Hellbound Heart

The utter bliss and genuine happiness between them, shattered in a blink of an eye as Sebastian suddenly smelled it again. The scent of fresh blood. Iza's blood.

He froze for a second before his entire being immediately responded to the potent scent. Both desire and fear crashed into him like a tidal wave. Desire to taste it... this lethally seductive scent, and fear... of where it was coming from.

Subconsciously, Sebastian's widened eyes traveled down to her throat.

His entire world pulsed. Red and darkness blurred his vision as his blood ran cold within him.

Blood.

Blood was coming out of her skin. As though an invisible knife had been pressed against her throat, piercing her skin.

No...!

The small dot of the wound began to widen slightly. It was like the invisible knife had begun to move, cutting her skin. Slicing very slowly across her tender flesh. More blood flowed from the widening wound, causing the heady perfume of her blood to fill the air.

No!!!

Sebastian screamed within himself. That internal scream seemed to reverberate in his mind, shaking his soul. The red in his vision pulsed powerfully once again. And it consumed everything. His rationality, his self-control and composure... they were all crumbling like frosted flakes under the heat of the flames.

He saw blood come gushing at him, splattering across his face. Someone... someone's throat was slashed right before his eyes. Hot, fat droplets of blood hit his face, flowing down his cheeks, nose, forehead... everywhere!

"No!!!" he screamed out in agony when he suddenly heard someone start calling out his name.

"Sebastian?! Sebastian!" The voice and the warmth on his face made his body freeze up once again. "Sebastian... w-what's going on? Please look at me!" the panic-filled voice pierced his clouded mind. He then registered the feel of small hands on his skin.

Slowly, the gore and darkness in his vision dissolved. What appeared next was... Iza... his Iza... totally hale and hearty.

His gaze fell to her neck. There was no wound. No blood was flowing from her neck.

"Sebastian?" she called out again, calmly. But he could see the utter panic and worry she was trying to tamp down within her eyes. Her hands that were cupping his face were shaking lightly, and yet she was not letting go of him. In fact, she was clinging onto him even tighter. "Please tell me you can see me now, Sebastian."

Lifting his hand slowly, Sebastian's trembling palm landed on her small and precious face. She was real. She was alright. She was here... She was alright. Alive... that vision he saw earlier was not real... that was just... a déjà vu... yes... just a déjà vu...

The icy horror that froze his veins began to melt and he grabbed and pulled her against him. He buckled and his back soon hit the wall.

He panted as he anchored them both against the wall, his arms never letting her go and not allowing her to get hurt. And then he slid down to the floor along with her, all the while protecting her from bumping onto the floor.

He could feel her gently caressing the back of his head as he rested his head into the crook of her neck. Her warmth, her gentle caresses, her patient and sweet whispers... they were like fire in the hearth, slowly but surely melting the ice of horror that had swallowed him whole.

Once Sebastian calmed down a little, he pulled away and looked at her. His gaze fell on her throat again, anxiously checking if she was truly unharmed and there were no wounds on her. The wound was not there anymore but... he still could detect the scent of her blood. He then noticed that a little drop of blood was still there.

His breathing snagged as he reached out his hand and swiped the little droplet of blood with his thumb.

"Sebastian?" she uttered his name once again, her voice full of confusion at what had happened to him. He could see millions of questions brimming in her eyes. But she held her tongue and did not ask anything as worry was still gripping her bad.

"You... you need to get dressed." He managed to say. "We're going to leave here... this place. I need to bring you somewhere else as soon as possible. Now, Iza. Hurry."

With slight difficulty, Sebastian hauled himself up again along with her. He walked towards the dressing room, swaying from left to right, as though he was drunk.

"Get dressed. Make haste, Iza." He ordered as he put her down. HShe listened and the two of them scrambled to dress themselves in haste.

Sebastian was still fumbling about, trying to put on his shirt when Izabelle came to him and held his still trembling hands. Giving his hands a light squeeze, she looked into his eyes and gave him a gentle smile.

"Let me..." she said softly and he realized that she was already dressed.

Nodding and cooperatively putting his hands down, he allowed her to button up his shirt for him. Once she was done with it almost too quickly, she then went to grab his coat and help him put that on too.

Sebastian quietly let her help him. He was busy trying to recover his composure. He needed to get Izabelle out of here now. He needed to bring her to them before... before...

He gritted his teeth. He needed to haste but his body could not stop trembling no matter how he tried to stop it. His body was just not listening to him at this moment.

Clenching his fists, he took a few deep breaths before grabbing a hold of her hand and leading her out of the door.

Once he spotted Lucas downstairs, he immediately knew that the man had just come from their room to check on him.

'Go prepare the car... we're leaving. I need you to drive us.' Sebastian ordered him through their eye communication and Lucas quickly disappeared.