Lucinda POV
I didn't allow myself to feel guilty. I couldn't afford to think that way. No matter how much I had gotten to know Michael, he was still a Holy Knight and he would still kill me. I couldn't let that happen. My revenge couldn't be hindered by death. If I was already going to Hell then, I really had nothing to lose.
It didn't take me long to reach the cave. If the world crumbled, I would never forget where it is. Reaching the entrance, I skidded to a halt. Faint scents of my brethren filled the air. Even the Holy Knights' scents lingered, but the scents were strange. The Knights had been here, but they hadn't gone inside. Something had happened. Then, another strange scent reached me. It was a contorted scent; twisting in its nature. Puzzled, I sniffed the air. What was it? It didn't belong to human or vampire.
A twig snapped behind me. I swirled around, hearing a thwack. A blinding ray of light pierced through the air. Suddenly, pain exploded against my knee. Crying out, I crumbled to the ground. Wincing, I pushed myself up, awkwardly, on my elbows. Throbs of pain shot through my right leg.
A figure walked out from behind the trees, crossbow in hand. The Sheriff smiled. "Thought you could get away, right?" He shook his head. "No."
He reached behind him, grabbing a bolt and placing it on the crossbow. "The Vatican sent one over with that priest," he said. "They have so many toys just for vampires." He patted his weapon. "This is the first time I'm trying out this baby. Worked out well, don't you think?"
"Fool," I said. "Do you think that machine can save you?"
The Sheriff laughed. Suddenly, he cried out, sweat rolling down in fat drops. He was breathing heavily, gasping. The realization dawned on me.
"She bit you."
The Sheriff jerked up at the question. "I told her," he said, licking his lips. "I told her, but she didn't believe me. Didn't want to believe her new pet would betray her."
I kept my gaze on the crossbow. My body was starting to feel weak. The silver in the cell had weakened me, but not enough to sap my strength. But now, as it was lodge into my knees, drawing blood, it was killing me.
"She wanted me to get rid of you," I said. "That's why she didn't stop me."
"You're lying! I sacrificed everything for her. She wouldn't betray me." He leveled the crossbow to my chest. "She cares about me. She wouldn't kill me."
Carefully, I moved my leg up. If I could pull out the silver, I could attack. I needed to distract him long enough to do it.
"Then why did she bite you?" I asked. "Sure she might not want to kill you, but now she can easily manipulate you. You're her puppet."
"No more so than you."
I could feel my body trembling. I needed to act and fast. "The Knights," I said. "They were here. What happened to them?"
A twisted smile appeared on his face. "You told them about the nest, didn't you? You thought you could kill your Creator, but you failed. They're going to die soon. Just like you."
"What did you do to them?"
He wagged his finger at me. "Wouldn't you like to know?"
My vision blurred. "Okay, fine," I whispered. I shook my head to clear it. "Don't you see? I told them about the nest to kill them. They captured me. I had to think of something. I knew the Knights wouldn't be strong enough to kill anyone."
"You expect me to believe that? You tried to kill me."
"I knew if I attacked you, they would come to rescue you. It was all part of the plan."
The Sheriff shook his head. "No. Stop lying."
He suddenly cried out, falling to his knees. The crossbow clattered to the ground. The veins on the Sheriff's neck bulged, pulsing. I could hear the pounding of his heart growing louder and louder. I felt my mouth start to ache. The Sheriff gasped, clutching at his chest. I forced myself to look away. Instead, I concentrated on pulling my leg up. The silver blurred my vision, but I knew where the arrow was lodged.
The bolt singed my fingers as they curled around the shaft. I tensed, biting down before pulling the arrow out. Gritting my teeth against the pain, I threw the bolt as far as I could. My body slumped on the ground. Gradually, I felt the wound starting to heal.
