Once Betrayed Never Forgotten

Chapter 20: Perilous Gambit

The tension in the room is palpable, a collective breath held as the silver chalice hovers tantalisingly close to my mother’s lips. The atmosphere is charged with anticipation, a hushed undercurrent that resonates with the weight of the moment. My heart pounds in my chest, each beat echoing the tumultuous emotions within me.

And then, I gather my resolve and step forward, a surge of determination propelling me. I raise my voice, clear and loud, cutting through the silence like a blade. “Stop!” The word echoes, a single syllable that reverberates through the grand hall. Gasps of surprise erupt, every gaze swivelling to me, the centre of attention. The room falls into silence, and for a brief moment, time hangs suspended.

Amidst the sea of faces, my mother’s eyes find mine, a mixture of confusion, sadness, and a hint of horror. Beside her, Konstantin’s features remain stony and serious, his gaze fixed on me with an intensity that sends shivers down my spine. Anya, on the dais, regards me with an expression of disapproval.

As the silence stretches, Aleksandr materialises at my side, his voice low as he grabs my arm. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

“Don’t try to stop me,” I snap at him.

With my resolve steeled, I address my mother, my voice projected to carry across the room. “Mom, please, just hear me out. This is your last chance to save yourself. To save us. There’s a pleading edge to my words, a hint of desperation that I don bother to hide. “I know it was hard for your after Dad died, and you had to bring me up alone. You were lonely, and then Konstantin came into your life and filled that massive void. But this is not right, please mom. You can still back out now.

You don’t have to do this.”

My plea hangs in the air, heavy with emotion, my Hand extended towards her. My steps are halting, yet determined, as I move closer, the tears in my eyes blurring my vision. I hope beyond hope that she’ll see reason, that she’ll understand the weight of her decision.

But her answer is a heartbreaking shake of her head, and her words murmur like a whisper. “I’m sorry. Try to understand, baby girl.”

Inwardly, I knew this was a possibility. And I knew I had a plan, however desperate it may be. With a quick movement, I reach up and grasp the silver hairpin, a glinting sharp edge that I’m. now holding close to my neck. Aleksandr doesn’t release his grip on my arm, but he’s deathly still,

unwilling to risk making a move.

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A hush falls over the room as the collective gasp ripples through the crowd. I press on, my voice trembling yet determined. “I will do it,” I warn, the hairpin held firmly against my throat, the glint of silver promising the inevitable. “You know what will happen if I stab myself. Even just a tiny prick, one nick of a vein. One whiff of the scent of my mortal blood, and your new friends will tear me apart. They’ll suck me dry before I even have the chance to bleed out.”

The room is tense, the air heavy with a mixture of shock and anticipation. I press on, knowing that the stakes are higher than ever. “Come down from that dais, turn your back on this world, and leave this castle with me. Or watch me die right now.”

I never imagined I’d find myself in this situation, ready to make a reckless choice that could cost me my life. But desperate times call for desperate measures, and this is my last shot at breaking through the enchantment that binds my mother.

The seconds stretch, the silence almost unbearable, my heart a drumbeat in my ears. Then, my mother’s tears fall, her gaze torn between me and Konstantin. She finally speaks, her voice a mixture of sorrow and love. “Sweetheart, there are things you don’t know…”

My fingers tremble, the hairpin nearly pressing into my skin. But then, in a swift motion, my mother reaches up and tears away her veil, her hair falling loose around her shoulders. And then, she reaches beneath the cascade of golden locks and tugs.

The hair comes away in her hands, a wig that was indistinguishable from her own. Shock ripples through me as my eyes lock onto her bald, shaven head. “Why?” I stammer, my voice caught between disbelief and confusion.

“Baby girl, you know why,” she replies softly, her gaze fixed on mine.

Understanding dawns like a sunrise on the horizon. My mother’s recent weight loss, her shaven. head–pieces of a puzzle that fit together in a way I could never have imagined. Memories of a time eight years ago, a time filled with nurses and doctors, hospital wards, a terrible time I’ve tried so hard to forget. A jolt of realisation strikes me, the weight of it almost too much to bear.

“It’s back?” I ask dumbly, my voice coming out like a sob. She nods, and my heart shatters into a million pieces.

My mom’s cancer has returned.

“How long have you known?” My voice trembles, my entire being shaken by the revelation.

Her eyes shimmer with unshed tears, the sadness within her palpable. “A while now, a little under

a year.”

Chapter 20: Perilous Gambit

My world feels like it’s tilting, the ground beneath me shifting. “So that’s the real reason you married him? The reason you’re willing to become a monster, to become like them… is because you have to? Because you’re dying?”

“It’s not like that,” she says, her voice trembling. “I love Konstantin. I tried to hide my illness from him when we first met, but his kind have a way of knowing these things. He offered me a way out, eternal life. I want to live, Arianna. Even if I have to die first in order to do it.”

Anya interjects, her voice gentle as she speaks of bonds and family. “Your mother is doing this

partly for your sake. This way, you won’t lose her entirely, as you would with real death. In fact,

should you someday choose to join the immortal ranks, you need never lose each other. Bonds of blood cannot be broken.”

The words echo in the air, a chorus of agreement from the vampires in the room. “Bonds of blood. cannot be broken,” they murmur in unison, a mantra that hangs like a promise.

I’m left grappling with a whirlwind of emotions. My mother’s pain, her love, her sacrifice–they’re all tangled within me. I falter, struggling to reconcile my anger with the newfound understanding of her choices. The anger I felt before, the sense of betrayal, now warms under the light of understanding. It’s a jarring shift, like standing on shifting ground, struggling to find my footing.

Without a second thought, I break free from the grip of Aleksandr’s hand, driven by the impulse to embrace my mother. She rushes toward me, her steps unsteady, her face etched with a mixture of longing and sorrow. As we meet halfway across the grand ballroom, we throw ourselves into each other’s arms. Tears flow unbidden, a release of pent–up emotions. We hold each other, the weight of the moment hanging between us, the unspoken words lingering in the air.

In that embrace, the anger I once held loses its edge, diluted by the flood of emotions that surge through me. My mother’s warmth, the scent of her, the feel of her heartbeat against mine–all of it reminds me of the bond we share, a bond that extends beyond mere words. We cry together, the tears a testament to the depth of our connection, the understanding that has been forged in the

crucible of this moment.

Finally, as the tears begin to subside, I pull back slightly, my gaze meeting hers. My voice is soft, laden with a mix of acceptance and compassion. “It’s okay, Mum. Go for it. I understand now.” The words carry the weight of my blessing, the acknowledgment of her choices, the comprehension of

her struggle.

She reaches up, tenderly wiping away the tears that stain my cheeks. Her lips press to my forehead in a gentle, loving kiss. It’s a gesture that speaks volumes, a silent exchange of love and

gratitude that transcends words. And with a nod, she walks back to stand beside Konstantin, her smile a beacon of hope amidst the gathering.

Chapter 20: Perilous Gambit

Anya passes the silver chalice, a vessel filled with Konstantin’s blood, to my mother. As she takes a sip, the moment feels like a culmination of everything that has led to this point. The air is heavy with significance, a sense of closure mingling with the promise of a new beginning. My mother’s transformation is complete, her decision made, and as the liquid touches her lips, it marks the beginning of her new existence.

And then, her transformation begins.

Chapter Comments

Tami Baldon

Bravo!

EJ

POST

That was a surprise. I didn’t think her cancer was back but I did think that one of the reasons she wanted to change was because she was scared of the cancer returning.

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