Russian Roulette (Helena Hawthorn Series Book 1)

by May Freighter

  Perri seemed to accept her explanation. “He’s been up for as long as you have. He seems eager to have a word with you.”

  She could already guess what he wanted to talk about. It wasn’t common to get a possessed human in your house, even if you were a Vampire Council member. But, his quick reaction to the situation was astonishing. According to Perri, he knew exactly who to contact and what to do. “Well then, I shouldn’t keep him waiting.”

  Helena adjusted her shirt once she was fully upright.

  Disapproval on Perri’s face made Helena shift her weight uncertainly. A change of clothes was the least of her worries it seemed. She touched her hair with her fingertips and cringed. It was a cluster of greasy strands shaped like a bird’s nest.

  “I think I’ll get into a shower first.”

  Perri smiled at her, a first genuine smile Helena had seen since the maid came to see her. “How about a bath instead?”

  Unable to contain her grin, Helena said, “Hell, why not!”

  The hot bath was more than Helena could have hoped for. It relaxed her and took away some of the stiffness in her shoulders she didn’t know she had. The one thing she chose to avoid was a mirror. She had seen enough of them in her nightmares. Looking into it would bring back thoughts of Eva.

  She grabbed a hairbrush Perri left for her on the bedside table. Helena ran it through her wet hair, her mind still in a whirl. Eva looked so much like her. Could it have been a trick?

  Her eyes filled with tears at the memory of her grandmother’s burning body. It felt so real. It even smelt real. Suppressing a tremor, she shook her head. She wouldn’t think of it again. It hurt too much to remember the wails of agony from her beloved relative. The pleading words begging for help she couldn’t provide.

  She let the tears flow, vowing she would do anything to save those she loved.

  Once she was presentable, Perri led the way to the library on the ground floor. Helena didn’t realise they had stopped until Perri nudged her in the side.

  A large door loomed over her. Without another word, Perri departed from her side and disappeared down the hall.

  Helena knocked loud enough for anyone inside to hear. When no reply came, she pushed the door open, assuming she could enter.

  Her eyes took a moment to adjust to a fire-lit room. Rows upon rows of tall shelves and bookcases filled the space. She wasn’t sure there was enough room for them to have a conversation until a small seating area near the fireplace presented itself. There, Vincent stood with his back to her while he fixated on the orange flames dancing around the logs.

  She approached him. The noise of her movement must have alerted him to her presence because he turned to look at her as she reached one of the large cushioned seats.

  Helena remained in place. She searched his face for any emotion. To her dismay, most of it was hidden by the shadows.

  “Take a seat.” His words were cold. This didn’t shock her. After all, she had endangered his staff.

  Her legs moved by themselves, and she was soon assessing him from the sofa. Her body tensed.

  Vincent strolled over to a desk that was almost hidden in the shadow of the bookcases. He selected a book and returned to stand beside her.

  Not revealing anything, Vincent handed her an opened leather-bound tome. “Do you recognise any of the names?”

  She wrinkled her nose. The book smelt a little stale. The first two pages were filled with names and dates in Russian. The name her eyes stopped on was ‘Eva Valerijevna—1805’.

  “Eva,” she whispered.

  Vincent nodded. “I see that you do know her.”

  She didn’t know what to say. It wasn’t that she knew her in person. Helena had no choice but to dream about her. She closed the tome to find no title on the cover. “What is this book?”

  Vincent retreated to the fireplace. His face hid his emotions behind a blank expression as he clasped his hands behind his back and observed the crackling fire. “It is a list of the witches who were captured and executed during the witch hunts in Russia in the nineteenth century.”

  Helena remained silent. She had already guessed some of this information from the horrid dreams.

  Vincent turned around. His full attention on was her. “What do you know of her?”

  She set the book on the seat next to her while contemplating what she could and couldn’t tell him. This vampire wasn’t on her side, even if he did pull her out of the nightmare.

  “I don’t know much about her. The name seemed familiar.”

  His tone lowered. “There’s no need for you to lie, human. I can tell when you speak the truth.”

  The sudden change in his personality raised the tiny hairs on the back of her neck.

  “Tell me what it is that you know. If you do, I may be able to fill in some blanks for you.”

  She had to answer his questions. After all, he had the power to take her life at any moment, which meant she would be risking two lives. “I had a few dreams about her and her name appeared in them. That’s how I came to know the name.”

  Helena felt his icy-blue eyes on her. She swallowed hard under the stern gaze until Vincent nodded.

  A sigh fled from her lips. “I found out she was a witch because of this.” She pointed to the book. “I am now certain. But, I don’t know what any of this has got to do with me.”

  “So, you have no idea why a demon is after you or who Eva is to you?”

  “No, I don’t.”

  A loud laugh erupted from Vincent. “And here I thought you already knew most of the story. How wrong was I?” He cleared his throat and leant against the mantel. “I believe it is my turn to share.”

  Helena straightened in her seat, eager to have some light shed on the situation.

  “She was, indeed, a witch and a high priestess of her Circle. When I first met Eva, I could tell she was something else. She was too kind for her own good. Perhaps that’s why she ended up doing something her coven did not approve of.”