Glancing over at the Sheriff, I saw that he had gotten the pain under control. The crossbow was just an arm length away. I couldn't let him retrieve it. With a groan, I stood, swaying momentarily. I staggered toward the weapon. The Sheriff looked up and our eyes locked. His gaze flickered toward the crossbow then back at me. He licked his lips.
A split second later, I lunged toward it just as he made his move. My hand curled around the weapon and drew it close. The Sheriff froze as I aimed the crossbow at him. I kept the silver at the edge of my vision, keeping it from blinding me.
He raised his arms up, glaring at me. If my heart still pulsed, it would have started pounding in my chest. This was it. I was finally going to have my revenge. My parents would finally rest in peace knowing that their killer was dead.
A sudden force plowed into me, forcing me off my feet. I flew through the air, momentarily, before slamming into the ground. The crossbow splintered underneath me with a snap.
"Michael!" I heard the Sheriff cried out.
I shook my head before turning toward the two men. Michael had his sword drawn, pointing it in my direction. There was nothing in his face that gave me any clue to his thoughts. But there had to be only one thing in his mind: my death. He approached me, forcing my neck up with the tip of his blade. I looked away from the silver of his armor and sword, feeling my eyes sting.
"Don't move."
Whether it was to me or the Sheriff, I couldn't tell, but then again, I was in no position to ignore him.
"Thank God," the Sheriff said. "Now, kill her."
Michael's gaze flickered in his direction.
"She tried to kill me. Twice. It was your foolishness that allowed her to escape. Now, kill her!"
I looked at the Sheriff. "You want him to do your dirty work," I said. "Once a coward, always a coward."
The Sheriff's face turned red. He staggered to his feet, holding his hand out to Michael. "Give me a weapon," he said. "I'm still Sheriff in this town and killing her is my responsibility."
Michael reached behind his back, pulling Crimson Queen into view. I felt my eyes widened. In horror, I watched Michael hand her over to the Sheriff. Smiling, the Sheriff drew the sword from its sheathed.
"Drop it," I growled. "Your filthy hands aren't permitted to touch that sword. Drop it. Now."
The Sheriff continued to smile. He walked toward me, sword raised, ready to strike. Michael's blade bit into my neck. I growled. It couldn't end like this. It couldn't.
The Sheriff raised Crimson Queen up in the air. "Good-bye."
A blinding ray of silver slashed cross my vision, blinding me. A loud cry pierced the air before coming to an abrupt halt. Something wet splattered against my face. I opened my eyes and found the Sheriff's decapitating body lying in front of me.
I was numb.
I didn't know how to feel. The only thing that kept me sane; that kept me fighting against death was bleeding out a few feet in front of me. Slowly, I sat up, my eyes gazing steadily at the Sheriff's body; my father's sword beside him.
"Fool," he said. He looked at me, filled with hurt. "Why didn't you trust me? I was going to bring him to justice."
A rush of anger swelled up inside me. "If you're thinking about a fitting punishment for me, don't," I said, coldly. "Killing the Sheriff is enough."
He pointed his sword once more at my throat. His eyes were dark and it was as if his soften expression from before never existed on his face.
"If you're going to kill me, then do it already," I said. I looked down at the body. "You've taken away my only reason for living."
"Gabriel and the others," he suddenly said. "Do you know where they are? I heard part of your conversation with the Sheriff."
I shook my head. "No. He never told me."
"But you can find them, right?"
I shrugged.
"Lucinda, you can track them, right?"
"There's a small chance," I began.
"Good."
He sheathed his sword and grabbed my arm, pulling me up. "You're coming with me."
"Michael-"
His grip tightened on my arm. "No," he said. "I'm not asking you. I'm telling you to lead me to the nest. If you want to die that bad then, I'll gladly kill you, but first you have to take me to the others. Understood?"
I looked again at the Sheriff's body. A giant hole was lodged in my chest. Any satisfaction of his death never occurred. I felt empty; I should have felt something. I should have-
Michael shook me. "Understood?"
I looked at him. "If you want to die that bad fine, I'll take you."