The Scarlet Drop: The Vampire Legacies Book One

by Sarah Beth James

  Seconds later I was at their side in the thick of the battle, slashing away at anything that came too close. Tony tried to push me out of the battle several times, but he couldn’t we were too tightly packed into the space with too many of the enemy approaching. The fight was over in a few minutes, with three of us attacking them, there was little escape. Tony turning them to flames, Steve with his arrows and me slashing for all I was worth. I swung the staff one last time to get it grabbed. “Vicky it’s me, it's me. Calm just breathe baby.”

  It was Steve, it was over. We had won, for now at least. I let the staff fall from my hands, clattering on the floor as I tried to regain my breath. My heart was pounding, I felt sick. All I could smell was blood, all I could see was blood, on my clothes, on my friends, the floor, the walls and my hands. More and more blood, I didn’t know how Steve was holding control like he was when he needed to feed.

  They both stood there watching me, waiting for something. I didn’t know what, I just felt scared. This all felt far too familiar to me. Fighting, war, blood. Like I had been born for it. I wanted to keep fighting, to chase after any stragglers and destroy them as well. I needed my husband; I needed him to take it all away. Whatever this was I was feeling. Yet when I looked up, it wasn’t Steve I looked at. It wasn’t Steve I felt a swirl of emotions in my heart for. “Tony?” I mumbled.

  He took me in his arms, “I’m here baby, I’m here. Shh. It’s all okay, I will make it all better.”

  I wanted to ask him what he was going to do, what he could possibly do to make all of this right. I couldn’t speak; the tightness in my chest was growing so I couldn’t speak at all. I could hear screaming, I didn’t realise it was coming from my own mouth. All I heard was one simple word whispered in my ear, a small command. “Sleep.”

  And then all was silence.

  Tony scooped me into his arms, “She remembers too much.”

  Steve wiped his eyes, “We are going to lose her again aren’t we?”

  Tony sighed, “I don’t know. Let her sleep, away from all of this. Tomorrow, if the madness sets root I will take everything from her yet again. See if we can keep her alive that way.”

  Steve nodded weakly, “Tomorrow.”

  Tony looked at him, “And once we have her in bed, I am healing you. Dead man’s blood?”

  “Yes. I didn’t mean to drink, I swear to all the gods I didn’t. It just happened.”

  Tony shrugged, “Compulsion, you were weakened, it happens. Now we try to make everything right. It’s all we can do.” Trying to ignore the sinking feeling in his heart that everything was going to hell faster than even they could fix it.

  The Vampire Legacies

  The Scarlet Drop

  Chapter Fourteen

  Tony yawned; hours had passed since the battle. He had healed Steve as best as he could, making him throw up the poison slowly breaking apart his body. Before finding a few feeders to try and get him back to some sort of health. Now he was sleeping in a velvet lined coffin back at Tony’s penthouse apartment. Yes, maybe it was a little passé, but sometimes the old ways are the best. Victoria had also been transported back to the apartment as well, not even stirring in that death like slumber he had placed her into. She was tucked up in his own satin lined bed sheets, with every comfort she could possibly need while she rested. It could be days before her mind was clear enough to allow the spell to break, waking her.

  Finally Tony allowed himself the weakness of pouring himself a strong drink, sipping it slowly as he stared out the window at the darkness outside. He hadn’t realised quite how many feelings would be stirred up seeing not only his wife, but his ex-lover again. Both so fragile, both needing him so badly. He hated himself for walking away so long ago, leaving them in the darkness alone, stumbling through, trying to make things work. He had left to preserve his own sanity, however gave him the right to place his own needs above those he loved?

  Deep in his heart, Tony regretted everything he had done in these later centuries. Breaking apart their close bonds of friendship, community. They had been a family, like no other he had ever known. Yes, he had taken Victoria’s mind so she could be happy. But did he really have the right to choose that for her? Would it have been better to just keep waiting the lives out until she became strong enough to deal with her past sins?

  That was a question he pondered over the better part of the rest of the bottle he was drinking from. The liquor added with his exhaustion, he found his head starting to nod. Felt strong warm hands rubbing his tense shoulders. He sighed happily, relaxing into the touch. Feeling the knots probed, and then loosened with the gentlest of touches. Those tender hands could only belong to one person, the one he missed most in the entire universe. “How are you awake my wife?” he asked softly.

  She kissed the side of his head before continuing to rub his shoulders. “Because I am no longer as weak as you once thought me to be. I am sorry I freaked out earlier. The blood was a little too much.”

  Tony turned to face her, “Vicky, my dearest love. This is impossible.”

  She smiled, “And yet here we are, and it is. Surely that is a good thing?”

  He pulled her into his arms, breathing in the deep scent of her body. Feeling complete for the first time since he had lost her. “Your mind will snap, it always does.”

  “Not this time, I give you my word.”

  “I don’t want to lose you again, I don’t think I can survive it.” He admitted.

  “Then don’t.” She pulled his head up to hers, kissing him deeply.

