Daughter of the Damned

Mira's POV: A sneak peek into the Future

It was such a dark night that even the moonlight felt heavy over my shoulder blades.

I was in my new school uniform. Blood dripped from various pores, staining the white and maroon dress. I quickly pulled out the black cloak from my bag and flipped it over my head and school bag.

The street was as empty as my soul, and it seemed like it would be a struggle for me to get a ride.

I pulled out my phone from my pocket.

I tried pressing on the cracked and shattered screen repeatedly, but as expected, without success. It hadn't blacked out but was useless. It was a miracle I still had it in my pocket in that form and had not completely lost it after what I had been through that night.

Just then, I saw a taxi coming right in my direction. Possibly the luckiest event in my history

The driver jerked into a stop as I came right in front of it.

"Damn it, girl... If you are suicidal, go somewhere else to die."

I gave him a look that I knew he would never forget.

" Nah! I'm not willing to die yet. I just need a ride."

I flung myself inside the back seat and closed the door tightly.

"Where to? I mean the address? He asked. I guess I should have given him a head start. That might have been a mistake.

"Straight to the eastern cemetery."

He didn't look back at me for the rest of the ride. And the moment we reached the cemetery, he could barely wait to see me leave. He didn't even wait to take the money for the ride. He just left. Quite perplexed, to my amusement.

The guard was fast asleep when I jumped inside the walls of the cemetery.

They should be waiting.

The three Musketeers in my life It didn't matter if I loved them or hated them; it seemed like we were stuck together for eternity. Such was our destiny.

As I walked, I could feel the charge in the air, which could only mean that the boys were just getting started with their prey.

Braze, Kian, and Xen Every girl's desire, every boy's envy

"Mira, you are late."

Braze said with a voice that was grumpy, and he didn't even look at me. His eyes were fixed on the silhouette that he had pinned to thin air.

"Did you have to visit Chemora again? It was Kian who asked, but he didn't wait to hear my answer. He had to fling himself forward to restrain the silhouette, which was now taking on a gigantic shape.

"Let her breathe, you guys. Can't you see she looks exhausted already? Let's wrap this one up by ourselves tonight. Mira, you can stand aside and guide us if we cannot do it right. "

With that, Xen jumped into the action.

The silhouette was obviously too powerful for them. It was dragging the three of them along all at once.

The silhouette was actually the distorted soul of a dark mage. A shifter mage, to be precise. They escape into our planet Earth from their own world, called Chemora.

When they take human form, the darkness in them amplifies and manifests itself. It takes complete control over their soul. These dark mages are engaged in spreading corruption across our planet. Though I am not sure if we can really call it 'our earth', You see, all four of us were born in Chemora.

So, let's get back to the topic of the dark mages. The problem with their intensified darkness was that, even after getting killed, their souls lingered behind and formed a shell around it, like a ghost. As if forming its own entity. And these forms wreaked havoc on the common folks. It threatened to expose the secret of the world where we came from.

But that is another story.

Before going into that narration, let me try telling you about the dynamics that I shared with the boys only a couple of years ago.

Phew! My life was so different.

Hold on; before we go back to the present, where my life was nothing less than normal, let me take you where it all began.

***in the other world***

Somewhere in the Past

He was running with a blade hidden under his cloak.

He was running as his feet left footsteps behind, inked by the blood that dripped from that blade.

His purple eyes were looking everywhere. He was looking for an exit. He was looking for a door to get the hell out of that hell.

His handsome forehead was sweating profusely. The wound on his head was still fresh, and blood was trickling down from the back of his ears.

He closed his eyes as his ears trembled with the piercing scream of his wife.

She was being murdered. I beg your pardon; murder would be a very civilized word to describe what she was facing. She was being butchered.

But he did not go back to her.

He had something wrapped under his cloak that he was holding with his other hand. He was holding that warm bundle very tight. And as the screams of his wife finally started fading, he held that bundle even tighter with all his might.

