Revenge in Vein, The Complete Series

by Jennifer Blackstream

  “Oh, look at all the goodies you brought me,” she breathed. “I see my two vukodlaks, two moras, a vieschtitsa, a sun goddess, a thunder god, and . . . oh my.”

  Dubheasa shot up off her throne and flowed down the steps of the dais to the floor below. Saule’s eyes widened as the fey raised her hands toward a thick black cloud hanging in the air.

  “Aldric, I owe you a favor,” she announced. “This is by far the greatest gift I’ve ever received from a visitor to my court.”

  “What is going on?” Chernobog roared, his voice echoing from inside the black shadow. “Saule, swear the oath and return with me now or watch the human die!”

  “What a cranky little cloud you are,” Dubheasa murmured. “We shall have to do something to improve that disposition.”

  “I am the god of darkness,” the black god hissed.

  “And I am the Queen of Air and Darkness,” Dubheasa responded politely. “Pleased to me you.”

  Chernobog incorporeal body undulated in the air as if the god was trying to move. Dubheasa’s hands flexed, a look of concentration furrowing her brow. Suddenly a howl erupted from the blackness, rife with frustration and fury.

  “What is the meaning of this?”

  “If you keep shouting like that in my throne room, I will make you into a ball gown and wear you to the autumn solstice,” Dubheasa snapped. “Now behave yourself until I tell you do behave otherwise.” She looked up at the ceiling. “Give me a crystal!”

  Something sparkled in the mysterious light of the sithen as it fell from the dark branches, dropped by an unseen hand. Dubheasa caught the crystal and held it up in front of the dark mist that was Chernobog. Like a djinn being sucked into an ancient bottle, the god of darkness screamed as his essence was drawn into the crystal and trapped.

  Saule couldn’t help the semi-hysterical laugh that escaped her lips. Her power flared to life inside her and a wave of warmth washed over her body. A smile lifted the corners of her mouth as she summoned the heat of the sun, relishing the screech of pain as the creature still holding her released its grip and slithered away.

  “Your majesty,” Vincentas’ voice came from somewhere to her right. “That creature is like living bonds.”

  “I like where your mind is going, my dear,” Dubheasa agreed excitedly. “Take it to my bedroom!”

  Saule laughed again, rising to her feet and watching with satisfaction as the vukodlak, once again in human form, carted off the cursed creature. The sound was rough and slightly hysterical with relief, but it felt good all the same. Suddenly a warm weight crashed into her and she turned to find Valkyrine pulling her into a desperate hug.

  “Mom,” she whispered, her voice thick with tears. “Are you all right?”

  “I am fine, Evening Star, I am fine.” Saule’s heart swelled in her chest at the surge of affection from her daughter. She wrapped her arms around Valkyrine, holding her as if she’d never let go. When she finally opened her eyes, she saw Perkunas smiling at her over Valkyrine’s shoulder.

  The thunder god winked and then startled as Dubheasa flowed into the space in front of him.

  “So you are the thunder god, Perkunas?” the queen asked, the interest in her voice all too apparent.

  Saule laughed as Perkunas’ eyes widened. “Er, yes, I am,” he acknowledged. He bowed his head awkwardly. “A pleasure to meet you, your majesty.”

  “Oh the pleasure is all mine,” Dubheasa said sweetly. “I do hope you will be able to stay for the entertainment?”

  “Sadly, no,” Perkunas said quickly. “I have a prior engagement that I simply cannot miss.” He nodded quickly at Saule and Aldric. “I believe you two will do all right on your own. I will see you back on Sky Mountain.”

  A flash of lightening so bright it nearly blinded even the sun goddess beamed through the room and then the god was gone. Saule shook her head. Perkunas must have been quite flustered by the queen to waste such energy on traveling by lightening.

  A flash of red hair caught her attention and she turned to Aldric. Saule pulled away from her daughter just enough to look at the man who had put this entire ordeal in motion.

  Aldric stood there, watching her. His face was etched with lines of deep thought, his eyes clouded with conflicting emotions. Saule smiled and pulled away from Valkyrine to walk over to the former vampire.

  “Thank you, Aldric. You saved my life.” She raised her hand to his chest. “And now let me return the favor.”

  Aldric’s hand shot up, his fingers encircling her wrist and pulling her hand from his body. Saule’s heart leapt into her throat, her gaze darting to his face. For a split second she feared she would find the old familiar hatred shining in his eyes.

  “Do not thank me for saving your life when it was I who put it in danger,” Aldric said quietly.

  Saule searched his face, desperately seeking some sign as to what he was thinking. He stared at her with a carefully guarded expression, his cold green eyes giving nothing away. Finally, his grip around her wrist loosened. Saule’s breath caught in her throat as he pulled her into his arms. His eyes grew darker, the heat in his body rising. She closed her eyes as he lowered his mouth to hers.

