The Fire Within (The Fire of The Soul Series)

by Racquel Kechagias

  "What was that?" Kayden asks, pulling my attention back to him and away from the thoughts that plague me.

  "It was my curse, manifested inside of Anna. I think... I think I may have passed it onto her when my soul took place in her. It was never meant to be passed onto her, that thing I showed you the other day promised me that my curse wouldn't be passed along," I reply, my voice thick with the fear that Anna can kill with the curse manifesting inside of her, if she didn't get it under control soon.

  "So she could kill someone?" Kayden asks again, taking hold of my shoulders and staring deeply into my eyes, searching for the answers he requires within them.

  "I don't know. I hope not. She's only caused intense pain so far but I have no idea what else she could do if given the incentive," I say, answering my brother's questions. Kayden releases me from his hold and I take a step back, as my doubts and fear with people being themselves fill my mind.

  "Astoria," I call, moving away from Kayden. Astoria is by my side in no time.

  "What is it?" She asks her irritation from before still deep within her eyes.

  "While I'm gone, you and Augustus will have to help Anna as you've helped me, in the sense of trying to control the curse. She's probably frightened, if not terrified. She'll need you Astoria, more than anything. Please promise me that you'll help her?" I ask of the woman who has been the mother figure in my life ever since my parents' deaths.

  "Of course Victor, I promise I'll help her but that doesn't mean that I'll like the fact that your gone, or that you've passed on the curse to that poor girl," Astoria says, there is a hint of a smile on her lips and a twinkle in her eyes, and it causes a chuckle to bubble up inside of me even in the magnitude of the situation. I kiss Astoria on the cheek before pulling away. I have to find Anna before she hurts anyone else.

  Anna's P.O.V

  I have made myself disappear for the afternoon, hiding out in a little alcove in one of the many spiked towers of Victor's castle. I wanted to be alone, to think over the events of yesterday, and what had happened this morning. To think on how it was possible for me to cause others pain, to cause others unbearable agony. I wanted to be alone to think, to relax, and to rest in peace because I couldn't afford to think of why I had this unknown ability, or how I had gotten it, or what I would be capable of if I lost control over myself and my emotions.

  Last night was the first night Victor had willingly touch me as he did, was the first night that he had let go completely, and just simply loved me without anything holding him back. It had been beautiful, magical, but it brought doubt to my mind. I've been living under his roof, sleeping in his bed, and only last night did he start to express his love through his physical touch. It makes me wonder what had happened for that to change in one night, was it simply that he couldn't continue to resist me or because of my near death experience, or because he was leaving? Worse case scenario was that I had dreamed it all up, in a blaze of my exhaustion. But God, it was beautiful.

  I start to drift into a pleasured haze, as I think back onto what had happened, in reality or in my mind. They way his soft but firm lips whispered my name, as if it were a pray. They way his hands had caressed me; as if he pressed or squeezed too hard I would break. The way his eyes stared at me, as if I were a masterpiece put on display. He had loved me to extremes I never knew existed, and it had been beautiful, heavenly.

  Now, his voice manifests in the room, calling my name and it makes the vision all so much more real. I am drowning in the joy and pleasure of the vision, of the love that had taken place last night, of his love for me.

  "Anna," Victor calls and I open my eyes to find him standing before me. The light hitting from behind him makes him look like a dark angel, rising up to meet heaven's challenge.

  "Victor," I whisper. As I sit up, he sits down beside me and pulls me into his arms, embracing me with all the warmth of a lover. "Bite me," I whisper, and as I looked up into his eyes I am surprised to find shock there.

  "What did you say?" He asks and I'm confused as to why he asks such a question, as I am sure he heard me perfectly.

  "I said Bite Me," I whisper again as I lean in and kiss his lips. Victor doesn't kiss me back, and I move away to look back up into his eyes. There is a look of pure anger on his face, and I feel my heart stop due to his reaction.

