The Vampire Legacies Book One
The Scarlet Drop
Chapter Eight
Antonio collected the items he needed for the dream walk, mulling over how on earth to get Victoria to trust him. Her fractured memory barely allowed her to know snatches of her past with Steven; he had no way of knowing if she had any idea who he actually was until they met. If she didn’t remember him then it was going to be a long hard fight just to get her to speak to him, to not lock him out of her dreamscape. Before he could try to fix her mind, or talk her out of it and back to the real world. This was not going to be an easy mission even without his personal feelings being taken into account.
He needed a drink, something to settle his nerves before the castings. He couldn’t bring himself to allow the weakness of his own selfish needs, not with Steve in the mists of his own addictions as usual. That man always had been spineless, the second anything went wrong in his life he hit the bottle, drugs or worse. That, in the end, had been why Tony himself had walked away from all that he loved, Victoria just as much. He had to suffer the loss of her without the poisons the other used. He buried himself in his work, trying to keep out of the world as much as possible so he had no idea what was going on between them.
Victoria’s pain had been enough to snap him back to reality, as soon as he realized she was in mortal danger he couldn’t stay on the sidelines any longer. He had to go to her, had to help her. The Gods above knew that he would never forgive himself if anything happened to her. His eternity was barren without her, his heart blacked and tainted. He longed to be in her life and her arms again. Sooner or later she would again have to choose between her ex-lovers, he would obey her wishes either way or even if she wanted to walk away from both of them. He just wanted her happy, whatever that took. She lived such short life spans; she at least deserved to be happy during them.
Once this night was over, whether she lived or died, he vowed to himself he would personally throw Steven Nicholson’s pathetic ass back into rehab to clean him up, whatever it took! The fact he wasn’t even feeding himself like some little child drove him crazy. How could he be guiding Vicky, when he wasn’t even able to take care of his own pathetic lazy ass? The elders would hear about this, which was for certain. Steven had rank, land, titles, people he was meant to be taking care of. He was a leader, that beautiful girl wasn’t his own task in this world. Clearly those duties were being neglected, that was something he would not stand for. In their world, people make mistakes and others die. There was no room for anyone who wasn’t willing to give 110% to the cause, whatever the reasoning behind it. He just wished, given their history, that it didn’t have to be himself reporting the boy; it seemed like an act of pure spite.
Antonio grabbed some more fresh blood, before heading back to the girl’s house. He appeared back in the middle of the bedroom; Steve was asleep curled up in a chair across from her bed. She was still sleeping peacefully; her skin had dropped two more degrees. He looked at the blonde man by his side; it burned him to have to wake him up knowing how much the rest was needed. The young vampire could really do with about 18 pints, and a few weeks buried in the earth to recover. He wished he could give it to him, but that was impossible. He lent down gently shaking his shoulder. “Rise and shine sleeping beauty.” He said quietly.
Steve stirred forcing his eyes open with great effort, looking up at Tony the exhaustion clear in his face. He mumbled something incoherently, eyes closing again. Turning over in the chair to bury his face into its surface to try to fall back to sleep.
“Sorry, you have to get up for her sake.” Tony tried, shaking him again.
Steve groaned and sat up slowly trying to focus on the room, “I just want this over.” He murmured.
“It will be soon, one way or the other.” Antonio promised, handing him a flask of blood.
The blonde took it gratefully, tearing the top off, gulping it down greedily. Draining the container dry in moments, sighing as it filled his veins with warmth. “What do we do?” he asked.
“Protective circle.” Tony asked handing over his bag. He busied himself preparing the dream root potion while the other used chalk and candles to set up a circle around the bed, pentagrams for protection, candles at each point of the star lighting them. Incense filled the room with a drowsy sensation, just the right kind of atmosphere for dream walking.
Antonio downed the potion gagging slightly at its sour taste, “I have less than three hours to get her out of there. At the end of three hours, do whatever it takes to wake both of us. If she dies while I’m in there, we both die.”
Steve nodded, “I’m sober. I promise I won’t mess this up, I won’t let the people I care about down again.”
Tony stared at him gauging the truth in his words; he seemed honest for now that’s all he could hope for. “Just take care of us, keep the fever down. The herbs will cause havoc with my body. Keep it cool, keep it hydrated. Watch yourself; if anything is going to attack it’s going to be now.”
“I have weapons set up, tricks, traps; you will be kept safe, my word.” Steve promised.
Tony laid down on the bed next to Victoria, taking her into his arms as the potion started to work. His limbs already felt heavy, tired, within minutes he would be deep in the realm of dreams. He hummed to her gently, trying to tie their souls together once again. Merge them in the sweet bonds of their long passed marriage.
Steve set himself up across from the bed, a sword strapped to one hip, a shotgun on his back and a crossbow sat in his lap. Anything coming into this house would find itself coming up against one of the strongest soldiers there ever was. Without the booze in his system, his hands shook slightly. He hoped it wouldn’t be enough to affect his judgment, the cravings were high already. They were only going to grow worse as the night drew on; he had to keep control somehow. Busying himself, warding the house from anything and everything he could think of. Three hours they had, all he needed to do was keep the darkness and his cravings away that long. Somehow he knew in his bones that it wasn’t going to be that easy, as he watched the shadows growing outside ready for their attack.
