Four maids and Linda stripped Claire's clothing. The girl struggled against their hold but she was weak compared to their combined strength.

"What are you doing? Let me go!" They weren't listening to her protests. "Linda!"

Naked, the maids wiped every inch of her body with clean water and then dressed her in a long, white wedding gown. Scared and freaked out, Claire tried to wriggle out of their grasp.

Linda caressed her cheek. "Oh, dear child," the caretaker said with no sympathy. "You should be glad. Being a wife of a Belmonte brings you and your family great honor. Don't be like my mother, she ran away from the family and that's why she died poor and powerless."

Claire breathed in and out, steeling her nerves. "And you're not like that? You want power so you came back to the Belmontes?"

The older woman smirked. "Who doesn't?"

"I don't. So let me out of this," she squirmed as hands held her body.

Linda tutted. "I'm sorry, dear, but there's already no way out." She looked at and instructed the maids, "Take her to the attic."

Obedient, they dragged Claire out of her room and climbed the stairs.

"Let go! Somebody! Is somebody out there? Help me! Please! I don't like this! Let me go!" the girl cried.

Stopping near the office of Fernando Del Monte, Linda said, "Wait." She knocked on the door of the forbidden room. In a moment, Edgar exited the office with a bound and gagged Wendy on his shoulders. Claire's best friend was struggling in the burly gardener's hold. Tears streamed down her reddened eyes.

"Wendy!" Her eyes widened as they looked at each other. Claire's heart constricted. What are they gonna do with the two of them? "Wendy!"

"Feisty, this one," Edgar casually commented as he joined their trip to the attic. "The other two are more docile."

What other two? Don't tell me... Anika and Georgie?

Claire's breathing became faster, suffering a panic attack. Linda put a hand on her trembling shoulder and said, "Oh, stop overreacting it's not as if it'll be the first time for you to consume a sacrifice."

She looked at Linda.

"Just recently you enjoyed the kaldereta and bopis."

What did she mean by that? Oh, gosh. Oh gosh. Oh gosh. Tears were endless streams on Claire's face. "W-w-who--" she stuttered.

The caretaker waved her hand dismissively. "I think Fiona was her name. Quite plump so everybody in the feast was able to eat."

Claire was about to pass out. She just learned that she freaking ate a human being! Her stomach roiled and she leaned forward to empty it as she vomited on the shining herringbone floor. The others didn't seem to mind what she had done nor cared about how she felt because they just continued dragging her to their destination.

It was Edgar who opened the hatch and first put Wendy inside the attic. Followed by Linda and then Claire and the maids. The room was as it was in her dream when she saw Keith. It was wide and had symbols on its white floors. There were red stains here and there and Claire knew it was the blood of those who were sacrificed.

Standing in the middle was the preacher of the church dressed in all red. On his left hand was a book and on his right was a silver dagger adorned with different-colored gems. Present in the room were people from outside Sta. Barbara who she guessed were from the Belmonte bloodline. The pregnant Corazon was there, too, and Claire's father.

"Papa!" She shouted and rushed toward her father. This time, the maids let her. "Papa, what's going on? I don't like it here. Let's go home!"

But the old man just smiled at her, held her cheeks, and kissed her temple. "You look so beautiful tonight, my dear Claire."

"Papa?"

"You will be a perfect bride for the Belmontes--"

"No!" Claire bristled. "What are you talking about? I don't want to be married to someone I don't know. Even if he is a Belmonte! Are you-- Are you selling me to them? For what? Cash?" The hurt caused by the betrayal of a loved one wounded Claire's heart.

Taneo held her gaze. "Sell? Oh no! This is an honor. You are chosen, Claire. Because we willingly sacrificed your mother--"

"Sacrificed? Mother?" Claire couldn't believe it. "You let us believe that Mama left us when the truth was that you forced her to become a meal and let the community eat her? So that you could have power? Money? Influence?" She aggressively shook her head. "No. I don't know you anymore." She said out loud, "This stops. Now. This is so sick and you are all sick and I don't want to be a part of any of this!"

She started to walk away but Linda blocked her. "Yes you will," she said firmly.

"You can't make me," Claire challenged.

"Really? At the expense of your siblings?"

The girl bravely pointed a finger at the caretaker. "You leave them out of this!"

"I will, Claire, if you do as we say." Slowly, she walked toward the girl and held her hand. "It won't be so bad once you get used to it."

