Abby's Road Part 1

by Anne Wentworth

  "If the bells were so dangerous, why didn't you warn me? You could have simply said, Rachel, don't ring the bells, it might cause trouble." Sarcasm dripped from each word and I let it. I felt humiliated, as if I'd somehow spoiled Christmas with my action.

  "I didn't know you'd pick one off the tree and ring it."

  I was about to retort when Yuri broke in.

  "Enough. Rachel didn't know and really, you should have warned her. Hell, you have the warning above your entrance archway, why didn't you tell her then? How would a human know anything about our world? She's on the outside, Nix and unless we explain it to her, she won't know."

  Yes, she's on the outside. That really was the story of my life, Rachel on the outside looking in. Why did I get reminded of that every Christmas? On the outside, not included, but kept to the side to watch and see, but not be included. I grasped the side of the table as the memory sliced into my heart like a shard of glass. Nix could have warned me, but he'd chosen not to. Yuri could have as well, but he hadn't. Wolfram could have taken a minute to explain, but he hadn't.

  Why didn't things go smoothly for me? I'd been trying to jump through hoops ever since the house fire and I was tired.

  "Rachel? Are you okay? Look, I'm sorry; I shouldn't have reacted so badly—"

  I shook my head at Nix.

  "No, you shouldn't have, but why would I have expected anything else? It's not like my being here is for anything but the component in my blood." My gaze went from Nix to Yuri. How, I wondered, could I have allowed myself to be swept along?

  For once, the tall elegant vampire was without words. No retort to the cut I'd delivered. Nothing. Nix gazed at me and his eyes filled with hurt even he couldn't hide.

  "I do apologize. Yes, I should have explained it to you when we first entered the castle. You're a ring-wearer and therefore, you must never be a bell-ringer. The ringing of a bell is one of the only ways to break the protective wall around a dimension. When a ring-bearer rings a bell, it will compromise the wall and allow anyone in. The unfortunate part is that I won't know if anyone came through until they leave. The breach will be revealed when they exit."

  From my expression, Yuri must have thought I didn't understand because he chimed in.

  "Even our dimensional homes have their weaknesses. Usually, it wouldn't be a problem, but with our current situation—"

  "I'm sorry, did you just say, our?" Nix interrupted.

  "We're all in on this. The three of us have been doing some odd little dance since we first started to recruit Rein." Yuri and Nix faced each other.

  I stared in fascination and horror as the two went at it.

  "I knew of Rein before you. Caspian charged me with his recruitment. I'll admit, I didn't know who he was, but I did set out to find him long before you were ever in the picture."

  Yuri set his drink down. "Do you know how snotty and self-absorbed you sound, Vicar? I think it's time I set the record straight on this one. I knew Rein's father, Lennox. He befriended me after I was made into a revenant. I've known Lennox through centuries." The revenant paused, and I saw him for what he truly was, a man who'd lost much along his road, but had made a friend. The pain coming through his eyes was real. I stole a glance at Nix, finding him as mesmerized as me. His features had lost that hard edge of the last few minutes. Yuri's voice broke into my thoughts as he continued his story.

  "I hadn't heard from him for a few months when he suddenly showed up one evening. Lennox told me he'd fallen in love with a woman, a human woman named Marion Butler and that she was carrying his child. Of course this was a major break from the rules and conduct of his sect, but I wasn't going to lecture him. Love doesn't come packaged in a box with a tidy bow. From the way he spoke about her, Lennox was besotted with Marion and feared for her safety and the safety of his child. He was convinced the child would be a boy and asked that I look in on them along the way. I didn't understand at the time, but soon after, I heard about his fate. The poor fellow, I think he may have suspected his days were numbered. Caspian had never forgiven Lennox for getting the ring. He felt it should have been his, but his father chose Lennox and it was freely given. It was the one thing Caspian couldn't take away from his brother, not without a price and it burned a fire of hate through him. Yes, they were from one of the oldest families, but it didn't count for much. Lennox was removed and all Caspian had to do was wait for Rein to mature." Yuri went to a chair, lowering himself into it. I wanted to run to him, but something held me back. It would wound him to have me feel sorry for him. My sympathy would only cut him deeper. I saw him differently then. Yuri wasn't a monster, but a man whose life had been taken by a selfish creature. He'd found a friend when he'd needed one most and that friend had been erased from existence. This revenant was brave, standing up to a vampire more powerful than most to set the record straight. But there was more to his words, more to his actions. Yuri, for all the faults he'd told me of prior to becoming a revenant, was an honorable man. He'd put his family before himself in order to save them and now he was revealing the truth about what had gone on in defense of his lost friend. No wonder he'd been so intent on recruiting Rein. He would have done just about anything to keep Caspian from recruiting Rein into his sect.

