The demon’s comrade didn’t waste another look at his dying brother in arms and shot in my direction. I was petrified, couldn’t move. All what came to my mind was Deans look when his throat was slashed. Just a meter or two parted us. Then, a knife flew over my shoulder and ended in the Berserker’s forehead. Everyone else would have dropped dead, but not this exemplar. He stormed forward, directly into me — the impact pulled me off my feet and catapulted me against a bookcase. With both hands, he grabbed after my shoulders, his fingernails digging into my flesh. I squeezed my eyes shut. Then he stopped. I opened one eye and the Berserker glided off me and slowly sunk to the floor, another knife in his back. “No brain those boys”, Tatiana said and grabbed my hand. The next thing I noticed, I was running or better said, being dragged like a puppy behind the firestorm called Tatiana. Another Berserker crossed our way, but in quick sequence, Tatiana pierced his chest with three knives. She really had to explain herself, where she was hiding them. Tatiana didn’t even wait for the man to drop dead. She just chose another corridor and continued her way.
“Where are we going?” I asked and looked behind. There was no sign of Dimitri. Damn it. “Tat”, I shouted at her back and stamped my heels firmly to the floor to bring her to a halt. At least that was my intention; instead I slipped and landed ungracefully on my bottom.
Tatiana veered around, fury in her glance. “WHAT?”
“DIMITRI”, I shouted back.
She pulled me up again. “Dimitri can look out for himself. Those demons are behind you, not him. RUN!”
And that was it. I was running as good as possible in that outfit and those heels. “To the window”, Tatiana said and pointed to the T-junctions at the end of the corridor that ended in a wide window.
A look over my shoulder confirmed my horror. Another two Berserkers were closing the distance to us with supernatural speed.
Suddenly, I bumped into Tatiana, who had stopped running all of a sudden. The impact sent both of us to the floor. Just in time. A blue flash zigzagged over our heads, the air was filled with electricity. “DAMN!” a robed figure shouted at the end of the corridor, blocking our escape through the window. I followed his glance. The flash had hit one of the demons in the chest and set him ablaze. His comrade disregarded his dying friend and set after us. My glance jerked back to the new threat. He spread both hands’ fingers and crackling blue-white flashes licked around his knuckles ready to be released. Tatiana’s eyes opened wide in horror, which could only mean, she hadn’t had expected that either. A very bad sign. If one single flash could kill a Berserker, our chances of survival were very slim, not to say non-existing. Then a hand came around the man’s right shoulder, a shadow grew behind him, all happened so quickly I could barely take it all in. There was a flash of steel and then the throat of the man was cut. Before he could sink to the ground, he was lifted up by his killer and thrown through the window, which shattered in a breathtaking noise. Cool night air filled the room. Our saviour veered around and I gave a sigh of relief from me. “Dimitri!” it escaped my throat. I wanted to run straight into his arms, but he… threw a knife… at me. All I could do was closing my eyes, expecting the blade to hit my head. But instead, I felt an air draft at my left cheek and heard an impact behind me. I turned around and opened my eyes. Right behind me, stood the other Berserker, a dagger escaping his throat. He starred at me, licking over his lips with his black tongue, dark, stinking blood escaped his wound and he coughed up some black tar like an erupting volcano. Then he plummeted to the ground and dissolved in black smoke. In the next moment, I was thrown over Dimitri’s shoulder — well, what was I complaining about? Wasn’t that what I wanted? He could have made it softer, I guess. But I couldn’t enjoy the ride. The crazy idiot took a few steps forward and then jumped straight out of the window. I squeezed my eyes shut and passed out.
***
“Honestly, I had to carry her”, Tatiana complained for the tenth time tonight. What could I say? I’m sorry for passing out? Jumping or being jumped out of a window caught me a bit unprepared?
Instead, I said. “I’m adopted.” Right then, it was the only thing on my mind that mattered. “Adopted! And my parents never told me.”
“They might have had their reasons”, Victor argued in their favour. We were sitting in his office; well, I was lying on the couch and pressed an ice pack to my head.