  For a moment the world just stopped, there was nothing other than the two of them. Locked in each other’s arms, finding the comfort they had needed for so long, cooling the ache in their bodies of missing something yet never knowing what it was. They were together again, the unbeatable team, the unbreakable marriage. Tony felt tears on his face as they embraced. “Why did you do it?” he asked, “I never understood. Why did you do it for me? I am worthless.”

  “Oh my love, my husband.” Victoria kissed him again, “Because to me you were everything. I couldn’t leave you there suffering, whatever it did to me. I had to rescue you. Even if it killed me. I don’t regret what I did. You are here, alive, safe. That was all I ever wanted.”

  “You died for me! So many times.”

  “And I would again. You are my eternity, even when I don’t remember you.” She promised.

  He sunk back into her arms, taking every moment of comfort he could. “I missed you wife.”

  She stroked his hair, “How long do we have before you erase me again?”

  He sighed, “An hour or two at most. You can’t risk losing your mind this close to the end game.”

  “I won’t lose it, in fact knowing helps me. It makes sense of my dreams. If anything, it makes me saner to know. Will you grant me time to accept this all before you act?”

  He looked her in the eyes, she was right. This time was different, he didn’t know why. “If the shades know how close you are to being complete they will find a way to murder you. You know there isn’t time to get you reborn and trained before the final battle.”

  Victoria sighed, “Very well, I consent. However, I want you to leave a loophole that I can slowly remember again as the time is right. I don’t want to lose you again.”

  “I don’t want to lose you either, I need you too much.” He admitted quietly.

  She stood carefully, holding her hand out to him. “Come with me.”

  He looked confused. “To?”

  Victoria smiled, “If these are our last hours together, then let us spend them as a husband and wife would.”

  He smiled at her, “And how would my wife like to spend these hours?”

  “Exploring your satin sheets would be a good start.” She replied, “Still have that nipple ring?”

  “How could I remove something that you love so much?” he asked.

  “Maybe you should find my tattoos.” She offered.

  “You have some?!”
<
br />   “Come and find out for yourself.” She said cheekily heading towards his bedroom.

  A broad smile spread across his face, if this was to be the only moment he could have with her for some time. Then he would make the most of every second of it. He followed her.

  The Vampire Legacies

  The Scarlet Drop

  Chapter Fifteen

  Tony leaned against the shower wall, letting the scalding hot water run down his body. His eyes closed, the agony in his heart consuming him. The hours he had just experienced with his wife had been so wonderful; however now she slept again and when she woke she would know nothing of what had happened. She would know nothing of who he was. That was just how it had to be. He had to bare the weight of remembering all alone. He couldn’t even speak to Steve about it all, knowing they had experienced those stolen moments would crush him. Steve didn’t know that she was never meant to be his wife, another memory hex he regretted casting even if there had been no other choice. How would the blonde react when he found out all his love for her had been created in a potion bottle?

  Guilt weighed heavily on his soul even without those few ours with her. When it had all ended, just after he put her back into the coma, he had rung Christiana to tell her of Steve’s problems. She was one of the world coven leaders for the vampire kind. She would deal with Steve, it wouldn’t be pretty. He would be punished greatly for letting the girl down as well as his own people. The addictions would be fixed, not in a kind way. He would be re-prepared for battle, sent back out to help the fight. He wished he could spare his ex-lover from that. Yet someone had to guide Victoria, someone she would remember. Trust in a fashion, Steve was the only one they could use.

  In a few days he would separate again from those he needed most. Crawl off to some dive bar somewhere; find a few sluts to make him feel alive again. Say her name instead of theirs, probably end up in a few bar fights. The usual stuff. Whatever it took to escape his pain until he needed to be back in the battle. Whatever was needed to keep himself alive, when all he wanted to do was die. Tears fell mixing with the soapy water, “Please remember me.” He whispered to himself. He wanted nothing more than for his spell to fail. For his wife to be strong enough to hold it away so their love could remain.

  He knew it wouldn’t happen, yet until she woke he could keep replaying the fantasy over and over in his mind of her waking up to kiss him. He left the shower, dried himself and dressed. He wouldn’t sleep, he would be too haunted. There was far too much to do, to arrange. To make sure everything went on as it had to. For a start he had to arrange a modest apartment as well as a job for his wife. One she could grow in safely away from the things and people who harmed her. He might even be lucky enough to seed a few of her old possessions there to help her remember.

  A dozen phone calls later things started to fall into place. He even managed to arrange a good source of blood for Steve for whenever he roused himself from that blasted coffin. Tony kind of regretted keeping it all this time, just in case it was needed. Well, it was a talking point for his sex life certainly. As well as being a handy place to hide bodies he needed to dispose of. Disconnecting the call he kicked the coffin, “Wake the fuck up already.” He snapped.

  Steven groaned, snapping open the lid. “Whataya want? I have the hangover from hell.”

