The Witch's Chalice

by Melania Tolan

  Oh, yes, this was as fresh as it came without having to open the vein yourself and suck them dry.

  I couldn’t stand the thought of drinking the liquid, even though my body craved every drop, but I didn't want to offend Octavian. I still hadn't seen Traian and knew that whatever I did affected him too. I had to be on my best behavior.

  I swallowed my disgust and reluctantly drank the blood. I could feel my energy returning with every gulp I ingested, and hated that blood played such an important role in staying alive—both when I was a human and now as a strigoi.

  A new thought crept into my mind.

  What if my blood disorder had something to do with the fact that I was already half-vampire? Were my human cells fighting my strigoi cells? I had so many questions, but none of them were for Octavian. I didn’t trust his answers.

  After I drained my glass, I set it down and licked my lips.

  Octavian filled his plate with all the mouth-watering foods I couldn’t eat, and then refilled my glass with more blood. He ate the solid food while I drank the only option available to me. I took my time.

  He smiled at me occasionally and I felt his eyes on look at my faint tattoo, but never said anything.

  “My daughter, you will become like me someday. And since you are my only heir, you will inherit all of this.” He waved down the table. “All of these people will bow their allegiance to you when I am gone.”

  “I don't want any of this,” I said without even thinking, and halted the urge to clamp a hand over my mouth.

  “What do you want?” Octavian popped a large, green olive stuffed with red pepper into his mouth and chewed very slowly, waiting for an answer.

  Good question.

  I looked around the room. No one was here except for two guards at the far end of table by the door. I focused my attention on the black wall opposite of where I sat.

  “To live a normal life. I wanted to go to college, get a degree and then a job, buy a little cottage out in the country, and grow a garden. Maybe get married and have kids.”

  “Boring.”

  I turned to Octavian.

  He rolled his eyes at me. “My girl, you are not normal. Stop wishing for normal human things. Wish for the stars. Wish for the universe. Because it is all yours.”

  In that moment, I wondered about him and his history. He might be my father, but he was also my enemy, and I needed to get to know my enemy better. He might appear to be utterly invincible, but everyone had a weakness. I was going to find it.

  “Thank you.” I paused. “Tell me about you. You already know everything about me, but I want to know your story. I didn't even know I had a father until today.”

  “Everyone has a father, unless you were raised in a lab like me.” He cut off a piece of bread, slathered it with some butter, and took a bite. When he finished chewing, he responded to my request. “I am Octavian. I am the king of all things magical on this side of the realm.”

  “What is the realm?” I folded my hands in my lap underneath the table.

  “My girl, there are multiple realms. And there are planets and aliens, and everything that you see on TV and in sci-fi is based in reality. Humans just pretend that it's a myth or fake because they can't handle the fact that monsters roam the Earth with them. Most people don't agree with my beliefs. But I keep the balance on this planet. If I wasn't around, your species…I'm sorry, the species you originated from, would have destroyed itself thousands of years ago.”

  On and on, Octavian droned about his importance and how he kept the world from falling into dissonance and chaos, claiming that humans could not handle themselves if left unsupervised and unmonitored.

  I had no idea if any of it was true, or what was based in reality and which part was just his twisted fantasy. Everything he said seemed so far-fetched.

  Eventually, he stopped talking. He folded his napkin and set it on the plate in front of him. From a side door, a man appeared and collected our dishes.

  “So you are over ten thousand years old?” I shifted in my seat.

  “Older. But my girl, you must rest. You’re no good to me or anyone else in your current state.” He took my hand. “Now that you've had some nourishment, go to your coffin. Recharge your batteries, for tonight is a big night.”

  “What about Traian? May I see him?”

  “Tonight. Rest assured that he is in good hands and is well taken care of.”

  I didn't want to argue with him because he was right—I did need to rest. Exhaustion had crept up on me during dinner. I do need to refresh myself… God knows what tomorrow will bring.

