The Blood and Light Series (Six Books Boxed Set)

by Rue Volley

  “I can't believe it,” I whispered to him.

  He knelt down and I pulled myself up onto his back. We turned together to face Valon and Sophia stood inside the gate watching me. I leaned forward and he moved toward her slowly. I was sure he was nervous, I certainly was. We stopped a few feet from her and my horse turned sideways.

  “Rue Valon,” she said to me as she stared at my horse.

  “Sophia,” I said as my horse came to a stop.

  “I would assume you have not come to visit your home,” she said to me without much emotion.

  “I did not. I have come to bring Josh home with me,” I said.

  She laughed out loud and tilted her head. “Josh has broken our law, he has taken a protector’s life and he will be judged accordingly.”

  My horse started to move a little, he probably felt my anger. “He would not kill unless he had to. Noble was evil... and Elin too,” I replied.

  “No matter. Josh has confessed and he will pay the price for his actions.”

  “I need to see him, please. Will you allow me that?” I said.

  “You have no place in asking favors. You have killed ...” Sophia said with a grin.

  “Well then... put me on trial, next to him,” I said it before I realized what it meant.

  “Oh... to put you on trial! You descend from the founder of this city Rue! It will not be,” Sophia said.

  “Ask the council! Tell them that I am here to confess. Tell them that I should be treated the same as any of you!” I said. Honestly I didn't even know where this was coming from. I just wanted so badly to see him... to make sure he was okay.

  “You want to see the council? To confess? Your confession will be chaos! It is enough that you exist at all…! I am trying to save you, Rue Valon! Turn and leave, return when you mature, and take your place here on the council. I assure you that you will be invited in, with open arms.”

  “I don't want to return. I want to confess. I should be with Josh right now,” I said, without a second thought.

  “You are as stubborn as your Mother, Rue,” Sophia said as she started to turn.

  “I will stay right here until you allow me in Sophia. I will, I will kill anyone who tries to leave your city.” My horse huffed and started to dig at the ground. I stared at her, as she turned back to me.

  “You should be mindful of what you say to me Rue Valon, my kindness is only stretched so thin.”

  “I will do it… I will,” I said.

  “I will speak to the council. You may be allowed to see him once, but only once so be sure to share what you have on your heart with him. I will return,” Sophia said as she turned and walked away from me.

  I grabbed at my horse’s hair and whispered to him to lower me, so I could jump down. I rubbed his face and pressed my head against his.

  “You need to leave here now, I thank you for helping me, but I just got myself in trouble I think,” I whispered to him. He huffed and started to grunt as he dug his hooves into the earth in protest.

  “No... you need to run... now. I'll see you again someday... I promise.”

  He looked at me like he understood. He leaned down and I hugged his neck. He stood up so proud in front of me and turned. He started to gallop away from me. “Now I'm screwed,” I muttered to myself.

  I started to brush at the front of my white leather. It had dried blood all over it. A year ago I would have hurled at the thought of this, but my stomach growled and I knew I was hungry. I needed to feed, but I had no time. As I brushed my hand against my leg I felt my phone stuck in my strap.

  “Oh crap!” I said, as I pulled it out. I flipped it open and saw that I had multiple missed calls. I pushed the button and waited for an answer.

  “Please,” I whispered to myself. Finally a voice came through.

  “Johnathan?” I whispered.

  “Oh my god Rue! Are you okay?” he sounded like he was in a panic.

  “Yes... listen, tell Sam and Theodore to get a large mirror to the forest... fast,” I whispered.

  “How? You put a binding on the house!”

  I closed my eyes and focused on the house, I could see the swirling mass I had left behind, ensuring they could not follow me. I felt it start to weaken... and it slowly disappeared in my mind.

  “Okay... try to leave, open the door,” I whispered.

  I heard his breath in the phone as he ran to the front door. He opened it, I could hear that familiar creak from the rusty brackets holding to the wood.

  “Thank you! Now where are you? Valon?” he said half winded.