  I turned to Nix, seeing his shocked expression. Clearly, he hadn't known everything. Yuri's information had certainly caught me by surprise. At the beach, he'd told me some of the story, but hadn't revealed the finer details. His friendship with Lennox must have been more significant than he'd let on.

  "Did you?" I asked.

  "Did I what?" Yuri sounded angry, cornered.

  "Did you look in on Marion and Rein after Lennox—left?" Perhaps Yuri had much more invested in this story than either Nix or me.

  The warped features grew more prominent with his mood. This was not a subject he wanted to discuss, and from the scowl he wore, not with me.

  "The word you're searching for is removed and yes, I did look in on Marion and Rein. I did more than look in. I've done everything within my power to keep them safe. Caspian wouldn't have allowed Marion to be harmed, not when he found out she was carrying his brother's child. But as Rein grew older, I knew it was only a matter of time."

  There—right there I caught it—a flash of triumph went over his eyes. Something more, what was it? I walked over to where the revenant sat, my hands clasped behind my back.

  "Yuri, what did you do, exactly?" Had Rein been right all along, should I be a lawyer?

  He stared at me, long and hard and I found my layer of courage flaking off, dropping onto the stone floor.

  "I gave him a suggestion and that resulted in Caspian losing the one thing he thought he had." A smug grin spread over that warped mouth.

  "What was that?"

  "I talked to Rein about his feelings for you and how it would be appropriate to give you a ring. I knew Marion had given him the ring from Lennox. To Rein, the ring was a family heirloom, he had no idea what it really was. Once he gave it to you, there was no way for Caspian to take it back without being imprisoned into its darkness. When I found out your blood contained that rare component, it couldn't have worked out better. The ring protects you and as long as you don't take it off, or give it away, you'll be protected."

  I tried to speak, my mouth open, but no words came. Yuri had been the one to orchestrate Rein giving me the ring?

  "You mean the whole time we were both working on recruiting Rein..."

  "That's correct, Count, I had another agenda and one that I unfolded before anyone could stop it."

  "But Marion demanded the ring back and I gave it to her." Why was I challenging Yuri? He'd been the one to guarantee my protection.

  "I knew you'd get it back. No one can take the ring by force and that was what she did. Marion put you in a situation where you'd lose your place at the Halls if you hadn't given up the ring. The ring went to work on her, giving her no peace until she gave it back to you."

  Another voice cut into the conversation, Nix. "S
he's lucky she isn't a vampire or it would have been the end of her road."

  The mood in the room had changed. Suddenly, it didn't feel like Christmas and the tree loomed like a big elephant taking up space.

  "You kept me safe, Yuri, how can I ever repay you?" Did I owe him? Yes.

  "It isn't only you, Rachel. I did it to prevent Caspian from having it. Once he got Rein, he'd have everything and nothing good can come out of power like that. He'd have twisted the truth, getting Rein to freely give him the ring. Once he had it, there'd be no stopping him. He would have come after you through Rein and used your feelings for him to do it."

  "Yuri Kastelic, I'm impressed, well played. You've really moved the pieces around on our little chess board. I bow to the master." And he did, Nix bowed low to Yuri. This time, there was no sarcasm attached to his words, only admiration.

  "Caspian must hate you," I said, my verbal filter failing yet again.

  "He does and he'll come after me, of that I have no doubt."

  "I have your back and that is a promise. You're family name is known for bravery. Rachel, did you know that Yuri is from a noble family?"

  I shook my head, finding the evening filled with surprises, just not ones I'd expect from Christmas.

