by J. L. McCoy
“Nay, dheartháir,” Ruarc shook his head as he took a step forward, fierce determination in his eyes. “Step away and let her come forth.”
I felt the muscles in Archer’s body instantly harden. A few anxious moments passed before I felt them relax again as he came to a decision and stepped a foot to his right, unshielding me.
I fearfully met Ruarc’s eyes and in an instant, the atmosphere changed.
“Her eyes are black as midnight,” Ruarc whispered, anger lacing his words. His furious eyes then slid from my face to Archer’s. “You dare to lie to me and the sworn Army of An Dilis? She IS an abomination! Her eyes declare that she is neither Day nor Dark, Fearchar. She is not of God…she is of HIM!” As he spoke, Ruarc and his soldiers shifted as they took in my new form and my black eyes; I knew from my my training with Hagan that they were readying themselves for a fight.
“Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live,” Ruarc quoted in disgust as he drew his dagger from its place upon his hip.
The next events happened so fast, I barely had time to process them. Archer stepped forward, grabbed me and threw my body behind his as Ruarc and his men advanced on us.
“Do not do this, dheartháir. I beg you,” Archer growled as he crouched his body in front of mine, protecting me. “Do not force my hand against you.”
Ruarc was silent as he flashed the ten feet to us and engaged Archer. I had never seen a vampire move as fast as he and even my new eyes understood how formidable he was. Ruarc and Archer came together in a crash of bodies as the other members of The Faithful closed in on me.
Indecision wracked my psyche. Do I attack them or do nothing and die like I had originally wanted? This was my chance to be free from my unexpected vampirism if I chose. Could I let them do it? I wonder if they will kill me quickly. My answer was chosen for me the second I heard Archer cry out in pain. My fangs descended with a familiar pinch as a furious growl tore itself from my chest. I barely had time to recognize that the sound came from me as I instantly took down my first attacker with a hard palm to the throat, crushing his windpipe with my newfound strength. I grabbed his sword with my free hand as I threw him away from me and met the next challenge with a roundhouse kick to the face. Everything seemed to move in slow motion as I furiously fought my way to Archer.
Their punches landed upon my body as blades of silver slashed at and stung my skin. The smell of my blood permeated the air, sending me into a wild state of anger and vengeance.
I was in the process of bringing my sword around to decapitate the one who had stabbed me in the stomach, when a scream drew my attention, giving my target just enough time to dodge the killing blow.
“STOOOOOP!!!” someone bellowed thunderously as a rush of bodies flashed down the stairs. I watched as Aoife, Trey, Lochlan, Quinn, Hunter and Seamus ran to Archer, swords and daggers in hand to form a protective wall around him, ready to fight to the death.
One of the members of The Faithful took my distraction as an invitation to kill and sliced my throat open with one daggered hand as he stabbed me in the chest with the other.
In an instant, I saw Hagan flash over to the man and break his neck with a quick twist from behind, causing his body to drop lifelessly to the floor.
Panic stricken, I gulped helplessly for breath; the terrible gurgling sound scaring me even more as my world started to tilt to the left. My hands flew to my face and I realized my head had nearly been decapitated as I clutched it tightly, righting it. I began to notice an itching sensation replacing the burning sting caused by the silver as my spine, esophagus, muscle, tissue and skin rapidly repaired itself.
A collective gasp swallowed the silence as I took a deep breath in, relieved to find I could once again. I spit a mouthful of my blood out onto the polished concrete floor and wiped my wet lips with the back of my dirty, bloodstained hand.
“Did you see that?” Pádraig whispered in awe as he stood beside an equally astonished Hagan.
“Aye. But, I’m wondering how she’s still standing with that dagger in her heart,” Hagan whispered back.
Horrified by their words, I looked down at my chest to see a silver dagger buried to its hilt under my left breast. “Oh shit,” I frowned as I fumbled for a moment with the handle, scared of touching it and making my injury worse. I took a deep breath, squeezed my eyes tightly shut and yanked the knife out of me. My heart gave a hard, soul-shaking shudder, the pain almost bringing me to my knees, as it started beating again.
