by F. E. Heaton
"Yes, Venturi told me about the book,” Mathias said and then went silent.
Venturi closed his eyes, wishing that he could hear what Prophecy was saying about him, if anything.
"It would make sense. Our bloodline has kept a house in Russia for many centuries. It is beyond the Validus’ palace, just as Mia has said. The houses there are few and far between. I believe it is over three miles to the Aurorea mansion from Hyperion's home."
Another pause and Venturi tapped his foot, opened his eyes and stared at Mathias. By the sounds of things, Prophecy had really found Valentine, and she was going to attempt to rescue him.
"Alone? I do not think that is such a wise ... I see ... Dmitri can be difficult ... I know, but you cannot face this alone. Let Venturi come to you."
He stepped forwards, eager to hear what the outcome would be of what Mathias had said. Would Prophecy accept his assistance? He didn't think it was likely that she would. She'd set out alone to find the book, and during their last phone call, she'd made it clear that she wasn't coming back without Valentine.
"Hyperion?"
He raised a brow at the mention of the lord of Validus’ name. It seemed to be coming up a lot during the conversation.
"I do not think he will offer you help, Prophecy,” Mathias said and looked at him.
Venturi frowned. She was going to see Hyperion about helping her. She would rather have a complete stranger assist her in finding Valentine, than have him come to her. He told himself that it was only because of the amount of time that it would take him to get to Russia on the trains. That was the only reason. It had nothing to do with his feelings or hers.
"Be careful,” Mathias said into the phone while giving him a deadly serious look. “If we have not heard from you within three nights, Venturi will come for you."
Mathias placed the phone down. Venturi stepped into the room and tapped his fingers against the table, trying to calm himself.
"Be ready to leave.” Mathias sat down in the chair and sighed. He took his glasses off and rubbed the bridge of his nose. “If she does not make contact, you will have to travel to Russia. It will be quickest to check the Aurorea mansion first and then go to see Mia and Dmitri if you cannot find her there. I hope she knows what she is doing."
"She is going to see Hyperion?” Venturi asked.
"She is,” Mathias said.
"Will he even see her?"
"He has not released his guardians and continues to want no part of this war. There is a chance that he will see her, but it will not be easy for her to get an audience."
"The Watchmen,” Venturi said flatly. The guards of the Validus were so old, strong and ever-vigilant that they had been given a special name. The Watchmen. They were almost legendary. To get an audience with Hyperion was impossible if he didn't want to see you. There was no way of getting into the palace without first getting past the Watchmen posted at points around the grounds. No one had ever succeeded. All who had tried, had been killed.
He hoped Prophecy knew what she was doing.
Chapter 12
Heavy clouds hung low above Prophecy, blotting out the stars and the moon, and making the night feel as though it had drawn close around her. She ran over her plan in her head, trying to find a fault in it and hoping that everything would turn out the way she expected it to. Asking Hyperion for help was a million to one shot, but it was all she had. She didn't have time to wait for Venturi to show up, and even if she did, she didn't know whether she wanted him helping her. Now was a time for calm and calculated action, not backstabbing remarks that would make her blood boil and destroy her concentration. She would never be able to focus with Venturi helping her, and if she couldn't focus, then her magic wouldn't come or she'd slip up and get herself killed.
She slowly walked along the path outside the palace walls. There were breaks occasionally where decorative wrought iron panels had been set into the wall and through them, she could see the house in the distance. It wasn't dark and gloomy like Dmitri's bastion, or even as imposing as her own home. It reminded her of the Venia's palace on the other side of St. Petersburg, only even more grand and impressive. Even the rain-soaked grass and paths couldn't dampen its appearance.
The breeze blew through the trees, creating a haunting sound when the leaves brushed against each other. There was a sense of foreboding about the noise. It had already rained tonight, soaking her to the skin. She didn't want any more bad weather. The millions of tiny drops of water brought everything that they hit alive, and it fogged her senses with false signatures, leaving her vulnerable to attack. She ran her thumb over the back of the silver star that hung around her neck, letting the feeling of the marks on it soothe her a little.
Rounding a corner, she dropped her eyes to the gates and assessed the situation. This wasn't going to be as easy as she'd first thought.
The two guardsmen shifted when she approached but their eyes remained forwards, their gazes fixed on the distance.
She swallowed hard and moved to stand in front of them. They didn't look at her; they just kept staring blankly over her head. They were standing on either side of the grand wrought iron gate and fiery torches flickered on the wall behind them. Both men were as tall as Valentine, and even more imposing in their uniforms. Long dark cloaks hung from their square shoulders and the breeze that blew strands of her hair across her face seemed to have no effect on them. They didn't shift in the slightest, not even in the strongest gust of wind.
Venturing a step forwards, she jumped when the guards moved in perfect synchronisation, their arms extending so the long staff-like weapons they held crossed each other, forming a barrier in front of the gate. Her eyes fixed on the blades that adorned the ends of the black staffs. They gleamed menacingly in the low light.
