Seraphine took what advantage she had of Theresa’s arm being so close to her face and bit down on it with a full set of fangs, as though the arm was still human. As though her flesh could break and bleed without resistance.
Theresa shrugged the bite off and punched Seraphine in the face. First with the left, then with the right.
Cyprian approached in her peripherals, but Lafayette had launched himself into the brawl, forcing Cyprian away, the blue dagger finding its way to his hand again.
Seraphine pushed Theresa off her and was quick to get back to her feet. She moved towards one of the statues and broke off a sword encased in stone. She wielded it, swinging it in a frenzy towards Theresa who had to dodge its blows.
Eventually the sword smashed into her chest and her footing stumbled.
Seraphine came at her –
Whack, whack, whack, whack –
Theresa shielded herself then unleashed her foot into Seraphine’s knee, effectively stabbing her. Seraphine’s mouth dropped angrily in pain, and she swatted Theresa across the face causing her to stumble again, this time falling over.
Seraphine dropped the sword and jumped on Theresa, pulling her face up to punch it. Blood splashed her frozen white skin and her tongue curled with menace. Theresa winced and looked around the room for assistance.
Portia had walked in between both of the fights, but was not doing anything but standing there, staring ahead.
Seraphine grabbed Theresa’s throat and began strangling her.
Theresa jerked her head around, trying to break the vampiress’ hold.
“You like that?” Seraphine goaded. “How does it feel?”
Theresa closed her eyes and then pressed hard against her arms.
Still, they would not budge.
“How we doing, brother?” Seraphine called.
“Almost finished,” Cyprian answered.
Theresa opened her eyes and saw Lafayette on the floor staring at her, blue blood running across the floor, the dagger in his throat.
“No!” Theresa screamed.
She smashed the back of her foot into Seraphine who growled with discomfort. Theresa ripped her arms away and pushed her off her. As she sat up choking.
Seraphine rushed to the nearby wall and pulled a purple flamed torch from it.
“It’s time to finish this,” Seraphine declared brandishing it over Theresa.
“No, please,” Theresa begged. “Don’t –”
“Dead or alive,” Seraphine said, “your life is worth nothing. You are still just a pathetic servant. And you will die a servant. You will –”
The vampiress’s words cut off midsentence.
The torch landed on the floor where she was, a black raven flapping its wings over it.
A second raven joined the first.
Theresa looked over and saw Lafayette sitting up, pulling the dagger from his throat.
Portia walked towards the end of the room and opened the window overlooking the beach.
“Until you learn to behave yourselves,” she said. “Go on. Fly away.”
The birds hovered in the air a moment still facing Theresa.
Then they reluctantly turned in the window’s direction, and flew out into the wondrous night.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
As Theresa got back to her feet she saw the Necromancer had transformed her appearance from a dirty and destitute prisoner in rags to a refined lady of royalty wearing a gown not too unfamiliar with what Seraphine had been wearing.
“Thank you,” Lafayette said, also finding his feet. He tucked the dagger away in his pocket as the wound in his neck began to heal before Theresa’s eyes. She looked down to her own wounds, particularly her arm where Seraphine had just been biting her, and saw that it had vanished. “We owe you our lives, Necromancer.”
“You’re welcome,” Portia replied. She moved towards various statues in the room, rubbing the concrete with her hands.
“What happened to them?” Theresa asked. “You turned them into ravens?”
“They only look like ravens,” Portia murmured. “Just as before they looked like people. Who is to say what their true form is?”
“Will you help us with bringing the Princess back to life?” Lafayette asked.
“That was my cousin’s promise, was it not?” Portia replied. She took a small blue jewel from her hair and tossed it to Theresa. “Give that to her. And the curse will be broken.”
“Just like that?” Theresa replied.
“She is family, after all,” Portia murmured. She turned to Lafayette. “And what do you propose to do once you have your princess restored?”
Lafayette considered. “You’re wise, aren’t you? Why don’t you make a suggestion for us?”
“Your true enemy has yet to reveal themselves,” Portia said. “The war is less about vampires and humans. And more about the quest to conquer the land. Can Moldark be reasoned with? Can Harland? You will think you understand the depths of horror this person is willing to descend to, but in truth you nothing about them. So be very careful. Both of you. If peace is what you desire, it will come at a price.”
“I assume that’s as far as you’re willing to go in terms of explanation?” Lafayette asked.
Portia merely smiled.
“You’re not saying you’re the true enemy, are you?”
Portia looked up. “This castle belongs to me now. Anyone who tries to take it from me will meet with a most unpleasant demise. That is all I will say. I wish you the best of luck on your travels.”
Theresa watched her a moment as she turned away. Then she took a deep breath.
She met with Lafayette in the centre of the room.
“I guess we better get going,” Lafayette said.
He moved to touch the side of Theresa’s face, but she drew away from him.
“It’s okay,” he said. “I only meant it out of friendship.”
“Is that who you are?” Theresa asked. “My friend?”
“I’ll take care of Emberlynn,” Lafayette said. “And you take care of Moldark. Deal?”
