The Chimera (Legends of the Dark Creatures Book 2)
Chapter Ten: Lucius

Ethan peeped through one of the windows in the office and could see hospital staff frantically running around like flies.

“I certainly have arrived at a bad time,” he said.

“One of the patients from the psychiatric ward escaped. She killed two of her attendants doing so,” the female doctor seated in front of him said.

“Then I won’t take much of your time, doctor,” said Ethan.

Dr. Andrews was the chief psychiatrist here at Oregon State Hospital. From what Ethan had heard, the only thing that matched her incredible skills as a psychiatrist was the care and love she had for her patients.

The doctor put on her reading glasses, used her hand to move her long brown hair away from her face, and opened the large file on her table.

“Ethan,” she said. “I have treated many patients in my career and I am certain none of them have or had the symptoms you mentioned.”

“Kindly check again doctor,” Ethan said. He had already compelled her so she would do everything he ordered her.

After some minutes, Dr. Andrews closed the file, and began typing on her computer. She eventually sighed and said, “As I told you, nothing.”

Ethan angrily chewed on his bottom lip. This place was his last hope. He had already checked every mental institution in the city, particularly those near Ravenhill, and he was sure he would replace something here.

“Um... Who exactly is this person you’re looking for?” Dr. Andrews asked.

“Someone I owe my life,” Ethan said.

Ethan sat on the couch near Dr. Andrew’s desk and lifted his eyes to the ceiling. His lips twisted into a half-smile.

Yes, she was just another victim whose life was destroyed because I exist, he thought.

“And what makes you think she’s here in Salem?” Dr. Andrews asked.

“She has to be,” Ethan said.

He stood up and walked over to the doctor. He moved her chair so that she stared right into his eyes.

“When I’m out, you are going to forget me, however, remember the girl I spoke of and if someone ever comes to you plagued by the symptoms I described... make sure you call the number you are going to save in your phone once I leave.”

He then noticed a picture on Dr. Andrews’ desk. There were two young girls, probably twins, who wore identical pink dresses, a baby in Dr. Andrews’ hands, and a man standing next to the doctor, smiling at the baby.

“Your family?” Ethan asked.

A smile filled with sorrow formed on Dr. Andrews’ face.

“I haven’t seen them in over a month,” she said.

“Why’s that?” Ethan said.

“Work,” Dr. Andrews replied. “They are understanding but sometimes I can’t help but feel guilty.”

“I know of a little girl out there who is going to have to grow up without her father,” Ethan said, recalling Takiro; the hunter he had killed. “You never know how much time you have. Take some days off work and visit your family; I can tell that you have more than enough leave days.”

“Sure,” Dr. Andrews obeyed.

Ethan walked out of Dr. Andrews’ office, navigated his way through the chaos taking place in the corridors, and left the hospital building. He made his way to the parking lot, drove out of the gate, and began heading back to Ravenhill.

It soon started pouring heavily. The road was almost empty with only a few vehicles and pedestrians passing by.

As he drove, Ethan found that he couldn’t get his mind off that picture he had seen in Dr. Andrews’ office. Family. Ethan too had a family; a mother who loved him and a father who always did his best to make sure that Ethan would grow up into the greatest ruler Arianis had ever seen. He was happy...but that happiness was destroyed on that tragic day.

Ethan was only seven years old and back then... his name was not Ethan.

“Father, come on,” young Ethan frowned. “I have been swinging this sword for over an hour now... when can I go and play.”

“Is that so?” his father replied with a smile. “So just after a few swings, you think you’ve mastered the ways of the sword.”

A childish grin formed across Ethan’s face.

“Is that a challenge, papa?” Ethan deviously asked.

“Hmm,” his father murmured, scratching his large brown beard. “I suppose it’s high time someone taught you a valuable lesson, my son.”

His father moved his large dark orange tail and swam above the arena. Ethan propelled himself upwards and stopped when he was at the same height as his father. Back then Ethan had a tail. He was a merman after all and never thought much about it. Little did he know that he would spend the next millennia without one.

Ethan’s father pointed his sword at him and smiled.

“Ready son!” he shouted.

Ethan tightened his grip on his heavy sword and said, “Why don’t you come and replace out?”

At tremendous speed, his father charged at him. If someone was watching, they probably would have thought Ethan’s father was serious about attacking his son. When he was near, his father raised his sword.

