Torment ( Book Two )

Chapter 42

Chapter forty-two

Amber wanted to cry out. She wanted to yell for help or ask who was there but she was too afraid to even breathe. 

The air was thick and foggy and cold. Sally clung onto her leg, clearly just as terrified as Amber was.

A scent suddenly was apparent to Amber. She could smell someone nearby. 

Alice.

Just as she recognized the scent, a dark figure appeared between two trees ahead of where Amber and Sally stood.

Amber inhaled. How had she escaped from the dungeon? What did she want? What was she going to do with them?

"Guards!" Amber screamed loudly. She had no clue how her voice came out so strong but she was going to do it again. "Guards!"

Nothing happened and nobody came, making Amber furious. The guards were supposed to be available at all times. 

Alice still stood in the shadows. 

"What... What do you want?" Amber called out weakly. Her strong voice had abandoned her. 

Alice stepped out from her hiding place, allowing them to see her. She wore a long black cape that made her appear tall and thin. Her hair danced around her face from the wind and her eyes… she had no eyes. Deep, black, and empty eye sockets filled the space where her eyes were supposed to be. 

The sight of her was absolutely terrifying. How had she done that to herself? Better yet, why?

Soft whispers began to sound, coming from every corner of the backyard. The voices mumbled and Amber couldn’t understand a word that was being said.

“Are there more bad people?” Sally asked her, her voice shaking.

“No, Alice is making that effect somehow,” Amber responded, noticing her voice shook just as much as Sally’s.

Amber wanted to say something else to Alice but didn’t feel confident her voice would be loud enough that Alice could hear her. The woman simply stood there, her dark red lips sagging like her eye sockets.

“Run, Sally,” Amber demanded, pushing her towards the castle. She had to save her. “Run!"

Sally hesitated but did as she was told and began to run away.

The ground began to shake and Alice lifted her arms slightly. 

The trees…the trees began to move under her control. Amber watched in shock as a branch reached out like an arm to grab Sally, lifting her high in the air.

Sally screamed and kicked her feet widely.

“Let her go!” Amber shouted, her eyes filling with tears. What was she going to do with her?

Alice lowered her arms again and began to walk closer to Amber. Amber stayed in her spot, trying to appear unafraid. The branch held Sally in place, dangling her in the air.

The ground seemed to shake and crumble with each step Alice took. Amber closed her eyes for a moment and then opened them again, upset when the scene was still the same. She wished she were dreaming.

“They thought a simple cage could hold me back,” Alice said as she walked slowly towards Amber.

“Just let Sally go.”

Alice stayed silent and walked closer. Closer. And closer. What was she going to do when she reached Amber? Kill her? 

Luna needed to be here. She would know what to do and say. She had the power to keep them safe; Amber didn’t. 

Alice took one more step and stopped. She stood directly in front of Amber, standing quite close to her. Amber couldn’t stop staring into those dreadful eye sockets.

“Are you ready?” Alice practically growled.

Amber breathed heavily and felt a bead of sweat drip down the side of her face. “Please, Alice. Just leave us alone,” Amber whispered. “I’m begging you.”

Alice smiled a wicked, evil, ready-to-kill smile. 

From up close, Amber could see how sloppily Alice's lipstick had been applied. It appeared to be melting, covering her lips and dripping down the corners of her mouth.

Alice leaned in slowly, still smiling. 

Amber didn’t budge. She wanted to move and scream and run but none of her muscles were following her orders. She was too scared. 

Before she knew it, Alice’s lips were connected with hers. She was kissing Amber and her tongue tasted like darkness.

Was she poisoning her somehow? Amber waited to feel dizzy and she waited to die.

Fortunately, nothing happened and Amber finally was able to move. She tore her lips away from Alice’s which infuriated the woman. Alice pushed her hard and painfully against a tree nearby; the same tree that was dangling Sally above their heads.

Amber breathed heavily again, noticing how Alice’s lipstick was even more smudged now and Amber knew her lips had to look similar from the kiss.

Alice was holding her in place against the tree’s trunk with her hands. She removed one hand to reach inside her cape. 

“I’m going to kill you now,” Alice hissed, pulling a small knife out of her cape.

“No!” Sally screeched from above them.

Alice moved her head to look up at the child and Amber wondered how she could see anything at all. 

“Shut up,” Alice commanded, flicking her wrist in a weird motion. A black fog appeared around Sally’s throat.

“What are you doing?” Amber cried, watching in horror. Was she strangling Sally?!

"She's fine," Alice promised. "She just needs to be quiet."

Sally didn't appear to be in any pain and the fog soon disappeared. 

Amber thought Sally was okay until Sally's mouth began to move but no sound came out. She was trying to talk but couldn't.

"What did you do to her?!" Amber screeched, trying to push Alice off of her.

Alice's grip was strong, though. Even though she held Amber against the trunk with only one hand, Amber couldn't budge.

Amber began to cry hard. She couldn't believe any of this was happening. Sally was mute now and Amber was about to die. She didn't know how to stop Alice and she just wanted Luna to be here. 

"Sh, don't cry," Alice whispered. 

Alice lifted the knife and gently used it to wipe away Amber's tears. Amber stayed completely still, terrified she was going to cut into her face. She thankfully did not, though.

"Where is your precious fiancé to save you?" Alice teased, pressing the side of the knife against Amber's neck.

