Chapter Seventy-eight

I never thought that I would ever be able to witness such unmitigated horror in the world. I couldn't believe this could ever be real, but then again, I realized, this was as real as when I had been a sex slave to Dagen. This reality that pierced my soul like a dagger.

Lip trembling and breath stuck in my throat, I crouched behind the pillar, afraid to make a noise. I felt paralyzed. I had just been a witness to the macabre scene unfolding before me.

Napoleon, the man who once had me trusting him, now revealed his true, ugly self and heart, exposing the monster lurking beneath. He revealed the part of himself that my mother had spoken about in her diaries.

His transformation was gradual, controlled, and made me cringe. His eyes turned cold, calculating, and demonic, as he towered over Susan's lifeless body, her once vibrant skin now pale and clammy.

His fangs pierced her neck, and he sucked her blood with an ugly, guttural satisfaction, his face contorted in a twisted grimace. The sound of her blood gurgling down his throat was like a nightmare come to life. His lips smeared with her blood, and he rose from the ground, his eyes blazing with an otherworldly joy.

The pestle at a corner of the room was suddenly in his hands and with a sickening crunch, that ear-shattering he pounded her. Susan's body shook with each impact, her bones cracking and splintering beneath the relentless blows. I put my hand to my mouth to cover a silent scream as I heard the ghastly sounds of her body being pulverized.

The air reeked of death, blood, and destruction, and I felt my sanity slipping away with each passing moment.

I shook as I watched, I wanted to turn and run for it, for him to not see me or recognize me because he would kill me immediately. People like him went to lengths and made sacrifices to protect things. Yet, my legs began to feel quite glued to the ground. Napoleon swung round, his features twisted into a grotesque snarl of blood lust. He left Susan’ dead body behind and being a man who was still alive though, he looked like a Zombie.

I seized the chance to leave and with those bare feet, I walked as lightly as I could down the hall and into my room. I shook as I struggled with the lock, and then once inside, I slid down the door, struggling to catch my breath.

I ran to my children, glad to see that they still slept, safe and comfortable without a care in the world. They had no idea what a narrow escape I had just a few minutes ago, and I knew that I had to do whatever I could to protect them from such in the future. I embraced them, my tears soaking everywhere. I wept for Susan and the child that she could not have in this life. The baby could not even live for a year. He barely saw the world and he was killed so brutally by the man I called uncle. I didn't just cry for Susan, I wept also for myself. I was a prisoner of the hell house ruled by the devil himself.

The night was spent in crying and muttering prayers. The next morning, I felt the pain of what had happened the previous night ruling me from head to toe. Even light which came in through the opened window somehow could not dispel the melancholy that was gradually becoming a part of my soul. My eyes were extremely sore from crying and I had puffy eyes from tears as well. I also had quite a lot of body pains.

After getting ready for the day, I had no choice but to allow Sandra to whisk my children off to the nursery and then I had to attend breakfast as well which was depressing.

I could hardly look at Napoleon during breakfast. He sat at the head of the table, looking every bit the calm and collected father having an innocent breakfast with his children. He looked like a man who had not a care in the world.

How was it possible for him to be so calm and composed not mentioning indifference he had after committing such a terrible crime? It made my stomach churn in disgust.

Emily and Harriet gossiped as though there was no storm brewing over me. They were talking about how it was winter now and it rained one night, the cold that entered their chambers, how chilly it was.

“There is so much snow,” remarked Emily, She could barely believe it. “They cover every place, just like a blanket.”

I could guess that she was excited about the winter and I wondered why. Harriet nodded with wide eyes. “Court is cancelled today, thanks be to the goddess. At this time it is too risky to go out, especially when traveling is concerned.”

I only gave a fake smile and a nod of the head, my mind wandering from snow and freezing temperatures to last night. There I was a prisoner of my own thoughts, reliving the horrible scene all over again. How could I go on living here when I knew what Napoleon was capable of? When I knew that he was a monster. Someone who had no feelings for anyone.

How does one shield the young ones from the monster that resides in the same house as them?

Napoleon drew my attention, he looked deep into me as if attempting to scan my mind. I lowered my head and looked to the side then; my heart raced with tension suddenly. I had to be strong. I had to find a way to protect us from everything… But at this, I was as helpless as a helpless fly, and completely a prisoner in the place I had once called home.

"Regina," he began. "You seem a little distracted."