The crimson Vow

After a long, exhausting shift, Austin couldn't shake the unease clinging to him. The resemblance between Cassian and the Romeo from his dream was too eerie to ignore. His voice, his face, even the way he spoke—it was identical.

He needed answers.

Instead of heading straight home, Austin made his way to a therapist’s office. He had never gone to therapy before, but if anyone could make sense of what was happening, it had to be a professional.

The small office smelled of lavender and old books. Across from him sat Dr. Evelyn Carter, a kind-looking woman in her late thirties. She adjusted her glasses and smiled gently. “Alright, Austin. What’s on your mind?”

Austin hesitated. He wasn’t sure how to explain this without sounding insane.

But he told her everything.

The dream. The blood. The haunting proposal. The words, "See you soon, my love." The way Cassian looked exactly like Romeo in the nightmare.

Dr. Carter listened patiently, nodding at the right moments. Then, after a brief silence, she spoke.

“That sounds exactly like a book I read when I was younger,” she said thoughtfully. “It’s called The Crimson Vow.”

Austin’s breath caught. “What?”

“The story is old—almost a legend at this point. In the book, Romeo is deeply in love with a woman named Seraphina. But his love becomes obsession. He kills everyone close to her, believing that only he deserves her. And in the end…” She paused, looking at Austin carefully. “He kills her, too.”

Austin felt the air leave his lungs.

“Yes,” he whispered. “That’s exactly what happened in my dream.”

Dr. Carter frowned, flipping through a notebook. “That’s strange. The Crimson Vow isn’t a well-known story. It was banned in many places because of its dark themes.” She glanced up at him. “Where did you hear about it?”

Austin’s fingers dug into his jeans. “I didn’t,” he said. “I’ve never heard of it before. But somehow… I dreamed it.”

A heavy silence settled between them.

Dr. Carter finally sighed. “Austin, I think we need to figure out why your subconscious is connecting you to this story. If Cassian truly resembles Romeo from the book, then this could be more than just a coincidence.”

Austin swallowed hard. “What do you mean?”

She folded her hands together. “I mean, if Cassian is connected to the story, then you might be playing the role of Seraphina.”

Austin’s blood ran cold.

Seraphina died in the end.

And if his dream was anything like the book…

Dr. Carter hesitated, then reached into a drawer, pulling out a worn, leather-bound book. Its pages were yellowed, the edges frayed as if touched by many hands over the years. “This is my personal copy. You can borrow it, but…” She studied him with concern. “Be careful. Stories have power, Austin. And if your dreams are mirroring this one, there may be more to this than simple coincidence.”

Austin nodded, gripping the book tightly.

He needed to know more.

That night, Austin sat in his dimly lit apartment, the only sound in the room being the faint rustling of pages as he flipped through the book.

The story began with Seraphina at a grand ball, surrounded by laughter and music.

She was with her friend Nutty, chatting and enjoying the evening when suddenly, a hallucination of Romeo appeared before her, his golden eyes gleaming, red hearts swirling within them. Her heart pounded, her breath hitching—but before she could react, Nutty snapped her back to reality.

Seraphina’s fiancé, Romeo, was at the ball as well. He was handsome, with striking yellow eyes, green hair streaked with black, and two elegant earrings in each ear. He sat beside her, and though she forced a smile, fear gripped her.

Her mother saw him and immediately stiffened. “Stay away from my daughter,” she warned him.

That angered Romeo.

Seraphina, overwhelmed, fled the ball, gripping a knife in her trembling hand. She staggered onto the stairs, her mind clouded with desperation. “I was begging on the stairs… Cass, begging you… Please don’t go…”

But before she could do anything rash, the guards found her and carried her back to the party.

Her fear turned to a chilling performance. She played the villain in her own story.

“Romeo, save me, I’ve been feeling so alone. There’s somewhere we can be alone, I’ll be waiting—all that’s left to do is run.”

Romeo’s eyes softened at her words. He reached for her hand.

“You’ll be the princess, and I’ll be the prince,” he murmured.

But there was something deeply unsettling beneath his devotion.

Romeo would sneak out at night to meet her in the garden, whispering sweet words that made her uneasy.

“Close your eyes,” he would tell her, his voice like silk.

And she would obey, trembling as darkness consumed her vision.

Then, one day, she walked down the deserted streets, the hem of her beautiful red dress brushing against the cobblestones, her pink umbrella fluttering in the wind.

The umbrella was a gift from Romeo, meant to protect her—just like he always promised.

But when she reached the meeting spot, horror awaited her.

Her friends lay sprawled on the ground, twisted unnaturally, their bodies soaked in blood.

A cold shiver ran down her spine.

She gasped. Her heart pounded as she stumbled backward—until she saw him.

Romeo.

His once-perfect suit was splattered with crimson. His hands were slick with blood. Yet, he smiled at her, a twisted, broken smile.

“Romeo…” she whispered in terror. “What have you done?”

He stepped toward her, eyes clouded with something unreadable.

"You always say 'Romeo, save me,'" he murmured. “I’ve been feeling so alone. I kept waiting for you… but you never came.”

She ran.

Heart pounding, she fled through the dark streets, desperate for sanctuary. She sprinted toward her childhood home, her father’s house—the one place she thought she’d be safe.

But when she burst through the doors—

She froze.

Her father lay lifeless, bathed in a pool of blood.

Tears blurred her vision.

“No…” she choked.

Her hands trembled as she reached for his still-warm body, praying for a miracle. But there was none.

Her fingers brushed against the axe lying beside him, its blade dripping red.

Her breath hitched.

Footsteps.

Slow, deliberate. Echoing through the dimly lit hallway.

She turned—

And there he was.

Romeo.

He stood in the doorway, gripping a large knife.

His pupils were small, inhuman, monstrous.

Her voice trembled. “Romeo…”

But it was not a name of love anymore. It was a plea. A warning. A last desperate cry.

Romeo knelt before her, reaching into his pocket.

A ring.

“Marry me, Seraphina,” he whispered. “You never have to be alone again.”

Her lips trembled. She couldn’t breathe.

"I love you, and that’s all I really know. I talked to your mom—she picked out a white dress," he murmured.

It’s a love story, baby. Just say yes.

Seraphina’s eyes widened in horror.

Romeo’s grip tightened on the knife.

He took a deep breath—

And with one swift motion, the blade plunged into her chest.

The world blurred.

Pain. Blood. Silence.

As she drifted away, she heard his voice, soft and broken.

"See you soon, my love."

And then—darkness.

To be continued

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***