Beyond Those Gates... - Chapter 8

Nicolette's P.O.V

Over the next few days, I grew more and more paranoid of this stupid world I was stuck in. All I could ask myself was 'why is it always me who gets into this?' I still remembered the night when the prince bit me. It was almost as if a part of me was gone and yet I was determined to escape this place. The only problem was how am I going to get out of this world because I had no clue in getting back to the real world and that Luke (the vampire prince) would end up catching me. I felt hate for him, yet some part of me liked him. The long thoughts confused me and made me feel dizzy because I just can't believe what was wrong with me. I mean how can I like him from what he did to me and my kind? He killed an innocent human, almost killed a child and almost killed me! Come to think about it I almost died if it wasn't for that girl who saved me...

Slowly I stood up and walked towards the window of the room. I was stuck in this realm for quite a while now and I started to feel a little homesick. I wondered what my father was doing right now and how everything was back at home. I don't know how long I have been stuck in this god forsaken place, but I know one thing is sure...it's usually always dark outside and those stupid red moons always look down at me. I barely have left this room at all and the only time someone comes here is when Katrina or someone else brings me food. Did I say that the food is pretty much garbage as well? Over the days, I have been pondering about what Luke had said. "Half marked? What did he mean by that? What else is there for him to do to me? Why am I marked in the first place?"
At least there might have been one or two good things so far...I have a new change of clothes and my burns where almost gone. But you know if I had not stumbled here, then I would have been back at home and enjoying my life the way I use to do.

Suddenly the door flew open and I saw Luke standing there just staring at me. I tried to give him a cold glare back, but that didn't work so well. I sat there in silence, not really knowing what to say to a vampire who said that I was his. He approached me slowly and I had the need to back away from him, but I stood up and held my stance. He stopped when he was only about half a meter away from me. Finally I summoned my courage to break the silence. "What do you want?" I demanded. Luke just smirked at me before speaking. "Oh I'm sure you know what I want." He replied in his usual cold tone of voice. "No, I don't and I don't plan to stick around here for long." I add as I walked around him. I thought I was home free just like that, but of course nothing is that easy to get. As I neared the door, Luke grabbed my wrist tightly. "You're not going anywhere and besides even if you do get out, you're never going to get back to your realm without dying." He stated as he pulled me closer to him. My eyes met his and this time it didn't seem like the usual cold ice you would see into it, it was as if there are some warmth in it. 'Woah Nicole...snap out of it.' I told my self. "You know you seem prettier then most humans up close." He said before tucking one of the strands of my hair behind my ear. I could not believe in what he had said...I thought he hated me and I think I'd rather that. Then without warning Luke bent forward and his lips met mine.

The kiss was a rush of sensation that tingled though my body. It was as if some sort of warmth ran through me and somehow part of me enjoyed it. The other part of me, made me snap out of the dream and I broke the kiss. I stared at him in furry and for a moment I didn't have the heart to say it. "You...you stole my first kiss you leech!" I yelled out. I felt my whole body shaking in anger and before I knew what I was doing I raised up my hand and yelled "LURVADU". I had no idea what I was saying, but suddenly the windows broke and wind was swirling around me and I was strong enough to knock even a vampire down. Then I spotted my chance and I ran out the door ignoring the shouts behind me. I tried to find my way out of the huge castle, but it was harder then it looks to get around. Eventually I did find the exit, only to be blocked by Luke.

I took in a sharp breath as I stared at him for a moment. "Going somewhere?" He asked with a menacing smile. "Umm...let me think about it..." I said, pretending to think for a few seconds. "I'm going home!" I yelled trying to get passed him. He gave me a smirk before snapping his fingers. I only ignored what he did, but my whole body couldn't move. It felt as if everything weighed down on me like a car was on me! "Why...why can't I move?" I asked stupidly. "You think you are the only one with powers?" He asked crossing his arms. "No, I don't think you are even able to control yours." He added. I gritted my teeth, which was the only thing I could do at the moment. "Okay, so you have to go on showing off, why can't you leave me alone and let me go home?" I demanded. He gave me a cold laugh in reply. "It's not that simple you know.