Ethan’s mouth opened into a wide smile and instead of using his sword he raised his right hand and shouted, “Milatheia!”

The sword in his father’s hand disappeared.

Funny lines formed on his father’s forehead. “Magic... again... You little cheat... Come here.”

Ethan laughed hard as his father chased him around the arena.

“It’s not my fault you can’t do magic,” Ethan shouted.

“Really?” his father replied. “Well, then in that case...”

Suddenly, Ethan was trapped in a ball of water. That’s right; his father was a water element master. His father moved his hand and the ball span so that Ethan was upside down inside it. Ethan crossed his arms and frowned to himself as his father controlled the water towards himself.

“You were saying,” his father said and laughed.

“Magnus,” a voice exclaimed.

“Mother,” Ethan shouted with a wide smile.

“If it isn’t my beautiful wife,” his father said.

“Let him go, darling,” Ethan’s mother said laughing. Like Ethan, she had long dark hair with a pinch of deep red underneath each strand. She had smooth ebony skin and her tail and fins were gorgeously dark red.

Ethan’s father moved his hands and Ethan was freed from the watery prison.

“And where do you think you are going Prince Lucius,” his mother called.

A cold chill surged through Ethan’s body as he was trying to escape the palace grounds.

Lucius... that was Ethan’s name back then; a name he would someday abandon.

“I guess you’re eager to play with your friends, aren’t you, my prince?” another voice in front of him said.

Ethan’s eyes happily lit up and he quickly swam next to the mermaid that had appeared.

“Aurora!” he exclaimed. “Please convince Mama and Papa that I will be fine.”

Aurora... She had short blonde hair, beautiful brown eyes, and an amazing tail with light blue scales. Dressed in fine armor, she was his mother’s personal bodyguard and was once his father’s lieutenant before he became king of Arianis. Like his father, Aurora was a water element master, and just like him, she would one day betray Ethan’s mother. And also... she would be the one who would one day give birth to Ethan’s brother; Richard Thane.

“Marina, why don’t we let him go?” Ethan’s father said. “Besides, he has your stubborn blood... I am sure he’ll replace a way out of the palace.”

Ethan’s mother sighed, “Alright. Just make sure to come back before sunset.”

“What’s sunset?” Ethan asked.

His mother placed her hand on her forehead and said, “That’s right, you have never been to the surface, have you? Anyway, come back immediately the tharogan crystals begin to glow alright.”

“Kractapus,” Ethan cursed.

“You know, I have been wondering my prince... what in the world is a Kractapus?” Aurora asked.

A weary sigh came out of his mother’s mouth and she said, “It so happens that a Kractapus is Lucius’ very own imaginary terror.”

“A Kractapus isn’t imaginary,” Ethan said. “It’s a hideous monster with so many tentacles that it can grab a hundred sharks at once.

“Don’t you mean an Inkirith... also called octopus in the common tongue,” Aurora said.

“No! Not an octopus... A Kractapus is much bigger, scarier, and more hideous,” Ethan argued.

“See dear,” his mother said. “This is what happens when we allow him to wander around too much... I am sure it’s his so-called friends who are filling him with such nonsense.”

“I suppose,” his father said, smiling.

Ethan swam out of the palace, sulking. But the extraordinary sights of the kingdom were enough to lift his spirit. The kingdom was beautiful, he thought. Large crystal houses, curved into superbly amazing designs glittered below. Many of the merfolk waved at him as he swam above them. Arianis wasn’t a kingdom of great military might but it was the ocean’s most prosperous and peaceful. However, no kingdom dared to attack Arianis for fear of the wrath of Marina Thalassa; Ethan’s mother, Queen Arianis, and Rygeen of the realms at the time.

Ethan went to a place in the outskirts of the kingdom and found his way to an open area covered with huge plants.

“Well if it isn’t lord Thane,” one of his friends called out.

“Lucius!” a little mermaid about his age exclaimed when she saw him.

It was Mila and her older brother Azim; Ethan’s best friends in the whole of the ocean.

Mila graciously flapped her beautiful bright purple tail and swam next to Ethan.

“Lucius, Lucius, what do you think?” she said, running her fingers along her remarkable necklace made of smooth white pearls.

“I guess... it’s nice,” Ethan said.

For some reason, Mila’s fair-skinned face became red and all she stared at was the ground.

“Are you well Mila?” Ethan asked.