  “Taking a deal with Lazarus,” Helena finished for him.

  He smiled. “I suggest you do not speak his name so carelessly. Madeline should have warned you.”

  “I’m sorry, she didn’t say anything.”

  His expression turned grim. “It is not something that should be taken lightly unless you wish for that being to take your body over again. I am uncertain whether Madeline will be able to bring you back a second time.”

  Helena bit her lip. “Why are you telling me this?”

  “I am repaying an old debt. Eva was good at making enemies, but she was also quite skilled at making friends.”

  “And which were you?”

  “Neither. My feelings for her were curiosity at best. Her way of living was intriguing.” He sounded closer to a man in love than an intrigued bystander.

  Vincent tilted his head, and she couldn’t see his eyes anymore.

  Helena thought hard. There had to be more to it than that. “I can’t understand where you’re going with this?”

  “You had those dreams of her because she is your ancestor. You possess her power as well as everyone else in her direct bloodline.”

  Her eyes narrowed. “What else aren’t you telling me?”

  Vincent pushed away from the mantel and rounded the sofa. “To answer your curious mind, I want you to train as a witch and serve us, indefinitely. That way, you will be able to fulfil your purpose.”

  The energy he hid till that day returned. Somehow it was different, colder. His power flooded the room with great force and pressed her into her seat. It took a lot of effort for her to breathe. Movement under such strain was a luxury.

  “Ah, I mustn’t forget that you have another option available to you,” he said. “Taking that demons deal could be your way out of this, but I doubt that’ll be the choice you will make.”

  Helena hadn’t thought of Lazarus as any option at all. Serving the Council was not something she ever wanted to do either. Her wish remained the same—to r
eturn home to her family in one piece.

  His voice came from behind her seat. “If you do not agree, I should try persuading you in a different way.”

  Vincent’s hands landed on her shoulders, pressing her deeper into the cushions. He chuckled and called out to Perri who promptly arrived in the room.

  Helena had no idea where this was going. His hands left her, and the silence was filled with her heartbeat hammering in her chest.

  The vampire circled the sofa. As if preparing for his performance, he straightened his jacket’s sleeves. Once his frosty eyes met Perri’s, her emotions fled from her face, leaving behind an obedient shell.

  “Come to me,” he ordered.

  Perri obeyed and faced Helena.

  “What are you going to do?” She struggled to get up, but his energy held her down.

  Vincent tilted Perri’s head to one side, stroking his long fingers along the line of her neck. “This is what happens to those who defy me. Remember this,” he hissed and savagely bit into her neck.

  “Please, stop. Don’t do this!” she screamed as blood oozed past his lips and seeped into Perri’s uniform.

  Vincent did quite the opposite. He pressed Perri’s body closer to him by wrapping his arm around her waist.

  “Stop!” Helena begged, wishing for the strength to move.

  Her pleas went unanswered. After an agonising minute passed, he pulled away from her and let Perri’s immobile form slide to the ground.

  Helena wanted to reach out to her, to take her away from this suffering. There was no denying what Vincent was. He was a cruel being that wanted nothing more than to use her for his goals.

  Her eyes remained fixated on the body at their feet as he said, “You have until dinner to make a choice. I hope it is the right one.”

  He strolled out of the room at a leisurely pace, humming a happy tune.

  When the energy dissolved, and the control of her limbs returned, she scrambled out of her seat. She knelt at Perri’s side and touched the girl’s wrist. Seeking a pulse, she found none. The person lying on the floor was no longer Perri. Her pleasant bright smile would never appear next to her freckled cheeks.

  “He killed her,” she whispered.

  “No, you did.” Michael’s voice made her head snap towards the doorway.

  He stood there, leaning his back against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest.

  Helena fought back the tears. They weren’t going to help in this situation.

  “I didn’t. It’s not my fault.” She brushed a loose strand of golden hair away from Perri’s face. Her eyes were open, staring at nothing in particular, so Helena closed them for her.

  “Perri didn’t deserve to die like this,” he said softly. “She grew up knowing nothing of the vampires or magic, so why did she have to get involved? It was because of you, Helena. You have brought this on yourself and those around you.”

  She gaped at him. She didn’t do any of this on purpose. How was she to know that Vincent was going to kill someone if she didn’t agree to his conditions?

  Tears ran down her cheeks. “I didn’t mean for this to happen.”

  Michael sighed and squatted next to her. “I am powerless here, Helena, and for that I am sorry. But the vampire was correct, you have two options left.”

  “No…there must be another way.” She ran her fingers through Perri’s soft hair one last time and stood. “We must find a way out of here. Get somewhere safe.”

  “That will not be possible.”

  “Why not?” It was becoming harder to hide her hysteria. Why can’t he understand me?

  “It’s already time. How do you plan to run from a house full of vampires in the dark?”

  It couldn’t be that late. A short while ago it was daytime. There was no way they spent more than twenty minutes in here. Helena looked at the door. Michael was telling the truth, the corridor was getting dark.

  He sighed. “Vincent has offered you a deal, are you going to take it?”

