“I want you to rot in the deepest hole!” She screamed and thrashed until Declan’s strong hands pressed into her shoulders.
“Ceyla!” He yelled her name harshly. “It’s time to let go of your pettiness. I helped you escape Dark Forest Academy in the hopes that you would kill Marianela and use her death to raise support for your new coven. I envisioned you sitting in the high seat at the table. I know you used the reformation of the Sabourin Coven as your battle cry to get what you wanted, but I could see that it meant more to you than that. Marianela is offering you a partnership. There will be no more high seat. She plans to give equal power to the covens and stop the infighting. She knows it will take time, but she’s willing to commit to this plan. This is your chance to reclaim your birthright as the heir to the Sabourin Coven and lead. It’s what you’ve always wanted. You should listen.” He spoke firmly and reasonably as he looked down at her. Seeing the love he felt for her in his hopeful expression, I hoped she would understand why he was willing to risk everything by allying himself with me.
Ceyla sneered as she growled at me.
Landon stirred at the back of the room. I wasn’t sure exactly where he and Kayden stood in regards to my master plan since they had remained silent since Declan had overridden Ceyla’s orders to release her.
He looked to Kayden and stepped towards the desk. “Ceyla, I think you need to listen to Marianela. I’ve seen what it’s really like inside the coven and I believe she’s telling the truth. She could have fought you in the woods, but she didn’t. I think she’s tired of fighting for the wrong reasons. You once envisioned a victory over the Mielcareks so that you could destroy them, yet they aren’t even in power. It’s time to let go of your revenge fantasy. I’m with Declan. I think you can be more than the crazy vampire who strikes fear in the hearts of others, just like the Mielcareks. It’s time to be Ceyla Sabourin, leader.”
Kayden came closer and knelt in front of Ceyla. Placing his hand on her face, he smiled. “Be the leader I know you can be. Join Marianela and Silvijn. You once told me that you wanted the Bitten to be equal to the purebreds. In order to do that, you need to have a voice in the coven.”
Ceyla looked into the eyes of her men and quieted down. Her mouth opened a few times before she shut it and hung her head. “I don’t know if I can do it. My fear got the better of me when we arrived here. I wasn’t sure I could fulfill all my promises of destroying the Mielcareks. I stayed up all day, fretting and worrying that I would fail you. I lost myself because it was easier to hate Marianela than become the person you expected me to be.” She hissed through her teeth as tears sprang up in her eyes.
Standing up, I looked to Ceyla. “We can do this together. You are not alone, and neither am I. We have friends and supporters. We just need to convince them that following us into the future is better than being tortured and kept down by the old ways.”
Ceyla swallowed harshly and looked up at me. “It will take a lot of convincing after what I’ve done, but I’m sure we can leverage the support of the other vampires, if we give them the right motivation to fight for us.”
Smiling, I nodded. “Agreed. Perhaps the opportunity to overthrow Dakari, the shadow leader of the Mielcarek Coven, and reinstate the covens as individual entities will be the right motivation.”
Her mouth fell open in surprise before her lips curled into a devious smile. “You are the smart one in your family. Tell me more.”
≈
Heading out of Vamp House, I looked up at the bright sunny sky. I didn’t realize how much I missed the warmth of the sun. Pulling my cape around my face, I headed for the forest, careful to not be discovered.
I kept to the shadows of the other houses and tried to be as inconspicuous as possible among the other students. I ran through the plan six times, making small adjustments as I reached the woods.
Haines was smart and understood what I wanted; I just hoped that he had the time he needed to arrange for everything.
I searched the trees for Talen, but I could only find the Skvaders, the half bunny / half birds that flew around in the daylight.
Making my way towards the barrier along the mountain, I searched for any signs of where the forge entrance would be located today. I only had an hour until sunset and Dakari’s arrival. While Ceyla was enacting the final touches of her part of the plan, I had to ensure that Haines was ready; otherwise, this would all fall apart.
Annoyed that I couldn’t spot Talen or a giant rock arrow pointing to the entrance, I paced the length of the barrier. The entrance existed. I just had to find it.
“Looking for them?” A male voice called out from behind me.
I spun around to find a tall man standing between Talen and Haines, who were bound in cuffs.
Based on the smug look on the man’s face, I assumed he was the Dean of Discipline, the asshole Nikkos and the other vamps warned me about. The vamps considered him the boogeyman of Wicked Reform.
“Dean Aero, thank you for finding my men. I was starting to worry about them. Come along, boys. I have so much studying to do. I could certainly use your help.” I knew I wasn’t going to charm my way out of this, but I needed Aero to underestimate me.
He chuckled. “You can drop the innocent act, Marianela. You’ve been on my calendar since you led a riot that caused the death of a teacher. I asked Nikkos to allow me to handle your punishment. Unfortunately, I’ve had more important matters to attend to. This is a big school with many troubled young people. Sometimes, you have to prioritize.”
I gasped. “A teacher died here? I had no idea. I just thought she committed suicide because she felt so used and abused by the Mielcarek Coven. Spreading that propaganda day in and day out really takes a toll on a person.”
