Prophecy: Caelestis and Aurorea [A Vampires Realm Novel]

by F. E. Heaton

  "I was his only child and the Chosen Son of my bloodline. When you murdered him, you passed the title of lord of Tenebrae on to me. The Chosen Daughter of our house is far away in America. We have not heard from her in some time.” He leaned back, running his eyes over her while she busied herself with smoothing a patch of her trousers. She looked as though she was having as much trouble speaking as he was. It was strange to find himself working with the one who had killed his sire, but at the same time it seemed right, as though his place was at her side.

  "I'm the Chosen Daughter of my bloodline. I'm um ... a Caelestis ... I didn't know if you knew."

  "I knew."

  "Oh. It's strange. I can't keep track of who knows what about me any more. There was a time when I knew nothing, possibly less than you did before you met me. Arkalus, the man who was the Chosen Son of my family, planted false memories in my mind to stop me from realising that I'm aging."

  He sat up and frowned at her. This was news.

  "Aging? But you're a vampire,” he said and looked her over again before taking a deep breath. Her scent told him she was without question a vampire, but then she did have the ability to control magic.

  "My mother was a witch. She was turned when pregnant with me and when I was born, she sacrificed herself and passed all her powers to me. As a result, I'm part human. Valentine believes that I'm mostly vampire and that's what I believe too. He says that my aging and magic are my only human qualities.” She smiled briefly. “I said it was complicated."

  "I hadn't been told the full extent of matters regarding you. We were told what we needed to know and then asked to swear our allegiance to you or leave. Some of us left, but most have sworn to help you. I will occasionally contact the guards I left at the castle. When the time arises to go to war, they will join us.” He could see the gratitude in her eyes even if she couldn't voice it.

  There was a hint of relief in them. He knew that she had taken the loss of the werewolves badly and that she carried the weight of all those deaths, werewolf and Tenebrae alike, on her conscience. If there was a way to relieve her of that burden, he would have done it, but all he could do was bide his time and let her come to live with it.

  "You said this Arkalus was the Chosen Son of your house. What happened to him?” he asked.

  Her expression turned dark.

  "He decided that he could no longer wait for the passing of our master, Iona, and killed her. Although he wanted to rule the house, there was something deeper behind his reason for murdering her and taking her place. He wanted to rule my heart, too.” A flicker of hurt and anger shone in her eyes before she turned her head away from him and stared out of the window.

  It seemed to him that wherever she went, she captured men's hearts. First, her family's Chosen Son, and then the Aurorea she was now searching for. He had tested her during their journey and judging by the way she reacted to his treatment of Valentine's name, she was in love with him.

  Or at least she thought she was.

  He wondered if he could change that.

  Her anger and the way she'd wrapped her arms about herself told him that she hadn't wanted the attentions of Arkalus and the very idea of it repulsed her. He would bide his time and see what could be done about changing her mind about her feelings for Valentine.

  He cocked his head to one side when she sighed and toyed with her amulet.

  She was thinking about him again.

  "I do not condone in-house killing unless it is absolutely necessary. To do it for power alone should be forbidden,” he said and she raised her head.

  "There are too many forbidden things these days,” she said with a spark of fire in her eyes.

  He looked her over. “Like dissolution of the bloodlines?"

  She didn't say anything. Her eyes narrowed into dark slits and she held his gaze for a moment before looking away.

  There was something familiar about her.

  He grinned when it clicked into place inside his head like the missing piece of a jigsaw puzzle.

  "The Creator Day masquerade is a wonderful moment of freedom from the laws ... don't you think?"

  Her head shot up, her eyes round and her lips parted. She was definitely familiar, not only her face but her scent and the sense of power she emitted too.

  "I take it you've been to one?” he said.

  She nodded and stared hard at him as though she was trying to see if she knew him too. He swept his hair from his face and let her get a good look. She wouldn't recognise him. The last time he'd seen her, she'd been half-scared out of her wits.

