Charles and I crept along the woods. It was several minutes later that I felt the presence of two vampires.
"If you can't kill, knock them out." Charles whispered, "I'll take the right."
I nodded and we parted. I didn't want to kill anyone just because they were in our way. I didn't know for sure they were guilty, even with Burak's reassurance.
The two vampires did not expect any trouble tonight. They were both young, probably in their first century. Sneaking up behind them was an easy task.
I could see Charles slithering parallel to me. We reached them at the same time. Charles did not hesitate, his sword gleamed under the moonlight as it decapitated his target. The head fell in a spray of blood.
At the same time, my sword pommel had connected with my target's temple, knocking him down. I sheathed my sword and twisted his neck. The crack echoed in the woods. He was not dead. A broken neck did not kill a vampire. But he would be unconscious for hours, the time it took his body to heal the injury.
Charles nodded. "Let's go."
We moved forward, finding more guards. A vampire and two witches later, we reached an expansive clearing in the middle of which stood a large three story cottage.
"This is Santos' residence?" I asked Charles, scanning the house from the cover of trees. There were two vampires planted at the door, and more immortals walking the perimeter of the house.
"Yes."
"We should go back," I said.
"Tired of my delightful company, already?" Charles said, retracing our steps back.
I glanced at him. "you're being awfully chatty this fine evening."
His lips curled to snarl. "What can I say? your presence brings out the best in me."
"Why in the world do you hate me?" I said.
"You hate me, too," was his evasive answer. What are we, five?
"You don't hate Irene, and she makes it clear she hates your guts."
My amusement grew when his eye twitched. I chuckled. he threw me a glare.
"Oh, loosen up. She doesn't actually dislike you," I said. He scoffed.
"No, really," I continued, "she just hates the fact that you're handsome and strong and great with a sword."
His steps faltered. He kept his peace for a few minutes. His thoughts loud in the quiet forest.
"Cat got your tongue?" I broke the silence.
"No. just shocked that you're complimenting me." his tone dripped sarcasm.
I chuckled, "what can I say? you bring out the best in me."
I swear there was a genuine smile on his face before he turned his head away. Ah, look at me, bonding with Charles in a stroll through the woods. I wished Irene was here.
Arthur and Burak were already in our meeting place. Arthur's eyes scanned me , and the bond hummed, pulling on my magic. I kept it firmly in place.
"Took you long enough, blondies," Burak said. He was fond of giving cringe worthy nicknames.
Seconds later, we were joined by the rest. Burak rubbed his hands.
"Alrighty, ladies and gentlemen, let the fun begin," he looked at Arthur, "Santos is on the third floor. The rest of you will take care of the guards while Arthur and I will go for him-"
"Me, too." I told him. Arthur clenched his jaw. Disapproval and concern filtered through the bond. He didn't want me near Santos. Well, tough luck. He'd just have to deal with it.
Burak raised his brow. "You'll be a liability against Santos."
Arguing that I would not be a liability against Santos would get me nowhere. Besides, I was not confident against an old vampire who could use compulsion.
Still, I didn't want to miss out on meeting Santos. He was a key in the mystery of my life. The only one I had, so far.
So I aimed for something men like Burak had an abundance of. Ego.
"Oh, I thought you could control him?" I asked, "you know, he's a vampire of your own line. I thought once you're in close proximity to him, you'll be able to deal with him? Is that not normally the case?"
Arthur sighed in resignation. Burak nodded. "I will have a measure of control over him once I see him. Very well, you may come if you wish."
Yes!
We reached the house but stayed behind the cover of trees. Arthur's magic unfurled. Goosebumps formed on my skin. Several cracks echoed around the clearing. As I watched, the visible guards fell one by one, their necks twisted unnaturally. He literally snapped their necks without moving a finger.
People came from around the house and inside to investigate. Amanda and the others attacked. Arthur, Burak and I stayed behind. Swords gleamed and magic flashed. The night lost its peaceful silence and turned into a battlefield. I gripped my sword. I wanted to join in the fight. Arthur and Burak watched the scene unfold with bored faces.
Our enemies outnumbered us, but our men and women were far more skilled. I also got to watch Harvey's illusion magic in full combat mode. He conjured up a dozen snakes that slithered all around the clearing. He must have alerted our side of the fight since only our enemies tried to dodge or strike the snapping snakes. I snickered.
