“No! She is mine,” Eva’s voice turned into a growl.
Alert, Helena’s eyes raked over the commotion. Eva was no longer a burning woman but a cloud of darkness. It hovered above the pyre which rapidly faded.
Unable to take in a breath, her lungs ached from the lack of oxygen.
The darkness drifted closer. And, the closer it drew, the better she felt. The strange hold around her loosened enough for her to swallow a breath. The thick cloud climbed up her leg, sending shivers down her spine. She fought to move away from the creature lurking in the shadows but remained paralysed.
A sharp-toothed grin became visible to her, and a lump formed in her throat. “Now then, where were we?”
The darkness shrunk until it reformed into a female shape, and Eva stepped out with a toothy grin stretching her unmarred face. “I have waited a long time for this, my flower.”
Helena’s back hit something. She looked up at the wall of legs that worked as a barrier, keeping her in place. The crowd’s attention was on her. Their unnerving grins made her want to disappear into the dirt.
Peeling her eyes away from them, she found enough courage to ask, “Waited for what?”
“Why for you, of course! Finding you has been a tad more work than I have anticipated.” Eva eyed her, pleased with whatever she saw.
Helena’s soul quivered with fear under that penetrating stare.
Drawing closer, Eva wrinkled her nose. “I can smell his energy around you.”
Helena didn’t want that thing coming any closer. She shuffled away as far as the pillars of legs would let her. “Who are you?”
“Oh, you know who I am.”
“What—” She fell silent. The dream about Eva resurfaced. This was the same darkness that stared back at her in the mirror and had been circling her shields for the past two weeks.
“Lazarus,” she spat the name out.
“Alas, you remembered. There may be hope for you yet… Oh wait, no there won’t be. After I retrieve my payment, you will no longer be around.” Lazarus snorted at his own joke.
Helena’s mouth went dry. “What payment?”
The whites of Eva’s eyes became black as the irises changed to crimson. “You humans are the same, always asking boring questions. I’ll give you a hint. It is something that tastes better than anything your human money can buy.”
Not good. Helena’s heart was pulsating in her head. This thing was almost upon her. She ran Lazarus’ words through her mind until a simple answer surfaced. “My soul…”
This creature was after her soul. Helena clasped her hand over her heart. She didn’t want to go through that agony again. “But I never agreed to anything with you, so you can’t take it.”
The grin on Eva’s face—its face—slackened. “I can take it whenever I please, but where would be the fun in that?” Her long forest-green dress turned the shade of the night, morphing into the darkness that appeared to crawl from beneath her skirt. The demon bowed to the audience. “I want you to remember this, mortal. I always get what I want.”
Helena gasped when the energy from earlier returned. It twisted around her once again and tugged. In that instance, it gave her a sense of Michael’s presence. Knowing it was a warning, she sucked in more air, and the pressure increased on her chest. Like before, there was nothing physical for her to see.
Eva narrowed her eyes and towered over Helena. The pillars of legs behind her back dissipated, and the support for her back vanished.
An animal-like howl escaped Eva’s lips. “You are not getting away this easy!”
Helena’s lungs were beginning to burn. She could do nothing but hope that whoever was behind the energy was on her side. It squeezed harder, and her body was pulled away from the demon’s grasp. But, that didn’t last long. Without realising it, Helena was no longer in the courtyard.
Instead, she hung suspended in the air, with no light to show her where she was. Something cold ran up her legs, weighing her down.
Two energies fought over her body, tugging at her as if she was a prize to be won. The air in her lungs ran short, and she gasped. Her hands sought her throat.
She couldn’t win, so she stopped struggling against them. Dying by suffocation was a better way to go than losing her soul to a demon. She closed her eyes and let the converging energies swallow her up.
16
Endless Nightmares
Nothing mattered in this darkness. The emptiness brought peace and tranquillity—something she hadn’t had in weeks.
“She’s not going to make it!” a faraway female voice broke through.