“What could that be?” I snapped back at him, shifting restlessly on the sofa. “We didn’t tell you because we never imagined you find out one day. What’s that for an excuse? I tell you! A very, very lame one! Guess what, it really hurts when you find out that your supposedly parents lied to you all this time…”
“Gosh”, Tatiana shot out of her seat. “Is she nattering again?”
“Yep”, Dimitri said, leaning against a bookcase full of leather-covered books and crossing his arms in front of his chest. “Calm down”, he said when he saw my deadly glance at him. “You’re not the only one with a slightly distorted upbringing.”
“You too?”
“His father was a demon”, Tatiana laughed out loud. “How much more distorted can it get.”
“What I mean”, he pulled a piece of paper from the back pocket of his pants. “You’re not the only one with a family secret.”
He passed the paper to Tatiana, who scanned it eagerly. “Ups”, she grinned and tossed the paper onto the couch table next to me. “Your BFF might be more Russian than she wants us to believe. Will be a big surprise for her, when she finds out.”
I snatched the paper from the table and… of course it was all in Russian, but I could clearly identify the signature. “Vicky is adopted, too?” My voice was shrill and I started to hyperventilate again.
“Hmm”, Victor leaned back in his rocking chair and whipped slowly forth and back, his thumb and index finger scratching his chin. “What’s the chance of a coincidence in our case? Two girls, both born in the same city and the same year, both of star sign twin and both adopted by parents from the same city. Even growing up together.”
“Stinks, if you ask me”, Tatiana blurted out. For a change, I couldn’t agree more with her.
Victor nodded, convinced of his own theory. “Maybe both girls were the target.”
Dimitri shook his head determined. “There was only one Berserker, two max, kidnapping Vicky.” His chin jerked in my direction. “Back then, they knew the right target. But it explains why they didn’t kidnap them before. They had no idea, who of them was the real deal.”
“I agree”, Victor said to everyone’s surprise, especially mine.
“No, no, no, no.” I jumped up, the ice pack still pressed against my head, immediately regretting my sudden movement as it sent an arsenal of pain waves to my forehead. “I’m not this Prince of Death!”
“Princess of Death”, Dimitri corrected with a smirk, but it didn’t give his story much credit what me concerned. This was too serious. “It makes all no sense. Why would they even bother with kidnapping the others if they knew I’m the target?
Victor folded his hands as if in a prayer. “To hold you ransom?”
“Obviously they want to use you, making you do… whatever it is they want”, Dimitri continues. “Three close friends of yours is plenty of leverage. Most likely your family would have been next.”
Tatiana put her hand on mine. “Which means your friends are still alive. Otherwise, they lose the only leverage they have.”
Victor lifted one leg over the other. “Which also means, we can’t go public again. In regards to your friends, from now on, I forbid you three looking for them. It’s too dangerous. I’m sure, that’s exactly what the Guild wants us to do.”
“I can’t abandon my friends!” I almost shouted. I knew I needed those people, if I wanted to ever see my friends again.
“You all will not leave the house, that’s my final word.”
“You’re grounding me?” Tatiana’s face showed horror. “I just stuck for months in this American Dream bottle and endured all the
crap they call teaching and now after I finally can have my old life back, I’m grounded?”
It seemed Dimitri jumped onto Victor’s bandwagon. “It was Pullman I threw out of the window. He lost his mask when his head collided with the pavement.”
Typically! Boys! Thanks for providing such a graphic image in my head. I haven’t had enough nightmares yet.
“Who is Pullman?” I asked exhausted.
“He’s a council member”, Victor said, raising his index finger. “Actually was, he didn’t survive the fall.”
“Which means the council has moles and can’t be trusted”, Dimitri continued. “Surely, Pullman can’t be the only one.”
Victor turned to me and for a moment I had the feeling we two were alone in the room. He looked even paler than normal; his eyes had dark red rings underneath. “That means, for you, young lady, I have to insist that you’re staying inside Deerpark Manor. Not only your life, but those of every creature on earth depends on it.”
