“I don’t see our so-called Mother anywhere. Do you?”
“No.”
He looked over his shoulder and at the basement door. “We need Lenore for this.”
Gods of the Old, Gods of the New. Dark Goddess of our flesh. We honor you with the blood of your children. I strike true and I offer you her blood, the blood of the descendant.
“Yep, I’ve heard this chant before.” He couldn’t get close enough to hurt them, but getting close to him would cause a distraction—a sign for the others to move in. Putting his life on the line wasn’t something he looked forward to doing. “Fuck. Okay, when they’re focused on me, go for Maris,” he whispered to Sia and before she could argue against his horrible well-thought plan, he stepped out and whistled. “Hey!” He waved his hands. “Over here!”
The chanting stopped. He had their undivided attention.
Krerina faced him. “How did you get in there?” she asked.
Remy moved in but he wasn’t fast enough. In a calm manner, the Defiler held up her hand, halting him in his tracks.
Krerina laughed. “We didn’t think you would be so stupid to come back, after what we did to you.”
“This is my home,” Remy replied. “Of course, I would come back.”
“He’s not alone.” the Defiler scanned the front area. “I can sense the other one, the Adze Deamhan. She’s around.”
“Nope, it’s just me.” He struggled to move his right arm and then his left. When that failed, he started with his feet. If she could stop him in his tracks with a mere flick of her wrist, he could only imagine what other things she’d do to him. Nothing seemed to work over her power, so he turned to the only thing he could do. Bide some time. “So, what are you two up to?”
The Defiler placed the Dark Curse tablet on Maris’ chest. “You know exactly what we’re doing and if you’ve come to stop it, you’ve wasted your time. There is no stopping this. Once Limbo is opened and vulnerable, it won’t take long for the Pure Deamhan to leave.”
“What about that whole ‘Limbo must always have eight bodies for it to remain stable’ stuff? What happens when there aren’t eight bodies?”
“I’ll tell you what happens.” Krerina smiled. “Limbo goes ‘boom’ and ceases to exist.”
“Hmm, sounds like a win-win for you both. Let’s just say you win? What then? You’ll grab hands and walk into the sunset? Will you create a whole new species? Did you ever think about what you’re doing, right here and now, will affect everyone else out there? Did you ever think about that?”
“There’s no reason to think about such things,” the Defiler replied.
“You’re wrong. People out there do not deserve this. For all the bad shit Deamhan have done, we still don’t deserve this.”
“No one is innocent, not even your dead human friend, Nathan,” Krerina snickered.
His eyes turned black. “I promised my littlest Deamhan that I would kill you for what you did to him.” He felt his body heat up from within. The heat intensified and when it reached an unbearable level, he grunted in pain.
A cloud of darkness opened directly behind Krerina. He expected Sia to step out and interrupt her but instead, four vampires jumped from the mist and tackled her to the ground.
Another cloud of darkness appeared near Maris’ feet and another to his left. More vampires stormed out of the murkiness and into battle.
This tested the extent of Krerina’s power. Unable to hold onto him any longer, Remy felt his body loosen. Now freed from her dark magic, he went to attack her but someone from behind held onto him.
“No,” Sia ordered. “We must get Maris.”
“You get her! I have someone I need to kill.” While the vampires tangled with the Defiler, he headed directly for Krerina. His target remained by the altar, fighting her way through a plethora of vampires who surrounded her like bloat flies feasting on the dead. She used her magic against them in any way possible, pushing them back, snapping their necks, and ripping through them like fresh pieces of meat. Just when the horde thinned, more came to replace those who fell in the fight. They kept coming until the point that the air filled with the scent of blood and death.
The tide turned in her favor when she pulled out the long magically imbued knife and stabbed them. Their deaths looked anything but spectacular. Those he stabbed died quickly while others he nicked with the knife died soon shortly after.
He realized that he had to pry that knife from her cold hands. When he got close, he felt a warm sensation behind his eyes followed by pain which made him drop to his knees.
