Authors Note - ok so I was stupid, beyond stupid but whose idea was it to put the cut button so close to the copy button? And why wouldn't it let me undo? Ok so if you haven't guessed two days worth if writing went down the drain all because of that stupid cut button.....sorry if this chapter seems a bit rushed, I'll edit it if it ends up being too bad...also why do Chinduggery supporters even exist? Not that I have anything against them, but look on my wall please. A Chinduggery fan went on there and put up how Valduggery didn't make all that much sense and they were more of a Chinduggery fan.....why are you telling me this? But upon further reading they turned out to be very intelligent....FAN THEM!!! Also they're books are very intriguing...Xxx
"Here? But it's so-"
"Obvious? Yes, it's also the last place we would look." they all climbed out and looked around. The castle was still as malevolent, still so ominous. Still here. They were making they're way to the peeling iron gates when something moved to Valkarie's left, something big.
In a second Skulduggery's gun was out, Ghastly had ire in his hands and Fletcher had teleported to her side. For a moment everyone froze. Valkarie was now seeing far too many blurring shapes for her liking something blurred right beside her and, on instinct, Fletcher teleported slightly back.
They were on them in a flash of claws and teeth. The bushes, trees and building came alive with bloodthirsty assailants in the blink of an eye. Thre were loud cracks and cries, gun shots and heavy snarls from all sides.
Valkarie turned to see everyone else fighting, even Fletcher was armed with a cricket bat when something cracked on the back of her head. For a moment there was nothing, then white pain split across her head. The world faded as the ground rushed up to meet her.
And then everything went black.
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SKULDUGGERY
Chapter Six
Save Me
They were on us in a second. The bushes, trees and castle came alive with sharply clawed vampires. The upper hand in numbers may have been with them but upon engaging in the battle it became clear that while caught up in the excitement the vampires attacked without much fineness, a scratchy attack.
Fletcher appeared and reappeared with baseball bats, it seemed Dusk had failed to tell them that we had a teleporter on our side. Swing after swing sent vampires stumbling. Once or twice he seemed in danger of loosing a limb, but teleported just in time.
Ghastly hurled fire and swung punches. Those who didn't roast, were sent flying. He and Fletcher seemed to be watching each others backs, if one was having difficulty, they switched opponents. This silent teamwork would be all Fletcher would talk about for ages now, but the increasing number of vampires kept Skulduggery's mind otherwise occupied.
His revolver blared over the sound of snarling, thank god that he'd come well prepared, he had enough bullets for them.
'Click. Click. Click.'
Damn, ok next time he needed to be twice as prepared. Perfect timing, a particularly large vampire was now hurtling towards Skulduggery. He reached up to push at the air but he was closing in fast then-
Skulduggery looked round, he was gone. Suddenly Fletcher appeared, of course. For a split second it was a case of 'job well done.' then Skulduggery remembered something. Remembered someone. Valkarie, where was she? Normally they fought side by side, but now...
Skulduggery saw them, out the corner of his eye socket. It took a mere second to take in the scene. Valkarie on the ground as blood dripped from the back of her head, a skinning looking vampire trying to drag her away.
"LET HER GO!" Skulduggery roared loud enough that the vampire jerked up, dropping Valkarie. He pushed at the air and it hurtled back, Fletcher dove forward, making a grab for her when a much larger dark shape collided with him.
Fletcher was thrown into his chest as the dark shape scooped Valkarie up, over it's shoulder. Skulduggery unceremoniously shoved Fletcher off him as he made for them. The vampire stayed just long enough for it's face to be one recognisable, then launched itself at the castle. Leaping from window to window, Dusk took Valkarie's limp form into the upmost tower.
Fletcher stood up shakily, but quickly teleported as another vampire came up from behind him. Ghastly looked over the crowd of vampires now surrounding him.
"Valkarie?" he asked, just loud enough to be audible.
"The tower. With Dusk!" he pointed to the lone tower, like a single candle upon a cake. "GO!!! FIGHT THEM!!" and he pummelled his way through, kicking and punching, using flames and gusts of wind. Forcing them to part like the red sea For him, hold on Valkarie, I'm coming.