If you weren't this powerful in magic then I would have let you go and also you're forgetting that you are mine. There is no going back home, but only staying with me." He stated. "Alright, first of all I am not YOURS and secondly, I don't know what is with everyone saying that I am a sorceress, but seriously, it's not true. I can't be, I don't even know how to use my powers if I am one." I blurted out. "You need not know about controlling it yet plus I am not about to risk someone that has the potential to hurt the sorcerers and enslave the humans to be let go of." He added. That was one of the last things I was about to stand, hearing this. I will not be used...I refused to be used and I refuse to be used as some sort of weapon. Suddenly my body heated up again and then the door blew open. The next thing I knew was that my body came back to me and I started to run for my life. Sure I didn't know which way I was going, but anywhere was better than there right? Haha, boy was I wrong about that...

I ran until I was out of breath and I was surprised that Luke didn't follow me, but later on I found out that he did, at least he was secretly hiding. I looked around and found myself by the edge of town, where less vampires where, but there were still some looking at me. I was half surprised that they didn't do anything to me, but I assumed that when Luke half marked me, it really helped. I guess it didn't all work because as I started for the forest, there were two vampires in front of me. "Oh great..." I breathed out. I wasn't looking forward to meeting more vampires, yet with my luck anything is possible. The vampire who had a nasty scar on his face and looked about in his twenties stared at me. "Well, well look at who we have here..." He said as he walked closer to me.

The other vampire, who had dark-colored hair spoke up. "Umm...boss...she's already marked by another vampire...the prince, himself." He said, looking nervously at him before looking at me. The man just snorted before touching my cheek with his right hand. "You know, she is only just half marked and besides...I hadn't had a decent meal since that awful new law about not drinking humans to their death crap." He stated. I felt tense right about now and got myself to speak. "Don't touch me." I said, trying to keep my voice cool. The vampire just laughed before sending sparks towards me. Yeah, sparks like lighting and it knocked me on the ground. "There's nothing for you to stop me." He said as he knelt down and picked me up by my throat.

His grip was pretty tight as he started to speak once more. "It's such a shame that the prince leaves a perfectly good human to waste now." He said before I felt a brush of his lips on my neck. "No...I managed to squeak out. I will not endure the pain of keeping bitten. I will not let some leech slobber me. What happened next, happened pretty fast because I felt the breeze start to pick up to a cold blowing wind. Quickly, it stared to...I don't know...maybe freeze him? I was confused because I was immune to it and slowly he started to let go of me, not knowing what was happening to him. In less than a few seconds, he froze solid and then my eyes lingered on the other vampire. "You want to be my next guest?" I asked, my emotions unreadable. "No...no." He said before quickly running off.

I stood there for a moment before I started to head into the forest. I could get used to this power I have...or this luck... But you know, whenever I get my hopes up, everything ends up falling on me. I was walking for less than fifteen minutes when something came into my mind...how in the world am I supposed to get out of here? I mean really, I didn't know how I got here in the first place... Groaning, I tried to figure out what to do next when there was a low growl. I spun around and I saw myself looking at some sort of beast, no not the one I saw when I first came here. No, this beast had black fur and it was three times the size of a panther. Behind it, was three more of the same kind all of their eyes staring at me. And when I mean eyes, I mean they had like three eyes each, which creped me out more than the two moons, the monsters I met earlier and how the sun never comes out in this place. I started to back away slowly, when one of them lunged at me.

I didn't know what to do and the 'magic' or luck in me wasn't willing to help me again. I was alone in this situation. Somehow though, I managed to dodge it, but the other three lunged at me at the same time. Now how was I supposed to avoid that? I don't know what I did, but I ended up jabbing, one of the monsters in eye, which trust me, it was really gross! It only seemed to be stunned, but it was slowly recovering. I turned to the other two and I kicked one out of the way. The other one...well I tried to jab at it, but it bit onto part of my arm. I managed to shake it off and I felt a slow pain going through me. My whole arm was bleeding non-stop and I didn't know what to do any more when suddenly, a boy jumped in front of me and long dark roots started to sprout and was growing on the monsters legs. In about a matter of milliseconds, they turned into hideous looking trees, just like how the wind was able to freeze the vampire I faced. Right then, I was amazed at the boy, amazed at how I managed to survive the monsters attack , yet mostly I was in a lot of pain.

