Stone Maiden

by Tina Gerow

  James nodded and closed his eyes to concentrate. The rushing sky fell away, replaced by Logan’s view of Nicholas. “Bastard!” he shook with fury and Dara’s arms clamped around him more firmly. He forced himself to keep his eyes tightly shut so as not to sever the remote viewing link. For the benefit of the gargoyles, he said, “Nicholas, another ancient, and six other vamps are facing Logan and he’s only armed with a hunting knife. Ariel has a chest wound, but Logan packed it with his shirt, so I can’t tell what kind. She must be pretty weak if she’s not healing herself.”

  “She can’t, James.” Dara’s voice was sad and low. “It would kill the baby.”

  James’ head snapped around, his eyes flying open wide to stare at Dara. “Baby?”

  Dara nodded and continued to stare past him toward their destination.

  The weight of the world settled on James’ shoulders as everything suddenly made perfect sense. Ariel, his ex-lover was pregnant with his grandson.

  He was the grandfather of the child of blood.

  His heart swelled with emotion until he remembered that three people he loved were in the hands of Nicholas. James squirmed out of Dara’s grip and continued flying on his own, willing himself to fly even faster.

  Finally, the clearing came into view and James was happy he had excellent night vision. Logan stood over Ariel with his knife brandished before him. Covered in blood, probably his own, from the almost pristine condition of the vampires.

  James angled into a dive, with the gargoyles on either side of him, just as Astor stepped forward and raked extended claws across Logan’s chest.

  “No!” James heard the word echo in his ears and only then did he realize it had come from him. Astor stared up at James with a smirk. Logan took one last stab at Astor and managed to wedge the hunting knife deep into Astor’s jugular before falling to his knees. Astor’s hands flew to his spewing wound and he stumbled away as Logan fell face first across Ariel’s legs.

  Rage and grief burned through James until his vision tinted with a red hazy of fury. He landed just behind Astor, knowing Dara would go immediately to Ariel and Logan. If anything could be done for them, Dara would do it. Astor, his hands still pressed to his spraying neck, turned to face James. Never faltering in his step, James extended his talons, plunged his hand into Astor’s chest and pulled out his still beating heart. Astor’s face showed shock and surprise just before he disintegrated into ash and blew away on the evening breeze.

  James heard fighting around him and dimly understood that the gargoyles were fighting the lesser vampires. He knew they could handle it. His gaze never wavered from Nicholas.

  “He killed her…” James stopped dead in his tracks as he heard Logan’s voice through their still active connection. A picture flashed through his mind. It was Jacqueline, lying on the floor in her own blood, Nicholas leaned over her, drinking from her ruined neck. The picture faded to be replaced by the present day Nicholas. James knew Logan had found his mother dead, he never knew he’d seen her killer, but then Nicholas had probably erased his memory. James spent years trying to find out who had killed Jacqueline, but he’d always run into a dead end until now.

  “Good evening, James.” Nicholas smiled at him as if they were meeting on a street corner during a Sunday stroll. “I’ve waited over thirty years to find out who Jacqueline was rutting with. She had the signs of the prophecy even back then.”

  No emotions reached him but deadly calm. “I claim the right of vengeance.” The ancient words spilled from his lips. It was a direct challenge between two equal vampires, which meant the fight would be just between them, to the death. “You, my brother of the original men turned, have defiled and killed my mate.”

  “Your mate, shouldn’t have been involved in the prophecy and neither should you.”

  James continued unheeded. “You have also injured my son and my son’s son—the child of blood.”

  Nicholas’ lips quirked. “Not to mention your ex-lover, the pretty gargoyle, eh, James?”

  Nicholas laughed at his own joke and James punched him square in the face. Nicholas did stop laughing, but his gaze turned deadly. “I acknowledge my grievances and would like to add one more—your death.”

