by F. E. Heaton
Strong.
She sucked in a sharp breath and held it when she remembered what Valentine had said. She had to stay strong. He was right. If she kept on like this, Elena would easily win. She had to remain strong so she could kill Elena and fulfil the prophecy, stopping Elena from unleashing Hell on the Earth.
Besides, if she couldn't find a cure for Valentine, she was damn sure that she could get one out of Elena. She'd fight Elena, beat her to within an inch of her life, until she was broken and begging for her life, and then she'd force Elena to lift the spell she'd placed on Valentine.
She was strong.
He'd always told her that.
He believed it, believed in her.
She couldn't fail him now.
Chapter 16
"Walking alone?” Prophecy said when she fell into step beside him. The dawn was still at least two hours away. The sky was a dark veil above them and the air had a chill about it that she felt in her bones.
"Yes,” Caden said and clasped his hands behind his back. He looked over at three men who were walking in the same direction as them and at the same pace, only ten metres away. The men looked over at them. Caden turned his attention back to her. “I suppose you're going to tell me that I'm foolish with all these vampires around me, but I grew a little tired of Tiberius’ company. He's pleasant to talk to but looks at me like I'm his next meal."
She smiled. “Because humans normally are. And no, I'm not going to call you an idiot for walking alone. These men wouldn't dare harm you."
His brows rose into a curious look. “Because you'd kill them?"
She laughed and he shuddered. She wondered if it was her laugh or the cold affecting him.
"No,” she said and paused. He swallowed noisily enough that she heard it over the night song of the insects. “They're not mine to command."
"Whose are they?” He moved a little closer to her and she got the impression that he'd presumed they were Caelestis.
"They're Tenebrae. Venturi is their lord.” She looked across at the three men. They stared at her. She recognised the tallest one as the one who had reported to Venturi about their castle being safe still. He had an air about him that said he was in command of the group.
"Let me see,” Caden said and moved around her so she was between him and the three Tenebrae. “There are three master vampires here?"
She nodded. “Valentine, Venturi and myself. There is also a master werewolf and a Venia."
"And Venturi would kill these men?” He glanced across her at them. He smiled. “But only because their actions would upset you?"
She ignored what he'd said and stared at the gate house in the distance. When they approached the gravel path that led back to the main entrance of the house, the three Tenebrae broke away and walked inside. She led Caden around the mansion to the small garden that had become her haunt since Arkalus had been defeated.
Holding an arm out by her side, she smiled inside when the dew dampened petals of the roses brushed against her fingers as she passed. Their soft fragrance filled the air. She stopped when she reached the fountain and sat down on the little stone bench near it.
She watched two Aurorea guards walk past the entrance to the garden. They looked over at her and then moved on.
"Would they kill me?” Caden sat next to her and then shook his head in answer of his own question. “Valentine would kill them wouldn't he? I'm his quarry, after all. It is our destiny to fight to the end of one of us."
"No offence, but I'm siding with Valentine.” She stared at the water cascading down from the fountain like fat raindrops. She could hear each one as it hit the water in the pool below. Drawing her focus away from it, she looked over at Caden.
He was staring at her, looking a little stunned.
"I said no offence,” she said and looked at the mansion.
"It wasn't that,” he said with a heavy sigh. She could feel him looking at her. “It's just that sometimes you look so much like your mother. I look at you, and I see her."
She turned her head to face him. “I saw her yesterday. It's hard to remember sometimes that she's just a memory living in the magic."
She could see the question he wanted to ask and sensed the struggle within him.
"I told her about you.” She stared at the fountain again, trying to follow a single drop of water from the moment it left the fountainhead until it hit the pool.
"Did she say anything about me?"
"Only that it hurt her to do it, because of you. She seemed sorry. Or maybe I'm sorry ... I don't know how it works really. She can only tell me things that I already know. I forget that sometimes. She seems so real.” Prophecy frowned and then sat back, tilting her head so she could see the stars. “I still haven't found the spell I need."
"There were more once. They must be back at your mother's house. I'm sorry I can't be of more help. I did remember something Ophelia once told me."
She brought her eyes down to meet his. “Yes?"
"She told me about powerful spells ... like the one holding Valentine. If it's beyond a certain level, it needs a mark ... something constant that will keep the spell binding."
"A mark?” She frowned. “Like the ones I wear? But I haven't seen a mark on him."
"The spell is not yet complete."
"There's always a mark when it comes to old magic?” she said.
He nodded and smiled. “It's the stuff of the Earth. She told me that once, but in more elegant words. They are spells centuries old, so old they affect the pages they're written on. Like the book, which is in itself powerful. Like the spells you can call with a single command, or none at all."
She brought her hand up to the spot on her shirt that was over her heart and the mark on her chest, and stroked it idly while staring into Caden's eyes. Marks. She had marks that focused her magic. She could call spells without even uttering a command. She'd felt the power in the book, and had felt intrinsically connected to it when she'd given it her blood. Was her magic old? Was it older than her mother? Did the Three have something to do with it? They had revealed the marks and had given her the guidance she'd needed when it was most vital that she didn't stumble. They'd given her the strength to use the magic and the knowledge. Had they trained her mother too? They'd known her, that much she knew.
