Chapter 3.

Emmett informed the Hart sisters that the curse must be broken during a celestial event, that being the full moon and that when Nicholas is being channelled along with the full moon, he'll be at his most vulnerable and that a witch with enough power can kill him once and for all.

In return, they told him about their witch friends Clara and Winnie who had enough power to take on Nicholas King and he informed them that there was a way to save Eliza. So, she would die and come back and in doing so, they renewed the terms of their deal.

All Emmett required was an apology for what Van and Will had done last time they had a deal, only receiving a genuine one from Will, and what could be half from Van.

Ruby never knew how much she needed a couch like the one in the Langstons' living room more than then. She was laying there, oddly quiet before Van asked, waving a hand in her face, "Earth to Ruby, you alive?"

"Yeah, kind of, yeah," She shook her head at herself. answering before she pulled herself into a sitting position.

"What's wrong?" Will frowned, turning to face her as concern seeped through his green warm eyes.

"Like you care," Ruby rolled her eyes at him, rising to her feet. Will Langston had been like an older brother for her for the past few months and had actually helped a lot with her problems whether in college or with her friends, finding out a secret like his was bound to leave a few holes.

"If Eliza asked for me, I am gonna take a walk around town to clear my mind."

_______________

Ruby dated a lot of guys, through the last four years, from the perfect good boy to the worst of the worst. Her breakups weren't messy or full of tears as she never really got too attached. However, the idea of having a soulmate fascinated her. 

To have someone to love and to hold through the thick and thin was...unbelievably admirable.

The guilt was just too much for her to take because out of all the people in the entire universe. She had been destined to fall in love with a man who wants to sacrifice her only sister for his selfish reasons.

Ruby was destined to fall in love with a monster, and she just didn't know how to check out of that. All she could do was pray to have her feelings under her control. Then maybe she won't be drawn to him.

As she strolled through Mooresville's streets, trains of thoughts running through her mind before she found herself hitting a hard chest that snapped her out of her thinking state.

"I am so very sorry, Sir...Mr? Uh, man?" Ruby stammered, rambling out apologies as she looked up, meeting the ocean blue eyes of the man she just pumped into.

He had a cute smile on his face before responding, "It's fine, love." Ruby nodded, smiling back. The blond man had that cute smile with dimples, it was so contagious. It could be the end of the world but if he smiled, everything will be fine.

"You are not from around here, are you?" Ruby raised an eyebrow, asking before she shook her head, rephrasing, "Sorry, that too forward. It's just a small town. Almost everyone knows everyone."

"Absolutely fine, darling," He nodded, answering shortly, "I am from London."

Ruby commented, beaming at him with eyes full of wonder, "Oh...fancy," She crossed her arms, revealing, "I almost had a scholarship there, you know? But my grade in Math just had to ruin it for me."

Before he could share his thoughts on that part, her phone buzzed in her back pocket before she picked it up, "Sorry, I need to go...It was nice meeting you...?

"It's Nick."

"Ruby," She extended her hand, shaking his, slightly pulling back as she felt a chill run down her spine. The brunette frowned before forcing a smile onto her face, "It was nice meeting you."

Nicholas King was momentarily tempted to follow but he knew he had to give her time. She had only just met him but he was satisfied, knowing that her dreams will start. As a werewolf with an already triggered curse, his dreams started a thousand years ago but Ruby, being the simple human she is, had to meet him so her dreams would be triggered.

_______________

"Van? Mr. I only how to screw up ruined everything, again."

The brunette Hart was halfway back to the Langstons' mansion when she received from Kevin, as his actual self, informing her of Van's newfound sense of duty towards Eliza's survival by forcing blood vampire down her throat.

Now, Ruby didn't know a lot but the basics were;

vampire blood down your system + dead = vampire, an undead being

"You know you are stupid, right?" She checked, scoffing in disbelief as she addressed Van, "I mean everyone has their limits but that is just mad."

Ruby turned around, following a familiar voice as she spotted Nick, who she had seen just twenty minutes ago, "Gentlemen, lady...why the sad faces?"

"Ugh... Nicholas, I suppose?" Van raised a glass to his lips, assuming.

Nicholas smirked, "Very much, in the flesh," He sent a wink to Ruby before turning to Kevin, "Thanks for the loaner, mate. That was very generous of you."

Ruby crossed her arms over her chest, collecting her thoughts as she tried to process what was happening, "You are Emmett's kid brother?"

"Younger brother," He corrected her, pursing his lips in a straight line.

"Right."

Van rolled his eyes, questioning, "To what do we the displeasure?"

Nicholas attempted to answer as calmly as possibly before noticing Van's arm resting on Ruby's shoulders, unwillingly finding himself glaring at it before he shook his head, speaking up, "I was told you and your brother fancy the Nyx."

A sinful smile danced on his lips, finishing, "Just thought I'd remind you not to do anything that I will surely make you regret."