I fell to the ground on my knees and stared at my arm before staring at the boy, who was facing away from me. "Who...are you?" I asked slowly. The boy turned around and sudden shock went through me. "Jack Blase?" I asked slowly before gulping. The boy smiled before nodding. "Yeah, that's me, your best friend forever." He said before kneeling down to me. "You seem okay, except for that wound. Hmf... bloodhounds." He muttered before taking something out of his pocket. "Woah, woah, woah how in the world are you here?" I asked. "How did you just do that? I thought you were gone, like on the other side of the world..." A whole lot of questions ran through me and then I felt a little bit mad at him. "Why did you leave me?" I asked finally. The brown haired boy laughed before putting some green looking leaves on my wound. "You Nicolie, always ask too many questions." He said. I tried to look angry, but I ended up laughing as well. "Okay, but seriously, explain everything to me." I said.

Jack nodded before sitting down beside me. "Even though this isn't the best place to be right now, you deserve an answer from me and I will give it to you." He replied before putting his hand to the ground. "Alitousious." He mumbled before a huge bush of blood red thorns surrounded us, among with some roses. Before I could ask him what this was about as well, he answered it as if he read my mind. "They are for our protection you see... Any creature of the night can't penetrate this wall because well, it hurts them." He stated. "And don't get me started on them yet. I will tell you when we get back home, but I will start to tell you about why I disappeared." He said. I nodded happily and noticed that the green things Jack put on my arm was starting to disappear as well as the blood on my arms.

"Okay, so as you know I left when we were only in grade six, but that comes to a reason. I found out that my family is a full blooded sorcerer/ sorceress." He began. "Well, actually only my mother knew that, but my father wasn't dumb. He eventually learned that he was one too because of the weird things he could do. Anyway, my parents wanted us to move to a place where there were more sorcerers and sorceress around. Also they didn't want us living close to the blood gate since it was still very dangerous." He stated. "Wait...so what is the blood gate?" I asked. Jack laughed before speaking. "It's the gate that you went though." He replied. "Okay, so how did you know I went though a gate?" I questioned again. "I know it because it's the only way to get to this realm, now please let me continue without being interrupted of questions." He said. I gave a nod and tried to seal my lips. "As I was saying I moved because of those dangers and I went to a school that held people like me.

It was a secret academy that trained our powers, sort of like Harry Potter, but we are more modern." Continued Jack. I learned many things and you get a few missions here and there, but this is my biggest mission yet. To find you. Well it was the Alatica who told me of you and made sent me here." Said Jack. "Okay who is she?" I asked again. He sighed before speaking. "You know the lady you met in the carnival...she was the one who sent me. She was the one who told me about how you where in trouble." He said softly. "So long story short, I came here by orders to bring you here, before any vampire can kill you or use you." He stated. "I guess I will tell you in depth later on." He added. "Okay, but what do you mean use me?" I asked. "I promise this will be the last question." I said quickly after. Jack laughed before speaking. "Well apparently you are some sort of girl in some legend and if it is true...a war can break out between the magic users and the vampires.

What will be worse is that the humans will get entangled in it, since they don't know this stuff. If the vampires win then, they might have a chance in enslaving everyone." He stated. I was silent before many more questions popped into my head. Jack grimaced at me before speaking. "You have more questions don't you?" He asked. I nodded my head slowly and I sort of had a feeling that he wasn't telling me everything about what he told me. "Okay, I will answer the rest when we get back to our world..." He said quickly before the rose bush sunk into the ground again.

Something told me that in his voice, he was in a rush to get out of here. "Common let's go." He said before taking my hand. We were just about to leave, when there was that familiar voice again. "Going somewhere?" Asked a cruel and cold voice. "Damn..." I mumbled looking around until my eyes fell upon the blue eyes, black haired boy. Jack looked my war too and his grip on my hand tightened. I could see tension between them and I could also see Jack's jaw tightening as well. Luke was against a base of a tree, his eyes slowly starting to turn red. I only thought I knew what that meant... He was getting angry...