VALKARIE
Chapter Six
Save Me
Valkarie's eyelashes fluttered as she struggled to regain consciousness, so many things were fluttering around her mind. A cold hard floor, an icy draught, a terrible pain in her head, how stiff her body was... She concentrated on the pain as the world around her became more real with every passing second. She'd used this approach before, when she and Skulduggery had ought Serpine, focusing on the pain from her broken leg had helped her wake up.
Slowly, very slowly, everything came into focus. She was lying on a hard stone floor, an icy draught moving her dark hair. A pounding in her head and a small pool of drying blood explained the black blur that was how she'd got here. Shakily Valkarie climbed to her feet, she was just feeling for a wall fir support when a foot slammed into her jaw, sending her sprawling in pain.
Even in the shadows, and through uneasy eyes, Dusk was still easily recognisable. Leaning against the wall, a satisfied look playing across his scared face Dusk observed her. Valkarie had just opened her mouth when- SLAM he sent her into another wall with such force she folded in mid air.
Breathing into the floor Valkarie did a quick assessment of her current situation. Whenever she tried to speak or stand, Dusk would hit her. Easy enough, but he seemed to be waiting for her to stand...so he was enjoying the fact that he had her in a moment of weakness. She squeezed her eyes shut for a moment, there was no way she'd go down without a fight.
Resisting the urge to scream for help, she felt for her ring. It was gone, furiously Valkarie tried searching her pockets, as if to confirm what she was dreading there was a crunching sound, and it's re aims were thrown at her. She tried to summon a flame but the ebb of her magic was far away, the room was bound, super.
That just left force. Ok. Readying herself Valkarie tensed her muscles, she needed to be quick. Then, without warning. She ran at Dusk.
SKULDUGGERY
Chapter Six
Save Me
More and more vampires poured from rooms as we climbed the final flight of stairs. Skulduggery ran head, Ghastly and Fletcher holding off some of them. But they seemed to be increasing in numbers every second. As one fell, two would take is place,and there were more just waiting.
There was only one thing that was keeping Skulduggery going now, and that was reaching Valkarie. Breaking down that door and running to her. Ones sing at last. He was going to save Valkarie, just like he had so many times before.
Skulduggery stopped focusing on the vampires, they had reached the door. Turning, he yelled a quick warning, then heaved at the cold air, sending vampire after vampire tumbling, snarling down.
"VALKARIE!!!" he tried to shoot off the lock but remembered too late that he'd ran out of bullets. All attempts at burning off the lock let him realise that it was probably protected by magic. Then he heard it. Footsteps from within the room...then a thud and a short cry, Valkarie. Blood that he didn't have seemed to boil. Skulduggery saw red as he tried everything he could to break down the door.
"VALKARIE!!!"
"VALKARIE!!!"
VALKARIE
Chapter Six
Save Me
After what seemed an age of Dusk proving just how faster, not to mention stronger he was, Valkarie was finally allowed to stand. She was pretty sure that her ribs were broken again, same for her hand. Dusk might have had the upper hand, but she'd still been able to get in a punch.
"I've been waiting too long to have this conversation with you Miss Cain." Dusk spread his hands as he leant against the wall, master of his domain. "The skeleton has a reputation that I had to look into. In fact this army, was created just so I could tell you what I didn't get to the last time. Ah yes, Valkarie remembered in too finer detail for her liking, how Dusk had bitten her, she'd appreciated the lack of talking though, that'd been nice.
"See I was originally just going to attack the skeleton when I got the chance, using the vampires." why? Why did psychopaths always wanted to explain in great detail the backgrounds to their plans? Either it wasn't just in books and movies, or Valkarie was just really unlucky.
"But then the vampire who put you in the care of Nye, on account of your ribs? Yes I hope that by now you've established how he was never really unconscious. Well he heard a few things and put two and two together... He saw what was going on between you two...?"
Something caught in Valkarie's throat. What was Dusk saying? Mean she understood perfectly well the gloating, but why bring this up?...
"You two have stopped me one too many times-"
"VALKARIE!!!"
Her head snapped up. The gloating, the pain, the fear just fell off her like soiled silk. Nothing mattered but that voice.
"VALKARIE!!!"
Valkarie took a step forward, if Skulduggery was having trouble getting in then she'd break the door down for him. But then Dusk was there, hand raised. For a moment Valkarie thought he was going to slap her, but then white pain exploded across her stomach as Dusks claws came up bloody.
