“Dress in something bright. It will be a good opportunity for people to meet you.” He said, kissing her forehead.
Mariska took the suggestion to heart. She found a coral dress made of linen and silk that made her honey colored eyes pop. She sprinkled on a light dusting of makeup and braided flowers in her hair before she wandered out to the foyer where no one could keep their eyes off of her. She glowed, lighting up the room in a way that no one else ever had
Daemon was the most affected but somehow managed to snap out of it long enough to wrap his arm around her waist and guide her out of the castle where a man with a carriage waited patiently, beaming at them happily.
“What a lovely day for a festival!” He called, a little tail flicking up to tip his hat towards the group.
Mariska could not help laughing just a little as she climbed into the little carriage and settled in brushing her hands over the fabric of her thin skirt, she glanced to her right as Daemon settled in beside her and Jamesson and Elso took a seat just behind them in the second set of seats, Elso’s arm wrapped around Jamesson’s.
A small smile came to Mariska’s lips and she rested her head against Daemon’s shoulder, closing his eyes and dozing off just a little as the carriage rocked her back and forth on the way to the festival. She’d never been much of an early riser and today was no exception. She was excited for the festival but could not see the harm in catching a few minutes of sleep
Daemon did not bother waking her until the carriage came to a stop in the town square. When Mariska lifted her head and blinked in the sunlight all she could see were bright banners blowing in the wind. They were decorated with the seal of the island and various other symbols of the island. It was a beautiful representation of unity and filled everyone with pride and happiness.
All of the races were represented, cooking traditional foods and sharing stories of the packs and prides. Mariska had never seen anything like it. It was a type of utopia that humans had yet to manage. She stepped out of the carriage and Daemon wrapped his arm around her, kissing her temple gently.
“Where should we start, darling?” He asked.
Mariska lifted her head, taking in a particularly intoxicating smell. She licked her lips and turned her head towards a stall serving sausages. “Over there.” She said with a grin.
Daemon chuckled but followed his love over, enjoying the food and the pleasant company. The entire day was filled with laughter and happiness. They danced in the square and held each other close, sharing kisses and hopeful gazes. They both wanted the rest of their lives to be this peaceful and wonderful. It was a long shot but maybe it could be.
Chapter Five
The festival was starting to wind down as the sun set over the land. The vendors were still by their carts, chatting with customers and trying to sell off the last of their products, but most of the dancing and singing had faded with the sunlight and everyone was left tired and leaning against their respective partners and parents.
Mariska’s poor swollen feet had given out on her hours ago and while she was sore and tired she was still happy to sit with Daemon and watch other’s enjoy themselves. Over the course of the day she’d made her rounds, greeting and thanking everyone. Many of the people residing on the island had kissed and rubbed her belly and some even offered prayers, which she took happily.
Everyone seemed to lover her and she loved them. These were her people now. She was going to be in charge of caring for them and making sure they were safe. It was a job she intended to do well. She did not want to let any of these wonderful people down.
A small pup ran by her, his bright eyes flashing in the moonlight. It was easy to tell the shifter children apart in the dark. Their eyes flashed a bright yellow or green when the light caught them just right. The young boy smiled and stopped short, jogging back over to her and offering her a white moonflower, blushing a little as she leaned down and took it.
He tried to run off but she chuckled and caught him, pressing her lips to his cheek gently, “Thank you, child. I will cherish this.”
The little boy squealed and hugged her, his cheeks still bright pink as he darted over to a small group of men and women gathered around a cart selling paper masks and sweets. He glanced back at Mariska once more before hiding in his mother’s skirts.
Daemon laughed and nodded towards the group. “You embarrassed the poor thing.”
“I’m sure he’ll be fine.” She assured, throwing her thick black hair over her shoulder.
He smiled and pulled her closer, kissing her temple tenderly. “Are you enjoying yourself, darling?”
“Very much.” She hummed, smiling up at him “What about you?”
“More than I have in a very long time.” He sighed, stroking her hair out of her face. “You light up my world, angel.” He whispered, pressing their foreheads together.
She smiled and started to open her mouth, ready to respond to the tender words. Suddenly a large explosion distracted her. She gasped and spun around, wide eyed and hardly believing what she was seeing as the wall that separated the island from the rest of the world came tumbling down.
Explosives lit up the night sky and the sound of rocks falling and crumbling filled Mariska’s ears as panic swelled in her chest. What was happening? She stood up, the world moving in slow motion around her. Mother’s swept their children into their arms and fathers grabbed mothers, trying to drag them away from the sudden onslaught.
She watched in horror as werewolves spilled over the walls, guns and bows slung over their shoulders as they began to fire, picking off her people on by one. The horror of it made her chest clench tight and she cupped her hands over her mouth to silence the screams that were trying to work their way up her throat.
Mariska’s eyes scanned the carnage and she screamed, running forward, her arms outstretched towards the little shifter boy who’d given her the flower. He was leaned over the bodies of his dead family, crying, trying desperately to wake them from a sleep they’d never come out of.
