by Arial Burnz
Angus faced the landing where Broderick entered, sword drawn and eyes menacing.
Broderick stood ready to do battle, and Angus tightened his gripped on Davina, pressing his knife against his wrist. Angus licked blood off his lips, and Broderick noted the marks on Davina’s throat. “Step any closer and she’ll be my Blood Slave, Rick.”
“Let her go, Angus. Your fight is with me.”
“Have I given you enough time to determine the limits and powers of what you have become?” Angus leaned forward and narrowed his eyes. “Are you a worthy opponent yet?”
“Let us find out. Are you game for a little swordplay to start?”
“And lose my advantage by releasing the desire of your heart?” Angus said, nuzzling his captive. “I think not.”
Broderick locked eyes with Davina. A glimmer of joy sparkled on her face, but he clenched his jaw, struggling to maintain a stoic mask.
“Aye, Rick. ‘Tis indeed wise not to argue that point. I’ve already fed from her.” Angus nudged Davina’s ear with his nose. She tried to turn away, but Angus held her by the hair.
Broderick fought the helplessness needling his gut, and gritted his teeth.
Whispering, Angus toyed with Davina’s life, taunting Broderick. “You wouldn’t have forsaken poor Veronique to save Davina if it were not true.” He inhaled and sighed. “Nor would you be here if the lass meant nothing to you.”
Broderick stepped toward them, but stopped when Davina cried out as the tip of Angus’s blade pierced her delicate skin. She bit her trembling lip, and a tear slipped down her cheek as a trickle of blood leaked from her throat and soaked into her neckline. Angus lapped at her neck.
Broderick growled. “Do not make this about her! Let us finish this senseless clan feud that our fathers left as their legacy!”
“Our fathers?” Angus grimaced and a maniacal laugh fluttered out of his mouth. “You hate the thought of us being brothers to the point of denying who sired me?”
Broderick’s throat clenched and he froze, unable to speak. The two immortals stared at each other in disbelief, neither seeming to understand the other. Broderick swallowed and forced the words out of his mouth. “What are you implying?”
Angus growled and Davina cried out as he tightened his grip on her. “Do not stand there feigning ignorance over my parentage! ‘Tis the reason your family has plagued mine these decades! Why you have been bent on destroying me!”
“I’ve sought your blood for the slaughter of my own family! What madness do you speak of?”
“Do not insult my intelligence by feigning you do not know we are brothers!”
Broderick almost stumbled forward in disbelief. “What?”
Angus’s convictions seemed to falter for a moment and his grip on Davina went slack. When she tried to step away, he grabbed her anew, and rage contorted his face. “I’m no fool, Broderick MacDougal! I know this is why—”
“What lies have you been fed? You are mad!”
“Hamish is our father, and you have never been able to stand that betrayal!”
Broderick’s breath pumped in his lungs as he tried to make sense of Angus’s words. The feud between their families began in his youth, and Broderick searched his memories for anything that would give evidence to this insane claim. He never understood Angus’s obsession with the endless conflicts, his seemingly insatiable thirst for MacDougal blood. Angus’s taunts through the years finally made sense, though—an open contempt for Broderick’s position as the eldest son, an obvious jealousy Broderick never understood. Angus was the eldest son of Fraser Campbell and so would inherit his lands…unless he was indeed the bastard son of Hamish MacDougal. If that was so, then Angus slaughtered his own brothers on that bloody May Day massacre. Broderick tightened his grip on his sword and gritted his teeth. “You knew we were brothers and yet you still killed Maxwell and Donnell and—?”
“No more than what all of you have done!” Angus gripped Davina’s hair and her whimpers emphasized his words. “You lived a privileged life, boasting your inheritance and estates, while you pursued my blood with vengeance! Yet you question my motives? I have no fault in this but my birth!” Angus titled his head back, an unearthly cry pouring from his mouth, slit his wrist open and forced his blood into Davina’s mouth. Tossing her choking form aside, Angus leapt at Broderick.