  Octavian stood and pulled me into an embrace.

  I tried not to squirm at being so close to him.

  “Fatherhood is new to me. I’ve sired many children through my blood, but never through my loins. You are the biggest gift in my life,” he whispered in my ear. “Now that I’ve found you, I never want to lose you.”

  I pulled away and met his gaze. His blue eyes studied my face. Either he was a formidable actor, or he really was sincere.

  “Please don’t hurt Traian,” was all I said.

  “You really love him.” Red flakes filled the blues of his eyes.

  I couldn’t lie to him. “Yes.”

  “He’s your first, and that is always a powerful love. And you are bonded, which means one cannot live without the other.” Octavian released my hand and placed his on my cheek. “He’s guilty of grave crimes, which he must pay for, but I will keep him whole for you.”

  Shit. I need to act soon.

  Back in my room, Dara helped me undress and clean the makeup off my face. Once she left, I climbed into my casket, closed the top, and latched the lock. Inside the coffin, I smiled. Storm’s lingering scent filled my nostrils. I missed my girl, but I was glad she was safe and away from this prison.

  As I wrapped a blanket around my body, closed my eyes, and drifted off to sleep, I realized that my hands hadn’t buzzed since I’d taken the potion.

  Chapter 21

  The next evening, I woke up to my hands buzzing.

  Shit. I gripped the hematite bracelet Padrick had given me, and with my other hand, I touched the stone in the ring from Traian. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I can do this. I can control my power. I have to.

  And just like that, it went away. Can it really be that easy? Maybe I was well rested and that had something to do with my level of control. Either way, Octavian hadn’t discovered my powers yet, except for whatever he’d seen in my blood.

  What did he see?

  Did he know that Earth and Wind responded to me, or that I had channeled enough electricity from the sky to take out an entire neighborhood? Did he know I’d been visiting Satra and learning magic? Did he know I had taken the potion to block my powers?

  As if he knew I was thinking of him, Octavian was standing over my coffin when I opened the lid.

  “Good evening, my girl. Are you ready for a proper tour of your new home?”

  I wasn’t, but the sooner I got a hang of the layout, the sooner I could find Traian and figure out a way to escape.

  Octavian gave me privacy as I changed into leggings and a flowy lavender tunic that looked like something from a medieval play. It was surprisingly soft and comfortable. He then escorted me through the vast underground facility.

  Two guards trailed behind us as we explored the massive gymnasium where the guards trained and exercised. They then followed us to the subterranean gardens, where we spent the most time. The exotic species there were unlike anything I’d ever seen. Octavian smiled approvingly at my interest in the plants, but his focused attention made my skin crawl. However, I couldn’t help but listen in awe as he recited each plant’s name, as well as their multiple uses and properties.

  Everything growing inside the massive underground greenhouses had a purpose. Either to delight the senses with their unique aromas, provide nourishment, or to poison arrows or bullets. There were herbs of every kind imaginable. I could hav
e stayed there the rest of the night, but Octavian insisted we continue our tour of the entire facility.

  Except for the dungeon.

  I had not seen Traian anywhere, so I suspected that’s where he was being kept. But I didn’t dare ask. Octavian didn’t seem like the kind of person you wanted to press about a matter he didn’t wish to divulge. Even though he had said I could see him tonight…

  I instead focused more intently on my surroundings. The elaborate network of tunnels, the beautiful rooms, and the high-tech facility was remarkable, but Octavian’s attentions and impressive lair did not influence my resolve.

  How can this man actually be my father? I glanced at him throughout the night, trying to find a link to forge some kind of bond. I didn’t want to develop a relationship… This man was a mass murderer. But he was also my father. Not that I trusted him, but if I could connect to him and figure out how he worked…then I could figure out how to keep the ones I loved safe from him.

  I still couldn’t believe that my grandmother had slept with him. Mother. She’s your mother. How can I even wrap my head around that? Unfortunately, I had to make do with the information I had.