Who isn’t going to make it? What’s going on? Helena’s interest vanished as fast as it came. She was safe and far away from her problems. This is another strange dream.
Her stomach lurched when she heard Vincent’s rough voice. “Then do something so that she does.”
The female cussed and started chanting something. The Latin words seemed to echo in the vast space, wrapping around her like a gentle blanket.
“Master Vincent, is Helena going to be alright?” Perri’s worried voice followed.
Is Perri concerned about me? They had almost finished developing their plan on how to get Hans’ attention. Helena couldn’t leave her like this. She made a promise.
The tension in her body departed. There was no need to return. Nothing mattered anymore. Perri worked for Vincent. She was not her friend.
“Leave this instant, Perri. This is not something you should witness,” Vincent said.
“Yes, Master.”
Helena heard someone closing the door with a loud click. A warm glow broke through the shadow. She recognised it. There was no mistaking the calm Michael’s energy radiated. Her guardian angel had returned to her, but she couldn’t recall the last time she had seen him.
He wore a frown on his face which didn’t suit him. She wanted to reach out and wipe away the uncharacteristic expression.
“Fight for it, Helena. You must fight!”
She tilted her head to one side in confusion. “What should I fight for?”
“Your life. Fight or you will die.”
As he glided over to her, the light blinded her vision. She had to squint to see him outstretch his hand.
“Take it,” he urged.
She didn’t move. Biting her lip, she thought hard. Isn’t this enough? Why fight for a life where I am a prisoner? Every choice, every mistake I made had alienated me from those I hold dear. “Why? Why should I bother?”
“You are loved and needed. Andrew needs you now more than ever. For him, please take my hand.”
She cast her gaze to her hand. It was growing transparent as she relied more on the tranquil warmth. She glanced at her guardian angel. Michael had been with her for over a decade. He was someone she could always rely on. Yet, these past few weeks, he was nowhere to be found. He abandoned her when she needed him most and withheld information.
Her jaw clenched, and she battled against the tears that wanted to surface. “Andrew will improve and live through this without me. He’s strong. Michael, I don’t see a reason to fight.”
Someone else’s energy appeared, stirring the air. A dark figure parted with the shadows.
Lucious had a pained look on his face when his eyes fixed on her. “What are you doing?”
His anger gave her the strength to keep the tears at bay. She could finally get a grasp on her calm. “I’m not doing anything. I want to rest.”
“You foolish human!” he shouted. “Can you not feel it? If you die, I will, too. I can feel my life slipping away because of you. Do something!”
Helena studied him. His usual composure was gone and his good posture became a slouch while he held onto his gut where his string would be. She remembered the time when the Council first arrived. Back then, she felt the pain Andreaz inflicted on him. Her heart jolted. She couldn’t let someone suffer because of her. Not again. Even if it meant she would be hunted by vampires and tortured by a demon.
>
She lifted her hand higher. Her fingers tingled with the mix of energies around her and pushed through the dark.
Once Michael’s hand wrapped around hers, he pulled her into his arms, enveloping her in a big hug.
“So bright,” she murmured.
Michael smiled. He wasn’t a man she considered to be beautiful. Handsome was a better description. His long golden hair cascaded around them when he looked down at her, creating a shroud of protection.
“Hurry it up!” Lucious growled.
The link between them shook. Michael turned them to look at where Lucious stood, glaring at the angel.
“I never thought I’d say this, vampire, but I am thankful she had created a bond with you. Otherwise, I would have lost her today.” Michael returned his attention to her. A sad smile formed in the corners of his mouth. “You must value your life more. Your existence means a lot to those who care about you.” His light enveloped them like a comforting glove, forcing Helena to close her eyes.
An unfamiliar woman’s face hovered above Helena, too close for comfort. “She’s okay! She’s back.”
“Is there any permanent damage done?” Vincent inquired.