  "No, I didn't." I studied Yuri. Yuri who now had a last name and more of a history than the one he'd told me of. Shame crept in as I realized I'd never even asked what his surname was. This was the guy who'd saved me from Tristan. He'd taken me for lunch and removed Nix's branding when I'd asked. Funny, how the hero isn't the one you'd expect. And he was a hero, my hero. He'd convinced Rein to give me a ring that became a shield against an evil out for my blood. I'd been a walking target and without the ring, any one of them could slowly drain the life from me. Nix wasn't the only one staring at Yuri with admiration.

  I wanted to go off to bed and shut my eyes, but there was still that small matter of the bell ringing and creating an opening in the dimension.

  "Will we be safe tonight? You both may be creatures of the night, but I need to sleep at some point."

  "We won't know until something happens." Nix gave me a weak smile. "There are many places to hide once you get through. I have servants searching as we speak, but it is possible to elude capture."

  A quick exchange between the two creatures had a tingle dancing up my spine.

  "Capture? You would be able to capture a vampire?" For a split second, I thought about my blood and how Nix had slowly been feeding on me, getting stronger, more powerful.

  He grinned, guilty and charming. "You could help me with that..."

  "Now? What about my dress?" I stuttered, backing away until the cold stone wall came against my shoulders.

  "The branding is exposed. I promise I won't waste a drop."

  Was he enjoying this?

  "But—" My heart sped up. Nix was already before me and there was no fear in his eyes.

  "Rachel, it might be a good idea to fuel Nix. From the little he has fed on you, he's become much more powerful. Think of yourself as one of those power drinks to boost energy." Yuri smiled; pleased with his analogy, but there was no making light of a heavy situation.

  "An energy drink? Are you insane? What is wrong with you two?" But it made sense. Truthfully, I was embarrassed to have Nix feed on me with Yuri present. Each time he fed, it brought me to my knees.

  "Yuri's right, it is a good idea." Nix's breath felt hot on my neck. He kissed his way lower, slipping his arm around my waist, holding me. I saw the flash of silver and a dare lingering in his glance before he went in for the sweet spot.

  The lightning followed, and I went limp. Somewhere in this haze of lust, I heard the soft sounds of Nix feeding. I managed to focus, and found Yuri close, staring at me with a yearning in his eyes.

  He wanted to be the one feeding.

  Then the pressure increased and suddenly Nix had me in his arms.

  "I have you, but I'll need to take a little more." The handsome vampire came close, stealing a kiss. Despite my weakened state, and muddled brain, I still felt bad for Yuri. His expression had told me everything he'd hidden. Was Nix correct in his suspicions that Yuri held feelings for me? Had he kept his emotions concealed thinking he'd meet with rejection? I glanced up at Nix, knowing full well he'd read every thought. A brief glint of silver and then, still cradling me, he shifted my body so he could reach the branding. Before his mouth met my flesh, he whispered so only I heard.

  "I love you, Rachel and love means forever."

  He began feeding again and suddenly the earth fell away. I felt as though I were separating in half and everything around shifted.

  I drifted in starlight and floated in a night sky. Clouds moved along in the wind currents and I experienced a freedom I'd never had before. Down below, I could see the castle and into the great room where Nix held my body. A fleeting moment of panic sheared my being, but left as quickly as it had come. I wasn't in my body!

  What was happening to me? Alongside me, the cosmic dust shifted, and then parted to reveal a cluster of stars. They shimmered and I quaked. A voice echoed over to me.

  "You are a Queen. Darkness. There is one."

  Okay, I had no idea who was speaking or what it meant or if it was all a chemical reaction happening in my brain. I could see and feel that I wasn't there. I could see my body being held by Nix and I wasn't moving. I glanced over to where Yuri stood.

  Yuri's mouth was moving, but his words were delayed by several seconds.

  "Stop, she's too weak. You can't take anymore..." The terror on his face real.

  Then it was like a movie scene unfolding. Yuri grabbed Nix by the hair, yanking his face away from the branding. A trickle of blood trailed down my chest, becoming one with the red of my dress. Nix looked shocked, staggering around, still holding me. Yuri stepped in, taking me from his arms. A whirling noise began and the starlight dimmed. The next thing I was staring up at Yuri.