Theresa nodded. “Deal.”
As they left the room together and walked down the hall, Theresa looked back and saw Portia standing in the centre of the room –
Talking and laughing and exchanging hugs with various people and animals –
Creatures whom… Once upon a time…
Had been frozen in stone.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Back at the Harem Theresa and Lafayette pushed the platform over the open trapdoor with ease and went to the bar to quench their thirsts. Lafayette handed her a bottle of wine, while opening a new bottle of a different kind of red for himself, only to find it snatched from his twitching fingers. Theresa got through half the bottle before her mind cleared again and she realized what she was doing. Her stomach rumbled, unsettled.
“That’s what happens when you drink too much,” Lafayette said snatching the bottle back and finishing it off.
“I’ve heard that before,” Theresa muttered.
She excused herself to use the restroom and then after a short interval returned and beckoned Lafayette into the foyer area. “You brought another stallion here?”
Lafayette nodded. “What about you?”
“I came by carriage. We’ll have to ride together.”
“And then what of the Necromancer? Is she to walk back with us?”
“Uh…”
“I will ride ahead,” Lafayette offered. “I’ll seek out the mines and bring the witch back with me.”
“Well, what do I do?”
“Walk to the lower district and hail a carriage to meet us in the forestland where everyone is waiting. Do you have the jewel Portia gave you?”
Theresa handed it to him with some reluctance.
“Do not fear, Theresa, I shall return.”
He kissed her on the lips briefly, taking her by surprise, then headed out of the harem towards his stallion. Theresa walked on slowly behind wat
ching him climb onto the horse.
He glanced at her before departing.
Theresa smiled and waved. “Goodbye.”
It was only when she looked down did she realize she’d been walking the whole time on air.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
They had now entered the darkest part of night. The coldest. The most atmospheric and surreal. Riding along in the back of the carriage, Theresa’s fingers moved towards her lips. Touching them where Lafayette had kissed her. She had known this whole time that he was handsome and she was attracted to him. But it wasn’t an instinctual attraction. It was an attraction of the mind. Lafayette was a weird and delicate creature. On the surface he seemed deceptive and small-minded, and perhaps a little further into his character he was detached and apathetic. His house lied in the West. He was neither up nor down. Black nor white. But through the grey mists Theresa had failed to see his true self, his true humanity. Perhaps it was Emberlynn who brought out his good graces, but at the same time she felt that she had shared a connection with Lafayette. As fragile as it may have been.
The carriage came to a slow at the edges of the grassland hills and Theresa descended, telling the driver to bill the harem and move along. She walked through the tall streaks of grass, dragging her feet through the thick of it, the leaves piercing the lower parts of her legs. The green and yellow beam to the sky could be seen easily from where she was. It would still take half an hour to walk there, unless…
Her senses clicked in together and she rushed forward, at first a little beyond her normal speed of running, and then well beyond it. She moved quickly, ferociously, her sights channeled on what laid ahead.
Within minutes three figures became visible. One obviously taking the shape of a stallion. The other two eventually shaping as Harland and Maxine. The pair turned in shock as Theresa flew across the grassland towards them, literally hovering above air.
“What have they done to you?” Maxine cried out. “You’re one of them now!”
Theresa landed at their feet, her eyes glowing with ethereal light.
Harland released a chuckle. “I never realized how beautiful you were, my lady. Being a vampire suits you.”
“Gosh, I’m starting to feel like a live breakfast,” Maxine blurted out.
“Don’t worry,” Theresa said touching her shoulder. “I just had something to drink.”
“Where’s the Necromancer?” Harland demanded. “Isn’t that why we’re –”
“Lafayette will be bringing her shortly,” Theresa said. She motioned to the forest. “Have you been in to let Fane know we were arriving?”
“I don’t think he wants to be disturbed,” Harland said.
“Well,” Theresa murmured, “In other news we don’t have to worry about the Davorin twins anymore.”
“Is that so?”
“What happened?” Maxine asked.
“Let’s just say the wind has taken them in another direction,” Theresa said.
“To other lands, I hope,” Maxine remarked.
“It’s possible,” Theresa said. “What have you been up to? Has this one been treating you okay?”
“Well, he hasn’t tried to bite me, if that’s what you’re asking.”
“I’m waiting until the time is right,” Harland said. “Perhaps the three of us could experience something together.”
Maxine’s eyes flared.
“You wish,” Theresa said, punching Harland softly in the crotch.
His expression diluted.
“Anyway,” Theresa said. “I’m going to say hello to Fane.”
“Are you sure you want to –”
“I’ve got it.”
Theresa stepped away from them, her hands locked together, her eyes drifting towards the sky. She knew what she was doing. Who she was truly seeking.
She crunched the grass and dirt underfoot and proceeded into the forest, breathing in deeply.
Not too far away, she heard Lafayette’s stallion making its approach.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Theresa found her way to Lord Fane before anyone else did, although they were all on their way here by now. He was still sitting in the middle of his electrical field, chanting softly, his hands outstretched over Emberlynn’s corpse.