Shades, they were one of the worst kind of demons. Certainly not what he would want to meet in a nicely lit mall, let alone a dark alleyway or breaking into the house. He had never seen so many in one place before; they usually worked in singles or trios. He could count at least nine out there already, the way they were waiting it looked like far more were on the way. This was going to be a long night for everyone. Somehow he got the feeling that saving Victoria or letting her die would make no difference to the war party setting up outside.
He was going to need a lot more fire power, he found his phone and sent out a mass email to a few people he knew that might be willing to help them protect the youngling. A few that knew the truth of who she was, what she would become. Those he hoped would be willing to invest a little time and effort into trying to keep her alive to further the cause. They needed her to stay alive, to finally come of age to fight the war on its way. Yes the fight between light and dark would always rage, but there was a time of choosing coming up in nine years’ time. A choosing that would be a lot easier if she was there and self-aware enough to make the choice herself and for others. If she died now, then there was no way of knowing when she would be reborn or if they could get to her or prepare her in time. It was vital that THIS life lived, for everyone.
Perhaps it was the vitalness of his mission this time that was sending him deeper into the bottle than usual. He always messed up, always let her down; he knew that he would again. He didn’t know how else to be other than a screw up. He was too far gone now to be any good to anyone, had been for far too long. He wanted out, but she kept tempting him back every time he ran.
His phone beeped, a few positive replies. That was good; support was on its way. They were going to need it; the only way out of here tonight was to fight their way out. Victoria didn’t know how to fight; they would have to protect her.
/> If she lived.
Please Gods, let her live.
The Vampire Legacies Book One
The Scarlet Drop
Chapter Nine
Antonio drifted into a deep slumber, comforted by the smell, the touch of his wife. He could not pretend how amazing it felt to be with her again. He’d forgotten how good he felt when he was around his true love. This was going to make it a thousand times harder to walk away again when it was over. Now he was with her he knew he could never walk away again. He needed her too much, she was his universe. That was his problem; he couldn’t be away from her any more than Steve could. The three of them would forever be bound in the chains of love, and past marriages. In all the centuries of drinking, Steve had forgotten the simple truth of them. He wasn’t the one who Victoria belonged to, mind, body and spirit. He was the one she had been made to love, to avoid the painful truths that always lead to her death. If dark things knew that she was actually Antonio’s lover, then she would be killed. Not just in the usual way, but her soul scattered so she could never return again. So he buried his feelings with magic, ignored the constant desire to steal her heart back where it belonged for the rest of eternity. Allowing her to love him again was far too dangerous. Better she stay with Steve, safer.
The grey between lands were the first place he opened his eyes to, he would not permit himself to linger here. It was far too dangerous to tempt the shadows by staying here longer then it took to cross from one place to another. That was something he would have to teach her, if she didn’t already realize. It was clear she spent time traveling, more than she should be able to while she was bound. Then again, she shouldn’t be able to storm mage either. The bindings should control all magic, make her human. She was strong, stubborn; clearly she had her own ideas on how her powers should work. That was something he would have to look into when there was more time. Steve might not remember the mage she had once been, but he did. That strongest he had ever known, even stronger than himself. How they had danced through the ages, in the eye of the storm before she had to be hidden.
Something was stirring in the shadows as he crossed the wilderness, a darkness brewing. They were being watched, things were building. He could see it being a fight to get out of here alive for both of them. He had to wonder what was happening in reality, if Steven was getting the same show of power as he was seeing here. A cold shiver ran up his back, he really didn’t like this set up, the darkness wanted their little girl. He wasn’t going to let them take her. She deserved to be free of the endless war between good and evil.
Antonio opened the door and settled into Victoria’s dream scape, locking it firmly behind him so nothing could follow. The world was tangled, dangerous, like something from a dark fairy tale. It was going to fight against him at every single step. He was impressed; she had built up some pretty powerful defenses for someone who knew nothing about magic. He could cut through them pretty easily, he was stronger than her, knew her style, but it was going to slow him down. Hopefully not so much that she would suffer. He needed all the time he could get to just be with her to try and win her heart again.
Wait, he meant win her trust, right?
No, he really didn’t. He wanted her to love again, the way she once had. In the way that would get her killed. He shook his head, cursing himself to be a little less selfish.
X
I walked along by the sea, it was sunset and the water was calm and still. I felt at peace as I walked down the sandy shoreline. The salty air was calming and heady. I tired easily these days, as my body was breaking down. I knew that I could stay here forever in a blissful state of relaxation that I had never found in my world. Hassled for being a freak and bullied, beaten and abused, there was no reason to return. All my life I had looked for an escape for the endless agony of life. Addictions, death, I thought that had been the way to go about it. Now I realized my powers were the true escape. I just allow myself to calmly dwindle away to nothingness. Allow my mind to stay in this peaceful place until the end of time.