  The kiss started out slow and gentle, a careful exploration of sensation. His lips caressed hers, their breath mingling between them. Then it was as if a damn had burst. His arms tightened around her like iron and she grasped the back of his head in her hands, threading her fingers through his beautiful red hair. The kiss grew demanding, possessive. She moaned as his tongue slid between her lips, gliding against her own. Pleasure slid down her body, curling around her breasts before pooling between her legs. She kissed him back with every ounce of energy she had left, not wanting to hold anything back from him anymore.

  The kiss seemed to last for an eternity, fueled by all the love, all the hate, and all the wasted time of the past two centuries. When it was finally over, all too soon, Saule laid her head against Aldric’s chest. The sound of his heart racing made her smile, musing on the speed of her own pulse.

  She frowned as an image of Chernobog’s seed of darkness filled her mind. “Aldric,” she said softly. “Let me burn away the darkness Chernobog put inside you. Dubheasa cannot hold him prisoner forever, I must get rid of it before he can use it against you.”

  “No.”

  That one word fell into the air like a stone. Saule pulled back, looking up into Aldric’s face. He stared down at her with something awfully like sorrow in his eyes.

  “What do you mean ‘no?’” Her throat constricted painfully. “You still hate me?”

  Aldric shook his head, raising a hand to caress her cheek. “I do not hate you. But, like you, I must do what is best not just for me, but for our people.”

  Saule frowned, her heart breaking at the dark direction his speech seemed to be taking. “I don’t understand.”

  Aldric pulled away, gently releasing her. She blinked back tears as he turned to face Dubheasa. The queen of the Unseelie momentarily ceased playing with the crystal she’d forced the living darkness of Chernobog into and looked at him.

  “Yes?’

  “Your majesty, I would ask that you make good on the favor you owe me.”

  Dubheasa narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms, still holding the crystal. “Oh? Did I say I owe you a favor?”

  Aldric straightened his spine. “You did, only just a moment ago. I believe Bron will remember?”

  Dubheasa glanced up at the vukodlak who nodded firmly. “Indeed.”

  The queen shrugged. “Very well. What favor have you decided on?” She narrowed her eyes. “You’d better not ask for my new crystal.” She uncrossed her arms and raised it in front of her face. “I only just got him and I’m really quite interested to find out just how long I can keep him in there.”

  “Chernobog is yours to keep as you can,” Aldric assured her. “I would ask only that you help me to make the best of the darkness he put inside me.”

  “Inside you?”

  Dubhe
asa stared at his chest. Saule shifted uneasily, concerned that the dark fey was showing such intrigue. Aldric’s machinations had served him well thus far, but he should know more than most that the Queen of the Unseelie could be . . . unpredictable.

  “Oh, yes, I see.” She tilted her head. “How interesting.”

  “You can manipulate darkness, even the god of darkness. Can you manipulate the power he put inside me so that it infuses my body? Make it a part of me so that I can use it to defend my people?”

  Saule stared at him as if he’d grown a second head. “Aldric, that’s madness.”

  “Actually, sun goddess, it is quite feasible,” Dubheasa corrected her. She frowned. “However, I am not a fertility goddess. I could mold that darkness to your form, Aldric, but for it to become a part of you that you could use and control, you would have to undergo a transformation to bond it to you. You would have to be ‘reborn’ in a sense.” She glanced from Saule to Valkyrine and back to Aldric. “And I’m afraid these two won’t be any help on that front. No amount of light will help to transform you into a darker creature than what you are now.”

  “I would be honored to help, if I can.”

  Bron stepped up beside Aldric, spine stiff like a good soldier. Saule couldn’t help a small surge of pride. It was a testament to Aldric that a creature as powerful as Bron would stay by his side through such trials as they had seen.

  “That will do nicely, I think.” Dubheasa nodded.

  Aldric smiled at Bron. “Thank you, my friend.”

  “Aldric . . .”

  Saule flushed at the pitiful tone of her own voice, but she couldn’t help it. After all these years, she’d finally realized her feelings for the red-haired soon-to-be-vampire. It seemed a horrible crime to have him taken away from her so soon.

  Aldric turned to her and her heart melted a little so see his face soften. He walked over to her and took her hands in his.

  “Do not look so sad, love.”

  “I had hoped you would return home with me,” Saule admitted softly.

  “I wish that life was ours to have. I would love to return with you to Sky Mountain. But that is not who we are. You and I have both lived our entire existences for our people, doing what is best for them. We cannot stop now, not when we are still needed.”

  He pulled her to his body and Saule laid her cheek against his chest. Tears burned at her eyes, but she held them back. She would not ruin this day with more tears.

  “You will watch over our people during the day and I will watch them at night. We will make sure that they learn the lessons they need. I am going to return to Lithuania and begin training our people myself. They will never die again for lack of the skills they need to defend themselves.”

  “And what of us?” Saule whispered.

  Aldric smiled and the heat in his eyes sent a wet rush of warmth down her body. Saule shivered as he leaned in, putting his lips within a hair’s breadth of her neck.

  “You will meet me on earth every night at dusk,” he murmured. “And I will make the skies blush with what I do to you.”