  “Should feed more often, then it wouldn’t hurt!” he snapped back.

  Steve blinked trying to wake up, “What’s wrong?” he asked.

  “I erased her.” He said more quietly.

  “Are you okay?” he asked.

  “Why do you even care?” Tony snapped back, “You get her now! That’s all you ever cared about.”

  “Excuse you, no body ‘gets me’ thank you very much.” A cross voice rang out. Victoria stood in the door way, dressed in deepest darkest black.

  “Oh hell.” They both exclaimed.

  “Look I don’t know who you are Goth boy, but not only do you invade my dreams now you are deciding which of you ‘men’ I belong to? Suck it up sweet cheeks, I am my own damn woman and I am the one who chooses. Right now I choose bloody neither of you! Both are clearly hiding a lot from me, both I barely remember anything about just some vague feelings of knowing you. I am not about to set myself up in the middle of some chick flick love triangle bullshit. Dear Goddess you two aren’t even good looking!” she snapped.

  Steve looked at her in shock, “Baby?” he asked softly.

  “Don’t you baby me! You little shit decided you didn’t like the big bad witch, so don’t worry she doesn’t think much of the little wannabe fang either.” She retorted, “Now if you don’t mind telling me where the hell I am, I think I will be making my way home away from this insanity.”

  “Yes my lady, let me get you a cab.” Tony said graciously, leading her out to the lobby. He gave her a card, “if you need anything, have questions then I will be close by.”

  “I don’t think so, you freaky mage and the fang wannabe can keep the hell away from me from now on. While I work out all this stuff in my head. End of!” she snapped, getting into the cab.

  “What the hell?” Steve asked watching her leave.

  Tony burst into laughter, “I think we just got our wife back, in all her full bitch glory.”

  “She used to be so gentle, so loving, and so kind.” Steve commented.

  Tony shook his head, “You forget she was a warrioress first and foremost. The most powerful woman I ever knew. One who could turn the tide of a battle with a single look. I think this body has hope, a lot of it.”

  “She doesn’t love me.” He sobbed.

  She loves herself, that’s more important. Get back in your coffin lazy ass. I need some sleep, not listen to your whining.” Tony said heading back inside leaving the vampire on the pavement.

  “I’d rather get a drink.” He muttered, walking away.

  The Vampire Legacies

  The Scarlet Drop

  Chapter Sixteen

  Several weeks passed of eating little and sleeping more, before I was strong again. Steve wasn’t around all that much; I didn’t want him to be. I hadn’t seen the other man since the night I had left in the cab. Although a part of me deep inside longed for contact with him again. More than once I had looked at the card in my pocket wanting to ring him. I felt foolish, why should a stranger be bothered with me? I stayed at the old ladies house for a while as I recovered. It had been cleaned from the battle, which I only fuzzily remembered. Steve had said that I had been hit on the head that’s why I didn’t remember much. I hadn’t found a bruise or even a sign of a healing cut so I didn’t believe him. I would find out what they were hiding from me. Right now it was almost on the tip of my mind and then gone again.

  I’d gone back to the apartment once, watched the door hoping to see the other man come out. He only ever seemed to be around at night, or early hours of the morning. I had followed him a few times, but he always lost me in the crowd. Now and then I almost thought I felt him telling me to ‘try harder’ in my head. When I got back to the house, I often found Steve waiting for me with a hot meal. We didn't speak, I couldn't bring myself to. The memory of his repulsion at seeing my true self disgusted me. He begged for my forgiveness, but it wouldn't come. My heart was hard and cold and still.

  When I felt better, I moved my things back to my parent’s house. They didn't even ask where I had been, or why I was so painfully thin. I went to college again, and worked hard to pull back all the work I had missed. My ex never came near me after I had beaten him, and never even looked my way. Then one day Steven was absent, and then another and another. I wondered where he had gone, if I had driven him away being so cold. I found out where he had been staying, but the house was empty when I called by. A few days later, the apartment was cleared out and the second man disappeared as well. I was alone in the world, other than my egg donor parents.

  We fought often, I didn’t care. They didn’t own me, no one did anymore. I owned myself. My fates took a dramatic turn
for the better when I got notification one of my Great Aunt’s had passed away, leaving me a small apartment in the city as well as enough money that I could survive for a while, free of my problems. I would leave, when I was ready. For now I wanted to get something else out of my way. I wanted to graduate finally. At least then I had a hope of a future career in whatever witches got jobs in.

  Life was fairly normal; I drank still but only a little too heavily. It had lost its attraction, tasted sour in my mouth. I drifted away from the circle of friends that I had drunk with for years. I took long walks into the woods, and when I was far from anyone I practiced my magic. I became fitter and healthier than I had been in years. I got a part time job at the local post office and found new friends, ones that didn't have to get drunk every night. We went out, and shopped and did normal things. Still I wasn't completely happy; six months had passed with no sign of my love. My heart ached for his company, and those lips of ice. Yet not as much as it yearned for the sight of the mystery man.