In chaotic flashes, the two immortals clashed swords and slashed at each other, each unleashing decades of fury. Broderick hacked with his sword and met with Angus’s blade. Sparks flew as Angus relentlessly pounded against Broderick, using his own grief and loss to fuel his defenses. Metal clashed against metal.
In the blink of an eye, Angus dashed across the room toward Davina, but Broderick anticipated his move and headed him off, blocking his path with his sword, coming close to clopping Angus’s nose clean off his face. A small nick at the tip of his nose made Angus hiss from the wound. The slow-healing gash caused him to pause, wiping away the blood.
Broderick smirked. “Never thought to have a blade fashioned of silver?”
Angus’s mouth twisted as he growled and leapt for Broderick, wielding his dagger and swirling both blades in unusual maneuvers Broderick had not encountered in swordplay.
Broderick pulled Davina’s dagger from his sporran and matched Angus blow for blow as they danced around the room, thrusting and blocking, sparks exploding around them. Their limbs blurred through the air with immortal speed as they dodged and parried in a frenzy of motion.
Davina crouched into the corner by the head of her bed, out of the way, refusing Angus the opportunity to take her up as a hostage again. The grin on Angus’s mouth gave Broderick a creeping dread that tickled his senses. With actions almost too quick for Broderick to perceive, Angus poured a battering of thrusts, slashes, and swings that Broderick struggled to meet, dodge, or parry. His relentless pounding drove Broderick into the corner by the wardrobe, limiting his movements, and Broderick lost his sword in the mind-spinning assault. Ducking while rotating and slashing with Davina’s dagger, Broderick side-stepped a killing slash from Angus…and to his advantage, the gesture exposed Angus’s chest. Seizing the opportunity, Broderick thrust Davina’s dagger into Angus’s heart.
Slack-jawed and stunned, Angus stumbled back, dropping his dagger to grab at the handle of the knife embedded in his body. Turning to Davina, Angus dove for her, but Broderick tackled him, pounded his fist into Angus’s face and dragged him through the double doors. Shoving Angus over the side of the landing wall, Broderick tumbled with him over the edge and both crashed to the ground below with a grunt.
“Broderick!” Davina screeched.
Shaking his head to recover, Broderick shoved away from Angus, lifeless beneath him, the dagger protruding from his chest and blood staining his cream-colored shirt. Broderick let out a sigh of resignation, but dwelled only a moment on the death of his enemy. Davina was in trouble.
Leaping to the landing, Broderick nearly toppled into Davina. He grabbed her shoulders, ushering her back into the chamber, and searched for any noticeable changes in her demeanor. “How do you feel?”
Davina threw her arms around Broderick and planted a hard and possessive kiss on his mouth. He melted and lifted her sweet body against him, their mouths hungry upon each other. Setting her feet upon the floor, he pulled back enough to gaze into the sapphire depths of her eyes.
She framed his face with trembling hands. “I’m grateful you did not heed my letter. I love you, Broderick. I cannot help but love you!”
Her confession brought Broderick to his knees, and he laid his cheek against her belly, embracing her warmth, reveling in the caress of her fingers through his hair. “I love you, Davina, and will never let you from my sight again.”
Concern for her safety flooded his heart, bringing him back to his senses. Broderick stood and gripped her shoulders. He searched her face, her eyes, her throat. “Oh, Davina…” Broderick brushed the hair from her shoulder and examined her neck…where the fang marks fr
om Angus should have been. Only blood marred her skin.
She glanced down at the blood stains on her dress and nodded. “I’m well.”
Broderick shook his head. He grasped Davina’s hands and guided her to the foot of her bed. “Davina, you’re not well, and we don’t have much time. I must explain what has happened to you.”
She flitted her fear-filled eyes over his face, nodded and gave him her attention.
“Angus fed from you, did he not?”
Broderick touched her throat and she nodded.
“Did you drink the blood he forced into your mouth?”
