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Salem’s POV
Within the minds of Salem and Corvenus, a message, if not a threat was being addressed to Salem. Corvenus extended his arms and embraced his son tightly.
"Salem, my son. Words cannot express how deeply satisfied I am for you. You've discovered your first and only true love. You're mother and I are very proud." Corvenus praised. Salem chuckled to himself.
"Thank you, Father. I'm very happy to have finally found her. She makes me feel human all over again. She's an incredible individual to be mortal." Salem said, proud and joyful.
Corvenus's expression then took a sudden change of grief and disturbance within his eyes for merely a second. Salem instantly, instinctively, became stiff.
"What is it, Father?" Salem questioned with a serious demeanor. Corvenus looked to his son, now with the eyes of a wounded animal. He parted from his son a few inches, having hold of his shoulders.
"...Magnus knows of your new found love... He plans to kill her." Corvenus confessed hesitantly.
Salem's eyes widened as a burst of rage bellowed through his throat and escaped into a furious snarl, tearing away from his father.
Corvenus approached slowly, his arms extended as if to pacify his enraged child.
"Son...-" Corvenus was cut off instantly.
"How could he possibly know!? Magnus disappeared for a thousand years to now make his grand return!? He's a Reaper Demon, Corvenus!! Have you any idea what this means!?" Salem cried out in fury.
Corvenus' expression was filled with grief and apologetic, now speaking to pacify Salem.
"Salem... We will not allow Magnus to harm Victoria. The Valhahn Clan has already been dispatched to the western territory of his domain to eliminate any threats that may try to enter our northern territory. It seems Magnus sees Victoria as a weakness to take advantage of you. He intends to rule over all territories and will do all he can to overthrow us first. But we, the Valhahns, shall never fall to him." Corvenus assured, speaking calmly.
Salem had caught his gesture and in return, calmed himself, sighing deeply. He held his hand over his temples as before, as if a migraine had taken root yet again.
"Have you spoken to any of the other allied territories? What have they to say of this catastrophe?" He asked, taking a seat on the stairs.
Corvenus walked to his son, placing his hands on his son's shoulders.
"I'm already negotiating with the werewolves. Hopefully, with their mass of packs and raw power, we can overthrow Magnus and any of his attempts. The Witches... they've no clue of the situation. Though I highly doubt they’ll assist us." He said with a faint smile.
Salem looked up at him with his crimson eyes with uncertainty.
"The wolves? It would come to no surprise if they favored Magnus over us. They despise our kind, Father. On top of that, Magnus is one of The Ancients... like you, Father. He's by far the oldest among you and the original ancients, he's undeniably godlike. As powerful as I am, I can't even reach your shadow yet. I may die trying, but I will protect Victoria with my life..." He promised himself.
Corvenus placed his palms on Salem's cheeks.
"No one is going to die, son, especially not you or my beloved daughter, Victoria. Magnus may be powerful, but he is not your father." This made Salem smile momentarily.
"You were the first Magnus had ever been defeated by. On top of that, you hunted his race to near extinction to ensure the human race's safety. You're in a constant conflict of war with Magnus. Father... can you defeat him again if he rises once more?" Salem asked, filled with hope.
Corvenus then walked to his seat and sat as a king would.
"Magnus is a formidable opponent, but I defeated him before a thousand years ago when he first attempted to reign over us and I will put him in his place again if need be." He announced confidently.
Salem then rose to his feet and began to walk towards the stairs.
"Thank you, Father. I feel a lot better. I appreciate you for informing me. I'll be sure to make my rounds of the territory twice the amount to assure no threats come our way." Corvenus chuckled.
"My son, you're as trenchant and stubborn as your father. You'll make a fine lord one day. You and your beloved Victoria shall rule as one." Salem stopped in his tracks, not turning.
"...Thank you, Lord Corvenus. Long live the king." Salem projected with his thoughts, disappearing in an instant.
A small smile came across Corvenus' face.
Victoria’s POV
Trinity and I passed through a corridor that was filled with many paintings, mostly of ancient cities and various artifacts. We crossed a room that was decorated with ebony wood shelves that held many books, it seemed the Valhahns relished in their literature. To the far left side inside the room, another grand piano sitting at the edge of the window. And further ahead a bed set that far surpassed a queen size bed made of black silk and many assorted pillows. The room held a familiar aroma and Trinity noticed my expression as I recalled the scent clearly.
