placing a hand on her shaking wrist, her body buzzing with tremors.