Nightmare

[HAZEL'S POV]

I had sneaked back home from a friend's party that mom warned me not to go. But I went anyways because I was stubborn.

sneaking through my window.

I wasn't back until midnight but when I sneaked back in, I met disaster.

Blood. On the floor, across the ceiling and splattered against the walls. And there was me at the centre of it all.

I stood there, staring at the bodies of my mom, my dad and my brothers sprawled lifelessly across the floor.

Three men had broken into the house while I was gone but only one man slaughtered my family.

I saw him.

He stood over their bodies, his hands dripping with blood with the knife he cut them with.

The other men's voices sounded outside my home, urging him to hurry up.

We were the only ones inside. We stared at each other.

His eyes gleamed like a panther's in the darkness. I couldn't move, I couldn't scream. I was dumbstruck with horror.

My knees buckled and gave way, forcing me to drop on the floor.

He moved toward me, clutching his knife tightly. My mouth ran dry.

Was I next?

When the beam of the moonlight from the window came over his face, my skin ran cold with fear.

He was young. Five years or older but young. Too young.

And terrifying. His eyes were crimson red like the red hot coals and as wild as a ferocious canine.

Blood splash painted his face and clothes.

He stopped before me and gave me a death stare that scarred me for life.

I went white. My body trembled at the aura of darkness oozing off him.

For a long time he stared at me and I thought for a second there, he was going to kill me.

But then his lips moved and he pointed his knife at me, revealing the cross tattoo on his blood stained hand.

"YOU'RE ON YOUR OWN, PRINCESS."

*

I woke up with a start, panting like I'd just ran a marathon race. My face was as white as snow and sweat smarted my eyes with a small knife.

"Having a nightmare?"

I turned sharply only to see Nikolai seating legs crossed on the chaise lounge.

He was pealing the skin of an apple with a knife.

I stared at him, my heartbeat pounding at the sight of him. My throat swelled with rage burning in my veins.

"So it wasn't all a dream. I'm still stuck with you," I didn't recognize my voice. I sounded like a psycho.

"Were you dreaming about me perhaps?" He asked, amused.

"You're unbelievable. How do you sleep at night knowing you stand on a mountain of corpses?" I asked.

Nikolai gave me a ghost smile. "Fun facts about me, I don't sleep at night."

"I'm not surprised. Vampires like yourself don't sleep."

He smiled but I was quick to notice a hint of bitterness at the edge. "Say, do you ever hear voices when you sleep?"

"What voices?"

He stood up and walked towards me, waving the knife in the air. "Voices under your bed at night when you close your eyes. They just come at you in whispers. Only you could hear them. They're in pains. You ever heard voices like that?"

For some reasons I shook my head.

"You don't?" He sighed and diced the apples and placed them on the bedside table on a plate. "I guess I'm the only one who does."

"Those are the souls of all the men, women and children you killed. They're haunting you," I snapped. "I see you're suffering. I love that."

He stretched his arms above his head. "Whatever," then he pointed at the tray of dishes on the table. "You didn't touch your dinner last night."

"I wasn't hungry."

"I have a policy about wasting food," Nikolai planted his hands on his hip. "I want you strong and hearty. I've ordered breakfast. Make sure you eat something."

My stomach grumbled loudly, betraying my defiance. I looked away. "I'm not hungry."

"Don't be stubborn," he sat down beside me. "You've had it rough, haven't you? I need you in your full strength. Something has to be done about that cough too."

I clutched the bedsheet tighter. "And who's fault was that? If it weren't for you, I wouldn't even be here in the first place."

He didn't say anything for a while. "Hazel, I won't ask for your forgiveness—"

"Good," I cut him short, throwing the bedsheets off me. "Because it'd be a waste of time. No matter how nice you treat me, I'll never, ever forgive you. You shall die by my hands. Maybe not now but surely I would avenge my family."

He didn't flinched. Instead he stood up and straightened himself.

"Fair enough. Take a shower, eat breakfast and meet me downstairs. You and I are going somewhere."

"I told you, I'm not going anywhere," I snapped, coughing a little.

He leaned towards me and we were so close our nose nearly touched.

A chill ran down my spine when I met his eyes.

Those crimson red orbs were hard and cold and commanding. "That wasn't a request. Get up and dress."

The way he switched from his gentle side to his murderous looks was diabolical. He can't be human.

Now I get it why everyone was afraid of him.

But not me. I wasn't scared of him. I raised my chin up at him. "Do your worst, bastard."

His lips peeled into a cruel smile. So cruel it registered the evil running through his mind. "Girl, you have no idea what I'm capable of."

Suddenly his hands snaked around my neck and squeeze.

* * * *

Three Mercedes G-Wagons were waiting for me as I walked down the step of the villa.

I found Nikolai standing before two men. He was speaking to them or rather giving them instructions.

The men glanced up when they saw me and Nikolai, seeing their adverted eyes, he turned around.

I stood before him and raised my chin at him. He was taller than me but that didn't hinder the glare I dished at him.

He stared at me for sometime, his eyes humourous. "You know it could do you a lot good if you smile."

"I'll remain like this until the day you take your last breath. Then I'll smile," my voice was quiet but it was well loaded with poison.

Nikolai rolled his eyes. "Scary. Alright Hazel, I'll like to introduce you to my men, the Big three. The brute over here is Vladimir. He's a meathead so he doesn't say much."

I looked up to see a mountain of a man in charcoal black tailored suit.

He was made of pounds and pounds of muscles which threatened to burst through the fabric at any given time.

His shaven hair was adorned with a full black beard and a face that was a reminiscent of Kratos, god of war.

He was a complete replica as if he'd jumped straight out of a video game.

Vladimir grunted at me. He said nothing more.

"That's Kwame," Nikolai waved to the man next to Vladimir. "He's second strongest of the big three."

Kwame was brown skinned and sported a stylish side fade low cut, with the top of his hair dyed a striking white.

Round sunglasses perched confidently on his nose creating a stoic expression.

He was lean but well-built and he stood at an average height which surprisingly exuded an aura of respect.

"If you're the second strongest, who's the first?" I asked Kwame, ignoring Nikolai.

Kwame hide a smirked. "That would be Elina but she's on vacation."

So that makes Vladimir the weakest. How unreal.

"Alright, boys listen up. This pretty little thing is Hazel," Nikolai draped his arm over my shoulder. "We have a little history. I'll spare you the details. Hazel over here is going to kill me."

Kwame and Vladimir stiffened. Before I knew it, I was looking down the barrel of their guns.

"Put that away," Nikolai snapped. They obeyed without hesitation.

"Like I said," he continued in a more gentler tone. "I'll spare you the details but know this. Hazel would attempt to take my life. Don't stop her. If she succeeds, don't harm her either."

The two men shifted their eyes at me, frowning.

"Would you be alright, boss?" Kwame asked, his voice laced with concern.

"Don't worry, Kwame," Nikolai stepped infront of me and glanced at me over his shoulder. "She's weak."

My eyes clouded. I could feel the knife I hide underneath my dress burning against my skin.