"I see. So, our goals align in any case. Speaking of which, how strong are they? And what's with the pope? What do you know about him?"
"The thirty thousand soldiers equals a single hair from a horse’s mane. Their supply is limitless. As to who he is, I have no idea. All I know is that he's even older than Nosferatu, and many times more powerful."
"That's not good. But why doesn't he come to kill me himself if he's so strong?"
"Hah! Would you send Boris to get rid of a crying baby? No, you'd send anyone available at that time. To him, you're no larger a threat than a crying infant flailing its arms around," he sighed. "I'll have to cut our conversation short here as you've arrived at your destination. We'll talk again if you survive, young Ivan. Good luck. You'll need it."
Chapter Thirty-Four
"So, he's finally awake again," Hana's familiar voice spoke. I squeezed my eyes shut as bright light assailed me.
"Yeah. Why? You hoped I wouldn't?" I joked. She slapped me playfully and put her arms around me.
"You idiot! Don't even joke with that stuff!"
"Do you mind getting off? You seem to have gotten weight while I was away."
"Hey! What the hell?" she scoffed. "You're such an idiot! And to think I wasted to much time getting myself pretty for you!"
I finally noticed after I opened my eyes again. She lay atop me wearing a sheer white dress with her dark hair tied up in a ponytail. Black charcoal was smeared atop her eyelids.
"You look-- good?" I replied almost questioningly and immediately regretted it. Then I spotted Tierney and Katya who sat to my right, while Selene and Freya sat on my left. All five women wore the same sheer white dress and had gone to great lengths to work on their outer appearance. "What is all of this?"
"We decided to do something for you--"
"And for ourselves," Tierney said interrupting Katya. "A lot has been lost in the last year, as well as gained. But for those who stayed behind and have to deal with the sorrow, we thought it appropriate to hold a ceremony, right here at Bran castle, our new home."
"I see," was all I could come up at that instant. "And what did you ladies have in mind when you say ceremony?"
"You're going to wed us all. All five of us will have equal rights, except for Freya. She's a goddess after all. We all agreed to it."
"You've caught me quite off guard, my ladies. When will we be holding the ceremony?"
"Right now. We've prepared everything for you, and what little close friends are left will attend," Katya whispered. There was a haunted look on her face, one of guilt. I knew she felt responsible for what happened, but she couldn't be blamed. She mustn't.
"First of all, we need to make something clear. What happened at Zharevo is my fault only, not yours, Katya, or Hana's or anyone else's. Do you understand?"
"You weren't there! How can you say such a thing?" Katya protested.
"Shut up, Katya. I have fought the Captain, and I know how strong he is. If I could lose so badly against him, did you honestly think you'd stand a chance?"
"No, but--"
"No buts! You survived, and that's what I ordered you to do. All that matters to me is that you five are alive, nothing else. I could watch the whole world burn, and I wouldn't blink an eye, but you five-- you're my life, no matter how mad or evil I've become. Do you understand?"
"You're not evil and mad!" Hana protested.
"My dear Hana, you have no idea. The last weeks have done much to my-- sanity."
"Do you still love us? I demand an answer!" she yelled, slamming her fists against my chest.
"Do you even need to ask?" I snapped. "I've been doing all this for you! For all of us!" She shied away and got off me. I felt sorry for snapping at her, but some things were beyond me, and one was to doubt my loyalty or my intention.
"Calm down, you two. We know that all of the things you've been doing since the start are for all for us," Tierney said. "But you have to understand something, Ivan. There are five of us. You have more love for some over the others. We're totally fine with it, but please look at it from our point of view and try to understand for yourself."
"I will. And I'm sorry for snapping at you, Hana. Come here," I apologized and put my arms around her. She sniffled in my neck. I couldn't help but smile at her attempt of trying to make me feel bad.
"You're forgiven," she whispered. "If you do me first when we have the time."
"Deal," I replied and kissed her full on the lips.