“Aren’t you exaggerating?”
He shook his head. “Once the Guild has you, the last Child of Apocalypse, they’ll command the four horsemen, subsequently, they unleash hell on earth. No one is safe anymore.”
Tatiana shifted in her seat. “What can we do?”
Victor took a deep breath before he answered. “First of all, you, my dear, increase the wards around the manor.”
“But my mother’s wards are perfect.” From the grimace on Tatiana’s face I could easily read, this felt like an affront to her.
“The Guild will throw everything against us; will try everything to get in contact with us. They know what we have. They won’t stop.”
“Why is it so bad if they could contact us?” I asked into the blue.
“What do you think?” Dimitri straightened his back. “If I were them, I would offer you a prisoner exchange. You for one or two of your friends.”
“I’m your prisoner now, that’s how you see me?”
Victor’s cold hand was on my arm quicker than allowed for an old man. “You’re no one’s prisoner, but I can’t protect you outside those walls. Neither you nor your family.”
“And what am I supposed to do here? Sit in my room and wait for the things to unfold? It’s not that either of you is coming up with a great plan.” My eyes wandered from one face to the other.
Victor shook his head. “I will contact a few old friends and form an alliance. In the meantime, you can join Tatiana and Dimitri in fight training.”
“Fight training?” There must be horror written all over my face. I was everything else than combat material. Not worth mentioning, I’d never been involved in any school fights whatsoever.
Tatiana sent me a nasty grin. “Believe it or not, barbie, but I don’t like the idea as much as you do.”
***
Fight training was held in a large room in the attic, stuffed with all kinds of medieval war instruments ranging from swords over maces, daggers and knives. A gymnastic mat for training falls and a wall for climbing exercises was as much part of the room as several targets for archery, each showing plenty of holes from previous tutorials. It goes without saying, I wasn’t really motivated about the outlook of getting bashed by a scornful Tatiana. Not to say, the bare idea harboured a severe disposition. Quite naturally I turned up hours too late and missed most. Reason for my tardiness wasn’t the dull outlook of earning some more bruises. Most of last night, I’d spent crying my eyes out. Adopted! All what I ever believed in, my entire life, was no more than a big lie. I’d cried until no tears were left anymore and I was too exhausted to think about anything else than sleep.
By the time I arrived, Dimitri and Tatiana were bathed in perspiration. Dimitri was just reaching under her armpit and catapulted her over his shoulder. She landed with her back on the mat, but before I could comment on her defeat, she kicked against Dimitri’s shins and brought him down on top of her. Their lips were just inches away. If this was fight training or foreplay was hard to say. Again, Tatiana showed more skin than clothes and the outfit she had surrendered to me could be classified best as a sports bra and knickers. Technically, I was naked. Even my bikini would have allowed for more cover.
“Hi”, I announced myself, trying not to look at them. Hiding my embarrassment was useless. My hot cheeks and ears were as obvious to them as to me. Dimitri leaped up and helped Tatiana to her feet.
“You’re late”, he commented without a glance at me.
Late or not late enough?
I bound my hair into a ponytail. “Yeah, I fell asleep late. Sorry.”
“Very well”, he said, his glance lowered to the floor. Was I that ugly? “I’ll have a break, Tatiana will show you some close combat.” But then, there was something else than rejection in his voice.
“Tatiana”, I breathed out. “You can’t leave me alone with her, she promised to kill me.”
“You’ll be fine”, he said, and I was more determined than ever something was off.
I reached, for his arm, but he was already half way out of the room.
“Don’t”, Tatiana said behind me, her iron grip around my forearm. How could such a slim creature have such power? Furious, I veered around and jerked my arm free. “Tell me, is it just jealousy or are you afraid I could break your boyfriend’s heart?”
“Pah”, Tatiana faked a laugh, but when she noticed it had not the effect she’d hoped for she broke it off instantly. “It’s not about his heart, I’m concerned. It’s yours. Believe me, I had my fair share of a crush on him.”
