“Alixia, you can’t go to her. They are baiting you. If you move toward them now, they can consider it a threat and go after the innocent ones without the mark.”
“I know,” I said, feeling wretched.
I looked over at her. She was as beautiful as ever, except for her eyes. Their emerald green had a darkness to them now, as did her soul. I knew she was sensing me, so I got into her head. She immediately stared in my direction.
Alixia, come to me now.
Marcel looked intently my way, as if he knew that she was communicating with me. I quickly blocked my thoughts. He bared his teeth fully, with an angry look on his face. Then he leaned toward my mother, whispering to her, and kissed her! I balled up my fist. Phillip’s grip on my arm tightened.
“Alixia, don’t. He’s just taunting you, like Uncle said.”
“ I know, let go of me. I’m not going to do anything.”
“ Are you sure?”
“Yes, I’ll keep it under control for now. I promise.”
“Good. This is absolutely not the time for you to get out of hand.”
“I won’t.”
I looked back over at them. Marcel moved away from her and walked to the center, standing next to the Dominions. They removed their hoods, and I saw that Angel was standing with them.
“Phillip, what’s going on? Is Angel part of the Dominions now?”
“Yes, it is her time, now that Correa has been taken.”
I stared at them standing in front of me, and got into their heads. Their hatred for each other was quite loud in their thoughts. Angel wanted to rip out Marcel’s heart and send him to Hell, where he belonged. Marcel wanted to slaughter every one of us for taking the life of his beloved Charlotte. However, their tortuous thoughts stayed within them as Angel graciously let Marcel take her hand, and they acknowledged each other’s presence.
“Alixia, bow,” Phillip said softly.
We knelt down as the Priestess entered with Madame Cecilia. I looked at Lucida for her reaction to seeing her own Mother. She moved toward Cecilia, but stepped back quickly when Marcel glared at her sternly, baring his teeth. Madame Cecilia, I could sense, was afraid. She didn’t want to provoke Lucida. She kept her attention on the Priestess Kiarah, avoiding eye contact with her daughter as they walked to the altar.
The drums started beating with the rhythmic pulse of a heartbeat. I could actually feel my own heart pound in time with each blow on the drum.
Marcel and the Dominions stood up and encircled the Priestess. They began chanting “La fin de lumière.”
I looked up, watching the moon get redder as the chanting and drums grew louder. A blood red mist began to surround us, emanating more of the intoxicating, sweet smell. It penetrated my nostrils like a drug. The more I inhaled, the more I felt my body relaxing as a pure euphoria took over my mind. Colors and sounds around me seemed to be more amplified, more intense. I turned to look at Phillip through the red mist. His eyes were closed, and his body was slowing weaving back and forth as he chanted along with the rest. It was hypnotizing to watch him. I kept trying to fight the effects of the drug, but soon I felt myself weaving back and forth, too. Then my mind took on the ghostly images of the Ancients. I could feel the touch of their presence all around me as if they were part of the red mist. They whispered in their native tongues, trying to sooth me deeper and deeper into their control. Then, taking my hand, they walked me to the altar.
I tried pulling away, but my body was weak. The only control I had at this point was restricted to my thoughts, as I silently tried to fight the mist’s manipulation. I stared ahead, seeing Marguerite with her arms stretched out. Madame Cecilia stood next to her, smiling. They took my hands.
“What are you doing?” I asked, slurring my words as if drunk.
“ Hush now, Alixia,” Marguerite said. She pointed to the Dominions and Marcel. They parted, revealing the Priestess on her knees. She was like the rest, eyes closed, weaving back and forth to the sounds of the drums.
Her thoughts penetrated my mind. I stumbled back, sensing her death.
“No!” I yelled out as they held on to me tighter.
“You’re going to kill her,” Angel said, holding a gold handled knife. I fell to my knees, looking at Kiarah, her head down as if she were waiting for her death, with no restraints on her. Angel took hold of my chin, holding it up, so that I could look directly into her eyes.
