There wasn’t really anything else I could say to make it better so I unzipped my coat too, following his lead.
Once he was in his underwear, he strode out into the water and dove beneath its surface. I gasped as he disappeared from sight, taking a step forward as concern gripped me. He reappeared again after several long seconds, halfway across the pool. I watched in fascination as he began swimming. Dad had told us about people doing such a thing but the water in the bath house wasn’t deep enough for me to ever have tried. The idea of diving into the pool terrified me but it also intrigued me in a way that ached to be satisfied.
I reached for my gifts as I continued to undress and grinned as I found what I was looking for. I may have had no idea how to swim. But my ancestors sure had.
I tossed my clothes in a pile and took a deep breath to psych myself up as I ran into the water. It was cold but I forced my mind away from the temperature as I continued running until it was deep enough for me to dive under the surface.
I opened my eyes to a world of green reeds and shimmering light. My arms and legs knew what to do and I began to move beneath the surface, laughter bubbling in my chest at the ease with which I did it. This was freedom.
As I powered through the water, I realised that the cold wasn’t affecting me the way I would have expected. Though I could certainly feel the chill of the pool against my skin, it wasn’t reaching down to my bones. I could ignore it in favour of continuing my swim. It was as though my body was better able to resist its attempt to subdue me. Just another way in which my slayer gifts had strengthened me.
My head breached the surface and I was surprised to find myself halfway across the pool. The horses meandered back and forth in the shallow area by the shore and I watched them as I managed to tread water.
I leant back, floating on the surface and looking up at the sun as it tried to punch a hole through the clouds.
A huge wave of water suddenly washed over me and I screamed in surprise as Magnar began to laugh. I started flailing desperately, my arms and legs moving in panicked motions as shock severed my connection to my gifts.
I slipped below the surface then somehow breached it again, coughing up water.
“I can’t swim!” I shouted as I sank once more.
This time no matter what I tried to do, I couldn’t get close to the surface again. Every movement I made seemed to send me deeper and my heart thundered in fear as I stared up at the promise of oxygen too far above my head.
A stream of bubbles shot from my mouth as I tried to call for help.
I willed my gifts to return to me, begging my ancestors to reestablish the connection but I couldn’t find it. The more panicked I became, the further it seemed to recede.
A hand found mine in the darkness and relief flooded through me as I was wrenched back up towards the surface.
As I made it out of the pool, I was deposited on a hard, glassy platform and I doubled over, my hair curtaining my face. I began coughing violently, my body desperate to expel the water from my lungs.
I sucked in air as the raking coughs finally subsided and pushed my hair aside, ready to yell at Magnar for nearly drowning me. But Magnar wasn’t beside me.
I gasped as I looked around at the pool of water which extended away from me in every direction. Somehow, impossibly, I was kneeling on top of the water’s surface. I pressed my hands against the liquid beneath my knees and though it still felt wet it was undoubtedly solid.
“What the hell?” I breathed as I looked around, hunting for some answer to whatever strange magic had caused this.
Magnar stood on a similar patch of solidified liquid a few meters to my left. The water which separated us lapped against the edges of our small islands, keeping us apart. I pushed myself upright, frowning at him in hopes of gaining some answer to what was happening.
“Show yourself, Idun!” Magnar bellowed. “We don’t have time for your games.”
The air seemed to crackle with energy and I turned to look at the waterfall, feeling a pull towards it in the pit of my stomach.
As I watched, pink petals began to fall amongst the cascade, slipping over the boulders and tumbling down to fill the pool around us. I frowned at them as they crept over the edge of my island and slid across my skin. I tried to move away but they persisted, creeping over my feet and up my legs. Their touch was gentle, like a breath fluttering against my skin.
“What the hell is this?” I asked as I tried to brush the petals off.
“A gift.” The voice that spoke was as soft as silk, its tone filled with promises. I stilled, obeying the urge to trust the voice as the petals covered my body, forming a full length gown. It hugged my figure, sweeping into a long train beyond my feet which travelled over the water behind me.
Magnar frowned as he watched the petals dancing across my skin.
A breeze filled with the warmth of summer blew around me, trailing through my long hair until it fell silky and dry down my back.
The rushing sound of the waterfall fell quiet and I turned to stare at it as the water stopped moving. It looked as though it had been frozen between one moment and the next. The centre of the waterfall parted like a thick curtain and a woman stepped out, smiling at Magnar like he was an old friend.
Words couldn’t describe her beauty. It pained me to look upon the perfection of her features. She was like sunlight given life. Her dress was a shimmering waterfall which flowed over her body in a never ending cascade of silver and blue. It didn’t make a sound as it continued to move over her but it was alive with motion.
“It’s been a long time, Magnar,” she sighed, her voice like the trilling of birdsong in spring.
“A thousand years has passed and yet you still kept me waiting when I called you. So you can’t have missed me too much,” Magnar replied and I wondered how he dared to speak to the goddess with such disdain.
“You know you were always my favourite,” she purred as she took a step closer, her bare feet landing atop the water as if it were land.
“Then I should hate to be your enemy. For being your favourite never did me any favours,” he growled.