Now it was my turn faking a laugh. “Just for your information, I have a boyfriend myself. I don’t have to screw yours. So there is no reason for you to kill me.”
“Good for you”, Tatiana pulled a strand back behind her ear. “And you better make sure it stays this way, because if he finds out you’re not her, you’ll never be truly his. And for your information, I’m over him.”
“Her, her, her!” I got even more agitated. “Maybe you want to fill me in. Who is she? Any girl who has such an impact on a boy is worthwhile meeting.”
“Well, that might be problematic, she’s dead.”
“Oh…” Brilliantly done, Izzy.
“Her name was Anastasia”, she said in a matter of fact tone.
“Anastasia, like this Russian Princess.” Thanks to the Disney Channel that’s the only person I knew with that name.
“The very same.”
“What?” I giggled, but there was no amusement written in Tatiana’s face. She was dead serious.
“That’s impossible. She must have died ages ago.”
“Around a hundred years ago. Dimitri more or less grew up with the Imperial family. His master at the time assigned him and trained him to protect the Tsarevitch Alexei, who by the Council was believed to be the Prince of Death. But revolution turned the world into madness and Dimitri was forced to choose. The Grand Duchess, his love, or his mission. He chose her, but the Bolsheviks caught up with them. She was brutally murdered, same as the rest of her family.”
I drove my fingers through my hair. “Dimitri is a century old?”
“Didn’t age a day since she was killed.”
I only wished she hadn’t told me as she’d just delivered the ammunition needed to get my friends back.
Chapter XIV
The Power of Persuasion
“Finally, here you are”, I made myself known while climbing up the spiral staircase to the astronomical tower which loomed over the manor house’s east wing. Yeah, right, they have an astronomical tower, I couldn’t believe when Dracula had told me, where to find him.
Dimitri jumped out of his seat near a golden telescope, a book fell off his lap, but he didn’t bother picking it up.
“Thanks by the way”, I puffed out when I’d finally made it to the top. “Tatiana nearly killed me. Are we now on ignoring terms or did you hope Tat would get rid of me.”
“Neither”, he answered, avoiding my glance.
“Then explain yo
urself. I believe I deserve an explanation after she almost broke every single bone in my body. What are you doing up here?” My squint wandered through the room. There were bookcases loaded with all kinds of scrolls and books, preliminary about astronomy. The ceiling resembled a glass dome through which I could witness the beams of the setting sun in the distance. Romantic spot. I silenced this voice by shaking my head and refocussed on the main purpose why I was here. My visit wasn’t social after all. Not entirely. But maybe he can show you how to fall with him landing on… Stop it, Izzy!
Carrying you Princess-style…
Izzy, stop thinking about it! You’re supposed to be mad at him, remember?
He took a breath, kneeled down, retrieved his book and while coming back up, placed it carefully on a side table next to his chair. “I like this place. It helps me get my thoughts in order.”
“Thinking of her?” My cheeks were blushing. His eyes widened, I didn’t have to wait for affirmation.
“Tatiana told me”, I said matter of fact.
“And you believe it?” The hope in his voice was hard to miss.
I ran my fingers through my sticky hair. Hours of fight-school had taken its toll. I should have committed to a shower and another layer of clothes, but this would have taken time and if there was something my friends did not possess, it was time.
I shrugged my shoulders. “It’s a lot to take in.” Translated into plain English, I didn’t believe a word of this story. Nevertheless, the sheer possibility gained me leverage over him. You’re disgusting, Izzy. He saved your pitiful life.
My friends have a life worth saving too, I argued with my self-conscience.
“Maybe it’s only wishful thinking”, he argued, if with me or himself was hard to tell. “Victor is saying, the memory of your former life should return at one stage. I hoped the familiar surroundings of the Winter Palace would lure out some.” He surrendered to a deep sigh. “But nothing.”
“Yeah, my stunning blackout wasn’t really accompanied by a major flashback, just an encounter with a creepy ghost.”
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