He somehow managed to break into a gallop despite his legs trembling.

When he was almost at a dead end, he heard footsteps drawing very close to where they were.

He touched the solid stone walls with his hands and tapped them as if expecting a magical door to open and get him out of there, but nothing was happening.

The footsteps kept getting closer and closer. And his heart seemed like it would jump out of his chest.

Just then, the little bundle in his hand moved. His eyes shot out in panic.

"! Shhhhh! He tried rocking it back to sleep, afraid that its cries would be the death knell for him.

But the baby was unable to understand what the situation demanded. It let out a shrieking yell for its mother, probably because it was hungry.

He tried to silence the baby with his other hand as the blade fell to the ground. He pressed hard so that he could muffle the sound of its cries and ducked under the piles of wooden tables that lay in the corner.

But he could see that there was no denying the inevitable. He gagged the baby with a piece of cloth that he tore from his cloak.

He placed it on the solid, cold floor. Then, after sparing it one last glance, he ran towards the footsteps.

"Stop running here and there. What you are looking for is right here. Come and get me if you can, cowards... "

And with that, he ran.

He ran in the opposite direction, far away from where he had left the helpless child.

At first, the baby was moving its hands and feet desperately. At least it was trying to, but the swaddle was too tight. It couldn't even kick properly. Its eyes shot open. They grew wider and wider as the child tried to gasp for air. But there was no relief. Its efforts only made it more and more scary.

After a few more minutes, its hands and legs dropped. Its breathing gradually slowed down to a point where it could no longer be heard.

The clouds in the sky outside darkened. So dark, one might assume that there was an eclipse. Even the winds blowing outside changed their course.

The clouds started gathering at one particular point. Thunder clouds rumbled and grumbled as they hovered over the stone house.

It started raining as the smell of wet soil filled the air, along with the coppery scent of blood everywhere.

At that very moment, a bright flash of dazzling white light fell on the same spot where the baby was.

The man stopped in his tracks as the deafening clap of thunder followed the lighting on that spot.

He watched as the stones caught fire.

He watched as others shook with the mere intensity of the incident.

He, however, stood there, unhinged, with his hands over his hips.

His purple iris turned orange and yellow as the flames slowly leapt out. The entire place was starting to get consumed. The air was rapidly filling with smoke.

He watched the tongues of the fire dance up towards the heavens with his mouth wide open, and then suddenly he began to laugh.

He began to guffaw as he held his stomach like a lunatic as he sat down on the spot.

He howled in laughter as he saw his pursuers run hither and thither. His cackles got louder as he reclined in his spot to get a better view of the destruction.

He laughed as if he were watching a play that was being performed.

"We did it. We did it."

He looked too amused as he clapped with his hands up in the air, pointing towards heaven. His hair slowly got covered with the flying ashes as he laughed his heart out like a mad man.

***in the present world***

Mira's POV -

" You mean nothing to me! Nothing! "

That was exactly what Braze told me. In the middle of a hall room full of people.

As if that was not embarrassing, it was supposed to be the day he was officially going to announce our relationship.

Ah! Stupid me. I had even done my nails for the occasion. Guess I would just have to work an extra shift to get over that expense.

Hanging around with boys, looking for their attention, those were the last things on my already over saturated mind. I had a dog and two cats to feed, work as many shifts as I could, part-time, to collect my future college fees. I had a mother to take care of who still thought she could climb Mount Everest with severe spondylitis . I am leaving out the part where I had to study and also try to fit in my new environment. It was over a year ago that I changed schools, yet the students never saw me as one of them. Probably because I was a scholarship student and my family did not have a 'respectable' background.

To be honest, all they actually respected was money and honestly we did lack in that aspect.

Braze was the only one who understood me.

Look after me. Protected me from their taunting. That was until that night.

To have him as my best friend was privileged enough. I had never thought he would ever become my boyfriend.

But he did. I had no idea for what reason, back then.

