Darkness Is Rising

by C. M. Sipes

  “No,” Marcella replied finally.

  “Liar,” Vittoria growled out as her hand came up and grabbed her throat. “You would not let me save her and you allowed me to watch her burn and now you do not even have the decency to admit what you did!” Vittoria yelled, her fingers tightening around her throat.

  “Vittoria,” Marcella gasped out, her hands coming up to grasp Vittoria’s, attempting to push them away.

  “Admit what you did!” Vittoria yelled, a feral growl ripping through her throat as she shoved Marcella away.

  “Please understand,” Marcella implored.

  “Why? Why did you do this?” Vittoria asked, her voice quivering.

  “She was a witch, Vittoria,” Marcella replied with disgust. “Falling in love with a human was one thing, but to find out that she was a witch? And you knew and you still took her to bed!”

  “I loved her! I did not care what she was!” Vittoria yelled angrily.

  “She would have destroyed you, it is what they do.”

  Her body shook with rage, her eyes burning holes in Marcella’s gaze.

  “How did you find out?” Vittoria finally asked.

  “I wanted to make sure that she was good enough for you,” Marcella said.

  Vittoria laughed loudly at the irony of the situation. “And you saw her doing magic,” she supplied.

  Marcella nodded. “Yes. I did.”

  “How long have you known?”

  “A few weeks.”

  “And instead of coming to me and talking to me about it, you sent her into the fire,” Vittoria said. Her voice was soft, broken, hollow, as she spoke.

  “It was for the best. Her kind is a blight on this earth.”

  She looked at Marcella. It was if she was seeing her for the first time. The intensity of her hatred for witches was something she had always understood. She dismissed her judgment through the years, even granting leniency for it at times. But, when it came to her heir, there was no way to force her to see reason. Marcella would do what she pleased, no matter how much it hurt someone she loved.

  “Anything else, Marcella, I could have forgiven. But this?” Vittoria asked, gesturing to the burnt corpse of her lover. “This is too much. This, I cannot and will not forgive you for.”

  “Vittoria,” Marcella said, her eyes pleading Vittoria to see reason. “You are immortal, there will be others.”

  “I want nothing more to do with you, or the coven. You are on your own,” stated Vittoria, her voice firm and unwavering.

  Her face and arms began to feel the stinging of the sun and she knew that if she did not find shade soon, she would start to burn. However, she could hardly bring herself to care.

  Marcella’s eyes widened at her declaration. “Vittoria!”

  “Oh, and those potions that were being given to the bloodlusters? Isabel was the witch who was making them. You had best pull your scouts from Aerona’s territory, because you will need them to put down the throng of bloodlusters that will decimate this city when their urge to feed is no longer suppressed.” Vittoria looked back to Isabel’s body; a single tear staining her face before she gently took the body in her arms and removed it from the pyre.

  Marcella was surprised at the information, her shoulders slumping slightly. “Vittoria, please,” Marcella implored, her hand reaching out to touch Vittoria.

  Vittoria’s head whipped to the side, her fangs barred as she roared. The sound reminded her of a ferocious dying animal.

  “Leave me be, Marcella.” She turned and sped off, carrying Isabel in her arms as she moved through the city. She ran fast, careful to avoid any heavy human traffic as she reached the outskirts.

  She came to a halt on the cusp of a grassy knoll that overlooked the countryside. Carefully, she laid the body down before moving a few feet away.

  She began to dig then.

  Dirt inched its way underneath her nails as she tore the ground apart, quickly making progress. Her skin continued to burn and she could see that blisters had begun to form on her skin, but she ignored it and continued with her mission. Shortly after, a hole close to six feet deep was visible.

  She gently picked up the body and hopped into the pit, carefully laying Isabel down to rest. She stared at her for a moment, her hand coming up to cover her mouth in an attempt to stifle the sob that threatened to escape.

  “I am so sorry that I could not protect you,” Vittoria said aloud, her eyes trained on the burnt figure. “I shall never forgive myself for not doing so. I only hope that you are in a better place and that you can forgive me for failing you.” She looked down at her hands, stained with the dirt and tints of blood. “Rest in peace, Isabel.”

