Lover Sacrificed - Chapter 53

Penehlope looked at the lifeless forms of her mahmen and who she had believed to be her father.

She didn’t feel a thing, if anything; she was relieved that she wouldn’t have to put up with them again.

If only she could do something now to complete the mating ceremony… She would have to dig out her acting skills. She would be a princess, goddammit!

And since, either way, she didn’t know where the antidote was, there was nothing she could do for Darius and he would die soon, leaving her a widow in only a few years.

She almost rubbed her hands together in glee.

- Now what to do with you?

The little figure that was supposed to be the mother of the race looked her up and down, and Penehlope opened her mouth, ready to apologize and show how horribly sorry she was for all her parents had done. After all, she was only an innocent unknowing victim in their evil plans… She scoffed inwardly. It wasn’t like they could contradict her.

The Scribe Virgin held her tiny hand up.

- Save it. Darius my son?

- Scribe Virgin.

- Don’t fear, everything will be ok.

He simply nodded and Penehlope couldn’t help but curl her lip up in disgust, forgetting her supposed innocence for a moment.  He was such a loser.

- Tell me Darius, how long have you been drinking from Penehlope?

- 5 years.

- And have you tasted something… different? When compared to other blood?

He frowned before replying.

- Uhm… it tastes… worse. Very bitter.

- Well yours tastes disgusting too!

Who the hell did he think he was? The Scribe Virgin almost smirked before talking.

- That would be the antidote in her vein.

Wait.

What?

The whole brotherhood went eerily quiet and she just felt like screaming at the stupid Scribe Virgin. What the hell was she talking about!

- See, Feron wasn’t all that stupid. Instead of risking the antidote being a physical, liquid substance, he put the antidote somewhere where he knew it would be safe. In plain sight, but still hidden. That way, he could pretend it was something only he knew where it was, when in fact, Darius was taking it every month already.

Penehlope started to panic. It couldn’t be.

- No! That is not true, you’re lying! Are you saying I’m the antidote? That’s not even possible! You have no idea what you are saying, you little woman!

- Ah, just as disrespectful as your mahmen. What a surprise…

She smiled over at Darius.

- Like I told your father, the answer is in the blood. Her blood.

*-*-*

Darius frowned.

Did that mean he would have to keep drinking her blood forever?

Did it mean he had to get mated after all? But how, surely the Scribe Virgin wouldn’t let her live after all her offences.

He wisely kept all the questions to himself and was rewarded with a smile.

- No to both questions in your head.

She turned to Penehlope.

- Now, he’s got some manners, unlike yourself. Darius, you have two choices here, and the only one who can make the correct decision, is you. Look inside your heart before you decide.

He nodded, eager to know what his options were. He knew that as long as he could go to Nalla afterwards, he’d take whatever she’d offer him.

- You can either let things go, never feed of her again  and let the virus do it’s work. This means that you only have a few years of life left.

The brotherhood roared in denial, though not as loudly as was usual in them, and the Scribe Virgin sighed before continuing.

- You can also drink from her now, take the antidote and cure yourself completely.

- Hell yeah!

The brothers where so on board with that plan he almost covered his ears.

- In order to do this, you will have to drink all of her blood. Every. Last. Drop.

- No!

Penehlope screamed but the Scribe Virgin ignored her.

- Darius, you would literally have to drain her dry.

Penehlope looked up at him with imploring eyes.

- Please Darius. Please, I… I love you!

He scoffed.  What a fucking lie that was. He knew it, but still he doubted. It wasn’t like him to hurt someone or hand the first blow without being attacked first. Unless they were lessers of course, but he sure as hell had never ever laid a hand on a female, let alone hurt one.

- Don’t kill me, Darius please. I… I’m pregnant!

He looked up at the Scribe Virgin, knowing she had mentioned something earlier, but had been too excited at the prospect of getting out of this mating that he hadn’t paid attention. No way was he draining her dry if she was carrying a young though.

The Scribe Virgin shook her head and he knew it was a lie; Penehlope was just trying to save her own life.

- If it would not offend, I would like to ask her a question.

The Scribe Virgin nodded.

- Penehlope?

- What.

- Did you know what Feron did to me?

She looked at him and snarled, dropping all the pretend.

- Yes I knew. I begged my fath…

She looked down at the body on the floor.

- I begged Feron to kill you, after the ceremony. The idiot refused, saying it would be better to let you live. I would have killed you myself, eventually.

And with those words, she sealed her own fate.