by S. L. Gavyn
“Here. Let me try.”
I turned to see Phaedra. I grabbed her and hugged her hard. “I’m so glad you’re okay.”
She smiled at me. “I’m glad you are alright too. Do you know what is happening?”
“You remember those friends I told you about? They’re what is happening.”
She nodded. “You were right all along. All I needed to do was believe.”
“We’ll get out of here together but first I need to thaw out these Vamps.”
“Stand back.”
I took a step back and she held out her hand in front of her. As she looked at it her entire hand began to turn red and glow. Then she reached for the lock and it melted in her grip. She pulled the door open with her other hand and stepped into the room. As she walked inside I noticed her entire body began glowing red like her hand. After a few seconds she was entirely inflamed. All the ice began melting and the Vamps along with it. She made sure not to get too close to any of them but the heat was so intense it didn’t take long for them to be thawed out.
“Alright, Phae, that’s enough. I don’t want to give them sunburns.”
The flames slowly receded until she was standing naked in the middle of the freezer. I ran to one of the other doors and opened it. There were supplies but nothing she could use for clothing. I went to the next room and hit the jackpot. The scrubs they dressed us in were stored here and I grabbed her a pair to throw on.
By the time I got back to the freezer Phaedra was helping Elena out. I tossed the scrubs at her and went to help the other Vamp. The one still alive was the Vamp stolen from Roman’s bar then taken though the wall of the asylum. I had never been able to find out his name since he wasn’t reported missing. Judging by his magic he was older than the others had been and had probably been living on his own when he was taken.
I helped him out of the freezer and we all started down the hallway. We made it up that stairway without running into anyone so we made our way down the corridor to another set of stairs leading up. That was when someone came to the top of them. I prepared myself for a fight as Roman came into view.
“Oh thank the Gods.”
He was down the stairs lifting me up before I finished talking. He hugged me tight then pulled me back.
“You are injured. Please say who did this still lives.”
“Um, possibly. I left him with a hot poker sticking out of his belly.”
“First, I will get you to safety before I finish him.”
“That sounds like a good plan.”
Roman lifted Elena and carried her up the stairs while I helped Richard. When I got to the top of the stairs I was accosted by my son.
“Tristan!”
“Are you alright? We’ve been going crazy.”
“I’m fine. Are you sure you should be here?” I looked at Roman.
“He knows to stay close to me,” Roman replied for him.
I smiled. “He’s got you wrapped already.”
“You’ll find I’m not so easily wrapped.”
“Sure. Let’s go.”
“As you wish.”
We continued up the stairs until we reached the upper level of the facility and started for the exit. I caught movement out of the corner of my eye and turned to find Neil Niobe come around a corner and grab Phaedra from behind. I froze in place and held my hands out in front of me.
“Neil, it’s over. There’s no need to hurt anyone else.”
“You will back up to that wall while me and the Phoenix leave this facility. If anyone tries to stop me, I will kill her.”
“I can’t let you do that. I promised I would protect her and I intend to do that.”
“You don’t have any room to make demands, abomination.”
“I’m not making demands. I’m asking for a trade. Take me instead.”
“No!” Roman and Tristan said at the same time.
I didn’t look at them. “You said I was special. Surely you would be willing to take me instead of her.”
“I will not allow you to take my place, Sunny,” Phaedra said softly.
“Please. I made a promise and I have to keep it.”
“You will not leave with the Phoenix. This facility is surrounded.” Lucian had entered from the front door. “Lower your weapon now or I will kill you.”
“Father don’t. He might hurt her.”
“It’s alright, Sunny. I’m so tired of this life,” Phaedra told me.
“No, you will make it out. I will protect you.”
“Will you? Do you promise?”
“Of course.”
She smiled. “Then my next life will be nicer.” She turned to Neil and became engulfed in flames as she laid her hands on him. I heard the gun go off before he fell to the ground. I could see a dark spot in the middle of her chest that began spreading as though she were being eaten from the inside out. As the hole grew ash fell to the floor at her feet until her entire body was consumed and nothing remained but a pile of ash. I fell to my knees in front of it. My friend. I had promised to protect her and failed.
“Do not fret daughter. For from the ashes the Phoenix shall be reborn,” I looked up at my father questioning but he was watching the floor before me.
As I looked down I could see the ash gathering together. Slowly a shape began to form and eventually there was a newborn babe laying atop the ash. She was covered with it from head to toe. It clung to her lashes as she blinked and looked up at me. I smiled at her and she cooed.
My father held out his coat and I wrapped Phaedra in it before standing with her in my arms. Tristan came forward to look at her. He wiped some ash off of her face before looking up at me.
“Guess you’re going to be a mom again.”
“Me? Oh, no. I know nothing about Phoenixes.”
“But you gave your word to protect her,” Lucian protested.
“How am I supposed to take care of a baby?”
“With my help of course.”
I turned to see Aerystasia and a beautiful blonde haired man walk into the facility. I walked over to her and gave her as big of a hug as I could with baby Phaedra still in my arm.