"Definitely got the point. Threat took into consideration," Ruby shrugged her shoulders, exchanging a look with Kevin and Van before looking back at Nicholas, "Well, I have other places to be in."

She took her bag off the counter and scurried off as Nicholas turned to Van, warning with a dangerously low tone, he patted his shoulder, "Tip for later. mate. Keep your hands off what's not yours."

_______________

"I take it back," Ruby stated, walking into the Langstons' mansion as she noticed Emmett standing a few meters away from her favourite couch, "Your brother is as annoying and cunning as it could get."

"You've met Nicholas?"

"Yes," She answered, sitting down on the comfy grey coloured couch, "I have been doing some thinking about this plan of yours and Eliza. In literally all the books I have ever read, soulmates are linked. One dies so does the other," Ruby shrugged her shoulders, asking, "Does this apply real life, too?"

Emmett paused for a few minutes before shaking his head, "I honestly don't know, Miss Hart." 

"So basically there's a fifty-fifty chance that I might die tonight...," She trailed off, squinting back at her own statement.

"That doesn't look good...," Ruby crossed her arms, looking up at him, "Let's keep this between us, yeah? I don't want this plan to blow over a stupid theory."

_______________

Ruby Hart was like any normal girl, the minute she found herself in danger or in the face of a fear that she can't stand, she unwillingly longed for her mother's warm embrace and her father's calming wise words.

Which was how the brunette found her legs taking her to the Cemetery. She didn't really care where she was going. Ruby needed a getaway card from all of the drama that was now her life, and this was it.

"I know I've never been here since...what happened," She started, sitting down and crossing her legs on the grass, "I guess I never really accepted what happened...I thought I was moving on and doing well but...I am not."

Ruby exhaled sharply, holding back any tear threatening to fall, "I thought I could take on whatever she was keeping and I did, but this...I might die today."

"I don't want to die."

Flashback May 21, 2018

Ruby was seventeen years old when Eliza skipped the family's game night and went to that party with her friends. But then, later on, she called to tell her parents to pick her up and Ruby felt the distress in her big sister's voice, thus deciding to tag along and see what's wrong.

They took Eliza and were on their way home as Ruby whispered, turning to her sister, "What happened? Liz?"

"I fought with Noah," Eliza answered shortly, releasing a deep breath.

Ruby, catching on the hint that her sister didn't feel like talking, rubbed her sister's arm as a sign of comfort. Emmeline Hart was about to ask her eldest daughter what happened when suddenly there was a blinding flash of light in front of them.

Ruby being the youngest, and the most afraid one, in the car let out a scream of surprise, "Dad! Watch out!"

Her father swerved suddenly due to the strong storm, the sisters instinctively reached out, grabbing each other's hands.

The car went over the low railing of Middletown's Bridge, and the vehicle hit the surface of the river and disturbed its tranquillity. Water was slowly filling up the car and the air was barely there anymore. The Hart sisters kept their grip on each other's hands as they tried to breathe and find an exit out of the drowning vehicle.

The younger sister got worried when she saw her mother still look and reached out with her other hand, shaking her mother harshly, trying to get her to respond and her eyes widened and tears filled them when she got no response.

Ruby's tears got mixed with the water as it started to rise just beneath her eyelids and when she looked towards her big sister. The tight grip she once had on her hand was too weak and her big sister was passed out due to the lack of air. Her father was trying desperately to break the car's window but unfortunately, it was jammed.

"Dad!" She tried to call out for her father but it was barely audible.

"Dad!" Ruby tried again and this time he had heard her and turned around to face her, he grabbed her hand holding on to it.

"You'll be okay," Micheal mouthed. Ruby didn't think that she'll be ok. She felt as if this was the last time she'll see her father and found herself mouthing the only thing she thought of like a goodbye.

"I love you," she mouthed.

"I love you." He mouthed back.

_______________

By now, Ruby was a crying mess, reliving the most painful night of her life. The night she lost her parents and almost her older sister on Middletown's Bridge. Her least favourite place in the entire universe. A place that haunted her dreams for months after the accident, tormenting her of how she could've done more...of how she could've helped.

Eliza thought she was lucky, she envied her for being capable of moving on so fast. She just didn't know that Ruby was suffering more than she was. Ruby was too good at covering up her feelings. Crying, writing in a diary, shutting out everyone didn't make the nightmares or the thoughts that filled her mind when there was nothing but silence go away.

"I am just not ready to die. You know," Ruby looked out at her hands, sucking in a deep breath, "I am nineteen. I am not a doctor, yet...I didn't go to Berlin or London. I didn't find that one epic love."

"I know what you might've said...," She trailed off, crossing her arms over her chest, "You would have told me to go and stop this but I can't."

"He must die for Eliza to live and I care about her so much that I can't be selfish. She is my sister."

_______________

Ruby left the Cemetery, contacting Will as soon as she did to tell her his current location. They were in a place nearby a Quarry that she couldn't remember the name of but apparently, the cab driver did.

