“You’ll have to do better than that” Daniil scowled as I missed him again. He had stated that morning that instead of close quarters combat I should become accustomed to using a bow and arrow. Vampires never really used these weapons unless they were in serious dangers. He felt that I should learn this just in case, ‘you never know when you may be outnumbered’ he had stated to me.
He stood at the far edge of the hall and was dressed in ‘arrow proof’ clothing. I didn’t understand at first why I should be aiming at him instead of targets but then I understood, it was great practise for matching that of a live Vampire. Being the best in the realm, he was far more faster and stronger than that of a slayer, but it was practise none the less and practise that I could not afford to turn down. Using the bow and arrow was tricky at first… I had actually hit the ceiling countless of times, but the more I trained the better I became. Daniil even stated his approval and how impressed he was at how quickly I grasped things, which was a big boost for my confidence. I drew the harsh metal of the string back and listened to the croak and strain of it tensing next to the entrance of my ear. Titling my arm downward so that it was a little more relaxed and closing my eyes, I took in the sounds of the area surrounding. I could hear the clang of the suit that Daniil wore mixed with that of his pants and breaths that he wished I would hurry up.
My eyes snapped open just as I released my grip on the arrow and wire, glancing at Daniil I saw that his eyes were wide open in shock as he glanced down and saw the arrow sticking out of the target space on his suit. A wide grin spread its way across my lips in recollection at the sight that had just unfolded. I did it… I actually shot the cocky bastard.
“Well done young one!” he chanted “I knew you could do it!” we made our way toward each other and once more he pointed at the arrow that was tightly fastened in the suit “I think that if you had put any more power into that, it would have punctured me too!”
“Sorry about that” I muttered “But it’s a good start right?”
“Start? I think you’ve grasped it quite nicely. I’m not sure Dante approves though. He’s kept his beady eye on us through the window for about twenty minutes now” I couldn’t help but laugh. I knew he had my best interests at heart but he needed to know that overprotectiveness was best suited for mothers and not boyfriends.
Wiping the sweat from my brow as I placed all the gear back in its respective places before turning back to my uncle, thanking him greatly and making my leave, Dante’s gaze never lifted from that of my own, even when I was standing less from an inch away from him… what was it this time?
“I don’t like his methods” he grunted as we began to make our way back
“Not much choice. I need to become strong and fast, he is the only one who can help me”
“That’s a pile of shit and you know it” he growled
“Excuse me?” I stopped walking, grabbed his arm and spun him around so that he would face me. His expression remained stern and his eyes were filled with a rage that I did not comprehend. “What the hell is that meant to mean?” I demanded
“It means that you could have asked me to do it instead of him!” he bellowed, crossing his arms like a spoilt child having a tantrum. I sighed at him before walking toward him; uncurling his arms and allowing mine to flow around his waist and draw him closer to me. His arms remained fixed in the air at first but then moulded around me.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t know it made you feel like that. But you want me to succeed don’t you? I’m not saying that you can’t hunt or anything… but I need to learn from the best.”
“You’ve clearly never seen me fight then Vicki” he chuckled “I’m among the best myself”
I pulled back from him and stared directly into his eyes. His lips had curled into a bold, half smirk and half smile that he usually wore when he outsmarted me. I raised one eyebrow at him and twisted my lips into a smile
“You’re joking right?”
“Not at all. I am one of the elite fighters that are chosen to protect the royals… my brothers are also the same too. It’s one of the many reasons why we are so close with the family”
“What else is there I don’t know about you?” I chuckle
“Plenty” was all that he replied with before linking his left arm with my right and leading me toward the main hall. I wanted some fresh air so I suggested we go for a walk, he simply shook his head and gave me a cheeky wink. I pondered what he was up to when he led me toward my room again,
“What are you up to?” he didn’t give me the courtesy of a reply but swooped low and scooped me up into his muscular arms, pecked me on the lips once then sprinted his way toward my… well our bedroom. We were there in a matter of seconds; he lowered me down onto the bed before sprinting off to the en suite. My lips once more curled into a smile when he returned and the smell of peach wafted through the air and into my nose, making my eyes close and my lips escape sigh of contentment.
Grabbing my hands, he pulled me upward, turned me around and placed his hands over my eyes before leading me into the bathroom. The smell of peach intensified with every step that I took, the closer I got to the bath the warmer I felt, both inside and out. He released the palms the covered my eyes and my lids uncurled to reveal a site so romantic, so beautiful… that it literally took my breath away. He had scattered hundreds of candles around the room which gave of an aura of total peace and tranquillity. When I glanced over to the bath I noticed that he had scattered both red and white rose petals along the water which truly touched me.
“I love it” I choked as I turned to face him, drawing my hands up to my mouth
“I was hoping you would” he breathed as he pushed my hands aside to cover his lips with mine. He started to peel my top off, I reached my hands up and allowed him to take not only my top but bra along with it “You are so beautiful” he breathed
“Join me Dante” I said as I reached for the buttons on his shirt, slowly undoing one button at a time whilst locking my eyes with his. He smiled gently at me as I struggled with the bottom three but remained patient all the while.
