That was the moment when I decided to stay where I was, in a world of my own creation, where I was safe from any more pain. No one could ever hurt me again. If I couldn't kill myself this was the next best thing, the body would wither and die without the soul. A few days out there, and I would be dead in both realms. Then I would never have to face Steven again. I sat there in the woods and started to create my new life, or death. Strange way to look at the world. I was creating my own afterlife in a way, a place to remain after the body had died. My own heaven, hell, however you wanted to view it. Death please come for me damn you! This time, just do it, just finish the job already.
For now I just built a house down on the banks of the river where I could rest. I was so tired from my struggles. A simple little cottage, brick built, thatch roof, roses around the door. Furnished in dark woods, simple home spun pleasure, books on every surface. Paper all around me always helped me stay calm, the smell of fresh unread books. When the home was made I climbed down the cliff face to get there. The house was calm and still, full of the things that made me happy. Cats prowling the downstairs rooms, protecting me from harm.
For now I just wanted to sleep, so I rested on the sofa a while. Perhaps things would seem better after some rest, but I doubted it somehow. Or I wouldn't be building this realm to escape into. My life was over, and it hadn't even yet truly begun.
There had been so many things that I had wanted to do, so many dreams to fulfill. Not a single one of them had been explored, too beaten down by my family, and by life to even try to be somebody.
Seemed that now I would never get the chance to see if I could be something other than a filthy addict. To prove my parents wrong, who knew I would never be anything but a waste of space. Maybe one day I would find the strength to sort my life out.
One day would never come; someday would always be a life time away. I would always talk myself out of it. The darkness would make me feel so disgusting, so worthless that I would crawl back to any escape from it all. To being so pathetically weak and spineless. I cried myself to sleep wishing I was braver, stronger, better. Not this weakling idiot selfish self-centered whiney little bitch I couldn't escape. God how I hated myself, so much I’d rewrite my own DNA to escape the prison of my own body.
As I slept, the world around me changed. The woods became thicker, more dangerous, taking on a life of their own to protect me. The branches tangling together to make a barrier impossible for anyone to break through. The river foaming ever higher protecting that side of my world. The plants turning poisonous, deadly, something I’d seen in a movie long ago. The animals naturally found in the forest growing larger, more wild, even the cats that prowled my room were changing. Growing into panthers and lions, I was scared. My mind did all it could to protect me, blending things from my imagination, things I’d seen in movies or read about in books. Whatever could keep her safe in this dreamscape, protect her from the darkness outside.
Even so, shadowy figures hovered around the borders, wanting to break in capture her unawares, take her, steal that power buried so deep inside of her. They had been following her whole life, just waiting for the right moment. Just waiting for her to become ripe for the picking. The way that man had broken her, it would be easy to trap her in a deal. Young women in love were perfect for them to toy with, offer them their man back or vengeance on him. The second option was always the more entertaining for all involved, watch a bright young thing killing the object of her desires as revenge for hurting her. Damning her soul for all eternity in the process, leaving her easy for them to reap her gifts, turn her to darkness like them.
A few days were all it would take, and then she would be theirs forever. They could wait patiently; after all they had been waiting all her life already. A few more days was just the blink of an eye in the cosmic scheme of things, there was so much to gain here and so little to lose.
The Vampire Legacies Book One:
The Scarlet Drop
Chapter Seven.
Steven stood in the room watching as Victoria just disappeared from his sight, she must have used her powers to escape. It was a good trick, one he wished he had. Even vampire speed wasn’t up to that kind of vanishing, he would use it all the time if it was! Not that he really flexed his fang side that much anymore, was too used to living and hiding within a human circle. He barely even fed anymore, longed for death. The constant circle of finding Victoria, trying to train her, the all too soon death, and then going to find her again when she was brought back was just too much for him to take anymore.
All he wanted to do was retreat back home, pick up his violin and drink himself into a coma to forget the past few centuries. To forget he had ever loved her, he was a blackened, heartless beast. He felt like he only ever destroyed her. Screwed up every single time, no matter how he tried to make it right, he always, just always, ended up killing his beloved. So many times she had died in his arms; too many times he had buried her. He had walked away this life, refused to be a part of this terrible circle anymore. This wasn’t a way to live; it was a way to die for all of them involved in this tragic story.
Then he just accidently saw her as he crossed the street to the liquor store for some more whisky. She was so beautiful, so perfect, and so radiantly alive that he was hooked. He fell in love with her all over again in that second, spent days watching her. That night at the party he hadn’t meant for them to meet, it was an accident and then neither of them could stop anymore. She was a moth to a flame for him, he was no better. He needed her so very much, needed her to remember him, and needed his wife back in his arms again even if it was just for a moment. It had been too damn long since they had gained even a moment together just to be married. He was starting to wonder if they would ever have a moment like it again. Without one, he knew that he would end up taking the cure and killing himself straight after. He couldn’t take this life any longer, not without her by his side. Not this shallow shell of a girl, but the real powerful amazing person she had always been born to be. The one he had married so very long ago by the eternal bonds by the bayou so they could never be parted, not even in death.