“Alixia, take the knife.”
“No!” I said, fighting the effect of the mist. “I won’t!”
I tried pulling away. Madame Cecilia bent down, still holding her grip tight on me. Getting close, she whispered.
“You will. The Ancients have chosen you to be the one to release the Priestess, so that she can return to the light and another can take her place. Now, stop resisting before the mist disappears. Go to the Priestess.”
I looked at the Priestess. She raised her head, her face was serene, and she showed no fear at all. She motioned to me. I stood up. I had no control; she was bringing me to her. Angel put the knife in my hand. My grasp tightened around it. The Priestess nodded at Angel, who moved away from me. I tried fighting the control the Priestess had over me, but I was being drawn into her.
I’m not killing her.
I kept saying it over and over again in my head, as I knelt down in front of her. She smiled at me, putting her hand to my cheek.
“Alixia, I knew you were the one.” She looked up at the moon and then at me. And suddenly there was panic in her eyes. She cried out.
“Alixia, quickly, give me the knife before the mist is gone.”
“No, I can’t.”
She grabbed the knife while I was still holding it, turning the blade toward herself and plunging it deep into her heart. I stood up, screaming.
I watched her fall backwards against the altar. Her face turning angelic, and then the light went out of her eyes. Her head dropped down slowly as she breathed her last. I just stared at her in disbelief and torment.
Why?
“Alixia,” Madame Cecilia said, touching my shoulder. “Step back.”
I turned to face her.
“Step back,” she said again, pushing me with her hand. I moved back, seeing the Ancients’ ghostly figures in the red mist coming toward us. They picked up her body gently and placed it on top of the altar. Each one kissed the hands of her lifeless body.
“Un chemin paisible,” they repeated, as they encircled her. Then a young girl of about thirteen or fourteen appeared out of the mist, carrying a lit torch. She handed it to one of the Ancients and walked up to the Priestess. She leaned over and kissed her. Then she removed a necklace with a bird pendant from the Priestess’s neck. Closing her eyes for a moment, she retreated into a quiet reverence.
Then she reached out for the lit torch, saying: “Je vous aime Mère.” And she lit the fire.
Hearing the young girls thoughts, I felt even more sickened about what I had just witnessed. Kiarah was her mother.
The flames engulfed the Priestess quickly. Feeling my control coming back, I started walking to the girl to offer some kind of condolence, or perhaps repentance. Madame Cecilia took my hand, shaking her head.
“No, Alixia, not now.”
“But she has to know that I didn’t…“
I stopped. The young girl shook her head at me, saying “Arrêt.” I sensed an unrest within both her and the Ancients surrounding the altar. I stepped back, watching them. The girl kneeled down with Ancients lowering her head, as the flames burned hotter, shooting spiraling white smoke up into the darkness. The red mist seemed to be dissipating fast. I looked up, watching as the blood red hue that had consumed the moon drained itself, turning the sky back to harvest gold. Moving my eyes back down to the altar, I saw that the Ancients had all gone except for the young girl.
“Where did they go?” I asked. Still staring at the girl, I watched as Angel placed the pendant around her neck.
“Who?” Madame Cecilia asked.
“The Ancients?”
“Alixia, they won’t be here until after the Gathering. Remember, we discussed that. So, come and meet the Priestess.”
“You know they were here! They were around the Priestess Kiarah!“
She looked at me, baffled.
“I don’t know who you are talking about. We don’t have a Priestess Kiarah.”
I felt the anger in me rise, wondering what she was up to.
“Why are you acting as if nothing happened?”
“Alixia,” Marguerite said in a commanding tone. “Madame Cecilia, please excuse us.”
“Yes, of course.”
She bowed, still looking worried, and walked over to Angel.
“What is the problem here?”
I glared at her.
“What’s the problem? Are you all insane? I just stuck a knife into the…”
Marguerite grabbed me.
“Stop, and do not say another word. Come with me right now.”