She shivered as the cold metal pushed against her skin. Amber lifted her head and felt silent tears stream down her face again.

She managed to glance upward at Sally who was clearly trying to scream but still no sound escaped her lips. She was looking down at the women, kicking and crying hard.

"Once I kill you and Sally, Luna will have no one left," Alice whispered.

She was going to kill Sally.

"You won't lay a finger on her," Amber hissed. 

Alice pushed the knife harder against her neck. "I make the decisions here."

The whispers continued to drain on in the background, filling Amber's ears. The sky was dark and the trees blew in the strong wind.

"I should be queen," Alice continued to rant. "I deserved that throne! And now I'm going to use you and Sally to get it."

Amber didn't quite understand her plan.

"You don't deserve anything," Amber said as loud as she could, which wasn't very loud or strong. "You killed off a whole family, tortured Luna and I, hid Sally from her mother, and threatened me numerous times. You're nothing, Alice. You're dirt. You don't-"

Alice growled and pushed the knife forward slightly, making Amber inhale as she felt her skin break open.

"You're dirt, Amber," Alice spat. "You stole Luna from me."

She felt a thin drop of blood slowly leak down her neck.

"I loved Luna and she loved me. But I'll still get what I want! I always get what I want," Alice said with a horrible smile. "Once everything Luna has is gone, she'll turn to me. We will get engaged and then I'll murder her and take the throne to myself."

"Why the hell would she turn to you? She hates you!" Amber argued.

"I tried to warn you, Amber. I told you to leave Luna."

"I would never do that," Amber responded through clenched teeth.

"Enough talking," Alice literally hissed. 

Alice pushed the knife forward again, harder this time. 

Amber cried loudly as pain soared through her neck. She felt the blood stream out of the deep cut Alice had made.

"You're dirt," Alice reminded her again as she slowly sliced her skin.

Amber thought of all that this woman had done and what she was going to do. She was pure evil.

Amber's vision began to fog. She fought to stay awake.

Alice had sought to destroy Amber and Luna's relationship from the beginning. She killed off an entire family. She ruined the childhood of Sally and was the reason the girl was so uneducated and undisciplined. She had plans to kill Sally and Luna once she was done with Amber.

The knife dug deeper into her skin but Amber grabbed at Alice's hand and somehow pulled it away from her throat. 

Amber was furious. This woman had done enough damage. 

Using her vampire strength, she lurched forward despite Alice's grip on her. 

Without having a plan or really thinking, she pushed her head into the crook of Alice's neck.

She was in control now. She was done dealing with Alice. And in that moment, the taste of blood didn't seem so bad. 

Amber forced her teeth into Alice's neck. The woman cried out in pain and Amber felt the skin tear under her bite. 

Blood streamed into Amber's mouth and like a good vampire, she drank. 

She drank and sucked, unconcerned about Alice's pain or health. 

Amber felt Alice pushing against her, trying to escape. Amber pressed her sharp teeth deeper into her neck, drinking nonstop. 

Finally, Alice began to go limp. Amber didn't quit drinking, though, until she felt Alice go completely still. 

She removed her teeth from the skin and had to hold Alice up. The woman was still breathing and without thought, Amber stole her knife and plunged it deep into her chest and painfully yanked it back out again.

Alice slid from Amber's hold and fell onto the ground, nothing but a corpse now.

She killed her.

Oh my goodness, she killed Alice.

She quickly dropped the knife she held and stared at her hands. She stared at the hands of a murder. 

Someone tugged on her leg and she screamed in fright. She looked down and noticed it was only Sally who was trying to pull her somewhere.

How did she get down? Could she still not talk?

Amber looked down at the body at her feet before allowing Sally to pull her along. Sally grabbed Amber's hand and began to run towards the castle. 

Amber tried to run but was too appalled at what she had done and was in too much pain to move very fast. 

It seemed like days passed before they reached the door. The two stormed inside and Amber immediately managed to scream.

"Luna!" She shouted loud, beginning to sob. She could feel Alice's blood dripping down her chin and she could feel her own blood dripping down her neck. Tears stained her face and lipstick surrounded her lips. She knew she looked like a mess.

"Luna!" She shrieked again as Sally dragged her into the lobby. Where was Luna?

Hailey ran into the room and gasped when she saw them. "Oh my God! Oh, Amber! What happened?!"

Amber couldn't answer. She was shaking so hard and just wanted Luna.

Hailey began to scream for Luna so Amber wouldn’t have to. Hailey only stood there, seeming to be frozen in place as she stared at Amber in fright and shouted loudly for Luna.

Amber heard Luna's voice in the distance but couldn't make out what she was saying. She heard her heels clicking fast and saw a blurry version of her as she ran down the stairs to join them.

Sally's hand left Amber's and Amber felt like she was going to faint.

Luna finally was nearby and she grabbed Amber, pulling her close. She was shouting and asking questions but Amber couldn't seem to understand her.

"I killed her," Amber heard herself say hoarsely. 

"Who?" 

Amber couldn't breathe. 

"Amber, baby. Baby, look at me," Luna said. She sounded so far away but was right there holding her, her fingers gripping at Amber’s arms.

"There's so much blood,” she heard Luna say, her voice thick with worry.

Everything was a blur and Amber couldn't see a thing.

"She's going to faint," someone said.

"I killed her," Amber mumbled before her eyes rolled in the back of her head and she lost consciousness.