  "Are you stupid? I could kill you Anna if I lost control. Do you have a death wish?" Victor hisses. He gets up and moves away from me.

  "I don't know why you're getting so upset about this, it's not like this is the first time," I hiss back in reply, getting up from my seat as well. This stops him dead in his track that he is pacing through out the room.

  "What do you mean that this isn't the first time? I have no recollection of ever biting you Anna," Victor says, turning around to look at me. I stop in my tracks as well.

  "You don't remember this morning? We were in the infirmary; I was resting in there after the attack I made on Christian yesterday, with whatever that thing I did this morning. We were fooling around and you bit me, and we were both enjoying the sensations we were feeling from the bite," I say, becoming wary of the confusion in Victor's crimson eyes.

  "I don't remember any of it," Victor whispers, his crimson eyes dark as they meet mine again.

  "You don't remember proposing to me?" I can barely whisper the question; my throat is so clogged up that I can barely speak.

  "I wish I could but I don't remember it, I wouldn't have made a promise that I wasn't sure that I could keep Anna. Not one that meant that much anyways." He whispers in reply.

  "Oh God, then what happened? I'm sure I didn't dream it, I couldn't possible have dreamed it?" I whisper brokenly, I can feel the tears threatening to break over, but I try to hold them back, refusing to cry in front of Victor.

  "I don't know what happened, but when this war is over, we will figure it out together," Victor says, wrapping his arms around me. I let out a single sob as a tear falls down my cheek. "I came here to tell you that I'm leaving when the sun begins to set, and to say... to say goodbye." I simply nod my head against his chest in understanding. Victor pulls back from me, only far enough so that he could lift up my head by my chin, high enough so that he can look into my teary eyes. "Meg, Astoria and Augustus will be here. They will look after you, and be there for you no matter what you need. I've asked Astoria and Augustus to help you figure out and control the curse, and before you know it I will be back. Just be wary if you think you see me wondering around the castle. I fear that the Skin-walkers are staring to shift into vampires."

  "How will I know if it's you then?" I ask, so that I can be on the safe side if a Skin-walker takes on Victor's form.

  "I will tell you my biggest, darkest secret; the one of my soul," He says, answering my question with a crooked smile. I lean in once more and place my lips against his, in a sweet kiss. He kisses me back and I am overwhelmed by the sensation of his lips against mine, the warmth and the sweetness to them, like sugared honey. Soon the kiss becomes heated, and Victor has me pinned between the cold stonewall, and his warm body. As his warm, wet lips start travelling down my neck I moan in joy as I realize that he is obliging my request from before.

  "Victor, please, bite me," I moan and soon he's giving into my request for his fangs puncture my neck. I can feel the blood being drawn out of me as he sucks on my neck, his warm, wet lips turning my skin into goose-flesh.

  I love you Anna, I hear him think as he continues to drink from me. I cannot form a reply as the ecstasy of the bite enfolds me, in a warm cocoon. However, it's over all too quickly, for when I open my eyes we are standing in the middle of the room, his arms around my waist, and my head against his chest. He kisses me once more, but the kiss isn't lingering and it's over too soon. I shake the day dream from my mind and look up into Victor's eyes.

  "I've got to go Anna, they're waiting for me. Will you come and see me off?" Victor asks his crimson eyes contemplative and cautious.

  "Of course I will see you off
." I reply before I kiss him once more, wishing that this moment could last forever. "Don't do anything stupid while you're gone, I want to one day continue this," I say and Victor smiles crookedly.

  "I look forward to it," He says, before quickly kissing me once. He lifts me up into his arms, and throws me over his shoulder. He carries me all the way down to the foyer, running as fast as he can, as I scream from the top of my lungs, shocked and surprised that Victor would do something so spontaneous. He puts me down when we reach the foyer, but he does not let go of me. He is smiling and it is filled with joy, I breath heavily, trying to bring some air into my lungs. He cups my face in his hands, and kisses me lightly on the lips. There are no words to share in between us, for we have already said our goodbyes. I can feel tears forming in my eyes as I watch Victor walk away, bouncing down the stairs, and his joy still in every cell in his body. I wipe the tears from my eyes, and walk out into the sunlight, just barely standing outside the door frame.