“By the gods, sister,” Azim said. “Why don’t you just confess the feelings you have for the...?”

Mila landed a hard blow on Azim’s forehead.

“Sorry,” Azim cried.

Ethan laughed and said, “In any case, it was agreed that today we would go and watch the giant Pathowaxes right?”

“I don’t know Lucius. Leaving the barrier... Now that we are actually doing it; I can’t help but worry for our safety,” said Azim.

“Our prince will protect us, right Lucius?” Mila stated.

“Exactly,” Ethan replied, crossing his hands and holding up his chin. He held Mila and Azim’s hands. “Come on!” he shouted.

“Lucius wait look... it’s them,” Mila said.

A group of seven merkids was coming towards them. Ethan’s eyes narrowed as he watched the merboy in the middle playing with his familiar spirit; a transparent glowing blue serpent that he himself had conjured.

“Jarlath,” Ethan said. “Have you been following me? And I see you brought your entire party with you.”

“But of course,” Jarlath replied with a grin. “If I am going to best the prince himself then I should make sure to bring as many witnesses as possible.”

Jarlath was Ethan’s cousin and the son of Elsira Thalassa, Ethan’s mother’s elder sister. Word was, Elsira did something horrible long before Ethan was even born and his mother had her executed. His mother’s enemies still spread rumors that Ethan’s mother did that just so that she would have the throne of Arianis to herself. Like Ethan, Jarlath was a warlock and his magical abilities were extraordinary. Jarlath was five years older than Ethan and had grown up despising the royal family.

There was no one Jarlath hated more than Ethan. He always challenged Ethan to magical duals but lost every time.

“I’ve already surpassed you in every form of magic, Jarlath. When are you going to give up?” Ethan asked. “Can’t we just forget about the past and moved on? What happened between our parents has nothing to do with us. And if being the best is so important to you then you are most definitely out of luck.”

“What do you mean, you shrimp?” Jarlath said angrily.

“The title of most powerful magic user belongs not to me or you but to the one who rules this great kingdom and protects the realms... My mother has been hailed as the greatest and most powerful not just here on Earth but in all the realms. It would take eons for anyone to ever surpass her.”

“It’s true,” Mila said, stepping in. “Rygeen Queen Marina is the best. Even goddess Athena said so when she visited the grand palace on Lucius’ birthday.”

“For once I agree with my sister,” Azim said. “Lucius’ mother is also the one who wields the Trident of Poseidon... given to her by Lord Poseidon himself.”

“Enough!” Jarlath screamed. His familiar disappeared and his friends moved away from him.

“I don’t care what the people or even the gods say,” he snarled. “Today is the day I tarnish the name of Lucius Thane... So how about it prince... Are you ready?”

Ethan sighed and said, “Why don’t you come and replace out? Mila, Azim, please stay back at a safe distance.”

“Be careful Lucius,” Mila said as she and Azim swam away.

“Conjugation magic,” Jarlath said. “You say you’ve bested me in all forms but never have we tested who the best conjurer is.”

“It seems there is no talking sense into you,” Ethan said. “Alright, why don’t we set the rule of the...”

“Brandam Quitina Frethrithra Noelvet!” Jarlath shouted.

This spell... No...

A blue spiral appeared on the ground near Jarlath and out of it, a three-horned monster with six arms appeared. The creature had sharp claws and teeth and tough-looking thick skin. The portal didn’t close and more creatures like the one that had appeared began to crawl their way out of it.

“Jarlath you fool, have you lost your mind?!” Ethan shouted. “That thing is from a forbidden realm.”

“Yes,” Jarlath replied, and that was when Ethan realized it. The look in Jarlath’s eyes... He wasn’t here for just a dual. He was here for Ethan’s blood and he didn’t care about anyone who got hurt in the process.

“What everyone says is true Lucius?” Jarlath declared. “My mother did do something... she wanted to make this kingdom powerful and she was willing to do whatever it took. After years of following the clues she’d left me, I found her old grimoire. Lucius, you don’t know how much power exists in this world...”

“Jarlath!!!”

Ethan screamed and then his hands covered his mouth when the monster that had appeared first slashed its claws and ripped off Jarlath’s upper body from his tail. The rest of the creatures began attacking Jarlath’s friends.

“Lucius run!” Mila cried.

Another creature caught her by her hair and threw her towards the ground. Azim broke her fall but both them were badly injured.

