A Vampire's Pride

The Raksha's Request

Viola's POV

                    People always preach to us from a young age to never trust strangers, but for my dad and I, it was always the opposite.
        He'd tell me to never trust those close to you if it was something in a life or death situation, because they'd have the power to hurt you the most.

              Lately, I'd adapted to telling Kilian and the others all of my plans and fears. It was against how I'd been raised, but it was so comforting knowing that I wouldn't be alone anymore.

               I hadn't blinked when Waren instructed me to go alone.

               It almost sounded like a direct command from my father, and my obedient side kind of just kicked in. During the walk to the river I'd had a lot to ponder over— focusing on all of the hardships I'd faced so far, not alone.

Was this really the type of thing that I should be doing alone? Blindsided and not yet to my full potential power?

Eventually I'd reasoned with myself, I'm strong enough. I'm more than capable of handling going to another dimension and dragging my dad's ass back home. I don't need the others to keep holding my hand— even if I liked it.
This is what I was raised to do.

To be alone and fight for what I wanted. It's how my father wanted me to learn and grow to be.

             Yet— as I find myself reaching the sparkling frozen river in the middle of the blackened night; I hesitate.

              I start to chew on my bottom lip and crave the warmth of Kilian's strong body next to mine, prepared to help me through anything— and Claire's hand clasped in mine with those comforting sisterly words she always talks to me with.
           I feel the absence with me as the cold air wraps around my arms and chases away any comfort I'd gotten from the thought of them.

"You've got this." I utter to myself, the words that my father would always say when I was preparing for a soccer game, or to practice freezing something.

With a deep breath, I take a step onto the frozen river.

My heart is erratic because of the events that went down the last time I was on this river, yet, my ice dances on my fingertips ready for a fight.

The river's icy surface makes cracking sounds underneath the weight of me, but I know it'll hold. I scan the area and immediately find what I'm looking for; the gaping hole in the ice from earlier hadn't sealed up yet. I make a start towards the middle of the river, darkness and silence following me from every direction. The grimoire feels heavy underneath my cloak but I know that I cannot part with it— not with the risk of it being another dimension of some sort.

My lips and fingers tremble with the anxiety of it all, my nerves getting the best of me.

As I reach the center of the river, I take care not to step too close to the hole in fear of getting dragged in against my will.
The crater is huge, and looks as if it could fit two bodies at the same time— the Raksha must've really wanted someone to drag into the graveyard, a new prize.

I inspect the rippling water, noting that everything was pitch black inside of it. Fear crawls up my skin, urging me to go back and get my friends— my family; but I stay planted firmly on the ice. I take a deep shuddering breath as I touch the bandaged wound on my arm that still stings.

"I know you're here. You can feel me, see me." I speak aloud, praying that my voice sounded deep and brave enough to make the Raksha rethink forcefully dragging me in again.
           "Come up. I want to see you." I say again,this time louder.