Tears welled in her eyes and she nodded again.
His gut tightened into a knot. “Davina, Angus has done something to you in this exchange that—”
Davina gasped and huddled close to Broderick, her eyes darting as if she searched for something swirling around her.
“What is it?” He grabbed her shoulders, forcing her to face him.
“I feel him! He’s here!”
Broderick dashed from her side and went to the landing. An impression in the blood-stained snow, along with Davina’s dagger, were all that remained on the ground. Broderick leapt over the side of the landing and knelt, grabbing the dagger. Though there may have been enough silver to create some kind of damage, obviously the blade was not enough to kill Angus. Studying the tracks leading from the spot where he laid, no doubt Angus stumbled away from this too weak or wounded to come back up and finish the fight. This also confirmed that Davina had become Angus’s Blood Slave, since she had sensed his presence.
Broderick jumped to the landing and came back into the room. “You are correct. He’s here…or was. He lives to fight another day, but the more pressing issue is what has happened to you.” Putting the knife on the table at the side of the double doors, he guided her to the settee where they sat. “You have become what is known as a Blood Slave. What Angus did to you is difficult to explain, and I can go into more detail later on our journey, but—”
“Journey? I am not leaving to go anywhere!” Davina stood and put some distance between them.
“Davina, you’re going to die if I don’t get you to the only people I know who can help you.”
* * * * *
Davina staggered back a step, fear numbing her body, unable to speak. The women pounding at the nursery door drew her attention, interrupting the shocking effects of the words Broderick just uttered.
“We must make preparations to leave immediately,” Broderick said, moving closer and keeping his voice low. “The journey is at least two nights ride from here and we must travel at night, as you do not know the way. We have the advantage of the long evenings in winter, so we might make good time. The sooner the better, as your condition will worsen as time progresses.”
The women pounding at the door increased, and Davina stepped before the armoire. “Mother, please stay calm. I’m well. Do not worry. We will get you out of there as soon as we are able.” The commotion ceased. Davina turned back to Broderick. She didn’t want her mother to hear the conversation, so she guided Broderick to the opposite side of the room, which now lay in disarray after the fight. Everything happened so quickly and she tried to make sense of the confusion.
“How is Cailin?” Broderick seemed to sense her mood.
Davina nodded, grateful for a change of subject. “Aye,” she rasped. “She’s well, but I do not know how. Her arm was broken. She was on the verge of death. You…?”
“Aye, it was me. The blood running through my veins has healing powers. As gruesome as it sounds, that’s what I used to heal you and Cailin.”
“Your blood? How?”
“By using it like a liniment.” Bowing his head in what appeared to be shame, he then glanced back up at her. “Or like a potion in some tea…” His voice trailed off, leaving her to interpret the tea Amice administered when she was ill.
“I consumed some of your blood?” Davina felt the warmth drain from her face and she sat on her bed to steady her weakening legs. “But how is it that I consumed your blood and I was not in danger, but with Angus’s blood I am?”
“Angus fed from you first, and then he fed you his blood, which was mixed with yours. As I said, it is difficult to explain, but this infusion causes your body to try to turn into what we are.”
Now that she had the chance to ask her multitude of questions, Davina didn’t know if she wanted to hear the answers. She swallowed her apprehension. “And what is that? What are you?”
Broderick inhaled a deep breath. “We are known as Vamsyrians. We are a race of immortals—once mortal, who have gone through a transformation through a blood infusion. The process of transformation normally drains the mortal of blood to the point near death, and then they drink from the Vamsyrian who drained them. This mixture of blood takes over the body to complete the transformation. However, in your case, you didn’t have enough blood drained from your body to make the transformation complete.” Broderick sat beside her and grasped her hands. “Davina, your body will die trying to fight the transformation if we do not get help.” Deep sorrow filled his eyes. “I’m sorry I didn’t have the chance to tell you all this. This is what I wanted to explain to you, but I wanted to get you out of danger first, because I knew Angus was using you to get to me.”