“Let me go!” I said, gritting my teeth.
“You hush!” She squeezed her grip even tighter on me. We walked a few feet into the jungle. She turned to me, her eyes glaring.
“You will not speak about what you witness here tonight!” I pulled my arm away from her.
“Really?” I said. “Don’t you think it’s a little too late for that? The Priestess Kiarah died, and everyone witnessed it.”
“No, they didn’t,” she said, pursing her lips and flaring her nostrils. “Their minds were shielded with the mist, and yours should have been, too.”
“What are you talking about?”
“The mist. When it faded away, you shouldn’t have had any memories of what took place here tonight. Kiarah was right. You are different.”
“Different? I don’t care about hearing how different I am right now. The Priestess died tonight, remember?”
“Alixia, lower you voice. It is done, so just push the memory out of your mind. In their minds now, she never existed.”
I could still see the Priestess’s lifeless body in my mind.
“So,” I said sarcastically. “We still have a couple of hours left before I lose my powers. Is there anyone else you want me to kill tonight?”
“Alixia, that’s uncalled for. It wasn’t a killing. It was a ritual, and she chose her own destiny!”
“She chose to die? Why would she do that?”
She sighed.
“Because she wanted to change the order of things. She sacrificed her life to save Marcus.”
I glared at her.
“What does Marcus have to with this?”
“She gave her blood yesterday because she was willing to save him, Alixia. But the Ancients can never mix their blood with the Dark Ones or the Ambrosines. It’s forbidden, as our blood is pure.” She closed her eyes. “The punishment, if they do, is death. That’s why there could not be a memory of her. She broke the order of beliefs. ”
”And you let her do it?” I said, horrified. “Why?”
“It was her choice. Kiarah was not going to tolerate any more of Correa’s threats or malice. She even threatened Kiarah’s child with death. That’s when she knew that the ritual was the only way to stop Correa from taking whomever she thought would be a threat to her reign. So, the ritual was set in place, and it worked. She didn’t die in vain. Correa’s dead, and now all we have to deal with is Marcel. He will be taken care of soon.”
“Marguerite!” Olitha came running toward us.
Turning their backs on me, they started conversing loudly in French. Then Marguerite turned to me.
“Let’s go, Alixia. We have to return. “
“What’s going on?” I asked, as we started heading back to the altar.
“Marcel has left with his Family, after hearing what happened to Correa.”
“He didn’t know?”
“No. He knew she came to the realm last night. Of course, he lost his ability to get into her head when she crossed over. So he didn’t know that she was taken last night.”
“How did he find out, then?” I asked, moving a branch out of the way.
“From the Priestess. When he went over to honor her earlier, he got into her mind. And, of course, her distain for him came through in her thoughts. She was hoping the same death enfolded him as it did Correa.”
“We will find him,” I said.
“Yes, I know you will take care of him. But I wanted him here. Now he’s on his way back to new Orleans, with your mother, to look for Marcus. Which will make it harder for you to hunt him down.”
I stopped, feeling my heart race. “Marcus is going to New Orleans?”
“Yes,” she said as we walked out into the open, facing the altar. She took my hand. “Go now and give your respect, and then we will return to New Orleans.”
I walked over to the girl. I knelt down on one knee and then stood back up. She smiled at me.
“Alixia, this is the Priestess Corbeau,” Marguerite said. She reached her hand out to me. I bent down. She kissed my cheeks, saying: “Alixia, ma soeur.”
She handed Marguerite a necklace.
“Turn around, Alixia. She is giving you a gift.” I lifted my hair and Marguerite placed the diamond blackbird pendant around my neck. The priestess reached out, touching the Ambrosine diamond.
“Alixia le Pur,” she said. Then, taking my hand and speaking in French to the Families, they all bowed along with Madame Cecilia, Angel and the Dominions. I looked to Marguerite for the translation.
“What she is saying?”
“She is pleased with you, Alixia, and just consecrated you into this realm.”
The child let go of my hand.