“You can’t stop this.” She balled hands into tight fists, increasing the pain Remy felt in his head, excruciating and strong enough to cause him to see spots.
He wiped his eyes and saw blood on his hands. “Watch me try.” He blinked in an attempt to see clearly.
He hoped that Sia and the others had better luck.
Krerina chanted.
Gods of the Old, Gods of the New. Dark Goddess of our flesh. We honor you with the blood of your children. I strike true and I offer you her blood, the blood of the descendant.
Remy remained helpless as she raised the magical blade over Maris’ chest.
A gust of wind blew through the front yard, lifting his short hair and almost pushing him to his side. Sounds of flesh being torn and a tremendous shriek filled the air. A blur, zigzagged through the front yard, leaving a trail of bodies in its wake. One by one, they fell, gutted, maimed, decapitated. It cleared the yard of all the vampires who came to their rescue.
A blast of light illuminated the entire area, sending the rest of the vampires running for their lives. The brightness extended over to their area and also sent Remy scurrying behind a nearby tree.
“What in the hell was that?” he screamed at Sia.
When she peaked out from behind the altar, burnt vampire bodies littered the ground. “I think she created some kind of sunlight.”
“Since when can they create artificial sunlight?!” he screamed.
Sia maneuvered back. “No, no, don’t go out there!”
“If I don’t do anything, we’ll all die.”
The Dark Mother stood among them, her arms caked in blood. It also peppered her face and the beautiful white dress she wore. “You dare attack me!” She screamed at the remains of her dead victims.
Her appearance caused Sia to sulk back into the shadows and disappear from Remy’s view.
“Great,” he mumbled.
Both Krerina and the Defiler lowered their heads as Amenirdis glided her way to the altar and toward Remy.
“Lamia Deamhan, you haven’t learned your place yet.”
“Nope, I sure haven’t,” he replied.
She stood alongside the altar. “Deamhan are only strong when they serve those who are the strongest.” She rubbed her hand over Maris’ hair.
“Sorry. There’s a reason why your father, who created Deamhan, locked you and the others in Limbo.”
“You know nothing about my father,” she snapped.
“So tell me.” He watched her tilt her head to the side. Hopefully this will buy me some time.
“Since our creation, the very first of our kind has remained in Limbo, in that state of darkness, while our offspring ran rampant. We knew what we’d done but we also knew that we didn’t ask to be transformed into what we are. I,” she pointed to herself, “didn’t ask for my father to condemn me, to use my body as a vessel for dark magic. I didn’t ask to have my motherhood stripped away from me.” She closed her eyes. “All of us had our own lives, our own paths. We had people who loved us, who wanted us to seek out the destinies we planned for ourselves and our loved ones.” She opened them. “We loved and the dark magic ripped that from our core. We obeyed our creator and that too was stripped from us. I was able to look through the veil and watch as the outside world changed. I watched as mountains made way for metal structures that reached into the heavens, as man-made machines replaced horses, as mud replaced pave
d roads.”
“Sounds like you have a personal problem with daddy and not with us. If you knew how dark magic affected you, why did you and the others go around siring humans? Why would you place that burden on anyone else?”
The corner of her mouth curled in a half smile. “Deamhan know the answer to that. They’ve sired and placed that burden on others. They aren’t innocent.”
“Fine, but what happened to you isn’t our fault. That rests solely on your father’s shoulders and he’s long dead. Get over it. You’re Maris’ ancestor and you saw her as a means to get what you want, just like the Defiler and Krerina. You want to rule and all of us non-Pure Deamhan to bow at your feet. Your father knew that the only way to take back control is to put you all in Limbo.”
“My father was a brilliant and caring man. But he was also an opportunist and megalomaniac.”
“I guess the apple doesn’t fall to far from the tree.”
“We’ve paid our price a thousand times over. We deserve every right to be free from that wretched place and I will do what I have to do to make that into reality.”
