Descent Into Darkness Chapter Three

Aerion, Aesteria 1871

Rayvn sat in front of the mirror, brushing out her hair. Her hands were shaking and her breath was coming quickly as her heart pounded. Memories of the night before replayed over and over again as she tried to find yet another way out of this marriage. Rayne didn't seem much happier, though she would be marrying Marrow, at least that was her father's plan. They had come up with one of their own. Neither woman was happy with the suitor she had been betrothed to, so Rayne had come up with a way for herself to be happy at least.

The woman had fallen hard for Darius, though she was betrothed to Marrow and so she had devised a plan. If they had been anything other than identical twins, it never would have worked...but since the two women were a mirror image of one another, it was easy for them to simply switch positions and take on the man that they "wanted."

Rayne finished getting into her dress with the help of their mother. She had gotten her hair done already; the last step was the veil. The dress was absolutely gorgeous, pure white satin with a lace overtone printed with roses. The full skirts had to be held as the young woman walked, but she looked stunning.

Darius was dressed in a dark red suit, the white shirt beneath drawing the eye to his chest. He was well toned, his body fashioned after the gods, so he believed. He stood silently beside his brother, who wore a matching suit although Marrow was dressed in black. The families had decided to honor the Black family by holding the ceremony in their grand ballroom, figuring that afterward, the days ride to the McGregor Castle would give the newlyweds time to acclimate themselves even more to one another.

Marrow let out a slight sigh. As much as he wanted Rayvn in his heart, he knew that marrying Rayne would not be so bad, they were twins after all, how different could they be? Still, every time the women would come for a visit, he felt such sadness from Rayvn that he almost wanted to reject the marriage itself. He smiled, however, when the priest placed himself between them and the small band began to play a March. The two women moved in unison, the veils hiding the faces of the brides, which would not come off until their kiss as husband and wife.

Rayvn and Rayne were both shaking, unsure of this whole thing. So many things could go wrong. They moved forward, taking the arm of their suitors. The priest began the ceremony, addressing both families and the minimal guests that showed.

To the twins, the ceremony seemed to go on forever, both parties said their "I do's" and the men slipped the rings onto the women's fingers. Finally, the priest pronounced the two couples wed and asked the men to lift the veils to "consummate" the marriage with the kiss.

Marrow lifted Rayvn's veil at the same time that Darius lifted Rayne's and a shocked hush fell over the crowd. Neither man moved for several heartbeats as they stared into the twins eyes, betrayal flooding through the two men.

Darius was the first to act, he pulled Rayne to him with a hiss and sank needle-sharp fangs into the girl's neck. Rayne started to scream but it was cut off. She struggled slightly, trying to get away but it only succeeded in tearing the flesh of her neck.

Marrow followed suit, though Rayvn nearly got out of his grasp. He felt her struggle to break free, his fangs slicing into the tender flesh of her neck at first before he was able to get a proper grip on her and actually bite into her neck. By now the wedding party was in an absolute uproar. People had scattered like cockroaches fleeing light as the McGregor family attacked all they could get their hands on.

Rayne could feel herself becoming weaker as she reached out, tears streaming down her face, though she could do nothing as she watched Darius and Marrow's parents kill her own before her vision faded to black as her pulse slowed and finally stopped. Though subconsciously she swore she was dead, or at least very close to dying, she felt something hot and thick gliding down her throat, the texture somewhere between butter and molasses. There was a bittersweet taste in her mouth as well, almost as if someone had taken coppers and melted them before mixing it with a fine chocolate.

Rayvn let out a shriek as Marrow was finally able to adjust his grip and pull her into his arms. He tried to soothe her, but she struggled too much, her will too great in her panicked state for his mind tricks to work. As his fangs entered her neck, she watched as her parents and sister were murdered, her vision blurring as she motioned for her youngest sibling, Abbigail to run.

Abbie was frozen with fear, the ten-year-old's mind trying to process what was going on. Silent tears streamed down her cheeks as she watched seemingly normal people become nightmare worthy monsters. Her gaze held with Rayvn's as the woman urged her silently to run, but she couldn't, fear had locked her to the spot.

Darius noticed Abbigail as Rayne fell limp in his arms. He watched as Marrow took the life of Rayvn...his Rayvn... and gave her new life, though their blood would not take hold until after the sun had set. Their parents had gone to track down the rest of the guests, leaving them to take care of the mess here. Darius approached Abbie after laying Rayne down at the altar and scooped her up into his arms. The child seemed to come back from her state of shock and fear, beginning to kick and scream. "Shhh... You will be with your sisters very soon, Mon Petite."

Marrow lifted Rayvn over his shoulder, the woman unforgivably pale and, for now at least...dead. He looked at his brother as he moved the girl's curls away from her neck and hissed. "You can't! You know our laws, Darius. She'll be killed."