“Mother-fucking-son-of-a-BITCH that hurt!” I gritted as I dropped the bloody dagger to the floor, my eyes instantly finding Ruarc’s in my anger.
“What sorcery is this?” Ruarc whispered, confused.
Hagan unexpectedly flashed to me and grabbed me by my head, putting his forehead to mine. I was too shocked by the intimacy and his proximity to react. “Show them what is true,” he whispered calmly to me as some invisible force pushed ruthlessly at my mind. It dug deep, to the core of my very being and pulled forth the essence of who I was. Instantaneous visions and emotions from my human life soared to the forefront of my mind.
Archer. Jameson. Nikki. Styvi. Mom. Home. Color. Paint. Dance. Love. Joy. Music. Dan. Jameson. The Mausoleum. Archer. Happiness. Love.
When Hagan withdrew his forehead from mine, I drew a deep, shuddering breath. I felt my eyes flicker as they rapidly blurred with cold tears. I looked up into Hagan’s face; my anger, frustration, rage and pain completely forgotten. To my amazement, I felt like me -the REAL me- for the first time in over a month. I suddenly didn’t feel like I wanted to beat up or kill everything that moved and I sighed with the instant relief it brought to my tortured soul.
Hagan stepped to the side of me and once again I could see people in the basement. Another collective gasp echoed across the room as Hagan patted me on the back and slung his arm around my neck, almost proudly to my amazement. “Good job, Morrison,” he said quietly. “I knew you were in there somewhere.”
My only answer was an exhausted but thankful half chuckle, half sigh.
“Not sorcery, my brother,” Hagan smiled, addressing Ruarc. “Skye has curried favor with our Lord it seems. Even though she carries Amun’s mark, she has our father’s blood. She may be a bit different, I know, but she is in there. Skye’s humanity is intact. See for yourself.”
“You dare to use your Divine Power on this abomination?” one of the members of the Army seethed. “You are forbidden to use your gift except in the service of our Lord and your brethren An Dilis! You took the sacred oath!”
“Calm yourself, Freddy,” Hagan rolled his eyes. “You were going to kill her and I only meant to show you her humanity.”
“Her eyes,” Ruarc growled, abandoning his fight with Archer and walking within a few feet of me, “have no color now! Never has a Day Walker had their eye color change during rebirth. No,” he shook his head, “she cannot truly be one of us. I don’t believe it.”
“Can you not smell her blood?” Trey said in an impatient tone, then changed it when Ruarc shot him a warning look. “She smells of my father, of Archer. His blood is now her blood, as it is for all of his children, sir.”
“Dheartháir, you doubt my Divine Powers after all these years?” Hagan frowned as he addressed Ruarc again. “Never have you questioned or not believed what I’ve told you.”
“Your loyalties may be compromised, Hagan,” Ruarc said carefully, his tone changing from menacing to fatherly. “It is plain to see you have grown attached to this human, otherwise you would have never interfered with my orders.”
Hagan took a deep breath and glanced over at me, but I didn’t dare take my eyes off Ruarc to see what emotion lay behind his gaze. I didn’t trust Ruarc at all; it was no secret he didn’t like me. “She is worthy of my respect…and yours, my leader. Let her prove to An Dilis that she is more Day Walker than she is the monster. I fall on your mercy and humbly request that you give her a reprieve from her death sentence. Give me thirty days to prove to you that she is ours and of
God, dheartháir. You will be sentencing an innocent woman to death if you proceed with your plan. We took an oath, brother; to protect the innocent at all costs and defend them against dark forces. Killing an innocent will be a stain on your soul and one God will not forget. Remember the words you told me long ago when I sought my revenge on dheartháir Arturo’s murderer and all those the murderer made: “That be far from you to do after this manner; to slay the righteous with the wicked and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from you. Shall not the Judge of all the Earth do right, my son? For those that do not, let them be blotted out of the book of the living, and not be written with the righteous. If I am grossly wrong, which I doubt, by our tAthair Naofa, I’ll kill her myself.”
