Alec's P•O•V

A cold, rough surface met my back. It chilled my spine through the thin fabric of my button up. I furrowed my brow and opened my eyes, only to be faced with the grey sky above.

I stared up in confusion, watching the clouds swirl gently.

Sitting up, I realized I was in the clearing. I sighed of relief, but only for a second did my worry surpass me. I looked to my side and didn't see Raven there like she normally was.

I stood quickly, feeling an exaggerated fear engulf me as it struck me that she was missing. It all seemed to overwhelm me more than it would normally. Concern consumed me as I spun around, looking in all directions to see if I could find her coffee brown hair in the sea of surrounding trees. But she was no where to be found.

"Raven?" I hollered, my voice rough as her name barely pushed through my lips.

"Right here." I heard her soft voice from behind me, causing me to turn around instantly.

Standing before me was Raven, her hair silken, running off her shoulders in soft curls, and her body clothed in a flowing white dress, one fit for an Angel.

For all I knew, she was an Angel.

As she stood a mere ten feet from me, I felt my dull, vampire heart drop to my stomach, knowing that she was safe and she was here. I smiled at her.

"I thought I lost you-" I said breathily as I walked towards her, but felt a deep pain hit my chest. I gasped in shock, and felt my legs weaken. I stumbled forward. Raven caught me and held me close, keeping me on my feet.

"Everything is going to be alright. It'll all be over soon." She whispered in my ear soothingly. For a moment I looked past the pain and admired her. She resembled an Angel. So beautiful and pure of heart. In my eyes, she was my perfect angel.

Is this what everyone sees when they're close to death?

I felt another tug at my chest and grumbled in pain. Raven looked down and caused me to follow suit. She looked so calm as black blood soaked through my white shirt, trickling through the fabric and spreading.

I groaned and looked up to her.

"What's happening to me?" I gargled out of my mouth as the taste of my own thick, bitter blood arose in my throat.

Raven blurred in and out as I waited for an answer. Her hand caressed my cheek before she faded out one last time and I heard her gentle voice fill my ears,

"I love you, Alec."

And everything faded away until the darkness engulfed me.

Piper's P•O•V

The guards opened the doors for us and we were faced with the same sight as before. Alec was on the bed, so still and lifeless.

Nicolae, whom we had just informed that we had a cure, walked over and examined Alec for a brief moment before he turned to us.

"I'm going to need a knife." Nicolae tells us and Father gestures for one of the guards to give their knife. Father nods to the red haired guard and hands it to Nicolae.

"What are you going to do to him?" I ask, still unsure of Nicolae's plan. I step up so I'm beside Nicolae and look at my brother's blackened chest that just seemed to keep spreading every time I looked at it.

"The source of the black magic is in his veins, spreading from the previous wound. If the magic is dwelling there, then the cure must be placed in the center of it." Nicolae informs me. I look at him confusedly.

"Have you ever encountered something like this before?" I question, causing him to take a long pause.

"Nothing to this degree of ... severity." Nicolae tells me honestly, and I can feel my uncontrollable distrust swell up when he admits his inexperience.

"So you're saying this may now work?" I push, my voice skeptical.

Before Nicolae can respond, my Father put his hand on my shoulder and I knew he disapproved of my interrogation of a well trusted friend of his.

"That's enough Piper-"

"No, Father. I want to know if we should be trusting this man's theory. Alec is family. Why should we risk his survival if the person we are entrusting to save him, has no experience at all?" I snap, feeling protective of Alec and what is going to happen to him.

Everyone goes quiet and I was about to continue to argue until Alec sucks in a labored breath that fills the silence.

"We don't have any more time to think of a better solution." My Mother finally says, tears in her eyes as she feels the same wariness I do. She hands Nicolae the cure and looks to me with an expression that clearly shows her heartache.

Alec's breathing starts to get more and more labored, and we all know what's coming.

Father looks to Nicolae with a strong expression and nods.

"Do it." He tells Nicolae and Nicolae doesn't wait another second to cut into Alec's chest.

When the steel blade meets Alec's chest, the blade turns a bright red as the heat of the black magic scorches it. I cover my mouth as the now red blade gets engulfed with Alec's ash-colored blood.

Nicolae opens the medicinal bag and pours the glistening, violet granules into his hand. The cure almost resembled little amethysts the size of grains of sand.

The sound of Alec's heart speeding up was clear as day, as his heart was no longer protected by the outer surface.

Nicolae took in a deep breath before releasing the powder deep into the cut. He discarded the knife onto the bedside table and pressed his hand over the open wound quickly. Black blood covered his hands once he did so.

We all looked at Alec and waited for a couple seconds.

Suddenly, Alec's body started to shake, his heart rate now increasing. Alec started to convulse on the bed, almost like he was having a seizure. His lips started to turn a dark purple, as his blood started to choke him as it came up his throat.

Father rushed over to him and tried to hold him down. Nicolae continued to press down on the wound, keeping the blood from spewing out.

I held Mother as we both stood sobbing. I covered my mouth and watched as Alec struggled to breathe.

A moment later, it all stopped. The blood, the shaking, the choking. And we all listened closely.

No heartbeat. No breathing...

We all froze as Alec's body went limp and his chest stopped going up and down.

Mother and I stood paralyzed as we watched Nicolae and my Father both slowly take a step away from Alec's body like they couldn't believe it.

Time nearly stopped in that moment as we all watched in shock, seeing our brother, our son, our next king, lie lifeless.

I released my Mother and took a step towards Alec, but stopped myself from getting too close.

No longer than a second later, a long, harsh intake of breath filled the room. Alec's chest rose and fell again and all of us let out the breath we had all been holding.

Alec's eyes shot open and he rose up into a sitting position. He looked around the room and drank in the sight of us all staring at him in bewilderment. The relief of Alec being alive lasted for a moment until he finally spoke,

"Where's Raven?" Alec asked in a concerned tone, his voice brittle.

And it was evident that we were now in for a whole, new, hellish ride.

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