  "Too close, Vicar. Don't ever do that to her again." The venom in Yuri's voice shook me awake.

  "What happened?" I whispered.

  "He lost control, that's what happened." Disgust and fury. Yuri settled me onto the sofa near the fire. "Are you okay?"

  His concern touched my heart. There was tenderness within him that surfaced, breaking through the hard shell of the creature. I nodded, afraid of speaking.

  Nix was visibly shaking, gripping the edge of the table.

  "Rachel, I'm sorry. I don't know what happened, I couldn't stop." His voice was hollow and haunted.

  "I'm fine, just tired and weak. Why couldn't you stop?" That hadn't happened before.

  "Yuri, can you explain this?" Nix faced the other creature.

  "Can you tell me what happened while you were gone?" Yuri pulled a chair closer to where I rested. "I need to know what you experienced."

  I thought about my little trip out of my body. Had it happened, or was it from a sudden lack of blood?

  "I was floating amongst the stars. I could see into the castle and this room. When you spoke, Yuri, I heard it, but it was delayed by a few seconds. I have to admit, it was the most peaceful feeling I've ever had."

  Yuri stood, pacing about. Twice he started to speak, but stopped. Finally he faced us.

  "The ring isn't what everyone believes—it's much more. The reason you couldn't stop feeding is because the combination of the component in Rachel's blood and the ring itself wouldn't allow you to. That ring contains all the energy of every vampire along the way that used it for darkness. It destroys them and absorbs their essence. Hence, it is full of some very interesting and dangerous energy that still wants to feed. Without the ring, you could feed on Rachel without losing control, but the longer she wears it, the worse it will get. You could only feed on her with her permission, but the ring's power can force you to drain her blood and kill her."

  "Why the hell did you encourage me to feed on her if you knew all this? Why didn't you tell me? I could have..." Nix let out his breath and the room went cold.

/>   "I wanted to see for myself. It was Lennox who'd figured it out. He told me his theory, but I still didn't know if it was accurate." Yuri sighed, shutting his eyes. "I'm sorry, I didn't think it would go that far that quick. I was wrong. I knew you were getting stronger, but I didn't account for acceleration. Now we know and you'll need to keep your prongs to yourself."

  "Hello, over here!" I waved, annoyed that they were having a conversation about me without me. "Can we do a recap on this? Are you saying that the ring protects me unless I allow a vampire to feed? If Nix continues to feed, the ring will take control of him and he won't be able to stop?" I tried to hold my head up, but the room spun with each attempt.

  "Rachel, that ring will protect you, but because you have that component in your blood, it will also kill you if given the chance. The ring has the energy of all the vampires that took it by force and were devoured into the ring. It isn't just a hunk of metal, that ring has a life of its own and it is far more dangerous than Nix or me. As long as Nix doesn't take your blood, I believe you'll be safe. The only way for Nix to feed off you would be for you to take off the ring. It's a classic catch-22 where Nix can't get stronger without feeding from you, but you'd leave yourself vulnerable if you gave up wearing the ring. Because you're a power-blood, without the ring, the vampires will come after you and you will have no protection. For Nix to become strong enough to ensure your protection, he'd end up draining and killing you in the process. He lost control this time, but next time..." Yuri's cryptic warning sat heavy in the air.

  "Is this speculation or do you have anything solid?" Nix stormed over to the side table, pouring drinks.

  "Pour me one." I raised my head, at once feeling off balance.

  "Rachel, you're under age," Nix chided.

  "Make it weak, but give me one." I managed to sit up, allowing my head the opportunity to catch up with my body.

  Yuri was uncomfortable; I could see it in his posture, in his eyes.

  "Is what you're telling us speculation?" I wanted to know considering I was the one it was happening to.

  "Lennox told me about the ring. It's been passed down in his family. Every time a vampire took it by force, they were consumed. There was a story that one of their greatest leaders used it as a weapon to destroy vampires who were pure evil. He would tell them the ring had magic and would lead them to a power-blood. The vampire would take the ring by force and be taken into darkness. The leader of their sect did this for centuries until the ring was freely given to a member of Lennox and Caspian's family. Rein gave it to you, without the knowledge of you being a power-blood."