  “Don't worry about where I am Johnathan. It is so important that you get Sam or Theodore to create a portal with a mirror. My life could depend on it. Don't forget, it needs to be a large one, not small, and have them hang it, pointing down,” I said as a plan materialized in my mind.

  “Okay, okay I will. Please Rue, come back to me,” he said. I could hear the fear in his voice.

  “I will Johnathan... just move now, quickly, please.”

  I heard him whisper, “I love you” as I pushed the button on my phone. I squeezed my phone and shoved it back into my leg strap, hiding it away from view.

  I turned just in time to see Sophia walking towards the gate. She had returned with guards on each side of her. I took a step forward and she waved her hand at me, telling me to come forward. I stopped a few feet away from them. I looked at the guards on either side of her and noticed more behind her. They all had their blades drawn. I swallowed and then sighed. Oh my god, if this doesn't work we are both dead, I just know it.

  “You may enter,” Sophia said to me.

  I took a step forward hoping the binding was down, I didn't know if this was a trick or not. I closed my eyes for a second and stepped over the threshold, entering Valon for the first time.

  The sun had risen behind us and the light glistened on the white stones under my feet. I focused in and could see traces of silver in the stone. It looked like mercury. I raised my head and stared into the eyes of Sophia before me.

  “Bind her,” she said.

  One of her guard flashed to me in a blur and waved his hands over mine, I felt a slight burn and I hissed. I looked down and a glowing white-hot transparent rope was around my wrists. I stared at it for a second, as I watched it move like a snake on my skin. Sophia stared at me, as well as the guards. I felt like a freak amongst freaks, how funny.

  “I have been voted against my wishes,” Sophia said to me. Her face remained pleasant, although I knew that she would probably love it if I had just turned and walked away from here, but I couldn't.

  “I promise that I just want to see Josh. I have no intention of causing any trouble,” I said as we all started to walk forward through the entrance.

  “Oh you will mind yourself here, I assure you. One problem from you and Josh will be destroyed ahead of schedule.” she said, without looking at me.

  I wanted to yell at her, but I knew it would not make it any easier. She was already annoyed and I just needed one shot to see him, just one.

  We passed by small houses, connected together, that looked more like something in a book I had seen at the library. It was very European and simplistic. The walls were white as snow and I watched as the stones gave off a shimmer as we passed by. The entrance was so narrow, maybe it was strategic. It was only wide enough on this street for maybe four people across. Smart... if you were invaded, your enemy would be bottle necked there. I looked up and saw that the buildings on each side shot up about thirty feet. I thought I saw a child lean out a window, but the small figure quickly disappeared back in when I looked.

  I felt a slight humming in my body and wondered if it was just this place, I reached out my hand and touched the wall as I walked, and my fingers vibrated, it was like the stone wall was alive. I closed my eyes and could see color swirling behind my eyelids. I tripped and almost fell into a guard in front of me. The girl beside me grabbed my arm and jerked me upright. I looked over at her, but she kept he
r focus straight ahead.

  We kept walking and I saw the sunlight was getting brighter. We stepped out of the narrow street and it opened up to a huge plaza. I looked out and the white buildings stretched into the sky. I couldn't even tell how high they were, but I could barely see the birds landing on the tops of them. There were trees everywhere. They were huge and old, their bark a healthy brown, each one bursting with white flower buds. I looked out and people were walking around.

  Sophia headed our party and we were spread out in a triangle, me in the middle. People moved out of our way and I looked at as many as I could as we passed them by. Many protectors were there, but mixed in were men, women, and children, who didn't really talk amongst themselves. They just stared as I passed them. I heard some muttering, but I couldn't tell what they were saying.

  We walked across this huge plaza and I heard what I thought was water. I looked up and there was a monstrous fountain, but it had silver liquid flowing out of it. I peeked out, past the guard to my left, and saw the shiny reflection of the towering buildings overhead in the pool under it. I breathed in and smelled the sweet air. It seemed like an oasis here, but I knew it wasn't. I looked ahead of us and tilted my head back. A towering building stood before us, hundreds of windows on its surface facing us. The entrance looked like a mirror.