She came out of her thoughts when Caden stood.
She looked up at him.
"I am afraid I must go. This is no place for me,” he said.
"Wait,” she said when he went to turn away from her. “My mother's house. It's in Italy isn't it? There's a big wrought iron gate, a veranda and tall straight trees in the garden."
He looked at her with eyes full of disbelief. “You've been there?"
"Not physically. I have seen it in my visions. I have to know where it is. If there are spells there that might help me win this war, I have to have them.” She stood up and rifled through her pockets, searching for a piece of paper even though she knew she didn't have one.
"Here,” he said and placed his bag down on the bench. He opened it and took out a small pad and a pen. She watched him scribble something down and took it from him when he held it out to her. “It is on the hills above Florence. No one lives there. I suppose in a way it's mine, yours."
She thanked him with a smile and pocketed the piece of paper. Walking with him, she stopped when they reached the gates.
"Be careful.” She held a hand out to him. “And thank you."
He took hold of her hand but didn't shake it. He just held it, the warmth of his hand soaking into hers. She could feel his steady, strong heartbeat.
"You are the one who must be careful."
With that, his hand slipped from hers and he walked through the gates. She turned away, not wanting to watch him go, and glanced up at her bedroom window. She frowned when she saw someone standing in it. It was the silhouette of a man, too slim to be Dmitri. It could have been Venturi, but it seemed too tall.
She frowned when they moved away
, disappearing.
It was probably Xavier.
Her heart leapt into her throat when the sharp sound of breaking glass echoed through the night. Her eyes widened when a body fell from the window and hit the dark grass below. A strangled cry reached her ears and she was running.
She bolted through the house, dodging everyone as they came out of the rooms to see what the commotion was and blocked her path. She growled at them all, desperate to get to her room and Valentine.
Leaping up the stairs, she made it to the second floor in time to see Valentine bite down on the neck of one of his guards. He growled when he tore a chunk out of the guard's neck and spat it onto the floor. She flinched when he ripped the man's head off and tossed it to one side, splattering blood across the walls.
He went back into the room and she ran. Her chest tightened when she rounded the corner and saw he was heading towards the window. She grabbed his arm and froze when he turned to look at her. Blood coated his chin and streaked down his neck. It had drenched his jacket and his hands were covered in it. She held onto his wrist and he stared at her with cold blue eyes. He bared his fangs but she didn't let go of him. She wouldn't let go.
A chill engulfed her while she looked into his eyes. There was a fire in them like she'd never seen before and she felt as though she was looking at a different person. He showed no emotion while he stared at her, his eyes boring into hers in a cold, calculating manner that gave her the impression he was thinking of the best way to deal with her.
She brought her other hand up and wrapped it around his wrist, pulling on it when he started to walk towards the window again.
"Stay. Don't give up. Don't do this,” she said.
He turned sharply and grabbed her by the throat.
She choked.
He roared at her, his fingers pressing into the sides of her neck and crushing her windpipe. She stilled her breathing and held onto his arm with both her hands, trying to hold herself up so there wasn't so much pressure on her neck. Her eyes went wide with fright while she stared into his, seeing nothing but emptiness and darkness in them. There wasn't an ounce of feeling for her there. There was only pain and death.
Valentine's grip tightened and she couldn't stop the choked cry of pain from escaping her.
"Prophecy!” Venturi's voice made a tiny spark of hope re-ignite inside of her but it died almost instantly.
The second Venturi was within striking distance, Valentine held her out to one side and brought his free arm around in a back hand towards the Tenebrae. She could only watch as Venturi sailed through the air and hit the wall hard. He slumped to the floor. She looked at Valentine. She started to struggle when his eyes narrowed on hers, his look turning malicious as he licked his lips.
She tried to shake her head.
She felt the tips of his claws dig into her neck as he began to extend them, getting a better grip on her.
"No,” she choked out. “Don't leave."
She closed her eyes when he flung her across the room, sending her slamming into the desk. She cracked her head on the corner of it and pain split her skull, dancing down her spine and making her feel nauseas. She struggled to keep her eyes open when a blinding light filled her head and the room.
Looking at Valentine, she shook her head and reached out to him with a fuzzy looking hand. He blurred when he moved away from her, his expression still cold. He looked over his shoulder and when he looked back at her, it was like he'd changed back to the man he used to be. He gave her a sorry look as a blue portal shimmered into existence behind him and he backed towards it.
The room began to grow dark, the image of him fading as sleep beckoned her and she didn't have the strength to fight it.
The portal disappeared.
The world did too.
* * * *
Venturi was moving the moment his head had stopped spinning. He crawled across the room to Prophecy where she was laying on her side on the floor. He frowned when he saw the blood caking the side of her head and then threw a glance around the room to make sure that they were safe.
