It took nearly the whole day for us to reach the blood bank and with the short hours of daylight due to the harsh winter, the sun was already beginning to sink towards the horizon.
I shifted uncomfortably as night began to fall around us. I doubted I’d ever be able to feel truly at ease after dark even with Magnar by my side. It was like it was built into my psyche to head inside once the sunlight faded. My skin prickled uneasily and I leant back against Magnar, stealing some strength from his presence.
“You really think we can get my family out of there?” I asked quietly.
We still sat on the stallion’s back and and the beast’s chest rose and fell steadily beneath us as he cooled off after the long ride. Magnar had stopped him within the trees, keeping us out of sight from any guards who might be on rotation outside the menacing building. The mare sidled closer, nuzzling her companion affectionately.
The blood bank was solidly built with red bricks and spread away from us out of sight over one level. Dad said it used to be a factory before the Final War. Hundreds of humans would have worked there. Now it was a place where all mortals dreaded ending up. It was the final destination on our way to the stomachs of the vampires. The place they took you when the only value you held was the blood running through your veins. I doubted any human who had entered there since the vampires’ rule began had made it out alive.
Tall, white chimneys stood at either end of the menacing building, the one on the right belching black smoke into the darkening sky. An acrid stench filled the air and I tried not to think about what they were burning. Everything about the place made me want to turn and flee in the opposite direction.
I swallowed a thick lump in my throat. How on Earth were we supposed to get my family out of there?
“Are you sure we can do this?” I breathed.
“I will get them out or die trying,” Magnar promised.
“Less of the talk about dying,” I teased, trying not to take his words seriously. I knew that what we were about to attempt was all kinds of stupid and death was one of many terrible outcomes. But even if there was the smallest chance of getting my dad and Montana out of that hell hole then I had to try.
Magnar brushed his hand through my hair, slipping it back over my shoulder so that he could press a kiss to my neck. My skin came alive beneath his touch and my heartbeat stammered with surprise. A blush crawled across my cheeks at the casual intimacy of the gesture. He didn’t seem to have any of the reservations I felt about touching him but I was more than happy to let him lead. I leant into him, letting my eyes fall closed for the briefest moment as I enjoyed the sensation of his mouth on my skin.
My mind travelled back to our kiss last night and I bit my lip to stop myself from turning to face him. I’d slept in the comfort of his arms and had never spent a night feeling so secure before.
But with the cold light of dawn had come the truth I’d wanted to avoid facing. Each moment we spent together was bringing us closer to the time when we had to part. Every brush of his skin against mine since then was filled with the promise of goodbye. I wanted to grab hold of him and refuse to let go but it was like trying to hold water in my hands.
Though I was afraid of the feelings which grew with every moment I spent with him, Magnar seemed to see it differently. He took every opportunity he could to touch me, holding me close while we rode together. It was like he didn’t want to waste this time while we still had it and I couldn’t bring myself to pull away from him.
“There is nothing to fear in death,” he breathed. “It is the natural way of things. In death we are reunited with those we have loved. I have many people waiting for me there. I am not afraid to join them when my time comes.”
“Well I’m not ready to lose you,” I replied. A tiny voice in the back of my head reminded me that I’d be losing him either way. We were still on different paths and if everything went well, we would go our separate ways before the sun rose tomorrow.
Magnar released my hair, letting it fall against my neck again as he shifted back. Apparently he hadn’t forgotten either. And he hadn’t changed his mind.
“I will do my best to stay alive,” he agreed before dismounting and holding his hands up to help me down too.
I slid from the stallion’s back and wrapped my arms around Magnar’s neck as I looked up at him. The setting sun made his bronze skin shine with hidden warmth.
“I never thanked you,” I said gently as I held his gaze. “For saving me the day the vampires took my family captive. At the time I was so angry and upset that I couldn’t see what you’d done for me. If you hadn’t stopped me from running to them then I’d be stuck inside that building now too. And we’d have no hope at all. Whatever happens tonight, I need you to know how much you’ve done for me. How much I appreciate it. If anything goes wrong then I just want you to know-”
Magnar stopped my rambling with a kiss that set my skin on fire. He crushed me against him and I lost myself in his strong arms as my heart swelled with something I’d never thought I’d feel. I’d never wanted to feel it before. But I’d never had him before either.
I stood on my tiptoes as I pushed my body against his, feeling the firm press of his muscles as his hands fisted in my hair.
All too soon, we broke apart and Magnar trailed a hand down the side of my face, brushing his thumb across my lower lip.
“I was alone before I found you,” he said roughly and a knot formed in my stomach at his words. “And no matter what happens tonight or tomorrow, no matter if our journeys take us away from each other, I am not alone in this world anymore.”
My lips parted to reply but I didn’t know how to form the feelings zipping through my body into words. I slid my hand from his neck down to his chest, laying it over his heart which I could feel pounding beneath his fighting leathers.
“I was alone too,” I said eventually. “I just didn’t realise it until now.”
