by F. E. Heaton
"Drink,” he said. “You shall feel better then."
Drink? She didn't think she could. Her head was a riot of pain and confusion, her senses colliding with each other and sending her mixed messages about what was happening. She tried to focus, but the more she did, the worse she felt.
She couldn't remember much. There had been a lot of pain and darkness. Her insides felt as though someone hard torn them apart and haphazardly pieced them back together again.
"Drink.” The voice urged and a hand guided her.
She extended her canines and sunk her teeth into their flesh when she felt it beneath her lips. Drinking as deeply as she could manage, she frowned when her head began to clear and she realised that she didn't recognise the taste of the blood flowing into her. It was strong, powerful and old.
She released the man's neck and pulled back, stunned to see Hyperion smiling at her.
"Feeling better?” his smile turned seductive.
She frowned and then pressed her hand against her aching head and wrinkled her nose.
"What happened?” she whispered, barely aware of what was going on around them.
"It would seem Valentine successfully turned you,” Hyperion said and she looked around for Valentine.
It was only then she noticed the battle that was still raging. The Watchmen were fighting demons whose species she didn't recognise, devilish beasts twice the size of them. It didn't seem to bother the vampires much.
"Valentine? Where is he?” she said and frowned when she tried to tiptoe but almost fell over.
"You are still weak.” Hyperion caught her arm.
She looked at him and then at the amulet when strength surged through her. The stone glowed dark purple, and a red light pulsed in its centre. She couldn't believe her power had not only returned but had stayed with her through her turning.
"I'm not weak,” she whispered, staring into the heart of her amulet. “I've never felt so strong."
She looked over the heads of the demons around her and frowned when she saw Venturi and Valentine fighting Elena. Anger raced through her when Elena threw a fireball at Venturi, sending him spiralling through the air. He landed hard near her and she rushed over to him, the Watchmen and Hyperion clearing the path for her.
She knelt beside Venturi and removed his helmet. He was covered in cuts and bruises. She cupped his cheek with her right hand and gave him a smile when he opened his eyes a crack and looked into hers.
"I have died and miraculously gone to Heaven or I am dreaming,” he croaked the words out.
She shook her head. “Keep still."
Closing her eyes, she directed her magic to the amulet and held Venturi down with her free hand when she began to heal him. It took a matter of seconds. The speed of it surprised her but at the same time made her feel powerful.
She didn't stop Venturi when he sat up and wrapped his arms about her, muttering things into her neck and pressing the occasional kiss to it. She held him, smoothing the tangled threads of his hair and pressing her cheek to his. She was glad that he was all right too.
Releasing him, she averted her eyes when he looked at her with ones full of love, and then brought hers back again. She looked at him, hoping he could see her feelings for him. She wasn't going to run away from them any more.
He touched her cheek, giving her a look that said he couldn't quite bring himself to believe her.
She got to her feet and helped him up. The Watchmen stood to one side and she stared straight at Valentine.
He smiled.
Elena looked over at her and screamed. She could feel the witch's anger sweep through the room.
She grinned.
"Venturi, Hyperion...” she said and they both turned to look at her. She set her jaw and changed into her vampire guise. “Slaughter them all!"
They grinned and immediately set to work, chopping and hacking at the zombies so they could get to the demons that had come through the portal from Hell.
She went to join them but then stopped and stared at her hand and the amulet.
The magic wasn't focused any more. She could feel that the symbols were no longer drawn on her. They had gone deeper, into her blood and her bones, back to where they'd once been. They felt more potent now, and powerful.
She was more powerful.
She started a little when Valentine skidded to a halt beside her and wrapped his arms about her. She pressed her cheek into his chest and focused, calling a barrier to protect them and give them time. She smiled when she felt magic hit the barrier and realised that not even Elena could penetrate it.
Valentine pushed her backwards and she looked up at him.
"Your eyes are still green,” he said in a low voice, as though he'd expected different.
She'd not thought about it. She'd expected to wake up a Caelestis, not an Aurorea.
"And I still have magic,” she said and raised her hand, showing him.
The threads of purple danced around her fingers and she sighed when he pressed his palm against hers, and interlocked their fingers. The magic turned red and began to seep into him. She could feel the connection was still there, both the bond they shared through the magic and the one they shared through the claim.
"I kept my promise.” He held her hand a little tighter and she felt the hurt she'd caused in him.
"Thank you,” she said, tightly gripping his hand. “Now I have to ask you to do one more thing for me. Stay away from Elena when we fight."
"I shall, but if she shows any sign—"
Prophecy cut him off with a kiss. She savoured the feeling of his lips against hers and the way shivers ran through her whenever their tongues touched. Stepping back from him, she looked into his clear green eyes, remembering how they'd got to this moment and feeling the love he held for her.
She smiled and drew the magic back inside, causing the shield around them to disappear.
Valentine immediately sprang into action, his sword making fast work of the zombies that had crowded around them. She drew her sword and growled with effort as she hacked away at the zombies, trying to clear a path to Elena. Large horned demons moved to block her way but she flicked her wrist and sent threads of magic into them. It buried itself deep into their flesh, filling the air with a strange smell as it burnt them from the inside out.