I lay down on the sand and watched the waves crashing against the beach, my eyes grew heavy and I started to drift off. Sleeping in a dream state is a strange thing, half-truths and dreams cross your mind. Was this my final slumber, I wondered idly trying hard to even care if it was? My thoughts turned to my family; they wouldn't miss me, nor the drinking buddies I had spent so long with. The man I loved hated me. I let my eyes flutter shut and darkness take my mind.
There was a voice in the night, calling me back to life. Speaking words of love, and passion. When I opened my eyes, I was still on the sand, the water lapping at my toes, the tide had come in and I must have been asleep for hours. Feeling a little stronger now I climbed back up the cliffs to my home. When I entered I noticed that things had changed. There where pictures on the walls that hadn't been there before. Me at my own wedding, dressed in a flowing white dress hand in hand with Steve, me and a young child, clearly my own. Steve smiling towards the camera looking blissfully happy. I knew that these things had never happened to me, yet I knew that they had at the same time. That I was now looking at pieces of my past, ones I had been starting to remember for some time now.
Maybe my old life wasn't so bad; the brief moments I had spent with him were some of my happiest. Maybe he could come to accept what I was, as I could what he was? The fear on his face came back to me, and my eyes teared up. Then again maybe he couldn't. I was a complete freak, an abomination against god and the world. I heard voices, I could heal people and do things no other person could. The only people who had found out about my curse had shoved me into a hospital to try and drug the abilities out of me. I’d never been free to be myself. Always hiding away, always living in the shadows. Living with Steven would be no different, I’d always be just a piece of myself instead of the total awesomeness I wished I could be. The better woman, the stronger one I remembered in my dreams.
I walked out of the house, the pictures were annoying me. Why would my mind want to remember him when he had hurt me so badly? I cursed my foolish heart for still caring for him. Stupid to be in love with someone I hardly even knew. Yet my heart couldn’t give him up. Trying to calm my thoughts, I headed back to the cliff face. Walking without even really looking where I was going. My feet knew that pathway well enough that I wouldn’t fall. The seagulls cawed overhead, mixing with the sound of the waves crashing below me. It should be a peaceful enough scene, however my back itched. A sure sign I wasn’t alone, although whoever else could be wrapped inside my dream I had no idea.
And then I saw him, a young man dressed as a Goth. Walking along a lower pathway not far from me. He wasn’t of my creation, I knew that much. I also knew he was in danger, one of the shadows from the between places was following him. It would suck the life out of him if he wasn’t careful. I had seen a young girl die that way, a friend of mine. Since then I had learned to manipulate the cosmos a little. Just enough to give me what I needed. I flexed my fingers, drawing on a long unused skill. Watching a thin glowing dagger appear in my hand. Cold with blue fire from somewhere I had visited once, yet never located again. It had saved my life more than once escaping the shadows. I had made a bow once as well, spent hours practicing with it. My shot was pretty good, until I got locked away. Prevented from traveling, since then I had been in denial so no more practicing.
As I watched the man looked over the edge at the waves. The shadow seized its chance while he was distracted and attacked. The man tried to fend it off with a kind of magic device. Other shadows came, surrounding him. This wasn’t good, not only were shadows on my lands, they were hunting. If I didn’t stop them, I could be next. Even I understood there were fates worse than death.
I skidded down the side of the path, coming towards them quietly. My dagger growing until it was the size of a half sword. It gripped to my palm perfectly, like an extension of my own body just like before. I drew on my magic calling the winds to aid us, attacking the creatures with them as I struck the fir
st with my sword. It hissed as the blue fire touched its form. My sword sunk in, sticking like it was in muddy ground. With effort I pulled it back to strike again.
The man nodded at me, taking a defensive position behind me. Using his magic to try to set them on fire. “Light defeats darkness.” He commented over the screeching of the creatures.
“Duh, like I didn’t know that already. Pretty much Wicca 101!” I snapped back. The winds were rising around us, black clouds forming overhead. I called the storm into the middle of us. Drawing it from over the ocean, so lightning danced around our bodies. Burning the shadows where ever it touched.
“Victoria, don’t harness something you do not understand.” He warned, as one of the shadows burst into flames.
“Sorry I don’t take advice from strangers.” I said dodging an attack that had nearly beheaded me.
“Victoria, come with us. We can teach you, train you, and make you better.” The shadows whispered. “We can make sure you never feel pain again. Never be hurt by another mortal. We can ease your aching heart.”
I froze for a moment, the thought of going back to my life and not feeling the weight of the world was extremely tempting. “And what would be the price?” I asked calmly, lowering my sword.
“Don’t trust them, they will offer you anything it takes to get your soul from you. Then you will be lost. You won’t even remember who you are any more, you will just be another one of them.” He warned.
“Oh shut up.” I snapped.
“Nothing, just a single moment of your life before. One little memory you won’t even miss. Then you will be free from everything.” It promised.
The Scarlet Drop: The Vampire Legacies Book One Page 6