I got dressed and went into the kitchen area of the ship where Morag had me a cup of tae and a slice of toast. I sat down at the table while she tossed a couple of rashers of bacon into the frying pan and cracked open an egg. Luckily I don’t think she had any inkling where Dante had spent most of the night sleeping. Although that worry was now at the back of my mind. Edvard was here and he was following me. Morag nodded to a piece of paper sat on the table.

“That was pushed through the door this morning. It wasn’t addressed to anyone but I has this feeling its addressed to you.” She said.

“That’s odd.” I said placing my tea down on the table and picking up the folded paper and opening it. Elegant writing almost calligraphic in style in blue ink read-

‘I’m coming to get you.’

I folded the paper up and slipped it into my pocket. Edvard had written it. I knew he had. Everywhere I went he was like a shadowy phantom that haunted me. I was scared but I tried not to dwell on it. Instead I watched Morag busy herself around the kitchen making me breakfast. Dante sauntered in a little while later, but refused to eat. Apparently human food was disgusting and icky tasting to vampire even when he was in the mortal world. So instead Dante watched me eat my food and asked loads of different questions like why bacon was acceptable breakfast food but pork chops weren’t- I think he was bored. We then left the boat and began to walk down the jetty into town.

“So where is the sword?” Dante asked digging his hands into his jacket pocket.

“I don’t know.” I replied honestly.

“Then why did you bring us here.”

“I need to talk to the Loch Ness monster.”

“Oh come on. You don’t really believe that the beast is still alive.”

“Morag said it was at the bottom of the Loch.”

“Yeah its skeleton. Hags aren’t too bright Ebony. That woman has probably being guarding a dead corpse for three hundred years.”

“What makes you so certain?”

Dante hesitated and shrugged, “I’m pretty certain Nessie is dead.”

“Why do I feel like you’re hiding something from me?”

Dante’s eyes glazed over and he lowered his gaze to the ground, “When you left I did some things I’m not very proud of.”

“Like what?”

Dante didn’t reply.

“Like what Dante?”

“Killing dragons.”

“Dante are you trying to tell me you killed the Loch Ness monster?”

“I didn’t kill it. Henry kind of did.”

“Dante!” I snapped throwing my hands up in the air. “Killing is wrong!”

“They took you from me. Do you have any idea what that was like crawling up the walls of that big old castle, century after century, waiting for your return.”

“So why didn’t you get a hobby like stamp collecting or anything that did not involve war and killing things.”

“I wasn’t myself.”

“Dante that monster knew where your stupid sword was.”

“Okay, well that’s put a positive spin on the situation. Let’s think of it as a spontaneous honeymoon.”

“You killed the Loch Ness monster and do you know what? That doesn’t even shock me.”

“Henry killed it.”

“That’s not the point. You ordered Henry to kill it.”

“Those dragons took you away from me.”

I stopped dead in my tracks and sighed, “Do you know what you sound like?”

Dante shook his head.

“You sound like a broken record repeating the same excuses over and over. You weren’t there, the dragons took you, this is that darn fox’s fault. Blah blah blah.”

“Are you mad with me?” Dante whined.

“I don’t know what I am.” I replied walking off in a different direction.

“Wait! Where are you going?” Dante yelled.

“To be by myself!” I said.

Dante did not follow me. He backed off and skulked towards the town while I walked along the pebbled foreshore with my own thoughts. Why did the dragon send me to Loch Ness when she knew the Loch Ness monster was dead? Then again the dragon in Dante’s basement didn’t exactly work in straight forward manner. When I had jumped off that tower the dragon said I would get hurt but Dante saved me. I hated these riddles. I picked up a pebble and threw it across the surface watching it skip several times before disappearing beneath the lake surface. I felt kind of disappointed the Loch Ness monster was dead. Talking to Nessie would have been a claim to fame. Suddenly the heavens burst open and I found myself caught in a cloud burst. I ran towards a small dilapidated stone cottage that seemed disused. As I got closer I realised the cottage was being renovated but there were no work men in sight. I slipped into the cottage and took off my soaked jacket. Tools and benches filled the small space and I carefully stepped around them waiting for the rain to pass.