He shook his head. “Come now, let’s not play games. Take off that cape and come with me. We’ll get things straightened out and back to business as usual. Trust me; you’ll see things more clearly once we’re done.”
Having heard of the cruel methods employed by the dean, I had no interest in going anywhere with him. Nikkos’ punishments were one thing but being tortured by the dean was an entirely different level of pain.
I frowned and tsked at him. “I don’t think so. I have other plans today. I have to wash my hair and do my nails. I’ll pass.”
His face fell as he grabbed the shoulders of Talen and Haines. “You’ll want to see what I have planned for your men. And before you tell me they are casual acquaintances, know that I’ve had my eye on you for a while.”
Stepping forward, I smiled. “If that were true, you would have brought more guards with you.” I waited for him to take the bait so that I could move up his timetable and spring whatever surprise awaited me on my terms.
He shrugged and clapped his hands. “Don’t worry about that, Marianela.”
No less than ten men stepped out from behind the trees or dropped from the branches. Some were shifters, while others were something other than human.
Before the first guard’s feet hit the ground, I had my cape open and my enchanted swords cutting through Aero’s men, two and three at a time. I punched one shifter who leapt towards me with the spikes on my hand guard, sending him into another guard. Using my speed, I disabled each of them before the dean could move.
“No one said I was worried, Dean.” I licked the blood off my blade and smiled. “Hmm, is there demon blood mixed with the bear and tiger shifter blood? That’s some good stuff.”
Advancing on him, I saw the fear in his eyes, though he took a brave step forward.
“I will kill them, Marianela.” His eyes narrowed as he watched me approach.
“So what? If you believe that threatening them or killing them will stop me, you’re wrong. It will only make me fight harder. I won’t stop until I have your head mounted on the gates of the school. I’m not the average student here. I can’t be beaten or broken. You’re too late for that. I am a force unlike any you have seen before. My battle isn’t about bloodlust or power. My
battle is much more important than that. It’s about the vampires and my desire to help them, not just the powerful or the rich, but all of them. It’s about making things better, not destroying things. It’s not about revenge. This battle is to ensure that my people get the leaders they deserve. If you stand in my way, I will cut you down and never think twice about you. Stay out of my way and not only will you survive, but you will have also aided three of the rightful leaders of the covens. That will certainly go a long way in securing our favor.” I glared at him; ready to fight in case he believed Dakari would remain in power by the end of the day.
Dean Aero assessed me for a moment. “They were certainly right about you being a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield. You might actually have a chance of winning this thing. If you truly believe you can get the fucking covens under control, and off my ass, then take your men and go kill whoever needs killing. I’m tired of this school being a political showpiece for them. I don’t like them sending all their rejects here to teach and watch over me every second of every day. Kill this student, don’t kill that student. I’m over it. I have a reputation to uphold. I can’t do my job if they are constantly telling me what to do with the vampires.”
Nodding, I motioned for Aero to remove the cuffs from Talen and Haines. “Had I known of your hatred of the covens, we could have made a deal sooner.”
“Doubtful. You weren’t ready yet, but I can see how you’ve changed.” He crossed his arms and huffed. “As long as you take Nikkos with you, it will be worth the cleanup effort once you leave.”
“Consider it done.” I lowered my swords as a show of good faith.
He released Talen and Haines, who slowly walked towards me in case we were being double-crossed.
Aero looked me up and down. “Now, go do what you need to do as quickly as possible. The rest of the school will be on lockdown at sunset, per Marcario’s request, so the other students don’t attempt an escape when he arrives. I thought he was coming here to kill you, which was why you needed those two, but I can see you have bigger plans. Good luck to you, Marianela. Just know that if you fail, I will mark you all for death at the culling. I can’t have you causing trouble if you lose.” He waved his hand to me and trotted off towards the school.
Talen rushed forward and threw his arms around me. “You were brilliant.”
I held him tightly, happy that he was safe, for now.
Haines put his hand on my shoulder. “The Dean was waiting for me when I left the forge. I’m sorry we were captured; however, I did have a plan.” He let a dagger slip out of his sleeve. “It’s spelled to kill anything, just like your swords. I have enough spelled weapons to accomplish your task this evening. I wasn’t sure what you were planning exactly, but I convinced the other blacksmiths to help me. Apparently, they don’t know the spell that makes the weapons able to kill anyone, nor do they know the counter spell to protect themselves from dying. My father was a bastard, but he was one hell of a witch.” He winked at me as he handed Talen the dagger.
Talen stared at the dagger and sighed. “Do you really think you can win?”
“I hope so. I have Marcario’s support, as well as Silvijn’s. Along with Ceyla and her men, it should be enough to accomplish our goals. I need the rest of the vampires to witness what we’re doing, but I need to keep them out of the fight. I don’t want them fighting for Dakari or getting themselves killed.” I also didn’t want them escaping and plotting against us until we sorted out all the political issues.
Haines stared at me in disbelief. “You’re going to have to explain the part about Ceyla and her men supporting you.”
