ISADORA
My knees and muscles tremble. I hear the curses pouring from Giovanni’s mouth. But I feel weakened. In a moment, Alejandro’s voice echoes in my mind. His tone, his kisses, and his embraces.
I couldn’t move right away. I fell to the ground as the flames of Andres danced before my eyes.
"Isadora, calm down!" Giovanni said. But I didn’t respond. Gradually, strength returned to my knees. I stood up, eyes wide, and ran towards where Andres was. Giovanni swore and retreated back into the darkness.
“No…” I muttered. “No! No!” I screamed, making Andres and his men turn towards me. I wept. “No! What have you done, Andres?!” I screamed loudly as Alejandro’s body fell to the ground.
Earlier, we had found him… b-burning!
I knelt on the ground. “No!” I screamed again and sobbed. I rushed to Alejandro. Even though his body burned my skin, I didn’t care. Sobbing, I pulled him into my arms.
I looked up at Andres. “What have you done?!” I cried. “What did you do, you monster!”
My heart sank further when I saw a small object not far from me. It was breathing slowly and… my child! They burned my child!
“Don’t you see, Isadora?” Andres asked. “That your husband and child are monsters?”
I couldn’t speak, my eyes widening as I stared at the baby. His once pale skin was now blackened. Like the man in my arms…
“I only saved you, Isadora.”
“No…” I shook my head and struggled to crawl and take my child from the ground. “No… you’re wrong…” I cried harder as I gently cradled the tiny baby in my arms.
In my arms—in my arms were my husband and child.
Tears continued to fall. I could taste their saltiness. And in front of me, Andres knelt. “Do you know what these creatures are called, Isadora?” He brushed the hair from my face. “Vampires, my love. They’re weak against fire and sunlight.”
“Alejandro,” I whispered as I held him. “Alejandro, please… please, my love, wake up.” I couldn’t hear his breathing anymore. “Please… I wore the dress I’d wear when we left…”
“It’s strange he didn’t burn on the cross,” Andres said, laughing slightly. The men behind him stood silently, watching me.
“Andres,” Romel called. “Perhaps… even Isadora is…”
I looked up at Romel and stared at him. He stepped back slightly, probably seeing the change in my eyes. “Andres? Andres!”
But Andres ignored him. “From the moment I first saw her, I knew,” he said, making me look at him. “I was just waiting for the right moment… this moment, Isadora. The day you left briefly. Vampires fear fire… and even if he’s strong, he wouldn’t dare come close.”
I stopped crying. His fingers wiped my tears.
“You’re safe now, Ysa.” He gave me a small smile.
“Safe?” I asked softly. Andres nodded.
“I know I’m safe… but what about you?” My fangs grew. I snarled at Andres and bit his finger hard. When it severed, I spat it out on the ground.
He screamed in pain. Writhing, he hid his hand.
Carefully, I laid my husband and child on the ground. I stood and faced the men who were now terrified.
I smiled. I felt Andres’s blood drip from the corners of my mouth.
“Andres! Kill Isadora!” Romel screamed. But I quickly leapt at him, biting his neck. A large chunk of his flesh came off and I pulled it away. It would be fatal for a normal person—and before the others could approach me, I swiftly attacked them—they didn’t know where I got the strange strength and speed.
But I killed them.
All of them.
One by one.
I didn’t let anyone escape. Andres was about to flee when I grabbed his hair. I stepped on his knees and crushed the bones in his legs. That way, he couldn’t escape anymore.
His screams and pleas echoed through the night.
So our neighbors woke up, and I killed them too.
I entered each house. Young, old, innocent, I killed them. Those whose blood was sweet, I drained completely. I didn’t leave a single drop. I didn’t waste any.
When I returned to where my husband and child lay, I found Giovanni standing silently. Andres was still alive, trying to crawl away.
But I wasn’t done. I stepped on his arm and crushed the bone inside. I bent down and looked at his face. His face was covered in dirt. His saliva and tears dripped.
I gave a small smile. “I feel like I’ve rediscovered myself, Andres,” I said. I pulled his hair, making him look up at me.
“P-Please, Isadora… Please!”
My smile widened. “I know this feeling. I think I’ve felt it before, Andres. The feeling of tasting different kinds of blood—the feeling of killing people—and the feeling that I’ll be the one to make you suffer.”
"I feel like I’ve returned to my origins, Andres," I said, watching his eyes fill with fear and despair. "I remember who I am—no, I remember what I am."
He continued writhing in pain, his pleas like music to my ears. I knew no one could stop me now. In my mind, my duty was clear—not just as a mother and wife, but as an avenger of those I loved who were slain. Alejandro… and my child…
"Isadora, please... I didn’t know..." he whispered, barely audible in his weakness. But I felt no mercy. His words meant nothing to me.
"Don’t you understand, Andres?" I asked, pulling him up by his hair. "There’s no forgiveness for what you did. You killed my family. And now, you’ll pay for all of it with your life."
In an instant, I used all my strength. I relished the sound of his screams and groans as I crushed his bones one by one.
I wanted him to feel the pain—to carry it with him to hell and never forget.
When I was sure I had broken all his bones, I gave a sharp bite to his neck, feeling the hot blood flow into my mouth. His screams faded, replaced by silence.
I let him go, and he fell to the ground, lifeless. I stood, looking around. The bodies of those I had killed lay scattered, but I no longer cared. Amidst it all, one thing was clear to me: no one could stop me now.
In my arms, I once again cradled Alejandro and our child. I sobbed again. My tears never stopped.
Just for a moment… we were gone just for a moment!
Until the surroundings began to brighten. I stared blankly into space. I didn’t resist when Giovanni pulled me back to our home as the sun suddenly rose.
Giovanni was about to return for Alejandro’s body when the surroundings heated up quickly.
The sun’s rays hit Alejandro’s body. I watched as they slowly turned to ashes.
I cried silently. My clothes were soaked with blood, and I no longer knew what to do next…
“Don’t walk under the sun, Isadora,” Giovanni said beside me. “Don’t follow my brother and your child. Please, Isadora, it’s my brother’s last wish before we left.”
I sobbed harder. I felt his gentle touch on my back. “Everything that lives in this world just transfers from one form to another, the souls of the deceased will return again in due time. All you have to do is wait.”
Despite my grief, I nodded.
“Just like he waited, Isadora.”
I nodded again, burying my face in my bloodstained hands. “Just for a moment, Giovanni… we were gone just for a moment…”
I felt his gentle embrace. “Isadora, I’ll repeat… everything that lives doesn’t end… all you have to do is wait.”
In the back of my mind, I remembered Alejandro’s words.
“I told you, Isadora. Even if I have to wait for centuries, I will wait.” He gently pulled away from me, releasing his hold on my waist and slowly untied the ribbon of my dress near my chest. “Even if this time isn’t meant for us, I can wait again.”
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