"You have a very sharp nose for a human. Do you recognize the scent in this room?" She asked patiently, allowing me to absorb more of the familiar essence as I walked to the bed and lay a single hand upon it, gently gliding it over the smooth silk.
"This is Salem's room isn't it? There's no mistaking it. He has a very alluring scent, like honeydew. Its barely noticeable, but I know his scent anywhere."
My mind didn't catch on to what had blurted from my mouth until it was too late. I gasped, covering the mouth that possibly made me seem like a stalker and was now embarrassed.
Trinity giggled to herself as she waved a hand, gesturing I did no wrong.
"You certainly have been paying close attention to my son. I like that trait about you, so aware, yet only human. Yes, this is your beloved's bedroom. He rarely is in his own room or home for that matter. He prefers the campus for some odd reason. Humans really intrigue him. I suppose part of him wishes he could have lived to see how his human life would have become. It was saddening that no one in our family could cure his loneliness..." She said faintly.
She then gazed upon me, and I felt the chill from the back of her hand gently rub my cheek. It startled me a bit, but I was growing accustom to a vampire's divine speed. I cast my gaze upon her scarlet eyes, blushing.
"But you, Victoria. You gave Salem undying love and happiness. A gift he's been seeking for over a century. Oh how your love for him reminds me of my own when I was once human, when I fell for my beloved, Corvenus." She reminiscences.
Suddenly, struck by fear, we both jumped and peered towards the door that led out to the stairs. A monstrous sound came from below: Salem. Trinity then glanced back at me, now taking my hand and racing quickly out of his room. I had no time to resist, and I didn't feel the need to. I did however want to head in the opposite direction that Trinity was taking me. Salem was clearly enraged about something and I wanted to comfort him. Trinity then turned a corner and walked a few feet ahead, then halting. Atreau was a small distance away from us, concealed behind him, a small child who clung to him.
"Salem scared her. She doesn't like loud noises. She just woke up from her nap because of that outburst." He chastised as he placed one hand over the little girl's head.
Trinity held her arms out to the little girl, gesturing for her to come to her mother’s embrace. The little girl happily and willingly skipped her way to her mother as Trinity embraced her and carried the girl in her arms, holding her up on even level where she was face to face with us both. Trinity then looked at the girl and smiled.
"This here is my youngest daughter Amyria Valhahn. She is our most precious child and most protected out of the siblings." She proclaimed as she held her daughter closer, affectionately hugging her and showering kisses on her. Amyria smiled playfully.
"It's very nice to meet you, Amyria. You're a very pretty girl." I admitted, and she was.
She had long, bouncy ebony black hair that stopped at her shoulders and her skin was peachy, not pale as her family’s were, which I found odd. She didn't even share the trademark crimson eyes they all had but had emerald green eyes, this confused me as I looked upon Trinity for answers.
"Trinity, why is she not like you and the others? She looks so..." I hesitated.
Trinity smiled, finishing my sentence.
"Human?" She answered.
"Yes. Is she really human?" I asked curiously.
Trinity nodded her head as Atreau made his way to us snickering to himself.
"Amyria is the only human besides yourself who is among us vampires. Mom and I were hunting in the western region and came across Lurker Demons, mindless and savage demons who hunt unsuspecting humans who cross their paths. The demons had murdered and eaten her parents, soon to feast on Amyria. I couldn't bear to watch those lesser fiends rip her apart as they did her parents so I rushed to save her. Mother followed quickly behind me as we attacked the demons, catching them by surprise and killing the horde off. We also satisfied our thirst in the process. In case you are wondering why our eyes are red, it's because we feast on the blood of lurker demons. Their blood sustains us longer than animal blood. We can usually go an entire month without feeding if we devour demon's blood. Animal's blood isn't as satisfying and our thirst returns within days. Anyways, after we killed the demons, I was the first to reach Amyria. She was only five when we rescued her and didn't know anything about death. All she knew were that the monsters, the demons, were the bad guys, and we, the good guys with super powers as she puts it." He snickered again to himself.
Amyria looked to her brother and pouted. I smiled warmly at her. She was so precious to them, and felt right at home with them as if they were no different from her. She wasn't terrified in the least.
