The Crown's Obsession

Madeline felt a breeze pass by her. She turned around and saw her mother standing in front of Astrate. "Are you here to taunt me?" Marina asked.

Astrate's lips pulled up into a smile, "Come back, Marina. The living world is not for you, not once the angel finds what is growing in your stomach."

Marina took a protective stance, and she raised her hand in front of her, "My child is part of the living world. Leave my child alone."

"Darian sent you to turn the angels against each other, but what did you do instead? The last time I met you, I should have known that you had changed and had turned disloyal to us demons. That's what the world of the living does to one, isn't it? What do you see in him, Mari? Have you forgotten what we have gone through?" asked Astrate, pulling out a wooden staff in her hand from thin air.

"You can find someone else to fill the position, Astrate," and before the other demoness could harm her, Marina swung her hand to send electric shocks towards the other woman.

Astrate didn't hold back herself in bringing Marina down, trying to attack in every possible chance she got. And then she quickly disappeared from the front, "You should know when to give up, Marina, but knowing you I know you won't. I will keep your secret safe. If not I, you will be killed by Darian. I will be more compassionate to you." Astrate swung her wooden staff right at Marina's head.

The strike of the hit on Marina's head was enough to have her stumble and lose her balance as she staggered forward.

"Why are you doing this?" asked Marina in pain, trying to get her balance back, and she tried to use her ability, but it seemed like she had lost the ability.

"If I wasn't your friend I would have tortured you, Mari," said Astrate and Marina turned to look into Astrate's eyes. "It's not just you, but you will be putting everyone else's life in danger," she held the staff tightly in her hand and placed it behind Marina's head.

Marina placed her hand on her stomach, feeling the fullness. There were only a few more weeks left before the baby would come to this world. She knew the consequences when she had fallen in love and it wasn't like she didn't know.

"I will see you one day," whispered Marina, "I will settle the account with you then."

"I shall wait for it," replied Astrate knowing there was no way Marina could return. The demoness pulled the staff far away from Marina's head before hitting it straight at the back of Marina's head to have the woman fall.

When Madeline saw her mother fall, she tried to catch her, but her mother's body passed through her hand as Madeline was only a spectator in this memory and her mother fell flat on the ground. "Mama!" Madeline cried, getting down on the ground and saw blood starting to ooze out from her mother's head.

The life in the demoness didn't stay even for a second more as it seemed like she had weakened and Astrate's one hit was enough to kill her. The rest of the events followed what Madeline had seen in her dream. Paschar came to the scene before he exchanged a few words with Astrate before he killed the demoness. The demoness's body caught fire and she disappeared into nothing but ash. But the surroundings around Madeline had fazed out while she sat next to her dead mother.

The surface of the river in Hell glimmered again, and Madeline stared into her mother's eyes that looked identical to her own eyes.

In the meantime, Vladimir had not pulled his hand away from the water, and his hand that had dipped itself in the river caught sight of everything Madeline had seen. He finally pulled his hand, cleaning his hand with his handkerchief.

The water's surface broke by Marina who emerged from the water and she, who had flesh and skin on her, her body now turned to bones as it left the water. And even though her mother didn't have eyes, Madeline could tell that she was looking at her right now. Her mother's hand reached out for her, placing it on the side of Madeline's face.

Madeline had grown and spent her time with the Harris family, but it was this person who was responsible to bring her into this world. Her heart felt more solemn than before, and she had a mixture of sadness and happiness in her mind.

Marina moved her jaws, but no words came apart from the creaking of the bones.

"The dead cannot speak," informed Vladimir, "But I can understand her."

"What did she say?" asked Madeline, her eyes moist.

"She said you have grown," Vladimir translated, and he stood up from the place.

"Is there no way to bring her back?" Madeline asked hopefully.

"Unfortunately, no. She comes in the first category of the original demons. Consider it to be like pulling out a fish from the water. You can always visit her. Daily if you stay here," Vladimir proposed in a casual tone.

"I can now tell why my mother didn't stay with you," commented Calhoun, and this was enough to raise a nerve in Vladimir's forehead. The subject of Constance was sensitive not only to Calhoun but also to the Devil.

"Sure you did, because you were born at that time," Vladimir sneered.

"You forget that I am your grandson. I can sense you are up to no good," Calhoun looked straight into the older vampire's eyes.

"And that is very true," agreed Vladimir in pride.

Madeline saw her mother starting to get back into the water, and the flesh and skin on her body returned the way it was earlier. Turning behind, she was going to ask Vladimir something when she noticed there were only four people in here that included her mother.

Her face turned slightly pale, "Where is Beth?"