by Raven, T. R.
“Bound by blood,” he repeated. “You heard Renka’s prophecy. Time to finish it off now.”
Claire desperately clamped her mouth shut. Her own blood flooded her mouth as she bit down hard enough to slice her own tongue open with her teeth. She fought against Nikoli with everything she could muster but his strength was infinitely more than before. She didn’t stand a chance. Nikoli pinched her nose shut with the hand on his bloodied wrist. Claire knew she would open her mouth involuntarily when she ran out of air and that would be it for her. He’d change her, against her will.
She would become the very monster she had turned Nikoli into.
Claire held her breath as long as she could. Fireworks bloomed behind her closed eyelids and she became light headed as her will fought against her oxygen deprived body. Suddenly her nose was open again and her hair released from Nikoli’s grasp as she fell onto her back. Reflexively she opened her mouth and gasped in huge gulps of air. She closed her mouth in a panic, waiting for Nikoli’s bloodied wrist to be pushed against her mouth again. Nothing happened.
Claire opened her eyes and sat up quickly. Nikoli lay face down on the ground next to her, an arrow sticking out of his back. Anya stood over him, battered and bloodied, another arrow aimed for his heart at the ready in her bow.
Claire let out a strangled cry and fell back to the ground. The blackness took her and she knew no more.
Chapter 27
When she awoke she found herself back in Anya’s caravan. Anya sat on a stool, waiting for her to wake up. When she saw Claire had come to she rushed to her side and knelt beside the bed.
“Claire?” she whispered. “I am sorry, so sorry for Nikoli, but he would have turned you. I had to do it.” Tears fell down her pretty face as she pleaded for her friend’s forgiveness.
Claire simply nodded. Her body was sore all over, her dislocated shoulder back in place in a sling. She felt numb inside, dead. Nikoli was gone. “How did we get here?” she asked.
“When we did not come back to Camp after sun came up Renka sent riders to find us. Garridan made bigger circle, we pulled you and Nikoli in, Myrmidons could not get us and sun came up. You sleep longer than one day.” Anya explained awkwardly as she tried to find the right English words.
“Nikoli,” Claire stated numbly. “Where is- where is he?” She felt agonizing sorrow bubbling up inside her but she fought to push it back.
Anya shrugged. “I not know. Renka had Garridan move body out of Camp for now.”
The door pushed open and Garridan stuck his head in. He grinned when he saw Claire was awake. He said something to Anya, who nodded and rose.
“I will be back soon, I go get Renka and tell her you are awake,” she told Claire.
Claire didn’t have the strength to protest being left alone with Garridan. He moved Anya’s stool right up to the bed and lowered his bulk onto it. Claire stared at him blankly.
“I know you are hurting Nikoli is gone,” Garridan began “but now you must see he was no good for you, you could have no future with a Vampir.” He paused, then continued, encouraged by Claire’s lack of protest. “Maybe now you see how you need a husband, a real man, who will give you a real life, not play games and pretend he is a man.” Garridan reached into his pocket and pulled out a small leather pouch. Claire tensed up and held her breath, dreading what was coming next.
“I am the best man in this Camp. I am strong, I work hard. I want a beautiful woman to take care of me and my home and raise my children. I want strong, smart sons and beautiful daughters.” Garridan opened the pouch and produced a fiery opal ring set on a silver band with an intricate design. He held it up for Claire to inspect. “You are the woman who can give me that, and I will protect and take care of you in return. I want you to be my bride, Claire.”
Claire sat up, aghast and speechless. She made no move to neither take the ring nor answer Garridan.
“I know you thought you loved Nikoli. I hope you see now he could not love you, not really. Many girls in this Camp hope I will take them for my bride but I do not want them- I want you, Claire. I am willing to ignore your tryst with the Vampir to have you by my side and in my bed,” he said, clearly thinking himself charitable.
Claire regarded him dully. He waited patiently for her answer.
Finally she spoke. “Nikoli’s death does not change anything for you, Garridan. No, I cannot be your bride.” She braced herself against his temper but it never came. Instead of exploding in anger he regarded her calmly.