  The horses that are to take Victor and his warriors away stand waiting out the front, pawing the ground with their hooves. There are quiet a few men already mounted and waiting; others are saying goodbye to their loved ones. I remember that final kiss I had with Victor, the light sweet kiss we shared when he pulled me off of his shoulder, as I watch him mount his horse. It wasn't a long one but it didn't have to be. The kiss tells of his love for me, the promises that he wishes he could make and keep and it makes me melt under its radiating heat. I watch him as he tries to keep his joy inside, cautious of the families mourning their loss around him. I mourn for him, mourn the loss of him in the castle.

  The goodbyes are coming to an end, lovers kiss and families hug, some men have nobody to say goodbye to and nobody to wish for their safe return, which saddens me. When all of the warriors have mounted their steeds, Victor turns towards the crowd.

  "For some of us this trip will be swift and without almost any danger, but for some of us this trip will be long and treacherous. I would promise you all the return of your loved one's safe and sound, but I cannot promise what is not within my power, not even of myself. I simply state that we do what we must to protect all of you, in the hope that one day our world will be rid of the disease that is the Skin-walkers." There is a cry of rage at the name of the Skin-walkers, and I know that Victor's speech was to bring hope to the peoples' hearts, to bring hope to his Kingdom, but it only brought fear to my heart, fear and the realization that he may never return. The thought of spending eternity alone terrifies me and I pray for his safe return. It isn't long before the warriors are ridding off into the sunset, the tears of their loved one's falling down their cheeks and I am not separate from the mourning families as I watch Victor leave.

  I love you, I think as I watch Victor disappear from sight. Even if I never see his face again, I promise to be ever faithful to the man I love. It is the least I can do, seeing that he is risking his life to bring us our happy ending.

  Chapter 13 – Missing Victor

  Anna's P.O.V

  The sounds of tortured screams fills the air as men and women, girls and boys, everyone on the battlefield falls to their knees in inexplicable agony. My soul cries for these tortured souls, and yet my mind is set on one track alone; to destroy those who had destroyed the one I love. There is no changing my course, only following through on it, and so there is nothing I can do to relieve these people, whether innocent or guilty, they all have to pay for what has been done. They all have to die.

  I can feel an arm snaking around my waist, holding onto me as we watch my victims fall to their knees. He whispers in my ear, encouragement, telling me that I am doing what must be done, telling me that I am doing well. His warm lips brush against my ear, his warm hands placed soundly on my slightly round stomach. He is all around me, the only thing I can feel, the only thing I can sense.

  My gift to bring pain and agony spreads quickly across the battlefield. Some are driven to madness, killing others in their agony, some are driven to despair, killing themselves in their desperation, but all I can see, all I can sense is death, agony, madness and despair, and as the battle rages on, I come to sense nothing but the demise of the fallen warriors; vampires, werewolves, shape-shifters, skin-walkers, the Fae and whoever else is spread out on that battlefield.

  My hatred, my own self-destruction is all consuming, it not only sucks the energy out of me, but it sucks the life out of me as well. As I lose consciousness, falling into my enemy's arms, my thoughts are not on Victor, whom I had just watched die, nor is it on Kayden, Will, Shade or Meg, but it is on what life from here on out will be like, what my child's life will be like, when Christian takes over, not only as Overlord, but as my husband and my child's guardian.

  As my thoughts turn to Kayden, I search him out on the battlefield. When I have found him, our eyes meet. I try to see what he is thinking, what he is feeling, but I can see nothing but hatred towards me, towards what I have done. His eyes, his hatred is the very last thing I see before darkness encloses on me, in his moss green eyes that stare into mine.