She managed to scoop him into her arms before Daemon grabbed her and yanked her away from pile of bodies, sprinting away towards the safety of a small inn. The shifter boy was buried in Mariska’s arms, crying for his mom and dad. Mariska was trying to keep him calm as everyone piled into the inn. There were guards armed near the doors, ready to fight and ready to die for Mariska and Daemon.
“What’s happening?!” Mariska urged, her eyes wide and her lips shaking. “What is going on?”
“She’s attacking.” He hissed.
Mariska did not even need to ask who. It should have been so obvious to her, but in her current state of shock she could not make her brain work. All she could see were the rivers of blood that were filling the streets of her beloved home.
She brought a hand to her lips and took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down. She set the little boy on his feet and Elso took him, her own eyes far less shocked but still sad. Had she known this was going to happen? Why hadn’t she told them?
Mariska wanted to worry and wonder but she knew it was not going to do her any good. The only thing they could do now was fight. She turned and looked at Daemon for a moment before bolting towards the doors without a moment’s hesitation. She gripped the handle on the door and yanked hard, forcing it open.
The sounds of war spilled into the inn as Mariska stepped out into the rain. She did not make it far before Daemon grabbed her around the waist and yanked her back inside, his eyes wide and wild.
“What do you think you’re doing?!” He snapped, pulling her back inside.
“We have to fight!”
“We are fighting!” He snapped, still dragging her back inside until the doors slammed shut.
“No we aren’t! We’re letting our people fight for us and they’re dying! We need to be alongside them!”
“You don’t need to be anywhere near that battle.”
“And why not?”
Daemon’s eyes widened and then narrowed as he p
ulled his lips back into a snarl. “What is your plan? Are you going to go out there and get yourself killed?!” He snapped. “Are you going to go out there and give them exactly what they want?! They want our baby, Mariska! Don’t you realize that?”
She glared right back and stood tall, her chin up as she stared right back at him. “I know what they want. I’m not stupid. But I’m also not a coward and I’m not going to have these people dying mindlessly for me!”
“You are not going out there, Mariska. I forbid it.”
“You forbid it?! You are my lover, not my keeper! I can do whatever I want and you will not stand in my way. Do you understand that?!” She snapped, turning and walking back towards the door.
His hand shot out and wrapped out her wrists as he dragged her back through the main area of the inn. She screamed and tried to pull away but Daemon just threw her over his shoulder and carried her up a set of stairs to an empty bedroom where he tossed her onto the bed rather unceremoniously
“You’re staying here.” He said simply, already starting to walk back towards the door.
Mariska jumped up, still agile in the early days of her pregnancy. “You can’t lock me up in a room!” She snapped.
“It’s for your own good, Mariska.”
“Will you cut the shit!” She snapped, stomping over towards him. “I’m not some delicate flower you need to baby!”
“You are my lover and you are pregnant with my child! It is my job to protect you and I’ll be damned if I let you down! Not sit down! I am done with this argument!”
He turned and walked away, not giving her a chance to argue or follow. He closed the door and locked it with a single click.
Mariska grabbed the handle and gave it a hard pull, testing the strength of the door before slamming her hand against it and screaming. She finally turned and sat on the bed, dropping her head into her hands as frustrated tears poured down her cheeks. How could he do this to her?
This particular room had no windows so she had no idea what was going on in the battle field down below. All she could hear was the deafening sounds of metal on metal and guns being fired. It shook the earth and it shook her to her very core. The worst part of it all was that all she could do was sit in the bedroom, safe and protected while the people she’d been hugging and kissing just hours before were slaughtered.
The battle went well into the night and Mariska was not sure exactly how long it was but it felt like an eternity. When Daemon came to get her, battle weary and covered in a mixture of mud and blood she was curled up on the bed, her eyes vacant and almost dead looking.
“Is it over?” She whispered weakly.
Daemon settled beside her, the bed creaking under his weight. “For now…” He whispered softly, reaching out and touching her hair.
She nodded and looked up at him. “She’s going to come back, isn’t she?”
“I fear so.”
“What do we do?”
“I’m not sure yet.” He said softly, kissing her temple gently. “But I don’t want you to worry about.”
“You told me these were my people. That I was to rule this land alongside you.” She said, looking up at him through teary eyes. “How can you ask me to not worry about the people I am supposed to be protecting?”
He sighed and sat her up, wrapping his arms around her. “I know you want to protect them, darling…But the best thing you can do for them and yourself is to stay safe and have that child.” He said, rubbing her belly.
A moment of silence passed between them and she finally looked at him wearily. “The only way me and the baby are going to be safe is if we take her out.”
Chapter Six
Daemon stared at her for a long moment and looked as if he might actually try to argue, though he knew it was useless. Not only was it just plain stupid to try and argue with Mariska but he knew she was right. He closed his eyes and nodded.
“I know…I know.”
“Are you going to let me out of this room now?”