“Thank you, Aery. You saved our lives.”
She smiled at the nickname. “And you saved mine. Now, I’ll say we’re even.”
“But you’re still going to be Phae’s nanny?”
“I would be honored. The last Phoenix will need the strongest of us to raise and protect her.”
“I couldn’t have said it better myself. Would you like to hold her?”
She looked frightened suddenly. “You did realize that part of raising her would require touching her.”
“Of course. I just thought she would be bigger.”
I laughed before transferring Phaedra to Aerystasia’s arms. She took a few seconds to get her positioned right.
“There. I knew you could do it.” I turned to her companion. “Hello, I’m Sunny.”
He smiled at me. “Everyone knows who Sunny Dubois is. I am Gabriel and I believe I owe you a debt of gratitude.”
“How about we shelf that for later.” I turned to Roman but he wasn’t there. As I looked around the room for him he came back up the steps at vamp speed. I could see blood on his hands and I raised a brow. He shrugged and I shook my head. “Let’s get out of here. This place gives me the creeps.”
“It would be my pleasure.”
“A cleanup crew is on the way. They will search through everything and send anything pertinent back to me,” Lucian said.
“Good. I want to know what you find out. I’ll meet with you this evening to discuss it.”
“Excellent. You try to rest until then.”
I nodded and he pulled me into a hug. When he released me he kissed my forehead and I could feel his magic spread through me healing my various wounds. I kissed him on the cheek before he pulled away.
“I love you, father.”
“And I you, daughter.”
He released me and Roman took his
place with Tristan at his side. We walked out to Roman’s car and Aery was quick to give me back Phae before we left. She agreed to meet me at Roman’s house so we could discuss arrangements for the baby.
“I don’t even have a car seat,” I told Roman as we got in the car.
“We’ll add that to the to-do list. For now, I’ll be careful not that she couldn’t survive a car crash.”
“You never know. I wouldn’t want anything to happen to her.”
“I’ll call Charles and ask him to get one.”
I froze. He didn’t know. How could I forget to tell him?
“What is it? What’s wrong?”
“It was Charles. He was following Desiree’s orders.”
“What? What was…?” He paused as he put it together. “He arranged your capture?”
“At Desiree’s demand. Didn’t you find it convenient that she asked to speak with you and during that time I was kidnapped? She planned the whole thing because she’s jealous of us. She’s been working with Neil Niobe the whole time. Using Charles to capture Vamps for his stupid experiments.”
“No. She would never hurt me like that. She knows what you mean to me.”
“Exactly. I don’t know what your relationship is with your sister but she feels more than any sister should about her brother. She wants you to herself and she knows I’m her top competition. It wasn’t about hurting you. It was about winning you. Does Charles know you came here today?”
“No. I didn’t have time to tell him. Lucian called last night and I met with him at his house. We spent the night trying to locate this facility. Then today prepping. He only knows that I received news about you. Not what the news was.”
“Then I think you should have a long heartfelt conversation with Charles as soon as we get back.”
“I was thinking the same thing.”
Chapter Twenty-Eight
“Time for a history lesson”
Aery and Gabriel were waiting for us at the gate to Roman’s estate when we arrived. It must be nice to be able to teleport where ever you want. Sure Lucian could do it but that didn’t mean he would be willing to take me where ever I wanted to go whenever I wanted.
Roman had called Charles on the way home and asked him to meet him at the house. He told him Lucian believed to have a bead on where I might be and he needed Charles to help him form a rescue party. Charles seemed to buy it and agreed to meet Roman at his home as quickly as possible. Then he called Carly and informed her of what was really going on.
Baby Phae had fallen asleep on the ride home so I put her in one of the upstairs rooms. Boy, I’m going to need to go on a shopping spree to get all the things needed for a baby. I don’t even know if I can handle a baby right now. Hell, I haven’t even had the time to consider the responsibility of taking on this baby right now. Before I can really do any of that I have to take care of the threat still out there. That threat being Desiree. My sword hand was itching. I think I’ll use her head to scratch it.
Twenty minutes later Charles pulled into the drive. Aery agreed to watch the baby while we took care of business. So I went downstairs to greet our guest. As I came down the stairs I noted how odd it was to be in Roman’s home for the first time under such unusual circumstances. I would have much rather been invited here instead of brought here for my own protection. Oh well, I guess life seldom goes as planned.
Charles entered the foyer as I descended the last steps of the stairway.
“Hello Charles.”
“Sunny.” He turned to Roman. “So I guess this isn’t as much about trying to find her as it is you punishing me for following my mistress’ commands.”
“Punishment? There will be no punishment.” Roman sounded unnaturally calm as he spoke.
Carly entered the door behind Charles. Effectively cutting off his means of escape.
“Ah, so you intend just to kill me.”
“Not so fast,” I interjected. “Tell me where she is.”
He laughed. “Why would I do that?”
“She has been having you target young Vamps to be tortured by Humans. Surely you see how insane she is.”
