A million thoughts swirled around her head as she lay on the cold stone floor looking out the window at the night sky. Tears threatened to spill over as her thoughts turned to Alex, hoping he was okay. Then she wondered what happened to Damien. She had seen the men drag Alex away, but she had not noticed what happened to her best friend in all the commotion.

The door opened and closed softly and she heard quiet footsteps approach her. She was facing away from the door and could not see who it was. "Back for more, uncle?" she snarled.

There was no answer as the person approached her. They stopped by the chair and then her world righted itself as they set the chair back up. She kept her head down thinking it was a waste of energy to look up. A pair of worn, mid-calf soft brown leather riding boots came into her field of vision.

She smirked as she saw the straps and buckles on the boots and let out a short laugh. "Well, if it isn't the Black Dragon. What are you doing here Griffemort? Come to stick your daggers in my back as well?" the bitterness in her voice was razor sharp.

The Black Dragon was silent as he stood over her. Beatrix figured he was staring at her. Then he crouched down flashing her a playful grin.

Hooking his finger under her chin he raised her face until her eyes met his silver eyes that had just a hint of blue in them. "Your words wound me."

This made her snort out a laugh. Shaking her head, she said, "You and I both know there are only a handful of things that can hurt you, and my words are not one of them."

He kept the grin on his face but to her surprise his eyes looked hurt. "Ma mie, you know why I am here." He pulled three long vials out of the pocket in his black leather cavalier vest. All three contained liquids; one golden, one black and one red.

She arched an eyebrow at him. "What in the name of the gods are in those?"

The light in his eyes ignited and his grin grew more devilish. "You need to drink these," was his only reply.

Beatrix smirked at him. "You are kidding right. Valac, I have known you forever and I still do not understand what your end game is. Thus, there is no way I am drinking those."

He let out a glorious laugh. In that moment looking at Valac it reminded her of Alex and it sent a sharp pain straight to her heart. The two looked too much a-like it was unnerving.

He reached out and stroked her cheek. "Clever girl, as always, you know me so well. Yet I have a promise to keep and fulfilling it requires you to drink these." He held up the three vials again and pointed at the golden one. "This is from the Mad Queen herself." He pointed at the black one and tapped his nose. "This one, well I can't tell you who this one is from exactly. However, it is from another vested party in this little game." Then he pointed to the red one. "And this one is from your mother."

Beatrix could not contain the laughter that clawed its way out of her. The madness of it all struck her all at once. "Up to your usual tricks I see. You always have to have your finger in all the dirty little pies," her voice dripped with animosity."Tell me, how many of them know about your double dealings and back stabbings? Or better yet, how many know your true nature? The one you work hard to hide."

He pursed his lips then looked down for a moment before staring into her eyes. "Ma mie, I am not doing this because I want to. I know your mother told you there is a reason to all of this insanity."

Tears pooled in her eyes recalling the conversation with her mother in which Beatrix was told she must die. "I want to know why you are doing this, Valac. Whose side are you on damn it!"

His eyes never left hers. "We all have our secrets, Princess," he said calmly, "and that is one of them. Why I do what I do and the people I serve are all a means to an end. Make no mistake, I am dangerous because I will achieve that end at whatever the cost," his words were cold and deadly. Yet, they were comforting.

In that moment she thought of Alex and the tears spilled over as she shook her head. "It is not fair." Her throat felt like it was closing in on her. "Mother gave me a few crumbs in way of an explanation as to why I have to die and what will happen to me after I pass. Yet, I still do not understand why it has to be me."

Wiping away her tears with his thumb Valac hushed her. "If I had the gift of sight, your mother has I would tell you. Unfortunately, I cannot see the future." He held the vial with the golden liquid to her lips. "We have little time. You need to drink this before Lord Dumah comes back."

Beatrix gave up trying to argue with him. It was obvious that she would drink the stuff one way or another and she did not want to be forced. Parting her lips, he tipped the drink into her mouth. It burned with a white hot, molten intensity to her gut. It felt like liquid fire in her belly that wanted to burn its way out of her.

Beads of sweat formed on her forehead and her breathing was laboured as the pain took hold. "What the hell was that?" she choked out the words.

A wicked smile split his face as he uncorked the vial with the black liquid and held it to her lips. "Drink this first, then I shall tell you."

Her lips turned down in a deep frown. She hated how he loved to play games and a huge part of her wanted to refuse to cooperate just to spite him. But she knew they both had their parts to play in this whole dirty affair. She opened her mouth, and he emptied the thick black contents down it.

The liquid felt as if it was clawing and ripping its way through her. The pain was immensely powerful and she let out a scream. Valac held his hand over her mouth, muffling her cries, as the black liquid coiled its way around every part of her body and settled in her heart. It felt like it was poisoning her soul, sucking her goodness and her essences out.

It was too much for her body to handle. Her mind wanted to shut down to protect her. She only felt Valac tilting her head back. As the red liquid ran down her throat, it washed away the pain and wrapped her senses in warmth.

Beatrix was spent; all she wanted to do was crawl in a dark hole and sleep. It was a foreign feeling; being a dark faerie she never slept. She lifted her heavy head and raised her eyebrows at him. "What in the name of the gods did you give me?"

He chuckled. "In the name of the gods indeed, ma mie. The golden liquid is the blood of a god."

Her whole body woke up focusing on him and her jaw dropped open. "How the hell did the Mad Queen get her hands on that?" A mixture of wonder heavily laced with terror coloured her voice.

He shrugged, not giving anything away. "Who knows what that crazy Queen gets up to? I find it a great deal safer not to ask questions where she is concerned." He looked at the door then said, "ma mie, I shall be with you until the very end. But you cannot tell anyone about the vials or that I was here."

She let out an acid laugh. "Always the double dealer and the perfect spy. Come now, Black Dragon, why do you not tell me whose side you are really on?"

He leaned in and whispered, "If I told you I would have to kill you."

She shook her head, and a smile ghosted her lips. "That is not funny you cruel man."

"The years have made me very cruel." Looking hard into her eyes he said, "There are two things that keep me going constantly driving what I do. Like I said before, I will do whatever it takes to achieve those goals. You being here is just another cog in the wheel to get me there, the same with giving you demons' blood and the blood of the first."

Beatrix shook her head. Finally, realising how ruthless he was, scared her to death. "Gods, what are you trying to turn me into?"

He wrapped his arms around her giving her a hug and kissed her cheek. "Only time will tell, sweet Beatrix . Now, I have to go. I truly wish things could have turned out differently because you are one of the very few people that I care for."

Beatrix whispered, "Good-bye, Valac."

He stood up and ran his finger down the side of her face then held it under her chin. With a chuckle, he said, "In years to come our paths will cross again, ma mie. Therefore, this is not good-bye."

She gave him a smile. He released her face and tipped the chair back on its side. Closing her eyes, she tried to pluck out one of the thousands of questions she still wanted to ask him, but when she opened them he was gone. Alone again the tears ran down her face as the weight of what was to come bear down on her.

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