by G. K. DeRosa
“What are you suddenly so happy about?” he asked, a confused look in his eye.
“Nothing,” she said with a giggle. “I guess I just realized I’ve been having fun out there killing those demons with you.”
“That’s what all the girls say,” he teased. Celeste threw a sugar packet at his face, which he easily swerved to avoid. “Are you ignoring my question?”
“What question was that?” she retorted as she sipped on her mocha cappuccino.
“Well, it seems to me that if you and your vampire boyfriend were so close, he’d be here with you instead of me.”
The truth in Marco’s words stung. She paused for a second to compose herself. “Things are complicated between me and Roman. He and my aunt don’t really get along, and then there’s Dante and the Council. And anyway, I don’t even know why I’m trying to explain this to you. It’s none of your business.”
“Ouch,” he said. “I guess we’ll just stick to guardian business from now on.”
“I think that would be best,” she said, finishing her drink. “Anyway, we should probably be getting back to the hotel. It’s dark, and we need to head out soon.”
Celeste and Marco rode up on opposite corners of the modern white elevator in silence. She wasn’t sure why, but Marco had really hit a nerve with his comment about Roman. Maybe it was that or the fact that time was running out, and they still hadn’t gotten any closer to finding Maks. Just before the elevator stopped on their floor, Celeste’s phone began vibrating and then Marco’s went off. She quickly pulled it out of her pocket and saw a message from her aunt.
Got another lead. Meet me at the corner of Nowy Swiat St. by the McDonald’s. Hurry!
She looked up at Marco whose eager face revealed he had gotten the same message. While she hurriedly typed up a reply, he ran back to their room for the weapons.
During their short time at the hotel, full dark had set in, and there were already fewer people out on the streets. As they swiftly made their way through town, Celeste took a moment to close her eyes and make a wish. She wished that they would find Maks and… and then what? She really hoped her aunt knew what she was doing because her anxiety level was increasing with each step she took.
“Hey Celeste,” said Marco pulling her arm back, “we’re good right? I don’t like going into a fight with anything hanging over my head. It’s not good for the spirit.”
Celeste gave him a taunting smile, “Yeah we’re fine. Just try not to get killed out there tonight, okay?”
“I’m not the one you should be worried about. I was watching your form the other night, and it looked like it could use some fine-tuning,” he said flirtatiously.
“Oh, I’m sure you were watching my form,” she retorted. “Just keep your eyes on the vampires, buddy.”
He chuckled good-naturedly, and they resumed their fast paced walk without another word. When they were across the street from the McDonald’s, they spotted Aunt Maddie in a black jacket and hoodie. She was standing in the shadows on the opposite corner of the restaurant.
“He was here,” she said as they caught up to her. Celeste detected a slight tremble in her voice, but she pretended she hadn’t. “I didn’t want to approach him by myself, but Franek is with him.”
“That creepy vampire CI from the bar?” asked Celeste.
“Yes. They’re heading outside of town. Everyone’s scared to hunt around here because of us,” she explained. “They’re holed up at some abandoned house a few miles away. We’ll take them out there. They’ll never expect us.”
Celeste and Marco nodded. “So what’s the plan when we get there?” he asked. Celeste was curious too, but didn’t want to question her aunt, knowing how difficult this must be for her. Again she found herself being happy that Marco was with them.
“We kill all the vampires we find except for Maks and Franek. I owe him one.”
“Okay and once we kill them all, what are you going to do about Maks?” he asked again.
“I need to talk to him,” interjected Celeste.
“You do? About what?”
“It’s personal, Marco. Can’t you just help us tie him up or something?”
“You think some rope is going to hold a vampire? And what – you girls are going to question him like on some cop show?”
“Don’t worry about what we’re going to do,” said Aunt Maddie. “We just need you to help us capture him. I’ll take care of the rest.” A wicked smile crossed her face as she pulled out a small black pouch from her backpack. She opened it and held up a hypodermic needle filled with a light yellow liquid.
“Vervain?” he asked.
“Exactly.”
Celeste had never seen vervain before, but had heard about its debilitating effects on vampires. She was very curious to see it in action, and slightly encouraged by the knowledge that her aunt did seem to have some sort of a plan.
“Let’s go. Franek just texted me the address. We can hop on the number 9 tram and be there in no time.”
Chapter 16
After a short walk from the tram stop, Celeste, Marco, and Aunt Maddie found themselves in an apparently shady part of town. Nearly all of the houses looked abandoned, and even the ones that had lights on looked like they should have been left years ago. Peeling paint, cracks in the walls, and graffiti covered the homes’ exteriors. Across the street from the shabby row of houses were two tall gray Soviet- era apartment buildings. They reminded Celeste of the projects she had accidentally walked through when she was visiting New York City. She tried to shake off the chill that tore through her body as they neared the designated address.
Aunt Maddie signaled for Celeste and Marco to stay put while she went in for a closer look. She stealthily walked around the decrepit house until she found a window that wasn’t covered with a wooden board. After making a full circle of the property, she returned to the others. Her eyes twinkled with excitement as she recounted what she had seen. “There are five of them including Maks and Franek. That means it will be four against three, which are pretty good odds for us. We’ll split up to make sure Maks doesn’t escape this time. I’ll go in through the front, Celeste you take the window on the left side, and Marco you come in through the back door.”