I had known Braze from our art expeditions. Painting was something I really enjoyed. It took me places. And quite influential places to be precise because me and Brake, first met in one such event. From there started our journey. Our friendship.

We played together in the park, made graffiti on the walls together. We participated in many competitions, together as a team and also won a lot of prizes.

I lost touch with him when he left for the ' better' opportunities overseas.

I was back inside my own shell, painting and studying.

It was one of those paintings that got me into my present school.

A prestigious one in the country. And my mother was on top of the moon.

Cunningham High. A school for the elites amongst elites.

But as usual the moment I entered the campus, bullies started taunting me, starting with my hair and going to my bag, shoes and even my innerwear brand.

Braze came as a Messiah in the middle of all that.

I didn't know at that time, but he was the son of the school principal. His parents had got a divorce, so he was back with his mother. And boy, I honestly was so happy at that news.

It was too good to be true, almost like a dream. He came with his shining armor, saving me from the bullies.

I clung onto him henceforth, like butter and a knife. I was the butter everybody wanted to melt, he was the knife that they dreaded.

The year went by with him like a fairytale but like all stories and all dreams, it too had to come to an end.

But I never expected it to be like this. So abrupt.

He had been my boyfriend for nine whole months. And it had been me who had insisted on keeping it a secret , away from all prying eyes.

He was reluctant but he obliged.

" Mira, I can't do this any more. I want to let everybody know. I want to show my girlfriend off. Come one Mira! At the ball, I want to introduce you to my family. I mean they already know and adore you, but I want to make things official. Please babe! "

He looked at me with his ocean blue eyes, melting my insides as I gradually nodded my head.

The rest of it was as follows-

I began counting my savings. Broke my piggy bank. Asked my mother for some money. Borrowed a little from my employers.

Then I went straight shopping. I got the best gown they had in my budget. Got a new pair of shoes. Then headed towards the salon. There I did my hair, my make up and also did my nails , even after going over budget. It was lucky I knew the hairdresser. She agreed to grant me that credit.

And I already mentioned how things went downhill from there.

I had no idea why Braze was being like that. He was a completely changed person. Like, someone I did not know or recognise at all.

I was not even worried about my tears as they were dropping at an alarming rate.

The laughter from the corners of the hall echoed in my head.

It was ringing like a loud alarm bell so I had to close my ears.

Braze did not even stop to look at me after he pushed me away.

No, not just with his words, he literally pushed me off the stairs.

I was just trying to follow him upstairs to sort out if there was any miscommunication.

He cut me off like a knife cuts butter.

Smooth and clear.

So ultimately, that was our relationship. Butter and knife.

His betrayal pierced me like a dagger at the heart.

I stood up, all by myself and started walking again.

I got rid of those newly bought heels. Not because I was angry but because they were uncomfortable. I needed to walk out of there with speed, yet my feet were hardly dragging the weight of my body.

It could not be worse that it was raining when I came out.

Perhaps it was a good thing.

Nobody saw the tears staining my cheeks so made-up with make up.

Nobody saw me because I was the only one walking down that road with my shoes in my hand, lifting a fancy gown, bare feet.

Only a few cars zoomed past me. I didn't even spare a glance.

Until one bright light came right at me and I screamed out loud.

Mira's POV -

I always had this super power to sleep through my worries.

Have you ever done that? Umm, it's more like hibernation but since I am human, they call it depression.

Anyways, I found myself sleeping. Sleeping always made me feel great.

But then this was no normal sleep. I could feel that something was different.

Was it the bed? Was it much softer than my recliner? Don't be fooled, I am a pauper. My recliner was simply a sofa that doubled as my bed.

I touched around before slowly opening my eyes.

Voila! I was definitely in someone else's bed.

Then the stream of thoughts came rushing back in, the drama, the rejection, the humiliation and then I remembered the pain.

I sat up with a start and caught my head in between my hands.

" Ouch! "

It hurt. It hurt real bad. I could feel the cloth of the bandage wrapped around my head.