Glancing at Valentine to make sure that he was all right, she was shocked when she saw that Mia was fighting beside him and there was no sign of Dmitri. Prophecy turned when her senses screamed danger at her and she ducked to avoid the swipe an Aleaeries took at her. It attacked again, its heavy fist heading straight for her chest. She was about to turn away when there was a growl and the sound of bones snapping.
The werewolf mauled the Aleaeries as it pinned it down with large paws, long claws burying themselves into the demon's chest. She watched, unable to tear herself away, as the werewolf bit down hard on the demon's neck and ripped a chunk out.
Turning away when she sensed something approaching her, she blocked the attack the zombie commander made and punched it hard across the face. It recoiled but didn't give up. It lunged at her and she flipped backwards, bringing her feet up and kicking it under the jaw as she moved into a handstand. Bringing her legs back down, she locked her feet around the zombie's neck and twisted, snapping its neck.
She flipped back onto her feet and picked up her sword. The werewolf had made a meal of the demon that had tried to attack her. When it looked at her and bared its fangs, she noticed the scar darting across its eye.
"Thank you, Dmitri,” she said and the werewolf disappeared into the crowd.
She looked around her, assessing the situation. There were barely a hundred zombies left and a handful of under-demons. Her forces from outside were now fighting with the rest, and she was relieved to see that the vampires and werewolves outnumbered the remains of Elena's army.
They were winning.
A maniacal laugh cut through the room and she turned on a pinpoint to face Elena.
Elena turned to face her, a wicked smile twisting her lips.
Prophecy growled again when Elena changed, morphing into Valentine's shape, just like she'd expected her to. She ran at him, leaping up onto the back of an Aleaeries and launching herself at the witch. The second she landed on the platform, she attacked, not giving Valentine a chance to make the first move.
She threw a fireball at the fake Valentine and glanced at the real Valentine to make sure that she was fighting the right person. He smiled slightly, his sword gripped tightly in one hand while he throttled a zombie with the other.
"I told you I'd make you pay,” Prophecy growled the words at Elena, hating the fact she was in Valentine's form, and brought her sword down in a swift arc while at the same time casting another spell.
She put all of her power into her blows, both magic and with the sword. She had to defeat Elena. She had to make her pay just like she'd promised. She had to give it every last ounce of energy she had, for the sake of being with Valentine and for all the people who had given their lives in this fight.
She struck hard and hit the fake Valentine on the shoulder. He recoiled backwards, a look of shock entering his eyes. Prophecy struck again, fuelling herself by remembering what Elena had done. She had taken so much from her. She had taken Mathias, and Iona. She had taken countless other lives, the lives of people she knew and cared for.
She had taken Valentine.
Prophecy roared as she struck again, this time hard enough to cut through the armour on Valentine's shoulder and into his flesh. She felt the sword hit bone and heard the cry of pain, watching Elena appear for a moment before she changed back into Valentine. Yanking it free, she swiped at Valentine again, forcing him backwards towards the wall.
She changed into her vampire guise, using her heightened abilities to aid her in the fight. The smell of fresh blood filled her senses and she roared again. Remembering the spell she'd absorbed in her mother's house, the one Valentine had chosen, she focused on her amulet as she attacked. She could feel the power building there, the strength she needed to defeat Elena. The room shook and darkness began to engulf her hand. She could feel the blackness growing inside of her as the spell raced towards completion. It wracked her body, sending painful tremors through her.
She stopped dead when three shimmering spots of light punctuated the darkness, blinding her and forcing her out of her vampire guise. She shielded her eyes with her hand, squinting to see what was happening.
A cry filled the air and the light disappeared.
She lowered her hand and looked at the Three. They were standing around the fake Valentine, their hands glowing brightly like her own, but with a white magic. She looked at her hand, watching the ribbons of black magic weaving through her fingers. She could feel the power it held and the devastation it could cause if she were to use it. It wasn't the way.
Too many lives had been lost already. She wouldn't risk losing more.
The fake Valentine struggled as she approached but couldn't break the bond the Three had on him. Prophecy nodded a thank you to them. She had forgotten they'd told her that they would see her here.
Elena growled at her and tried to shift out of Valentine's shape, but couldn't. No matter what the witch did, she remained kneeling on the floor, in the guise of Valentine.
Just like Prophecy had seen in her vision.
She knew what she had to do.
Raising her sword, she became unaware of the battle around her. The cries of death and smell of blood disappeared. There was only her and Elena.
This was her destiny.
Calling her magic, she focused it on both her hands and tightly gripped the sword. Elena was muttering something and magic was weaving around her whole body. Prophecy concentrated hard, extending her magic so it ran along the blade of the sword, swirling around it and making it shine purple.
Only magic could defeat magic. She needed something powerful to cut through Elena's spell and her neck.
Coming around the side of the witch, she stared down at her as the Three forced her lower. Elena's head hung forwards, her long black hair falling down beside her head and exposing her neck.
