Pain courses through out my body, and the vision of Anna and Chino vanishes as I start to see red. I scream out their name, calling them to come back to me, to stay with me during my last moments, but it's too late they're gone, and I'm screaming at dead air. I can hear voices echoing around me, and the sharp noises bounce around my skull, the silence is gone and now that the noise has return I realize that Anna and Chino had hardly spoken at all.
"He's coming around," A female whispers, I can feel strong, familiar hands on my shoulders, and through the blur of my vision I can see Fawkes' flaming red hair above me.
I try to say his name, but nothing comes out but white foam that flows down rapidly from my mouth. "Sir, you need to swallow the stone. You'll feel better, I promise." He says, but I don't want to feel better, I want to be back with Anna and Chino, but they are gone and they aren't going to come back, not unless I continued to live and made them apart of my future. As hard and as big as the stone is I force it down my throat, swallowing it whole. The nutrients within the stone allows the toxins of the Unicorn's blood to ebb away, allowing the body to heal from the damage that the toxins has caused. I know all this because it isn't the first time that I had attempted to make everything silent, this isn't the first time that I had tried to kill myself.
They try to help me, try to help me get better, but I send them all away and request to be left alone. Fawkes does a sweep of my room and takes away anything he believes that I might use to kill myself with, after that he mainly leaves me alone even though he sends people to guard my room.
Although the room itself is silent, the noise of people’s thoughts echoes around me, their concern, their worry, and their arguments. I find myself concentrating on an argument; it is between Fawkes and the woman from before. I do not know her name, but she has been popping up recently every time I seek Fawkes out.
"There were two people entering into our territory this evening. A Shape-shifter, and a Pure-blood Vampire," The woman says, her eyes are burning with fury. "We need to alert Christian, he needs to be aware of what is happening within his own Kingdom!" Her anger burns through her words as her voice reaches heights that hurt my ears and makes my head throb.
"I know, Talia, I know! But if he knew the Oath Brother of his 'arch-nemeses' was here then he'd be in an even worse state than before. We need to quietly ease him out of the state he's in before we can allow him to know". I repel my mind away from their conversation, and sit up on the bed. I have a choice, do I get up and deal with the situation that I was not intended to know about? Or do I remain here, wallowing in my self-pity and sorrow, allowing my life to slip away and the chance to gain my future pass by? The decision is easy to make, not only because I think of myself but I think of my people, who are feared and hated by our world simply because of what we are. Not only do I deserve a better and brighter future, but so do they, and so I get up, moving my limbs slowly to check that they are still functional. I shift only slightly, to make myself more presentable, and not to look like someone else.
I open the door and I find that the two guards have fallen asleep at their stations, how pathetic they are at their task. I could have been doing anything within my room, and they would not have known what I was doing in their state. I quickly make my way to my throne room, where I had last seen them.
They are standing by the table in the far corner, the one that I had found the Unicorn blood on. They are arguing about what to do about the blood, when they are startled out of their conversation at the click of the door locking behind me.
"You should be-rid yourself of that woman Fawkes, if she is as much trouble as she seems," I say softly as I cross the room to join them. He seems to stiffen for a moment, whether it's about my comment or the fact that I'm actually here, I cannot say.
"She is as much trouble as the one you have chosen, My Lord. Besides Talia here is the woman who supply's the Unicorn blood for you. She is the one who slits her own sisters’ throats for your sake My Lord." This piques my interest, I grab her chin between my fingers, squeezing tightly as I turn her head from left to right, searching for something within her eyes.
"Why would you kill your sisters for a King who doesn't know you and does not care?" I ask making my voice vicious and sharp. I am in no mood to be pleasant, and I make sure that they are aware of it.
"My Lord, she cannot speak," Fawkes says moving to step in between us, it's only a small movement but I recognize it. It infuriates me that he is protecting this murderer that he is lying on her behalf.