The woman lifted her head higher, and her copper curls swayed. When her face came into focus, oval brown eyes were studying Helena. A faint smell of summer flowers came from the stranger.
A ghost of a smile tugged at Helena’s lips. She was finally safe.
“Do you know your name?” the woman asked.
“Helena,” her voice came out as a hoarse whisper. She lifted her hand to her throat and massaged it.
“And, do you know where you are?”
Helena raised her head off the floor. She appeared to be back in her room at Vincent’s. She let out a slight moan. “Scotland?”
The redhead helped her sit up, supporting her shoulders with a gentle touch. She turned her head to face Vincent who was standing by the door. “She’s going to be fine.”
“You have done well, Madeline.”
She scoffed. “I didn’t do it for you, you bloodthirsty demon. If you are telling me the truth, and she is one of us, I had no choice but to help. Leave us. I must speak with her alone.”
Helena thought it was strange that Vincent did as Madeline bid. He left the room without glancing over his shoulder once.
The second she looked down at her body, she knew why. “My clothes…” Her hands flew to cover as much of her naked flesh as she could.
“Let us find you some.” Madeline rushed over to the wardrobe and flung the drawers open.
Helena ran her fingers over her stomach, smudging the charcoal runes drawn on her flesh. “Why was I naked?”
All the recent events were too much for her to handle. The nightmares persistently gave her the chills. She shivered at the thought of being there with Lazarus again.
“Sorry, you must be freezing.” Madeline handed her the clothes she managed to gather.
Grateful, Helena accepted them. Her arms and legs ached as she moved them to slip the clothes on.
“I needed access to your skin, and that required stripping you,” Madeline said.
Helena blushed. This woman was not the only person who got to see her fully exposed. There was no way she would be able to face Vincent after such an incident.
Noting her reaction, Madeline added, “Ah, don’t worry. For most of the ritual, you had a sheet over you. It fell away in the last ten or so minutes.”
Not feeling any better, Helena climbed her feet. Madeline provided support by holding onto Helena’s waist and guided her in the direction of the bed. No matter how she looked at it, her arms and legs were the least of her problems. Her whole body ached as if she had been running an endless marathon. Individual nerve endings seemed to want to make their presence known to her at once.
She sat on the bed, wincing. “Thanks for your help.”
“There’s nothing to thank me for. You would have done the same for me.”
“What do you mean?”
Madeline patted her on her head and smiled knowingly. “It’s alright if you want to keep it a secret, my sweet.”
Not getting the point, Helena decided to move on. She could ask Perri later. “Why am I in so much pain? What happened?”
Madeline gave her a pitiful look and settled on the bed next to her. “I keep forgetting how isolated you’ve been from the real world. I will explain everything in due time.”
The woman shifted to stand, and Helena caught her wrist. “No, tell me now, please.”
She lowered herself back down, her expression growing grim. “You were possessed. A demon took hold of your body and…”
“And what?”
“And, you’ve hurt people. Humans of this household were concerned about your wellbeing and held you down. I believe the girl called Perri got the worst of it.”
Helena remained silent. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. A sickening sensation built in her stomach.
“Don’t worry. The demon is gone. I made certain of that.”
Her brows creased with confusion. “Why would a demon want me?”
“There are various reasons for something like this to happen, and I will tell you about them once you get some rest.”
Madeline peeled back the covers.
Taking her up on the invitation, Helena climbed in bed. The woman didn’t look a day older than thirty-five and treated Helena like a daughter, something that pulled at her heart strings.
She made a mental note to hug her mother and Richard the moment she got back home—if she got back home.
Madeline brushed Helena’s hair out of her face with a tender smile. “I should be going now. Get some sleep.”
Helena closed her eyes and waited until Madeline left. When the door was shut, she climbed out of bed. Her limbs hurt as if she went through a meat grinder, but she had to find Perri. Up till now, she couldn’t believe she had hurt the one person who was nice to her.