Celeste and Marco both nodded eagerly. Celeste was very anxious for this all to be over. The trio broke up and each took their assigned entryway. Aunt Maddie was to go in first, so Celeste waited nervously for the sound of a door busting open. As she waited, the ominous sensation in her stomach grew alerting her of the supernaturals nearby. Suddenly, she heard the sound of a boot making contact with splintering wood, which was her cue to attack. Celeste used the hilt of her sword to shatter the window, and being careful not to cut herself, she climbed through it into the chaos that had already erupted inside.
Celeste tried to visualize the photo she had seen of Maks as she searched the dark interior. She noticed that Aunt Maddie had one vampire pinned against the wall with her stake, ready to strike, and Marco was chasing another up the stairs. Celeste recognized the scraggly blonde hair of Franek, the informant, casually smoking a cigarette in the corner. He seemed to be amused by the antics, but he neither joined in the fray nor took off.
A blonde female vampire with her fangs extended hurtled forward as Celeste took in the scene. Celeste threw a punch and made a direct connection with her attackers’ nose. The vampire shrieked something unintelligible, then lunged at her again. This time Celeste had her sword ready and she swung on her, but the fiend was quick. She ducked out of the way before Celeste’s sword could make contact and picked up an old rusty pipe from the rubbish on the ground. She used the pipe as a shield to deflect Celeste’s advances. But the rusty metal was no match for Celeste’s gleaming sword, and after a few swings, the pipe snapped in half. Celeste knew it was her chance. She instantly drove her sword into the vampire’s heart before she had time to find another weapon.
As Celeste scanned the room for her aunt, someone grabbed her from behin
d. The vampire had his arm around her neck, and Celeste gasped for air as his grip tightened. “Why are you following me, Guardian?” he hissed in her ear with a thick Russian accent.
Celeste didn’t bother answering, instead she threw all of her body weight forward, tucking in her chin, and then flipping her assailant over her head. He landed with a smack on the cold cement floor. She flung her body on top of his, hoping to pin him down with her weight, but he was much too strong. He arched his back and kicked his legs up and was back on his feet before Celeste could even move. Bending down, she pulled the dagger out of her boot and nicked him on the arm as she sprung up. He spun at her, his canines extended, and let out a terrible growl as he trapped her in a corner. “You are really pissing me off, girl. I’m not in the habit of killing guardians, but I may make an exception for you,” he roared menacingly.
“No!” yelled Aunt Maddie as she ran across the room. A sparkle of recognition crossed Maks’ dark eyes as he twisted around toward the voice. Celeste took advantage of his momentary distraction to leap on top of him. Both of their bodies hit the ground hard, but at least she had a soft body in between her and the floor. Aunt Maddie whipped out the vervain shot, and before he had a chance to knock Celeste off of him again, she plunged it into his chest.
Maks screamed and struggled as the poisonous yellow liquid surged through his veins. Celeste felt like she was riding one of those mechanical bulls as he bucked and kicked, but she never let go until he finally became still.
“Did you kill him?” asked Marco, rushing down the stairs. He had a small cut across his cheek, and his stylish black button-down shirt was torn to shreds.
“No, this will just knock him out for a bit. When he comes to he’ll be much easier to manage,” she explained.
“Nicely done,” said Franek, finally emerging from his dark corner. “You’ll handle things from here?”
“Yes. You won’t be seeing Maks again anytime soon,” Aunt Maddie said as she stared at the still figure on the floor next to her.
“Fine then. Our business is done. I hope I won’t be seeing anymore guardians around here anytime soon either,” said Franek as he slipped out the door.
“That guy gives me the creeps,” said Celeste with a shudder. She wondered if the CI knew that her aunt didn’t intend on killing Maks for sure. She didn’t think he would like it one bit.
“Is the house secure?” asked Aunt Maddie, who was back to business. She was eyeing the dilapidated old home suspiciously.
“Yeah, we got them all,” said Marco with a pleased grin.
“Good. Now we wait until he wakes up, and then you can talk to him Celeste.”
“Can’t wait,” she said sarcastically. The three of them were standing over Maks’ body, each lost in their own thoughts.
“That blonde vampire, you killed her right, Celeste?” asked Aunt Maddie abruptly.
“Yeah, why?”
“I think that was the girl that Maks and I had seen all those years ago. The one we tried to save from the vampire. The one who started all of this. I thought she had been killed that night, but obviously not,” she said, shaking her head.
Alek tapped his foot impatiently as he waited outside of the Queen’s chambers. There weren’t many people in the world that Alek would wait for, but Elsbetta, the Queen of the Fae, happened to be one. It had cost him a lot to come see her. He wasn’t only risking his pride: leaving the safety of his home to seek her assistance was a huge gamble, but he was running out of options.