He walked the streets looking for her, swigging from a silver hip flask as he went just to take the edge off the misery he felt. He really needed blood not whisky, but he couldn’t bring himself to feed. He wanted to die far too much to give his body what it required; he had promised her he wouldn’t kill himself. Nothing had been said about natural causes, then again if she couldn’t remember the deal did it still count? Was he free to do whatever harm to himself he felt like? There were still deep scars on his thigh from the 1800’s when she had been killed on their wedding day, snatched straight from their wedding reception, he’d turned around for a moment and she was gone. They were called for the first dance, but she was missing. They had hunted for her, only finding the body as dawn started to peek over the horizon, broken almost in two, lying over the lap of a statue in the gardens. Her wedding dress covered in blood, peppering the lace like a feverish rash.
Steven swigged more from the flask, he felt so guilty for how he had acted. It was just such a shock to find out the girl he loved was a witch. She never had been before, not in any life they had shared together. It wasn't that he hated witches, or had anything against them. It was just his sweet innocent little angel was meant to be a mortal. He was pretty sure that was part of the deal across all of their history that she was always born a mortal. That she could be nothing else other than human, this life was different. She was different; under all that addiction she was stronger than she had ever been. Perhaps this life really could be different between them, if he ever found her.
He wanted to find her so badly, to fix this and have his beloved back in his arms. He hated the fact that he had hurt her, made her cry and caused her pain, far too much pain. He had always promised himself that he could never harm her. Look what he had done now. Broken her fragile little heart by reacting badly, breaking his own in the process. He’d walk awa
y; let her live her life without him if only he could just find her safe and well!
Steven tried all her usual places, without any luck. He had to find her now; she was in danger, serious danger. He could feel it in his bones, a terrible growing fear for her safety. The bond between them already powerful enough that he could feel her emotions, her fears, everything. He had to find her or she was going to die!
As he walked across the street wondering where to try next, the drinking starting to put a little sway in his step. He noticed a tall, dark haired man waiting for him. Leather trousers, long black cotton jacket, black shirt, long hair tied back in a blood red ribbon. He sighed; this was the last person he wanted to see. They had always been rivals, enemies and often violent fight scenes. "Antonio", he said gruffly, hoping that the whisky on his breath didn’t show. He almost burst into giggles at the thought of seeing the other man again, it was the most imperfect timing imaginable.
"What did you do to our wife?!" He growled, "How dare you put her in danger? Push her too far! We could lose her AGAIN!"
Steven sighed, "She's a witch, and a powerful one."
Tony shrugged, "And now you are all anti magic Mr. Fang? Who cares if she is a witch?"
“What do you care? You didn’t even come to see her?” Steven baited.
Tony slammed him into the wall, sniffing his breath. He routed through the other man’s pockets until he found the flask throwing it away, “That poison is not helping you, or her!” he snapped, “When was the last time you fed?”
The blonde looked at his feet, “A while.”
“How long?” he growled.
“A few weeks, maybe I forget. I’ve not been all that sober lately.” He confessed.
“You haven’t been sober since 1822.” Antonio replied with a small sigh, he exposed his wrist. “Feed a little.”
Steven looked shocked, “But you hate vampires and hate me even more.”
“I’d rather you didn’t pass out on your feet while we go looking for her, I can fix you up with a more steady supply later when we know she is safe. Take a little, just to take the edge off. Go too far I will stop you, my word.” He promised.
Steve was too hungry to argue, the pulse in his enemies wrist too tempting to ignore. His fangs close to the surface as the blood called to him, with a low moan he gave into temptation sinking his teeth into the soft flesh taking what he had needed for so long. He had never fed off someone he wasn’t taking to his bed before, it was a strange feeling. They had had a history once very long ago, but they had been enemies so long now he never thought that the permissions would be reissued. Antonio’s blood tasted as sweet as it always had, like spice and warm honey spilling into his mouth. He never wanted this moment to end; he groaned, objecting as the supply was pulled away. Feeling dizzy, he found himself sat down on a bench as the substance did its work on his malnourished frame.
Antonio sat by him a while for him to recover, “Feeling better?” he asked gently.
“Sleepy.” Steve sighed; it had been far too long since life flowed in his veins.
“Take a few minutes, and then we will go and look for her again.” Tony promised, “I wish you would stop destroying yourself, destroying her with these addictions.”
"I don't, at least I didn't mean to. I screwed up, yet again. I don't want to lose her." Steve commented, his eyes closed automatically, cuddling up to the warm body next to him.
Tony sighed, putting an arm around his ex-lover, "If we work together, maybe we can fix this?"
"You would do that for me?" He asked surprised.
"No." Antonio snapped, "I would do it for HER. I love her, and I won't let you fuck this up for both of us! She deserves better than that. She deserves to be happy for once, not crashing and burning due to your stupidity!"
Stevens witty retort was interrupted by thunder crashing overhead, he jumped upright, tiredness forgotten, glancing around. "That's not right; there shouldn't be a storm tonight."
"That's an unlicensed storm mage working." Tony commented, “How many unlicensed witches are in the city limits?
