002:
"Are you hurt?" Elowen asked, stepping closer just as the door swung open.
A male servant entered. "Miss. Raven, your beasts await!"
A slow smile curled my lips. I already knew who was out there: Foxy, Merman, Succubus, Demon…
I could feel Elowen's jealous, hungry stare burning into me. She moved forward, grabbing my hands. "I heard they're useless. Why don't you give them to me?" Her tone was so calm, so soothing, it almost made me puke.
I had never liked this female lead. She was more a villain than an heroine, but she never got punished for it. Reminded me too much of my twin sister.
I pulled my hands free and flashed a small, cold smile. "I would rather keep them. You don't need them, you already have Darian."
I took a step to leave, but Darian's laugh cut through the air.
"Now you act all high and mighty. Raven, you used to crawl at my feet for attention. You even bullied your own beast-men just to please me."
His cocky voice grated. A low chuckle slipped from my lips, but my fist clenched hard. He was exactly like my ex-fiancé,prideful, treating me like trash while I stayed obedient. That weak girl? She was gone.
I licked my lips and turned to face him fully. "You dare address a duke's daughter by her first name?"
He froze. His eyes sharpened like I had driven a blade through his chest.
Good. I wanted him to feel it. I wasn't that pathetic Raven anymore. Her soul was dead. Now it was Rosette in here and I was going to survive this first season, no matter what.
I smirked and turned to go, but Elowen suddenly blocked my path, her arm outstretched.
"Is that how you treat people who love you?" she yelled.
A scoff escaped me. I'd already accepted my fate. If I was stuck as Raven, then fine, I would live as her. The real her.....The villain.
"Love?" I shot back. "Were you there when he spat in my face? Told me to kneel? Forced me to drag my beast-men around like dogs? You said nothing when he accepted you as his master right after humiliating me in front of everyone!"
Her lips trembled. She searched for some pitiful excuse, but nothing came.
"Don't accuse Elowen," Darian snapped, stepping closer. "She's done everything to treat you like a sister. You're just ungrateful."
"Just give up your title and your beast-men," he added, voice low.
My fierce glare made him flinch. He reluctantly pulled Elowen aside. I walked out without another word.
Outside, I spotted the orange cat from earlier, watching from the windowsill, licking her fur. I moved toward her. She smirked.
"Meow!"
"Hey, what the hell is all this?" I muttered. "At least help me!"
She just stared and yawned. "Meow."
I sighed. Was she messing with me? Earlier she had talked like a person. But I didn't remember any talking cat in the novel. Whatever, I always wanted a pet cat, but Danny had been against it, no one is here to control me anymore, plus her fur looked soft. I scooped her up.
"Orange," I decided, naming her on the spot. She melted into my arms as I stormed off.
I reached my room, the door creaked open on its own.
The foul stench of blood hit me first.
Ryker "Foxy" was kneeling in the center. Sharp fangs, fox ears, deceptive beauty. The original villainess had stripped him of every shred of honor. Whip marks crisscrossed his back, fresh and bleeding. The sight made me gasp.
I set Orange on a nearby table and rushed to him.
"Are you okay?" I asked softly, untying the ropes. They fell away.
His hands shot out, gripping my neck. Tight. My breath cut off.
"What are you up to?" he snarled. His glare sent goosebumps racing across my skin.
"Wait—" I choked out, but his eyes turned vicious.
"Looks like you've accepted dying tonight." Orange finally spoke, smirking from her perch. "Meow… ahh, I wish I could help."
"Help me!" I gasped.
She curled up, licking her paw. "If you die now, you vanish, from here and Earth."
That hit like ice, I turned back to Ryker. "I'm here to heal you."
He laughed, bitter, broken, like he had nothing left to lose, he didn't believe me.
I bit my finger hard, blood welled up and his brow lifted up slightly curved. "What are you doing?"
His grip loosened, then he collapsed against me, burning hot.
I heaved a sigh of relief. From what I'd read, the original villainess blood could weaken or strengthen beast-men. I sank to the floor with him.
I almost died. Again.
I touched my throat, stroking the bruises. How do I survive if they all want me dead?
I glared at Orange. "Come on, speak!"
"Meow."
My eyes darkened. Fine. She talks when she wants.
I shoved Ryker gently to the ground and collapsed beside him, exhausted. Darian had poisoned the original Raven and I awoken up right at that almost-death scene.
Sympathy flickered as I looked at the fox. The original villainess had done this to him, just because she hated how perfect he was.
I crawled closer, trailing my fingers lightly over the wounds. It hurt to see, such a handsome man didn't deserve this.
"How do I heal you?" I whispered.
Orange jumped down, cat-walking toward us, eyes shimmering. "Your blood is the key."
My lips parted. I stared at her, then at Ryker. His breathing was faint, but there.
I sighed and slipped my bleeding finger into his mouth.
The blood dripped onto his tongue, his lips moved, he sucked on it and I froze, his eyes fluttered open slowly.
"Are you okay-"
The door burst open.
Veyra, the succubus stormed in, followed by Azrael.
"What are you doing?" Veyra yelled, yanking my wrist away.
"You want to poison him after everything you've put him through?" he cursed.
My gaze darkened, he tightened his grip, and I let out a hiss, my wrist was burning under his grip.
"Let go, I was healing him."
Veyra sneered. "You always wanted him dead. You made him serve that bastard!" The anger in his voice cracked with old hurt.
True. The original villainess had forced Ryker to transform and chase rats like a toy, begging for death, just to please Darian.
The hatred in Veyra's eyes was raw. "I'm healing him," I said quietly.
Ryker coughed, not blood this time. The whip marks on his back faded, softening.
Veyra shoved me aside. I hissed at the pain in my wrist, rubbing it.
Azrael watched from the shadows amused, enjoying the chaos.
"Leave," I said flatly.
Veyra scooped Ryker up and carried him out. I collapsed onto the bed.
"I have to control them," I muttered.
From what I remembered:
Ryker, the fox, could manipulate illusions, shift into a normal fox. The villainess turned him into a lab rat, a plaything for Darian.
Veyra, the succubus, forced to take Darian's form, dance for her, whipped when he resisted.
Azrael, the demon, chained in the dungeon with holy artifacts that burned him, used whenever she felt bored.
And Thyrian, the gentle merman, she drove him mad, locked him in the cold nether-lands. Now he just wanted her blood.
I sighed. Worst of all: she died tonight. The banquet, the day the duke was announcing her as the next heiress, which was today.
I was doomed.
I sank back, heaving another sigh.
I had to win their trust, even a little. Their hatred levels were off the charts, over 200%. If I could chip away their hatred for tonight, I would be spared.
Plus, that female lead poisoned their minds against Raven from the start.
I clenched my fist, no more timid Rosette. No more letting anyone walk over me.
I was the villainess now, it's time to act like it and strip that plot armor from the female lead.
I will survive
But first…
I needed to visit Thyrian.