Darius glared at his brother and cracked his neck. He knew Rayvn better than the woman thought he did. Marrow had been too busy wooing Rayne to find out anything about her, despite his professed love for the eldest. "Maybe, but if I don't, Rayvn will turn on us as soon as she wakes up. Then there will be two newborn vampires on the loose, with no sires and an insatiable bloodlust... which is worse?" He stared into his brother's eyes as he sank his fangs into the child's neck, the pained whimper that came from her made Marrow shudder as he took Rayvn into the castle.

They would have to stay there for the rest of the day, transporting the three in broad daylight, even in a carriage could be treacherous. Marrow lay Rayvn down in her own bed and closed the curtains, letting the room fall dark. "This was not supposed to be your fate...You were never meant to know."

Darius took Rayne to her room, but brought Abbigail to Rayvn's room and placed the girl in her sister's arms. He heard his brothers words and laughed. "Perhaps it was not meant to be Rayne's, but I fully intended to keep such a beauty by my side forever."

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The sunset a few hours later and Darius sat in a chair next to Rayvn's bed, a single candle burning on her vanity as he waited. His own hunger grew as he waited for the woman to wake up to her new life.

Marrow sat with Rayne, fidgeting lightly as he waited. He worried about how she would react to this change. She'd be starving, he knew that for sure, but once the hunger was sated, once she could think clearly... Would she hate them or would she embrace it? He had never made a Vampire before, had he done it right? Was she strong enough to make it through? He jumped as a scream from down the hall broke the utter silence. Their parents had warned them about this, Rayvn had awoken to immense pain as his blood took hold, essentially killing her before her new life began.

Rayvn had sat straight up as the pain of death had coursed through her; Darius had almost been too late to remove Abbie from the woman's arms so she wasn't crushed. The woman let out a pained, blood-curdling scream as Marrow's blood took its toll, destroying her cells and shutting down her organs one by one. After a few minutes, the woman collapsed to the bed again, almost as if fainting. Her skin turned white as a fresh cotton sheet, her lips turning the color of blood.

The next scream was from Rayne, just down the hall. Her bell-like voice ringing out in pain as her body fought to reject Darius' blood but ultimately lost. Marrow caught her before she fell, laying her back against the pillows. She was beautiful before, now she was devastatingly gorgeous. Her lips had turned the color of fresh peaches, her skin as pale as a fresh snowfall.

The last and most heart-wrenching scream came from Abbigail. The child's voice was high and shrill, sobs echoing through it. Instinctively, the child had curled into Rayvn. The child waking back up was an uncertainty. Still, as the two lay there, Abbigail's skin paled and the loose curls in her hair tightened. It seemed all three sisters had survived.

Not long after Abbigail, Rayvn's eyes flew open as she woke up with a gasp. Her canines were elongated and sharp. She let out a shuttered breath and stared for a moment at the canopy above her bed. Even in the dim, candlelit room, she could see every detail perfectly. She felt Abbigail, small and limp against her side and turned her head. The child looked like a doll, her hair in tight ringlets, her head against Rayvn's shoulder. The room was oddly still, but she could feel another presence there... Watching, waiting. She shot up, pulling Abbigail tighter against her. Her crimson eyes searching the darkness, every detail of her room clear as day until her gaze fell on Darius. "You... what have you..." Her voice was raw, her throat seeming to clench as if she hadn't had a drink in days.

Darius smiled, it was slow... Almost cruel thing. He watched as she delicately touched her throat. There was a scar there, from where Marrow's fangs had so viscously opened her throat. "Thirsty, love? We'll fix that as soon as your sisters wake up."

Rayne woke up, in the same way, confused and thirsty, wanting nothing more than to drink...something, anything. She spotted Marrow almost immediately, pushing herself back into the pillows. She wanted to question him, but she couldn't find the words, she was too thirsty.

Marrow walked over to the bed and sat down next to Rayne, brushing her hair away from her face. He kissed her forehead like a father would a child and offered his hand to her. "No need to be scared, love. Let's go see your sisters. We'll be sating that thirst soon."

Abbigail was the last to wake, her eyes fluttering open to find Rayvn holding her in her lap, the woman's heavy glare fixated on Darius. She squeezed her sister's arm and whimpered softly, she'd never experienced a thirst so bad. "Ray-Ray..."

Rayvn looked down at the child in her arms and her features immediately softened. She brushed a lock of curls away from the child's eyes and smiled warmly. "Shh, I know my sweet. As soon as Rayne comes for us, we will get something to drink."

Darius could hear his brother and Rayne coming down the hall. He stood and offered his hand to Rayvn. His eyes glowed red, the same as hers and Abbie's as the bedroom door opened. "It's time; let us rule the night together."