“The Queen will see you now,” said a cute young fairy with a hot pink bob as she opened the doors to her chambers. Alek rose and followed her through the narrow hallway, which was covered in bright green moss and wild flowers that grew unrestricted. The corridor opened into a cavernous room filled with lush greenery and a small, lively pond with crystal clear water. The Queen was seated in the middle of the room in a golden throne intertwined with ivy, and she looked as beautiful as ever.
“My, my Aleksander, it has been quite a long time since I laid eyes upon you. What may I ask has brought you here today?” The Queen’s voice was as smooth as silk, every syllable she spoke was like listening to a heavenly melody.
“I have come to seek your counsel, radiant one,” replied Alek reverently. “I know that Fabian came to you in the past about a certain resurrection spell.” He paused to clear his throat. “I am seeking to re-enact the same one, but I have encountered some difficulties.” The two imposing guards on either side of the Queen brandished their broadswords and eyed the intruder cautiously.
“That is a very powerful spell that you speak of, young man. I do not involve myself in the dark arts,” she replied as she gently caressed a newly blossomed magenta rose and tucked it into her snow-white hair.
“I am aware of that, but I was hoping you could perhaps shed some light on an article that is used in the spell. I believe it is the cause of my problems.”
“What is it?” she asked, her eyes alive with curiosity.
“This,” he said, holding out the legendary Albsurori ring.
The young fairy who had escorted him in took it from his hand and brought it to the Queen. She examined it carefully, and with a delighted smirk turned her head up to Alek. “I see you have found what all believed to be lost.”
“I have my Queen, but either its mythical power was only a fairytale or there is something very wrong with it,” he said.
“There is nothing wrong with the ring,” she replied as she rolled it between her fingers. “It is only the possessor.”
Had it been anyone else to insult him in this manner, Alek would have killed the person on the spot. Instead, he took a deep breath and asked sweetly, “Whatever do you mean?”
“Aleksander, I will speak to you now not as a Queen, but as the woman who raised you when you were just a boy. This ring was crafted by the Albsurori, a very powerful coven of good witches. Thus, in order for its magic to work, the person who wears it must be pure of heart.”
A rush of anger surged through Alek at her words, and he clenched his jaw to keep from exploding with rage.
“I truly am sorry to be the one to break the news to you, but it was just as I had explained to Fabian when he sought my counsel in the past. He had hoped to use your blood to resurrect Lilliana Constantin, but it was not pure.”
“And my vampire half brothers’ blood is?” he asked, outraged. The two burly guards advanced toward him, but he backed down, reining in his temper.
“Remember they were not always vampires. They were created from the love of their devoted parents. Their vampirism was a curse set upon them.”
Alek had heard enough about his perfect half brothers and their pure blood. He had longed for the day that he could take his revenge, and that day was now.
As if the Queen had heard his thoughts she said, “Keep in mind that the ring is not a necessary element in the resurrection spell, in that its magnifying power is not what is essential. The spell simply calls for a personal item of the deceased, and that is what you have.”
“Yes, but what if I am not strong enough for the spell? I needed that ring to enhance my power. Fabian was a greater sorcerer than I am,” he admitted bitterly.
“You are mistaken, dear boy. Now go, I am tired of this conversation,” she said with a dismissing wave. The two muscular guards moved forward, but Alek turned and took his leave without the armed escort.
Stellan’s hologram appeared in the middle of the living room, as Roman and Nico were fully engrossed in a sparring session. Nico jumped back as Stellan’s ghostly form materialized right between them. “I have news. Come to my house right away,” he said, and as quickly as he had appeared, he was gone.
Roman and Nico were covered in sweat from their workout and looked at each other with blank expressions on their faces. “Couldn’t he just open up a portal for us to get there faster?” asked Nico.
“He must not want to expend the energy,” reasoned Roman, “which means he must have found som
ething.” There was a sparkle in his bright blue eyes that had been gone for the past few weeks.
“Shall we drive or fly?” asked Nico, also visibly excited.
“Let’s fly. I’ve got some energy to burn,” answered Roman with a grin.
When the brothers arrived at Stellan’s, they found him in the library with a petite woman standing over his shoulder. She turned toward them, her violet eyes alive with anticipation.
“Oh good, you’re here,” said Stellan, standing and placing his hand on the small of the woman’s back. “Roman, Nico, I’d like to introduce you to Dalla.”
Nico extended his hand politely.
“I believe we’ve already met,” said Roman. “It was many years ago, but now that I see you in person, I am quite sure of it.”
Stellan looked flustered, but Dalla responded easily. “I am surprised you remember me,” she said. “You were a very little boy back then.”
“I’m sorry to interrupt, but we really don’t have time for lengthy re-introductions,” said Stellan. “Dalla has found the ring.”
The boys looked up at her in surprise.
“Stellan is giving me far too much credit. I couldn’t have done it without Marja, the head of our coven.”
“So where is it?” asked Roman impatiently.
“It was very odd,” she began. “It suddenly blipped into existence in the land of the Fae. I was able to lock onto its position before it disappeared again. My guess is a portal was being used. Right before it vanished again I was able to track it just outside of St. Petersburg.”