  "For a woman who looked so stunning in plum, you wear black too much."

  A flicker of distress entered her eyes and she looked even more like he'd remembered. He wished that he'd known it was her back then. His lord would still have been alive today if they had managed to make contact at the ball.

  "Which were you?” she said with a note of venom in her voice that he hadn't been expecting. “I danced with two Tenebrae, both without consent. Which were you?"

  He grinned. “I thought you'd remember me more clearly than that. One of two? I'm disappointed. You were the most enchanting woman at the ball. Forget the Venia that you were with at the castle, the one whose mate is a beast. It was you that every man wanted to be close to."

  "Dmitri is not a beast!” She glared at him but he continued to smile. “Whichever one you were, I did not choose to dance with you. There was only one man I chose to dance with and that was the one who rescued me from the filthy groping paws of all the others."

  The smile faded from his face when he remembered watching her along with the others as she danced with the man. He had wanted to kill him for stealing her away and for being allowed to be that close to her. Now he knew who the man was, it only made the feeling grow stronger.

  She smiled at him, clearly enjoying the annoyance that he couldn't stop from showing on his face.

  It had been the Aurorea.

  Prophecy sighed and unclenched her fists. There was no point in fighting with Venturi, no matter how much he tried to goad her into it. For some reason, he was intent on insulting Valentine and her friends, but she couldn't for the life of her fathom why.

  Extending her hand to him, she smiled when he took it, a look of sorrow entering his eyes.

  "Emotions are running high at the moment and I'm a little over-sensitive and incredibly tired. You should choose your words more wisely. I've threatened people with my magic for less reason than what you've given me.” She tightly gripped his hand and then let it go when she leaned back into her seat. “It was the heat of the moment that made you dance with me. My panic drove them all on. There's nothing like the scent of fear to make you do something you wouldn't normally."

  She ignored the way his eyes fell to rest on her throat. She had realised that he was the Tenebrae who had attempted to lick her neck shortly before Valentine had rescued her. Smiling at Venturi, she wished they could get along but there seemed to be a pattern developing in their behaviour towards each other, or at least his towards her. He would be kind, attentive and caring for a short time, but would suddenly become hurtful and nasty. She wondered what effected such a change in him. Was it something she said or did? She wanted them to get along, but it seemed impossible when she couldn't figure out what made him change on her.

  Idly smoothing down her clothes, she searched for a reason to talk to him and clear the air, and found it when her hand skimmed over the scroll in her pocket. Removing it, she took the cap off the silver case and carefully pulled the parchment out. She snuck a glance at Venturi and saw his attention was with the scroll now and not the outside world.

  "Is that what I think it is?” he asked.

  She nodded.

  "Can I see it?"

  She looked at the glyphs on the paper and then at him. “Why?"

  "I have studied languages all my life, even my mortal one. I would like to get a glimpse at what I'm fighting for."

  She handed it to him
and kept her eyes locked on his.

  "If you want to see what you're fighting for ... look out of the window,” she said but his gaze remained fixed on her even when she turned her head away and stared at the scenery.

  "I'm not fighting for what's out there."

  She frowned but resisted looking at him. She didn't want to know where he was looking and didn't care about the misplaced affections she'd briefly seen in his eyes earlier.

  She didn't want him.

  There was only one person she wanted.

  She wanted Valentine.

  Chapter 3

  Valentine eased his eyes open a fraction and scanned the room. It was dark and he couldn't make anything out. Slipping into vampire guise, he extended his senses but was met with nothing. He could sense that it was night out, but that was as far as it went.

  His head ached and he tried to piece together what had happened to him. He remembered fighting the lord of Tenebrae and could remember the moment he'd realised that they were battling against the wrong person, but after that it became a blur of pain and darkness.