Ruarc sighed heavily and indecision flickered across his face as he studied me. Hagan’s words seemed to be having the desired effect on him and Ruarc looked like he was considering Hagan’s proposal.
But me? I was completely shocked at what Hagan had just done. He had stood up for me and fought for my right to live. Hagan may have been my teacher, but I never knew he cared a single snit about me before this moment. His words touched me deeply and I began to see a whole other side to my fearless trainer.
I turned my attention back to Ruarc and opened my mouth to say something, but Hagan clamped a firm hand to it before I could mutter a single sound.
“Shut it, Morrison,” he whispered gravely in my ear. “Your very life is being decided as is your very next breath. Now is not the time for your ever colorful commentary.”
My eyes widened as I heard his words, the gravity of the situation finally settling in, but I had one thing I had to say. Ruarc was treating me as if I was some kind of monster and I wasn’t. I was still me…a little fucked up sure, but I was still me, dammit.
I shook off Hagan’s hand and met Ruarc’s stunning emerald eyes bravely. “Whatever is inside me now does not change the core of the person I am. I’m still me, Ruarc.”
“You will advise the… girl,” he growled begrudgingly to Hagan, “not to address me again or I’ll cut out her tongue.”
My colorless eyes grew wide as I quickly shut my mouth. Hagan shot me a look that screamed I told you so, stupid!.
Ruarc looked back at Archer, then at his men as indecision played at his brow. The room was utterly quiet as Ruarc pondered over my fate. Finally, he turned to me again with another heavy sigh and looked me up and down one last time.
“If you are certain this is what you want to do, let it be known you have used your only favor with me, son,” he addressed Hagan sternly, his eyes never leaving mine. “It is only because you are my child that I grant her stay. You will prove to me beyond a shadow of a doubt that she is worthy to live. If she fails even one of my tests you will kill her yourself, is that clear?”
“Crystal, athair,” Hagan respectfully nodded. “Thank you for your graciousness and mercy, sir.”
“Do not thank me yet,” Ruarc said as he crossed his arms over his chest and finally slid his gaze over to Hagan. “She still straddles death’s door.”
He then turned and addressed Killian. “Your duty here is done, my son. You will rejoin your brothers in arms as they search for Amun. I will appoint dheartháir Oleif to watch over the girl now.”
He glanced back over his shoulder at Hagan. “You, Emrick, and Oleif will be able to handle her, yes? I want someone guarding her at all times. She is never to be alone.”
“Aye, athair,” Hagan bowed his head again. “You have my solemn vow.”
Ruarc turned his head and stepped over to a towering man with long, straight blond hair and aqua eyes. He was blindingly handsome and seemed extremely formidable. He also looked distinctly Viking and I wondered if he was old enough to have been.
“Oleif, I trust you to watch this creature closely,” Ruarc said quietly to him, but my newly sensitive vampire hearing picked it up anyway and I bristled at the slur. “You are my eyes and ears while I’m away hunting for her sire. Should she become a problem, you have my blessing to act accordingly.”
“Aye, sir,” Oleif rumbled in his deep, heavily accented voice as his gaze flickered over to me. His eyes were cold and promised my death if I stepped out of line. The hair on the back of my neck stood on end as I swallowed hard and immediately averted my gaze. Oleif scared the holy hell out of me.
A soft groan sounded a few feet away as the man who tried unsuccessfully to murder me stirred. We all turned and looked down at him as he sat up. “W-Why am I on the floor?” he mumbled, confused before his gaze slid to me. His eyes grew wide as he took in my uninjured neck and chest. “Impossible! I delivered death’s blade to her heart. She should be dead! What trick is this?”
Killian was the closest to him and reached down to help his fallen brother off the floor. “There is much you missed, dheartháir. I’ll fill you in later over a pint of blood.”
Ruarc’s voice rose as he called out an Irish-Gaelic command to his men. I glanced up to see them sheath their weapons and turn to climb the stairs. Ruarc turned back to my new vampire brothers and sister and addressed Archer who was still being shielded by the wall their bodies formed.
