When he had crashed through the door, a horrifying image filled his sight and it brought him to his knees. His Queen. Naked, dirty, her tiny body bloodied beyond recognition. Her beautiful breasts were scarred and branded with Apollyon’s markings. Two deep cuts running vertically along the length of both forearms seeped so much blood that he could not believe Venus still held onto consciousness. Arias could not see her whole body but there was too much blood in the room for those to be her only wounds. Apollyon had her straddling something horrific and rage pooled in his belly. When she reached out for him, pleaded for him with her eyes Arias snapped. He knew he would not get through the wall but the rage sought destruction and it would be sated even if it was he, himself that was destroyed. Arias did not consider that there may be another way into the room. He was too busy pounding the glass with his forehead and fists creating running rivers of blood. No he was much too preoccupied with his own grief to check and see how Ivan was faring.
“Last one pet,” Apollyon said with a smile as she whimpered when he lifted her from the stone phallus.
He carried her to the cuffs hanging from the ceiling one last time and locked her wrists securely. His hand found the tool he had been waiting all night to use. His favorite cat-o-nine tails. A nasty little whip with sharp silver studs on each length. He cracked the whip once against the floor, the silver studs hitting so hard they sent sparks flying into the air.
A horrified sob escaped Venus’ lips as she caught sight of what she was in for next. Her legs felt like they were still spread wide. Her womb like she was still stuffed too full. She wasn’t sure what the damage was internally to her female parts but all she felt was burning pain and blood dripping continuously out, coating her thighs. She wasn’t prepared for the first lashing. The scream was frozen in her mouth. Those silver studs embedded themselves into her back and when the angel flicked his wrist backward they ripped viciously out of her skin, peeling layers of it away with them. She threw up again, though nothing came out and her stomach kept heaving as if it wished it had something to relieve itself of. The second lash was just as painful as the first. Horrified she looked down as one of the barbed ends wrapped around to her front and she had to watch as her delicate skin was shredded and torn apart in front of her eyes. She sagged against the cuffs, despair swamping her and leaving her with just a shred of life within her.
Venus slipped into the darkness one more time. The demons were gone and in their stead was the dark angel standing before her. He had dropped the darkness that he always covered himself with and Venus saw him as he was as an angel, before he fell from grace. He reminded her of Michael, though to compare the two certainly wasn’t fair. As handsome as Michael was to her, the dark one trumped him a million times over for his was an ethereal beauty. Long, white blonde hair wrapped around his muscular chest. Electric blue eyes pierced hers, shooting straight to her soul. Instead of black downy feathers, his were wings were white and enormous.
“I am Apollyon, your Lord and Master from this day forward. Your destiny is at my side…embrace it. Reject these lesser beings and step into the darkness with me. Let us rule the world together.”
His voice was soft and coaxing, it gelled over her skin like a balm of aloe lotion. It was cool and comforting. He touched her face with his fingertips and coolness wrapped around her body. His wings flapped and wrapped themselves around her, encompassing her body against his enormous frame. She was no longer scared. She was no longer in pain. She looked into his soulless eyes and sought refuge. She buried herself in the darkness he offered.
“You will become Vampyre this night but you will be something entirely different as well. I have drained you of blood. You are on the brink of death. Do you feel it pet? Death’s clawed hands trying to grab you from me? I have been keeping you alive until he showed up. You will feed from me now before you turn. My blood will run through your veins, it will strengthen you. You will not truly be an Angel but the closest that I can give to you. And he will turn you. You will be part Vampyre, part Angel and Queen of the Underworld. You will remember nothing of your previous life besides what I tell you. Now….let us have our revenge pet.”
He held her like a child, cradling her against his chest as he used a sharp knife and opened the vein at his throat.
“Drink of me, become me. Accept my body and blood as a new covenant born within you. You my Queen are the past, present, and future. Drink of me.”
Apollyon’s voice chanted those haunting ancient words again and this time Venus was drawn to them instead of repulsed. Venus licked a long line where the blood had trickled, from his nipple back up to the slit at his throat. She latched on with ferocity pulling with force. At first Apollyon’s blood tasted toxic to her. She almost gagged on it but he urged her on in gentle tones and soothing touches. She swallowed faster and soon the toxic blood tasted like melted chocolate. Sweet, sinful, decadent. Her blunt teeth buried into his skin further making the blood pour out faster. Apollyon grunted but kept urging her on. He was right. His blood was different. It made her feel different. Her body was electrified, growing hotter and hotter until she thought she would combust into flames. Only then did she pull away, gasping for breath clutching her throat as the inferno raged within her.
“Embrace it,” he called sweetly. “Embrace me. I am within you.”
Every breath she took was a thousand needles down her throat, another breath sandpaper on an open wound. Another breath gasoline on an open flame.