  Vittoria leapt from the ditch and quickly covered it back up with the soil. As she pushed the final mound over the hole she felt hot blood begin to run down her arms, seeping from the blisters that began to form. She groaned as she watched the flow run over her hands and to the ground, pooling into the earth.

  She took one last glance at Isabel’s grave before rushing off, seeking shade. She ran into the nearest forest, sighing in relief as the trees blocked the sunlight, allowing her wounds to slowly begin to mend as she raced.

  Vittoria ran the better part of the day, through the forest and mountains, sticking to the shade, attempting to get as far away from Marcella and the demons that would haunt her. It was dark when she finally reached the coast. She leapt into the air, her body transitioning easily to the swarm, and steadily flying across the channel toward France throughout the night. It only took a few hours to make it across the ocean before her feet hit solid ground once more and she rushed off. She moved south, following the coastline. She only had a few hours before dawn would begin to rise and she continued to push herself, ignoring the stabbing pain she felt at Isabel’s death. Finally, she began to feel the pull of the sun. Vittoria glanced down as she moved, eyeing the wounds that were still healing. The blood had stopped hours ago, as did the blisters. Now, in their place, was wrinkled skin. If she lingered in the sun again, she would end up right where she was before in a shorter amount of time.

  She moved inland more, spying a forest in the distance and rushing toward it as the sun began to peek over the horizon. She broke the tree line just as the first rays of sun struck the ground, tiredness and hunger penetrating her bones.

  Vittoria slowed, coming to a halt inside the forest and glancing around. There were no paths nearby, nowhere for travelers to accidentally happen upon her. She looked at the ground below as she knelt down, her hands ripping into the dirt as she began to dig a hole. She dug deep, eventually creating a cavernous crater far below the rest of the ground. Vittoria jumped into it and began to bring the earth over herself. She continued to pull at the dirt and grass desperately, eventually succeeding and completely covering her form. She sighed as the coolness of the soil and dark comforted her.

  Tiredness began to seep into her body and she allowed sleep to begin to take over her. She did not want to wake again, not any time soon, so she drifted off, falling into a deep slumber.

  “Sleep, Vittoria,” Lilith’s voice whispered, yet Vittoria could not bring herself to care.

  Chapter V

  Seattle, Washington, USA

  Present Day

  Vittoria sighed, a small smirk gracing her face as she looked at Emma’s sleeping form. Apparently she had decided to crash at her apartment, again, for the fifth time in two weeks. Since she had told Emma about her and Marcella’s falling out, she had been coming around frequently, insisting on asking more questions about her life and the current issue with the bloodlusters.

  Papers and pens, of various colors, littered the floor around the couch. Emma was still clinging to a blue pen, with a slew of papers lying on her chest as she slept. Vittoria moved around the couch, eyes glancing down on the mess.

  They were mainly newspaper clippings about the multiple bodies that had begun to appear throughout the city. Each person that was found was drained of blood, their necks punc
tured, and bruises on their bodies. Other bodies that appeared were barely even bodies anymore, having been almost entirely devoured, including their hearts.

  She sighed again, a frown replacing her smirk. She did not care for the idea of Emma being involved in the craziness, and she knew she should put an end to it. However, Emma was determined and fought her on it every time she brought it up.

  She glanced at the clippings again.

  They were color-coded. Blue represented cases of devourers, red represented cases of bloodlusters, and green represented bodies that were proof of them working together. The influx in deaths had taken the city by storm the last two weeks.

  They were pushing the limits and knew it.

  Marcella had not contacted her again about meeting with Aerona, or becoming involved in coven matters once more. She frowned at the thought, losing an internal battle with herself. On one hand, the situation had become progressively worse and could no longer be ignored. Aerona had to be confronted and they needed to put a strategy into play. On the other hand, she still held a grudge for Isabel’s death, and was unsure if she could play nice with Marcella without ripping her head from her shoulders.

