Trapped With The Devil's Spawn

TEASER "Good morning, Mrs. Winnie!" I greeted her brightly the moment I spotted her walking toward me from the street, carrying her ever-present woven basket filled with fresh flowers. "Brietta, you're here already? It's just seven in the morning and you're already waiting?" she asked with a soft chuckle. "Yes," I replied cheerfully, "I have some homework I really need to finish." As soon as she reached me, I gently took the basket from her hands. It was filled with freshly picked blooms like white roses, pink peonies, and sprigs of lavender that still held the scent of early morning dew. "Alright, let me get my key," she said, moving slowly as she began to dig into the pocket of her long coat. I waited patiently, watching her slender fingers search through the fabric. She's turning 60 this year. From what she once told me, she's been running this library since she was a young woman taking over after her parents passed it down to her. This library was her life's work. Honestly, I preferred studying here over any café or school facility. There was something special about this place. The moment you stepped inside, you were greeted by the soothing aroma of old books and wooden shelves, mingled with the floral freshness from her potted plants that she lovingly cared for. They were everywhere by the windows, on the corners of tables, and on book shelves. The atmosphere was always so refreshing, so calming that's helped me to meditate. And the best part? She opened the library early sometimes as early as 5 a m. Which made it perfect for quiet morning study sessions before the world outside got busy. "Why didn't your friend come with you today?" she asked. She was talking about Darly. "I invited her," I explained. "But she's busy with other stuff today... And she told me she's not feeling well." "And what about that handsome young man who's courting you?" she teased with a playful grin. "Irvin's not courting me..." I muttered shyly, my cheeks warming just a little. "No?" she replied with a mischievous twinkle in her eye. "But I heard he's quite the heartthrob at your university..." "Well, yeah, he is... but we're just friends," I said, trying not to smile too much. Mrs. Winnie looked at me with a gaze that said she didn't quite believe me. "The way he looks at you... Oh, my dear, I can tell. That young man really likes you." "Stop teasing me..." I said with a giggle, trying to change the subject. "Did you find the key?" "I did. Turns out it was tucked inside my wallet the whole time," she laughed softly. With the key finally in hand, she positioned it into the lock on the doorknob, and I stepped in to help her push open the two heavy wooden panels that made up the library's front doors. The familiar scent of the place greeted us the moment we stepped inside. I walked ahead toward my favorite spot, next to the wide front glass wall where the early sunlight streamed in, warm and golden. I loved sitting there. "I'll prepare some refreshments for you, my dear," Mrs. Winnie said warmly. "But first, I'll arrange these flowers in the vases." "Thank you so much. That's actually one of the reasons I love coming here early," I said with a smile, feeling genuinely grateful. She nodded with a gentle hum and made her way toward the kitchen, her footsteps soft against the wooden floor. As for me, I began unpacking my study materials one by one. I placed my laptop on the table, followed by my thick textbook, and then my notebook, already halfway filled with notes and doodles. I stretched a little in my seat, appreciating how convenient it was to study here, especially now that the library offered free internet. And in that quiet morning moment, with sunlight spilling across the pages of my open book and the faint clinking of cups in the kitchen behind me, I felt right at home. I started studying and working on my assignments. I was trying to finish all my schoolwork quickly because the deadline was just around the corner. Now that I'm a college student, life has become busier than ever. I barely have time to relax or hang out anymore. "Here you go, my sweet child." I gently pushed my laptop aside as Mrs. Winnie placed a tray on my study table. "I baked these pastries last night," she said with a warm smile. I looked up at her and returned the smile brightly. "Perfect timing... I haven't had breakfast yet." I thanked her again and picked up a glass of fruit juice from the tray. I sipped through the straw, and as the sweet and tangy flavor filled my mouth, I closed my eyes. The taste was refreshing, it gave my brain a little boost. Mrs. Winnie knew I didn't drink coffee, so she always prepared fruit juice for me instead. Honestly, she was like a grandmother to me. She helped me with everything, anytime I needed it. I grew up in an orphanage. Luckily, because of my good behavior and strong academic record, I was one of the few orphans chosen to receive a scholarship. Free tuition, a monthly allowance, and even a place to stay in a small apartment. I didn't have to worry about school expenses at all. All I had to do was focus on my studies and do my best. As I was quietly enjoying my snack, a garbage collector arrived. "Good morning, Mrs. Winnie. Where should I take the trash?" he asked politely. "At the far end of the bookshelf... the one in the box," she replied. I turned my attention back to what I was doing. A few minutes passed, and I noticed the garbage collector walk past me, carrying the box filled with old, unused