  The cold that had crept into his body while he was unconscious made his bones hurt. The damp stones at his back chilled him. He looked down at his bare chest and then across at his arms. In the soft flesh inside the elbow of his right arm were a series of puncture marks and bruises probably caused by repeated injections. Whatever they had drugged him with had a lasting effect that was making him weak. He struggled aimlessly against the bonds that held his wrists out by his sides and kept his feet shoulder distance apart. The chains rattled when he pulled on them with all his might but didn't give. He relented, breathing heavily and wanting nothing more than to collapse back into unconsciousness.

  He'd heard voices during the long journey to wherever they were now holding him, but they had been distorted, making them impossible for him to recognise. Even in his brief moments of consciousness, he hadn't been able to catch a clear glimpse of their faces. His thoughts wandered to Prophecy. Had they taken her too?

  A split second before he had been pulled through the portal, Prophecy's face had contorted with fear and pain. The magic had glowed brighter against her palm than it had ever done before. If his captors hadn't taken her, there was a high chance she had killed the lord of Tenebrae.

  His vampire guise receded and he closed his eyes, gritting his teeth against the bolt of pain that ran through him, numbing him and making his head swim. He could hear voices in the hall but knew his struggle was futile. By the time they reached him, he would be unconscious again, but each time he was remaining awake a little longer and he was sure that before long the people who had him would reveal themselves.

  Darkness crept in at the corners of his mind and he could feel himself slipping away. There was a sharp prick in his neck and everything became painfully clear as icy liquid entered his blood. He hung his head forwards and stared at the two pairs of boots that were facing him. Straightening, he slowly took in the shape and build of the people that had him. Cold dread filled his veins.

  He stared straight into the eyes of his lord.

  "So glad that you could join us,” Kalinor greeted him dryly.

  Valentine's eyes flickered to Arkalus who stood by Kalinor's side and he growled as anger surged through him. His claws extended and he tugged at his restraints, lurching forwards in an attempt to reach the man who had tried to take Prophecy from him.

  Arkalus backed off a step and regarded him coolly.

  Kalinor looked across at him. “Why does my hunter react to you so violently, Arkalus?"

  "I don't know,” Arkalus said.

  "The Devil you do know!” Valentine spat the words at him and struggled against his bonds.

  "Calm yourself, Valentine. You will only make things more painful than they have to be.” Kalinor placed a small leather bag down by his feet and smiled maliciously.

  Valentine's gaze dropped to it. It was barely bigger than a satchel, but the sight of it made his whole body tense. Its simple, innocent appearance belied what was contained within it. He'd seen his lord do the work he was best at and he'd never wanted to be on the receiving end of it, but now he got the startling impression he was going to be.

  "What is it that you want from me?” he said, keeping his voice calm and collected while his insides flipped and turned.

  His strength wouldn't return for hours, days possibly, and even if it did, they would drug him again. Kalinor knew that he could withstand any amount of torment if he needed to. It was part of his position to be trained to deal with anything, and that included being tortured for information about his family.

  "Who said I wanted anything?” Kalinor's voice was emotionless.

  Valentine noticed the look of unease that flitted across Arkalus’ face when he saw the pleasure in Kalinor's. Clearly the lord of Caelestis hadn't realised what kind of man he was working with.

  Valentine smiled.

  Kalinor raised a brow. “The thought of torture amuses you?"

  "No,” Valentine said and looked at Arkalus. “I was just remembering the last time I was in Prague. It was barely a week or two ago, depending on how long you have had me unconscious. It was just before the Creator Day masquerade."

  His lord frowned at him and then at Arkalus. “What is he talking about?"

  "How is your new bride, lord of Caelestis? I hear she is not quite the woman you had thought she would be,” Valentine said and a look of horror entered Arkalus’ eyes.

  "Silence!” Arkalus growled at him and stepped closer. He bent his head close to his ear and his voice dropped to a threatening whisper. “Speak one word, Aurorea, just one, and I'll have my men kill you."

  "Arkalus,” Kalinor said.