"You are so special, Amyria. It's really nice to see another person who isn't a vampire in the family besides myself. How old are you?" I asked gingerly.
Amyria turned her attention to me smiling yet said nothing, she made hand gestures instead. I realized then, she was communicating with me through sign language. Trinity decoded her signals, nodding and smiling, then turning to face me. "She says she wishes she could communicate with you as you do with us, but she is unable. She hasn't spoken a word since her parents died. But she says she wants to tell you her age and asked me permission to show you her gift." She said, now placing Amyria down to her side, patiently waiting for my response.
"Sure. I would be honored if she showed me her gift. But I thought only a select few vampires had gifts. She's still human." I pointed out. Trinity raised an eyebrow gracefully.
"I see Salem has informed you of our gifts most vampires receive upon creation and later experiences. What he failed to mention was that there are some humans, if not all, who have unique hidden gifts that carry over to their vampire transformation, intensifying those traits." She explained, looking at Amyria with full hearted love and motherhood.
"Amyria captivated me the first moment I laid eyes on her. I knew she was unique. She accepted me as her new found mother and has grown so fond of me, especially Atreau. We encourage her to practice her gift and she learned very quickly. Show her, Mia." Trinity said, mentioning Amyria's nickname I assumed.
Amyria, then walked, -if not danced euphorically-, to me as she then offered her hand out for me to reach and grab her own. I happily obliged, reaching for her small, delicate hand. And then a serene humming voice echoed in my mind.
"This is my gift. I can talk to people more freely this way if I touch them. I can tell how a person feels and can also show whatever is on my mind. I have a big imagination. Daddy calls it The Touch. I'm seven years old and can do cool stuff like this. Nobody can keep secrets from me and I can tell when you're lying and being naughty. I wonder what I'll be like when mommy and daddy let be become one of them when I'm older." She chirped, a bright smile coming across her face.”
I didn't realize my jaw had slightly dropped. The experience was so overwhelming. I felt overjoyed and awed. This little girl was spectacular, intelligent beyond her age, and was human! I never felt so insignificant. She had a gift that was beyond comprehension, and I was just another human. Atreau must have sensed me beating myself up and then walked forward, placing a hand on my shoulder. Suddenly I felt... relaxed. Like the thought never even existed.
"Don't beat yourself up, Victoria. You have a gift too. You just haven't mastered it yet. Whatever it is, it keeps Salem from anticipating your next action, which is rare in itself to ever get the upper hand on him. No one in our clan has ever been able to out prioritize Salem, even Dad praises Salem's gift." He snickered as Amyria rolled her eyes, Trinity smiling at them both, and I was about to have a heart attack.
I felt the chilling caress of Salem's unmistakable touch against my arms and I stiffened.
"Miss me?" He said, his voice as smooth and cool as ice.
I shuddered at the very sound he produced, nodding. When I looked ahead for Trinity and her children, they were gone. I had not realized they even disappeared. Salem had literally blown my senses out of whack.
"When did..." I murmured.
"They left the moment I arrived. They're giving us our space out of respect. They know I have just been informed vital information concerning you." He said as he guided my chin to him and gazed upon me in his sight, his scarlet eyes locked in mine, smiling.
I blushed deeply, my heart raced with each finger that touched the surface of my skin.
"What about me? Am I in trouble?" I asked, stuttering a bit. Salem's smile remained, but his eyes blazed.
"It appears an enemy has discovered you. He's an arch nemesis of our clan... Magnus." He said bitterly, bearing his teeth that revealed a set of small fangs and still preserved his smile.
"He is an ancient, like Corvenus. Very powerful, relentless, and a threat to the human race along with the supernatural balance. He sees you as my weakness. Magnus can't overthrow father and will instead seek his heir, me. In order to defeat me, he needed to find a weakness, which he failed miserably at in the past, but then, somehow, he discovered you. I don't know how or when, but I know this..." Salem then made an iron cage of protection with his arms around me.
His cool breath now upon my neck.
"I will never allow him or anyone to take you away from me. You are my new life now, and I will continue to live it with you, now, and forever." He promised.
My heart raced frantically. I wasn't scared of what he informed me. I knew I was safe, with Salem, there was no fear.