Touching the wound on her temple, he clenched his teeth and sucked in a breath when her face screwed up in pain and she murmured something. He could hear people coming. The whole house seemed to be alive with the clamour of voices and thundering of feet. He carefully lifted Prophecy off the floor, wincing when the action of picking her up made his shoulder grate in its socket. He ground his teeth and sneered. He had to get her off the floor and somewhere comfortable. His own comfort could wait.
Carrying her to the bed, he gently lay her down on it and took a closer look at the wound. Her eyes fluttered open while he was clearing the hair away from it and he found her watching him.
"Valentine?” Her voice was nothing more than a strangled whisper.
He looked at her neck. The areas around each wound were already going black. It would be a while before she could speak properly. Her windpipe was going to need time to heal.
"He's gone,” he said and felt torn inside when a tear slipped down from the corner of her eye and cut through the blood on the side of her head. “I am sorry, Prophecy. We will find a way to get him back. I know how much you need him."
She managed a smile and he was relieved to see it. Her fingers groped across the bedspread towards him. He looked into her eyes and then took hold of her hand.
"It hurts,” she said. “I can't..."
"You cannot heal yourself right now. I know. You have used up too much of your strength. Rest a while and once you are ready, we will find a way to get Valentine back.” He gave her a smile and knelt beside the bed, still holding her hand. It was better that she saved her voice when he already knew everything she needed to say. He was always willing to speak for her if it saved her from hurting herself.
"Thank you,” she whispered and her eyes closed for a moment before they opened again.
"Get some sleep. I will have someone bring you fresh blood. You will be strong enough again soon.” He listened to the people approaching, voices that he recognised stood out in amongst the din. He held her hand a little tighter while she drifted off to sleep and then raised it, pressing a kiss to it. He dropped it the second he heard someone enter the room.
He gripped his injured shoulder, and swallowed down the pain in his body. His skull felt as though it was splitting open.
"What happened here?” Xavier demanded.
Venturi looked at the broken window and then at Prophecy.
"Elena has taken Valentine. He threw me against the wall and attempted to kill Prophecy when she tried to stop him. He did not seem himself.” Venturi walked around the bed, resisting the temptation to look at Prophecy again when Mia stared at him.
Dmitri was standing in the doorway almost blocking his view of the hallway beyond. Serenity pushed past the werewolf and ran to the bed.
He went to her. “She will be fine, Serenity. She needs time to recover her strength. I have told her we will bring her fresh blood."
Serenity nodded and paused for a moment, glancing at Prophecy before leaving the room. He was glad that someone here was responding. The rest of the occupants of the room were just staring at him and he didn't know how much longer he could take it before he snapped.
He was still recuperating from the force of the blow Valentine had dealt him. He felt as though any moment now, he was going to collapse. His head was fuzzy and his eyes hurt whenever he moved them. The pain stabbed at them and he found it hard to concentrate like he had to. With Prophecy unconscious, he was the only master vampire in the house, and it was vital that someone kept control of the three bloodlines. The Aurorea were not going to be happy about the disappearance of Valentine. It would be down to Cornelius to keep order within them. The same went for Serenity and the Caelestis until Prophecy woke up. Neither Cornelius nor Serenity struck him as having the skill necessary to control a bloodline when things weren't on such a knife's edge, let alone when they were.
"Someone needs to clean this p
lace up. Xavier, I am sorry to have to ask you to do this, but can your men remove the body from the hall. I believe you will find another in the garden.” Venturi waited to see what the Aurorea high guard's reaction would be to his request. Xavier stared at him a moment and then nodded.
Venturi watched him go, relieved that the number of people staring at him had been reduced. He pressed his hand against his head when it spun and closed his eyes a moment, waiting for the feeling of sickness to pass.
"Cornelius,” he said and the blond stepped forwards, looking a little out of place and scared. Venturi couldn't blame him. Being handed a bloodline to control during a time of war wasn't something an inexperienced vampire needed, especially one that had no ability for fighting. “Keep word of Valentine's disappearance from your family for as long as possible. It is best if Prophecy has recovered before they find out. Order Xavier to keep his mouth shut."
Cornelius stood for a moment, his hands toying with one another and his eyes showing Venturi all the uncertainty that he could feel in the young vampire's signature.
"Go now,” Mia said to Cornelius with a smile.
He nodded and edged past Dmitri as though he was going to bite him.
Venturi looked at Mia and Dmitri and then at Prophecy. He stared at her, watching the blood trickle from the wound on the side of her head. Someone needed to seal it, but he got the distinct impression from Mia that it wasn't going to be him.
He looked at her. She held his gaze, her eyes so cold that it sent a chill through him, and then went to Prophecy's side. He moved to stand the opposite side of the bed to Mia and his eyes roamed up the length of Prophecy's body, lingering on her neck and the wounds there.
He watched Mia clean the cuts with a cloth that Prophecy had clearly been using to tend to Valentine with, and then she licked them to seal them and stem the bleeding.
He heard the door close and frowned when he realised he was alone with Dmitri and Mia, and both were staring at him. This was the last thing he needed when his head was pounding and he was one push away from snapping.