"There is no such thing as love." his voice was colder than ice, crueler than hell.
Together, vampire and girl, they looked down at the five claw marks that went almost halfway through her body. For a moment her body didn't seem it register the damage, but wen it did blood spurted out, splattering Dusks shirt.
Valkarie's world swam dangerously and she opened her mouth, to cry out. But dusk just raised his hand again, and this time he opened up her neck. Again her body was slow to respond to such a vicious onslaught, her hand flew to her neck, eyes wide as a waterfall of red seeped through her fingers.
"VALKARIE!!!" the door exploded in a shower of flames as Dusk flitted out the window. Valkarie's knees gave way as Skulduggery Pleasant walked forward.
For a moment Skulduggery stood there, fire in hands, framed in the doorway. Time seemed to slow as he took in the scene, as he sprinted across the room to her while flaming splinters and smoke filled the air. The world might have been spinning dangerously but Skulduggery's wounded cry reached her no trouble, grasping her heart a if in a vice.
Time sped up though, as he ripped off his jacket, pressing it to her stomach in a desperate attempt to stem the flow of blood that now covered her torso. Without warning, though he had no tears, great sobs racked his skeleton,Valkarie wanted to reach up, to tell him that it would be ok, but whenever she tried she tasted blood. The room was still spinning, the pain still unbearable, was she going to die?
"Valkarie!" a voice, again from the doorway. Turning her head slightly she could make out Fletcher, Ghastly running up behind him. "Valkarie! What? Valkarie!" his face was more tormented than she had ever seen, tears threatened to overspill from eyes mixed with concern, and fury. A part of Valkarie wanted to go to him, but the arms around her kept her grounded.
Ghastly put his hand on Fetchers shoulder, shooting a terrified look her way. Then back at Skulduggery.
"GET THE CLEAVERS!" Skulduggery answered Ghastly's unspoken question. "GET NYE! TELEPORT NOW!" without another word, Ghastly threw over his jacket, and then vanished with Fetcher.
The jacket was quickly wrapped around Valkarie's neck, though blood seeped through in a matter of seconds. A little blood rose in her mouth, she pushed it out, it tricked down the side of her cheek. Skulduggery's hands were working feverishly.
The room around them had begun to fade slowly to black. The walls melting into each other, Valkarie's head was spinning, she struggled to keep her eyes open... All of a sudden, she was scared that she was going to die, right here and Skulduggery's would not be the last eyes she looked into. He would never know that she loved him.
"Sku...... Ssskul....." why couldn't she talk? Had her vocal chords been torn out? Either way he hadn't heard, and now it was all so black that only the two of them existed. She was going to die...
Terrified she reached for his hand, trying again to say his name. "I'm......sor.....Skul.....sorr....." she eyed to apologise that she was going to leave, there was still so much that she wanted to tell him, needed to-
"I LOVE YOU!!!" what Valkarie was going to say caught somewhere between her heart and mouth. What had he just said? Skulduggery pressed his forehead up against hers, cradling her in his arms.
"I LOVE YOU!!! YOU ARE NOT GOING TO DIE VALKARIE CAIN!!!" she loved him too! Why couldn't she talk? She needed to tell him, but the shadowy blackness was closing in now, and Skulduggery was coming in and out of her focus. She grasped his hand tighter, blinking, trying to form words.
"I LOVE YOU!!!" the last thing that Valkarie remembered was Skulduggery yelling over and over how he loved her. Before everything went black, her head tipped back and her eyes fluttered closed.
Valkarie became briefly aware of Skulduggery sobbing again, crying out her name, Nye screeching somewhere nearby, his voice growing close. Then Skulduggery's voice s angry, shouts from far off as much longer arms examined her. A ridiculously high scratchy voice telling her to hang on, but the darkness was all around her now, she felt as if she'd been hanging onto a cliff edge by the edge of her fingertips... Then she let go...
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Authors Note - well that took forever.... But last time I checked it was 104 reads!!!, thankyou! Shout outs go to ILoveBooks1234522 for comments and to GenaJag for support! Anything else that you want to see in this book? Comments below please unless you're one of those LOVELY people who've added my story to their library! Later! Xxx