“I’ve done as you’ve asked,” Theresa said, standing outside the barrier. “The Necromancer will be with us shortly.”
Fane stood up from the ground. He pulled back his hood and turned to face her.
The Fane she remembered, the Fane she’d met this afternoon was completely erased from this manifestation. His head was that of a snake’s with fluorescent white scales and large black eyes. His mouth opened, a forked tongue hissing back and forth as he spoke.
“You are a changed woman,” Fane announced. “Tonight has been a revelation for you.”
“How very … observant…” Theresa murmured.
“Now that you yourself are afflicted, whose side will you be on when the war comes?”
“There will be no war,” Theresa insisted. “Moldark… Moldark won’t –”
“You think you can change his mind? After your betrayal?”
“When he learns the truth he will understand.”
“You are weak to put your hopes in him,” Fane hissed at her. “Moldark is not the future king of this land.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“This time … he is overmatched…”
Fane looked past Theresa as people approached from behind.
Leading the way was a young woman in a blue dress. It wasn’t until she spoke, that Theresa recognized who she was.
“Well, well, well,” the Necromancer remarked. “Haven’t you all been causing quite a stir.”
She passed through the barrier unharmed.
“I would think you’d be grateful to be released from whatever hole they dug you out from,” Fane said. “I take it there will be no going back on your word.”
“Yes, I did make a promise. To Theresa.”
The Necromancer turned back to her as she said this, and Theresa bowed her head with a small smile.
“Can we get on with this then?” Fane asked.
“Why don’t you stand back and let me work my magic?”
Fane backed away out of the barriers, as Harland, Lafayette and Maxine joined Theresa’s side.
The Necromancer began sounding exclamations in another language and the ground beneath their feet began to tremble. Green light surrounded the Princess’s outline and her body began to sink into the ground.
Blue flames began sprouting from the earth around her and the Necromancer, and lightning appeared to flash in the sky.
On the other side of the barrier, Theresa watched as Fane’s features began to morph back into their human form. A few more stanzas were uttered and the entire ring flashed and dazzled, everyone taking a few steps back.
There was a final explosion of light in the sky and then the barrier dissolved, flames flaring across the earth.
Soon enough they began to die off and as they crept closer, the ground was all but black and distinguished.
No one uttered a sound.
Finally, after a brief delay, Emberlynn’s arm shot up out of the shallow grave and she climbed her way out, standing upright and on both feet. She looked around, frowning and bewildered.
Lord Fane rushed over to her. “Princess! Princess, you’re alive!”
He embraced her and then the Necromancer moved in from behind.
Theresa could see she was holding onto a small ball of blue light.
“One life restored,” the Necromancer whispered. “Another taken.”
She let the ball fly into Fane’s body, and he stepped back, howling in agony. “Wait!” he screamed. “I didn’t agree to –”
His body then froze.
Finished. Complete.
A statue.
The Necromancer walked by him and through the others.
Until her eyes were locked on Theresa. “You can’t save h
im.”
Theresa’s mouth fell open as she walked by her. “I can’t save who?”
The Necromancer didn’t answer. Theresa attempted to chase after her but as the woman’s form moved behind a tree Theresa lost sight of her and never gained it again.
She looked back, Maxine and Harland clamoring over.
“He must have known that was going to happen,” Harland said. “Deep down.”
Theresa looked behind them to where Emberlynn was. Her arms now wrapped around Lafayette, crying for comfort.
“Theresa, look,” Maxine said.
Theresa turned back to the grassland and saw two of Moldark’s men approaching on horses.
“What are they going to do?” Maxine panicked.
“It’s okay,” Theresa whispered. “Everything’s going to be okay now.”
Harland stepped to the side of her. “What do you mean?”
“I’m going to make this right.”
Theresa’s feet lifted off the ground, blowing leaves about in her wake, and she floated along through the outskirts of the forest towards where Moldark’s men were pulling up their horses. Harland charged along after her, while Maxine did her best to keep up from behind.
“We have this city surrounded,” one of the vampire barbarians announced. “Tell the Warlock we wish to discuss terms.”
“Where is he?” Harland demanded. “Where’s Moldark?”
The barbarians glared at him, annoyed.
Theresa put her hand out at Harland. “Will he speak with me?”
“Can you speak for the Warlock?”
Theresa glanced back towards the others. “I don’t think he’d object to that.”
“Get on,” the barbarian growled at her.
Theresa floated along to the back of the horse and the barbarian reached out, forcing her onto the back of his saddle.
“Theresa!” Maxine shouted as the horse galloped away.
Theresa looked back again.
And wondered if this would be the last she’d ever see of her.
CHAPTER TWENTY
The horses rode west through the town gates and along the main road, travelling past Maxine’s village and then onto the junction passing many trees along the side of the road. The horses turned left again, bringing them around. Theresa knew where they were. She knew where Moldark was waiting.
Game of Vampires: A Reverse Harem Serial (Part Four) Page 4