  Focus on finding his weakness.

  I was his daughter—this fact was the only thing keeping me alive and that’s all I had.

  We shared lunch the next day, just as we had the morning before. However, this time, several others joined us. I met his second in command, Korin. The man towered over everyone in the room, including Octavian. The scowl on his face told me I never wanted to cross him. He glared at me through the entire meal.

  After lunch, when everyone had left for their duties, I turned to the man who claimed to be my father and asked, “Where's Traian? I need to see him…It’s been too long.”

  He rolled his eyes as if he was bored and turned to one of the guardsmen by the door.

  “You can take her down to see him. She can have five minutes, but no more,” he told the man.

  I pushed away from the table, thanked Octavian for the meal and then followed the guard out.

  My suspicions had been correct. We went directly to an elevator that Octavian had left out of the tour. The car took us even deeper into the ground. When the doors opened, I felt like I'd stepped onto the set of a Halloween horror house. The fancy technology, and the classic beauty and style of the rest of the compound was nowhere to be seen here. The lights flickered, giving the dank corridor an eerie feel.

  We walked down several halls until we came to a metal gate and passed through five of these before the guard leading me brought me to a halt. Gooseflesh spread over my body as I could smell him. I could feel Traian’s presence on the other side of the locked door to my right. It was the only chamber in this hall that contained a prisoner and it was the only door where light spilled over the threshold.

  The guardsman knocked on the metal door. It opened, but two soldiers blocked the entrance. The guard said something to them in a language I didn’t understand, and both men stood back and allowed me to step inside.

  The room was remarkably different from the hall. Between the white walls and the bright lights above, I needed to adjust my vision. Everything smelled of sanitizer. At the center was a bed, on which Traian lay perfectly still, as if he was dead.

  As I inched closer, his eyes opened.

  I turned to the guard. “You can close the door, please. I’d like to have a private word with my man.”

  The guard shook his head. “Goes against orders, sorry.”

  I stepped right up to him, until my face was inches from his. “Do you know who I am? I am Octavian's daughter. Eventually I will take over this facility and I will be in charge. Now, if you’ll excuse me. I would like to speak to the man who saved my life.”

  “The man lying there is our enemy. You, Octavian's daughter, should know that.” He squared his shoulders.

  “The only enemy I see right now is you with your stubbornness. He said five minutes. What could we possibly do in five minutes?” I realized how naughty that sounded. “Never mind. I’d just like some privacy.”

  The man stared at me for a long moment, and then nodded, stepped out, and closed the door. I heard the latch lock.

  In an instant, Traian and I came together at the center of the room, next to the bed. His hands touched every part of my face and upper body, checking to see if I was hurt.

  “I’m okay.” I kissed his lips and touched his face. “Are you okay? Have they hurt you?”

  Traian shook his head. “No, I'm untouched for now.”

  “Good. I only have five minutes.”

  We sat down on the bed. He pulled me onto his lap and wrapped his arms around me.

  “Did you know?” I searched his eyes.

  “When I took your blood to make you a strigoi, I did not see your parentage. I don't know what he saw, but it was hidden from me.”

  “My grandmother is actually my mother.” I felt weird, saying that out loud. “Did you know her?”

  “No, only by name.” His hand trailed over my shoulder and moved down my arm. “I had no idea. But if you are his daughter, you can use that to your advantage and save yourself.”

  I jerked my head back. “Save myself? As if I would leave here without you. As if I can leave you in the first place.” I took his hand. “I may be his daughter and I may be staying in a fancier room than you, but I am as much of a prisoner here as you.”

  “I know, my dear, I know.” He spoke in a low voice.

  I felt the buzzing as I touched his face with my free hand. I knew I wouldn't hurt him because I could feel the harness growing around the energy inside me. Now I have the reins. I rested my head against his chin, and the buzzing subsided. We sat silently holding each other for a long time, but it wasn't long enough. The guardsman returned, opening the door.

