Nicholas turned Christabelle’s words over in his mind, a few stuck out more than others, a few choice words. “Bitten.” “Not so lucky.” “Sorry.” Part of Nicholas wanted to collapse on the bed, he wanted to lie in those magnificent green silken sheets, to allow them to envelop him. Tears filled his eyes as he came to terms with the news, he did not want it too be so, he did not hate his parents despite what people may have thought. They were a close family in their own secret way, there was mutual love on both sides, even when judgement seemed to cloud those feelings. Now they were gone forever, swallowed up into the eternal cycle that was birth and death. Never again would he hear his mothers moaning voice, filled with nagging but sprinkled with love. Never again would he arrive home late to find his father sitting in his armchair winking at him and ushering him upstairs before his mother found out. Nicholas remained strong however, even if his eyes betrayed him, he stood tall and proud, his arm’s clasped behind his back, his gaze fixed on the darkness outside the window. A small tear would escape his eye and run down his smooth white cheek as he spoke as calmly as he could, still clinging on too a bit of hope it seemed “And you are sure this is so….” He nodded his head slowly as he answered his own question, of course it was so, Christabelle had met them a week prior, she knew his parents faces and to be quite frank there was no chance his father could have fought of a pack of Werewolves. He was not the greatest wizard in his family, his mother had probably been in the kitchen, she was always in that kitchen. Nicholas smiled a little as he continued, his voice wavered however “Died in that bloody armchair no doubt….” A small sob escaped him as he quickly moved to stem it with his hand. How had he allowed things to spiral out of control like this? The events which transpired tonight were his doing. His eyes opened and closed as more tears trickled down his cheeks. Nicholas spoke softly, his back still facing her “Could you give me a moment alone with my sister please? She must be in a frightful state…..”
The little girl however was not in a state, at least not just now. She seemed to be fast asleep, wrapped up in the sheets Christabelle had obviously salvaged from her cot. The bite was not visible upon the little girls face, a god send for her though Nicholas did not know it yet. He remained turned, waiting for Christabelle to leave, he did not want her too see him like this. Nicholas was supposed to be untouchable behind his manor walls yet the enemy seemed to have penetrated him deep. His heart had been torn to pieces, they were all he had left and now they were gone. True his sister remained but she was bitten, she would become one of them, every full moon, a beast. That poor sweet girl could one day be the death of him, Werewolves turned on anyone who stood before them, what is a brother when the taste of blood was in your mouth? It was a sick twist of fate, a kick in the teeth and an insult to his person. They must have done it deliberately to humiliate him. He spoke more so to himself but also to the departing Christ belle “I should like a few moments alone with her. A few last moments to say goodbye…..” There was nothing for it, he was going to have to kill her. The only pure piece of love in him that wasn’t tainted, the only piece of unconditional love he had left and it was he who needed to destroy it, “Oh Cristina, what have they done to you….” Came his voice. He shook his head slowly “What have they done…..?”