Ethan felt his teeth lengthen and his hand curled into a fist.

He looked at Mila and Azim.

“Mother, forgive me,” he said. Just like Jarlath’s mother, Ethan’s mother too had a grimoire. He had once taken a peek inside that book and amongst the many things he learned... there was one thing he wished he’d forgotten.

Just this once, Ethan thought. I will sin to protect my friends just this once.

“Thirek Magi Throsala Dima Rygan Frogatha Itiga Urithra Oma Nexyes Efarvin”

The creatures started coming at him but Ethan kept on chanting those words and all of them stopped when black flames appeared on the ground near him.

“Ah, it’s been quite a while since someone summoned me.”

What was this? No something was wrong; this wasn’t what Ethan wanted to summon. Ethan didn’t know what this thing was. It looked and stood like the humans Ethan had read about but the dark aura it gave off... It wore fine black clothes, had strange black markings across its pale face and it had a long thin tail with a sharp end. The creatures that Jarlath had summoned began to falter and started running toward the portal they had come from.

“Now, now.”

The thing Ethan had conjured shot out a black flame from its mouth and incinerated the fleeing creatures. The flaming blue portal closed and the thing looked at Ethan. His body was still shaking.

“Have I pleased you master?” it asked, showing off its sharp black teeth. “I am a Dymora...I reside in the deep places of the shadow realm but do forgive me for I cannot tell you my name.”

“G-Go back,” Ethan said, his lips shaking.

“But why,” the Dymora replied. It then faced three of Jarlath’s friends who had survived. Mila and Azim were beside them.

“You see, summoning me requires a price... a sacrifice, and I think these people will more than suffice. Besides, you don’t seem to have knowledge of the incantation required to send me back.”

“No”

It came out as a whisper from Ethan’s mouth. Ethan watched as the Dymora made its way toward Mila and her brother.

“L-Lucius”

Ethan’s eyes widened. Mila was afraid... she was trembling... but... she wasn’t staring at the Dymora. Her eyes were fixed on Ethan.

The Dymora too looked back and Ethan saw fear dawn in its completely black eyes.

“It can’t be,” the Dymora said.

Why were they all afraid of him, he wondered.

Ethan felt a hot surge coursing through his body. He raised his hand to his face and saw deep red flames emanating out of them. Everything was becoming cloudy and Ethan felt his consciousness slowly slipping away until all he could see was darkness.

By the time his eyes opened, it was already too late. Ethan was on the ground and red flames were burning everywhere. He heard footsteps walking away from him. At first, he thought it was the Dymora but when he turned his head, he saw what could have only been a young human boy with a large sword sheathed across his back walking away from him. The boy dressed in leather armor said something that Ethan could not make out at the time, swum away, and disappeared.

Ethan heard voices coming from a distance. The flames died down when he took in a deep breath and calmed down.

“Lucius!”

It was his mother. She rushed over to him and held him in her arms. Whatever it was that Mila and the Dymora had seen in Ethan, his mother saw it too and so did his father and Aurora.

“Magnus,” his mother said, sobbing.

“He is an abomination, Marina,” his father said. “You know what the people will do to him... to us...”

“Then they will never know,” his mother argued.

“You can’t hide a thing like that forever,” his father said.

“I will cure him!” his mother said, holding Ethan tightly. “He is my only son. I will not let them take him from me. Please... He is all I have left... Aurora.”

Aurora’s gaze was fixed on something behind Ethan. The sickening stench of burning flesh flooded the waters.

His mother carried him and started swimming away.

“Wait,” Ethan whispered.

“What is it my son?” his mother said.

Ethan looked at the ground and amongst the ashes, he saw a necklace; the necklace he had seen Mila wearing earlier that day.

His eyes were hot with tears and all he could do was hold his mother tightly.

Ethan’s mother, his father, Aurora, and Ethan himself... No one ever spoke of what happened that day. However, a lot of things changed. Ethan never left the palace and would only do so when accompanying his mother to the surface or to other realms. His father never looked at him the same way either and from that day he never once called Ethan by his name. At the command of Ethan’s father, Aurora stopped speaking to Ethan.

He had killed his friends and destroyed his family that day. Still, that wasn’t all fate had installed for Ethan for he would soon replace out that the tragedy of that day was neither the first nor the last of the misfortunes that he had brought upon his family.