  “Oh, I do hope they wait until full dark. I just know this is going to be a sight to see . . .”

  Saule just smiled. Even the Unseelie queen would not ruin this moment.

  Epilogue

  Aldric blinked. The entire world was encased in darkness, he could scarcely tell if he’d truly opened his eyes. He flexed his hands experimentally, intrigued by the gentle hum of his own body’s energy. He swirled his tongue over his teeth, smiling in satisfaction when the taste of blood alerted him to his new fangs.

  Bron had been true to his word. Aldric was a vampire once again. Now if only Dubheasa had followed through as well . . .

  Concentrating on the energy undulating inside him, Aldric waved his hand in front of him. The darkness parted like a curtain, revealing the interior of the modest cabin. It was a familiar setting--a structure he himself had helped rebuild centuries ago. Aldric smiled wider.

  “How do you feel, master?”

  Aldric turned his head, smiling when he saw Bron and Vincentas waiting by the door. The two vukodlaks stood, stepping closer before bowing their heads in respect.

  “Bron, you are my sire. It is I who should call you ‘master’ now.”

  Bron frowned and shook his head. “No. I am not an alpha, nor do I wish to be. The heavy mantle of authority is your burden to bear and you are welcome to it.”

  Aldric smiled. You could take the wolf out of the pack, but you couldn’t take the pack out of the wolf.

  “It is good to be home again,” he said finally.

  “Indeed it is,” Vincentas agreed.

  “Tell me, will you two be missing your queen?” Aldric asked dryly.

  The two vukodlaks exchanged glances.

  Aldric raised an eyebrow. “Something to share? The queen did release you from your addictions, did she not? Was Chernobog not a satisfactory replacement?”

  “Oh, she is quite pleased with her new lover,” Bron acknowledged. “Apparently, being able to manipulate her partner as she likes is quite . . . engaging.” He smirked. “Still, her majesty has extended an open invitation to return whenever we wish.”

  “And I believe we will be taking her up on the offer,” Vincentas added. He rolled his neck. “Her majesty has a way of helping you work muscles you did not even know you had.”

  “I see.” Aldric shook his head, a smile tugging up the corners of his mouth. “And what of Anton and Kurt?”

  “Apparently they also learned to enjoy the charms of the woman who captured them,” Vincentas chuckled. “Valkyrine released them from their oath, but I believe they will be frequent visitors.”

  “Good. They have earned it.” Aldric stood, stretching his muscles as he looked around the room. He could see everything as clearly as if it were day, despite the fact that no light lit the dark interior. Everything seemed brighter now, despite the darkness. He was a new man.

  “Tomorrow evening, we will begin recruiting. Find me able bodied men to begin training. I want each village to have a working militia, with a system of communication set up to alert them all if any one is threatened.”

  “It will be done,” Bron answered immediately.

  Aldric nodded, his mind already racing ahead. “I will meet you back here at dawn.”

  He started toward the door, halting only momentarily when he heard Vincentas’ voice.

  “Tell Saule we said hello.”

  Aldric smiled and walked through the doorway.

  The night air invaded his senses like a sweet perfume. Rich dark earth, fresh leaves, and the hint of a babbling brook tickled his nose. He drew in an unnecessary breath, dragging the aroma into his lungs.

  He froze.

  She is here.

  Arousal flowed in a hot thick wave down his body, filling his flesh until he stood stiff and proud. The air crackled with energy as he flowed deeper into the forest, searching. She was near.

  He moved faster, leaping over fallen trees and dodging branches. The forest seemed to move out of his way as if helping him to reach his target. He’d been human for such a short time, and yet he felt reborn. The world was full of scents and sounds that his human ears could never hear. Even a place as full of wonder as Sky Mountain could not compare to a common forest seen through the eyes of an immortal. The thought of what Saule’s body would feel like, what she would taste like, with his new perception made his mouth water.

  Finally he burst into a clearing, a small gasp rewarding him for his stealth. Saule whirled around, her stark white robes a sharp contrast to the darkness that surrounded her. light of the moon lent the garments a silvery glow and lit the golden strands of her hair. The sight of her would have stolen his breath if he’d had any.

  “You nearly frightened me to death,” Saule gasped, clutching a hand to her chest.

  Her innocent gesture drew his attention down to the soft swell of her breasts, rising and falling with her rapid breathing. Her pulse roa
red in his ears, awakening a sharp hunger in his belly. He tore his gaze away from her chest, dragging it up her body to the smooth pale column of her throat and the thick vein pulsing just under her skin.

  “Aldric,” Saule whispered.

  “Goddess,” he breathed.

  In the blink of an eye he’d swept in front of her. His hands closed around her hips, jerking her lower body against his with an almost violent urgency. Saule gasped, her hands flying to his shoulders. He groaned as she rubbed her body against his, delicious friction sending pleasure crackling down his body to where his cock lay trapped between them. She slid her hand between their bodies, sliding it up under his tunic and then down inside his pants.