Backing away a little, she looked at the guard to her left again. He was looking at her now, his dark purple eyes showing her that he really was of the Validus bloodline. She couldn't see most of his face. His hair was hidden beneath the black helmet he wore, and his nose, mouth and jaw were covered by a matching black mask. All she could see were his eyes and they bore into her.
She dropped her gaze and frowned when she noticed he was wearing armour beneath the cloak. The action of holding the staff out to one side to block her path had revealed it. It was black and moulded into the shape of muscles. She wondered if it was metal. It didn't look as though it was. There were intricate patterns engraved on it in another colour. They barely stood out, but she could see them in the torchlight.
Their armour reminded her of the kind she had seen in books in her family's library. It was the type that the dragon hunters of her species used to wear. It had been a long time since the old beasts had roamed the earth and all that was left of them were the accounts of the vampires living back then.
"State your business,” the one on her left said.
She stared blankly at him for a moment, unable to speak while he was looking at her with such intense eyes.
Straightening up, she tried to look a little more confident. She really hadn't expected to be faced with guards like these. They made her family's and that of the Aurorea's look like younglings just pretending to be a high guard.
"I wish to see Hyperion,” she said in a trembling voice.
His eyes narrowed and she swore he was smirking at her behind his mask.
He raised his staff up and, for a moment, she thought he was going to let her through, but then he lowered it to point at her.
"Leave,” he said.
She frowned. “No."
"You will not be warned again,” the second guard said.
She looked at him and found he was staring at her too now, the blade of his staff held barely a few inches from her.
"I need to see your lord,” she said and stood her ground. Something about these guards said they weren't joking when they'd told her to leave and threatened her. Mathias had said nothing about the people that protected Hyperion's home. She was beginning to wish
he'd given her a little warning about them.
"Impossible,” the first guard said and then paused. He closed his eyes for a few seconds and then opened them again, looking directly at her. “State your business."
Her brows knit and she wondered what was happening. A moment ago he had told her that it was impossible and the very next minute he was asking her to state her business again. Had he received communication from the house somehow? Is that why he'd paused and closed his eyes?
"I wish to see Hyperion,” she repeated her earlier words.
He gave her a look that said he was losing patience and she realised that it was obvious she wanted to see Hyperion. He didn't need to be told that. He wanted to know why she had to see his lord.
"I seek his assistance in a matter of great importance."
"And this matter is?” he said.
"The rescue of someone."
He shook his head and blocked the gate with his staff again. The other guard followed suit. She was starting to get the impression that it was nigh on impossible to get past these guards. How many people did they turn away on a nightly basis?
There was no way she was going to let them turn her away.
"Let me see him.” She almost growled the words at them.
The first guard stared at her.
"Please?” she said and furrowed her brows. She stepped towards them but backed away again when they both growled at her.
Her fingers tingled but she ignored them. Now wasn't the time to use magic. She'd learnt that lesson from Valentine. There was a time and a place for it, and this definitely wasn't one. She had to at least attempt to get Hyperion on her side and killing two of his guards would make that impossible.
"You don't understand. I have to see Hyperion. If I don't, there's a chance that I won't be able to save Valentine and if I can't save Valentine, I don't see the point in saving the world,” she said and listened to the rustling of leaves as it filled the silence. She held the first guard's gaze, not giving him the option of looking away and showing him that she wasn't about to back down.
The storm split the sky above them and rain poured down, but she still didn't move. She wasn't going to give up now. If Hyperion wouldn't help her, then she was going to have to do exactly what Mia had said. She was going to have to go in alone against Arkalus and Kalinor. There was a high chance she wasn't going to survive the fight that would ensue, but she had to try. She couldn't give up just because no one was willing to help her but she hated the fact that Dmitri and Mathias were right.
Hyperion wasn't going to help.
A fluttering sound was followed by a deep caw and her head snapped up, her senses guiding her to the source of the noise. On the stone pillar above the guards sat a large black bird, its eyes flickering pale blue whenever it blinked and its dark feathers shimmering in the torchlight. It cawed again and then flew down onto the first guard's shoulder. He closed his eyes and bent his head as though listening to it, and then looked at her.
She was stunned when both guards brought their staffs close to their sides and the gate opened.
Staring at the path in front of her, she didn't know whether to trust what she saw. The second she'd resigned herself to the fact that they weren't going to let her even see Hyperion and that she would have to do this alone, her luck had changed.
The raven left the guard's shoulder and she followed it as it swooped along the path, cawing loudly along the way. She held her head high while walking past the guards that lined the pale gravel path. Her senses told her that they were all as old as the ones that had been defending the gate and they were all strong. The Validus bloodline was old and there hadn't been a new addition to their family in countless years.
Her eyes roamed the breadth of the palace. It was as beautiful as any stately home. Even in the rain-soaked darkness, she could make out that the plaster covering its façade had been painted rich ochre. There were so many windows that she lost count and the perfectly manicured garden with tall topiary bushes made it look like a royal palace. She supposed that the Validus were as close to royalty as her species got. The annals always said that it was the reason they had the purest purple eyes when in their vampire form. Royal purple.