"That's a fun trick." Burak laughed. The vampire who came with him, along with Charles, charged into the house. Minutes later, Burak straightened.
"That's our cue," he said and led the way past the dying fight.
"How did he know?" I asked Arthur, catching up with them.
"He has a telepathic link with his subordinate," Arthur said.
"Oh."
That would be pretty useful. Walking into the house, I did not have the impression that it belonged to an old, evil vampire. Lush rugs and worn leather couches and a lit fireplace. It was cozy and soft, and the color theme put me in mind of fall leaves and pumpkin spices.
The dead bodies ruined the atmosphere.
The vampire who came with Burak wiped her sword on her pant leg, standing over the bleeding stump of a male, its head laying unceremoniously several feet aside next to another body with a severed throat.
"He's upstairs," she told Burak, her blue eyes cold.
"Thank you, Hilda," Burak said pleasantly.
We climbed up the stairs to find a hallway, at the end of which Charles stood. At first glance, he looked frozen in front of a closed door. As I got closer, I could sense a foul kind of magic clinging to him. Sweat beaded his forehead, and the hand holding his sword was moving extremely slowly upward.
Arthur put a hand on my shoulder to still me into place. I stopped. He stood next to me, while Burak moved closer.
"Charles," Arthur said, "come here."
Charles opened his lips, but no word came out. Burak reached him and looked at Arthur.
"Santos has him," he said, "he's fighting it."
Arthur snarled.
"Si....re..." Charles growled. The tip of the sword was moving towards his chest, I realized. Worry and fury traveled through the bond, twisting and igniting my own magic.
"Arthur, you're going to have to take him back," Burak said, "He's linked mentally to Santos right now. So if I try anything on Santos, it might affect him."
I sucked in a breath. Charles and I weren't the best of friends, but I didn't want anything to happen to him. Besides, Arthur was very fond of him.
Arthur took a deep breath. His eyes turned completely black.
Ever since I met him, Arthur's aura has been a void with just a touch of vampiric aura to make him recognizable as immortal. Rather than a presence, it was the absence of something that defined him, as if he sucked in all the energy around him. The same was true for Burak and the rest of the five.
I remember asking him to reveal his true aura and his response that I couldn't handle it. At the time, I had thought it was his arrogance speaking. Now I knew it wasn't.
The bond trembled as he unleashed a drop of power. A small whiff was all it took. It filled the hallway and pressed down on my lungs, tunneling my vision and confusing my magic. The air itself seemed to bend under his power.
I recognized it as Arthur's magic, it tasted like him, yet it was somehow different. It was heavier, more potent and exponentially more powerful.
"Charles, Come." Arthur said, his voice deep. A loud crack echoed in the hallway. Santos' compulsion shattered and Charles staggered. His sword dropped to the floor and in a second, he was kneeling in front of Arthur.
Arthur lowered himself next to Charles.
"I'm fine," Charles said, gasping for breath, his face sweaty, "just go."
Arthur squeezed his shoulder and rose, sucking his power inside. The air lost its tension. We moved to the door that Burak had just disappeared into.
"Stay alert," Arthur told me, "and stay close."
Gripping my sword, we stepped into the room. It was a bedroom, with crumpled black satin sheets covering the huge four poster bed, a fireplace and a deep gray rug in the middle of which a half-naked vampire kneeled. He was old. The sense of age that emanated from him was suffocating.
There was also a female. Dressed in a white satin nightgown, the slightly built witch cowered in the corner, her arms wrapped around her knees and her head bent. She rocked from side to side, her flame red hair shielding her face from view. Her wrists bore rope burns, and her pale skin was marred with blue and red bruises. For an immortal, the injuries would have to be either substantial or recent for them to look this vivid.
The man looked up and grinned. He was good looking, with long straight black hair that brushed his waist, an aquiline nose, golden skin and piercing green eyes that stared right at me.
"Oh, that's you?" he said, his voice raspy. Sweat beaded his chest and face. His magic, the foul dark energy that had gotten Charles, was tightly wrapped around him. It was caged, and Burak was its jailer.
"You recognize her?" Burak asked, "what have you been dabbling into, Santos? This time even Idar's good graces will not be enough to pull you out of the pile of shit you've buried yourself in."
"Ah, ever so eloquent, my lord," Santos grinned, revealing two glistening fangs, "and yes, I recognize the fae. Prettier than I expected, I must say. Although I would prefer if her hair was longer, she would have been more to my taste, then."