“You are not permitted to allow her to take the sacred vows. She is not one of us until I say she is. IF she passes my tests, she will be allowed to declare herself to our Lord. I have been more than generous this day, Fearchar. Do not soon forget it.” With that, Ruarc flashed up the stairs and joined his men in leaving the house.
Chapter Four
“Feckin’ ‘ell that was tense!” Lochlan burst out as soon as we heard the front door close.
Everyone took a much needed deep breath and glanced over at me. It was unnerving having all eyes on me. They were looking at me like I was about to sprout three heads or something.
“What? I’m not going to bite, geez,” I rolled my eyes as I crossed my filthy arms over my ruined and now ripped tank top. “Stop looking at me like I’m unhinged.”
“Uh,” Trey started timidly. He was the first to speak as he looked over at Archer for permission to come to me. I sighed heavily and pursed my lips as Archer nodded faintly.
“You look good, honey,” Trey smiled as he broke from the group and slowly walked over to me.
“How do you feel, Morrison?” Hagan questioned.
I licked my lips as another hunger pain slammed into me, this one a lot stronger than the last.
Trey gently put his hand on my shoulder and chuckled. “She’s hungry… very hungry. Besides that I feel relief… lots of relief and gratitude. What do you say we clean you up and get you something to drink, Skye?”
I looked down again at my filthy skin, the horrors of my rough rebirth coating it almost completely, and nodded my head eagerly. “A shower sounds really good right now.”
Trey smiled proudly and put his arm around my waist. “Come meet our new sister,” he addressed the group.
Aoife was the first to flash over to me and throw her arms around me. “Finally! You’re really one of us. I knew it wouldn’t be long before you decided to accept the gift of immortality.”
I frowned but hugged her back. “I didn’t choose this, Aoife.”
“Details, darling,” she leaned back and flicked her wrist dismissively as Seamus took my hand.
“Aye, you’re in fine form now,” Seamus smiled as he lightly punched my shoulder.
“She was always in fine form,” Lochlan wagged his eyebrows as he picked me up in a bear hug and spun me around once. “Welcome to the family, feek.”
My brow furrowed as Lochlan set me back down. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves here. I’m under no false illusions. I know I’m a freak of nature. Ruarc may still decide to kill me simply because of that… even if I pass his tests.”
“We won’t allow that to happen,” Hunter said from his place by Archer.
“I’m not going to let you guys go down with me,” I shook my head.
“It’s not your decision,” Quinn grumbled from the back of the group a
s he crossed his corded arms over his chest. “Our father’s blood is within you and that makes you family. We will always protect our family.”
Oleif’s growl drew our attention and I glanced over to see his deep scowl.
“Uh,” Pádraig spoke as he carefully eyed his colleague, “maybe you guys should go ahead and get her cleaned up.”
“Yes, I think that’s a good idea,” Trey said quickly, sensing the precarious mood of my new guard. “I’ll go lay you out an outfit.”
“Need any ‘elp washing your back?” Lochlan wiggled his eyebrows suggestively and winked at me.
Quinn scoffed and gave him a playful shove toward the stairs. “The last thing the poor girl needs is you horn-balling all over her, Loch.”
“Hey,” he smiled widely and held his hands up in surrender as he trudged up the stairs, “I was just trying to be helpful.”
Seamus laughed out something to him in Gaelic that had the rest of them laughing as well.
I watched Aoife, Quinn, Seamus, Lochlan, Hunter, and Trey climb up the stairs, their cheerful voices fading slightly with their ascent, and I turned to glance over my shoulder at Oleif. He cocked one eyebrow and motioned for me to follow with his hand.
I quickly looked over at Pádraig and Hagan before turning back around and walking over to where Archer was waiting by the stairs.
I put one hand on the bannister and stopped to look up briefly into his eyes. Trepidation and uncertainness coursed through me as I spoke silently to him. I’m scared Archer, I admitted for the first time.
He gave me a small, sad smile as he brushed the tangled hair from my forehead. “It’ll be okay,” he whispered.