“You wanted true love didn’t you?” Idun asked as she stopped before me. I could only stare at her as she reached out to brush a finger along my cheek. Her touch thrummed through me like the beating of a drum.
“You have taken every chance of that from me,” he replied bitterly.
“I only said you would find it. Not that you could have it.” She smiled at him and it was a cruel thing. Her gaze travelled back to me and my heart pattered with fear as she lifted a lock of my hair. “I thought you’d appreciate this.” She pulled it close to her own hair and my eyes widened with surprise as I realised it was the exact same colour as mine.
“That is the only similarity I see. And you kid yourself if you believe I covet your beauty so,” Magnar said angrily.
Idun’s eyes hardened and she released me, snapping her fingers. The petals fell from my skin and blew away on a cold breeze so that I was left standing in my underwear again.
“You’re boring me, Magnar,” the goddess murmured as she moved to join him. I sagged in relief as her presence withdrew. “I hope you’re not here to complain about this again.” She reached out and pressed her finger to the tattoo which lined the skin beneath his heart.
“I have no interest in discussing my obligations to the dead,” he replied irritably.
“Oh yes, Valentina is long since dead,” Idun agreed but her gaze sparkled with amusement. I frowned, wondering who the hell Valentina was and what they were talking about. “So what is it you want from me?”
“I made a promise to you,” Magnar replied.
“I am aware of your unfulfilled promises,” she said and her eyes flared with anger.
“A lot changed while I slept and it is much harder to finish what I started now. We are the last two slayers left in existence and a sea of vampires lie between us and the Revenants.”
“The last tw
o? How romantic that notion is,” Idun’s gaze swept over me again and I shivered beneath her scrutiny. She lost interest quickly and turned back to Magnar, running her hand down his chest as she leant closer to him. “Get to the point,” she breathed.
Magnar seemed frozen in place and he ground his jaw as she continued to caress him. “I want poison. Enough to taint their entire stock of blood.”
Idun laughed, releasing him and the clouds parted in the sky, letting the sun pour over us. “That I can do.”
A vine sprang from the water, twisting itself towards her before curling around her outstretched arm. Two apples grew from it, one was deepest red and the other shimmering gold. She plucked the red one from the branch and held it out to Magnar.
“Any who taste this shall die. Even those who are dead already.”
Magnar accepted the apple, his gaze fixing on it in a way that suggested he was disturbed by it.
“Including the Belvederes?” I asked hopefully, my tongue finally loosening.
“No. Not them.” She glared at me angrily and I recoiled in fear. “Their gift cannot be so easily removed. But...” She smiled as if she’d just thought of something exhilarating “I could help get you past your enemies too.”
“The poison is more than enough,” Magnar replied quickly but her gaze stayed fixed on me.
“Nonsense.” Idun plucked the golden apple from the vine and took a bite. She moved towards me as she chewed on it, her motions as fluid as the water she walked upon. “A touch of immortality and they’ll believe she’s one of them.”
“Don’t!” Magnar shouted as he took a step towards us but more vines sprung from the water, immobilising him.
Fear washed over me as the goddess approached. She took another bite from her apple and juice ran down her chin.
“Hush Magnar, it won’t last for long. Just long enough to get you where you need to go.”
Idun reached out and grasped my chin, pulling me forwards. I was a slave to her, unable to move as she drew me closer. She leant in and pressed a kiss to my mouth. The juice of the apple washed over my lips and the sweetest taste danced across my tongue. She released me and I gasped as my skin tingled with her power. I could feel it simmering within me, aching to burst free.
“Hurry up now. You only have until midnight.” Idun laughed and the water beneath me suddenly turned to liquid again.
I sucked in a huge breath moments before I was submerged and the icy pool swallowed me whole.
I began to panic as I started to sink but Magnar’s arm clamped around my waist. He dragged me back to the surface and I gasped as my head met with the cold air once more.
He swam to shore, pulling me along with him and only released me once the water was shallow enough for me to stand.
“What did she do to me?” I asked shakily as the echoes of her power continued to race beneath my skin.
“She made you look like one of them. Like an Elite,” Magnar replied and I noticed his eyes had moved away from me like he didn’t want to see what she’d done.
I dropped my gaze to the water which lapped around my waist and it stilled, forming a mirror in which my face was reflected back at me.
My skin glimmered with an unfamiliar coolness and my eyes were icy and hard. My features were still my own but they weren’t at the same time. Every minor imperfection had been smoothed out. Every tiny thing that made my face my own was gone. I was looking at the face of stranger. A statue given life.
“It won’t last,” I said as I fought off the disgust I felt. I swept my hand through the reflection, casting it away. “But she’s right; this will help us.”
“Let’s go then. The sooner we get to the train station, the sooner I can have you back.” Magnar headed away and my mind trailed over the many things Idun had said. There were so many questions I wished to ask him but I felt like he didn’t want to answer them. We needed to focus on getting to the train station for now.
I followed him out of the pool, wringing the water from my hair as I went.
If Idun wanted to give me this gift then I’d be sure to use it well. The vampires guarding that train had no idea what was about to hit them.
Erik escorted me to his car outside the prison as Fabian trailed after him with a sour expression.