For her siblings, Claire controlled her anger. She asked with her trembling voice, "Why me? Why us? We're not a Belmonte and we're poor."

"Because," the older woman explained, "the Belmontes' numbers are dwindling and your family showed exceptional devotion to the Church for years. Your daughter will be married to my nephew and the blood of the Belmonte will continue to thrive! You deserve this blessing, Claire."

"I don't like it."

Linda patted her cheek, saying coldly, "No one's saying you should." Then, to the others, she commanded, "Hold her and begin the ceremony!"

The four maids held onto Claire's body once more, preventing her to move as she willed. Edgar grunted and said, "The second one's here. Lemme get the third."

"Hurry! We must waste no time," the caretaker urged.

Wendy and Anika were wailing with their bounded bodies and gagged mouths. They were forced to kneel in front of the preacher, right above a marking on the floor that reminded Claire of the devil.

"Don't hurt them! Please don't!" Claire pleaded, hoping that this time they would listen.

Soon, Edgar entered with a bounded and gagged Georgie. He dropped her near the other two.

At first, only the cries of the girls were heard inside the attic, and then the preacher started his prayer. Linda and the others bowed their heads. "Heavenly angels!" the man exclaimed, "accept our humble offerings to you and let them bring you joy!" He looked at Claire. "Bring her to me!" The maids did. Using the dagger, he sliced his finger and drew a symbol on Claire's temple using his blood. "Bless this new wife and let her bring you another daughter!" He pulled Claire to her friends. "Sanctify her!" Edgar held Wendy's head as the preacher sliced the girl's throat.

Claire screamed in horror and heartbreak as Wendy's blood painted Claire's arms and her white gown. The metallic smell filled her nostrils. Her best friend writhed in pain as blood gushed out from her wound and her life slowly left her. The preacher did the same to Anika and Georgie, their dark, red blood spurted from the cut on their throats.

"You monsters!" Claire shouted as she cried. "Murderers! The people should condemn you all! Killers!"

"Hush, darling, hush." Linda was actually trying to calm her despite the gravity of the situation.

The preacher told the caretaker, "I haven't seen a bride this unwilling. Shouldn't we just sacrifice her and find another?"

"I'm afraid we can't do that. He's already fond of her. And he wants to have her now."

Shrugging his shoulders, the old man wiped some blood from the three sacrifices with his finger and made another symbol on Claire's forehead. "She's ready!" he announced and the people clapped their hands.

"W-what's happening? Where are you taking me?" Claire was dragged out of the attic as she screamed the names of her friends.

The smiling crescent moon glowed against the dark, starless night sky. Claire was carried by Edgar to the doors of the church. People filled the building but most of them did not look happy nor overjoyed. They were trembling and fidgeting. Like they were afraid.

Edgar gently placed Claire on the ground. Linda told the maids, "It's fine now. She'll do what she has to do."

After witnessing what these people did to her friends, Claire knew that they could kill her siblings, too. So, staggering, she stood up and faced the gaping mouth of the damn structure. Linda linked their arms as they started to walk toward it. "He's wonderful, isn't he? He was able to unite the people of Sta. Barbara. Did you know that the Dreamweaver weaved dreams for the townspeople, too? So clever. The people all over Tala admire him now. The Heavenly Angel. The other congregations will soon do what he had done. I'm so proud of him." She wiped a single tear on her cheek. "It was also his idea to make this ceremony public for the newly chosen ones. You must be glad, really."

Claire was raging with disgust and anger. These killers. They united the people in fear. They were horrible. "So, he's not your son and he's not from Payapa."

"Oh, goodness, no. He's not. He stayed at the mansion and learned from other Belmontes. We just told you that so you won't have to ask him questions."

"Why? I would've learned the truth."

"You weren't ready."

But she would never be ready and, now, she hated them for all they had done.

The pianist began playing Pachelbel's Canon as soon as Claire's bare feet touched the church's floor. The townsfolk, including some of the Belmontes, watched her walk down the aisle with Linda. The staff of Palasyo Marilag joined the crowd, some throwing red rose petals at her. There were plenty of students and their families inside. She saw Tina crying while sitting on one of the brown wooden benches with Hans Luke and Lester. Claire's siblings were with Bettina. The maid was concealing a kitchen knife in case Claire decided to run away.

Claire gulped and failed to control her tears.

The preacher was not at the altar. Standing there, alone, in front of a white bed was Jonathan, dressed in their school uniform.