books as he headed toward the exit of the library. I was just about to get back to work on my laptop when something caught my eye. A book had fallen out of the box. The garbage collector didn't notice it and continued walking toward his truck. I quickly stood up and ran outside. "Excuse me, sir! You dropped a book!" I shouted, raising my voice. But he didn't hear me. That's when I noticed he was wearing a headset. I picked up the book, which had landed down on the rough tiles. I tried to catch up with him, but it was too late. He had already climbed into the truck, and it was driving away. I stopped on the sidewalk, catching my breath. I looked down at the book in my hands and my brows furrowed when something caught my attention. A thick cover, and engraved on the front was a strange symbol, a bat and a wolf's head and the title... "Realm of Mythical Creatures." I wasn't really interested in books that weren't grounded in reality or that belonged to the fantasy genre, so I only stared at the creepy cover for a few seconds before heading back into the library. "What's that you're holding, Brietta? And why were you chasing after Marky?" Mrs. Winnie asked. I turned my gaze toward her at the counter. "This book fell, and I was about to return it, but he didn't even notice me." She let out a soft chuckle. "Just put it back on the bookshelf. I'll probably have it thrown out again tomorrow anyway." "Alright, Mrs. Winnie." I decided I'd return it to the shelf later. For now, I sat down in my seat and placed the old book beside me. I picked up my pen, ready to get back to writing. But in the middle of taking down notes, my elbow accidentally bumped the book, and it tumbled to the floor. I leaned over the side of the table to check where it had fallen and I froze at what I saw. The book had fallen open, not even halfway through, but what completely seized my attention was the printed illustration accompanied by detailed descriptions. This isn't a story book but it's all about folkores about fictional creatures. My eyes locked onto the image example of a man with sharp, beast-like fangs. For some reason I couldn't explain, my heart suddenly began pounding hard against my chest, and a cold shiver crept up the back of my neck. I let out a deep breath, trying to calm myself, then picked the book up from the floor and placed it back on my study table. Still, I couldn't tear my eyes away from that drawing. I turned to the next page and my uneasiness grew worse. It was a detailed sketch of a werewolf, terrifying in appearance, with fierce eyes. I wanted to read the details, but I chose to look away instead. "Why am I getting creeped out? It's not like any of this is real," I muttered under my breath. "They're all just myths anyway. No reason to be scared." I closed the book with a soft thud and shook my head at myself, amused by how jumpy I was being over something so silly. I ended up having both lunch and dinner at the library, as usual, Mrs. Winnie always generously shared her meals with me. "I'm heading out now, thanks for the meal! See you again tomorrow!" I said cheerfully as I made my way out of the library. I glanced down at my wristwatch. It was already past eight in the evening. I focused my attention on the brightly lit sidewalk ahead. My apartment wasn't far from this street, so there was no need to take a taxi. Eventually, I reached the shortcut I usually took, a narrow, dimly lit alley. I paused even though I had already stepped inside. Carefully, I slid my hand inside my handbag, looking for my phone. I could barely see the path ahead, so I planned to use the flashlight on my phone. As I was searching for it, suddenly, I heard footsteps. As I turned my gaze toward the end of the narrow alley, I noticed the silhouette of a person wearing a hood. I didn't pay much attention to it, thinking it was just someone passing through. But as the person got closer, I froze when it suddenly stopped right in front of me. That's when I began to feel uneasy. I quickly reached for my phone and unlocked the screen. I was about to shine the light on the face of the person standing before me, but to my shock, violently slapped my hand away. My phone flew out of my grasp. "W-Who the hell are you-" I didn't even get to finish what I was saying. I felt a sharp object pierce into my stomach, and a hot liquid surged up into my mouth... my blood. I collapsed onto the cold pavement. The attacker wasn't satisfied with just one stab and kept stabbing me repeatedly until my body went numb from the unbearable pain. I tried to focus my eyes on the person stabbing me, but my vision was already growing dark. Then, thanks to the headlights of a car that turned into the alley, a brief moment of light revealed something that shook me to my core. Before everything went completely black, I caught a glimpse of the attacker's face that splattered with my blood. "D-Darcy..." I uttered, using my last breath to speak the name of my closest friend. I wished, with all my heart, that this was just a nightmare. I never imagined that the woman I considered a sister would be the one to try and take my life. I... I don't want to die yet... "Tiara, please wake up! Tiara! Don't do this to me! Tiaaaaraaa!" An old man's voice, heavy with sobs, echoed in my ears. Slowly, I began to regain consciousness. "It's no use, Alfred. She has no pulse. We're too late..." someone else said softly, their voice filled with sorrow. "NO! She's not dead!" the man cried out, refusing to accept