Rayne walked with Marrow, the pitch black halls familiar and yet foreign. Rayne knew it was early evening, she could see the stars beyond the windows but every detail was as sharp and clear as it was during the day, if not clearer. Marrow opened the door to Rayvn's bedroom and found her twin standing, Abbigail in her arms, feet from Darius. Rayne's confusion became even more apparent as she stood next to Marrow. Rayvn looked upset, her eyes glowing so red that it was frightening. "Rayvn... Maybe we should..."

Marrow watched his brother and sighed lightly, it seemed Darius had yet to tell Rayvn what they had done, all the woman had were the horrific memories of watching the rest of their family die before blacking out. He placed his hand lightly on the small of Rayne's back as if to guide her and turned to head out into the night.

Darius looked sternly at the woman and sighed. Rayvn held Abbie as if the little girl were her own. He reached for the woman... His woman and watched as she hissed and moved so fast he almost couldn't keep up with her. "Now, now... Rayvn Darling. Rayne has the right idea. You and Abbigail will feel so much better once we get you out into the night for our...feast."

Rayvn hissed and held Abbigail tighter. Everything in her screamed not to go with them, but her throat felt like it was closing from the thirst. She shuddered and sighed, nodding. She would contemplate taking Abbie away from them later since Rayne seemed to be more than compliant to do what Marrow wished. "Fine." Her voice was raspy, she could feel the burn from not having fluid as she spoke.

Abbigail fidgeted in Rayvn's arms. She was desperately thirsty, her eyes the color of blood. She whimpered as Rayvn held her tighter, but relief flowed through the child as her eldest sister finally agreed.

Marrow escorted Rayne to the carriage as he heard Rayvn agree, though begrudgingly. He didn't like this. Rayvn was strong-willed and defiant, he didn't see her taking to Darius or their new life well. "Come, my sweet. It will not take long for us to get into town."

Rayne nodded and followed him, feeling the man's hand against the small of her back. It was comforting at least... She was scared and thirsty, unsure if what to make of this new life. None of them had gotten a choice, nor a warning. "Perhaps... Once Rayvn has had her fill, she will be less... Distressed. She's never been good with mornings..."

Darius attempted to escort Rayvn out of her room, but the woman shrugged him off with a glare and walked on her own. He sighed and took stride next to her, though not touching. "Darling, must you be so volatile? I have given you eternity."

Rayvn barked out a laugh, condescending and harsh. She let Abbie walk, the child skipping almost merrily beside her. She barely glanced at Darius as he spoke, debating honestly on whether or not to reply. Despite the roughness of her voice, she couldn't help herself. "Eternity? You have damned me and my siblings, murdered our parents, and bound us to darkness. We are nothing more than monsters now, cursed... thanks to you and your insolent brother, to feast upon those we once favored and, at one time, considered friends and yet you act as if you have done us some form of kindness? I beg your pardon, Darling, but I would have sooner died than chosen this life."

Abbigail looked up at Rayvn as she spoke and gasped lightly. The child had not grasped their situation until that point, tears welled up in her eyes. She squeezed Rayvn's hand and sniffled, curls bouncing. "You... You don't mean that... Mama and Papa... they... they are to meet us in town, right, Darius?"

Marrow couldn't help but laugh at that. He rubbed Rayne's back lightly and sighed, shrugging nonchalantly. He helped her into the carriage and settled beside her. "Perhaps, love... perhaps. We shall have to wait and see."

Rayne nodded as she stepped into the carriage and settled in, sighing lightly. She looked out toward their home and chewed on her lip. It would be, perhaps the last time she would see her family home. She watched as Rayvn, Darius and Abbigail walked out the door, Rayvn stopping to soothe the child, glaring more at Darius. "Lord, I hope so."

Darius shook his head as he held the door for the woman and child. He was, as of yet unsure of the damage that had been done to the child's mind during the change and Rayvn wasn't helping. "Forgive me, little dove... But your sister speaks the truth."

Rayvn glared all the more as Abbigail began to cry. As much as she wanted to blame Darius, she'd been the one to bring it up. She scooped the child up and carefully got into the carriage, purposely setting Abbie between herself and Darius. Still, the child curled into her side and cried for the loss of their parents. "Shhh, there-there, sweeting, I am here for you. Rayne is here for you as well, we will keep you safe."

Abbie sniffled as she tried to calm down, finding comfort in her sister's arms as well as her words. She clung lightly to Rayvn's arm as she looked at Rayne. The woman seemed anxious, but she didn't seem worried about the fact that their parents were gone. "What will become of us now?"

Marrow sighed lightly and shook his head. As much as he did not wish to admit it, they had finalized the marriage. Though Rayne was not his bride, he got the feeling Rayvn would be none too pleased with hearing it. "We will keep you safe. Rayvn has given me her hand, as Rayne has given hers to my brother. We will guide you... and love you." He looked directly into Rayvn's eyes as he uttered the last part, though he received only a scoff in response.

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