  James didn’t bother to retort, but raked his hand across Nicholas’ chest, shredding the cloth of his suit and the top few layers of skin. Killing or even injuring an ancient vampire was much more difficult than the younger vamps. This would be a long fight. He poured all of his rage and grief into every blow and found himself saying something he’d heard Logan say in bar fights. “Bring it on.”

  Chapter Sixteen

  Ariel’s heart constricted as she saw Logan’s chest ripped open in front of her. She tried to will her broken body to stand, to protect him, but she had lost too much blood and was past the point of being able to make a choice. She’d already decided in favor of their child and now had to live with that choice—if she even lived through this. Her sisters would come for her, she was sure. But for the first time, she was afraid they would be too late, for the baby, for Logan and definitely for herself. Having no energy left for tears, she saw Logan fall to his knees beside her and then topple over to land on her legs, face down.

  “Logan,” she whispered. With the last of her strength, she reached down and laid her hand on top of his head. His hair felt soft and warm against her fingers. Memories of the times she ran her fingers through his hair while they made love came back to assault her. Maybe this was how heaven would be, getting to cherish the good memories she’d experienced in her long life.

  Dimly she heard the sound of wings and then Dara’s cool touch feathered across her forehead. “I’m here. Hang on.”

  “Check the baby and Logan first,” she croaked.

  “Saving the baby means saving you, so be quiet and conserve your strength.” The iron behind Dara’s words brooked no argument, and Ariel relaxed and put herself in her sister’s hands. The wound in her chest burned as Dara removed Logan’s shirt and began to clear away the blood so she could assess the damage. Logan’s weight shifted off her legs and as the cool air stole the warmth from where he’d lain, she felt bereft. “Logan,” she whispered. Then Logan lay beside her, his hand in hers. She smiled. Her sisters, bless them, must know they’d want to be together. She threaded her fingers through his and received a sluggish squeeze from Logan.

  She tried to turn her head, but her muscles wouldn’t cooperate. The ground was cool and the last of her warmth seeped into it. All except where her hand touched Logan’s. He was her lifeline and she held on for the sake of their child. “I love you, Logan,” she whispered and hoped God would allow him to hear it as the last of her strength ebbed away.

  Lord, Your will be done in all things. I’ve served you faithfully for centuries. I would ask that if it is within Your plan, please save Logan and our son.

  *****

  James staggered back from Nicholas’ latest blow and spit a mouthful of blood into the dirt before straightening and lunging for his opponent once again. Sweat and the metallic tang of blood permeated the wind. They’d fought for what seemed like hours, but the moon hadn’t moved in the sky, so it was probably only minutes. Both were bloody and shredded, their stamina waning.

  “Our Master will win, James. You fight in vain. Why don’t you join us, kill the child and his sire and all your transgressions will be forgotten.” Nicholas ducked under James’ blow, then pivoted on his right foot and caught James in the mouth with a left front snap kick.

  James’ head snapped back hard and a loud buzzing began in his ears. He shook his head to try to clear it. “The Dark One has not been my master for a very long time. I turned to God long ago, and it’s to Her I pledge my life and allegiance.”

  Nicholas bared his fangs. “So much for the last tidbit of the prophecy, since I can now see you’re the secret seed of darkness. As soon as I learned you were Jacqueline’s lover, I knew you were the traitor. There’s a whole branch of the prophecy around the traitor to the
Dark One.” Nicholas leapt forward snapping his fangs where James’ throat had been only seconds before.

  James stumbled back, out of reach of the deadly fangs, and lost his footing. He landed hard on his back, his breath whooshing out in a painful rush. He rolled to the right just in time to avoid another attack from Nicholas and then twisted back around to pin Nicholas to the ground, his face pressed into the pine needles lining the forest floor.

  James plunged his hand through Nicholas’ back and wrapped his hand around the engorged heart. Full of the blood of humans he’d terrorized and killed for the last nine hundred years. He squeezed and Nicholas winced. James leaned down near Nicholas’ ear, but not so close as to be in range of his sharp incisors. “This is for Jacqueline and if it ends up being for Logan as well, I’ll follow you into hell itself to extract my revenge.”

