Chapter 102
Power Grab
At the top of the spire of his childhood home, Ayushmaan stirred a small cauldron to a boil just under the billowing blood moon. It seemed to appear so close to the naked eye that one could pretend to touch a finger to its surface. It suited the gloomy landscape that once was lively with his people. Those people were in a tomb somewhere deep underground, fueling the air with remnants of dark magic.
They made up the audience.
Abhay was invited to watch too. An invitation, by Ayushmaan’s definition, meant being forcibly dragged and beaten to stay in one place. At least he could get some fresh air. The musty scent of the underground had begun to sting his nose. But that relief didn’t last long, when the fumes from the cauldron brushed past his face. He could only watch in horror as Ayushmaan began his setup. He wouldn’t hold back once he got power. There were many who he held grudges against, more than Maithili. He also didn’t hesitate when the opportunity presented itself at the right time.
He waited this long to take power for himself…
“Don’t pass out now, Abhayendra. You’ll miss the show.” He crooned, waving a finger in the air. Storm clouds gathered above, and began to swirl about the center, funneling into the cauldron and sucking it dry. It was reminiscent of a hurricane, taking its offering.
The fumes had fogged Abhay’s senses. His mind cycled through Piya, his injuries and thirst, and Ayushmaan, and couldn’t focus on any one of them. He looked below the tower, seeing only yellowing grasses and patches of dirt. Ayushmaan was truly working alone, and it seemed he would succeed. That’s how much he prepared. Centuries worth.
He raised his arms, and chanted a spell into the skies. The runes on his face and the floor lit up a dark, bloody red, swirling with flickers of black. The clouds descended, and enveloped his body, hidden from Abhay. The force threw Abhay into a column, causing it to break and fall to the ground. Once more and he would fall too.
This isn’t good….I can’t be too far from him.
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The night Maithili came to the Raichand mansion, Piya saw a dream. It was a message in the form of a dream. She was standing where Mandu had been, staring at Maithili amongst the rose bushes. An instant replay.
“Hello, Piya.” She said with an oddly warm smile. “I wanted to personally invite you to the palace, knowing my sister wouldn’t tell you herself.”
Piya was surprised to actually hear her speak. She touched her ears and took several steps back. Maithili stood up, and stretched out her hand.
“I won’t hurt you. Come closer. Don’t you want your….Abhay back? I can take you to him.”
Piya saw the corners of her lips wince taking his name, as if it was a sin to not say his full name. The name she knew him as.
“I do.” She said, firmly. “But I can’t trust you.”
“Trust me or not, I don’t have time for that. But this is your last chance. I’ll be waiting. Two days. Visit me at the palace.”
Piya’s eyes opened, and she sat up in bed, hugging her knees close. It made sense why Mandu wouldn’t tell her. It was dangerous to go alone. Should she go at all? Was it her best shot at getting Abhay back?
She looked out the window, staring at the moon. Her fingers fared over its reddish-orange reflection on the sheets. The light tickled her skin, curling her fingers back.
Maithili knows she can’t touch me. Then…
She bit her lower lip, thinking. She gained a little agility thanks to Abhay’s blood in her system, but it wouldn’t be enough to outrun a vampire. The rest of the family would surely come after her. She paced inside their room, occasionally taking glances at her phone, rifled with messages. She hadn’t made a single call since she lost her hearing, but with all the peril outside, she had excuses to not see anyone in person either. It was a blessing hidden under this curse. Messages of checking well being instead circulated amongst her friend group nowadays.
She opened a drawer on the nightstand. In it, an array of different talismans lay tangled with one another, each one with its own use. She rummaged through, unable to remember which was which. But one of them had to keep her hidden from her family.
This will take too long to figure out.
She grabbed one of Abhay’s coats, and shoved all the talismans into its large pocket. It was better than nothing. One of them had to work as she intended. She then shoved the pillows she was lying upon under the sheets, riddled with her scent. An old trick that had little chance of working with a supernatural family. She then used a sheet and a pipe attached to the side of the wall outside to lower herself to the ground.
This path?
As soon as her feet touched down, a trail of drying rose petals revealed itself at the tip of her toes. She flinched and took a step back, looking around.
I’m waiting, Piya.
This marked the way to the palace, no doubt. Clutching the talismans in the coat pocket, she ventured onward, starting to run once she was far enough from home. The trees zoomed past in the blink of an eye, faster than what she was used to. Her feet felt light and her muscles felt relaxed. It felt like she was flying instead.
The palace was in her horizons within minutes. That old, decaying remnant of history. There was no one around, just the usual wild animal. But she could feel Maithili’s presence from this far.
She must be inside.
Piya started walking again, in the direction of the front gates, only for the ground to open up underneath her. The vines and leaves fashioned themselves into such a way that made it look like a feral monster of the forest trying to swallow her whole. She lost balance and fell in, and the light vanished. Roots dragged her feet to the surface after a short trip underground, up into the palace gardens, or what remained of them.
She touched her hair and face, then looked at her clothes. She was completely spotless. The talismans remained where they were. Maithili sat in the grass before her again, and smiled.
“I thought to make the trip easier for you.”
Piya couldn’t read lips, and remained unresponsive.
Oh silly me, can you hear me now?
Her creepy smile and tone finally elicited a response from Piya, who took a step back. She was having second thoughts.
Hear me out, please…
Just to make sure Piya didn’t run off, Maithili wrapped some vines around her legs, holding her in place like a statue in the making. Piya thought they would burn right off, but they didn’t have the usual dark aura in them. It was purely natural.
How was the trip here? I tried to make it easier on you. Sorry about the vines.