“I will wait,” he announced as he tucked the ring back into its pouch. “You rest now, you are not in your right mind to discuss serious matters, I should have known better.” He moved to stroke her cheek but stopped when she drew back in disgust. He sighed. “I have waited all my 23 years for you, my crazy American, I can wait some more.” He paused.
“I want you to think of one thing Claire- when Renka said you would be bound to your love by blood, why do you assume she meant Nikoli? He is dead now, because of your blood.” She flinched involuntarily at his harsh words. “I spilled my blood to protect you; I drained out my life’s essence to keep you safe. How are you so sure Renka was not referring to me in her prophecy? I tried to protect you from that monster by spilling my blood for you.” He studied her carefully but she refused to answer him. Defeated, he left without another word.
Claire sank back on the bed. She wanted nothing more but to drift away back into the blackness. Her family was dead and now Nikoli too. Everyone she had loved was dead. There was nothing left for her.
Anya came back with Renka in tow. The old woman hobbled over to the stool and sat down. Claire regarded her silently. She had nothing to say to the deluded old liar who told her she would be bound to her true love by blood. Nikoli had been her love and now he was dead.
Renka muttered to herself in her odd way as she searched the folds of her skirt for something. Finally she found what she was looking for and cradled it in her lap but it was too small to see.
“What will you do now?” she asked Claire. “We will destroy the Fang soon, but where will you go? Back to America?”
Claire drew her knees up to her chest. She hadn’t thought of where to go next. Without Nikoli it didn’t matter. She longed for Joyce’s soothing words and comfort but couldn’t stand the thought of returning to the farmhouse without Nikoli. Her home and family was gone, and the place that now felt like home was out of the question. It was too painful to even consider the farmhouse with Nikoli gone. She shook her head to Renka, unable to meet her piercing gaze.
“I did not think so. You have Gypsy blood in you, you belong with us now,” Renka declared in her gravelly voice. “I want you to stay here with us- you are family. I would say you were welcome anyways, but as you are Blood, you stay here- with your people. You have no other people now, they are all dead.”
Tears welled up in Claire’s eyes as she hugged her knees tighter. “Where is Nikoli?” she whispered, barely able to utter the words.
Renka waved her hands dismissively. “I had Garridan bury him in the forest. He took his heart out first.”
Claire burst into sobs. “Is it not enough he’s dead?” she cried out as Renka removed the small object from her hand and held it up against Claire’s cheek. Claire drew back but Renka persisted.
“What is that?” Claire sobbed as she batted Renka’s hand away from her. Renka held it up for Claire to see. It was a small glass vial, filled with her tears.
“I told you,” Renka explained “when you came back I would have everything I needed for the spell to destroy the Fang. The flower, the heart of the Guardian, the tears of his Keeper.’
Claire gasped in horror. “You knew? You knew this would happen?”
Renka shook her head. “No, I did not know, I knew I needed the flower and when you came back I would have the rest. I did not know what it was until the riders brought you back. Then I knew, I saw. To destroy the Fang the bond between Keeper and Guardian had to be broken too. They do not e
xist without Stavros, if he were gone they must be gone too.” She patted Claire’s hand gently. Claire wailed in unrelenting grief.
“I will go now. Later you come to me, we destroy the Fang, when you are ready, but before the sun sets,” Renka commanded as she left the caravan.
Anya sat down gingerly next to Claire and pulled her into her arms. “It is okay,” she crooned again and again as she tried to soothe Claire. She rocked her in her arms for a long time as Claire’s grief ran its course. Finally Claire could cry no more.
“You stay here, with us now?” Anya asked hopefully. “You are like sister for me, I hope you stay. You are family here with us.”
Claire sniffled. She didn’t really want to stay here, at the Camp, living as a Gypsy but where else could she go? She truly had nowhere to go, no one to turn to expect Renka and her Camp. Joyce’s farm was out of the question for her. It would be unbearable to return there now.
“I don’t know,” she replied. “Anya, I need some time alone, to think. Do you mind leaving me alone for a bit?”
