Vampire King's Hidden Bride

+CHAPTER 2+ An Unpaid Debt

Esmeray woke up from her dreamless slumber by the banging at her front door. For five minutes she just laid there wishing that whoever is at the door will take the cue and leave but when the banging got aggressive she had no other option left to just open her eyes with a sigh. With a groan, she gazed out of the window only to find darkness out there.

Dark Gods! People have no sense of timing these days. The last time she checked it was impolite to bang at someone's door as if you want to break it at these late hours.

Yawning loudly she stretched her arms before throwing the quilt off her body and getting out of bed.

Dressed in an oversized men's shirt and her panties, yawning again Esmeray barefooted started heading towards her front door, passing the Lost Souls in her way who were busy cleaning her old mansion.

Lost Souls were the people who were brutally killed or they died holding grudges or desires strong enough to chain them to the living world. They were bound to the living world by their shackles of desires or vengeance. It was a pretty f****d up fate Esmeray couldn't even wish on her worse enemy.

According to her, at least a person should find peace after death after taking all the s**t fate threw at him when he was alive...

Ending up as a Lost Soul was a scary fate. They were an indestructible breed with hatred in their souls. They don't fear anything because they were already dead.

They can't be harmed because it was impossible to find a Lost Soul's weakness but for some weird reason, Esmeray could toy with these Lost Souls. She could know their deepest desires and for some f****d up reason these Lost Souls were attracted to her as if they were moths and Esmeray was a flame. And they couldn't help but just be drawn to her.

Esmeray was a tamer of this new breed that had risen from the ashes of dead beings. A breed that should be feared by even King and Queens. . .

Esmeray had an army of Lost Souls at her beck and call but only a few were allowed inside her home. Even if Esmeray was dominant and tamer of these Lost Souls that won’t stop the Lost Souls from continuously challenging Esmeray.

By occupation, Esmeray was an assassin with the deadliest army of the Lost Souls. But she only took a job when she needed fresh air and longed for interaction with beings that were not Lost Souls. But that happened only one time in a couple of months when she went through her regular mid-life crisis.

With a sigh, Esmeray opened the huge doors of her mansion that were barely hanging from their hinges only to come face to face with a girl who was once her sister.

The hair on the back of Esmeray’s neck raised as she sneered, not even bothering with any pleasantries. ”What do you need?”

Maeve smiled as if Esmeray's reaction pleased her. “Aren’t you going to invite me in?”

Before Esmeray could close the doors at her face Meave came inside like she owned the place. “For an assassin who murdered the man who took you under his wing, gave you a home, fed you, loved you like his own daughter, karma is treating you like a princess.”

Esmeray’s fists clenched at her jab.

Maeve twirled around as she took in her surroundings. Her little sister was living in a mansion that seemed more like a haunted house than a mansion that could be considered home. 'But it was still a better place than Esmeray deserved.' Maeve thought bitterly. The only place the girl should be was a dungeon or six feet under the ground.

“Why are you here, Maeve?” Esmeray asked hoarsely, she hated how weak and tired she sounded.

“Why do you think, little sister?” Facing her Maeve arched a questioning brow while calling Esmeray 'sister' as if it was a curse. When Esmeray didn't give her any response she continued. ”Hint, I’m not here to throw you in front of the wolves as you did to my father.”

Esmeray’s heart sank at her words as an image of their father's lifeless milky white eyes staring at nothing flashed in front of her eyes. Esmeray gazed down at her scar-ridden hands, daring not to look up as her vision went blurry because of unshed tears.

Scars that were a constant reminder of what she had done. . . Self-inflicted scars that were never going to heal. . .

”Don’t you think your jabs are getting old Maeve?” Esmeray's voice was barely above a whisper.

“But they still work on you, don’t they?” Maeve inquired. Her red lips were curved in a smile because she knew her jabs were hitting home.

Blinking back tears Esmeray repeated in her head. ‘Don’t cry! Don’t show her how much her words bother you.’

“I feel sorry for you. I pity you because you have nothing better to do than just torment someone who already had her fair share of hell.” Esmeray's voice was thick with emotions as she glanced away from her scar-ridden hands with a distant look on her face.