" Take it slow girl! You will make your skull crack open again. "

I could barely see his handsome face through my cloudy vision. I rubbed my eyes. It wasn't like I needed glasses. Why did everything look so translucent?

I tried rubbing the fog off.

" Take it slow girl. You hurt your head. It's not a surprise if your vision got bad. Give it some time. The doctor said it will be alright. "

I turned towards him with such a force that my skull wiggled like a jello .

But he grabbed me right on time. His arms were strong and muscular but his grip was gentle.

The moment I breathed in his scent, all my pain washed over. It was a very familiar scent. Was it a very popular perfume?

" You came right in front of my car last night. "

He explained while he helped me lean back.

His breath on my face felt like the virgin air from the mountains. "It was raining cats and dogs and, ummm, honestly, I was out driving my own car but, you know, I don't yet have a license. It doesn't mean I am a bad driver. I drive all the time, " He immediately protested but I hadn't uttered a single objection.

" But since I didn't have the docs, I couldn't take you to a hospital. I didn't know what to do. So I brought you straight over here. "

I tried to look around, for the first time. My vision had cleared a little. It felt like I was in a suit. The room was huge and all white, with a master bed where I was, a side table and a chandelier on top. Had he brought me to a hotel, because he couldn't take me to a hospital?

And then I looked down. My clothes were changed and I was wearing a matching white nightgown.

" Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! "

The shriek left my mouth, knowing full well how the intensity would hurt my head.

As if I had summoned them with my shrieking spell, a line of maids and butlers came rushing. They poured in through the entrance.

" What's the matter young master? "

They asked in unison. Their question was directed at the boy though my voice was what had drawn their attention.

" Did you change my clothes and bring me to a hotel, just because you couldn't take me to a hospital? "

I continued with my protest even though they had just ignored my existence. I had just been rejected yesterday,that didn't mean anybody else could have the opportunity to have me , that too, without my consent, no matter how handsome or attractive he was. That was my inner conscience.

" I didn't change your clothes.Mrs.Smith did. " A round woman stepped forward from the line. She bowed and smiled,standing in the front,

"And this isn't a hotel. I brought you back to my house. " He completed the statement,in his defense.

" Your house? " I had to gulp. I might have been a pauper but I had seen what was supposed to be elite homes before. This was different. Different, as in huge.

I looked around once again and this time my face came, dangerously close to his nose.

I gulped once more.

With my vision all cleared up, his beauty struck my heart like a thunderbolt. How could a male be so pretty?

I didn't realize but I was actually glaring at him and he looked kind of flustered.

" Ahem! Young Master. Since the young miss is already awake, we will take it from here. You can go and rest. You have not even taken a nap since last night, young master. We are worried about your health.The young miss looks weathered.I am sure she will be alright and she will be up and running in no time. "

And the ' Great Wall of Mrs. Smith' came right in between his visuals and my sight.

It was like an eclipse over the bright moon, shining in the night sky.

" Are you sure she will be alright? "

I heard his effort at resisting but I knew it was as feeble as his voice.

I fell back on the bed as I saw him being escorted out of the room.

The smiling face of Mrs. Smith zoomed in on me, " Are you hungry young miss? "

Her question kind of resonated like a threat.

" No, thanks! "

I tried to sit up but was brutally pushed back on the pillow,

" Rest! " Mrs. Smith ordered with a stern smile." Rest till you have fully recovered. We don't want any trouble later. You will be given full compensation for the accident and after you leave this mansion, you will not know any of us or our young master. "

I moved back as she leaned in. It was a terrifying site. I wanted to run away in that instance but my body would not catch that rhyme. I was still too weak.

Her hands came towards me as I ducked in fright. Was that about to land in a slap?

Phew! It didn't. Instead, she patted my head.

" You look like a clever child. I wish you all the best in your life. Rest assured that you will be able to do things that you never tried in your entire life with the money that you will carry out of this place, in your bag. "

This time I didn't miss the sparkle from her golden tooth as she tucked me in like a little child.