Anya nodded. “I check on you later,” she promised.
Alone at last Claire covered herself with Anya’s bright quilt and eventually fell asleep. When she awoke a few hours later she knew what she had to do.
Chapter 28
Claire was resolute in her decision as she entered Renka’s caravan.
“Come,” Renka commanded as she motioned for Claire to sit on the familiar loveseat. “I have been waiting for you.” Claire sat down and Renka moved a small table in front of her.
On the table was an ornately carved wooden bowl. Next to it was a mortar and pestle full of the ground Zeita petals and the vial full of tears. Renka set down one last container- a small metal pail. Claire knew what it contained without looking and broke into a cold sweat.
Renka regarded her solemnly. “You must put it all together, I will speak the words then.”
Claire nodded and tried to swallow the lump in her throat.
“First the flower, then the tears, then the heart, last the Fang,” Renka instructed. Claire did as she was told. She had no problem dumping the ground flower petals and tears into the bowl but her hands shook so badly she could barely slide Nikoli’s heart out of the metal pail into the bowl. Tears blurred her vision as she fought not to pass out. Finally she undid the locket that held the Fang of Stavros and held it above the wooden bowl. Renka nodded her encouragement.
Claire dropped the locket into the bowl and Renka handed her a spoon made from a deer antler.
“You stir now, do not stop until I tell you to, I will do the spell,” Renka instructed.
Claire stirred as Renka began an incantation in an ancient language. Red smoke that stank of sulfur began curling out of the bowl. As Renka’s chant grew in volume and intensity so did the smoke. Claire felt nauseous and light headed but forced herself to go on, stirring the ingredients continuously. The Fang had to be destroyed. Her family had had been brutally murdered, her love killed- all because of Stavros, still causing death and misery from his grave. It was time to put a stop to his reign of terror. He and his Myrmidons had cost her dearly and Nikoli had died trying to destroy the Fang. She would do this, finish this task, not only to protect the world from Stavros’ return but to avenge her deceased loved ones.
Claire stirred with increased fervor as Renka continued the spell. The smoke made it impossible to see much in the room through its stinky red haze. Renka’s chant crescendoed and suddenly a huge blue flame sprung up out of the bowl then disappeared, taking all the smoke with it. Claire sat dumbfounded, antler spoon in hand, looking into the now empty bowl. It looked clean and untouched inside, like the spell had never happened.
Renka nodded her approval. “It is good.” She smiled a toothless grin. “The Fang of Stavros is gone, he can never return now.”
“What about the Myrmidons?” Claire asked.
Renka shrugged. “They no more a concern than any other vampire, they are regular vampires again.”
“What about Nikoli?” Claire could barely force the words out of her mouth. “Could he- come back, like Stavros wanted to? Does he have Myrmidons now?”
Renka shook her head. “A God did not interfere to cause his destruction, so now that his heart is gone, he cannot come back, never again. Stavros could be risen up by his Fangs because Circe meddled with his destiny by causing him to lose them. If Circe had left Stavros alone and someone had staked his heart, he could not have come back either, as long as the stake remained in place. There are terrible consequences when the Gods interfere, but it was Nikoli’s destiny to die that night. He cannot come back, there is no way.” She sank back into her rocker.
“Your destiny is to stay with us, join the Camp. It’s in your blood. Will you heed your calling?” she inquired, studying Claire with her hawk-like eyes.
Claire nodded slightly. “I will stay and join the Camp. You’re right- there is nothing for me anywhere else, not anymore.”
Renka cackled happily. “We will get you a place to stay of your own soon, until then you stay with Anya. You go now- you have done good work, Keeper, the Fang is gone. I will rest now, it drained me to use that magic.” Renka closed her eyes and rocked slowly in her chair, humming to herself.
Claire took her leave and headed off into the Camp. She was not going back to Anya’s caravan, not yet. She paused at the door of a well-kept emerald green caravan trimmed in navy blue. Taking a deep breath, she knocked on the door.
