Gawking at Kei’s unlucky situation, Remy walked around the desk, staring at him staked to the top of the wooden desk. “They really had some fun with you.” He admired Kei’s gruesome state.
“Our plan is to free Veronica’s father,” Anastasia said.
“I know, I know. Can I just stir in the moment?”
Continuous sounds of human screams coming from the commotion outside of the office didn’t persuade Remy to move a step faster. Instead he took his time. He snagged at one stake embedded in Kei’s stomach, yanking it free. Kei screeched in agony, distracting Anastasia from Veronica’s father. He positioned the amulet an inch away from Kei’s heart. “You killed Veronica’s mother.”
Kei spat and a glob of spit mixed with blood landed on his cheek. In return Remy smacked him across the face.
“Remy, if you’re going to kill him, do it now.” Anastasia turned her attention to Mr. Austin. She cocked her head, noticing that his right hand was missing and the nub wrapped in a blood-soaked towel. She easily freed him from his chains. His weak body, caked with blood, fell forward and she caught him, placing him over her shoulder.
Remy slowly wiped the spit from his cheek and clutched onto Kei’s neck. “Patience is a virtue.”
“Remy!”
“Alright. Fine.” He walked over to Mr. Austin. He proceeded to slap his forehead, getting the old man’s attention. When Mr. Austin opened his heavy eyes, he placed his hand underneath his chin and turned his head in Kei’s direction. “He needs to see this.” He walked back to Kei. “This amulet is supposed to protect the wearer from Deamhan. I wonder if it acts just like a stake.”
He placed the amulet over Kei’s chest and he stepped back, watching Kei scream and gasp in pain. With his eyes widened Kei grasped at the amulet, trying to toss it off his body, but he was unable to do so. Just then the skin underneath the amulet began to turn dark. His eyes rolled into the back of his head and his arms turned into dust, followed by his legs, his torso, and eventually his head. Blood pooled onto the floor and the amulet, now sizzling, fell to the floor.
“Wow. I didn’t expect that.” Remy grabbed the amulet from the floor. “It looked pretty painful.”
“Remy,” Anastasia whispered. “We have to go. Now.”
He poked at Kei’s sizzling remains. “Yeah, it’s time to go.”
They walked out of the office.
“Get him out of here.” She handed Mr. Austin over to Remy and in return he handed her the amulet. The plan was back on track. Now she needed to use it against Selene and Lucius before they gained the upper hand. Little did she know that Selene headed straight for them.
She looked around, watching as Lucius continued to strike down the human mercenaries while Ayden still remained near Kyra’s cage, trying to free her. She then felt a hard blow to her back which pushed her to the floor and onto her stomach. Cold hands lifted her to her feet and she found herself airborne again, landing against the wall and barely missing a stack of pallets by inches. The amulet flew from her grasp, landing nearby.
Dazed, she watched Selene push Remy aside and she reached down, grabbing Mr. Austin by the neck. She lifted him in the air and began to feed. Anastasia shook off her dazed state and she headed straight for Selene in hopes of stopping her. Instead Selene dropped the body, grabbed Anastasia in midstride and pinned her to the nearest wall. Selene’s knee gently pressed up against Anastasia’s crotch, lifting her a few inches off the ground. Staring back into Selene’s cold dark eyes, Anastasia felt her long Ramanga teeth reveal themselves.
“I’ve waited so long for this moment,” Selene replied.
Anastasia continued to struggle, finding Selene’s strength hard to overcome.
“I don’t see what Lucius saw in you,” Selene said. “You’re nothing. You’re weak. You can’t defeat me.”
Anastasia gathered enough strength to push her off of her. Selene promptly returned in her attack, grabbing a handful of Anastasia’s dark hair and dragging her to the ground. With one hand she grabbed both of Anastasia’s wrists and moved her arms above her head. Anastasia moved her feet, trying to find leverage.
“Why not face me when you don’t have Pure blood in your veins?” Anastasia asked in an attempt to get Selene off her.