  Sophia stopped and the guard, who helped me not fall, grabbed my arm. I stood there as she waved her hands over the mirror and she stepped through. Everyone started to move forward and I stopped right before the mirror, I watched it roll and distort my image. I closed my eyes and the guard pulled me through. I felt hands release me, and I opened my eyes.

  I looked out at a huge hall. The ceiling was hundreds of feet high, bright white and etched with thousands of symbols. The walls glowed and swirled white on white. It was truly mesmerizing. I looked down at my feet and lifted my right foot. Ripples came out from under it like a stone had been thrown into a pond.

  “Bring her,” I heard a voice echo out ahead of us. Sophia walked forward and I was pulled forward by two guards who stood by my side.

  “Really Sophia, take the binding off of her,” the voice said.

  Sophia turned to me and flashed forward. She stared at me and waved her hand over my wrists. The white mist floated upward and I rubbed my wrists. I looked at the red marks the bind had left behind.

  “Thanks,” I muttered. She turned and flashed from me.

  “Come forward, Rue Valon.” I heard out ahead of me.

  I started to walk forward and one by one, protectors dressed in white, flashed forward to a raised circle in the middle of the room. I kept looking around waiting for an attack, but none came. I stopped as the last of them assembled on the platform and I looked up at all of them. A boy stepped forward and looked at me. He suddenly flashed to me and I flinched as he stopped only a couple feet away. He looked at me and tilted his head, like a bird inspecting his prey. I looked at him. He had perfect skin, a perfect face... so pretty. He had brown hair, he looked young and his eyes were a deep brown, almost black. He crossed his arms and smiled.

  “So this is Rue Valon,” he asked.

  I looked at him and around the room.

  “Are you asking me, or making a general statement?” I said, before I really thought about it.

  He flashed behind me and leaned in my ear, I sucked in my breath, as I felt his breath on my neck.

  “I was asking a question, but not to you,” he whispered.

  I looked straight ahead and stood up straight. “Okay” I said.

  He went to take my hand and I jerked it from him. He laughed.

  “I am sorry, my name is Erik. I am being rude, not formally introducing myself,” he said as he circled me. The circling wasn't helping his apology seem sincere. Another protector flashed to me and bent down.

  “Please excuse Erik here, he seems to be intrigued by you Rue. I am Philip, and I apologize for him.”

  Erik looked at him and stepped away from me.

  “I simply wanted to see the girl who has destroyed over twenty of our brothers and sisters, not to mention Mikah,” Erik said, as he grinned at me.

  “Well, technically I did not destroy Mikah,” I said. “And the others, well, that was an accident, I just wanted to protect my family,” I said.

  Erik flashed in my face, and I almost stumbled backward. “Technicality or not, Mikah was my mate,” He said as he bared his teeth.

  “Enough!” I heard a female voice yell out. It echoed through the room.

  Erik backed away from me and crossed his arms, looking as if he could stab me at any moment. Sophia walked toward me. I looked at her, with a look of shock on my face... that she would have stopped Erik from tearing into me.

  “We are not animals, like humans. We are protectors and we will be civil in this council,” she said.

  I stood there and relaxed for a moment, I couldn't believe that she came to my aide. I didn't trust it or anyone here, for that matter.

  “I brought her here against my wishes, just to amuse all of your curiosity. You have seen her now and my wish is to let her stay. I know that there is resistance to this, but she is a direct descendant of Valon and for that, she should be spared.”

  “What?” I said. “No… I do not want to stay here. I only want to see Josh, and then I will go,” I said.

  I heard someone laugh. I looked around, as the conversation welled up in a murmur.

  Sophia raised her hand. “We do not know the extent of her power. But we do know that she is more powerful now, before she has matured, than any before her. So I vote that she stays to train and learn her true history. My hope is that she will take her place among us at the age of twenty one, to join the council.”

