Call Of The Dark

As and as the smoke coiled around her body, Maeve screamed as pain lashed around her. The more she screamed the more it gripped her harder. This wasn't the first time she was undergoing this ritual, but every time she underwent it, it was excruciating.

She could hear the Shaman chanting incantations. The fire in the pit grew larger and fiercer. It was nothing but dark magic, because it was impossible to cast souls with fae magic or with wizard magic. And it was impossible to possess a soul without the use of magic.

As the night progressed, Maeve's soul began to detach from the body. Every time it detached the host body convulsed. It was such a slow process that Maeve hated it. It was as if her soul had started loving the body it was in. She would scream out of pain when the soul detached. After a long time the host's body went into permanent shock. There was no backing down. Maeve could feel the pain, but she couldn't scream because she didn't have the power to move a single muscle in her body. Life was slowly draining out of her. As the soul lifted out of her body, she saw Anton standing over there. She wanted to go to him and ask about Lazarus who was still missing. And there was no healthy body for her to possess.

Maeve knew that it would be anytime that her soul would come out of the body. As a soul she wanted to enter a healthy body instantly. She could feel that only a part of her was still anchored to the body. She stretched herself as far as she could go towards Anton. She opened her mouth to ask Anton, but her words came out warbled. "Whereeee iiiiissss haustttt?"

Anton probably couldn't listen to her and that increased her agitation. She wanted to stretch herself more and reach him, but the body pulled her back. A few minutes later, she saw Yul coming in, but once again there was no one with him. Maeve's anxiety increased. The moment she detached from the body she had to enter the host, because if she didn't, her soul would go to the Land of Gaira, where the departed souls lived. And she knew that it was a place where the souls were sent to their right places according to their karma in the life. She knew that if her soul went there, she would be sucked in the worst portal.

The Shaman began chanting loudly. The body she was in convulsed so badly that it was as if it would explode. The last of her soul was still tethered to it. Maeve was waiting for the dark magic to work on its own rather than tugging herself out of the body because she was waiting for the host body. What would happen if the host body didn't come in time? She started weighing her options and the first thought that came in her mind was that she was going to enter the body of her maid who was still waiting for her outside. Anger simmered. She was going to destroy all the young girls of Wilyra to take her revenge from Lazarus.

All at once, she heard metal clanking on the floor. She was so happy when Lazarus came into her view that she tugged herself from the body, hoping to be released as soon as possible.

---

King Viktor traced to Magnus's apartment. As he neared the door of his bedroom, he heard hushed voices of girls inside. He knew that his son was into concubines every day and so he was bracing himself to see a naked woman lying in his bed. Repulsed at the thought, at first, he turned but then he decided to go and see it for himself just to clarify his doubts. He traced to his bedchamber and right inside he found Emma sitting with Olya. Two maids were also sitting on the floor and together they were playing a board game.

Emma gasped when she saw the king. They both got up from their places instantly, thoroughly shocked by his sudden appearance. The maids bowed to him and scurried away.

Viktor walked towards Emma, taking each step slowly like a warning. Anger blasted in his chest. He wanted to snap the girl's neck in two for keeping everyone on their toes for the last three days. The whole palace was searching for her every day and night and here she was--playing a board game with Olya?

"You have been a very nasty pest," he growled. His fangs lengthened. Had this been anyone else, he would have killed her without a thought. "You have eluded us so cleverly. Was Lazarus with you in this?" He was sure that he was in it, but he wanted to hear the truth from Emma. He wanted her to acknowledge the truth so that he had a chance to implicate Lazarus and punish him severely. This was his chance to really get rid of Lazarus.

"No," she replied, her eyes in a staring contest with Viktor's. "Lord Lazarus doesn't know that I am here." She didn't give him that chance.

King Viktor hissed. "In that case I am going to take you to him. Shouldn't I? He will be thrilled to see you!" He took another step forward.

Emma was intimidated as hell. Olya came to stand behind her and clutched her wrist. Viktor's gaze slipped to Olya. "And you had run away from your sister. Was it Magnus who brought you here?"

Olya was a vampire. She couldn't tell a lie. She gave a tight nod.

Viktor's lips curled up in a sinister way. He traced right in front of Emma and grabbed her upper arm. "You are coming with me to the temple where the ritual is taking place." His search was successful.

"No!" She tried to pull herself out of his grasp.

"Please no!" Olya said weakly, her knees going wobbly.

But Viktor traced her away. As soon as he reached there, he saw Lazarus and Yul holding a prisoner. The place was surrounded by stormy winds. Trees groaned as leaves and twigs snagged. Black smoke circled all of them and a loud, shrilly, eerie voice was ringing.