  Helena’s attention returned to him. He seemed curious. Not a hint of worry in his eyes. She glared at him. “I don’t want to accept it. I can’t.”

  He rose to his full height. “Are you willing to accept the consequences? What will happen to Lucious if you die now? Did you think about him?”

  “I-I don’t know! Maybe I could sever the link?”

  Michael gave her a half-smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “It’s too strong to be broken by the power you have.”

  She was running out of ideas.

  Michael combed his hand through his hair. “There is another option. The demon can get you away from here. Give you a new life.”

  Helena stared at him, trying to figure out if he was joking or not, but there wasn’t a single shred of amusement in his voice. He’s serious. She raised her hands in defence. “I’m not asking that creature for help, not after what he did to me.”

  Helena moved away from him. Her leg landed on something soft, and she stumbled backwards.

  Michael caught her by the elbow. “You are being selfish, just like her.”

  “Who?” She tried to get out of his iron grip, but he wouldn’t let go.

  “Eva. Who else? She was the same as you, stubborn to the last bone. You must trust me on this. You must know that I would never betray you. This could be a chance to destroy the link with the vampire and get out of this mess alive.” He loosened his grip and placed a warm palm on her damp cheek. “Trust me.”

  Helena couldn’t argue with him. She got into this mess because she had ignored his warnings before. He wouldn’t tell her to take a deal with a demon unless it was the final option. Michael was someone who had always placed her safety first.

  “Don’t do it,” a feminine voice warned in her head. The same voice she heard when she created a link with Lucious.

  Helena edged away from her guardian which made his hand fall away.

  “You must trust me on this, Helena. You’ve ignored me till now and it made you suffer.” Michael appeared concerned, yet she knew something was amiss.

  She needed to be alone to think this through. Before she knew it, she was running out of the library. She could no longer stay in that castle.

  At the front entrance, she came to a stop and scanned the area for servants. No one was in sight. Straining her ears, she couldn’t hear anything but her loud heartbeat and rasped breathing. She pushed the heavy doors apart.

  Cold autumn breeze wrapped around her. She wanted to run, to get away from this place. Yet, if she left, she would be sacrificing someone else’s life. How many people have suffered to keep me out of trouble? How many of them died because of my wrong decisions?

  Tears rolled down her cheeks, and she wiped at them to clear her already blurry vision.

  “Run!” the voice urged her.

  She did, not caring for the consequences. Not bothering to look behind her, she forcibly moved her feet to match the race of her erratic heart.

  The sun was setting and giving the forest ahead a haunted look. Adrenaline pumped through her veins, keeping the cold off her. The wetness from the ground had seeped into the thin material of her slippers. There was no other way to go, so she aimed for the woods.

  Her lungs burned as her legs continued to carry her past the ancient bare trees that swallowed up most of the light. She knew that sooner or later she would need to stop to catch her breath.

  She slipped on the dead leaves that covered the ground and came crashing down.

  “Don’t stop, keep moving,” the voice ordered.

  Helena’s legs trembled under her weight. She started regretting the times she had produced an illness note to get out of P.E. classes. With much effort, she climbed into a standing position.

  “Hurry!”

  Gasping for air, she continued to move until she reached a dark void. A wall of darkness washed over the area as far as she could see. There was nothing past it. No trees, no houses, just emptiness.

  She cursed under her breath
. “I never escaped, did I?”

  “No, but it was fun having you around,” a familiar growl sounded behind her.

  She whirled around to find Eva standing less than a foot away, her sharp teeth framed by her thin lips.

  “I won’t take your stupid deal!” she spat out.

  “Don’t worry. There will come a time when you will think otherwise. Remember, I always get what I want.” Eva grabbed her shoulders. Smiling, she pushed Helena into the void and waved. “I’ll be seeing you again.”

  Helena’s eyelids fluttered open. A banging headache made it harder for her eyes to concentrate. When her vision cleared, she saw Vincent’s and Madeline’s faces hovering over her, their eyes filled with worry and confusion.

  “No! Not again,” she mumbled, and Vincent’s face drew closer.

  She screamed.

  17

  The Truth

  “Don’t move,” Vincent’s command froze Helena’s movements against her will.

  The simple words had strangled the scream inside of her, forbidding her from making another sound. Her eyes darted between the vampire and Madeline. Her mind conjured questions quicker than she could comprehend them.

  Madeline’s palms hovered an inch above Helena’s chest. She closed her eyes for a second and, when she reopened them, her expression relaxed. “She appears to have returned to being herself. I don’t sense the demon’s presence anymore.”

  The faint blue glow in Vincent’s irises subsided.

  “You can let her go, Vincent,” Madeline said softly.

  He glanced at the woman. With a nod from her, he moved away.

  When Helena felt his energy retreat, she pushed away from them and crawled backwards. Her back hit the wall or the wardrobe. She wasn’t sure which as she didn’t dare look away from them. If this was another nightmare, she was not falling for it again. She wouldn’t let her heart be tormented any more than it already had been.

  Madeline shifted towards her, raising her hands in mock surrender.