Lilium

XVI

A woman with white hair circled Evangeline. "Why do you stay with them, niñita?" She hummed. Evangeline watched her, fearful of her next actions. "I know that you've been warned that they're monstrous, yet you refuse to leave them. They feed on you, treat you like nothing more than a food source!" She pulled out a dagger and slashed at Evangeline's dress.

Said girl gasped as the top of her dress opened up and showed the top of her cleavage. She quickly crossed her arms over herself. "They do not! I-I wanted to help them! You hurt Shiva!" She defended.

Irena hid a smile. "Help them? But why aren't they helping you now then? Returning the favour?" She motioned to the two unconscious vampires on the ground in front of Venn and Isa. The woman with brown hair had a remorseful look on her face as Venn held her in his arms.

Evangeline kept her gaze on the sleeping vampires before her as she listened to Venn whisper sweet nothings to Isa. She bit her lip and held herself tighter. They couldn't help her, not until the spell on them was lifted.

Evangeline woke up with a sharp gasp, gripping whatever was in her hands tighter. She looked around. "Hush, you must be quiet, printesa." A calm familiar voice spoke. She looked up and noticed she was in Shiva's arms as he crouched down. What she had been holding was the collar of his shirt. She glanced around and realized they were in the stables. "Something is going on outside. Look." He directed her gaze to a crack in the wall he had been looking through.

The girl peeked through and saw a large crowd of witches. "Vesper, he said to meet him in the back with the horses," she muttered. She gripped the front of his shirt tighter. "Shiva, something bad is going to happen." They locked eyes. He could see the fear swirling in her bright irises.

He looked away again. "I know," he replied. He didn't like the situation either and he definitely didn't like the fact that Evangeline was in possible danger. When he was around her he got a strange urge to shield her from the horrors of the supernatural world. It was something he hadn't felt in a very long time and he denied what it could've meant. "Come on. Can you stand?" He asked, gazing back down at her.

He slowly stood up with her in his arms and gently rested her feet on the floor. She put her weight into it before nodding at his question. "Yes, I can," she answered quietly.

He quickly took her hand in his. "Good. Let's go," he whispered. He led her to the back and slowly opened the door. He watched to make sure no one was around before helping her outside.

Evangeline looked around. "Where are the horses?" She asked rhetorically in confusion. Her voice caused Shiva to look around cautiously. He pulled her closer.

He glanced down at her. "I'll get you somewhere safe and then I'll go find Vesper," he stated as he hurriedly began to pull her towards the woods. She wanted to protest, to say that she'd rather stay with him, but her thoughts were interrupted when Shiva suddenly stopped. "What is this?" He inquired to himself. Evangeline's eyebrows furrowed in confusion as she looked up at him. Shiva stuck his hand out and seemed to push on thin air. He looked downward. "Salt. Of course," he said under his breath.

Evangeline stood beside him. "What?" She muttered. She put her hand out and felt a force push her back. She gasped and retracted her hand.

"The supernatural can't pass over a line of salt. Not even a seer it seems," Shiva explained. He pulled her back towards the stables. "Let's look for another way out. Quickly," he stated. He opened the door and they walked through. He then looked around the small building. There was hay scattered all over the floor and barrels in various places along the walls. His eyes landed on the trapdoor. "There might be something down there. I'll get it back open," he announced as he let go of her hand.