  Valentine saw Arkalus tense and close his eyes. Smiling inside, he decided that if they were going to spend time attempting to torture him then he was going to take the opportunity to drive a wedge between them and turn them against each other.

  "Do explain to me just how Valentine has come to know of something that I do not.” Kalinor's tone was calm and measured, a sure indication that Arkalus was treading the fine line of his anger.

  One push was all it would take to send him tumbling.

  "I can tell you,” Valentine whispered with a slight smile. “I am still of your blood after all. It is still my duty to report to you the things that may concern you."

  The black look that Arkalus threw in his direction did nothing to stop him.

  "I was in Prague to retrieve something that is mine, something that Arkalus had taken from me in Venice."

  "And that something is?” Kalinor leaned towards him, showing his eagerness to know what it was that Arkalus had done behind his back.

  "Prophecy,” Valentine whispered her name.

  Kalinor's eyes widened. He turned on a pinpoint and growled at Arkalus.

  "You had the girl?” Kalinor drew himself up to his full height and advanced on Arkalus, forcing him to back away towards the door. “You had the abomination and you did not tell me?"

  "She is not an abomination!” Valentine tugged at the chains again, angered by hearing Prophecy spoken of in a way that he knew had haunted her since she'd first heard it.

  "Silence!” Kalinor swept his hand down in a swift arc.

  Valentine did as instructed. It was better to leave the two to fight it out rather than provoking Kalinor into attacking himself. He had to give himself time to recover from the drug before his lord started on him.

  He watched Kalinor stalk towards Arkalus. Kalinor's fists were clenched and trembling with rage. The lord of Caelestis hid his fear well, but it was still visible in his dark eyes and Valentine could still sense it in his signature.

  "You, who have pledged your loyalty to this cause, had the root of the evil that faces us and did not tell me?” Kalinor paused just feet from Arkalus as he backed into the wall near to the door.

  "I'll confess that I did have her, but I did not have her long enough to contact you. You were still in Venice
and it was barely less than a day that she was within my house."

  "Less than a day.” Kalinor arched a brow and then turned away from Arkalus.

  Valentine didn't look away as his lord approached him. He had never once backed down from a challenge and Kalinor should have known that he wouldn't now.

  "You mentioned that Arkalus took a bride and that she wasn't the woman he'd expected her to be."

  "I did,” Valentine said and held his head high, showing no sign of fear and letting none taint his signature. He wouldn't give Kalinor the pleasure of seeing him scared.

  "Who was to be his bride?” Kalinor's voice lowered until it was almost a whisper.

  Valentine could hear the barely restrained anger. Kalinor knew who Arkalus’ bride was supposed to have been.

  "Prophecy.” He kept his eyes locked on his lord's, letting him see that he was telling him the truth. Tilting his chin up, he didn't relinquish Kalinor's gaze. “If you do not believe me, see it for yourself."

  Kalinor's eyes dropped to his neck. Valentine hoped that his offer of blood alone would be enough to convince his lord that he wasn't lying to him. There was no way he could make his blood lie.

  "And what happened?” Kalinor asked.

  Valentine glanced at Arkalus who had come out of the shadows and ventured a few steps towards them.

  "She switched with her maid, I believe. I ran into her outside the mansion walls and she told me everything. Arkalus has played you for a fool."

  "It seems that many people are making that mistake recently,” Kalinor said in a restrained voice.

  Valentine could see the growing anger in his lord's eyes and he knew that even though he had averted some of his fury towards Arkalus, he had done nothing to lessen the pain he would receive for betraying his bloodline and his lord.

  "I will deal with you later, Arkalus. Leave us!” Kalinor pointed to the door and waited for Arkalus to leave before turning back to face him. In his eyes, Valentine could see disappointment mixing with rage. “You ... elevated member of my house and close kin ... you swore loyalty to me as a youngling and this is how you repay me? I gave you blood and freedom. I raised you from mere guard to a most sacred position."