"Me too!" Katya squealed and pushed her out of the way. And just like that, the five women who'd come to dominate my life had made peace with each other.
"But to get Selene pregnant in one try is beyond me. How did you manage that?" Tierney asked. "She's an ArcLich. She shouldn't be able to have any kids."
"I have no idea," Selene replied as they helped me dress in the clothes they'd prepared. "All I know is that I suddenly felt it. Freya even confirmed."
"Don't look at me," Freya replied. "I think you're pregnant, has a different meaning than you are pregnant."
"Details! Details!" Selene said, waving her off.
"Good to see that you ladies are taking it all in stride. But after the ceremony, we need to get serious. A huge army is marching our way and is intent on destroying us."
"And whose fault is it that they're coming here?" Hana teased.
"Mine. And trust me, I'll deal with it already," I replied, smacking her ass. "With the help of you ladies and that-- Werewolf guy. Anyway, how do you feel wearing the new jewelry Selene picked out for you?"
"Oh! It's incredible! I sparred earlier with Boris and almost handed him his ass," Hana said. "They're just amazing! I'm much faster and stronger now."
"Same here," Katya added. I am now able to cast much stronger spells, or rather, the same spells as before but with much more potency. I can even inscribe better wards."
"I can-- do a lot of nasty things to people," Tierney said lastly. "The weapon you brought me and the jewelry has made something totally different out of me. I feel invincible right now."
"Hey! Don't let that shit get to your head. They're items and can become lost or damaged. You better not depend on them too much," I berated them. It was stupid, but I had to do it. If they got hung up drunk on power, then it might cost them their lives in the heat of battle.
"Yeah, we know. Don't worry," Katya replied first. "Gamayun has been doing some interesting things for us as well."
"Like?" I asked.
"Enchanting our underwear or general clothing. Every item adds to our defenses and whatever else we might get from them."
"Truth be told, I've been feeling rather strange since I put on my pants. It feels like I'm wearing a full set of protective armor."
"And you are. These things are amazing," Hana said. "Katya fired an icicle at me earlier. It deflected off my bare arm."
"Oh?" I asked, turning to Katya.
"I didn't put in too much power, so it's only logical. I'd like to see her try and deflect one now."
"And it has already started," Selene chuckled. "Who has the bigger dick here out of us? Except for Ivan. That's only logical."
"You girls have gone nuts," I laughed as I put on my shirt. A new wave of sensation coursed through my body. Just what the hell did Gamayun do to these pieces of clothing?
"Hah, feels good, no?" Hana snickered. You should've seen Katya when she put on her dress. She almost came then and there!"
"Hey!" Katya exclaimed and slapped Hana playfully. "You shouldn't be saying those kinds of things!"
"Oh, you should have seen me," Tierney chuckled. "I think even Gamayun got excited."
"Huh? What are you--"
"Never mind her," Hana interrupted. "She's horny as a bat. All she can think and speak about is you and your-- way with her."
"Jealous, little vampire?" Tierney mocked. "You don't even know how to enjoy what Chernobog gave us."
"Aren't we expected, ladies?" I asked, steering the conversation to where it should hav
e gone in the first place.
"Yeah. But there aren't many of us left anyway. Only a handful," Hana replied.
"And you ladies are alright with that? No grand weddings?" I asked curiously.
"No. We agreed on one with those who survive the upcoming battle. If we all die, you'll need to find a new bride, my Lord," Selene said. "Unless Freya is enough. I doubt she'll die."
"I won't. But I'd hate to see any of you go down. I've grown to like you girls for some strange reason," Freya replied.
"You ladies really know how to kill the mood," I uttered. "Now come, let's get this ceremony started."
The small chapel had been mostly restored and cleaned to the point that it looked like-- well, a chapel. Bruno stood at an altar that resembled Freya for some strange reason, at least the version our small group could see. He wore a white robe with black and golden accents, while his wife Martina wore a similarly cut dress. Her short ashen hair hung to her shoulders.