Selene’s mouth opened and her eyes danced devilishly in the dark. She struck Anastasia across her face, blinding her for a second. That moment was all Selene needed to hastily revert back to the office, grab a stake, and return, stabbing Anastasia in her upper left arm near the armpit. The pain caused Anastasia to slightly jerk and grit her teeth. Selene held the stake by her teeth and she punched at Anastasia’s chest, breaking through her sternum. Anastasia felt her bones being pulled back by Selene’s grip and the air tickling her now-exposed organs.
Without delay, her body shut down and grew extremely weak. Her wound throbbed in uncontrollable pain and her eyes fluttered. No Deamhan in existence had ever brought so much pain to her like Selene did now. Anastasia opened her mouth, wanting to scream, but she told herself that no one, especially Selene, would hear her call out in torment. She welcomed death however, she welcomed Selene’s death even more. Looking to her right, she saw that Lucius had Maris cornered.
Selene took the stake from her mouth, raised it, and Anastasia closed her eyes, waiting for the strike. Selene stopped short and the sharp edge of the stake pricked Anastasia’s heart. A gust of wind blew over them and Anastasia no longer felt the stake at her flesh. She opened her tired eyes to see Selene’s stake now in Remy’s hands, deeply embedded into Selene’s heart.
Anastasia looked at Mr. Austin’s still body. She tried to listen for a heartbeat but heard nothing. “Remy! Grab the amulet. Get Mr. Austin out of here.”
“But the plan is not working!” Remy yelled back at her. “We still have to kill Maris—”
“Just get him out of here!” She watched Remy grunt before he left Selene and headed back to Mr. Austin. He lifted Mr. Austin’s body over his shoulder, grabbed the amulet, and rushed in Deamhan speed for the exit.
Anastasia slowly stood to her feet but her body, weakened from Selene’s attack, made it almost impossible to walk. She covered her opened chest with her hands and with each step she took, her bones arched out and she lurched forward. Still standing against the wall, Selene grabbed the stake and pulled it from her chest.
“Stakes don’t harm me anymore.” Her wound slowly closed. “Their blood protects me.”
Anastasia stepped back in awe, watching Selene approach her. Blood curdled in her throat.
“You won’t win. Not today.” Selene struck her across the face and she fell back.
For once, Anastasia felt defeated. Remy’s plan had dissipated right before her eyes and without the amulet, there wasn’t any way she could take on both Lucius and Selene. A loud explosion from the rear of the room caught their attention and Anastasia turned to see Maris hitting the wall like a ragdoll and Lucius slowly walking toward her.
Body parts of mercenaries lay strewn about the room and blood dotted the concrete walls and floors. Ahead she saw Ayden had ripped the cage open. He grabbed Kyra and dragged her toward the elevator.
Anastasia felt a gust of wind and hands that pushed her onto the grated walkway. She regained her focus, watching Lucius twist Maris’ arm behind her back and push her to the floor. He then slammed his foot onto her back, keeping her held down.
“Eat, Anastasia. I don’t want to kill you when you’re at your weakest.”
Anastasia looked over her shoulder at Selene who stood over her. She crawled forward and to her right, she grabbed onto the lifeless body of a mercenary. She bit into his thigh and began to suckle. She felt her sternum start to heal and the pain slowly faded away. Her bones moved back into position and her skin moved itself back, covering her chest. The dead blood helped a little.
She continued drinking, as fast as she could, until the flow of blood decreased. Her body filled with little energy and she stood to her feet, facing Selene. If ever t
here was an opening, to strike Selene, the time was now—despite the fact that they weren’t prepared for what was to come next.
She rushed at Selene again and again, in one hit, Selene sent her on her back. She stood over her, smiling. “This is pathetic.” She moved back. “You can do better than this.”
Anastasia grunted and again she got to her feet. Selene was right. She couldn’t win but she didn’t wasn’t going to run away with her tail between her legs. She never ran; not from anyone or anything. She was a Ramanga and she would fight to the death. “You don’t have the Dark Curse. You can’t free them. It’s over, Selene.”
“Who says we need it when we have her?” Selene looked over her shoulder at Maris.
“She doesn’t know anything,” Anastasia replied back, knowing that what she said wasn’t the truth.
