“After I came into my magick, I had doubts. Doubts about how much control I had, how to use them, when I could or should use them. So many things nagged on my mind so I simply practiced and learned. Nothing pressing was happening, no evil was at our door. You were full of joy and planning the banquet, doting on the babes, and I was busy with them as well. My powers didn’t truly seem to be such an important thing. I truly wasn’t keeping them from you maliciously; I simply needed time to come to grips with what I was capable of.
“You see I can now control the elements.” Alliana held the medallion and stared at the fire. It rose to double its size in the hearth, blazing brightly, until she looked away.
“Lightening?”
“You saw that?”
“Yes. I found it very curious.”
“I spent time in the tower room playing with the weather, testing my control. I can turn still air into a fierce wind, cool water to boiling, earth into mud or even quicksand.”
Mikhal thought of the smooth patch of earth where the scent of the mystery vampire had simply stopped.
“I’m certain there are other things I am capable of as well, I simply haven’t tried. As I said, I didn’t see the need, which was until the boy stole Katia.”
“Boy?”
Alliana’s gaze turned bitter, her stomach rolling at the memory of the sweet child who had taken the reins of her husband’s horse the night she had first come to the castle, and then that same child’s screams and bitter accusations because of what Marishka had done to him in her name.
“Yes, boy. Marishka called him Elias. He was the child you gave her on our wedding night to punish me. Seems he never forgave me for that, and in turn sided with you sister in her evil game. I imagine you hardly recall him at all, or at least wouldn’t have known him by sight, but he remembered us, and his hate ran deep. It was mostly directed at me though.
“He came into my chambers on Marishka’s orders and snatched Katia for her while I was asleep. He made certain that I awoke, taunting me, threatening to tear her throat out, his mouth so near her neck. I followed of course, what else could I do? He had my babe.
“Oh I tried to stop him with my powers, tried to slam the door shut to bar him from leaving, but he slipped out. I was afraid much of what I could do would harm Katia in the process, so I simply followed him. There was no time to summon help, and he could easily have killed her if I had tried.
“After a while we arrived at the clearing with the cave that housed Marishka. I assumed you tracked me there first before you found us.”
“Yes. I found your scent and Marishka’s dust. The scent of the boy simply stopped. There was no trace of him.”
“I turned the earth below his feet to quicksand and he is now buried alive. It pains me some for he was an innocent child, turned evil because of me, but he had my daughter. A struggle ensued but I was able to get her away from him before he sank.
“I took her to safety at the edge of the clearing and then went back to confront Marishka. She had stayed in the cave, unable to emerge because she did not have the fur coverings that Elias did. It was then, before I summoned the lightening that killed her, that she told me about the spell. That she told me your love is not real.”
“Alliana. That’s not true.”
“You said you would be silent! Let me speak.”
“If you would simply listen to me I can tell you the truth about the curse. Do you honestly think Marishka spoke no lies?”
“All I wish to know right now is if the spell was cast upon you.”
“Yes, but it is not the reason I love you. I knew you would think it was. That is why I never told you. Alliana please. The spell is gone now and I still feel the same. Have you noticed any change in me? Any difference in the way I treated you over the past couple of weeks? The answer to that is no because there hasn’t been; I still love you because my love did not come from magick.”
“Tis truly gone? How?” Alliana’s mind raced, thinking of whom in the castle would be capable of removing such a powerful curse, and her mind settled on only one, Natalya. Though Mikhal didn’t speak her friend’s name, she knew in her heart she was right.
Mikhal knew now was not the time to reveal Natalya’s knowledge. That would simply be like putting a bundle of tinder on an already blazing hearth. He would tell her after they spoke more and he was able to convince her of his love.
“Will you allow me to tell you of that later? There are more important things to discuss now. Simply know that it was removed, at my request, before the birth of our children. I knew there was no danger in it being undone because I knew the spell was not the thing that makes my heart swell with love for you and our children.”
“Tell me what the curse did do. Marishka said...”
“How could you listen to her, Alliana? You know she would see us both destroyed.”
“No, she wanted me dead. She was certain if she killed me and returned to you, you would accept her with open arms once the spell was gone.”
“We both know that Marishka was quite delusional. That would never have happened. If she had succeeded in harming you or Katia I would have hunted her to the ends of the earth if she hadn’t shown up on my doorstep. Once I had found her, her life would not have been worth living.”
The fury inside Mikhal was threatening to boil over at the thought of what could have been that day. He was only able to rein in his demon because of the fact that instead his wife and daughter were within arm’s reach and far away from harm.
“The spell, or curse if you will, was one of empathy. It allowed me to feel what others felt. We, as vampires, lose all but the most base of feelings and are driven by instinct. There is lust, hunger, rage, desire, and in the case of Marishka, caring, but only because she was my sister before we were turned, but we experienced no real range of emotions. Most feelings stem from a soul or a conscience and we have none, therefore ours die from lack of use.
“So how can you claim to love me? You can’t love.”
“Because the spell allowed me to feel everything you felt, Alliana. It poured all your fear and pain into me, and it triggered those emotions that had long lain dormant. I felt your anguish over what I had done to you and though I don’t have a soul, the guilt came anyway and melted the block of stone that was my heart.