Harma and Marek sat on one of the benches with Gamayun behind them on another. Boris stood to their left with his arms crossed along with his whole pack lined along the wall. Selene's Liches and witches, which I didn't know by name, lined the other wall.
To the right sat Petrov and a group of men and women I barely recognized from glancing over their faces. I assumed they must have been leaders in the other villages while the Serpents operated and their wives or something. Not that it mattered at the moment. And that was it, those were all the people I knew who had survived the attack.
"Lord Ivan! You're back!" Bruno said, happily spreading his arms to offer me a hug. I didn't stop him and put my right arm on his back while nodding to Martina, his wife.
"Well met again, Cardinal. You're supposed to head the ceremony?"
"Yes," he replied with a nod. "It won't be anything standard, just symbolic. The most important thing is the act and that it's witnessed by someone other than the ones being bound for life."
I turned around looking at the five women in my life who'd I come to 'love' or whatever the feeling was. There was nothing that could have prepared me for such a moment, no amount of warning or wishful thinking. But was I even ready for this? Sure, I was a very strong Vampyre destined to become-- who knew what. So why was there such a feeling that lived inside me?
"Let's do this," I said, looking the girls over. My beautiful and powerful ladies. I would need to protect them from the storm that was about to be unleashed on us. Having lost Vera was a big blow that would have even hurt much more had she been one of us, and Andrej, and all the others.
"Please, come and stand here, Lord Ivan," Bruno motioned for me to step up to him as his wife called the girls over. The first in line was Katya, then Hana, Tierney, Selene and in the end Freya. It was almost a full circle if one looked at when we met. No, I knew Freya before any of the others, but not in her current form.
"Is everyone ready?" Martina asked the girls as she looked them over.
"Yes, mom," Hana replied, followed by Katya and the rest. Mom? I chuckled inwardly and looked over the few people who were attending. Harma held hands with Marek. Petrov had two women sitting to his sides. Who knew what their deal was?
"Lord Ivan, would you like to start? It doesn't have to be anything special, maybe just a few words on how you may feel toward these ladies," he asked and put a piece of paper in my hand. I turned to him and glanced over it, but memorizing the words quickly. It was good. The old man had prepared something quite fitting for us.
"I will, Cardinal Bruno," I replied, turning to the five standing to my left. I walked over and stopped in front of Tierney, standing at their center.
"Please, begin if you would," the Cardinal whispered. I nodded and took a deep breath.
"I love all of you, enough to fight and compromise for you, to sacrifice myself, and even burn down the world to save you. I love you enough to miss you when we're apart, no matter the distance and length of time. I think about you every conscious moment, no matter where I am. I love you all enough to spend the rest of my immortal life with you, be there for you when you need, or want me. I do not wish to live my life without you. That's my vow and promise, to all of you."
Hana couldn't help and hold her tears back. The second to start crying was Katya, who was longest with me, followed by Selene. Tierney and Freya just looked proud and lustful. I didn't mind it in the least, but what did I even expect from someone alive for hundreds or thousands of years?
Both anger and fear came over me as Dracul took over control of my body. He lifted my right hand and snapped. Darkness, blacker than the deepest black swirled in front of me as the vein on my neck burst open. Blood gushed from the wound and started mixing with the five swirls of dark floating stopped right before the girls' necks. Beautiful black-red crystals emerged from the swirls embedded in a pitch-black, living triangular shape with a blood-red thread that went all the way from one side to the other.
"Oh, my goodness!" Freya gasped. "You haven't forgotten the promise after all?" she asked, looking straight at me. Our eyes met, and Dracul nodded. Her eyes closed, and a single, black tear rolled down her right cheek.
"Katya," he said using my voice and walked around her, fastening the necklace. Then it was Hana's turn, Tierney's, Selene's and in the end Freya's. "I haven't forgotten our promise, and I never will. One day," he whispered in her ear and released control back to me. He didn't stay around long enough for me to ask him what it was about, but it didn't matter, the necklaces were breathtaking.
