Chapter 56. Answers

**56. Answers**
***Astrid's POV:***
We were taken aback by the scene in front of us.
"Are you thinking the same thing I'm thinking?" I asked Rafael after we opened those gates.
"Yuppp, I expected an abandoned, damaged structure covered in dust and cobwebs," Rafael grinned.
That's precisely what I anticipated. Come on, when you think of seeing a witch, your mind naturally conjures up such an image, so you can't blame us for expecting the same, but in front of us is a magnificent villa modernized with everything.
Cindy, or whoever is in charge of this house, did an excellent job of transforming it.
Soon after, a guy dressed in Butler's uniform approached us.
"Good morning," he said curtly to us. "How may I assist you?" he asked.
"Umm... we're here searching for Ms. Cindy; we have something important to discuss with her; would you kindly contact her?" Rafael asked nicely.
"Sorry, mister, I believe you have the incorrect address. This is Ms. Natasha's residence, and we don't know anyone named Cindy." He informed.
"Rafael, check whether we're in the proper area," I urged, and he took the map again, which showed we were. Cindy's location was marked a little further away from us, but I'm confident we're all under the same roof.
"Could you please inform Ms. Natasha that Mrs. Fiona has sent us and that we would like to speak with her?" Rafael asked.
"What did you just do, Rafael?" I asked.
"Relax, little dove. Maybe Cindy changed her identity to avoid troubles, but I doubt Cindy and Natasha are the same people. Therefore, I did what I did," Rafael explained.
"Oh," made sense.
"Sir, Ms. Natasha wants to know your name and purpose," the butler conveyed as he descended the stairs.
Rafael's doubt was confirmed, and his query gave us optimism that we were at the correct spot.
"Tell her Rafael Delmar and his mate Astrid are here," Rafael said nicely.
The butler went to deliver the message, leaving us standing there, contemplating what to do if we had indeed arrived at the wrong place and where else we might find Cindy. Our concerns were alleviated when we heard a set of footsteps descending the stairs.
Our gaze was drawn to slim legs wrapped in heel boots and dressed in a knee-length summer dress.
"Is she the one we're looking for?" Rafael continued to stare at her.
If we're going to talk about how the mansion startled us, then seeing her would be an understatement.
"Stop gawking," I said, jabbing my elbow into Rafael's side, annoyed by the attention he was giving her.
Rafael laughed. "Possessive, and I like it," he said as he drew me to his side and kissed my forehead. "Don't worry, little dove, I only have eyes for you." She was stunning and nothing like we had imagined. When you think of a witch of Rafael's mother's age, you think of someone old, but here is a girl in her twenties who is absolutely stunning with her slim figure and blonde hair falling on her shoulder.
"Oh my god, Rafael, you've grown up to be such a handsome man," she said as she hugged him.
I coughed to get her attention because I didn't like her clinging to Rafael, which caused her to pull away from him.
"Oh, you must be his mate." She approached me, stood in front of me, and scrutinized me from head to toe. "Oh my god, you two look amazing together." She drew us close and gathered us in a group hug.
She was quite taken with someone of her repugnance. Her attitude reminds me of Bryan, but you won't hear me complain. The last thing I want is to be stuck with an old hag who sits there and lectures us the entire journey. That would be extremely boring.
"I'm sorry, I forgot to introduce myself." She offered us a seat, and we sat and listened to whatever she had to say.
"You might not believe it, but I've been waiting for you to show up since I heard about your mother's death.  Also, I was present when you were born and have always considered you my nephew." Hearing her say that made me happy because the last thing I wanted was a witch crushing on my mate.
"How come you're older than me?" Rafael asked.
"I am also older than your mother.  Fiona was like a little sister to me, and we were always together until your father exiled us for the most ridiculous of reasons," Cindy replied. "And even though I am older than you, Rafael, you are not supposed to call me by formal names like aunt or sister. Despite my age, I look a lot younger than you," she continued, waving her hair off her shoulder.
Rafael shrugged. "I'm not even planning on it."
"OK, I guess you both have enough time to listen to me because I like narrating everything from the start," Cindy asked.
"Yes, we're here to find all of our answers," I affirmed.
"Okay, let us start from the beginning, even before your mother was mated to Elliot, shall we?" Rafael encouraged Cindy when she asked.
Cindy started "So my mother was a very powerful witch who witnessed the first war between all the superior supernatural creatures like Lycans and other creatures, which I will tell you about later. My mother had always vowed to protect your mother's side of the family. My mother Estelle was a royal witch, and she was the only one who existed at the time, and she was the one who taught them her skills. Mom was a royal witch, which means she swore her life for your maternal side, Rafael," she explained as she looked at him.
"Like other supernatural beings, we witches have mates, though I haven't found mine yet," she sighed. I didn't want to deviate her from the topic, so I generously asked her to elaborate.