  James crushed the heart and then ripped it free of Nicholas’ body. He tossed the mangled heart to the forest floor and then stood to grind it under his heel. But Nicholas was an ancient and there would be no disintegrating to ashes for him. Complete darkness descended like a heavy cloak, and the air stilled to leave an eerie feeling of something to come.

  James stepped back quickly as the ground around Nicholas’ body cracked open. Flames directly from hell licked up around the inert form, and only when engulfed in fire did the screams begin. James had killed two other ancients in his lifetime and knew that the Dark One punished failure cruelly, bringing the unlucky soul back to awareness as he burned them alive, and only then took them back to hell.

  After the final screams died away and the crack in the ground closed as if it had never been, the heavy cloak receded and moonlight and starlight shone once again. James finally allowed his exhaustion to overwhelm him. He turned to see Ariel and Logan lying on the ground side by side, their fingers twined. Stumbling closer before falling to his knees on the ground, he sought out Dara, his unasked question clear in his expression.

  When Dara refused to meet his gaze, but only shook her head, his heart broke and tears welled up to stream down his face unchecked. This was the first time he’d cried since he’d been human, more than nine hundred years ago. A great emptiness welled up inside him and a desperation like he’d never known, not even during his years as an evil vampire, threatened to choke him.

  James raised his open palms to the heavens and spoke directly to God. “I beg you, Lord. You spared my life centuries ago when I tried to walk into the sun. Since then, I’ve pledged my life to you and served you loyally.” His voice echoed in his own ears across the still air around them. He pressed his fists to his eyes, hopelessness suffocating him. “I know my life isn’t worth even one of theirs, but please, I beg you. Take me and let the three of them live.”

  When only silence greeted him, he collapsed forward in defeat.

  A spare breeze played against his skin, and he sat up and opened his eyes. The sky steadily lightened until a ray of soft light shone down over him, a beacon in the darkness. The rays warmed him and chased away his despair. The scent of cinnamon tickled his senses and he turned to look behind him and directly into the cerulean gaze of Gabriel.

  Kefira, Dara and Odeda knelt and placed their right fists over their hearts.

  Gabriel nodded at them and they rose before he turned his attention back to James. “Dark Redeemer, the Lord has granted your prayer.” Gabriel’s smile was kind, but laced with sadness.

  Gabriel stepped away from the circle of light past Kefira and Dara and toward the still forms of Ariel and Logan. He knelt between them and placed a hand on each of their chests, a soft glow emanating from the contact. Then finally, Logan and Ariel stirred and slowly sat up. “Be well, your lives have been spared.” Only then, did Gabriel stand and return to James.

  Gabriel reached out a hand to rest it lightly against James’ forehead. The hand warmed where it touched him and all of the energy left in James surged forward toward the contact and up into the angel. “Thank You,” James whispered before his awareness disappeared.

  *****

  The burning in Logan’s chest slowly receded until he knew his body had been totally restored. Ariel’s hand gripped his tightly, and he opened his eyes to see Gabriel looming over them. “Be well, your lives have been spared,” he said in a kind voice before rising and returning to James.

  Logan wanted to ask what happened while he’d been unconscious—he was afraid to ask if he’d been dead. He wasn’t sure if he wanted the answer.

  Gabriel stood and walked toward James, then reached out to lay a gentle hand on his head. James whispered something Logan couldn’t hear and then collapsed at Gabriel’s feet in a heap.

  “James!” Logan lurched to his feet and rushed to James’ side. Gently turning him over, Logan cradled James’ head in his lap, then looked up into Gabriel’s steady gaze. “Why?” he whispered, pain and betrayal flowing through him. He sensed more than heard Ariel step close behind him and lay a comforting hand on his shoulder.

  Gabriel looked down at James, compassion clear in his gaze. “God granted James’ last request. James offered to trade himself for the three of you.” Gabriel gestured to encompass Logan, Ariel and the baby.