"Claire." He looked honestly glad to see her. "You look wonderful. But... you're crying. Why?" His hands cupped her cheeks lovingly.

Claire willed herself not to give in to that soft touch. He was a monster and he couldn't fool her anymore. "Those are Katie's eyes," she said.

Jonathan gazed back at her. "Yes, of course."

And he said it so casually. Claire wriggled away from his hold. "Take your damn hands off of me, you demon!"

"Claire?"

"You are evil and I don't ever want to be with you!"

"Don't be like that, Claire." He reached out for her. "I... I thought you liked me?"

"I hate you!"

"It's our wedding day."

"I don't want to be your damn bride! Monster!"

"What is happening? What is happening? This isn't how this should be," he muttered. "T-t-the times we shared--" He paced a bit, nervous and suddenly looking... fragile? "When we dream hopped, our conversations... that time at the river! Surely, you felt love for me."

"I thought you were Keith!"

"But I am Keith!" His two hands pointed at himself. "I have devoured him and I am him now! Yes, ten years ago some part of his soul escaped and traveled through the phone to hide in you but just now I was able to find him--"

Claire couldn't believe what she was hearing. "That was your true intention. That was why you suddenly wanted to help me find Keith in my dreams." And because she was already tied to the Dreamweaver, he was able to find Keith through her. Claire shook her head. It was her fault Keith died a second time. "Where is he? Where is Keith?" she asked although she knew the answer.

Jonathan pointed to himself again.

"No. No." A new set of tears flooded Claire's eyes. Feeling the regret and anger bubbling inside her, she punched Jonathan's face and his chest. "Murderer! Monster! Demon!" she was shouting as she attacked him fearlessly.

The demon grabbed her hands and said, "I'm not a monster, I'm a Dreamweaver and I'm also Keith Belmonte. Not that I'll assume his identity, no, I'll need another--"

"Stop!" Claire trembled.

"Love--"

"Don't call me that! You lying fiend! You don't love me! You just manipulated me! Manipulated us! You're a liar! Like how you lied when you told me you do not see yourself fit for a throne! But, this! All you wanted was to be a King! Everything for this! To have your kingdom!"

He frowned. "But I didn't lie. You asked me if my chair was a throne. It really isn't. It's an altar. I do not want to be King, I am already a God. This is my land."

Claire huffed.

"Begin the celebration, blessed angel! Make you and your bride one! Let your people see you two form your daughter!" Linda shouted from the bench.

"Consummate!"

"Consummate!"

"Consummate!"

The crowd was chanting with their hands clasped as if in prayer.

What the heck were these people thinking? She wasn't even married yet to this demon. She sure didn't want to be! And to make love in front of other people? They're disgusting!

Claire gathered the skirt of her gown and started to run toward her family. She would wrestle her way against the people, take her brothers and sisters to the car, and they'd drive and drive until they were far away from here. But, Jonathan held her arm. "Release me!" she commanded.

"They'll kill you."

"Not if you don't order them to," she looked directly into Katie's eyes.

Jonathan's touch softened and his words were obviously filled with love. Damn him. "You're right, I will never let anyone hurt you. But... don't do this to me, please. Please, don't leave me."

"I don't want to marry you, Jonathan. Or whoever you are."

"But, I am yours," he said as the crowd roared with their demand.

"Take her!"

"Consummate!"

"Drag her to the bed and fuck that fucking bitch!"

At that, Jonathan's head snapped to the one who shouted and he ordered Edgar, "Turn him into a sacrifice! No one talks to my bride like that!"

The middle-aged man who shouted was filled with fear. He immediately apologized and begged for mercy but his pleas fell on dead ears. Edgar lifted him and carried him outside the church. The people turned silent.

Jonathan cupped Claire's cheeks again and said, "I love you." He kissed her tears. One. Two. Three. Many times.

A fire lit inside Claire's soul. There is one thing she could do. She told him, "No, you don't."

His forehead touched hers. "I do. I really do. You're the only one who can make me feel this way."

"Prove it," she challenged.

"I'll do anything."

"Not anything."

"Anything."

Claire was trembling as she said, "Kill yourself."

Without a second thought, Jonathan strode toward the preacher, took the dagger from him, and thrust it into his chest. Dark red blood oozed from his injury. Claire gasped and couldn't believe what was happening in front of her. The crowd went crazy, crying and cursing her.

With his last breath, Jonathan said to Claire with a smile, "Together forever."

Word Count: 2,555
Total Word Count: 22,081