  “You’ve been standing there staring into space for like ten minutes,” Emma said groggily as she looked up at Vittoria. “What’s up?”

  She slowly turned her gaze to Emma. “I am conflicted.”

  “That much I can tell,” Emma replied with a chuckle.

  Vittoria sighed and ran a hand through her hair. “I believe it has become necessary to speak to Marcella and Aerona about this.” She gestured to the slew of clippings. “We need to come up with a strategy and handle this properly.”

  “I’m very proud of you for realizing that on your own,” Emma teased.

  Vittoria glared at her. “However, I am hesitant to be near Marcella again. I want to forgive her but…” she trailed off.

  “You’ll feel like you’re betraying Isabel?”

  She nodded.

  “Listen, Isabel sounded like a wonderful woman, and I know you loved her,” Emma began, “but you also loved Marcella, and you loved her for two hundred years before Isabel. She’s your maker. And, while I definitely think what she did was fucking whacky, she mentored you and cared for you and loved you. She seemed pretty shaken up about the whole Lilith business too.” Emma raised an eyebrow in challenge.

  “All valuable points. But—” Vittoria started before Emma interrupted.

  “You need to talk to them and, for the time being, make peace with Marcella. After all of this is handled, you can go back to being angry with her if you want.”

  “You realize you can’t go to the meeting,” she said suddenly.

  “Actually I can.” Emma grinned and Vittoria frowned.

  “Absolutely not.”

  “Call me the human ambassador,” Emma replied with a shrug. “I know about all of this stuff now. I’ve seen it firsthand. Marcella knows I know, obviously. If I can’t go into the meeting with you, at least let me go to the coven house with you.”

  “Why on earth would I do that?” Vittoria asked, raising a questioning eyebrow before she moved into the kitchen, which she noticed had become stocked with food.

  “Because my species of people are being fed on by yours and Aerona’s. I kind of think I have a bit of a say. Besides, I am more willing to help than you are.”

  “You bought Cheetos?” Vittoria asked suddenly, holding up a bag.

  “Also,” Emma continued, ignoring her, “me being there might keep you from lunging at Marcella. Which, I have a feeling, Aerona would let you do.”

  “Indeed,” Vittoria muttered in response as she opened the Cheetos and popped one in her mouth.

  Emma pointed to the bag. “Those are mine.”

  “And they are in my apartment, where I seem to find you sleeping a great deal lately,” Vittoria replied.

  “True. Anyways, what do you say?”

  “Don’t you have class?”

  “Vittoria, don’t dodge this.”

  “Seriously, do you not have class?”

  “Two of my professors are out of town this week so there’s no class. The other class just has some paperwork due that no one has to go to, and you know about our class. That’s basically the only one I’m attending,” Emma explained as she grabbed the bag and popped a Cheeto in her mouth.

  Vittoria sighed and took a seat at the breakfast bar. “This is absurd. I do not want to put you in danger.”

  “Vi, you put me in danger the second you met me,” Emma shot back before taking the seat next to her. “Too late to go back now, especially when I know what lurks in the night. Besides, I think I’m safer with you.”

  Vittoria raised a questioning eyebrow.

  “You’re a vampire queen. Please, anyone would have to have a death wish if they wanted to mess with me, you would beat them up.” Emma grinned as she playfully punched the air.

  She laughed at her antics before sighing in defeat. “Fine, but you must do as I say,” she said, earning an eye roll and a muttered ‘fine’ from Emma. “We will go tonight. I’ll send word to Aerona.”

  “Ah, how is that possible? Where is she even at?” Emma asked.

  “She is here in Seattle. Whenever things began to get a little hairy she came in to speak to Marcella and me. She had hoped we had made up.”

  “But you didn’t.”

  “Nope,” Vittoria replied with a pop.

  “So, we go tonight then. Well, I for one believe that you will not regret this,” Emma said seriously.

  “I will if you get hurt,” she replied with a raised eyebrow.