"What is she doing here?" Clara questioned, spotting Ruby walking into their hideout ever so casually. She turned to Will, "She knows?!"

"Yes?"

Winnie's eyebrows raised to her hairline before practically racing to Ruby, throwing her arms around her, "I am so sorry that you had to find about this and I swear that I didn't mean to keep it a secret, are you okay? Are you—"

The brunette interjected, "Winona, I am fine."

"Winona? Why are you being formal?" The blonde witch asked worriedly, placing a hand on Ruby's forehead, "Are you sick? You never call me Winona unless—"

"Unless I am mad," She crossed her arms, finishing, "And I am mad, okay? Let's get this messy plan over with, please."

Ruby found Emmett, Will, Clara, and Winnie, something was wrong.

"Where are Mira and Andy? Eliza and Van said they would be here."

Will released a deep breath before moving to pull Ruby aside, "I need to tell you something...You are not going to like it."

She rolled her eyes, what could be worse than the possibility of dying today, "Try me."

"Nicholas is going to use Mira as the vampire in the ritual," Will revealed cautiously before adding, "Andy left to convince him to trade places and die instead of her."

That was all it took for all of her efforts to keep it together come crashing down the second those words left his mouth. Her eyes turned tear-filled and sobs were the only thing heard in the silence of the night.

Will pitied the girl that he had always seen as a sister and held her as she cried, denying the ugly truth, "No...no..she just can't die. she said she'll be there...she promised.

Ruby sobbed and he rubbed her back, trying to calm her down and then Winnie came out to see her best friend as a crying mess. She sucked in a deep breath before walking over and taking her from Will. She was so scared that only Mira's word were repeating themselves over and over again in her head.

'Don't worry I'll always be there for you, as long as I'm here don't worry about loneliness or anything.'

_______________

The Sacrifice had started and Noah was dead, according to Van, Mira was soon to follow. Meanwhile, Clara and Winnie were looking for a spell to make sure Eliza won't become a vampire because of Van's stupid mistake.

Ruby was leaning back, her back against the wall as she hugged her knees to her chest. It had been a few minutes since she found it in herself to stop crying for the inevitable.

Suddenly, she felt her chest tightening and her breathing got heavier and heavier by the second. She gasped, alerting the two witches in the room. All the colour seemed to fade away from her eyes.

Vision

She was in front of their hideout, it just didn't look as old, ladies were tying up other females to stakes and rounding them up to burn them alive.

"Please. we've done you nothing. we're sisters! We're servants of nature, both of us are," A woman in her mid-twenties was begging the other woman, who was dressed in fancier clothes.

"We're nothing alike. You don't deserve to be called witches," That was the only response to the women's pleas.

And they set them on fire, their screams were echoing through the darkness of the night and the ladies waited for their abomination of look-alikes downfall, they watched, they have burned their own kind with their own bare hands, unbeknownst them that they'll soon share the same fate.

End of Vision

Ruby sucked in a deep breath as she came back to the land of the living to be met by the worried looks of her Winnie and Kevin, as the rest had left to pursue their plans while Ruby was passed out.

She gave their questions no mind when she heard whispers, they were getting louder and harsher.

Ruby stood up abruptly, almost tripping on air as she started looking around her, staring at the ceiling, "Ruby...what happened?" Kevin asked, raising his eyebrows.

She just heard the whispers, getting louder...

"It's the disgrace."

"A reborn of abominations..."

"Queen of cowards."

"Mated to the greatest abomination of them all!"

The voices kept whispering like they were piercing through her skull and Ruby found herself letting out an ear-splitting scream, incapable of taking it anymore. Her blood was boiling for real. She felt like she was going to die if she didn't get the hell out of that house.

"Please. Stop!" She begged, tears were rolling down her face with her hands holding her head, hoping it would stop the voices.

Kevin ran a hand over his face, asking, "What's happening to her?"

"I don't know!" Winnie answered, holding on to her best friend, "Ruby...try and listen to me. Focus on my voice, Ruby!"

She breathed heavily, pushing Winnie off of her as she ran out of the basement, "I can't be in here!"

Clara had left a spell on the house, trapping Winnie, Kevin, and Ruby inside, incase the youngest Hart tried to leave, as the brunette banged on the nonexistent wall, "Please! Let me out!"

By then, Winnie and Kevin were right behind her, watching with nothing but worry. Winnie was about to take a step forward when Ruby suddenly screamed out of rage and placed her hands on the nonexistent wall, pushing through and just like that. She fell out on the dirt and looked relieved, while the others on the other side looked confused.

"What the hell is happening to me?!" Ruby dusted her clothes off, standing up as she stepped back and away from the presumed hideout.

Winnie furrowed her eyebrows, finding no logical explanation, "I don't know."

She shook her head, "I need to stop the ritual..."

The blonde witch's eye zeroed on her, aggressively shaking her head, "No! Ruby, please! You can't! You will ruin everything we have been plan—"

"I can't let my aunt or sister die for that fucked plan of yours!"