Reaching out Maeve held her hand in a gentle grip. "I tried not hating you. But how could I not? What you would have done if you were in my shoe, Esmeray?" For a moment Maeve's eyes softened as she saw the heart-wrenching pain Esmeray was trying hard to conceal. But then Maeve remembered what she had lost because of this girl.

Fury burnt in Maeve's chest.

Esmeray pulled her hand out of Maeve's grip when it tightened painfully around her hand. Because of Maeve Esmeray had changed countless locations. She had been hiding from Maeve and the torment memories Maeve bought with her in Esmeray’s life.

The memories Esmeray was trying hard to get rid of. . .

Maeve thought that it was her job to remind Esmeray that she was responsible for their father’s death, how Esmeray had thrown him in the face of death.

As if Esmeray could forget it on her own. . .

“At least you have a small once of dignity left in you to feel the guilt over the disaster you bought on my family.” Maeve’s taunt bought Esmeray out of the haze of thoughts.

"It was my family too Maeve." Esmeray mumbled as she stared at her scar-ridden hands again. A symbol of shame and guilt that she carried within her soul. . .

"Not by blood. Just by saying that it was your family too doesn't make you a part of it." Maeve sneered, her eyes burnt with anger.

Esmeray's stomach tightened at the reminder. Her eyes prickled as she swallowed hard. Esmeray was so sick of being blamed for something she was a victim of too. She was so sick of letting Maeve pull her buttons. She was so sick of people toying with her, she was so sick of people using her.

“I’m sure you are not here to make me more miserable than I already am. Tell me what do you want Maeve. I'm already running out of f***s to give about what you think of me.”

“Heard that you have gotten upgraded from the title of my father’s murderer to an assassin known for not missing her target. And from the looks of your current residence, it seems like your business isn't running smoothly but don't worry because I have got a perfect job for you.” Maeve insulted her again but this time in a bright jolly attitude. But Esmeray didn’t share her sense of humor.

“Get out and close the door on your way out. I’m done listening to the s**t that comes out of that mouth of yours. I’m doing nothing for you. Next time if you want help then learn to ask politely.” With a sneer, Esmeray turned to leave but Maeve’s next words stopped her in her tracks.

“I have heard that you demand the forbidden Dragon Gold as your payment. I have a pouch full of it.” Maeve tried to entice her which made Esmeray wonder what was so important that Maeve was almost begging for her help?

“Shove that pouch deep in your ass. I’m doing nothing for you. Return to your land where I was thrown out from.” Without turning to face Maeve, Esmeray gritted.

As a child, Esmeray had taken the blame for something she was set up for from the day she was born. 12 years were enough for her to understand that the Elders of the Sacred Land of Witches had used her.

Ascian, one of the elders, that was once Esmeray's friend had forced her to tap into the powers. Powers Ascian knew Esmeray won’t be able to control at such a young age. Powers that had ended up killing her father. It was all preplanned. But now Esmeray had grown up and she doesn’t step into traps set by others.

“Do this for me Esmeray and we will even the tabs between us."

"You want to even a tab that I can't even recall starting." Esmeray ridiculed.

"Don’t you think you owe this much to me? My father was sacrificed like a lamb so your real father could survive the chaos you would have invited in your birth parents' lives. Plus I'm not asking you to do it for free. I’m ready to pay you with the forbidden Dragon Gold.” Turning around Esmeray took in the pleading look in Maeve's eyes.

Maeve’s father was sacrificed to keep Esmeray’s father safe. . .

Esmeray had always wondered that was it so bad to be related to her?

Was Esmeray bound to bring chaos to the lives of her loved ones?

It was a good thing that Esmeray had no intention to search for her birth parents. Their survival depended on her staying away from them. It was a good thing that Esmeray hadn’t met them. Because at least she won’t long for something she didn’t have the taste of.

“I’ll do it. But after this, I don’t want you to come to me ever again.” Esmeray announced with a sigh. She couldn't deny the fact that Maeve's words held weight.

Esmeray was in Maeve and her family's debt for taking her under their wings, for loving her as their own when they shouldn't have. Maybe helping Maeve could get rid of a small amount of the guilt Esmeray carried in her soul.

“Don’t you want to know what I want from you?” Maeve inquired.

“Don’t give a s**t as long as it gets you off my back.” Even as Esmeray said those words she could sense that this decision was going to bring a change in her life.

A change that was going to create chaos in her life. . .