Magnar leant forward once more, pressing his lips to mine in the gentlest brush of a kiss before stepping away.
My skin grew cold without him and I watched as he moved to gather supplies from the bags on the mare’s back. I turned away from him and walked towards the tree line as I looked out at the blood bank again.
I needed to set my mind on our mission. Dad and Montana were in there and it would take everything I had to get them out.
Goosebumps swept over my skin which had nothing to do with the freezing wind. I didn’t need to put a hand on Fury to know that there were vampires nearby. I could feel their presence like a breath on the back of my neck.
Despite the undeniable fear that coursed through my veins, I was also filled with hope. Montana and Dad were so close. I’d never gone a day without seeing them before and it had been nearly a week. One week since my whole world had changed in every imaginable way. But now we were finally here, and if by some miracle this plan worked out then I might truly be able to live my life in freedom. Such a thing had been nothing more than an impossible dream such a short time ago and yet now it was almost within reach. We only had to take it.
“They have Familiars watching the area,” Magnar said softly behind me. “We will need to remove them before we can approach.”
“How will we do that?” I asked as my stomach plummeted. The last Familiar I’d tried to destroy had easily gotten past me. If these were anywhere near as slippery as that rat had been then I didn’t rate my chances against them.
“We can’t head out into the open with them watching so we will have to draw them to us.”
“And won’t the vampires notice us killing them?”
“Hopefully not. The connection they maintain with the creatures is not constant. The vampires set them tasks then leave them to it. If the animal sees or hears something the vampire would want to know then they use the connection between their minds to send a message. We will need to kill the creatures without being seen and in all likelihood, the vampires controlling them won’t know anything about it until it’s
too late. Unless we get unlucky and they choose to contact the creatures themselves we should be safe.” He gave the building one more sweeping glance then beckoned me further into the trees.
I turned away from the view and followed him, making sure to keep my footsteps silent. I didn’t want to take any chances this close to our enemies.
Magnar led me to a small clearing and handed me the flashlight we’d taken from the store. I waited while he moved around the area, inspecting the trees and vegetation until he’d found what he was looking for.
“I want you to hide here and point the light back towards the building. Once I am in position, start flashing the light on and off. That should draw them to us and I’ll take care of them.”
I nodded in understanding as I looked down at the little flashlight in my hand. I knew the plan made sense but the idea of drawing those creatures towards us felt more than a little insane.
I ducked down into the bushes and waited while he took cover behind a towering trunk opposite my hiding place. Magnar pulled Venom into his grasp and held it ready as he fell still. In the diminishing light, he was little more than a silhouette to me and I knew where to look for him. Hopefully that meant the creatures we hunted wouldn’t stand a chance.
I took a deep breath and flicked the flashlight on and off again. I waited a few moments then repeated the process. Seconds dragged into minutes as I continued to flick the light on and off and we waited, and waited... soft snuffling approached and I flicked the light off, leaving us in darkness.
I held my breath as the faintest padding of paws drew closer through the undergrowth.
A large, grey rabbit hopped into the clearing, looking about curiously. I almost doubted that evil could lay inside such an innocent looking creature but Fury burned at my hip in recognition of what lay within the animal.
The rabbit hopped closer and Magnar delivered a swift blow, cleaving through its small body and striking its heart. The vampire’s slave dissolved into dust before my eyes and Magnar quickly moved back into the cover of the trees.
The second Familiar arrived a moment later in the shape of a rat. I glared at the creature, noting the little white mark down the centre of its nose. It wasn’t the same Familiar that had eluded me in the tree days ago but it still made my stomach twist with irritation. Magnar dispatched it as quickly as the first and I started flashing the light again.
It took a few minutes before the third Familiar approached. I almost didn’t notice the huge bird as it swept through the trees. The owl landed silently on a branch not far from my hiding place. It twisted its head back and forth as it searched for the source of the light.
Luckily it had landed with the tree’s branches blocking Magnar from its sight but there was also no way for him to approach it without it spotting him.
I bit my lip as I tried to decide if I should take it on. I was the only one able to reach it without being seen first but after my failed attempt with the rat, I was terrified of missing again. If the creature got word of us back to its master then any chance we had of making it into the blood bank and saving my family was gone.
I had a better chance of success than Magnar though so I had to take it. I held my breath as I eased myself upright and took my first, tentative step towards the bird.
It ruffled its feathers as it scoured the clearing again and I took the opportunity to close in on it from behind. The branch it had chosen for a perch was low enough for me to reach from the ground and I silently unsheathed Fury as I stalked closer.
The blade hummed excitedly as I closed in on my quarry. Strike fast and true, it urged eagerly and I let its excitement guide my arm as I swung the blade forward.
The owl turned as I leapt at it and drove the knife into its back but it dissolved into dust before its eyes could find me.
I allowed myself a wide smile as I took cover again to wait for the final creature to come and investigate our trap.
Minutes dragged on but nothing arrived. I willed Fury to use its gift to search for any signs of another Familiar approaching but it couldn’t sense a thing.