Apollyon sat silent as the war waged within her body. He knew they would find the door to the room eventually. Everything had gone like he planned. Just one more step and he could wage his war. He took his time perusing the little girl in his arms. Of course he had been cruel. Unforgiving. Careless. He had to be. It was his nature. And when she woke as a true new being, she would be the same way. Her features were beautiful, her hair turning black already from the darkness running through her veins. He tortured her mercilessly. It gave him pleasure when she fought him at first. Even when she hurled one of the brands at him with her mind and it sunk into his flesh, he smiled with pleasure. It gave him pleasure to break that strong spirit within her. He shook his head, break is not the right word. Bend. That spirit was still there. It flared momentarily when she saw Arias. But he broke her for himself. She would heed his wishes, he was sure of it. He watched as her body reacted to his immortal blood, knitting together the cuts. Clearing away the bruises. Mending and regenerating the skin that was torn away. The only thing that remained were the brands on her chest. They had turned out perfectly….forever marking her as his. His Chosen One.
Sounds of fighting at the door roused Apollyon from his thoughts. He laid Venus gently on the metal table and hovered over her, waiting for them to break through the door.
Drake finally turned on his phone when he seated himself on the plane. Fifteen messages, Jesus.
“Baby…I’ve been knocking on the door for thirty minutes. Are you even in there?”
Delete.
“Drake, I don’t know why you’re giving me the silent treatment. Please can you talk to me?
Delete. Delete. Delete.
The next message, she was sobbing. “I don’t know what I’ve done. I haven’t seen you for a week Drake. I don’t know if I’m even wanted anymore…did you change your mind about me? I love you…I guess I’ve never told you that. Or told anyone that. I love you Drake.”
Drake lifted his finger to press 9 to delete but saved it instead and went on to the next message.
“Drake, where the fuck are you!” Riken shouted into the phone. “They have taken her, damn it. Pick up you sorry fuck.”
Another one, Riken again. “Listen you selfish bastard. If I would have known this was how you truly felt about her I never would have let you have her.”
The last from Michael. “Drake. Please come back to us. They have her. Lord knows what they are doing to her. Drake? Do you hear me? It’s not Arias who has her…it’s Apollyon. Drake?”
> Drake closed his phone silently. The commercial jet too full for him to lose it now. Apollyon…he hadn’t heard that name is centuries. He needed to contact Michael but they were about to take off. Damn it! He cursed silently. He got up out of his seat and rushed towards the plane’s boarding door. The flight attendants were just shutting it tight.
“I need to get out of here,” he growled between his teeth. The flight attendant took one look at his disheveled state and opened the door back up.
Dialing Michael straight away, the angel answered before it even rung.
“Jesus, where the fuck have you been?” the angel admonished. “Look there’s no time for that. Where are you? We need to save her before it’s too late!” the angel continued before Drake could speak.
“I’m in Italy near Florence.”
“Don’t move, we are changing our flight schedule now. Be there shortly.”
As Arias tore through the Talmidim’s throats and rendered them to ashes he searched his memory for ways to kill an Angel. And he remembered Apollyon’s words to him. Only an Angel can kill another Angel. He cursed, not knowing what his next plan was going to be. He had to save Venus though. That was a given. After she was in his arms again, then he would think about the next step. Ivan kicked the door open and froze and Arias followed suit. The Angel had his Queen on the center table, a knife hovering above her heart.
“Ivan, leave us,” Apollyon commanded.
The Talmidim glanced at Arias, for the first time uncertainty flickering across his features.
“Leave us or I’ll end her pathetic existence now.”
“What do you want Apollyon?” Arias roared furious now.
The Angel smirked and lowered the knife slightly.
“Come closer Arias. You will do but one more thing and I will let your precious beauty go.”
Arias stepped closer, hesitantly. He glanced down at his Queen. Though it wasn’t her anymore…at least as he knew her. Her body was blemish free. It was still dirty and smeared with blood. Her hair though…her beautiful golden hair. Black as the angel’s wings in front of him.
“What did you do to her?” he growled approaching quicker.
“Ah, ah, ah,” the angel mocked waving the knife in the air before pressing it into Venus’ skin above her heart. A thin trickle of blood seeped from the new wound.
“You need to be asking what you need to do Vampyre,” Apollyon sneered.
“Quit with the games,” Arias pleaded. Venus’ blood dripping had that sobering effect on him.
“Turn her,” Apollyon commanded.
Arias’ eyes flipped to the angel’s burning with intensity.
“I won’t change her without her free will. That would be rape.”
“She wants this. I won’t say this again, turn her Arias. Or I will find another Mashiach who will.”
The last statement sent Arias in motion. He knelt at the table, caressed Venus’ cold body. He pushed a wave of power into her, hoping to revive her still body. An extremely rare tear rolled down his cheek as he stroked her face. The brands on her chest glared back at him as he lowered his head and pressed his lips against hers softly. He cradled her head into his hands and felt his fangs retract. Arias pierced her skin gently, not wanting to cause her any more pain than she’d already been through that night. Instead of pulling out blood, he pushed the chemicals into her bloodstream that would change her life forever.
