"How long has it been, since my vision went dark?"
I asked myself, struggling to recall the events leading up to this moment.
Then, like a bolt of lightning, it struck me—I was fighting with Edward, consumed by the burning desire to avenge Luna's suffering.
How could she ever forgive him for what he's done? The mere thought of losing her filled me with dread and despair.
As I drifted back to consciousness, my nails lightly dug into Edward's neck, drawing blood that trickled down his porcelain skin.
His grip tightened around my hands, preventing them from inflicting further harm. "Valentina, stop. Just calm down for a second," he urged, his voice oddly serene despite the chaos surrounding us.
But when our eyes met, a surge of rage surged through me, drowning out his pleas for reason.
Ignoring his warning, I attempted to push my nails deeper into his flesh, desperate to make him pay for his crimes. Yet, no matter how hard I tried, my strength seemed to wane, my once formidable power diminished.
"You have grown weaker, what happened?"
Edward's voice cut through the haze of fury, his curiosity piqued by my sudden vulnerability.
With a swift movement, he shifted his weight, turning the tables and slamming me against the tree where I had once cornered him.
"Aaah," a pained groan escaped my lips as the impact sent shockwaves of agony coursing through my body.
Caught off guard by his sudden counterattack, I struggled to regain my composure, my mind clouded by pain and frustration. I glanced at Edward's bleeding cheeks and his expressionless face.
"L-Luna." I muttered under my breath.
* * *
"L-Luna..." Valentina muttered, her voice laced with uncertainty as she struggled against my grip on her wrists.
I watched her closely, intrigued by the sudden shift in her demeanor. Just moments ago, she had been a force to be reckoned with, and now she seemed... vulnerable.
"Oh, she's fine," I responded casually, observing the disbelief that flickered across Valentina's face. Her struggle faltered as she looked up at me, searching for confirmation.
"She's fine," I repeated, noting the mix of relief and confusion in her expression. "I lied when I said she was in danger. She's probably studying peacefully in her house by now."
The tension in her body seemed to ease slightly at my words, but she still had questions, her mind racing to understand the truth behind my deception.
"B-but, what about periodically contacting your..." she began, her voice trailing off as she struggled to find the right words.
I cut her off, a hint of amusement in my tone as I clarified, "Yes, I did set that up." I watched as her body tensed at my admission, but I continued unperturbed. "However, I arranged it to signal him every 24 hours, not every few minutes like I led you to believe."
I could see the realization dawning on her face, and I decided to offer her further reassurance. "Also, I doubt he'll ever harm her. I lied again when I said he was like a devil."
As my words sank in, Valentina's resistance melted away completely, and I released my hold on her. It was then that I noticed the subtle shift in her demeanor, the uncertainty giving way to a sense of resignation. With a final glance, I stepped back, allowing her to process the truth.
"Thank god, she's okay."
I watched as Valentina gradually calmed herself down, her rapid breaths slowly evening out. My gaze drifted towards the dense forest beyond, where the sunlight struggled to penetrate the thick foliage.
In the shadows, I caught a glimpse of something unsettling—a grotesque humanoid hand with sharp claws, accompanied by glowing eyes. It seemed to retreat as soon as it sensed my attention.
'They are here too, huh?' I mused inwardly, turning my focus back to Valentina.
Her once-bloodied lips were now pristine, with not a scratch to be found on her body. Only her appearance and uniform remained disheveled.
"Why?" Valentina's voice cut through the silence, sharp and filled with pent-up frustration as she stood and brushed off her uniform.
"Why, what?" I responded, playing dumb.
She shot me a glare, her tone laced with anger. "Why did you do all of that? For what reason? Don't tell me it was to 'test' me. And what if it went wrong? What if you got seriously hurt?"
Her barrage of questions hit me like a whirlwind, but I remained composed. "I was gathering evidence," I stated matter-of-factly.
"Evidence?" Valentina echoed, her brows furrowing in confusion.
"That's right," I confirmed, taking a moment to explain the dire situation she found herself in.
"You see, I attached a hidden microphone and a tiny camera in my tie. All those fancy moves you pulled, trying to get me killed? It's all recorded."
The color drained from Valentina's face as the gravity of my words sank in. She understood the implications of the evidence I possessed, and the threat it posed to her and her family.
Taking a deep breath, she squared her shoulders and fixed me with a determined gaze.
"Don't try. You can't beat me, not in that condition," I warned as I sensed her intentions.
Without a word, Valentina gritted her teeth and retrieved a small device from her pocket, but before she could use it, I intervened.
"The video of you is already on the net," I informed her calmly, watching as her expression shifted from shock to disbelief.
"Don't worry, I set it to upload on a schedule. If, for some reason, I were to disappear, there would be no one to delay the upload date, and the video would go public. I also ensured that multiple accounts would be uploading the same footage of you dancing with me."
Valentina's gaze dropped to the ground, her thoughts swirling with the implications of my words.
"Good luck trying to 'hack' those accounts or make me disappear to solve the problem," I added, meeting her gaze once more.
"You think you can get away with this?" Valentina's voice trembled with uncertainty.
"No, not really. We're in a deadlock," I admitted.
Valentina than looked up at me confused, questioning me with her gaze as to why I was letting her off easy by calling it a draw. Meaning I would not post the videos all over the internet.
I did not bother replying to her, knowing the position she held within her 'kind.' Her influential standing meant that any harm to her could have consequences for my family.
While I entertained thoughts of disposing of her then and there, the potential repercussions wasn't worth it, especially with my family's safety in mind.
If anything were to happen to Valentina, her 'kind' would undoubtedly seek revenge, sparing no effort in ensuring my family paid the price for my actions. They wouldn't hesitate to exploit them as leverage or bait in their pursuit of justice—or vengeance.
Valentina's grumbling pulled me out my thoughts.
"Sigh... Mom would be very disappointed in me. What do I even tell her?"
Valentina seemingly somewhat understood as to why I let her off easy, questioned herself. She than started to pat her body, trying to find something. Frustration showed in her face.
I quitely observed her as she started to breath heavily, repeatedly swallowed her saliva.
'What a weirdo.' I thought to myself as I took a tissue out of my pocket to wipe my face clean of blood, than suddenly her gaze fell on me.
I looked back at her to only see her staring intently at me, she watched swallowing her saliva as I wiped the blood off my face. I could some what trace her eyes as she swept them from my cheeks to my neck.
When I discarded the bloodied tissue on to the forest floor, she shifted uncomfortably, her gaze was on the crimson tissue. She than muttered to herself, "what a waste."