Bloodied Strings Of Fate

Seventeen: Unraveling

Waves of nausea are rolling through me as the manager of the bridal shop brought 5 more wedding dresses out for me to try on. I thought I could handle this when the day started but now I just wanted out of this stifling dress and room. Ellie and Lang sat beside me chatting brightly about the type of train I wear and I tried to stay focused on the conversation Ellie jumps up going through the new dresses when she squeals with glee.
"Iz, this one." She turns the dress into full view for me to see. "This is the one."

The dress she held up was absolutely stunning, it was a pure white with light blue on the complex intricate swirl and patterns. The neckline plunged in a v shape with laced swirls bordering it. Hourglass silhouette was silky and had was silky, with a pattern that reminded me of thorns. What I loved the most was the train, it was laced with a similar thorn pattern that flowed to the floor with the rest of the dress. I have to admit, it definitely was me and gorgeous.
Lang grabs me and pulls me into a standing position. "Try it on." He says.

I laugh but do what I was told, grabbing the dress I shuffle myself into the changing room. It fit perfectly and looked amazing on me, a match made in heaven. If only I wasn't wearing this to a wedding I didn't want to go to. I push the thought away and saunter back into the room grinning as I show my friends my new dress.
Ellie is ecstatic when I come out while Lang just raises a brow looking impressed. "Oh gods, you look amazing."

Twirling around to show it all I laugh. "I know, right."

We call the manager back in and set to making measurements. An hour later I'm back in jeans and walking out of the boutique, my friends trailing behind me. The cold night air brings goosebumps to my skin but I welcome it, hoping it will chase away these persistent thoughts in my mind.
Though the feeling of nausea stayed with me I felt calm as I stood outside the shop. Aurora had sent a message with my maid this morning that we were would resume the last of our lessons tonight. The very thought of seeing her makes me burn hot.
"We will see you later Liza, love ya tons," Lang calls from the driver's seat of his beat-up car.

Raising my hand in goodbye I watch them drive away before stalking down the road with mixed thoughts and no way out of my head.

————————————
Sweat makes my palms slick as I follow Aurora with my eyes, she moved gracefully through the library like she owned the place. Long hair so dark it looked purple when the sun hit it, strands of it falling into her beautiful face. Carefully, I push my thoughts to the back of my mind and focus on what she was saying.
"Vampires are considered the stealthiest predators not only because of how fast we move but we can also coerce others." Aurora speaks while placing snacks on the table where I sit then she takes the seat farthest from me. "Some chose to use it as a weapon or for food, though you can use it to manipulate the mind; erase memories-alter it in ways or force someone to do your bidding."

The topic Was interesting, I've heard of this kind of power being used but never seen it. "So how does the whole mind control thing work?"

My sire frowns disapprovingly at me but I shrug it off, if she could put up walls so could I. "It's called a thrall," she snaps, "and how you learn to use it is simple. Think of a pool of string deep in your stomach, grab on to it and pull. Do all this while keeping eye contact with your victim- do not break eye contact either and say what you want from them."

Geez, Aurora sounded like something out of a textbook. This whole time she's been distant and snappy with me, as much as I enjoyed being next to her again my patience was wearing thin. The usual playful and smirking vampire I came to care about was gone sitting across from me was a distant mean woman who glares every time I had a snarky remark. It makes my heart ache at how sad she looks.
"And I can put a 'thrall' on any creature?" I finger quote the word earning another glare.

She waves a hand through the air, a motion I've noticed she does very often when upset. "Yes, here let me show you."

Leaning forward Aurora stares at me without blinking her pupils dilating, the intense look that would've normally made me blush if not for how distant she still looked. Meeting her gaze I wipe my clammy hands on my jeans. I could get lost in those deep red eyes, the many mysteries hidden just behind them. After a long moment, it seems like I do get lost in them, feeling drunk I can't help but look into her eyes. I feel warm and hazy, I would do anything she asked of me.
Her voice sounds like velvet when she speaks. "Eat a cookie pet."

Moving stiffly my body seems to move on its own accord, numb finger grabbing a cookie and taking a bite. It's my mother's homemade ones, I can tell from just one bite. Aurora blinks and the trance crumbles leaving me dizzy.
"Ugh." I groan. "I don't like that feeling."

Looking anywhere but me Aurora says "And whoever you use it on will like it even less seeing as they most likely won't agree to be put under a thrall."

"What do you mean?" I ask.

Aurora looks me in the eye. "Most of them are put in place when a vamp is hungry or in some kind of trouble. If they are overly emotional basically. Imagine being forced to do something horrible and you have no control over what you're doing. You need to be careful, even accidentally you can put someone in danger."

That makes my stomach twist with unease. "Oh." That was all I could say.

"This is why we're here, to learn about it and control it. Give it a try." She gestures to me. "Concentrate, make your will my actions."

Doing as she said I lock eyes with my sire, searching for that pull, and when I find it I tug hard. I watch as she's pupils dilate again but her face softens, the trance in place. She was right, it was simple; too easy.
"Why won't you talk to me anymore?" The words blurted out of me. I just really wanted to know.

Surprise registers behind the hazy look Aurora wore, she was not expecting me to ask that. "I....no." She slams a fist on the table and I jump back.

Aurora shoves her chair back rising to her feet and storming away from me. I stumble trying to get to my own feet but the door to the Library slams shut behind her. Wasn't this lesson supposed to be about control? My sire couldn't even control her temper long enough for me to learn anything.
"Dammit."

————————————
Later on that day I meet with the Leaders of Khaos, the meeting nearly following the same path as the one with the Keepers. Just as stubborn as the humans it took a while to get them to agree to a council between the two sides. In two weeks we would all met and figure out how to settle this. I hadn't expected things to go so fast or be this easy but I wasn't one to look a gift horse in the mouth. My feet shuffled down the halls a deep exhaustion setting in my bones. The cold air drifted through the open windows, it helped calm my frustrations.
Voices echoing off the walls make me pause, they are angry hushed voices. The acoustics were in my favor, I could hear everything off the bare walls. "....at every turn do you understand? Lizabeth is not to make any progress on this stupid mission. Refuse any offers given. Just stall the damn brat until the wedding." The voice is furious, snapping out the words. The deep baritone sounds familiar but I couldn't be sure of who the echoes distorted the voices slightly.

"Do not worry." A gravelly voice says this one I recognize I just spent the whole day arguing with him; Darius Falkers one of the Leaders of Khaos.

When I hear the first voice speak again my whole body goes stiff. "Be sure she doesn't meddle. I need this to go as smoothly as possible."

"Of course, Lord Blackwood."