  I awake, shaking and sweating from head to foot, the bed sheets wrapped between my legs. Victor is missing, for he is not in the bed beside me, and for a moment I think that my dream has actually happened, that I have caused all that unfathomable pain, that I have caused all those deaths, that I have caused it all because Victor had died and that I had caused Kayden – of all people – to truly loath me. The thought is so unbearable that it causes tears to fall down my cheeks as violent waves shake my body.

  Suddenly, the tears stop flowing as the memories of yesterday come back to me, an evening of love and proposals, and then a morning of promises being broken followed by an afternoon of Victor denying any memory of the promise he had made to me, in the darkness of the tower before he had to leave. The memories erase my tears, and leave a hallow numbness within me.

  Once I feel more like myself, rather than the shaking, sweating, scared little girl that I had woken up as, I begin giving myself small simple steps to follow, so that I may be able to face the very first day of truly being alone. Simple steps – to get prepared - such as getting out of bed, taking off my nightgown, putting on my undergarments, putting on the dove grey dress, slipping on a pair of shoes, these are fairly simple, and although I go through them with a sluggish pace, I soon find myself sitting in an empty kitchen, eating a simple meal that the servants had cooked for themselves. It is nothing compared to what is usually prepared for Victor and I, but this morning I cannot care what goes into me, as long as it makes my hunger pains vanish into thin air.

  Boredom soon finds me, and again I find myself within the study room. The room seems to have a dark, abandon feeling to it, and for once it suits the vast emptiness of the room. I browse through the books lined up against the wall, searching for something to read, something light and that would, hopefully lift my spirits. My fingers caresses their spines, caresses thick leather and thin paper, old and new books, thousands of books upon rows after rows, but there is one that my fingers hesitate on, one grey book that has enraptured my attention before. The book seems pale, bland in comparison to some of the other, grander titles that adorn the selves. The book if at all possible seems lonely, abandon as if fingers had never caressed its pages before, as if its words, its story had never been devoured before. On a whim I pull on the book, wanting to discover its abandon secrets, wanting to devour the abandon story, wanting to know every word on each page, wanting that and so much more. As I pull on the book it refuses to budge, and when I try even harder, putting my whole weight into the tug-a-war between me and the self, the book moves slightly, only slightly but enough to pull it away, and to reveal it's secret, a secret that I had sort of forgotten in the rush of Victor's departure.

  The grinding sound of stone moving against stone startles me, so much so that I quickly turn around to face the grinding sound, expecting someone to pounce upon me as my back is turned. Instead all I see is the back of the fire place moving aside, and the m
etal-grate in front of the fireplace slowly sliding down into a thin crack in the floor. My curiosity is stirred again, however I cannot deny the pull of my curiosity, and so I find myself slowly, cautiously moving towards the fireplace.

  As I step into the fireplace, an unnatural feeling stirs within me as I think of the flames that usually emits from the very spot I stand upon, I push aside my fears and step further into the fireplace to find that in the darkness there is a winding staircase leading down into the ground. The stairs are emerged in darkness, reaching into darkness and only ever meeting darkness, so much so that it takes away my sense of sight, and it causes me to reach out so that both of my hands rest upon the wall. As my fingers graze upon a cold metal, my fingers quickly enclose around the object feeling the coolness in the middle of my palm but also having a support system that I could use to guide me through the darkness.

  The darkness is all consuming as I delve through it, as if it is reaching for infinity and beyond, and as I am walking down the stairs, always one step at a time, with one hand upon the ever-present rail, it seems to take forever for me to find my way through the darkness. Hope quickly flees from me, however – after what seems like an eternity – a dim light emerges in the darkness, and hope resumes it's place within my soul. My pace increases and soon my feet are pounding down the stairs, as hope flares up within me, encouraging me on towards the light. The steps are racing away from me, and before I know it there are no more to run down, as I've reached the bottom of the never-ending staircase that has almost ironically ended.