"Do not lie to me, Fawkes. Above all else you are my servant and you would do well to keep that in mind," I hiss, turning my anger onto him. "Girl, I suggest you answer my question," I say softly, the bitter edge still residing in my words. Her eyes turn to me, desperation in them. I realize how tightly I've been gripping her chin, and release her from my hold.
"My Lord, I know where this world is heading and I have no desire to die. I do what I must to live, even if it is at a high cost," Her voice trembles with fear, and I am elated at the sound, knowing that it is I who has caused her to tremble within her own skin.
"Very well, we all do as we must to survive," I say, granting the woman to have some peace of mind. "Now I overheard your argument, I demand to know what exactly has been happening within my Kingdom while I have been passed out," I say, turning toward Fawkes, my attention seeking out my adviser, hoping that he will give me the information that I need.
"My Lord, two soldiers from Selicia, the Pure Vampires kingdom, have entered into our territory. Our 'ears' and 'eyes' have been following them as they have been travelling throughout your Kingdom. It seems that they are after Anna's parents." His eyes are down cast, as he obediently answers my demands. He trembles as well, terrified of my might and power.
"That is invaluable information Fawkes; I commend you on a job well done. We can't allow Rupert and Darleen to leave as of yet, they are not completely loyal to us. Gather two of our greatest shifters, we need them to interact with Darleen and Rupert, and allow themselves to be found. They will go undercover into the enemies Kingdom, and they will be invaluable with the information that they will be able to gather." I give his orders expecting him to move, and get working as soon as I am done speaking, but he hasn't moved at all and I fear that he isn't as obedient as I think he is.
"My Lord there is more. The 'ears' overheard that Victor proposed to Annabelle, and that she accepted. I am deeply sorry My Lord; I know how much your heart was set on her." Fawkes head is bowed completely, he refuses to seek my eyes out, and it isn't until I start laughing that he looks up confused, wondering why I would be laughing about a matter like this.
"This is wonderful news, that means it worked, and not only that it worked but that she fell for it!" I exclaim in joy, perhaps my chosen future is closer than I could have imagined. At the confusion in Fawkes eyes I elaborate on the details for him. "The other night, after I met them on No-man's land at the shoreline, I entered into Victor's mind, hoping to gather some information of worth. It was difficult at first, and when my skull felt as it was about to burst I was no longer looking at the ceiling in my bedroom but at Anna, motionless upon a bed covered in white. At first I thought she was dead, but when I kissed her she stirred, and came to life in my arms, encouraging my kiss. I couldn't believe that she didn't realize it was me, and so continuing with my deceit I continued to kiss her and touch her. After a few moments of bliss, I asked her if she would marry me, and she said yes! That blood Vampire was thrashing around in his head, trying to get back in control of his body, but I left the room before he could take over. His mind would have been scrambled about the event, and thus a small victory," I say as I try to keep both feet planted on the ground. This news has filled me with hope, I hadn't had any faith in it working for many reasons from simple things like there is too much space in-between me, and the target and to things much more complex, like how Anna can see almost through all of my schemes, but this news is the best that I could have hoped
for because it worked, it worked! And unknowingly Anna is my fiancée instead of that bloody Vampire's!
I don't notice Fawkes slipping away from the throne room in my elation, nor do I notice how quite his woman is. All I know, all I feel is my own joy at the good news. I do however notice when he returns, behind him is two guards, one assigned to each of Anna's parents, and there are two shifters after the guards, one male and one female. The guards are tough, there is no question to it, there is a steely look in there eyes, and their chiselled features make those before them tremble in fear. The shifters are slim and angular, they are both un-naturally tall, and they are both unbelievably agile. They have the highest I.Q. Records and are the best out of the legion of shifters at my command. As for Anna's parents they look as if they have been dragged through hell and back, they are covered in their own human fluids, and they are trembling with every step that they take. When they look up at me they start to scream in an unnatural way, almost as if they were squealing like a pig being led to the slaughter. I can feel my lips curving into a sinister smile, their pain, their torment, their fear is almost tangible on the air and it stirs my soul in a way that I cannot describe.