Eventually, Magnar stood and beckoned me to join him. I left my hiding place and made my way over to him in the clearing as he placed Venom over his shoulder.
“The final creature has moved away but I am confident it remains unaware of us. We shall have to risk it returning while we are exposed but there is little more we can do to draw it out without raising too much suspicion and bringing the vampires to us too,” he explained.
“Okay, so what now?” I asked.
“It is time for the Belvederes to learn of my return,” he growled. “Let’s make sure they know I’m coming for them.” A fierce smile lit his features and I stole a little of his courage as he led the way through the trees towards the blood bank.
I already knew what my role would be once we made it inside. While he fought and killed any vampires we found, I had to release any humans they held captive. We would stay together so that he could protect me and clear a path to my family. Fury would help me when I needed it and I trusted Magnar to keep me safe. If anyone could do this, it was him.
We made it to the edge of the trees and hesitated in the safety of their shadows.
The sun was sinking beneath the horizon and darkness loomed. This was it. The time the vampires held dear. We were attacking their stronghold during the hours when they held the most power. I didn’t question Magnar’s decision to go in at night but what I would have given for a blazing summer’s day to aid us.
The moon appeared in the sky, low and fat, a shining silver ball to take the place of the sun. Mom had always called us her sun and moon. I tried to take the sight of it as a sign that Montana was close.
Not long now Monty. I smiled as I pictured her face pinched in irritation at the nickname. I hoped to be seeing it for real very soon.
“Draw your blade. Keep close to me,” Magnar instructed and I pulled Fury into my grasp again.
Yesss it sighed in anticipation. So many. So close. I swallowed a lump in my throat as I drew on the blade’s enthusiasm to try and banish some of my own fear.
“Fear is a weapon you can wield,” Magnar said, catching my eye with his golden gaze. “It is your own desire to survive. The very essence of mortality. The things you shall fight are already dead. They know not what it is to live. And they know nothing of love.”
My heart skittered at his words.
“You fight for the freedom of your family,” he continued. “And you will succeed at all costs.”
“I will succeed,” I echoed, needing the power of the words to get me through this.
What we were about to do wasn’t about me. It was about them. The vampires had taken my family from me once but I would happily die before I let them keep them from me.
I felt the power of that determination rise through my blood like a tide and the slayer mark on my arm tingled in anticipation. I wasn’t afraid. I was ready. And heaven help any bloodsucker who stood in my path.
I lay beneath the thick canvas of my tent with my arms behind my head and frowned as the wind battered the material. Usually I loved the sound of a storm when I was tucked within the confines of my tent. Knowing the wind and rain were thwarted in trying to reach me always made me feel like I was somehow outsmarting the gods themselves.
I wished that were true today more than ever. If ever I’d needed a way around the will of the gods it was now.
“Idun?” I murmured, careful not to wake Natalia as she slept soundly beside me. I’d tried to forget my worries in the comfort of her body but the distraction had barely lasted an hour. And once she’d fallen into a satisfied slumber, the reality of my situation had drawn close again.
When the sun rose I had to pledge myself to Valentina and make our betrothal official. Today I had to give up any hope I had of finding love. Or happiness. I would tie myself to a stranger and forfeit the dreams I’d had of a life holding something more.
“Idun?” I muttered again a litt
le louder, hoping the goddess might heed my call. If only she’d listen, I’d offer her anything she asked of me. Anything but this. I only wished for one thing in this life and that was to find a woman who was my equal in every way and to love her for everything she was. I knew in my heart Valentina wasn’t that woman. “I will give you anything if you’d just free me from making this promise.”
The tent began to buckle and sway under the pressure of the storm and I pushed myself upright as I sensed something powerful drawing closer.
I stood and placed a hand against the thick canvas, a chill creeping across my palm from the pounding rain outside.
I pulled on my trousers and fastened my boots as my skin prickled from the electricity in the air. Thunder crashed overhead.
I took hold of Tempest and moved towards the exit, unfastening the toggles so that I could lift the flap and peer out into the storm.
Rain fell in torrents, skimming over the tents and pooling in the mud. Lightning forked through the sky, momentarily illuminating the camp around me. No one else was stupid enough to be outside in such weather.
The wind shifted, driving water into my face and Natalia mumbled something from the bed behind me as the cold air found her bare skin.
I stepped outside, dropping the tent flap. The freezing rain cascaded over me, plastering my hair to my scalp and raising goosebumps along the exposed skin on my arms and chest.
Tempest purred with expectant energy but I didn’t get the sense that a vampire drew close. This was something else.
Darkness pressed in thickly, the deep storm clouds blotting out the moon and stars. It was hard to see anything of the camp around me and I squinted at the space to my right where I knew my parents’ tent lay. I wondered if I should wake them but something stopped me. Whatever was coming wasn’t meant for them. It was here for me.
Shimmering golden light caught my eye and I turned to find a bare footprint pressed into the mud beside me. The water which pooled in it sparkled with golden light like the rays of the sun.
Age of Vampires- The Complete Series Page 36