Garridan stuck his head out and broke into a huge grin when he saw Claire there. He stepped out to talk to her.
Claire stood stiffly, her head held high, her eyes full of challenge. “I accept,” she told him gruffly.
His eyes lit up as he clapped his hands with glee. “You accept? You will be my bride?” Claire nodded mutely.
Garridan yanked the small leather pouch out of his pocket and produced the ring again. Claire held her ring finger out and he slid on the engagement ring. “I knew you would come around. It would be impossible for you not to,” he gloated.
Claire met his eyes but her somber expression did not dim Garridan’s joy. “You will be happy, I will make you very happy, I promise, my beautiful bride. And since you are of Gypsy blood, our children will be Gypsies too!” He grabbed Claire around the waist and twirled her around. She obliged, stiff in his arms. His touch made her skin crawl, but she would adjust to him- in time. There was nothing for her anymore, no family, no love. Claire was certain she would never love again. With Nikoli dead, her life was a bleak wasteland before her. She figured she might as well marry Garridan. She didn’t love him, didn’t even like him, but she knew he would be true to his word and provide for her. By marrying Garridan she could stay with the Camp and be protected and cared for. She was dead inside and didn’t care if she married a man she despised if that man would make her life easier. If there could be no emotional joy in their union for her at least she could gain physical comfort.
Garridan placed her back on the ground. “We must go and tell Renka, this is something to celebrate!” He grasped her hand to lead her back to Renka’s caravan.
“I can’t, you go,” she said quietly. “We destroyed the Fang, I’m exhausted, I need to lie down for a while- you can tell Renka,” she pleaded as she slipped her hand out of his grasp.
Garridan leaned in as if to kiss her goodbye but Claire ducked out of the way. He frowned.
“Not yet,” Claire explained. “We’re not married yet.”
Garridan’s grin returned. “Okay, we will wait. But we must plan the wedding to be soon, I have waited long enough for my American!” he teased as he headed off to announce their engagement to Renka.
Claire made her way back to Anya’s caravan as her mind raced. She had no interest in having a physical relationship with Garridan but she knew it would be expected of her once they were married. She loathed the thought but felt too hollow inside to care. She would deal with it when she had to- for now she could put him off until the wed
ding.
She sank back onto the bed in the caravan and dozed off. Between her grief over the loss of Nikoli and her overwhelming apathy about what was to come in her future all she wanted to do was sleep. Her dozing was interrupted when Anya burst through the door.
“You marry Garridan?” she asked, her accent thicker than usual as her excitement level rose.
“Yes, I accepted,” Claire explained as she tried to shake off her aborted nap.
“But you not love Garridan, you love Nikoli,” Anya declared.
Claire shrugged. “Nikoli is dead now, Garridan wants to marry me. I couldn’t love a man ever again, what’s the difference if I marry Garridan or some other guy? None of them are Nikoli. It doesn’t matter who I marry now.”
“That not true.” Anya shook her head. “Garridan good guy, act bad sometimes. But you don’t want him, you should not marry. It is what you want?”
“Sure,” Claire conceded. “If I marry him, I can stay here in Camp, with you.”
Anya studied her carefully. “I am happy he is happy, but I am sad you are not. I hope you do this with much thought. But I am happy you will stay with us.” She gave Claire a quick hug. “Renka wants to see you about the wedding, you go now.”
Claire headed off to Renka’s caravan, taking her time as she went. As she passed through the Camp some people ran up to her to shake her hand and pat her on the back. She couldn’t understand what they were saying but the message was clear- people had heard of her engagement to Garridan and were offering their congratulations and approval. She offered them small smiles in return, but noticed a few young women her age simply glared at her from a distance. They wouldn’t approach her, they were too angry and jealous she was to be Garridan’s bride.
When she reached Renka’s caravan she found a group of women outside, waiting for her. They sprang into action, taking Claire’s measurements and fussing over her hair.
“We make wedding dress,” one woman explained kindly. Claire just nodded. “Why you not happy?” the woman asked. “Garridan best man of Camp, all the girls want to be his.”