I chuckled. “It’s a long story; just know that she’s on our side.” Looking up at the setting sun, I took a breath. “It’s almost time. By sunrise tomorrow, we will either be in charge or dead on the ground like these guys.”
Talen looked at the guards on the ground, understanding what was at stake. Glancing at me, he smiled. “Just tell us what you need and we will help you claim your birthright, Marianela Mielcarek.”
Chapter 16
Chained in the dreaded wooden spike harness and kneeling on the ground with my hands bound behind me, I looked to Silvijn and Ceyla, who were in the same position. We each glared at Marcario standing on the makeshift platform in front of the entrance to Vamp House. He and the leaders of the lesser covens appeared malevolent in the light of the torches surrounding the area. Lucinda, Marcario’s advisor, smiled gleefully as she stared down at me.
All around the platform were the fortysomething guards who were supposedly needed to keep Silvijn from escaping because he was such a dangerous criminal. They seemed to have forgotten how only a few guards had brought us here without an incident.
Greeted by Asha, Marcario and the other leaders had taken their places on the platform to look up at all the vamps, who were standing in the classrooms, staring down at them from the tinted windows.
Asha nodded to the leaders and pointed to us. “Marianela, Silvijn and Ceyla have humbly accepted your request for an audience, Marcario.”
Marcario nodded to her. “Thank you, Asha. Please pass along my regards to Nikkos once he is done handling the situation.”
Smiling, Asha bowed to him. “Yes, Marcario.”
Marcario looked at me. “It’s good to see you, dearest sister. I hope you’re enjoying your stay here.”
I snarled at him. “You’re still alive, so no; I’m not enjoying my time here. Come closer and I will find joy in killing you.”
He frowned and looked to Ceyla. “For such a small thing, you’ve caused the coven a lot of trouble, Ceyla. I hope you’ve had time to reflect on your past sins.”
Ceyla spat on the ground. “I hope you die in a pool of your own blood. In fact, that’s my new favorite way for you to die. I want to watch your sister kill you, so I can kill her and be rid of you both.”
Sighing deeply, Marcario looked up at the tinted windows. “It’s a shame that the youth of today can’t be more enlightened. If only you could see the coven for what it truly is, you would understand the best course of action. There are those who wish to destroy us, yet united, we can stand against them. Fight for what you believe in. Stop fighting for the sake of fighting. Coven loyalty is the only way to achieve true greatness.” He looked to Dakari, Faustus and Sergio, who all clapped.
Nodding to Dakari, Marcario stepped off to the side to let the leader of Luzader Coven speak.
Silvijn growled as his father stared down at him.
“Marcario is right. Coven loyalty is everything, which means those who break that loyalty and trust must be made an example of. We do not reward traitors or false generals. My son, Silvijn, did just that. He aligned himself with an enemy of the coven and marched on his own coven. He is a threat and a danger to us all. It is my belief that he is incapable of remorse and can never be reformed, no matter how hard this establishment tries to turn him back into the son I once loved so dearly. Thus, he will return home and be tried by the coven for his crimes.” Dakari’s fierce blue eyes bore into Silvijn, revealing his stark hatred for his once beloved son.
I laughed loudly. “You never loved your son. You expected him to be your voice in my ear as I ruled the coven. Sadly, he loves me more than he loves you. So your plan would never have worked.”
He snarled at me as the other coven leaders snapped their heads around to stare at Dakari.
“Witch! You entranced him and stole him from me. He is my heir, not your plaything!” His unbridled rage was aimed at me as he shouted like a madman.
“He is my general, not my plaything. He is loyal to the true leader of the coven. You’re here to punish him because you didn’t get control of the high seat. You had to settle for beating my brother into submission because you were too scared to take me on yourself. Coward.” I watched the vein on Dakari’s forehead throb, just as it did when we were younger and Silvijn disobeyed him.
I thought for a second that Dakari would jump off the platform and thrott
le me, but he looked up at the windows where the vampires were watching his every move. If he engaged me directly, it meant he viewed me as a threat, which was dangerous. I was supposed to be nothing, nobody, erased from the history books. If he attacked me while in chains, it meant that I was worthy of his attention.
He wiped his brow and looked at Marcario. “I suggest you get your sister under control before the loyal vampires of this school take matters into their own hands.
“So you are a coward, Dakari. I love being right.” I smiled at Ceyla, who laughed maniacally as only she could.
Ceyla snickered and snorted. “Dakari, if only you knew what my father used to say about you. He found you pompous and useless, just like Faustus and Sergio. Lesser covens isn’t the right phrase. I believe he called you the covens who only believed in stabbing each other in the back, and enjoyed using the members of your covens as coin purses and cannon fodder.” She giggled until she broke out into laughter.
The vein in Dakari’s head looked like it was ready to burst. He sputtered and snarled, unable to form words.
Faustus and Sergio, however, had found their voices and called for Marcario to take Ceyla’s head.
Marcario tried to calm the leaders, but it was Lucinda who stepped forward to address us. With her eyes glazed over, she held up her hands. “I see a terrible future for these three vampires. Shunned by their covens, they will lose their heads on graduation day if they do not reform themselves.”
Bloodlust: House of Vampires Page 15