“Did you get my note?”

I turned sharply on my heel to see Edvard filling the doorway of the barn. Waves of nausea and fear began to wash over me as my brother stepped into the barn and closed the door firmly behind him. My instinct was to cry out for Dante or Morgan but voice failed me. Edvard smiled approaching me slowly, his eyes running over my body.

“What are you doing here?” I asked numbly.

“Why ask questions you already know the answers to? I have come for you my dear sister.” Edvard said.

“You’re sick Edvard-”

Edvard pressed his finger to his mouth and quiet shushing noises, “Don’t talk like that. Ebony did you know that Gods couple with their family members? I wish you could see past this socially constructed myth that our love is morally wrong.”

“There is no ‘our’ love. I do not love you. I never had, even when I catch a flicker of a past memory I never felt love for you, only fear and disgust.”

“Tell me little sister, do you recall the memory of Dante tearing off your wings? Or the isolation you felt locked up in that gothic tower like a pretty little bird in a cage.”

I fell silent.

“Yes, you remembered that too. I may disgust you Ebony but I want you to remember that I am not the reason why you left the immortal world. ”

“Leave me alone Edvard.”

“Ebony, come with me. Leave the Dante, his world is too different from ours. He hides away from nature in his ridiculous castle surrounding himself with trinkets and falsehoods. We are of the forest and that is where we belong. Don’t pretend that you don’t know what I am talking about. I saw your loneliness in the castle, I watched you walk the gardens by moonlight with yearning in your eyes to return to the forest. Dante would never understand you.”

“And you do?”

“Of course I do.”

“Do you realise how stupid you sound? You do not understand me. I am not the same little sheltered bird that fled the forest. Nor I am the same dumb scared little girl that ran away from Dante to the mortal world. That girl is complete strangers to me. I am different from her and I refuse to allow myself to be bullied by you or any other man. So listen up Edvard, I do not love you. I do not love you because you are my brother. If you have a problem with then go and find some psychiatric help.”

“So you are not going to threaten me with Dante or your little fox friend?” Edvard bit back.

“When I want your ass kicked, I will do it myself and I will enjoy every moment.” I snapped.

“Empty threats, Ebony. I admire your spirit but you cannot overpower me. If I wanted to, I could have you here and now,” Edvard reached out and knocked the strap of my dress off my shoulder. “Such flimsy material and so easy to tear off.” He remarked with a smile.

I backed away until the back of my legs hit the edge of bench covered in saw dust.

“You remind me of a little angry kitten puffing itself up hissing and spitting.” Edvard drawled pressing against me.

“Why aren’t you burning?” I asked.

“We’re in the mortal realm, the fox’s magic cannot protect you now. No one can.”

His lips crushed over mine and I struggled but he pinned me down forcing his tongue down my throat. My whole body convulsed in revulsion and I reached behind me grabbing the first object I felt. Edvard pulled away from me, his hand pawing urgently at my dress. Like a knee jerk reaction I delivered the blow. Grabbing the screwdriver that lay on the bench behind me I drove it into his left eye. Edvard screamed clutching his eye. He gasped in agony as he pulled the screw driver from his eye and tossed it onto the ground.

“You bitch. You blinded me.” He screamed blood pouring from his eye.

I wiped my mouth and straightened my dress up.

“I can’t believe you took my eye!” He continued to wail.

There was no remorse or guilt on my conscience for what I had done. I stood over Edvard and said coolly, “I told you Edvard. I’m not the same girl anymore,”

Edvard crawled away from me in fear. I picked up my jacket and walked towards the door sparing him one last glance and one last warning.

“Edvard,” I said, “If you ever touch me again then I will take your other eye too.”