Twisted Fate

His letter was clear, filled with deceit and his final mandate. She had one hour to decide, but she knew the decision was already made for her. How could fate be so cruel? Katriona crumpled the note in her hand and watched it roll across the ancient wooden floor. 

His vile words echoed in her mind, as if he stood before her in all his splendor, while she wasted precious seconds oscillating between her heart’s desire and his ultimatum. Indecision was not her friend, and time was her enemy. 

Flashes of his smile haunted Katriona as she closed her eyes and swayed to the distant music playing in the recesses of her mind. Once upon a time, his touch sent shivers down her spine and made her heart race. His kisses were tender and inviting as they danced underneath the midnight moon. The thought of spending eternity with him was exhilarating until she witnessed the demons invading his soul.

How she had longed to lose her innocence as she stared into his silver eyes. But that was before she saw the monster hidden behind the veil. His soul was as dark as the obsidian abyss, and he was the master manipulator. How many ways had he feigned his love for her as he stole everything precious in her life?

She was trapped in the story he wove, only letting the world see the beauty of their relationship. The lies he spun lingered in the shadows, destroying her soul as he paraded his possession around the royal court.

As memories faded, a sense of foreboding washed over Katriona. Within the hour, he would enter her chambers and expect an answer to his proposal, but her mind was frozen with indecision. Icy shivers ran down her spine as she wondered: would he choose for her if she refused to answer? Hidden deep within him was the power to make her life a living hell.

Katriona whispered, “Lucian, how did we get here? Why? What made you turn from my sweet lover to a cruel master?”

She wandered around the lonely room before standing in front of the window, waiting for his unwanted return. When she pushed the curtain aside, she cringed, watching his gilded carriage turn into the lane. The wheels kicked up dust as they raced toward the castle.

Dread rolled around in the pit of her stomach. Katriona felt like a prisoner awaiting her fate at the hands of an evil king. For if she chose incorrectly, his punishment would be swift and harsh. Death would be a sweet consolation prize to the horrors he could summon as her punishment.

Within minutes, the carriage stopped before the entrance, and the footman opened the door. The unnamed servant rolled out the red carpet and stood rigidly along the path as Lucian stepped onto the gravel drive.

She held her breath when his eyes glanced toward her room. Their eyes locked on each other, and his smile sent a new wave of fear to crash over her like a destructive storm. 

Stepping away from the window, she glared at the parchment lying abandoned on the floor. Katriona muttered a curse, knowing that it was too late to flee the fate chosen for her. Either path led to a life as a prisoner of his choosing. A lifetime of servitude in his bed or a wretched existence within the prison walls.  

She steeled her nerves. Her decision was made, or so she thought. 

As the door handle turned, her resolve faltered. Her love for the man he once was wrestled with the man who demanded her loyalty.

She forced her eyes to look at the floor boards, refusing to stare into the silver abyss. As his fingers touched her chin, she groaned, knowing that she was too weak to fight him. 

“Katriona, to what end are you willing to defy me? Have you decided?” 

His rich voice hung in the air, befuddling her mind. Memories of tender moments mixed with tendrils of horror at the monster before her. Through her tears, she fought to stay calm, but carnal desires overpowered her emotions.

The hidden blade gave her a false sense of strength. If she stabbed him through the heart, she would be free of his wrath, but she would spend eternity in hell. If she gave in to his power, she would be betraying her soul, giving in to the demons that possessed him, knowing they would soon possess her too.

Lucian's baritone voice shattered her irrational thoughts. “Now, Katriona. This isn't a difficult decision. You have two options. Let me turn you, and we can live forever, or deny me and spend the rest of your life as my prisoner. Remember this: either way, I’ll turn you.”

The metal against her skin reminded her of her humanity and his treachery. Her mind was made up. She smiled demurely as she looked into his eyes. “Lucian, I can never love you, let alone for eternity. You're the bastard who ripped my heart to pieces, destroyed my family, and stole all of their earthly possessions, so you could have your way with me when my father refused your offer. ”

His pale silver eyes turned black as his hand wrapped around her neck. “Do you think your little dagger will keep you safe?” His laughter was filled with malice as he grabbed the blade from her petite hand and threw it across the room.

Katriona watched the blade sink into the wooden bedframe and was certain that she knew how her story would end. With one last ounce of courage left, she screamed at his stoic face. “No! I didn’t. I don’t love you! I never will!"

He snarled as he pushed her away from him. "I should send you to hell for your insolence, but I want you in my bed for the rest of my days. So, I'll compromise and save you from the prisons."

Confusion washed over her. What was he talking about? What kind of compromise? Before she could question him, she watched his lips silently form the words of his ancient magic. One by one, tendrils of her memories disappeared. He let her keep all the sweet and tender moments they had shared, but stole from her the memories of his betrayal and everything she held dear. All of her sweet childhood moments with her family disappeared and were gone forever.

A sweet voice emerged from the fog swirling around her. Lucian was holding her tenderly as he whispered, "My love. Let me turn you now as we have planned, and then we'll wed this afternoon. Eternity shall be ours."

"Oh, Lucian." She stared into her lover's eyes and longed to fill his every desire. All of her fear and fury disappeared as her mind wandered. She let out a gasp as he pierced her tender skin, but gave in to the power he held over her.

The choice was never hers.