“The elemental prophecies were the last the Oracle Eleanor made before her death. One prophecy for each of the elemental people, each different, each related to the unique traits of the elementals. Despite their differences a unifying theme runs through all the prophecies. To each of the elemental people a child will be born carrying within them the raw spirit of their element. Each child will be powerful beyond belief but cursed beyond all imagining.” He stopped, repeating the last sentence to himself. “Cursed?”
“Skip to the prophecy about the fire elementals,” Sara rushed.
Familiar words flowed from Lucian's lips as he repeated the prophecy she had heard what seemed like an eternity ago. He stopped reading when the next page went on to talk about the water elementals. “Sara, what has this got to do with anything?”
She flipped through the pages, desperate to find more helpful information but there was no more. She knew no more than she did before.
“Sara…” Lucian's voice held a note of warning in it and she rolled her eyes at his stubbornness.
“This prophecy is talking about me. I’m the one that’s cursed. I’m dying Lucian.”
His heart stopped beating for a moment before it began racing out of control. His bride was dying. It couldn’t be possible. She was meant to be with him throughout the centuries. She was his. His fangs were beginning to sharpen in anger. How could fate be so cruel as to give her to him only to snatch her away so ruthlessly?
“Well, I was before I met you anyway. I’m not so sure anymore.”
“What?”
“Well this is me.” She pointed to the page. “I’ve got the spirit of fire, Seraphina, living inside me. Her fire is meant to consume me. That’s what those episodes are about, when I can’t control the fire that I summon. It’s not really my fire, it’s her. She wants out. She likes burning things. She drains me every time she does it. Her episodes were getting worse, her flames taking more and more out of me every time she took over. I think eventually she would have drained me so badly that I just wouldn’t have woken up in the morning.”
“What do I have to do with any of this?”
“Everything Lucian, everything. This is you.” She pointed at the page again. “You’re the one with the power to cool the flame. Every time I touch you, the fires die down. The pain stops. I’m myself again. As long as I have you then this prophecy doesn’t have to come to pass. I can survive.”
Of course you’re going to survive! You’re mine. His fangs were sharpening again and he had to force himself to take a deep calming breath. “What do I have to do to help you?”
“I don’t know. I was hoping you did. But neither you nor the book has any answers. At the moment all I have is a temporary solution, I don’t know what we have to do to resolve the problem in the long term.”
“And what exactly is this short term solution. I haven’t done anything.”
“This is the solution Lucian.” She lifted her hand to caress his cheek. “As long as I’m touching you I feel fine. All I have to do is stay close to you; touch you whenever it feels like the flames are about to over take me. Until I’ve figured out what to do to get rid of Seraphina, please, let me stay with you.”
As if I could do anything different, his mind scoffed but Sara was already trying to persuade him to agree to her request.
“You’re in the middle of a war right? I’m the legendary Quicksilver. In exchange for your help I’ll make swords for your whole army. You’ll be undefeatable. I can help win this war for you.”
“Won’t you fight alongside me? Win the war with me. You’re a fire elemental, fighting is what your people live for.”
An image of the burnt remains of the farmhouse floated to the front of her mind. “I can’t Lucian. I can’t. These people have done nothing to me, that makes them innocent. I can’t kill them.”
“But you’re willing to make the swords to do the job?”
“I’ve always made swords. It’s the only thing I’m good at. When I make them they’re innocent, what they’re used for after I make them isn’t up to me. They’re as good for defense as they are for offense and as for ‘my people’…I want nothing to do with them. In case you didn’t know, they want to sacrifice me for this prophecy, they want me to die. Even my best friend wants me to die. I rarely fight and if I do it’s to defend myself and those that I love. That’s it. I’ll arm your soldiers Lucian but I won’t fight for you. I have enough innocent blood on my hands, I’m not going to add any more.”
Her impassioned words struck a chord within him. His bride might want to distance herself from her people but there were things about them and her that were very similar. Fire elementals were passionate and Sara was the most passionate one he’d ever met. I wonder if she’s this passionate about everything? Will she be this passionate about me? Her fingers danced lightly over the back of his neck but from the look on her face she was unaware of what she was doing. The answer to his question was instantaneous. Yes. When the war was over and he could finally be with her without the noose of warfare around his neck, she would love him and love him fiercely. With her help that day could come all the sooner.
“Swords for help? I think it’s a very good idea. I agree.”
“You do?” she squealed happily.
“Yes.”
“Thank you. Thank you. I’ll have to stay with you all of the time though, I have no idea when Seraphina will erupt.”
He gulped. “All of the time?”
“Yes. We’re going to need to change our sleeping arrangements. I can’t be away from you just because it’s day. It’s too risky. When I’m not making swords, I’ll stay with you from now.”