"Your grandparents were one of the most powerful yet compassionate people I've ever met.  They were the greatest rulers, and everyone admired them rather than feared them. Oh, I forgot to mention the mate thing. My mother discovered my father in your grandparents' coven; he was a soldier, and I was born. Because your grandparents did not have children, they treated me as if I were their own. When your mother was born, we became fast friends. Your mother was like a little sister to me, and we used to spend our days together wandering through the woods as I protected her with my powers. My mother did an excellent job of passing on all of her knowledge to me. We first spotted your father in the woods," she added, shifting her gaze away from Rafael.
"Because it was predestined, we went and told our parents. Your grandparents sought my mother's assistance, and while I couldn't see the future or avoid what was about to happen, my mother knew as soon as she saw your father she had all the creepy vibes; she mentioned it to your grandparents, and they cared so much for their only daughter that they didn't let her marry." She groaned and shook her head.
"What happened afterward? How did they get along?" Rafael inquired hastily.
"Well, your mother's body couldn't handle the distance from her mate, and she began falling ill for the first time. Your grandparents decided to meet your father despite my mother's warning that if they came together, a disaster was bound to happen. However, they were willing to take the risk, not wanting to let your mother die. So, they sent her off with your father, and we would all visit her once a week. Here, too, I became interested in witchcraft, and soon our lives were back on track. We had forgotten that my mother had warned us about the repercussions. We learned that your mother was pregnant with you, and we were all happy; nevertheless, our pleasure was fleeting. As predicted, there was a conflict, for reasons I still don't understand, but there is a book in your possession from which I can obtain all the answers, and there is even a prophecy that I need to sort out," Cindy sighed.
"In my possession?" Rafael frowned.
"Yes, even if you don't know you have that book. Don't ask me how I know that. I was performing my daily meditation, and then I knew you had the book when I glanced into your present. Okay, let me be more specific about how my magic works. When I need information, I sit down and concentrate on those specific things, and images begin to form in front of me, but not of the person, but of the things related to it, and that is how I learned that you left your father's castle and are now living in the territory gifted to you by your mother." She took a break.
"All OK, but what about the prophecy?" Rafael asked.
"You would know, but for the time being, I am just telling you what I observed, and after the battle, your parents and I were the only ones remaining. Then you were born, and we realized right away that your grandparents were correct about one thing. But before I answer that, may I touch both of your hands, please?" she asked, and we gladly extended our hands to her.
She closed her eyes and began reading our minds. She did suggest that our live episode would appear in front of her, and she would be able to clarify things better.
"All right, now you both tell me, let's start with Rafael. I think I'm ready with my answers. Alright,  Rafael, tell me what you've been feeling all this time?" Cindy asked.
"Astrid, please don't freak out," he advised me ahead of time, and I nodded at him.
"Alright, I've harbored this intense bloodlust since the moment I laid eyes on Astrid. The desire to taste her blood has been overwhelming. As a natural mechanism, I am supposed to resist even the fragrance of hers, and that's why we marked each other," he explained, detailing the entire attack, his death, and the belief that he is Azael.
"Do you know who Azael is?" She asked.
"Yes, I know it's me, but I'm not sure who I am or what's going on with me," Rafael murmured, confused.
"You would have had the answers if you had mated," Cindy responded.
"Yes, we marked, and it has escalated since then," Rafael stated absentmindedly.
"No, you don't understand what I mean," she paused, "but did you guys have actual sex with each other?" she inquired.
Heat pushed my cheeks up, and I turned away from them.
"Oh, come on, you guys, don't be timid; we're adults; you can answer me," Cindy encouraged.
"That's why you're stuck in the middle.  Either you should not have begun the mating process or you should have finished it, but at the very least you will understand more about yourself." Cindy exhaled a sigh.
"What exactly do you mean?" I scowled.
"You know Rafael, your grandparents were more than vampires; they weren't humans to begin with; they were hybrids, but when the war came, they channeled their powers and prayed for Fiona's offspring to inherit their position, so the genes skipped your mother, and you, Eva, and your future children will inherit the legacy. Your children will be stronger than you because of Astrid, but I'll get to it later," Cindy stated.
"What exactly am I, and who is Azael?" Rafael asked.
"You are the most powerful creature that has ever existed, and your second throne has been waiting for you for millennia. You were destined to reign. You are someone this world is going to fear, even the most feral one," Cindy smirked.
The wait was excruciating.
"And that is?" I asked.
"A Vampire-Demon hybrid. The Demon King"
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**Hmmm..... Tell me you guys are able to grasp things. I hope I am able to catch up at the right pace. Please tell me things are starting to make sense.** I **need to hear that, and it would be great if you could rate the book. That way, it can be promoted quite often, and we can have more angels in this family.**