Venus rested peacefully in the darkness Apollyon had gifted her until a new feeling filled her body. She was already humming with life from Apollyon’s blood but whatever was coursing through her veins now was like steroids. Her emerald green eyes flipped open and caught sight of a new world. Something was at her neck. While her first instinct was to bat the thing away, she gave pause and looked down. It was the one Apollyon had said would change her into Vampyre. He was enormous, his chocolate colored head still bent into the crevice of her throat. He was supposed to be some sort of prince, Venus remembered quickly dismissing him. Instead she turned her head to the right as her Master filled her vision. With her new Vampyre sight, she drank him in greedily. No longer showing himself in all his angelic beauty, Apollyon was the embodiment of all that was wicked. Larger even than the Vampyre at her throat, his was the color of coagulated blood…rich crimsons darkening to black. Scars littered his body and Venus wanted to run her tongue along each and every one. His hands were enormous, they could probably crush her skull in a heartbeat and his nails were like talons. Those wings, ones that comforted her in her dreams were stark reality now. He was lovely and horrible at the same time, and she knew she was a mirror image of him. Together they would be unstoppable.
The Vampyre at her throat made a crooning noise deep down in his chest, she felt it rumble her whole body. She looked down at him again with disgust. His large hands were cradling her as if she meant something to him. His touch made her skin crawl. She needed to be away from him even if he was her Vampyre sire. A growl erupted from her throat, low, long, and fierce. The Vampyre sat up, hope making his black eyes swirl turbulently. Venus’ eyes narrowed upon him and she attacked.
16
Venus dimly heard the bellowing laughter of her King to her right and the shocked intake of breath from the prince nearest her. Darkness ran through her veins and it wanted a taste of this prince. She surprised herself with the viscous snarl erupting from her throat but knew exactly what her target was. The prince was lifting his head from her throat when he saw her face. Shock transformed his features in slow motion. It was his eyes that registered it first. They widened in disbelief and hardened instantly with the knowledge that she was going to kill him. His mouth forming words that she didn’t have a care to hear. Her newly energized and power-ridden body flew off the table and plowed into the Vampyre, driving him into the wall with such a force that pieces of plaster starting raining from the ceiling. Her fangs had plunged from the roof of her mouth minutes ago and they ached for his blood. Quicker than even possible at Vampyre speed, she struck and tore through his chocolate colored skin. When the richness of the blood hit her, she shuddered and moaned and only then did she hear him call out, “My love, my love”. And instead of fighting her as would any other enemy, she felt his massive hands pressing her to him as if he wanted her to end him. All these thoughts and sensations swirled through her, creating havoc in her jumbled mind. Venus heard Apollyon’s laughter in the background still and she suddenly was overwhelmed with the feeling that what she was doing was because he willed it to be, not because she wanted to. She sat up slowly, her eyes struggling to focus. Wincing at the torn throat of the Vampyre beneath her. She pressed herself against him again, licking the angry jagged laceration closed.
“Venus, why did you not finish it?” Apollyon called from across the room. “I was having such a delight watching you feast.”
Venus swallowed hard, confusion making her head pound so hard that she swayed. She looked into the Vampyre’s face and he was staring intently at her, a look that froze her and wiped away any thought that wasn’t him. She didn’t know his name. She felt like she should know. But the knowledge wasn’t there. She brought a hand to her head as the pounding wasn’t relenting. And miracle of miracles, the Vampyre raised his hand and caressed her face infusing her with some sort of different energy and it lightened her entire being, chasing away the daggers in her brain. She sat back on her haunches and turned her head, regarding Apollyon thoughtfully.
“His blood is so delicious, I wanted to save him like a daily snack instead of feast upon him like a 5 course dinner.”
The lie slipped off her tongue and Apollyon easily approved of it, opening his arms beckoning her to him. She hopped off the fallen Vampyre and let herself be coddled in her Master’s arms.
“Would it please you my Queen to have him as your daily source of food?” Apollyon whispered in her ear.
Venus nodded and indulged in her lie. “I will of course need variety because I will become bored with him after a while but yes, his
blood is strong and energizes me.”
“It is done, then. Come my sweet, we have much to do.”
Venus allowed herself to be tugged along and she shifted her eyes to the enormous Vampyre as they passed him on their way out of the room. Those swirling black eyes were waiting to meet hers and she almost let herself pause and get lost in them but was too aware of her Master at her side. The consequences of his displeasure were more influential than her curiosity of the Vampyre at her feet.
Arias was seized by eight stinking Talmidim. He would have fought them off, twisted their heads from their stinking bodies any other day of the week. But one, he had just been deprived of several pints of blood. And two, he was just demoted to his Queen's food source. The moment she pulled away from his throat, he could sense her wheels turning. Whatever Apollyon had done to her, her bright intelligence was still in tact. When those migraines racked her brain and he touched her, he could tell it roused something within her. Arias was willing to suffer anything, even death to get Venus back. He needed to get a message out to Justice somehow though. He needed help and the help he needed wouldn't be the most willing to offer. As the bloodsuckers led him past Ivan in the hallway, the prince locked eyes with the Talmidim leader for several long-lasting seconds until Ivan gave him a single sober nod.
Revelations Coming (The Dark Truth Novel Series) Page 14