Both of them suddenly felt a stab in the heart, bending over in pain. Only one word on their lips. "Victoria."
They stared at each other and Antonio grabbed the others hand and disappeared them, locking onto the slight trace of her powers. They reappeared in the house Victoria used to squat in, she was collapsed on the sofa close to death. Barely breathing, pulse weak, skin icy cold. She might as well be dead for all the vitals her body was exhibiting. The storm growing in power overhead, lightning was crashing around the house, the walls shaking with the power of it as it earthed around them. Rain pounding on the roof so hard it was almost ripping tiles off the roof to get inside.
Steven knelt by her side, trying to wake her. She was in a deep coma or something like it. He wasn't sure what to do. There didn't seem to be anything wrong with her that he could see. No wounds, no darts, no hexes, no charms. He looked up at Antonio for guidance; magic had never been his strong point. He was a warrior first and foremost, a few small magical tricks but nothing on his ex’s level.
Tony came over and checked her over, "There's nothing we can do."
"I won't let her die!" He snapped, “There must be something that can help her.”
Tony shrugged, "You pushed her to escape the only way she could, and she’s in her own little reality now. Only she can pull herself back out of it. You stressed her to the point of escaping existence to get away from you. Her mind was too fragile to cope with everything going on around her, remembering her past. She is going to crash and burn yet again; she has hours left, days at most. Could you stop being a stupid fucking kid just once?!"
Steven started crying, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it."
Antonio sighed, and rubbed his shoulders gently, "Shhh, we can fix this, I hope. Start checking through her things, and we will see what we can find."
Tony moved them back to her bedroom, laying her softly down on her own bed. Covering her in a soft blanket to try and bring up her temperature. Forcing a little water between her lips to keep the body going. While Steven searched for anything he could find to bring her out of her suffering. At least if she was going to die, it would be in the comfort of her own home with the people around her who really loved her.
Days were passing all too slowly, Steve starting to despair if they could actually save her or not. Antonio brought medical supplies supplying her body with the basics of life, water and food through an IV. He even bought a cooler of fresh blood forcing Steve to feed as often as he could keep it down, the healthier diet making him doze all too easily when he should be watching over her. Victoria just seemed to be in a deep peaceful sleep other than the storm raging worse and worse around them as her powers lashed out uncontrolled.
It was tearing them both apart being helpless, not being able to reach me. Steven thought that he had preferred the girl when she was drinking, then at least he could have lead the drunken idiot home again and put her to bed. Or take the knife from her hands or do something useful. This was a form of torture worse than anything they had ever endured before.
Antonio tried to keep his spirits high, but it was a constant battle. He had tried magic potions, charm pendants, spell casting, every immortal way he could think of to break her attention and bring her home. He had one last idea left, to walk in her dreams. That was dangerous and often deadly, he could get trapped in her mind and never get out again. They could both die there, but what else could they do?!
Steve had even found and read her diary trying to find a clue for what was happening. He had read all through from her childhood to adult life. Even when Victoria had felt unable to discuss how she felt anymore to anyone, and just started to write everything down. No matter how many times the shrink said it would help to talk about the delusions.
Pulling Antonio over they read about the dreams of them, the magical powers I'd grown, how my parents had beaten me and sent me to see shrink after shrink and even had me l
ocked up for a while. The fact that in the end I had stopped telling people what I saw and what I could do, just to stop being drugged up and sent back to more therapy that never did any good.
They even read the few scant messages from after all that, when I had started drinking and using, just to lock away who I was and hide among the normal people. Even read what I had thought the first time I saw him. The passion I felt and the deep need to be with him.
The worst and most painful for both of them was when they read about the rapes and beatings from childhood upwards. The loneliness, depression and misery that I felt every single day. That seeing the ex again had sent me into a deeper form of self-loathing and danger. That trying to die wasn't attention seeking, or wanting to end it all. It was about escaping from the hell of my life.
“She remembers more than she ever has, of all her lives just melding into one totality.” Tony commented, “No wonder she crashed, the mental defenses would have knocked her out cold even if she hadn’t put herself in the coma. There’s enough here to shatter her mind, how did she get so almost aware?”
Steve shook his head, “I told her nothing, but she is different this time. Stronger, too strong to be hiding away like this. Perhaps she is just processing the data she has collated?”
“And when she does? It could kill her, again.” He muttered.
They knew that they had to break through my defenses somehow, and free me from my self-created prison before they ran out of time. By how weak the body was, they didn't have a lot of time left. A few hours at most, I was close to death the smell of it lingering in the air.
“I will get the supplies for the dream walk.” Tony commented quietly, “Feed, rest and prepare I will need you tonight to anchor me.”
Steve nodded, “Anything you desire my … lord.” He had nearly said ‘my love’, only just biting it off and turning it into a sarcastic comment at the last moment. Old feelings were stirring inside of him, old passions, but he knew it was only on his side. Antonio would never take him back, not after everything he had done in his stupidity. As complicated as it sounded, he cared for the man as deeply as he did his wife.
The Scarlet Drop: The Vampire Legacies Book One Page 5