  “Stay strong, my love. See you soon.” I kissed him hard before walking out of the room.

  The whole way back, I was telling myself that I had to get him out of that dungeon. I’d known we needed to escape from the beginning, but now that I'd seen him, my resolve had solidified.

  But how will we do that?

  The fortress was rigged with the highest security system I’d ever seen. The technology here was beyond human. Alien, maybe? Octavian had mentioned the existence of aliens. Heck, if shapeshifters, elves, and vampires were real, why couldn’t extraterrestrials be too?

  As I mulled our problem over, I realized my only ticket out of here was to win Octavian's trust.

  When the elevator opened, he waited for us. He offered me his arm again, and reluctantly, I took it. He led me to what looked like a lab in the science wing.

  The door closed behind us, and I tried to pull away from him, but he had an iron grip on my wrist. As I fought harder to get away, Octavian ordered three guardsmen to hold my arm down. A fourth person, a woman I had never met, approached me holding a thick needle. She took three vials of my blood.

  “What are you doing?” I demanded, fear boiling up in my chest.

  “You are my daughter… I need to know your genetic makeup. I also need to know how it is possible that you are my daughter. So we must analyze your blood.”

  Crap. Crap. Crap.

  This was not good. From my blood, he would be able to tell that I had powers that were cloaked right now. Although I'm losing that disguise very quickly.

  After he got what he needed, Octavian led me back to my room where I spent the rest of the day. That evening, Octavian again came to my room and escorted me to the training gymnasium. There were objects placed around the large center on either a wooden pillar or one of stone. A plastic box, an empty wine bottle, and a teddy bear sat on each one. In the middle of a mat between us was a steel ball.

  He guided me almost to the center of the floor. “Okay, you obviously have powers, so show us what you got.”

  I looked at him and shook my head. “I'm sorry, I can't. I can't do anything.” I raised my hands and wiggled them.

  “Bullshit. You k
illed my most trusted scout and lead assassin. She was over ten thousand years old. Once our kind live to be that old, they are hard to take down. You were in human form when you did this, so I want to know if those powers carried over through your transformation. We already looked at your blood from the hospitals in Seattle, but we could not find anything.”

  “The woman…she attacked and bit me. Then she let me go. When I came to, she was lying on the grass next to me—breathing, but in pain—then she suddenly turned into dust.” I shuddered at the memory. “I'd never seen anything like that. I have no idea what happened. If she died because of me, it was purely an accident. But please know she attacked me first.”

  Octavian walked over and put both hands on my arms. “My daughter, I need to know. I saw it. You were able to channel electricity from the atmosphere when you were trying to protect your lover. I need to know what else you are capable of so I know how to protect you. I'm not doing this to try to fight you or figure out what your weapon against me is.”

  I didn't know what to say, but I knew for certain that what he said was not true. Despite what I knew about Octavian, as well as what I’d interpreted from my internal nudging—which also told me I couldn't trust him—something inside me wanted to believe him and feel like I had a dad that truly cared about me. And that scared me most.

  What if I succumb to this sentimental feeling and put everyone in danger?

  “Look, I don't know what happened,” I reiterated. That was the truth. “There was lightning. It hit me and went right through me to the ground. Then there was this big hole in the cemetery, and I was bleeding. I crawled to go get help. Then I got hit by the bus. The next thing I knew, I woke up in the morgue. And then I got whisked off to Romania with Traian.”

  “And the elf, we know about the elf.” Octavian gave me a stern look.

  Of course. I decided right then that the less information I gave them, the better, so I left it at that.

  Octavian saw that I wasn't going to do anything to display my powers. Not that I could command them at will, anyway. I had felt some buzzing when I woke, but nothing else. I even tried to tune into the sounds of my body. I could normally pick up on the hum of the energy flowing inside me, but it was unusually silent at the moment.