Ezekiel held his hand towards Alicia but Alicia just stared down at his palm, still speechless.
The groans and growls coming from Zeres intensified. It was as if someone was torturing him to the most excruciating degree. Alicia couldn't help but glance at him and she saw his wings spreading out as he screamed in pain.
"Alicia," Ezekiel spoke again, this time his tone signified haste.
Alicia returned her gaze towards Ezekiel, staring intensely into the man's eyes. When Alicia still didn't make a move, Ezekiel took a step closer towards her, causing Riev to subconsciously tighten his hold on Alicia, drawing her closer to his chest at the same time.
Ezekiel finally glanced at the wary Riev but he didn't say a word as he kept walking closer to them. Ezekiel didn't stop until he was only inches away from Alicia.
And then he leaned in to whisper in Alicia's ear. "Your blood will end Zeres' suffering. Dinah's lying. She is merely experimenting. She doesn't know what she's doing. If you feed him your blood, Zeres will go back to his original form and he will no longer listen to Dinah. He will listen to you instead," Ezekiel uttered these convincing words, words that Riev also heard. "Do as I say, or the two of you will be killed," he added before he straightened up and locked eyes with Alicia again.
Alicia didn't know what to say. She just couldn't believe this. Her eyes darted towards Dinah and the witches and the rogue vampires surrounding her. Ezekiel was right. If Ezekiel hadn't done what he did, she and Riev would have most likely been dead by now and Dinah would have been forcefully feeding her blood to Zeres.
However, were Ezekiel's words really the truth? Or was he just saying this so that Dinah could get her way?
She had just seen him whisper something to Dinah and now, he was whispering to her right in front of Dinah. Could she still trust this man? Whose side was he really on? Who was he really trying to fool? Was it Dinah? Or was it her?
No matter how much she tried, she could no longer understand Ezekiel and she really hated it. She hated that he did not give her any reassurance, something that would sway her into trusting him - anything! Why? Was it because he didn't trust her enough? Or was it because he really was on Dinah's side? She was losing her mind trying to decipher this enigmatic creature and she was at her wits end! Would she be a fool to trust him? Would she pay that trust with her life?
Ezekiel leaned in once again. "There's no time. Trust me," he whispered as he took her hand.
Alicia pressed her lips so tight as she clenched her fists. After telling her not to trust him, he was now telling her to trust him again? Ugh!! These mind games were going to be the end of her, not Dinah!
"E-ezekiel… you know what? If I had enough strength right now…" she bit her lips hard as she glared at him. "Your face would be so black and blue that even your own mother would not recognize you," she uttered through gritted teeth.
A slight smile flashed on Ezekiel's face but it vanished almost at the same instant that it appeared.
"Hmm. You talk a big game, witch queen. How about this, I'll let you punch me once when everything is over," he responded. "For now, come and listen to me."
Ezekiel pulled her and Alicia no longer hesitated. In the end, she still chose to trust this man. She didn't understand it herself - why she still kept choosing to trust this damn man - but there it was. No matter how damned confusing and infuriating he was, she still gave in to him.
As she was being pulled away, her progress was halted by a hand that was still holding on to her arm. Riev hadn't let her arm go so Alicia turned to him and nodded, giving him a slight smile of reassurance. "It's okay, Riev," she said calmly, surely. The man's grip loosened and he finally let go, letting his arm fall to his side.
Holding Alicia's hand, Ezekiel quickly led her to the groaning Zeres.
Ezekiel faced Alicia and then he let her go. Alicia immediately knelt down before Zeres.
She reached out her hands and cupped Zeres' face. She could see his suffering and pain etched on his face and the agony in his eyes. She could not even begin to imagine just what kind of pain he had been enduring and her heart broke at his unfortunate fate. The world had been so unfair to him, making him suffer beyond anything she could ever imagine and yet, he was a good man. How could this world treat a good man like Zeres in this way? He didn't deserve any of it. He deserved all the good things that life had to offer; love and joy and happiness, not this tortured hell he was living.
"Zeres," she called his name as her eyes locked on his inferno eyes.
The man was gnashing his teeth. She noticed he had also grown fangs and his skin felt hot like molten lava.
"Drink my blood now, Zeres," she urged him but Zeres just moved his face away as he groaned. It was obvious he didn't like that idea.
It was then that Dinah's voice thundered. "I am losing my patience!!! I will fucking kill her if you don't do it, Zeres!!!" the woman screamed.
Zeres froze and his deep groans roared.
Alicia cupped his face again. "It's okay, Zeres. Drink my blood so your pain will finally disappear. Everything will be alright, Zeres," she said as she glanced at Ezekiel for a moment.
She brushed the hair cascading down his neck and pulled his head closer to her. "It's okay. This is the only way. I'll be fine," she whispered and the moment Zeres' lips touched her skin, the man stiffened. And then, a second later, his sharp fangs pierced through her skin.