"Does that mean you'll be spending more time with me?" I whispered so quietly, but I knew with his extraordinary senses, he'd hear me clearly.
"I'll be by your side every second of the day. Even when you feel I am not there, I'll be watching. I'll be closer to you than your own shadow," His cold lips now wrapped themselves softly to the hollow base of my vulnerable throat. His chilling breath tickled my skin, teasing it. "Does that make you happy?" He murmured softly against my skin, his lips a complete whisper on my skin.
"Yes..." I was completely in a trance.
I barely had any concentration when I answered. My focus was on the obvious.
I felt his nose trail the outline of my jaw as his lips followed, now resting upon the corner of my mouth, his rubies, as I will call them, never losing sight of me. He breathed in deeply and groaned. I became alert and puzzled.
"You're so mouthwatering... You've no idea how delicious you smell right now." He explained.
"Should I take that as a compliment or a threat? I asked boldly.
He smiled, now tracing his lips against mine, crimson eyes that never left me.
"Both..." He admitted reluctantly.
Then he removed his iron caged arms from around me and now placed his hands, almost forcefully on my cheeks, and kissed me ardently; his relentless lips moving in unison with my own. I realized I was now against a wall as our passion climaxed. I felt my feet lift from the ground. Were we levitating? How I got there didn't matter at that moment. Like before on campus when we had our first kiss, I lost control. My arms twined tightly around Salem's neck, affixed to his cold physique, taking in all I could from him and just for reassurance, wrapped my legs around his waist to secure him. This time he would not escape me. I sighed deeply as our lips finally part, his cool breath now mixed with my warmth. We stared into each other's eyes for what seemed hours. He inched closer and I shuddered with anticipation, laying his forehead gently on mine, glowing magnificently with the smile I adored so much.
"Tell me something." He asked.
"Ask me anything, Salem." I responded urgently, impatient for the next kiss. He parted my lips with his gently, always teasing me.
"How can you take a vampire's breath away when the dead have no need to breathe?" He murmured against my lips.
"Like this..." I kissed deeply, practically taking his lips and savoring his fresh honeydew flavor that escaped them, tenderly kissing him.
Salem stiffened, as still as a statue, then very gently, bit down on my bottom lip. My whole body scorched at that point. I had to have him right here and now, the urge was too much to bear, but like before, without my realization, Salem yet again found his way out of my clutches. I found myself now on the floor against the wall he had me pinned against as he stood in front of me, now staggering away, and leaning against the opposite wall having a hold of his index finger within his lips. He stared at me as if I were a monument of desire. He released his finger, a red stream now trailing it, and the wound instantaneously healed completely.
"This is going to be harder than I imagined. The desire to make love to you combined with the thirst is unbearable. I barely managed to pull away." He admitted.
"You're cruel... Do you not know the torture you put me through?" I chided sarcastically. My face was flushed red. I was short of breath, my body yearning.
Salem shook his head.
"I've no idea what you're talking about. Am I causing you any discomfort?” He asked concerned.
"Discomfort is not even close. You are driving me freaking insane, Salem. For a mind reader, I'm surprised that passed you." I admitted. I didn't realize I was shaking with excitement.
"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?" He questioned.
He was referring to my insane drive for him. He saw victory within his grasp.
"It can be a very good thing if you allow it to happen." I hinted.
"With good comes the bad. You get what you want, but I satisfy my craving... As I said earlier when we first met, I'd rather preserve you. I can't have the satisfaction of tasting the wine, but I sure as hell can admire the bouquet." He smiled. Feeling triumphant and utter defeat all at once.
In the end, we both couldn't have what we truly desired. I groaned and lowered my head, and his cold finger soon enough held my chin, raising it up as I met his gaze.
"I love you, Victoria." The words came more smoothly, naturally.
"I love you too, Salem." I met his tempo.
"I brought you here originally for lunch. Shouldn't you be satisfying that craving instead?" He reminded me.
My stomach then told its sad tale and gave me away, the traitor. Now that I wasn't distracted, I truly was famished.
"Ugh... Yeah." I felt lightheaded. Salem then, in one swift motion, lifted me from the ground and carried me in his arms.
"Time to feed my mortal lover." He chuckled to himself as he began carrying me down the stairs to our destination.