He stood to his feet. “For centuries, I’ve been told by other supernaturals that we’re evil incarnate, that we shouldn’t exist, and we’re an abomination against nature. For centuries, I fought against that. I believed in our right to exist. If you do this, then you’ll only prove that they were right all along.”
Krerina rolled her eyes. “It’s time for you to shut your mouth.” She flicked her wrist and Remy found himself face first in the dirt once again. Unable to lift his body, instead, he lifted his head and watched as all three of them standing around the altar.
“Finally,” the Dark Mother grabbed the knife from Krerina and raised it in the air. “I’ve waited a lifetime for this! Soon I will free them and the supernatural world will belong to Deamhan.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
ANASTASIA
Anastasia’s eyes darkened and her senses heightened while the last effects of Hibernation wore off. Her sluggish movement didn’t last long as a boost of energy shot through her system and she regained consciousness.
She sat up and recognized Lenore standing over her. She wanted to thank her but there wasn’t any time. She stood to her feet and heard the commotion coming from the front yard.
Without another word, she rushed in Deamhan speed up the stairs and to the foyer. The noise grew louder and the scent of the dead grew stronger. With her power fully restored and at her beck and call, her eyes transformed to black and she rushed out the front door. She saw the Defiler, Krerina, and the Dark Mother near the altar and burn bodies scattered upon the front lawn.
“MOTHER!”
They turned and looked.
“How?” Krerina’s face filled with horror.
“I told you, she’s more powerful than she looks,” the Dark Mother replied. “Did you think that your little spell would’ve held her in that darkness forever?”
Anastasia snapped her head to the left and made eye contact with Remy.
“Have you come to celebrate?” The Dark Mother approached her.
“What do you think?”
“Anastasia, releasing the Pure Deamhan is the only way to set order into our chaotic world. It’s the only way we all can survive, to return us to our glory.”
“You have a different excuse every time,” Anastasia replied. “This isn’t glory! There was never any glory in what we are. Look at me! I, a Ramanga Deamhan, offspring of Lucia, am a liar, a deceiver, a psychopath, and a murderer of children and families.” She thought about Nathan. “I’ve killed friends, acquaintances, and even my own offspring just to survive.”
Amenirdis stood so close that the tip of her nose graced the Anastasia’s cold cheek. “At my feet, you can be the epitome of what every Deamhan should be.”
She laughed at the Dark Mother’s audacity. “I’m not beneath you. I never was. All you want is power and no one can maintain that much of it, not even someone as old as you.”
“You’ll show our Mother respect,” the Defiler blurted out.
Tired of the conversation, Anastasia looked away. “Let Maris go. I’ll only ask you once.”
“Why? She means nothing to you.” The Dark Mother caressed Anastasia’s dark, stringy hair. “She always has meant nothing to you. You sired her for your own leverage. You betrayed her to the Dorvo vampires to spare your own life.”
Her voice fell silent and all Anastasia could do was stare at Maris, unconscious on the stone slab.
“You brought her into this world. You made her a Ramanga. If you’re looking for anyone to blame, then look inward.”
“If you would’ve told me this over a hundred years ago, then I would’ve agreed with you.” Her eyes returned back to Amenirdis. “But that was a different time. I was a different person. She means more to me than you ever will and you won’t hurt her. Now, let her go.”
Her eyes glowed red which only meant one thing. They revealed hate that she hadn’t seen from any Deamhan in her long, immortal life. Anastasia had struck a nerve, but the Dark Mother didn’t violently react. Not yet. “I will kill you. I can kill you.”
Anastasia slapped her hand away. “No, you won’t.” She saw this moment as her chance to end it. With her mouth opened and fangs exposed, she forced her hand through Amenirdis’ chest and took hold of her heart. The Dark Mother flinched and both Krerina and the Defiler moved in.
“Stay back. I can kill her before you have the chance to whisper your magic spells.”
“You won’t kill me.” The red in her eyes disappeared, replaced by a warm brownish color.
“Don’t doubt me.” She leaned in and whispered, “I’ve killed many Deamhan. You’re no different.”
“Kill me and you’ll eradicate an entire bloodline.”