As I watch Fawkes shut the door behind everyone I turn to the crowd, my eyes scanning their waiting faces. They are all different in so many ways, but my people are cold, still like statues rather than people. Rupert and Darleen of course are different, they whimper pathetically at my feet, and I feel like kicking them aside. They are completely different to the two people I brought into my kingdom, and as I think about how little their stay with us has been, I cannot help but think how pathetically weak they are.
"Now that we are all present, I will inform you as to why I have called you here," I say waiting for them to make a comment, when none comes to me I continue "John and Andy, you were called here because I will be requesting you to escort Kurt and Diana to the outskirts of the city, there you will find a Vampire and a Shape-shifter do not kill them! That is of extreme importance.
"As for you, Kurt and Diana, you will be shifting into Darleen and Rupert, you yourselves will be going undercover in enemy territory, and it is of extreme importance that you follow your role correctly. We cannot afford to make any mistakes. If you do not want to do this, then speak now. If you are willing to serve me and your country, then take the blood of your roles, and make their memories your own. I am trusting you all."
I watch as Kurt makes his way toward Rupert and as Diana makes her way toward Darleen, their is no emotion in their eyes as they slice slightly into their targets arms, preparing to drink the blood from the source. The Change comes over them as they drink from their victims, Diana's long blond hair shortens until it is the same cut as Darleen's, her body fills out so it's more curvy then angular, her features soften and before my eyes she has become Darleen's double. Kurt on the other hand, shrinks only slightly to match Rupert's height, his silver hair darkens to the black mess that adorns Rupert's head, his slim angular body broadens, until it becomes thick and brawny, his golden skin lightens until he is pale. Diana and Kurt have gone through the change, and now there was no way to tell the difference between them, and the real Rupert and Darleen. For a brief moment I wonder how this will affect Anna, considering how much she hated her parent's before. I hate the fact that seeing them again will hurt her, but I cannot afford to allow her feelings come to play in my plans, or all of my plans will crumble to pieces. My role in her life is as the villain, and I will never be anything more than that to her, so why not play it to it's full?
"Do not drain their blood completely, we still need them alive," I say to Kurt and Diana, and they nod their head in understanding. I turn to Fawkes to see that his face has taken on a sickly green sheen, almost as if the sight of seeing Kurt and Diana at work was making him sick. I turn back to Kurt and Darleen, and I find that they have completed their task of draining their targets blood. They are on the finale stage now, their hands on each side of their targets heads their pale skin, glowing a bright red from the power that is resonating in their hands. They are borrowing the memories of their targets, so that there is no difference between the copies, and the real Rupert and Darleen.
The process was over before it even begun, and the guards are taking Rupert and Darleen back to their living quarters, if the 'rooms' could even be called that. They are all standing before me again before they leave.
"Kurt and Diana, you'll have to allow the trespassers to find you. I will be following you in disguise to make sure everything goes as planned. Once they have found you, you will both go to the enemy's kingdom. Your task there is to act and appear as if you were Rupert and Darleen, whom were your targets. It is absolutely important that you deceive all opposing parties, especially the girl named 'Anna'. You are to find as much information that you believe is important, and you are to send it to me. Good luck, my faithful servants," I say before I dismiss them. I shift slightly too, to make myself appear as someone else, and of all people, when I look into the mirror Fawkes hands me, I've appeared as my father. He was always a cruel man to me, though the fact that he raised me alone could have something to do with that. My mother had left me when I was very young and although I do not remember much of her, I still miss her. However, I don't think I could ever miss him.
"You look just like him," Fawkes whispers, and I see the pain and sorrow in his eyes. I remember how Father had taken him under his wing, how he had been a father more to Fawkes than to me.
"You know how much I hated him Fawkes, to the point where his blood has stained my hands. I didn't choose this face on purpose, so I ask you not to bring up that despicable man," I say turning away from my adviser, my 'brother', my friend and I can hear his soft submission as I walk away from him.