“I don’t question my mistress’ orders.”
“Like when she ordered you to come spy on Roman.”
“If it is my mistress’ wish.”
“Why didn’t you turn me over before? Hell, you could have driven me home while I was drunk. I wouldn’t have been able to put up much of a fight.”
“My mistress was waiting. She had planned to have the incubus finish you but he couldn’t get you alone. Not that he really tried. When she heard of your union at the wedding she couldn’t wait any longer. As I said, my mistress’ wish is mine to follow.”
Roman nodded to Carly and she grabbed Charles by the throat. He led them down a set of stairs that I could only assume ended in a basement. I didn’t follow. Charles wasn’t the one I wanted to hurt. Desiree was the center of my vengeance. She would hurt like I have hurt. I would make her pay for every life her selfishness has taken.
Roman joined me a minute later. He wrapped me in his arms and I breathed in his scent. After a minute I pulled back and looked at him.
“Call Desiree and arrange a meeting.”
“I already tried but she’s not answering.”
“Do you know where she lives?”
He nodded.
“I guess it’s time to pay dear little sis a visit.”
“Perhaps you should stay here and rest.”
“Why? So you can let her feed you some sob story about how it wasn’t her fault. She is a ruthless killer Roman.”
“I know she is but it isn’t her fault.”
“Like hell it isn’t. I don’t see anyone forcing her hand.”
He walked over to a window and looked out into the evening. “It was her sire that made her like this.”
“You mean your sire.”
He turned back to look at me. “No, I mean her sire.”
I shook my head. I thought he said she was his sister. “Okay, I think it’s time you told me what the hell happened to your sire. Killian said you killed him. Now you’re telling me your sister didn’t have the same sire as you. I need to know what happened.”
“Judas Severus was not my sire. He was my sire’s brother. My grandsire, Nero, had created two children. The first was Judas and then many years later he made my sire, Titus. From what my grandsire has told me, Judas was always jealous of Titus because where Judas was a scholar Titus was a warrior. Judas knew his brother could best him and there was nothing his knowledge could do to change that. Anyway they had went their separate ways centuries before I was made.
“Titus had found me on the battlefield. He later told me he had watched me for some time. I was the unstoppable Roman. There was not an opponent alive capable of besting me. My sire knew it was only a matter of time and all it took was an arrow from an archers bow to bring me to my knees during battle. Afterward he scoured the battle site and found me barely alive. He made me his child and showed me another way to live. Where I was used to brutal warriors who were just as likely to kill you as help you Titus was different. He actually cared for me.
“It was only two years after I was turned that Judas found us. He killed my sire in his sleep and took me as his own. He knew with me he could eliminate any foe. I was his champion and that is how he treated me. Not like his child but like his possession. After a couple of centuries I could not continue. I didn’t want to carry on. That is when he created Desiree. She was a working girl at one of the bordellos. He claimed to have made her for me but I know it was to control me. He knew I would care for her as a sister and I would want to protect her. That is why he created her.
“He didn’t treat her as a sire should treat his child. She told me once that when she first opened her eyes after her turning he was finishing inside her. He often used her in such a way and he is the one that taught her to use her body as a means to get what she wants. What he wanted. For centuries he would send
her to various men to obtain whatever he wished and she would do it. Gathering information or possessions. It didn’t matter to him. She was a tool for him to use and because of this I stayed as his tool as well.”
“Is that why you killed him?”
He nodded. “Lucian came to me. He told me of Judas’ plan to kill Augustus and rule the Vampere. Lucian did not want that. As bad as Augustus is, he is nothing compared to my sire. Lucian gave me the means to kill him once and for all. To free my sister and myself. It was after that task was finished that Lucian gave me the elixir I used on you. He told me he had a vision I would meet a Human who would become important to both of us and that I would know her when I saw her. He did warn me to make sure you were in agreeance but you already know how that turned out.”
“I can understand why you killed Judas. He sounds like a monster but he isn’t controlling Desiree any longer. She is a centuries old Vampere capable of making her own choices and she made the wrong ones. Do you know why she began turning over her own kind to the Humans? Because Neil promised to make her ruler of the Vampere once he rid the race of the weak ones. It sounds like she’s following in Judas’ footprints.”
He shook his head. “I tried many times to get her to leave with me but she wouldn’t. She said she loved him and he couldn’t live without us. I told her he loved no one but himself but she wouldn’t listen.”
I hugged him tight. “It’s not your fault Roman. You did all that you could.”
“She told me she hated me after I killed him but then she came to me in the dead of night and begged me to forgive her. She just wants to be loved. I believe perhaps our father’s death hurt her more than helped.”
“I don’t know about that but I do know she needs to be stopped. She turned me over to people she knew would torture me. She turned over young Vampere that weren’t able to defend themselves. All because she wanted power. I have to stop her, Roman. I understand if you don’t want to be a part of it but I can’t have you interfering. I’m going to see if Doyle can arrange a meeting with her.”