Prophecy stared at it, breathing deeply and focusing through the pain. Her whole body burned with the magic. It made her bones ache as she called every last drop of strength she had and put everything into the spell and the sword.
Raising the sword, she held it tightly and fixed her eyes on Elena's neck, shutting out the rest of the world.
This was for Mathias.
This was for Iona.
This was for her friends.
This was for Valentine.
"This ends tonight,” she said.
With a roar of exertion tangled with a cry of pain as the magic ripped through her, she brought the sword down in a hard, fast arc. She closed her eyes as she felt the resistance of Elena's spell and then gritted her teeth when the blade hit the flagstones, sending reverberations through her.
She breathed heavily, struggling against the onslaught of pain and fatigue.
Opening her eyes, she looked around her at the room and saw all the zombies fall to the ground. A few under-demons remained and the rest of her army attacked them. Her head spun as people ran in from outside and her body screamed at her that the sun was coming.
She wavered slightly as she tried to walk towards the edge of the platform, away from Elena's headless body. She managed barely a few steps before her knees gave way, her legs too weak to carry her any further. She fell to the ground, the sword slipping from her hand and her stomach turning over. Hollowness filled her. The drain of becoming wholly vampire and the energy given to the magic left her feeling dead inside.
Pushing her hands hard into the ground, she tried to get up, but collapsed again.
"Rest,” said a strong male voice. “It is time to rest."
Tears filled her eyes on hearing it. She buried her face into Valentine's neck when he wrapped his arms about her, cradling her against him and supporting her tired body.
She limply put her arms around him, too weak to hold him properly like she wanted to and too drained to cry with relief.
It was over.
She'd fulfilled her destiny and it was over.
"The long night has ended,” a familiar female voice said and she looked up to see the Three standing before her.
"But we will see you again,” the second witch said.
"Soon,” the youngest one said, smiling.
She nodded and then flinched away when they disappeared in as bright a flash as they'd appeared in.
She managed a smile when the light cleared and she saw her friends walking towards her. Sitting up a little in Valentine's embrace, she blinked and the tears spilled down her cheeks.
Hyperion was licking wounds on his arms as he approached but when he reached her, he was ready with a seductive smile.
"You truly are a beautiful woman, only made even more stunning by your skill on the battlefield.” He bowed low and looked up at her. “It is an honour to say I have fought beside you."
She averted her eyes and then found the strength to look back at him, surprised by his words and the fact that Valentine hadn't even tensed on hearing them. She placed her hand over his where it rested against her thigh and held it.
"The honour was mine,” she said to Hyperion as he continued to lick the blood off his arms and hands. She'd never seen him looking so pleased.
When he stepped to one side with his Watchmen, her whole body lightened with relief.
Mia and Dmitri were holding each other as they came to stand before her. She nodded her thanks to them and then looked at Serenity, who was helping Cornelius stand. Valentine had been right. He wasn't much of a warrior and had clearly been hurt. She could smell the blood on him.
"When my strength returns, I'll heal you, and anyone else that needs it,” she said and Cornelius bowe
d.
Serenity checked he was all right and then rushed over to her. Prophecy closed her eyes as her friend wrapped her up in a tight hug. She held her as tightly as she could manage and then smiled through her tears when Serenity released her, a look of deep concern in her eyes.
"I'll be fine,” she said.
A flash of light caught her eye and she looked around at the open doors. The sunlight was streaming in. Tears filled her eyes when her gaze shifted to Venturi. He looked so tired and beaten, scratches marring his cheeks and his armour bloodied and dented. Gripping Valentine's shoulder, she struggled to her feet and held his arm when he stood beside her.
She smiled at Venturi, causing her tears to cascade down her cheeks. When he smiled back, she was filled with warmth and relief, happy beyond words to see that he had survived. She looked into Valentine's eyes and was surprised when he let go of her arm and smiled, as though he knew without words what she was asking of him. She touched his cheek and then took a deep breath, knowing that he would be able to sense everything she was feeling about Venturi, and surprised that he seemed to have accepted it.
Walking over to Venturi, she wrapped her arms about his neck and closed her eyes when he held onto her, his breath cool against her throat. She gripped him tighter as more tears came, falling down her cheeks in an endless stream. She wanted to tell him so many things, wanted to tell him that she was glad he was all right and how she felt about him, but words eluded her and all she could do was hold onto him and hope that he'd know everything from her actions.
She cupped his cheek when she drew back, and looked deep into his intense blue eyes. They were smiling at her and she could see so much affection in their depths that she knew he'd got the message loud and clear now.
Releasing him, she toyed with the bottom of her breastplate.
"I'm glad you're okay,” she whispered to her feet.
He caught hold of her jaw and raised her head, looking straight into her eyes.
"I am the one who is glad, glad that you are all right and that you did not destroy my home. It is nice to have it back,” he said in a low voice, the kind of tone she would have once hated but now loved. It was intimate and full of unspoken feelings. “Rest a while. You are always welcome here."