"Ladies?" Martina hissed. "Come on!"
"Oh, right!" Katya first replied and put her hand on my left side. Hana followed while Tierney and Selene took up their place on my right. Freya stood right in front of me and put both hands on my chest.
"Our life is our promise. We promise to cherish and love you for all eternity," they said in unison as if they'd been practicing it for quite a while. "We promise to support you and be yours, and only yours for as long as we take breath. If we should fall before you, remember us. If you should fall before us, we will follow you after taking our revenge. We will forever be yours, Lord Ivan, for we bind ourselves to you using our greatest treasure, our hearts. May they stop beating if we ever do you harm or stop loving you."
Something deep inside snapped, and I couldn't hold it back anymore. Five tears or blood and five of darkness rolled down my cheeks and intermingled in mid-air, then burrowed themselves right into their chests. I had no idea what just happened, but I had a feeling that this ceremony wasn't just for show.
"What have you done?" I asked Katya over our mental link. "Don't tell me it's what I think it is."
"We just told you, Ivan. We have bound our life to yours. If you die, we have seven days to live before we follow you."
"Idiot! Why would you do such a thing? Don't you know that I might die when the Vatacan shows up?"
"If you do, we'll all follow you into your death, Ivan," she replied out loud for all to hear. I wanted to be mad at her, to scold and even hit her for their stupidity, but I couldn't. What had they done to me, no, to themselves?
"Don't you think it's a bit rude leading a conversation with just her?" Tierney scolded me. I couldn't help but shake my head and sigh.
"Idiots. All five of you. Why the hell would a goddess bind herself like this?" I asked, looking right into Freya's pitch-black eyes. She shrugged and left my question unanswered.
"Will you be taking them to bed first, or having a meeting with the rest of us?" Boris asked, breaking the spell that had fallen over the chapel.
"What do you think, you hairy bastard?" I replied, embracing my women and leading them back to the chamber we'd come from. "We'll be out in a couple of hours. Be ready."
Chapter Thirty-Five
Bran castle's courtyard was chock-full of people when we exit our private chambers. The few that had attended the ceremony were intermingled with the others, but the majority was unknown to me. They had one thing in common, however, and that was their uniforms.
&nbs
p; "Ivan," Tierney said as we walked down the stairs. "A big number of people present are my old associates or people who worked for me. Please take the time to greet some of them, while we act like good hostesses trying to keep up the good spirits."
"I will, Tierney. First, I need to have a drink. I see there's alcohol in abundance over there," I motioned at the tables holding the barrels up. A servant noticed me approaching and readied a mug of the dark-green liquid. I couldn't help but look at it strangely but decided against arguing. The man probably had no idea what he was giving out anyway.
"My Lord. Welcome back. My name is Adun. I'm the head of your staff at castle Bran," he said bowing low.
"Adun, is it? Who chose you?"
"My Lord? It was mistress Tierney. I've been in her service for over a decade now."
"I see. In that case, keep up the good work, Adun," I replied, patting the man on the shoulder and walked past him. This wasn't something I was interested in. Bonding. I had enough of that for the next lifetime.
Over the next hour or so, I led many conversations, albeit short ones, with all kinds of 'team leaders' as Tierney had titled them. Some were for procuring goods, others for saving people, or for killing them. Too many faces and names to remember them. The only thing that interested me was to get this charade over and get down to business. They would need at least two to three days to get here on foot, so there wasn't much time.
"Everyone!" I yelled after reaching the boiling point, "Unless you're an officer or very close to me, you can take your leave immediately. We got important things to discuss." To their luck, they didn't need a second warning that playtime was over. A handful of people I didn't recognize stayed behind. Instead of questioning them, Petrov spoke up.
"My Lord, these men, and women have all exceptional fighting capabilities. They've served the Serpents many a time in battle."
"They're Human?"
Lord of Shadows book 2: Bloodlines Page 27