“Oh, we have exactly what we need,” Selene said with a smile. “Kyra’s mind told us how to translate it. Maris’ blood will allow the gates of Limbo to open and you,” she pointed to Anastasia, “you’re going to be the Dark Mother’s first meal.”
Anastasia charged at Selene, only to feel a sharp pain in her stomach, chest, and both legs, which crippled her in mid stride. She fell and gazed at her body, now riddled with wood fragments. She turned her head to her right, watching what looked like pieces of wood hovering in midair. They began to pepper her, striking her in the face and her arms, yet none of them struck her heart. The pieces that remained in the air suddenly dropped to the ground.
Anastasia reached into her wound in her upper thigh, attempting to pull out the biggest shard. It burned the tips of her fingers and she jerked her hand away. She looked up at Selene who smiled deviously back at her.
“Like I said before, you have no idea who you’re up against.” She placed her hands on her hips. “You can’t fight against gods with power like this!” She slammed her foot into Anastasia’s back. “Face it. You and your friends have lost. All you can do now is embrace the change and welcome the Pure Ones back to this world with open arms.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Anastasia felt whatever blood remaining in her ravaged body flow to her chest and to her legs. With her arms pinned high by a thick metal chain, she felt helpless as she watched Selene and Lucius standing back and admiring their victory. Lucius dragged Maris who kicked and struggled against him, and he chained her next to Anastasia.
He gently placed his hand underneath Maris’ chin and raised her head slightly. “You should be thrilled. You are the only Deamhan who can give us our salvation.”
Maris jerked her head away.
Anastasia no longer underestimated the power both Lucius and Selene gained from the Pure Ones. For Deamhan, they were stronger than anything she had faced in her lifetime. Bestowing power such as that into them just proved how far the Pure Ones would go to want out of Limbo. Anastasia couldn’t fathom what else they would do once they had their freedom.
She had to free herself and struggled against the chains, capturing Selene’s attention.
“You might as well stop. Those chains are strong and thick enough to hold you.”
Lucius leaned toward Maris. His eyes altered, turning red, and as he continued his drawn out gaze, entering her thoughts. “This might hurt at first.” He seized her by the neck.
“Salvation?” Maris snarled. “Is that what you call it? Oh please, spare me the lecture.”
He squeezed harder and she grunted at his strength. “Yes, it is our salvation.”
She scoffed. “I never wanted any part in this. I never wanted to be a Deamhan.”
He placed his hand on her chest. “Once you have this knowledge you will do the spell.”
“And what if I don’t want to?”
“You won’t have a choice.”
Maris released a horrified yell and her head tilted back. Lucius’ compulsion became too much to bear. In seconds she stopped and her body went limp.
“When she awakes, she will be ready.” He took a step back from her and turned to Anastasia. “Now what to do with you.”
The left corner of Selene’s mouth curled upward. “I thought it’d be best that she would be the Dark Mother’s first meal.”
“A present for Amenirdis?” Lucius questioned.
Anastasia couldn’t believe what she heard. “You’re both crazy.”
In Deamhan speed, Selene rushed over to her and slapped her across her face. “Don’t mock us.”
Anastasia felt her mouth beginning to fill with blood from Selene’s hard slap. “I’m just stating the obvious.”
“Of all people, I thought you would understand,” Lucius said. “I wanted you to be by Amenirdis’ side and guide all the Pure Ones into this new world.”
“So she and the others can destroy it?” She argued back. “That’s what they’re going to do, Lucius. They’re going to kill us all at once as soon as they’re able.”
“No.” He shook his head. “Your purpose was to be her obedient servant, to help them all understand this world. It is an important task that Selene and I can’t do.”
She eyed them carefully. “Why not? You’re doing a wonderful job now.”
“This spell needs sacrifices.” He turned back to Maris. “She’s starting to awake.”
Sacrifices? Would Lucius and Selene take their own lives to free them? Anastasia attempted to search their thoughts but she found herself blocked. After all the centuries she’d known Lucius, she expected him to not die in this way.
Maris moaned and opened her eyes.
Lucius looked her over and he smiled. “You know the words. Start the spell.”
“I’m not saying anything!” she yelled.
“We will make you.”