“The curse showed me the world through your eyes. Every ounce of pain I inflicted, every bit of hatred you felt, every fear, it all came back to me weighing heavy on my shoulders. It made me see that I couldn’t live with you feeling like that anymore and it opened my eyes.
“The bond we share because we are mated instills a need for you to feel complete and content, it was the precursor to my love, and being with you every day, getting to know the gentle loving woman you are, feeling each bit of joy I could bring you, it simply made me love you.
“I wanted you the night I took you away, desired you, needed you, and when I made you mine; I joined us for life. The spell simply allowed the man to come forth, feelings and all, and silence the demon that had ruled for so long.
“I love you, Alliana. I love you as much as any man, human or demon has loved a woman. You are my life and that isn’t going to change. Ever.”
She was silent, her eyes searching his face. Oh how she wanted to believe him. He looked so sincere and had been so very kind and loving. He was her husband, the father of her children, and her mate for life. How could she do anything else but believe him? He said the curse was gone and yet he did still love her. He did, even without it.
“You swear to me on the lives of your children that the curse has been lifted?”
“Yes, Alliana. Tis gone. Natalya removed it after much hesitation.” Mikhal knew that his words revealing Natalya’s part might cause jealousy in his mate, but knowing it was Natalya who broke the curse could give Alliana a sense of security as well. Jealous or no, his wife had to know that Natalya would do what was best. He rushed on despite the narrowing of Alliana’s eyes at his revelatio
n.
“She wanted to be certain my feelings wouldn’t change. Once her faith in my love for you was made strong, she did away with the curse. I know her silence must anger you, but I begged her to allow me to tell you when I thought the time were right to share this secret. As your husband, I wished to tell you once I was certain you wouldn’t doubt me or want to leave.
“I can’t live without you, wife. That was why I kept the curse a secret and why I waited to tell you, I had to be certain you would still love me back. You can ask her yourself, Alliana. She wouldn’t lie to you. The spell was strong, but Natalya was stronger. The magick is gone, and it never created the love in me to start, so despite the lack of it, my love remains. My love is pure and real, not conjured up by magick. Please tell me you believe me.”
Alliana finally nodded, tears in her eyes, and Mikhal moved to hold her, carefully pulling her close as Katia continued to suckle. He then pulled back and looked into her eyes.
“Can we go home now, love? When night falls can I take you back where you belong? I am eager to see Mikhalen.”
Once again Alliana’s eyes clouded. “I too am eager to see Mikhalen, but I cannot go home. I must see my family and speak to my Godmother. The curse was not the only thing that spilled from Marishka’s lips. There were other things, things that have made me fearful.”
“She was a raving lunatic, Alliana! How can you take anything she says to heart?”
“Marishka could be quite lucid at times and it causes me to wonder about her, also, the things she spoke of played upon fears that I had already had. Things I have wondered about myself.”
“Alliana, what?”
“Mikhalen. He... Katia is purely human. Sunlight does not harm her, she is warm, her heartbeat is strong, but our son, he is so like Marishka, so angry, so like... a demon. I am fearful of what he will become as he grows up. Husband you have found your way back to your human side, but little Mikhalen will have never been human. He won’t have remembered feelings. He won’t have an empathy curse to help guide him.”
“But he is a part of you and he will have us.”
“Will it be enough?”
“So what do you propose? What are you saying? I told you, you would not be allowed to reside with your clan.”
“No, nor do I wish to. I simply wish to seek advice from my Godmother. Perhaps my powers... I, Mikhal I feel as if Katia is so vulnerable. Marishka said our son could never care for his sister that she would be in danger. I... Oh, I don’t know what I want, but I do know I must see my Godmother.”
“Very well. We will seek her out, Alliana, but then we shall go home. I am quite able to protect our daughter, and I refuse to believe that Mikhalen would harm Katia.”
“He hungers for blood.”
“Damn it, Alliana, as do I!”
“But he becomes so full of rage. I see his demon rising at the smallest thing. He... he has evil inside him.”
“Again I say, as do I. Alliana, as his parents we shall shape his ways, his actions.”
“But he shall be driven by his baser needs, his instincts, his lust for blood and fear as you once were. He will never have experienced emotions to draw back on. He will have no conscience.”
“I feel as if you are getting ahead of yourself and assuming things about your own son simply because he does not share his sister’s human qualities. Alliana it pains me that you can’t truly accept him. That is like saying you can’t accept me. I have changed, become a man who loves, your son came from your womb, he too should be given a chance to show his human side. Don’t dismiss him for what you think he will become simply because he cannot control himself right now.”
“I’m not dismissing him. I love him. I am simply fearful as well.”
“I shall try and understand your fears, pigeon, hard as that may be for me. All I see when I look at little Mikhalen is an innocent child. Regardless of that fact, I will take you to see your Godmother, as is your wish. Perhaps she can assuage your fears. Now if you think you’re able to sleep a bit more, I’d like to get some rest before nightfall.”