  Conflicted emotions flowed through Logan. James, the father he hadn’t known he had, willingly traded his life for all of them. Logan remembered all the times James had been there for him as a manager, a best friend and a confidant and emotions rose to form a large lump in his throat. “Why didn’t he ever tell me? About my mother, about him…about everything?”

  Gabriel sighed and stepped forward to kneel next to Logan. “He and Jacqueline were involved for a few years and then his assignments took him elsewhere. Five years later, she sent him an urgent message that she thought her life was in danger. He rushed back to find her dead on the floor and a son he didn’t even know he had.”

  “Why didn’t he keep me with him? I could have grown up with a father.” Logan studied James’ face looking for similarities to himself. He obviously inherited his mother’s coloring, but now that he looked for it, he saw he and James shared the same shape face, high cheekbones and even the cleft in their chins.

  “James knew if he claimed you, your life would always be in danger, so he took you to your aunt and uncle and made sure to come back into your life when he could help you the most—as an aspiring song writer and musician. That way he had a reason to keep you close without putting you in danger.”

  Ariel stroked a hand along the back of Logan’s neck. “That sounds like James.”

  “God always has reasons for whatever She does. And not to sound callus, but now that the existence of the child of blood has been proclaimed, he will need an appointed protector.” Gabriel met Logan’s gaze and then glanced down at James.

  Logan didn’t understand what Gabriel was trying to tell him with the pointed gesture, but he knew it was something. But before he could ask what, Ariel broke in.

  “Our child has protectors—me, Logan, my sisters—“

  “Lioness of God,” Gabriel chided. “You never did have much patience. You and Logan cannot be the child’s protectors because as the parents of the child of blood, you have your own destinies and purposes. As do your sisters, although all of you will be very helpful in watching out for the child.”

  Logan broke in before the conversation could follow any more tangents. “What exactly are the requirements for a protector of the child of blood?”

  Gabriel beamed at him as if he were a prize pupil. “The protector must be able to withstand attack by all supernatural beings and have great stamina. One of ancient blood would be preferred purely for experience and strength. And they must be able to care for the child ‘round the clock.”

  Kefira started to say something, but Logan cut her off. “Someone like an ancient vampire, maybe?”

  A collective silence fell over the group as everyone realized where this conversation was headed.

  Ariel’s hand tightened on Logan’s shoulder as she addressed Gabriel. “An ancient
vampire who no longer had restrictions of avoiding sunlight and drinking blood would be ideal.”

  Gabriel grinned over at Ariel like they shared a private joke. “True. But the appointment of the protector is purely up to the two parents of the child. God has given them leave to protect the child as they see fit.”

  Logan smiled over at Ariel and nodded for her to continue. “As the mother of the child of blood and with the consent of the child’s father, we request James Wellington as the child’s protector. But in order for him to carry out his duties effectively, he would need to be able to withstand sunlight and have his reliance on blood removed.”

  Gabriel looked at Logan for confirmation. “I concur.”

  “Then it is done.” Gabriel stepped away from Logan and dropped to his knees, his eyes downcast.

  The whitest light Logan had ever seen beamed into existence in front of him until it coalesced into the form of a beautiful woman with skin the color of creamy coffee. Her dark hair flowed around her and she seemed to be clothed only in shifting light that kept her appropriately covered no matter her movements.

  She smiled and the world around them visibly brightened, flowers suddenly blooming at her feet. Only then did Logan realize everyone else in the clearing knelt with bowed heads.

  He quickly averted his gaze and dropped to his knees beside Ariel.

  Her voice sounded like birdsong carried on the wind when she spoke. “You’ve done well, Logan. Make sure to take good care of my gargoyles and your child.”

  The words caressed Logan’s soul, and he finally lifted his gaze to see her step toward James.

  “Dark Redeemer, rise and fulfill your duties as protector of the child of blood. I don’t make personal appearances for just anyone.” She leaned down to brush a kiss across his forehead before vanishing.

  James’ eyes fluttered open, almost stopping Logan’s heart. “James,” he whispered.