It wasn't just that and their name that made them like royalty. At over three millennia, Hyperion was the oldest vampire in existence. If Ineru were his blood and birth sister like Valentine had told her, then she too must have been over three thousand years old. She wondered what it would be like to live that long. With age came strength in her species. How strong was Hyperion?
The twin tall wooden doors in front of her opened and she stepped through them. She followed the raven still, letting it lead the way to Hyperion.
She couldn't imagine what it must be like to see the world change like he would have. When he had been turned, there was no Heaven and Hell, no bible, and the ancient civilisations of Greece and Egypt still flourished.
Entering a room, she came out of her thoughts when she felt the presence of great power and blinked when she saw him sitting at the opposite end of the room. He was reclining at a haphazard angle in a huge lushly furnished chair. One of his legs dangled over an arm of it while one hand hung limp, almost grazing the floor with the glass he held.
He didn't bother sitting up when she approached, he only moved his gaze to rest on her and she faltered under the intensity of it.
His physical appearance wasn't old like she had expected. His black hair and slim features reminded her painfully of Valentine, only he seemed even younger. At what age had he turned? The man in front of her didn't look a day over thirty. His rich violet eyes receded, changing into a dark shade of brown that made the colour of hers pale in comparison.
She came to a halt just a few metres from him. His eyes bore into hers and she felt as though he was trying to see right down into her soul. She was about to look away when he raised his hand and the raven landed on it. He placed his half empty glass of blood down and petted the bird. There seemed to be a sad kind of affection between them and a troubled look filled Hyperion's eyes.
Ineru.
Maybe this wasn't such a good time to come to him after all. She hadn't realised just how concerned he would be with his sister and how much it weighed down on his heart, but in his face now, she could see the anxiety and sadness. She could feel it in the house. It was quiet and empty, hollow almost. The whole building felt depressed. It made a strange contrast when compared with hers. Here there were no other vampires bustling around or just relaxing and talking in the drawing rooms and halls. There was no one but the man in front of her, sitting in his chair in a room that made her feel cold and a house that felt as though it was in mourning.
The raven flew up to the rafters of the high ceiling when Hyperion raised his hand and she found him looking at her again. She wrapped her arms across her chest, holding herself.
She had to say something to fill the silence.
"I'm—” she started.
"I know who you are, child of light.” He cut her off and sat up.
Her eyes dropped to the black shirt and trousers he was wearing. The shirt was undone, barely covering the contours of his torso and his bronzed skin. He wasn't overly tall but his legs were long. She could tell that when he crossed them and leaned back into the chair. They added to his lithe appearance, making her think that he could probably outrun even her. He could probably outrun anyone. When she brought her eyes back up, she caught the look of intrigue on his face and she would have had to be blind to miss the seductive curve his lips took on.
She wondered just what kind of man he was. From where she was standing, he was beautiful and deadly, the perfect vampire. Luring humans to their demise, be them female or male, would never be a problem for him. The smile he was giving her made her want to avert her gaze and she was a vampire. The weaker mind of a human would be unable to resist his allure. He was precisely the type of vampire that people wrote about. The type of man that no one could resist. Seduction would p
robably be a game to him, a form of amusement that he would entertain himself with before killing his victim.
"Is something the matter?” he said in a low voice and bent down to retrieve his glass of blood from the floor.
"I ... I hadn't expected you to look so young.” She offered him a small smile and felt awkward when he laughed. The sound of it echoed around the high walls. It made her stomach twist upon itself to hear it. It didn't seem to fit somehow. It was an alien sound for such a sombre place.
"I was thinking the same of you.” He stood up and looked at her, his expression thoughtful while he sipped his blood.
She kept still under his scrutiny, not wanting to anger him by shying away. She'd had other men look at her that way. There was no more desire in his eyes than Venturi had, and nowhere near as much as Valentine showed for her. To this man, she was something to be claimed or won, or even just toyed with. Was he only granting her an audience in order to give himself some amusement for a few minutes? He stepped towards her and ran his eyes back up to her face.
"I have the disguise of immortality, but you are as innocent as you appear."
She presumed that by that he meant she was young. None of her species could be innocent, not with the things they had to do to survive. Her teeth itched at the thought of fresh blood and her eyes briefly moved to the glass he was holding.
"Your hunger makes you beautiful. My sister cannot resist the lure of blood either. She is as hungry as you, I think."
She realised that her demonic guise had come to the forefront while she had been looking at the blood. Forcing it to recede, she licked her lips and then promised herself that she would hunt as soon as she'd rescued Valentine.
"I hear many things about you, child of light,” he said and she started wondering why he was calling her that. Is that what the prophecy called her? Surely Hyperion would know it in its true form, not the tangled web of lies that everyone else had been fed. He was old enough. “Some speak of you and say that you have secrets in your past."