“And I played right into his hands.” Davina shook her head. “I thought I was—”
He placed a finger on her lips. “None of that matters now. Blossom, if I do not get you to the Vamsyrian Council as soon as we are able…” He stopped and his brow furrowed. “Come, let us free your family from the room and make haste.”
Davina nodded, her head swirling with fear and confusion…as a dark heaviness crept over her soul.
Chapter Sixteen
Davina fell to her hands and knees on the stone floor, screaming at the pain slicing through her body once more. Drops of sweat soaked into the sandstone as she trembled, struggling through the effects caused by her condition. Though the pain was intense, they made the journey before her condition was too far along. Broderick told her of his experience, standing right where she did, facing the same choices. If his condition was further along by the time he reached this point, Davina paled at the agony he must have endured. When the wave passed, she heaved heavy breaths as Broderick helped her to her feet.
The Elder named Rasheed stared at Broderick, as did the other two Elders at the table flanking him. “You say that Angus Campbell is your brother?”
Broderick still struggled with that information; the tick in his jaw gave evidence to his clenched teeth. “Aye, my brother he is.”
Davina noticed on their journey—which took two nights to traverse—that her senses seemed more acute. She heard the slightest sounds, noticed the slightest movements in facial expressions, giving away subtle hints as to what others may be feeling…just as Elder Rasheed did now. Broderick’s answer seemed to increase the alarm in Rasheed’s eyes, and yet he did everything to maintain an even façade so as not to reveal his emotions. Surely Broderick noticed these subtle changes as well, with his magnified senses, but he gave no indication.
“Did you know this when he transformed you?” Elder Mikhail asked.
“Nay, I did not. I discovered this two nights ago.”
The three Elders exchanged fear-filled glances, almost seeming to wait for one another to make the next move. Even Broderick looked uneasy at their silence. Rasheed inhaled a deep breath and nodded. “Davina Stewart-Russell, you have a choice before you. You can either become a Vamsyrian and join our race, or you can choose to become a member of the Army of Light.”
“I’ve explained the choices, Elder Rasheed, and what each of them entails.”
Rasheed nodded. “Then take her into the room where she will face a member of the Army of Light.”
Broderick helped Davina cross the room to a large wooden door, which two hulking men opened and ushered them through. Sitting her on the chair in the center of this room, Broderick stood at her side. One
of the Vamsyrian guards tried to lead Broderick out, but he shrugged off the efforts. “I’m staying with her.”
The two men glanced at each other, shrugged and closed the door, retreating into the back corners of the room, settling into the dimness. The lighted brazier to one side did little to give the room light and Davina shivered. Before too long, a bolt thrown back on the other side of the door caused her to jump and the door creaked open. A cloaked figure entered the room, frail and small. The door closed and the bolt clanged again, locking them in together. This figured turned and faced them, revealing strands of silver hair spilling out from the hood of her cloak. She fell to her knees in a gasp. “Father, why do you curse me so!” she said, clasping her hands together before her.
Broderick stepped forward and pulled her hood back to show the anguished face of a woman who appeared in her fifties. “Evangeline?”
Evangeline trembled at the sight of Broderick and the agelessness of his choice so many years ago. Why, Lord! She anguished internally. Why have you brought me back to this?
“Evangeline?” the woman in the chair whispered. “Your wife?”
“The marriage was annulled,” Evangeline responded and looked pointedly at Broderick, who nodded.
The beautiful woman doubled over in pain, and Broderick rushed to her side, comforting her through the wave of what Evangeline recognized as the Blood Slave condition. Through the soft whispers of Broderick’s soothing words, she learned her name was Davina. Evangeline had a curse on her soul, carried through the years of not being able to save Broderick from this damned life of becoming a Vamsyrian. Now she would be the agent of sending another innocent soul to hell—or of taking her away from Broderick if this woman chose to go with the Army of Light. Have I not devoted my life to you to make up for my sins, Father? Was that not enough?