the truth. "It looks like Tiara was overwhelmed with too much work. Today's the first time they let her return to our village so early. When she left last month, I noticed she was already weak... Maybe her body just couldn't take it anymore. Poor child..." As I managed to open my eyes slightly, I saw the man leaning over me, he was performing CPR. My eyes suddenly flew open, and I gasped as I sat up with a jolt. The man reeled back in shock, as did the group of people behind him, all of them wide-eyed and speechless. "T-TIARA!" the old man cried out in disbelief, and without hesitation, he pulled me into a tight embrace, sobbing uncontrollably. My forehead creased in confusion as I looked around. I realized I was inside what seemed to be a stable, surrounded by wooden walls and the smell of hay. I had been lying on a pile of dried straw. What struck me even more was the appearance of the people around me, their clothes looked like they came from another century. Their outfits were old-fashioned, as if they belonged to a different time period entirely. Long skirts, vests, boots, simple earth-toned fabrics. It was like I had been transported into the past. Where exactly am I? And who is this older man crying with his eyes out? "Tiara! You scared me!" he said, turning to face me with a look of deep concern. I stared at him, utterly confused. "W-Who are you?" "Don't joke around like that!" he burst out. "You were only gone for twelve hours-how could you forget me already?!" But I slowly shook my head, eyes searching his face for any hint of familiarity. "You... really don't recognize me?" "No..." That was all I could say. My voice barely escaped my lips. I had no idea what to think, let alone what to say. My mind was a haze of confusion and fear. "I am Alfred... y...your grandfather, Tiara!" "T-Tiara?" I repeated in a whisper, the name sounding foreign "Don't tell me... you've forgotten your own name?" he asked, visibly shaken, worry flickering in his eyes even more. I couldn't answer. My lips parted, but no sound came out. I heard murmuring around me, whispers from the people inside the horse stable. Their eyes were on me, full of concern and curiosity. The old man stepped closer and gently grasped my arms with both hands. He peered into my eyes, desperate, like he was looking for a spark of recognition. "Did you lose your memory? Y-You are Tiara Thornells! My grandchild!" he said, his voice trembling. My heart pounded violently in my chest. I could barely breathe. What was happening? Who was I? "Can you tell me where I am?" I asked, my voice barely audible. "You are in Springfield Village, part of the Kingdom of Vladerion!" I stared blankly at him, my vision beginning to blur. What kingdom? What village? None of this made sense. "What the hell are you talking about?" I blurted out. My voice cracked with emotion, confusion, and fear, angled into one. Gasps echoed around the room. The people were stunned by my reaction. But I didn't care. I was confused. More than confused, I was terrified. The old man sighed, concern etched deep into his features. "Tiara," he said gently. "Let's go home. You need to rest, maybe then the memories will come back to you. But... Thank the heavens you weren't devoured by those werewolves! Not everyone is lucky enough to be rescued by vampires... especially now that the spiritual barriers protecting our kingdom are starting to weaken again!" Werewolves? Vampires? Barriers? I was frozen. My body didn't respond as my mind tried to process the madness I was hearing. Then, without another word, he lifted me into his arms. I didn't resist. I had no strength left to struggle or question. I let myself be carried away, and before long, we arrived at a house, his house, apparently. He gently laid me down, and I stared at the ceiling in silence. And then... A memory surged through me... A sharp and brutal like a knife. I was killed. By someone I trusted. By a friend. Darly... My chest tightened. The pain was so vivid, it felt like it had just happened. And yet here I was... alive. But this wasn't my world. This wasn't my body. So why was I here? I finally gathered the courage to ask him, the man who claimed to be my grandfather. I needed answers. And when he spoke, I felt my knees go weak. "We live in a world where vampires and werewolves exist," he began, his voice low and steady. "I am one of the Healers... gifted with spiritual power to create barriers that protect the kingdom from dark forces... There are beings here called Clawfords... They are werewolves, but they're even more dangerous because they have embraced black magic... They are using it... twisting and strengthening their bodies and abilities into something monstrous. That's why many years ago, the vampires and we, Healers have formed an alliance... to fight back against the darkness the Clawfords bring... I have more to explain but for now, you need to rest, Tiara..." ••••••• Disclaimer This story is an original work of fiction written by cherryypinks. All names, characters, places, organizations, and incidents portrayed are fictional. The content is a product of the author's imagination, intended for entertainment purposes only. Mature Content Warning: Some chapters may contain material that is not suitable for all readers. Explicit s****l content Violence Strong or offensive language Dark or sensitive themes Reader discretion is advised. If you are underage, easily disturbed, or sensitive to such content, please consider skipping this story.