Lilith’s POV

A freezing sensation surrounded my body as I was abruptly woken gasping for breath on the hard wooden floor. I discovered that I had been showered in what smells like goat’s blood. The crimson liquid clung to my clothes in lumps and dripped down my hair which was now back to its original dark brown my Anne façade had fallen.

Still struggling to gain my senses back I looked around the room which we were just drinking tea pleasantly together to find that Emma and the dark-haired boy were lying on the floor in a similar fashion that I was. Well, that escalated quickly I thought bitterly to myself.

A pair of delicate white shoes came into my view as I looked up I saw Vespers smiling face. She looked so innocent and angelic on the outside if only everyone could see how foul she was on the inside.

Out of spite I grabbed one of her pristinely white shoes and stained the material with my blood-soaked hand. She cried out in surprise which quickly turned into anger as she motioned with her hand for Isaac to come over from across the room where Sophie and he had been standing patiently for their master’s orders.

“Isaac darling why don’t you beat the living daylights out of this insolent child for me?” She pouted playfully and fluttered her kohl coloured eyelashes at him. He replied with a sadistic smirk and stalked over to my limp body on the ground.

I quickly tried to pick myself off the floor as I steadied myself with my right hand he kicked it right out from under me and I crashed back into the pool of most likely rotten goat’s blood judging from the smell.

Trying to regain my balance I used both my hands this time and pushed myself to my feet but Isaac was too fast and kicked my back sending me flying back to the floor. However, this time my knees had broken my fall and continued to kneel as he circled me like prey.

This was not good I the blood was messing with my head every time he kicked me I would see red and momentarily black out from the putrid scent. Isaac stopped circling me and looked like he was about to pounce like a tiger when the dark-haired boy skidded across the floor and bowled right into him knocking them both to the ground. I turned around to find Emma also trying to stand up using the wall for support. Wow, that girl has some strong willpower.

“Why are you doing this? what’s gotten into you Isaac” The boy questioned Isaac who was underneath him? Isaac wrestled to be on top of him and pinned his hands to the floor.

“This is me, Cain, I’m not the silly love-stricken boy you knew before” Isaac hissed in his face like a snake. Confusion swept across Cain’s face “Silly? I never thought you were silly you are the strongest most beautiful person I know” Cain said.

Isaac shook his head at Cain’s words “We can’t be together anymore you make me weak while Vesper makes me strong”. “But this is the first time you’ve met her?” Cain questioned as his face fell. “No who do you think helped us escape from our families for this long huh!” Isaac screamed at the now crying Cain.

I used there fighting as an opportunity to slide over to Emma.

“Who are you and what happened to Anne?” she questioned me with wide eyes full of fear and uncertainty. “Don’t worry about Anne she’s safe but we seem to be in a bit of a pinch” I winked at her. She looked back at me with a frown upon her pink lips.

I lean in closer to Emma and whisper in her ear “I have a plan, okay but you have to not come back for us once you run out that door I don’t want you to stop running until you get to the forest”.

“But what about you and Cain” She whispers back so close I can hear the pounding of her heart and the feel of her cold breath on my skin. “I will find another way to get him out” I try to reassure her with a smile but the blood that streaks my hair and face prove to betray that notion.

Emma nods in response and I tilt my head to the door gesturing her to the exit and look of immediate panic etches across her face but is soon replaced with determination as she gazes into my unwavering eyes a useful technique I’ve learned.

She slowly rises and bolts to the door without a moment of hesitation, her black combat boots pound beneath the wooden floor.

In the darkest corner of the room, Sophie’s turns sharply in Emma’s direction and races with inhuman speed to catch her before she makes an exit.

I take this as my cue to intervene and grab Sophie’s pale leg as she rushes past me I catch it and sink my teeth into her calf muscle she instantly tenses and tries to pull away from my vice-like grip but I’ve trapped her and Emma smoothly makes an exit out the door. Vesper just watches with an amused expression and turns back to watch Sophie’s struggle to me. I knew she wouldn’t stop Emma she’s not her target Anne is.

I check to see if Cain is still alive on the other side of the room and it seems so as he and Isaac are still tumbling around on the floorboards. I know Cain can’t keep on fighting Isaac forever and neither can I hold off Sophie. My grip loosened on her leg and Sophie took the opportunity to slam it right into my jawbone making me fly with impact.

A nasty thud resounded and everyone stopped. The room was dead silence. Isaac had his white fingers around Cains' neck. Cain looked back up at him with eyes full of fear and remorse. He had obviously trusted Isaac and was now unfortunately betrayed by him.

I kneeled clutching my swollen face as I heard vespers heels thudding on the hard wooden floor. Sophie retreated to a dark corner of the room.

“It’s a shame you were caught so easily I thought you would have put up more of a fight” She causally stated inspecting her fingernails. I stared silence keeping my eyes trained on her shoes. “I mean I’m not surprised of course you’ve always been the little hero sacrificing yourself for the sake of others” she was circling me know like a shark. I raised my head and stared at her with a gaze full of unwavering determination. Yes, it has always been my choice to sacrifice myself for the ones I love, that’s what happens when you grow about around such greedy and selfish people and witnessing firsthand the consequences of those attitudes to the less fortunate the innocent.

“It may be my nature but it is not a foolish one,” I said. “let him go or you will find out how much of a little hero I actually am” I gestured towards Cain challenging her. She laid a dismissive glance in his direction. “Oh, fine you are free to go boy” she huffed impatiently. Isaac glared at me and let go of Cain’s neck reluctantly. Cain stood up quickly and bolted through the door as fast as lighting. Vesper turned back to me “you see Lilith I keep this list of people who’ve done me wrong and I assure it’s a very long list indeed but don’t worry you happen to be at the very top lucky for you” Vesper said her voice dripping with sarcasm. I kneel back down on the ground as Isaac and Sophie seize my arms throwing me back onto my feet. I mentally groan preparing for the world of hurt I would soon find myself in.