A bead of sweat ran down his brow. While the thought of being near his bride made him want to smile, pull her close before ravaging her body and drinking her blood, it was a nightmare at the same time. She was pure temptation, he could barely resist the need to drink her as they sat together then, how would he survive being near her every hour of the day? Maybe I was a bit too rushed in my decision-making. He looked down into her smiling face, the freckles on her cheeks beckoning to him to kiss each and everyone, his heart sunk. It wasn’t as though he could deny her. It was either help her or send her to her death and no matter how cold he might try and appear towards her, she was his. She needed to live.
Chapter Eight – A Vampire’s Needs
Lucian stood, silently cursing himself as he did so. Already he wanted her and every second they were alone together led him further down a path he could ill afford to travel. He needed a buffer, something or someone to come between him and his far too tempting bride and he’d just walked away from them. He cursed again.
“Come, we have a meeting to attend.” He pulled her to her feet intent on becoming so surrounded by others that her affect on him was diminished.
“Meeting?” Sara asked confused. “What meeting and why do I have to go?” His strong grip easily pulled her from the library and they were soon moving along the busy corridor.
“The meeting is about the war effort and you’re going because you’ve offered your help and because it’s your fault it isn’t already over.”
“How is it my fault?” She began struggling against his grip, offended by his highhanded behaviour.
“You interrupted us,” he answered coolly. “You were on fire. Who, besides me, was going to stay in the room with you when you looked about ready to finish us all off for some perceived slight that I’d done to you?”
“I wasn’t going to finish you off but if you don’t stop pulling me like some sort of animal then I might have to reconsider.”
He stopped, pulling her so close to him that his breaths caressed her face as he spoke. “You wouldn’t hurt me, you need me.”
“Well if you want to win this war then you need me as well. Partners Lucian, nothing less than that. We need each other.”
He didn’t want to tell her just how right she was. “Partners,” he conceded reluctantly.
&nb
sp; She easily fell into step with him now that he wasn’t simply pulling her along. “So what’s this meeting about then?”
“The war Sara, I would have thought that obvious.”
“Care to tell me why you’re at war with these people? Partners don’t have secrets it leads to a lack of trust and trust is essential when you’re fighting to save each other.”
“Believe it or not, I haven’t always been the leader of my people.”
“No!” she gasped, feigning at shock.
A smile tugged at his lips but he restrained himself from grinning at her humour. “Yes, I know, it sounds so ludicrous as to be unbelievable but it’s true. Before I came to power many vampires killed when they fed, taking all the blood in a human’s body. We were hated, hunted. We have a weakness that everyone knows about. We can’t go out into the sun and when we slept during the day humans came into our lairs and killed us while we were at our most vulnerable.”
“What happened?”
“I happened. I fought and fought and fought, unifying my people under my rule. I imposed law and order.”
“By yourself?” she sounded appalled at the very idea.
“Of course, who else was going to do it? I’m the oldest living vampire, which makes me the strongest. No one else was up to the task.”
“I thought vampires could live indefinitely, what happened to the others? Or are you saying you’re the first vampire?”
He laughed at the idea. “I’m definitely not the first, I’m just the only one who hasn’t succumbed. The other old ones were killed because they didn’t think their actions through properly and had to deal with the consequence of rushed decisions that more often than not created powerful enemies or they grew tired of life and walked into the sun.”
“What makes you so different? Why didn’t you follow in their footsteps?”
“I know the value of prudence and I started the war. Now I have a people,” and a bride, “to take care of. My life has purpose.”
“Really? It seems sort of lonely. Don’t get me wrong,” she rushed, trying to clarify her words. “It’s just that I don’t think I could do it. All that fighting and killing only to have my loved ones die…it just doesn’t seem worth it.”
“I’ve made a difference to the lives of all vampires. That, to me, is worth it. Do you think I want to be the Lord of my people? I’m not who I am now because I’m power hungry. I fight because I have to, because if I don’t vampires will be hunted to extinction. I lead because if I don’t, anarchy will rein. I never had a choice. The Malachites will see our people in ruins. They won’t submit to my power, they continue to kill as they feed. They must be dealt with in order for vampires as a species to prosper. Yes, humans are weaker than we but that is no reason to kill them. There are far more of them than us and as they’ve shown in the past, they can kill us if they put their minds to it.”
His emotional confession touched her heart, making her want to do nothing more than pull him close and take away the years of loneliness he’d suffered. Power, and the acquisition of more, were all important in the world she’d just escaped. Lucian was an eye opener. He was so unlike the arrogant fire elementals she’d known throughout her life, a reluctant leader. One who put his people before his needs.
In that moment she was drawn helplessly towards him, she wanted to act on the image she’d seen earlier in her mind. She wanted to kiss him, let him find peace in her body. She shook her head as she continued to look at him. Lucian was a true leader, what would he want with a fire elemental who, once Seraphina was gone, would once again be weak and useless? To him this was business; she had to think of it in the same way. “You’re a good man Lucian and those are rare to find.”
I’m your man that is all. That is all I want to be. He coughed, slightly embarrassed by her kind words. Words like hers were rare in his world. He was often complimented on his ability to wield a sword, to command an army, his steadfast determination to defeat his enemy but never had he received a compliment about himself. “Thank you.”