“I would prefer to keep you locked up but you and I both know that isn’t going to happen so I might as well just bite the bullet and let you out.” He said softly, standing up and opening his arms to her.
She turned away from him and crossed her arms over her chest. “It’s not all better now, Daemon.” She said softly. “I’m still pissed.”
“I was trying to protect you.”
“That doesn’t matter. I’m not your property and you can’t just…Stand over me and keep me away from everything. I’m my own damn person, Daemon and you need to let me make my own decisions for myself.” She said sternly, turning and looking at him.
He opened his mouth to argue but she cut him off. “I’m not asking. I’m telling you.” She said simply, frowning deeply. “And you’re going to respect that or I’m gone.” She said, heading towards the door.
He followed her silently, frowning deeply but not wanting to upset her any more than she already was. They walked through the inn together and she could not help the way her eyes teared up at the sight of all the poor people, suffering and wailing. Some had been brought in from the battle field and some were still being taken care of just outside the door.
Mariska broke away from Daemon to try and help care for the people who were injured and dying. She did not really have any medical training but she could do her best. She decided to take on a more comforting role, holding people and trying to keep them calm as doctors and nurses set bones and cleaned wounds.
It was traumatizing, especially for an empath. She could feel every ounce of pain coursing through their bodies and the emotional pain of mother’s who’d lost children and wives who’d lost husbands. The pain and suffering was making her mind spin and it took every ounce of strength not to break down and mourn with them.
She wanted to do everything in her power to protect her people and here she was holding a dying man who’d fought to protect her. There was nothing she could do for him but hold him close and help make his passing easier.
The worst part was that she could feel him fading away. She could feel the light that was his soul flickering and fading into nothingness. Soon enough darkness engulfed them both and she knew he was gone. She took a deep breath and ran her fingers over his eyes, closing them before thanking the beat up doctor who’d been caring for him.
All the emotions were raw and terrified. It was like being hit by a truck. She felt almost blinded by the pain and suffering she was feeling. She even stumbled a little as she moved through the sea of broken bleeding bodies, hands reaching out to touch her skirt, seeking comfort. She wanted to comfort them. She wanted to comfort every single one of them but she could not. She just could not hold every single one of them before they died. All she could do was her best, so that was exactly what she did. She kneeled and offered tender kisses, helping to move those who could be moved and helping stabilize those who could not.
She was not sure how many hours passed before Daemon finally approached her, his eyes full of sadness. She could feel it washing over her in great big waves that threatened to drown her. There was so much sadness and so much…regret. She’d never felt him so doubtful of himself before. It was rather…shocking and unexpected.
She took his hand gently and took a breath. “We need to go, don’t we?”
He nodded and looked over all of his people who were lying in cots, crying and trying to hold onto their lives. She felt the immense sorrow as it washed over him and realized that this time…She was the one who needed to take care of him.
Mariska guided him from the inn and across the blood soaked battlefield. She struggled to keep her eyes forward, not wanting to see the carnage from the fight. The wolves had retreated long ago but that did not mean they hadn’t left any evidence that they had been there at all.
They approached the castle and Mariska’s heart sank at sight of the walls which had been knocked in with some kind of apparatus. Maybe they’d even used a car…Who knew? She could only hope that all of
the house servants were alright. Most of them were elves and nymphs who were rather small and good hiding. She was not as worried about the Taltos. They were easily hidden and strong. She knew they were alright. She could feel their typical nervous energy as they approached the castle and it made her sigh with relief. At least they were alright. At least the libraries were still safe.
As they stepped into the castle she could feel a rustle of nervousness. Alongside that nervousness was a silence she did not expect. Her parents weren’t here. She could not feel them and she knew that was bad. She’d always been able to feel her parent’s emotions no matter how controlled they were, but now there was nothing but radio silence. She could not detect them anywhere in the castle and it terrified her.
She broke from Daemon, ignoring him calling after her as she ran through the halls, wide eyed and terrified as soft sobs left her lips. She called out for her parents, searching each room of the great castle, her heart slamming in her chest as she threw open each door, screaming their names.
When she threw one of the doors open her heart stopped and she nearly screamed. The shadow of a wolf played on the wall, though it slowly started to shift into a more human like appearance. Bones cracked and shifted into place as the wolf took on a human form again. Mariska took a step back away from the door, eyes wide and heart pounding in her chest. She whimpered softly and turned, starting to run away before a familiar voice called out to her.
Mariska stopped short and turned around, her eyes still wide and her chest tight with fear, though it quickly faded to relief. “Jamesson…?” She whispered, wide eyed.
He came into the light and ran over to her, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her into a tight hug. “Jesus! I was so worried about you!” He gasped, holding her close.
She held him just as tightly. “What…Why were you in your wolf form?”
“It was the only way for me to get in here safely…I knew no one would be here protecting the Taltos…I could not leave them defenseless.”
VAMPIRE:Vampire Guardian Series: Paranormal Mystery Vampire Alpha Male Romance (New Adult Contemporary Paranormal Royalty Fantasy Romance Collection)) Page 12