Undressed and facing each other in our birthday suits, it took all the strength we had to not surrender to the lust we both felt. With every sense heightened, this was the one that took every ounce of strength to ignore. I turned to the bath and sunk one leg into its scolding contents, Dante mimicked my actions but with far less grace. I was lucky the bath was huge otherwise we would look like sardines in a tin. I couldn’t stop blushing once the reality sunk in that we were sharing a bath… it was childish to even be embarrassed by such a thing, especially since we had slept together countless of times these past few days.
“Thank you for this, really”
“I’m glad you like it Vicki. I’m even gladder that you enticed me to join you. I haven’t had a bath in years; I normally just stick to showers… quicker you see. But this… this is relaxing” he moaned as he let his eyes close and head fall back.
We stayed in the bath until the waters began to feel almost as cold as Dante’s skin. He started off by wrapping a towel around me, but it didn’t take long before he had carried me over to the bed to begin making love to me. I was left exhausted and drained of any strength thanks to him. I felt more exhausted than I had during training, but it was worth it… just to be in his arms… just to be next to him, the next thing I knew the door had slammed open and there stood Aurora, her face panic stricken and loss of any colour that it may have held.
“Victoria!” Aurora screamed, I quickly pulled the covers over us in attempt to shield our naked bodies
“What!?” I bellowed, turning a bright shade of scarlet
“It’s the prophecy… something you need to know! You need to come with me… to the library… please! There’s no time to waste!”
“Get out! Let me get dressed at least!” she didn’t need telling twice, in the blink of an eye she was gone and I was up and out of bed getting changed as fast as I could.Once we were both changed, we exchanged a look that reflected the fear we were both feeling. What could have been so soul shaking that it made Aurora barge into my room like that? He brought me into his arms and locked me in a warm embrace. Kissing my forehead once then tilting my head up so that he may peck me on the lips, we stared into each other’s eyes. I smiled gently at him before pulling away and leading him by the hand toward the answers we both seeked.
All eyes were upon us once we stepped foot into the library. The whole family was gathered around the twins who sat at one of the tables situated in the middle of the room. Once closer I noted that both their eyes were that eerie shade of pale blue that consumed its sockets.
“Ahh, so she arrives” beamed Nina in an echoed version of her voice
“One of two, Two of one… it’s all the same” Nikki chuckled
“Hush sister she’ll know the game”
“What game?” I asked them, my question was returned with more laughter. They rose from their chairs and hand in hand they walked toward me. Dante stepped aside, probably all too familiar with the twins when they were like this, not once did any of my family members rise to stop them or tell them to remain seated, instead they just stood there and watched.
“The game child that is your fate” Nikki sniggered
“You will love and be loved”
“You shall kill or be killed”
“Life is death and death is life. An endless spiral that consumes this world”
“Only one would save us”
“Now there are three”
“Three that are doomed to meet”
“By an event that would be heart wrenching… If I had one” Nikki glanced over to Nina, they smiled at each other before finally coming at a halt before me.
“What has changed?” I ask them
“Everything dear” Nina replied “You have chosen to save Tatiana. By saving her you have made sure that a new enemy shall be born”
“This enemy will become a new breed. One which you were meant to become… yet much stronger and far more deadly”grabbing Nina’s hand her expression grew dark “I did forewarn child that every action has a reaction. That with great power come’s a great responsibility”
“You will become strong. There is no doubt about that child”
“But you either kill him or die”
I remained fixed to the spot. My eyes never left theirs yet my hands trembled at their sides. I was supposed to kill a guy that I knew nothing about. These twins were fixed upon either a new breed or rebirth of some kind… what the hell gave them the right to decide such things? No fate is written in stone; the only thing that I actually wanted to agree on was that every action we committed caused a reaction of some kind… but why me? Why did my father have to be this ‘key’ that set this all off?
“Do not despair child” Nina reached out and grabbed my hand “You and your twin have defied fate. You have twisted the stone to make it bleed… what you do is of your will now.”
“But there is one clause. You MUST stop this new breed” Nikki scowled
“Yes, he is of no good to this world. Born of pure darkness and deceit he chooses to use his new found gift as evil. We tempted and tested you. We hoped you would choose the easy way and just accept her. She would consume yet… she would be you. Either way you were always meant to be in control. Instead you used the rabbit hole and insisted she be free. Your life was meant to be set out and planned… but the Key was destroyed before an explanation could be made. Much like us he knew his fate.”
“We are the fates” Nikki breathed as she cupped my other hand “We bestow a gift” my hands began to tingle and as I looked down I noticed that both palms glowed the same colour as that of the twins eyes. Once the glowing ceased, they took a step back and my hands were covered in two sets of spiral like tattoos. My left hand was golden and shimmering whereas my right hand was darkened and of navy colour.
“What is this?” I asked them both
“This gives you our power. You shall be able to see truth amidst lies, once lost you shall seek answers that will be spoken” Nina answered
“Also… should you need us… just ask” Nikki smirked.