Maris fought against his influence. Her mouth opened slowly and with her eyes widened, she looked to Anastasia for help. She began to chant. “Gods of the Old. Gods of the new. Dark Gods of our flesh. We honor you with the blood of our brethren.”
Anastasia restarted her struggle to free herself.
“Gods of the Old, Gods of the New. Dark Goddess of our flesh. We honor you with the blood of your children.”
Lucius pulled out a long, sharp wooden stake. “I strike true and I offer you her blood, the blood of the descendant, in exchange for their freedom.”
Jumbled, Anastasia whispered to Maris, “Can you stop this?”
Gasping for air, she replied. “No. I’m trying but I can’t. He’s somehow forcing me to chant. He’s too strong.”
“Keep fighting him.”
“I can’t!”
Anastasia growled. “Yes, you can!”
Lucius grabbed Maris’ wrist and he made a long cut extending from her forearm to her wrist.
“Gods of the Old, Gods of the New, Dark Gods of our flesh.” Maris struggled as Lucius telepathically forced the chant from her lips. “I honor you with my blood.”
He began to rub the stake in her blood and then approached Selene. “Are you ready?” He placed his hand on her cheek.
Selene smiled and nodded slowly. “I think.”
He drew Selene close and kissed her on the top of her head. “I’ve always loved you, Selene, like a daughter.”
Anastasia studied their behavior. The idea of Lucius killing Selene to free the Pure Ones bewildered her. She looked at Maris who also stared at the spectacle, amazed. “Maris, keep trying.”
“He’s going to kill her,” Maris whispered back. “There isn’t anything I can do.”
The ritual took a dark turn.
Selene held her arms out to the side.
“I strike true and I offer you her blood, the blood of my dark daughter, in exchange for their freedom.” Lucius spoke the chant. He paused and stared at Selene. “Close your eyes.”
Following his instruction, Selene closed her eyes and Lucius struck the stake into her heart. Her body lurched forward and now her eyes opened slowly. They glanced at the stake in her chest then at her skin that started to deteriorate into ash. The skin on her face began to shr
ivel, falling off in long pieces. Her smile withered away and what remained of her tumbled to the floor, leaving behind a pile of ash and blood.
For a few moments, Lucius stood quietly, staring at what remained of his offspring. He then walked back over to Maris. “Gods of the Old, Gods of the New. Dark Goddess of our flesh. We honor you with the blood of your children.”
“Gods of the Old, Gods of the New, Dark Gods of our flesh.” Again, Maris struggled as the words escaped her lips. “I honor you with my blood.”
Again Lucius rubbed the tip of the stake in her blood and he looked at her. “It’s almost over. They will be freed.” He stepped back. “I strike true and I offer you her blood, the blood of the descendant, in exchange for their freedom.” He placed the stake against his chest, closed his eyes, and pushed the tip through his body and into his heart.
Almost immediately, he dropped to his knees. A shriek expelled from his mouth and his head leaned back with his eyes facing the ceiling. His body then jerked forward and blood spurted from his mouth.
The sight was uncanny but only when Anastasia saw Kyra standing behind Lucius and another stake sticking out of Lucius’ chest from the opposite side, did she know that Kyra had struck first. Anastasia didn’t care how she managed to get behind him or if the stake had actually hurt him. She appeared too late. Lucius had finished the ritual.
Ayden also appeared and rushed over to them. “We had to wait until Lucius was vulnerable.” He began to free Maris.
“You left me!” She barked back at him. “Why did you leave me?”
“I didn’t leave you. I told you I would never leave you.”
Kyra stepped slowly away from Lucius. “We’re too late.” She broke Anastasia’s chains.
Now freed, Anastasia wanted to rush to Lucius’ side but Kyra stopped her. “It’s too late for him. We must go before they arrive.”
At that moment Anastasia felt a large jolt ravage her body. She arched forward. Ayden, Maris, and Kyra also felt it and they leaned forward in pain. Maris dropped to her knees and she gripped her chest. Kyra curled up in a fetal position in pain and Ayden fell onto his side.
Deamhan Chronicles, Books 1-5: Deamhan, Kei. Family Matters, Dark Curse, Maris. The Brotherhood Files, Ayden. Deamhan Minion Page 53