I follow Kurt, Diana, John and Andy as they make their way through my Kingdom - Maorien -, toward the borderline where the intruders had last been spotted. It didn't take long to find them, and I stay within the shadows with John and Andy as Kurt and Diana stumble out into the light. I watch for a moment as Kayden and the woman he has with him encounter Kurt and Diana - who are of course disguised as Rupert and Darleen. The shock and elation on Kayden and the woman's faces are beyond all understanding. They take up Kurt and Diana, and take them under their shelter. There is no doubt that they believe that Kurt and Diana are truly who they are pretending to be. I walk away, John and Andy not too far behind me, knowing that my plan is in motion. There is no chance for me to change my mind, and I feel a hollowness within me, at the thought of how this will affect Anna. Her pain is the only thing that I regret about this situation. However a little hurt is nothing, compared to the freedom that this could win for my people.
When I return to the castle, the first thing I do is make my way up to my throne room, and as I walk through the doors, I find Rupert and Darleen lying upon the now bloodstained floor. I consider for a moment, calling for a guard or two to take them away, but another thought enters into my mind, a sweet yet sincerely twisted thought.
"Little puppets, how I long to pull your strings. Make you dance, twirl, and scream. A twisted game, we can play with three. Little puppets will you play with me." The words are but a whisper, a soft muttering not to be heard by anyone. They look so fragile, so weak, it's pathetic. I long to pull their strings, twist their minds and make them scream but I am exhausted, there is no need to play the mind games. No need to attack such vulnerable puppets.
I sit in my seat, my feet dangling over the edge of the chair as I look up at the ceiling, my mind slowly moving from the puppets laying at my feet, to something much more beautiful and stronger, yet coming from that exact source. I think of our son Chino, the boy that had only come to life in my mind, and the life that I know could be mine, if I reached out for it. It is soft, barely even a thought, almost impossible to grasp like trying to grab fog. It slips from me, and as I stare at the ceiling all I can think of is Anna, and the dreams I have of our future.
Chapter 18 – Wilted Flowers
> Anna's P.O.V
My eyes flutter open, as if I were awaking from a dream. If only it were a very strange dream; Victor facing death at the sword of a green woman; Kayden and Shade facing their pasts; worst of all Christian, coming to the point of death to only be brought back to life. I couldn't even begin to understand these visions, or how I felt about what had happened in them. My mind is foggy, swirling with confusing thoughts and emotions until I hear a dark chuckling that rumbles loudly like thunder. My head swivels around, my eyes meeting the squatting immortal, his angular face hidden in the shadows. I can sense the wicked curve to his lips, pulling up into a sinister smile, mocking me from within the shadows.
"Did you enjoy what you have seen?" His dark voice rolls around my mind, like the clouds of a storm, soft yet malevolent.
"Do you think I would have enjoyed watching my friends die or my enemy cheat death? No, I did not enjoy it one bit," I reply, burying my face within the palms of my hands. I didn't want to look up into those cursed eyes, not when there was nothing to see in them anyhow.
"Of course, it was disastrous; I rather much enjoyed watching Victor fight for his life though. After all that's he's done to me, at least I could take a little entertainment in his possible death." This statement was followed by another chuckle and then a sigh, as Sadar realized that I was crying; my sorrow must have been evident even to him, through my trembling body and soft sobbing. "There's no need to cry. Your sorrow was caused by something that may or may not have happened. You'll have learnt nothing new when you leave this prison, your friends could have survived, your enemy may have died, but you won't know either way until you see them again. So honestly you have no need to feel sorrow or pain, where I do. I have not seen home for centuries, I have not seen my kin for even longer. I am a prisoner here within this cage, and I have no hope of ever escaping." As he's speaking I cannot help but lower my hands, and look onto his face which hid so deeply within the shadows. There is such sorrow in his voice, a pain that I cannot understand; that I hoped to never understand. I wanted to tell him that I would help in what ever way that I could, but I could hear footfalls coming down the stairs, bouncing off of the stone walls.
The Fire Within (The Fire of The Soul Series) Page 18