He opened the door and urged me to get in, but I resisted. “I want to come with you.” I glanced at Fabian, my stomach knotting. I damn well wanted to hear what he had to say.
Erik leant closer with a frown. “We'll talk about Wolfe together when we return to the house, but there is much I must discuss with my brother before then. We'll be right behind you.” He took my arm, guiding me into the car and bending low. My heart thudded as he pressed his lips to mine, his eyes shadowed as he moved away. “See you soon.”
Heat billowed up my neck as I slid across the seats and Sabrina dropped in beside me. There were already two guards in the front of the car. I didn’t see why it was necessary for me to have so much protection, but I didn’t have much choice in the matter either. This newfound freedom sure felt a lot like being a captive.
A dark mood fell over me as the driver pulled away, leaving Erik and Fabian together as another car pulled up beside them. A guard opened the door for them but they remained talking on the sidewalk, their expressions tense.
I thought about Wolfe. I’d been so close to ending that monster, but the chance had been taken from me. I despised the idea of living in a world where Wolfe still existed. At least Callie was okay. And with a man who looked capable of defending her. Though it didn’t seem like she needed it. I wondered what she’d been through in our time apart. I longed to be with her, to talk over everything and find a way forward in this dark world. What would she do now that she was free? Or what if she got caught by Erik’s people and brought here...
Stay safe, Callie. Head south and get the hell away from trouble.
Sabrina didn’t ask me about what had happened. And if she was curious, she didn’t show it. She kept a watchful eye out of the car window, her hand stroking the hilt of her sword. I wondered if it gave her as much comfort as Nightmare gave me.
The driver slammed on the brakes and I lurched forward in my seat with a gasp. I frowned, leaning forward to look through the windshield. A lump formed in my throat as a large figure came into view at the end of the road. He was dressed in dark robes, standing in the centre of the street. Fear forged a path up my spine. Ash lined the pavements amongst piles of clothes. Signs of recently killed vampires. What the hell had happened here?
“Go back! Turn around!” shouted the guard in the passenger seat.
My heart staggered as the figure moved like a wraith, lifting a bow and arrow in his hands.
“Move!” I yelled.
“Get down!” Sabrina screamed, throwing herself onto me as something smashed through the windshield.
I cried out as her weight pressed me into the seat. My heart tumbled in my chest as I tried to push free of her. Dust cascaded over us and I coughed heavily as it hit the back of my throat. Sabrina’s grip loosened and I gazed up, frantically searching the front of the car.
A large arrow was embedded in the driver’s seat with runes carved into the wooden shaft, the remains of the guard now scattered everywhere. Icy fingers clawed at my insides.
Time seemed to slow as I gazed out at the demonic figure in the road. He drew another arrow back and I shuddered with terror. I glanced over my shoulder to try and spot Fabian's car but it hadn't caught up yet.
“Drive you idiot! Take him down!” Sabrina barked at the other guard and he dove into the driver’s seat, slamming his foot to the accelerator. Panic flashed through me as we tore toward our attacker. He never moved, never even flinched as he loosed his next arrow.
It sailed through the hole the first arrow had created in the glass. The guard tried to jerk aside, causing the car to veer violently to the left. His body exploded in a shower of ash and I screamed, grabbing onto the seat in front of me to stay upright.
The car mounted the kerb and collided with a streetlight, forced to a sudden halt. Sabrina was out of the vehicle before I could catch my breath, wielding her sword.
“Stay in the car!” she shouted, but it was unnecessary. I had no intention of getting out.
I reached into my coat, taking Nightmare into my palm and willing it to give me strength.
I gazed out of the rear window, desperate for Fabian’s car to appear.
Where are you, Erik? Hurry the hell up!
Fear trickled through me. What if this was one of the rebels who wanted to drink my blood?
I peeked out at the road, gazing after Sabrina. Arrows flew at her again and again, but she knocked each of them aside with her sword, scattering them on the concrete. The shadowy man shouldered the bow and released a silver blade from his belt instead. A tingle of recognition made my breath snag in my throat. This was the vampire who’d brutally killed Faulkner, I was certain of it.
Sabrina ran at him with a battle cry, lifting her sword high. Her opponent advanced, his face shaded by his large hood.
I turned, staring out of the rear window, praying Fabian’s car would appear at any moment. I wondered if I should try and run. If they didn’t show up soon, I might have to.
Come on, come on.
I gripped Nightmare tighter and it hummed with energy in my palm, but I couldn’t read the sensation it was giving off.
Taking a breath, I shoved the side door open as I decided to make a run for it. Sabrina glanced back and her attacker threw her across the street, his eyes wheeling to me. My heart flew into my throat as he started sprinting in my direction.
I slammed the car door in a panic, hunting for a way to lock it. He closed the distance between us and I backed away across the seats, holding Nightmare before me.
“No!” Sabrina cried as the man ripped the door open. I was ready with Nightmare, slashing it at him.
He caught my wrist with a bemused laugh and twisted it sharply. Pain flared up my arm and Nightmare hit the carpet. I cried out in horror, kicking and kicking, desperate to keep his hands off of me.
Age of Vampires- The Complete Series Page 54