Anastasia grabbed her heart and squeezed. “So be it.” She pointed to Remy. “Whatever you’ve done to him, stop, or I will kill her.”
The Defiler didn’t move at her threat but Krerina nodded. Soon, Remy managed to stand on his legs, freed from their dark magic power. He picked up Maris from the altar and set her down next to a nearby tree.
“Our fate is determined by the lives we live… Mother.”
“I’m the Queen of Limbo,” she whispered. “You can’t do this to me.”
“You should’ve never left Limbo.” Remy snatched the magical knife from the altar and marched to Krerina, who backed away. “Now, where were we?” He tapped the pointed end to his palm. “Oh, that’s right! I promised my littlest Deamhan that I would kill you.” He slashed the knife across her neck.
Krerina stumbled back. Blood poured from the deep gash and without another word, she fell to the ground. Remy stood over her, still holding onto the blood-soaked knife. “I hope it hurts.” He turned to look at the Defiler. “You’re next, sweetheart.”
The Dark Mother placed her hand over Anastasia’s wrist. “You can’t kill a god.”
Before she squeezed to crush her heart still in her grasp, a powerful force ricocheted through the area and sent all of them to their knees.
Lenore strolled from the manor, down the stairs, and to the front yard. “You aren’t a god, but I thank you for the power you’ve bestowed on me and I thank you for your much-needed sacrifice.”
Anastasia watched her place her hands underneath the Dark Mother’s chin to lift her head. “What are you doing?” she asked with clenched teeth. “I was just about to end her!”
“You cannot end a Pure Deamhan like that, especially when they have so much dark magic in them.”
“Wha? What are you talking about? RIP HER HEART OUT!”
The Dark Mother stared into Lenore’s eyes. “My child, are you the one who will end me?” The lower half of her body turned gray and the effects spread upward, toward her neck.
Lenore nodded.
“Of course. Where else would all the dark magic go?” Her skin on her face tightened over her cheekbones. Her red, glowing eyes rolled into the back of her he
ad and small cracks arose on her now stoned face. Rich, dark blood poured from her agape mouth along with bits of flesh and bone. Her stone skin blotched black and her dark hair fell from her head in chunks. When her lips pulled back they exposed teeth and her tongue that shrank in her mouth. Slowly, the Dark Mother’s body transformed into mummified remains.
Lenore didn’t remove her hand as the body crumbled and fell to the ground in a pile of dust.
For Anastasia, it was a glorious yet ominous sight to see. Never in a million years did she ever expect that she’d live to see the end of the Queen of Limbo.
The Defiler screamed and Lenore quickly silenced her. She appeared to be well adverse in her use of dark magic, so much that Anastasia felt the ground shake underneath their feet. The wind picked up, blowing random leaves across the ground. She tucked her hair behind her ears and waited to see who would make the first move, but neither one did. Instead, they kept their intense eyes on each other.
When not a word escaped the Defiler’s opened mouth, she collapsed to her knees and sobbed.
Anastasia ran to Remy. “Are you okay?”
“I’m good.” He examined his bloody shirt. “Nothing a little bleach can’t fix.” He pointed at Krerina. “You want a souvenir?”
“No.” She headed to Maris’ side and held her offspring in her arms. “Maris,” she whispered in a gentle voice. Her eyelids lifted slowly and seeing her warm, brown eyes brought a smile to Anastasia’s face.
“You came for me,” Maris spoke in a weak voice.
“Did you doubt that I would?”
She lazily shook her head.
“The Dark Mother is dead. It’s all over.” Stunned, she couldn’t look away while Lenore approached her sister with slow steps. “You’ve done enough harm.” She placed her hands around the Defiler’s neck and yanked violently upward.
The winds died down and the calm environment returned.
Remy whispered to Anastasia. “What did she mean by the dark magic not having anywhere else to go?”
“Yes, what did you mean?” Anastasia redirected the question to Lenore
Divination (Deamhan Chronicles Book 4) Page 22