There was a light knock on the door, and Helena urged whoever it was to enter.
“You’re awake?” Perri’s muffled voice came from the other side of the door.
Helena rushed over and flung the door open. “Perri—” Once her eyes rested on the maid, she halted. There was a large white cast on the maid’s right arm, stretching from her knuckles and to her shoulder. “Are you alright?”
With the frantic waving of her hands, Helena motioned for Perri to join her in the bedroom. Although the maid seemed reluctant at first, she walked in, bowing her head so that Helena couldn’t see her face well. Helena wanted to help her to one of the seats in the room, but Perri recoiled from her touch—a reaction she wasn’t prepared for.
She eyed Perri, and her gut tangled at the possible reasons for such behaviour.
“You don’t remember anything, do you?” Perri lifted her head, and her round eyes glistened with unshed tears.
Helena’s eyes grew wide. “Did I do that?”
Not knowing whether she wanted an answer or not, she took an unconscious step away from the maid.
Perri seemed almost relieved at the new distance. “Vincent told me you weren’t yourself, and I’m not one to hold grudges.”
“So, it was my fault! My God, I’m so sorry. I don’t remember anything. I—” Helena held back. She rooted her body to the spot to prevent the fear in Perri’s eyes from resurfacing. “I’m sorry. I can’t begin to say how sorry I am for this.” She waved at the cast and immediately brought her arm to her side.
Perri lowered herself into the available seat. Her face remained mostly hidden from Helena by her blonde hair. “I will heal in time. Don’t worry.”
Helena’s heart grew heavy and her voice came out more shaken than she intended. “What happened while I wasn’t myself?”
Perri finally met her gaze. Three raw nail scratches ran down her face, making Helena gasp in horror.
Seeing her reaction, Perri gave a soft smile. “I will tell you what I can. You may want to take a se
at first.”
She didn’t bother looking for a chair. Instead, Helena sat where she stood.
“When I came to check on you two nights ago, you were on the ground in what looked like a lot of pain. So, I ran over to help.” Perri paused, her eyes moving rapidly at the recollection of the memory. “You were saying strange things that I couldn’t understand, in another language. Not knowing what to do, I went to look for someone. It was a blessing that Vincent had returned. He took one look at you and left me to watch over you. That’s when you became violent.” Perri gripped the hem of her white apron, fiddling with it in silence.
“What happened next?” Helena asked, but she had a pretty good idea. She hurt Perri, and she was sorrier than she could ever say, but she needed to know.
“You wore an angry expression, almost wild. The look of a caged, starving animal. I called out to you, but you didn’t seem to understand me. The next thing I know, I was flying across the room. After that, I think I blacked out.” Perri’s fingers traced her cast. “When I came to, you were held down by Master Vincent and Hans. I was ordered to leave and see a doctor. I’m sorry, I couldn’t help you.”
Helena was speechless. Perri is apologising to me? “None of that was your fault. I was…ill.” She clenched her fists. “Did I hurt anyone else?”
“No, the two of them were able to hold you down until Lady Madeline arrived and did something to help you.”
Madeline must have started doing her ritual then. It’s no wonder Vincent didn’t want Perri to see any of it.
Helena eyed the cast again. “Are you okay now? Does it hurt?”
A forced smile spread across her face. It pained Helena to see her this way. “I’m fine. Vincent is letting me off the housework for a while. I guess I got out of doing the chores.”
“I’m sorry…”
Perri shook her head. “It wasn’t your fault.”
Taking a deep breath, Perri rose to her feet. Helena noticed her putting more weight on her right leg.
“Ah, yes, after lunch, Vincent wishes to speak with you in the library.”
“He’s awake?” Helena’s voice jumped. She had already learned that vampires could sleep whenever they wanted after spending almost a week in Alexander’s care. “I thought he would be exhausted after these events.”
Russian Roulette (Helena Hawthorn Series Book 1) Page 24