“Protégez la Famille,” she said, and then walked away. I stood there for a moment, observing her. She was poised and in control, as if nothing was amiss.
I felt a touch on my shoulder and turned to see Madame Cecilia. She kissed my cheek.
“Are you okay now?”
“Yes,” I said, stepping away from her so that she couldn’t read my thoughts. “I guess the red mist must have disorientated me.”
She smiled.
“Well, this your first Blood Moon Gathering, and to find out you carry your grandfather’s legacy is a great gift.”
“Madame Cecilia,” one of the Dominions called for her.
“I have to go, Alixia.”
“Wait, what was that about my grandfather’s legacy?”
She looked back at me.
“We will talk later.“
“But…”
“After the Gathering, I promise. It’s nothing to be concerned about. Now, go join Phillip.”
I shook my head.
Nothing to be concerned about?
I found Phillip and blocked him right away from what I had witnessed in the red mist. He moved close to me, reaching over and picking up the pendant on my neck.
“Where did you go?”
“Oh, I left with Marguerite. She just needed to talk to me about Marcus,” I said, looking at the spot where my mother had been standing before the mist came down.
“They’re gone now,” he said, following my gaze and letting go of the necklace.
“I know. We have to leave for New Orleans as soon as Marguerite is ready.”
“Why?”
“Marcel’s on his way there.” He made a grunting noise.
“Yeah, I figured he’d move quickly. He was outraged when he found out Correa was dead. But the Priestess Corbeau brought him to his knees quickly.”
I had to know, so I got into his head. Marguerite was right. He had no memory of Kiarah.
“Really, so what did she do to him?” I asked, jumping out of his mind.
“Nothing. He begged her forgiveness, and she granted his request this time, letting him up. Then he left, swearing revenge as usual.”
“Quiet down. It’s time!” Charles said, waving his hand.
I looked at the Priestess as she went to her knees, putting her hands up just as her moth
er had. But this time, she was bringing the mist back.
“Now what, Phillip?” I asked, sensing anxiety all around me.
“Just keep your guard up. The mist hasn’t covered us yet.”
Suddenly, I heard screaming. Phillip took my hand.
“What is going on?” I asked, as we went toward the screams. “The Dark Ones are going after the innocent ones. This is a short window of time that you were told about, to take revenge before the mist covers us completely. ”
“Watch out, Phillip!” I yelled, seeing a Dark One out of the corner of my eye coming toward us. He turned quickly, grabbing him around the neck as I went in for the kill, piercing his heart. We accelerated through the jungle, chasing them down one after another as we came across them preying on the innocent. Holding one to the ground, penetrating my way into his heart, I stopped and jumped over his lifeless body. I could sense her!
“Mother,” I said.
Phillip came up behind me, ready to charge her.
“No,” I yelled, holding him back.
“Alixia, she needs to die.”
“We can’t…”
“Alixia, move!”
He pushed me to the side and went after her. I stood there waiting for her first screams, watching the gray mist completely surround me again.
“Oh, Phillip!” I cried out. The mist was back and our powers were gone. I ran into the mist, panicked, trying to find him, knowing that he would need my help.
“Phillip, where are you? Answer me!”
I moved faster, tearing at the branches in my way as I tried to see through the heavy mist. I screamed his name again.
“Over here!” I ran toward the voice, seeing Charles helping him up .
“Phillip!” I ran into his arms. “You’re okay! Oh, if anything had happened to you…”
I saw two decapitated bodies on the ground.
“I’m fine, Alixia. It’s okay. Just a couple of bites.”
He showed his arm. There were puncture marks on his forearm, and on his hand.
“Phillip,” I said taking his hand. “You’re not healing.”
“Don’t worry, they will disappear when I leave here.”
“Well, you’re lucky,” Charles said looking at the arm. “If I hadn’t sensed you were in danger before the mist engulfed us, it probably would have been a lot worse.“
The Legacy (Ambrosine Book 2) Page 24