Alliana nodded, swallowing the lump in her throat, blinking back the burn of tears. She hated to hurt her husband like this and never meant to forsake her own son, but still, her nagging fears chewed at her heart as her mother’s instincts to protect her daughter raged up inside.
“Twill be fine, sweet. Come here. Let’s rest.” Mikhal took Katia from her arms and laid her between them, then slipped one arm around Alliana, stroking her shoulder, murmuring soothing words until he saw her eyes close and her breathing slow to a steady rate.
Time would tell what would happen to their family, and what traits of human and demon little Mikhalen did indeed develop, but right now he was far too weary to think about it. Besides, he was more than confidant in his ability to protect his family and to raise his son to be a good man.
Chapter Seven
As twilight fell, Mikhal was gathering his little family for a journey that would take them who knew where. He knew he could track Alliana’s clan, just as he’d done before, but this time would be more difficult. He had debated the use of a carriage, knowing it would slow them down, but in the end decided he has no desire to put his wife and child upon a horse. Alliana was still in a delicate condition as was Katia, and the jostling would be good for neither. True a carriage had its share of bumps, but it would be far more comfortable than the back of his mount.
As Alliana finished feeding Katia, Mikhal took a moment to gaze at the tender scene, and then closed the satchel containing a new gown and some needed items for Katia that the innkeeper’s wife had provided. The dress was too large it was true, as was the one his wife now wore, but there wasn’t a seamstress near the inn to alter them. The inn stood in a remote area, built and run for travelers from afar, and they certainly weren’t going to wait for someone to be summoned just to take in a gown.
Alliana looked up and smiled at her husband. True she still had her misgivings about little Mikhalen and she still felt the strong need to speak to her Godmother, but her fears about the man she was married to, about his feelings for her and if they were real, had been dispelled during the long hours they had spent cuddling each other and sleeping together during the past day.
Mikhal loved her, Alliana could feel it, could feel their bond, and it would take wild horses to ever tear her from his arms again. No, life was looking up. Andor and Marishka were unpleasant memories from the past, and they couldn’t haunt her any longer. She was certain that her Godmother, Sabina would have answers for her, answers that would put her mind at ease.
“What are you thinking of, sweet? You look so very happy. Tis a pleasure to see.”
“I... I was thinking of how much I loved my family.” Alliana blushed and bowed her head as she said the words. Never before had she told Mikhal of her love, and to say it now brought a huge rush of emotion.
Mikhal was thrilled by her words, ecstatic, but there was a tiny part of him that whispered ‘Does she love little Mikhalen as well?’
“Tis good to hear my love, for I love you as well, and no words can tell you how happy you have made me. Come, I hear horses below, the carriage must be waiting.”
Though she hadn’t heard a thing, Alliana knew better than to doubt him. She fastened the laces of her gown, covering her breast, then rose with Katia in her arms, and followed Mikhal down the stairs and out the door of the inn.
It was a beautiful night, warm and full of the sweet scent of spring flowers. The pale moon was just beginning to rise as the sun fully set in the west, painting the sky a deep shade of violet tinged with crimson kissing everything with dusky purple shadows as in its wake.
Mikhal took one look at what was supposed to be the carriage that would convey his family across the land and let out a low growl. That the heap before them could be called a carriage was a stretch of the imagination. Hearing his Lordship’s displeasure, the innkeeper spoke up at once.
“Tis all we had, M’Lord. This or a
cart that is prone to throwing a wheel. I am but a humble man, not used to serving the likes of ones as royal as you. My apologies Sire.”
“Tis no matter, twill have to do. We’ve no time to waste waiting for something better.” Mikhal was thinking of small Mikhalen home alone at the castle without them. His need to see his other child burned in his breast as fierce as any branding iron.
“Fetch more straw and blankets. You shall do your best to make this conveyance as comfortable as possible for my wife. Alliana you shall sit in the back. The seat appears rickety. I won’t have you and Katia thrown off the side if we hit a rut.”
Alliana was warmed by his intense worry and need to make every effort for their safety and comfort. It showed her yet again just how much this man who was her husband cared for her and Katia. True she would rather sit up front next to him as he drove, but she knew not to argue. He was right. She and the babe would be much more comfortable on a bed of straw and blankets.
After moving their meager things to the side, the innkeeper and his wife filled the back of the wagon with mounds of straw and covered this with blanket upon blanket. When they had no others to add, the man turned to Mikhal with hope in his eyes, praying that he had been able to please the Lord before him.
“Very good. Tis better. Come Alliana.” Mikhal lifted her and Katia up and into the back of the wagon, then tied an extra mount to the back. If the wagon were to get stuck in a rut he wanted the horses to be able to pull it out with ease. When he was finished, he removed one of his rings and placed it in the eager palm of the innkeeper. It was one of sterling and held a large ruby in the center.
“I’m certain this shall do to compensate you. It is worth far more than what we owe. I have no silver upon my possession. Sell it and buy a new wagon and team. We shan’t be back to replace this one or return the horses.”
“Yes, My Lord. You are very generous My Lord. The ring is a lovely treasure. Thank you.”
Beneath the Shadows of Evil... Treasured Page 9