It was nearly dark when Ethan drove into the small town of Ravenhill. The rains were still pouring heavily but the thundering in the sky had subsided. Most of the shops in town were still open and Ethan could see some people running around.

Ethan turned the steering wheel and drove past a sign that read:

Oceanview Road.

Soon all Ethan could see were trees. He continued driving until he came across an interesting scene.

Normally, Ethan wouldn’t have bothered but he came out of his car when he saw one of Ashley’s friends lying in the woods but this one he found to be interesting. He walked towards the dark-haired girl covered in blood. This girl was the one called Samantha, he recalled. The blood that stained her clothes wasn’t hers.

Even Ethan’s heart jumped when Samantha’s eyes opened wide. Her entire body was shaking and she held Ethan by his collar.

“They took her,” she said. “They took Ashley...”

Ethan could only see fear and desperation in the girl’s brown bloodshot eyes.

“Who did?” he asked, in a calm voice. “Who took her?”

Samantha just started mumbling words.

“White robes... cave... death... Richard is there... They have him too...”

Something suddenly caught Ethan’s eye. Above him, sitting on a branch was a large black crow. This was no ordinary crow, Ethan thought. It probably knew what was happening. Ethan stood up and was about to leave when he heard the crow’s raucous crowing. He looked at it and the feathered beast was continuously pointing its beak at Samantha.

Ethan threw one gaze at the girl. She was completely drenched and shivering. He walked over to her. He squatted right next to the poor human.

I did try to warn you about what would happen to your friends, half-breed, Ethan thought to himself.

He lifted Samantha off the ground and walked out of the woods. Samantha was still unconscious when Ethan placed her in the passenger seat of his car. The crow he had seen earlier flew past him. Ethan got into his car and began to follow the crow.

There were two roads up ahead and Ethan made a left turn, driving into the road that led to the beach for that is where the crow had turned. Samantha appeared to be warm enough since Ethan was projecting enough heat from his own body to warm her up.

The crow flew towards the beach. Ethan packed his car and got out, leaving Samantha inside. He pressed the button on his keyholder and locked the doors.

He continued following the crow on foot.

The crow finally landed on one of the rocks on the beach.

“Do I have to use Reveal for you to show your true form?” Ethan said.

Black smoke appeared, emanating from the crow. The smoke took shape and finally, a man who looked like a human in his early twenties appeared was standing before Ethan. He had short silky dark hair, fair skin, and narrow brown eyes, and on the right side of his neck were two scars close enough to each other that Ethan had no trouble identifying them as bite marks. The man was dressed in the same uniforms the hunters wore and had a sword sheathed across his back.

“Those bite marks,” Ethan said. “You are one of Vladimir Drathvir’s unfortunate victims... or at least a victim of some of his other victims.”

The man’s lips curved into an irritating smirk.

“As expected of the infamous Chimera,” he said. “Look, I don’t have time for petty chit chat so I will get right to the point. Vladimir and the rest of the Dark Trinity have taken someone very important to me. You and I know that it’s you that they are trying to replace. They killed two police officers and left with the deputy sheriff of this town. I have been hunting Vladimir ever since I became a hunter, two hundred years ago. He is my Jarand Hanat... My Grand Hunt... But one of his minions, Verona, bested me and turned me into what I am. I finally killed Verona three years ago and I have been following Vladimir’s trail ever since. Five years ago I met someone... Hey! Where do you think you’re going?!”

Ethan had turned away from the annoying young vampire and was heading toward his car.

“Has anyone ever told you that you talk a lot?” Ethan said. “You said you would go straight to the point but you had to go on and tell me your pathetic life story. Time is valuable and unless it directly concerns me, I have no intention of wasting my time with Vladimir.”

“Not even if he has Richard Thane; your brother... What about that brunette girl, Ashley that you seem to have taken interest in? The rumors can’t be true, can they?” he chuckled. “That the almighty Chimera is indeed a coward who has always been afraid of the Dark Trinity? Or is it just that you are just an empty shell who only brings death, darkness, and destruction where he goes?”

Ethan didn’t stop walking.

The man sighed and said, “Sheesh what a fool I was... To think the Chimera would help just because his brother is involved. You’ve probably never even protected anything or anyone in your life... can’t you at least protect your reputation... your pride?”

Ethan didn’t even give the vampire enough time to react. He grabbed the vampire by his neck and a gust of air blew beneath his feet, flying them into the air until they were hovering above the storm clouds.