Piya was wary of her sudden sweetness, and about her being in her head.
I’m here. Where is he?
Patience, Piya. Let’s call him here.
She turned away for a moment, but didn’t move. A wind blew past them from behind, staring at first, then nonexistent a few seconds later. Piya furrowed her brows, tugging at the vines. The more she moved, the tighter they got. Maithili still didn’t turn back when she looked up again. Her arms were pressed by her side, hands balled into tight fists. They swirled with dark magic, embodying her sudden rage. It seemed like she was yelling in the air, then hunched over, clutching her chest as if in pain.
Mind if I borrow these?
It was Ayushmaan’s voice. As he announced his presence in their heads, the vines let go of Piya and instead targeted Maithili, wrapping around her whole torso and lifting her in the air. She continued to yell into the sky.
What was louder, the crackling of the clouds gathering above, or Maithili’s screams? Piya wasn't able to tell.
“How dare you!” Maithili yelled. “How could you cross me?!”
All she heard was his deep cackle. He disobeyed her. He had no purpose beyond serving her. He had betrayed her, validating her slight suspicions. She kicked and screamed, and watched Piya back away from her.
“No! Come back!” She screamed, eyes wide and bloodshot. Her runes appeared and made her gaze all the more frightening.
Clouds gathered and gathered, the blood moon cast its light through with more strength, like a bright lamp. Piya looked up and covered her eyes with her forearm, backing away as Maithili stared in disbelief at the funnel appearing just above her. Not a funnel of cloud, but of dark magic.
It encased her entire body like a cocoon, and she let out a powerful, shrill scream that pierced the heavens and shook the birds out of their nests. The rejuvenated thunder to the clouds above. Sapping her power, and tearing the power of Nature away from her.
Piya stumbled back, and began to run in the opposite direction. She didn’t dare look back. Her feet began to slide. The continued pulsing force of the strike threw her off her feet and into a tree. It was a miracle her spine didn’t split in two, but the tree she hit wasn’t so lucky.
She hobbled up, and stared in Maithili’s direction. There wasn’t much to see, just a silhouette. And an arm of pure light. An arm she should have grabbed, but couldn’t run back to in time.
It vanished.
Free me. Before it's too late.
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He struggled to stand himself up on his feet. Bones and muscles ached. With the little additional strength the blood moon gave him, he ripped the cuffs apart. His wrists were free of silver, and the wounds that remained began to very slowly heal. But, it was no use. Without blood, he couldn’t stand for long. The winds were harsh and he couldn’t see clearly.
I…can’t let you…
Abhay planted his feet into the stone floor, anchoring himself still as the forces surrounding Ayushmaan grew stronger and stronger. His heels broke through the floor with just how much strength he was channeling to his legs. He could hear the screams of Nature fleeting past his ear. A bolt of bright light rocketed down, vanishing into Ayushmaan’s body. Abhay lunged forward.
“Too slow, Abhayendra…”
Three slashes across his torso brought him to his knees. He coughed up blood, and felt a burning up his spine and chest. There was silver in his blood. He looked up and saw Ayushmaan’s now sharp nails made up with the metal. The floor began to crack and crumble beneath them, but Ayushmaan was hovering. And before Abhay could fall with the rubble, he was teleported away with the snap of Ayushmaan’s fingers. Back to Dehradun, and not completely back to himself.
So….thirsty…
He landed a few feet before Piya, who was still on the run. He didn’t know where they were, or why she was here alone. Piya blinked twice, ran over to him, then fared her hands over his face and hair, kissing his forehead. Then he looked at her, eyes meeting eyes. While she was still relieved to see him, the gaze he held rendered her body frozen solid. Abhay’s heavy breathing tickled her cheeks, and he leaned forward, falling atop her. She tried to get up, but his hands were gripping her shoulders tightly. What she saw in his red irises wasn’t Abhay, just a predator. His skin was abnormally pale and dull, marred with cuts and bruises.
Abhay couldn’t think straight. Her heart rapidly beat effortlessly when he was this close, and it made her scent even sweeter. He didn’t think twice before sinking his fangs into her throat. He wasn’t gentle, nor did his bite feel as good. The pain was mind-numbing. Piya screamed, and tried to snap him out of it by struggling. She threw the talismans away, needing help. But he continued to drink.
Abhay….stop…please…
Her head felt light. The hands tugging on his arms fell slack without strength. She didn’t know how much time had passed. Even he looked weaker than he did when he started feeding. He was killing her, slowly.
“Abhay!”
Siddharth and the others split up to look for Piya, noticing that she was missing only a handful after she ventured off. They saw the storm from the palace from as far as home. Seeing Abhay lost in his senses, he ran over. Piya saw his shoes, and weakly reached out her hand. It didn’t take much strength to pull Abhay off of her and to throw him down. But Abhay wasn’t done. After licking his lips and fingers, he stood up and lunged at her once more. Siddharth pushed him back, and pinned him against a tree.
“Snap out of it, little brother! That’s your wife!”
Piya struggled to sit up, and leaned against a tree while holding her neck. She could feel it healing, but it still hurt. Abhay stared at her. His lips and chin were still covered in her blood, and while he stopped advancing towards her, he did look hungry still.
You love me, right? You’ll give me more, right?, he said, tilting his head. I need more, jaan.
Piya tried to go to him, but Siddharth held her back, shaking his head.
Other vampires from the clan arrived to drag him away. Siddharth went to Piya, and helped her up. He gestured towards the mansion, and they started to walk. Her eyes remained on Abhay the entire time, even as her body tried to force them closed.
Hui Ghum Yaadein
Fan Fictions
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