  “Yeah, well, Marcella already killed someone you cared for. I doubt she would do it a second time. Besides, I’m not a witch,” Emma said with a wink, forcing Vittoria to give a stiff smile.

  It was going to be an interesting night.

  Emma and Vittoria walked up the sidewalk that led to the coven house, not saying a word as the mansion came into view. Marcella had built the mansion in Madrona, an area southeast of Capitol Hill and the University District. The architecture of the house was spectacular. It resembled that of the Raymond-Ogden Mansion, as both mansions had a 1900’s architectural makeup. Her maker was always fond of older-styled architecture, so seeing the mansion and its appearance did not come as a surprise to Vittoria. She could hear the soft lapping of waves coming from Lake Washington, the house being built to overlook the body of water.

  “So, Marcella lives here?” Emma asked as her eyes took in the mansion.

  “As do a number of vampires, mostly those who are in service to the monarchy,” Vittoria explained to Emma as she linked their arms. “They know we are here. Stay by my side and do not speak to anyone.”

  She nodded. “Is Aerona here yet?”

  Vittoria sniffed the air and smiled. “She is, just arrived. Oh, and I forgot to mention that I never sent word to Marcella about the meeting.”

  Emma laughed lightly as Vittoria grinned.

  “Your Majesty,” a guard greeted, surprise evident in his voice, his bright eyes wide.

  “Derek, lovely to see you again,” Vittoria said as she opened the door for Emma and entered the mansion.

  “You guys really live in style don’t you,” Emma muttered, as Vittoria looked around the entryway.

  She hummed in agreement before calling out, “Could someone be a dear and point me in the direction of the library?”

  A vampire appeared next to them suddenly, startling Emma. “This way, Your Majesty.”

  He led them up the stairs and down a long hallway before making a right and leading them up a spiral staircase. They walked down another long hallway before making a right and standing outside two large engraved doors.

  “This place is beautiful,” Emma whispered.

  “Indeed. Marcella always did have impeccable taste,” Vittoria said before she opened the doors and stepped into the library.

  “I am so glad that you appreciate it,” Marcella commented. Sh
e sat in a large red velvet chair, her hand rotating her glass and an amber-colored liquid within. Her tone was clipped, and Vittoria knew that Marcella had not appreciated Aerona’s sudden appearance on her property.

  “You drink alcohol?” Emma asked.

  “Yes, we rather enjoy it. Granted we need to drink a great deal to become drunk, but it holds no nutritional value for us. Much like human food,” she explained, her eyes trained on Vittoria.

  “Vittoria da Verona, the only vampire in existence I like,” Aerona greeted as she stood from her seat, ignoring Marcella’s bad mood. Her dark skin shimmered in the light as she smoothed her curls.

  “Aerona,” Vittoria replied in greeting as Emma and she moved into the room. She gestured for Emma to take a seat in an empty chair, placing her between Aerona’s seat and the other vacant seat.

  Aerona moved to Vittoria, taking her hands in her own and looking her over.

  “Naturally, you haven’t aged a day,” Aerona said, her dark brown eyes staring into Vittoria’s, briefly flickering red-rimmed yellow.

  Vittoria smirked as she gave her a once over as well.

  “Perks of immortality,” Emma commented as she crossed her legs and looked up at them from her seat, her eyebrow rising in curiosity.

  Vittoria rolled her eyes—so much for her order not to say anything.

  Aerona’s eyes sparkled and a wolfish grin graced her face. “Witty, this one.” She eyed Emma up and down. “Human. Why Vittoria, I see your…appetites haven’t changed.”

  Emma’s eyebrows scrunched together before she glanced at Vittoria.

  “I am sure yours have not changed either, Aerona,” Vittoria replied with a smirk.

  “Are you going to explain why she is here?” Marcella asked before taking a sip of her drink.

  “Apparently, she is insane and wishes to help,” Vittoria replied as Aerona and she took their seats.

  “Your Majesty,” the butler said as he handed Vittoria a glass of bourbon—neat.

  “I see you recall my drink,” she said to Marcella, her eyes flickering to her as she took a swig.