  I stepped forward. “No, excuse me. I do not want that, I don't. Listen, I appreciate the offer, but I want to go home. I want to see Josh first and then I will leave. I will not return, no trouble... I promise,” I yelled out over the chatter. They all kept talking to each other, like I wasn't even there.

  Sophia spoke out over the crowd, “Take this to your homes and think about it. We will vote tomorrow… then her fate will be decided.”

  I looked out as they started to flash away from me. Soon I was alone in the room with only the original guards who brought me in. Sophia stood in the center of the circle and turned to me.

  “You should hope that they will be generous. It would be wise to utilize your talent, rather than destroy it,” she said as she started to walk away.

  “Wait!” I yelled at her.

  She kept walking, until I heard a door open and close. I looked at the guards around me. I tried to focus, but it was only static in my mind. I opened my eyes and a guard flashed to me and grabbed my arm.

  “No... no, no… I am not staying here!” I said as he pulled me forward.

  I tried to pull away from him, but I started to feel weak. My legs started to buckle under me.

  “What the hell is going on?” I asked as he lifted me and started to carry me. I looked around, as everything started to go fuzzy.

  “I just want to see Josh. I, I just want...” My head fell back and my arms went limp.

  ***

  I woke up in a very large bed. I was lying on my side and I rolled over. I blinked my eyes a few times and lifted the red sheet covering me. I was naked. I pulled it back down and pushed myself up on my elbow. I looked around the room and saw no clothing anywhere. Great, just awesome!

  I heard my door start to open and I backed up, as I clinched my sheet against my chest. A young girl walked into the room and stepped up to the side of my bed. I looked at her. She couldn't have been more than thirteen. She kept her head down and then she raised her hand. There was a cut across her palm, the blood was pooling in her small hand. I looked at her hand and my stomach growled.

  “What are you doing?” I asked her.

  She kept her head down, not looking me in the eye.

  “Ummm, okay… listen, what are you doing in here?” I asked her.
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  She looked up and bit her lip.

  “You are hungry?” she asked me.

  “Oh god, no. Well yes, but no... here,” I said, as I started to tear at my sheet.

  I tore off a piece at the top of it and I reached for her hand. I wrapped the torn piece of sheet around her hand and pressed down on it. I could feel her heartbeat and I let go, as I felt my heart flutter.

  “Leave, go and get me some food. Fruit is fine... or bread, I don't care,” I said to her.

  She lowered her head. “You do not like me?” she asked.

  “No, it's not that… I don't know you. I'm sure you’re sweet, please… find me some food,” I said as I looked away from her. One more minute and I'm drinking her blood, it called out to me. I grabbed at my stomach as it ached.

  She stepped away from me and headed toward the door. She opened it and I heard it close behind her. I heard a scuffle in the hallway and someone cry out. I jumped up, grabbing my sheet around me and ran to the door. I tried to open it, but it was locked. I pressed my ear against the door, but I could not hear anything.

  I heard the lock turning and I backed away. The door opened and Erik stepped into the room. I backed away, with a shocked look on my face.

  “What are you doing in here?” I asked him.

  He stood there and grinned. I moved to the other side of the bed.

  “I don't know what you want, but I want you to leave,” I said.

  “I tried to feed you and you rejected it,” he said as he stepped forward.

  “I don't eat people,” I said as I looked around the room for anything I could hit him with.

  He laughed. “What do you eat then?”

  “Food... you know... just food,” I said.

  “Really?” he flashed to me, and I flinched.

  I turned my head as he smelled me. “I can smell the blood on you. You have fed recently,” he said. I tried to move away from him and he grabbed my arm.

  “Did you eat an animal Rue?” he asked me.

  “I had no choice,” I said.

  He laughed again. “No choice... well, you will feed in the council. We have no food here... only in the houses outside, and you cannot leave.” He leaned in toward me and I felt his breath on my cheek as I turned my face.