I snorted and said, "I'm heartbroken."
Santos' grin widened. His magic lunged forward only to be reined in again. Burak tusked.
"You slippery asshole," he said.
"What do you know?" Arthur asked.
"Lord Arthur, how do you do?" Santos said, "very rude of you all to interrupt my entertainment tonight. We were having such a good time, weren't we sugar?"
The witch in the background whimpered, her rocking increased. My heart ached for her. Who knew what she had gone through? Santos' magic clung to her, a dark energy that seemed to suck all the light from her.
Burak leaned on the bedpost and crossed his arms. Arthur strolled in until he was behind Santos.
"I guess you'll be difficult," Arthur sighed, "Well, it is more fun. I will enjoy digging it out of you."
For the first time, Santos showed an expression other than flippancy. His smile wavered and he looked at Burak.
"I am of your line," he said, "you will let another of the Five do as they wish with me?"
"Oh, would you rather I deal with you instead?" Burak asked with a pleasant smile, "that would be an absolute delight!"
"Why would you care what happens to a fae?"
"Oh, but we're not here just because you tried killing our dear Elle," Burak said, "we're also here because of your involvement with the plot to open a gate."
"Then my punishment should wait until the council decides," Santos said, "and Venus, since it happened on her land."
Arthur crouched behind Santos. The long haired vampire stiffened. Arthur stretched his arm over Santos's shoulder and pointed at me.
"You see that woman?" He said, "that is my mate."
Santos' eyes widened. Arthur kept speaking. "So you see, I don't really need anyone's permission. I could tear you to shreds in front of the council and the whole world. No one will speak in your favor, because I am her mate, and you have tried harming her."
Santos cursed, then laughed.
"Aaah, just as well," he said, "what a night this has been. Right, sugar?"
The witch's whimpers increased until she made a keening sound. A heartbreaking sound. Poor woman. I moved towards her. Arthur shot me a look but did not intervene. He kept his focus on Santos.
"So, the man you sent mentioned a prophecy," Arthur said, "what is that all about?"
The witch stopped rocking as soon as I reached her. Cautiously, I crouched down and waited.
"Ah, those damn faes can't get shit done," Santos sighed, "I knew I shouldn't have counted on them."
"How deep is the fae involvement?" Burak asked.
Santos merely grinned. That, in itself, was an answer. The fae are into it up to their eyebrows. The question was whether someone from the royal family was involved. Because even I knew that the royal fae had a tight grip on their people. A random fae wouldn't get involved in something like this unless they had orders from up above.
Could my father be involved? It was unlikely. But the royal family encompassed a large number of people.
"The prophecy?" Arthur asked.
"I'm not great with words and poetry," Santos said, "I don't remember the exact prophecy, you see."
Arthur's magic unfurled and wrapped around Santos.
"Try," Arthur said, "I'll be satisfied with the spirit of the prophecy if not the letter of it."
Santos swallowed. Arthur's voice was laced with impatience. "Something along the lines of... her lights will stop darkness from reclaiming the world."
"How did you know it was her the prophecy is about?"
"The person in the prophecy was referred to as someone with a... paradoxical blood, so to speak" Santos said, "mind you, the prophecy was in Norwegian. I only had the translated version of it."
Paradoxical blood. Well, that was a tacky way of describing my blood.
"At the time, of course, we did not realize it. She was not yet born," Santos said, "but we had other candidates. We killed them all."
The way he spoke about killing innocents so nonchalantly made me want to dig my sword in his guts until he could see his own entrails. Asshole. The woman's rocking ceased. She slowly raised her head.
"We?" Arthur asked. The witch's eyes were a startling light blue, so light it almost melted into the whites. Her other features blurred, and the voices in the room reached me from far, far away.
"I guess it's time you tell us who, exactly, is involved." Burak added.
"Oh, how I would love to do just that," Santos said, "but that would have to wait. Right, sugar?"
The woman's magic sprang up to life. It lunged and surrounded me before I even knew what was happening.
Blood rushed to my ears. I staggered, my body out of control. Frozen fingers gripped my heart, trying to wrench it out of its cage. My magic screamed, and so did the phoenixes outside.
Reason blurred and darkness claimed me, but not before a silly thought came to my head: Arthur would, after all, get to say "I told you so."
END OF PART II
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Mia Bee