“I see you have not only been following Vladimir, vampire,” Ethan said, tightening his grip. “I personally didn’t like your tone of voice and I have come across countless others like you. On the outside, you make it so that it appears your vampirism is a curse but deep down... You know you are nothing without it. You spoke of pride... If you were a true hunter then you would have held on to your pride two hundred years ago and taken your life the moment you realized that you were turned. But no... you embraced the power you had attained and you probably believe that you’re using that power for good. Naïve little boy... you have drunk the blood and killed the very humans you once swore to protect. Believe me when I say this; there is nothing I hate more than hypocrites. People like you think themselves perfect by cowering behind the greater sins of others; never taking time to reflect on their own. Death, darkness, destruction... as you said I carry those things with me or rather... some might say I am those things.”

The vampire’s eyes were opened wide and he was trembling to his very bones. Normally, Ethan wouldn’t let himself get this agitated but this vampire had said something that he was going to regret so enough.

“...”

“Repeat what you just said,” Ethan demanded and he loosed his fingers.

“I said... thank you,” the vampire said in a low whispery tone. “But please, someone I care about has been taken. Show me mercy by killing me after I at least try to save her.”

“I am sure you know that mercy is a luxury I prefer not to offer,” Ethan said.

The vampire closed his eyes.

Ethan sighed. There was no point in killing this man. He let go of him and he watched as the vampire disappeared into the clouds below. Flying down, past the thick dark rain clouds, Ethan found that the vampire had transformed into a crow and was gliding down. The vampire reverted back into his human form the moment he touched the ground and was breathing heavily.

Ethan landed right next to him.

“Why did you spare my life?” the vampire asked.

“I don’t see any point in killing you now. If you are going to face Vladimir then you will most definitely perish. Vladimir is the oldest and most powerful shape-shifting vampire on earth and you have absolutely no chance of defeating him.”

Ethan started walking.

He paused for a while and then asked, “Even when facing death you still thanked me... why?”

The vampire stood up and said, “The truth that you said about me. It hurt but it was something I needed to hear. But you were wrong about something. It doesn’t matter to me whether I fight evil as a dark creature. Human or vampire, I still believe in what I do and I will always abide by my principles. That’s who I am.”

“And what about the innocents you have killed... or have you never taken such a life?”

The man’s face fell.

“I have Chimera... more than once to my shame,” he said. But a gentle smile formed on his face and he said, “However, I will always strive to pay my penance by living and doing my best to do the right thing.”

Ethan sighed and continued walking. “Your words are just senseless yelpings of a child,” he said.

The vampire laughed and said, “And for a guy who looks like a kid, you sure are wise. And hey! The name’s Spencer! I know where the Dark Trinity is so I will be heading there now. I can’t wait to see in action, the one revered as the most beautiful warrior in all creation!!!”

Ethan chuckled and felt Spencer’s optimistic aura fade. He reached his car, unlocked the doors, and entered inside. Samantha was still asleep and her shivering had stopped. Ethan lay on his back in his seat and thought carefully about what to do next.

Vladimir, Arius, and Edorina... perhaps now the time was ripe for Ethan to finally confront the Dark Trinity. But, this could also prove to be a good opportunity to see just how much his little brother had grown over the past millennia he thought. The Dark Trinity had also taken two of Richard’s most powerful allies; Sara and Ashley. A hunter who carried the Blood Seeker curse with her and a half-breed whose true potential was yet to be revealed.

This indeed is proving to be rather interesting, Ethan thought.

“Now why in the world didn’t they take you,” Ethan said, turning his head over to Samantha.

If the Dark Trinity had no use for her they would have killed her immediately like the two policemen that Spencer had mentioned. There was neither scratch nor bruise on Samantha’s body and that made Ethan curious; but not curious enough to ponder over it too long.

Ethan suddenly felt Samantha’s hand gently hold his.

She was still in her sleep when she said, “Please don’t leave me... don’t leave me... don’t...”

The rains were still falling hard and Ethan realized that he hadn’t had any sleep since his awakening two days ago. His eyes slowly started closing and when they finally did, amidst the pitch blackness that enveloped him, he felt Samantha move and she rested her head on his shoulder.

Interesting indeed...

That was all Ethan could think of at that moment.

...

Hope you enjoy the rest of the story!!!