“You’re more than welcome.”
“We’re here.”
Yet another pair of large, daunting doors stood before her opening as though by magic on Lucian's arrival. Voices spilled out into the corridor as the doors opened and Lucian led her inside. Eyes were instantly drawn to her small form as she walked at Lucian's side, their hands tightly linked. A few irate vampires even hissed at her as she walked in, their voices dying down as Lucian approached the head of the table. The room was filled almost to bursting, all but one seat at the large rectangular table occupied.
I guess I’ll be standing then, Sara quickly concluded.
She was therefore reasonably surprised when Lucian forced her to sit in the seat that had been reserved for him and if the gasps that filled the room were anything to go by all those present were equally surprised. She tried to stand only to be forced back into the seat by Lucian's firm hand on her shoulder. Quickly realising resistance was futile, she sat, pulling the collar of her dress to the side to expose her skin to his hand.
“This is Sara Quicksilver, the sword maker. She has agreed to enter the war effort on our side, crafting her legendary swords for our entire army. With her help, we will win this war quickly.”
“What does she want in exchange?” a voice called.
“That is strictly between her and I. As soon as she has the necessary equipment, she’ll start work. Russell, I want you to see to it that she has the finest tools available. Can you test them yourself or do you need help?”
“Thanks for the offer Lucian but I’ve been making swords since I was a girl, I can test them myself, in fact it’s probably better that I do so.”
“Fine,” he stated before swiftly turning his attention back to those gathered. “Now where were we?”
“This war has gone on for long enough my Lord,” Russell answered easily. “If we want to end it, then perhaps it is time we started to talk peace. A people can only live by the sword for so long.”
“Peace?” Gareth scoffed. “What nonsense! The only peace they understand is from the blade of my sword.”
Ah yes, I remember. Gareth is on one side and Russell is on the other. This is going to be a long night.
The talks dragged on and on, seemingly endless to Sara whose eyes had begun struggling to stay open not long after they’d began. Words were not for her. Words were for leaders and diplomats who weren’t going to be spilling valuable blood on the battlefield, not the sword makers dedicated to ending wars quickly one way or another. Time passed slowly but it wasn’t long before her head began lolling against her chest, tiredness washing over her. Though she tried her best to stay awake, her efforts were in vain. Those surrounding her were vampires, nocturnal beings who hadn’t been awake all day waiting for their saviour to wake, they were used to staying up all night, she was not.
“That is enough,” Lucian commanded, his voice soft, careful of waking his sleeping bride.
“But my Lord…”
“Sara is tired, I’m taking her to bed, enough talking.”
“My Lord,” Gareth began, “I don’t understand why we let her sit in on the meeting in the first place. She is an outsider. Though she claims to be willing to help us win the war, her motivations are unknown, for all we know, she could be a spy working for the Malachites plotting your downfall.”
“She is not.”
“How can you be so sure?” he pressed.
Lucian moved around the chair to stand by Sara’s side, easily lifting her into his arms, making sure their skin remained touching. All eyes were on him, desperately hoping that he had an answer to Gareth’s question. “I can be sure because she’s mine. She’s my bride and when this war is over she will rule beside me. None outside of this room can know of this, not even Sara is aware of her true value to me and it will remain that way until I say differently.”
Mouths hung open at Lucian's news but he walked past them all uncaring, moving swiftly back to his cham
bers. Setting her against the satin sheets, he began his nightly routine, checking the windows to ensure that they were all well guarded against the sun’s harmful rays. He stripped efficiently, laying both shirt and breeches against the chaise ready to be taken away and cleaned for a different day’s use.
It was then, almost as naked as the day he was born, he turned his attention to Sara, virulent curses flying from his lips. She’d claimed that it was only through his touch that the spirit was calmed, how much skin would she need access to in order to prevent another episode? He regarded her thoughtfully for a moment before reaching for her soft, pliant body. He pulled the dress from her body, trying desperately to remain unaffected as more and more of her body came into view. It was an attempt that was doomed to fail from the very first.
Dressed only in a thin linen shift, the heat from her body was hardly dimmed but he could now make out the plump curve of her breasts, the rosy tint to her hardening nipples. She pulled herself closer against him, pressing her body against his own and another curse fell from his lips.
“She’ll be the death of me,” he groused as he pulled her beneath the heavy sheets.
Her heat continued to pour into him as she draped herself over his chest, her fingers lightly caressing his neck. “Why is it that I can’t even resent her for it?” He returned her embrace fully aware that it was only under the cover of darkness that he could hold her like this, press their bodies so close without fear of her finding out exactly what she was. Unable to resist her, he placed a gentle kiss to her brow, wishing that he could have more even as he succumbed to the lure of sleep.
******
When Sara woke it was to the delicious sensation of Lucian's bare limbs entangled with her own. She should have been embarrassed, should have felt shame to be lying so intimately in a bed with a man who wasn’t her husband, instead all she felt was dismay that she hadn’t been awake to watch him undress, that she’d slept through such an important experience.
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