The Fires of Tartarus

by Emma V. Leech

  “Lucas, please will you stop pacing and tell me what you're freaking out about. Who exactly sent it? Is it from the Senate?”

  He stalked towards me waved the scroll in my face, pointing at the seal. “The seal of Ambrogio, Jéhenne.”

  I sighed and gave him an ‘and so?’ expression which set him off on another round of pacing and cursing.

  “Lucas! Who the fuck is Ambrogio and why are you so frightened of him?”

  Lucas laughed but it was a desperate sound. “You've heard of the Sleepers haven't you?” he demanded, daring me to contradict him. This at least I did know.

  “Yes, they are the oldest vampires, the first among you. They have become tired of the living world and so mostly now they sleep. They only awaken for matters of great importance.”

  Lucas returned to stand at the desk in front of me. “Jéhenne, Ambrogio is not one of the first. He is the first among us. The first vampire. That's his seal.”

  I looked up at him and felt a thrill of fear run through me. “You're serious.”

  “Deadly serious.”

  I looked down at the scroll in horror. “You think he's been awoken to deal with me?”

  Lucas looked back at me, his face a blank. “I don't know. The family have all been commanded to keep their mouths shut about Corvus and about you, but there are others, humans, ghouls, witches that are associated with the family throughout France. The chances of keeping the information secret for long was always against us. The question is how much do they know?”

  I walked around the desk and clutched at his arm. “What is it you’re afraid they've discovered? Why would this Ambrogio take such an interest in us?”

  Lucas hesitated. “Jéhenne, what do you know about your father?”

  “My father?” I repeated, perplexed at the change in subject and immediately picturing the man I had grown up with, the one who was totally under my mother's thumb. My eyes widened as I realised this wasn't who he was speaking about. “You mean Apollo don't you?”

  He nodded and reached over and picked up one of the books on my desk. It was titled The Scriptures of Delphi. “You've not read this one yet, I take it?”

  I shook my head. “No, I've been reading about anything that related directly to the family and our legal obligations like you told me to. That's general history. I didn't think it was so relevant.”

  He laughed but there was a frantic note to it that I didn't like one bit. “Oh, Jéhenne, I think you'll find it very relevant.”

  I took the book from his hand and flung it back on the desk in fury. “Stop this and tell me what the hell you're talking about, Lucas. I don't have time to read another bloody book.”

  He nodded and I watched as he tried to compose himself. “I'm sorry, Jéhenne.”

  I wasn't sure if he was apologising for his little freak out or for what he was about to tell me, maybe both. I swallowed hard. “Ambrogio was the first among us, the first vampire ever made. The story goes that he fell in love with the Oracle's sister. She was a hand maiden in the temple to a god. The god was angry with him for taking her from his sacred place, and he cursed him never to be able to walk in the sun again.”

  “Who …” I was trembling and I really didn't need to ask the question. “Who cursed him?”

  “The sun god, Jéhenne. Your Father. Apollo.”

  Chapter 32

  I looked across the kitchen table at Inés and Rodney. Their drawn faces did little to reassure me that Lucas had been overreacting.

  “The question is does Ambrogio still see the curse that was laid on him as a curse?” Inés said, her eyebrows drawn together. “I mean, putain, the vampires are a proud lot,” she said, tossing her head with a sneer towards Lucas who scowled at her. “They believe themselves superior to the rest of us as a whole. Maybe now the sting has gone he's grateful to the god that created him.”

  Lucas seemed to consider the question seriously, despite the implied insult. “It's true. There are thousands that would do anything at all to become like us. It is one of the reasons that such tight restrictions have been put on us making children of our own. To keep those that would be seen as inferior from joining our ranks.”

  Lucas sat on the table and looked down at me, concern in his eyes. “We can't know if his seal means that he will actually arrive with the Senate or if it's just an implication that he's taking a personal interest in the affair. Either way we're supposed to view it as significant. It is significant.”

  I put my head in my hands and groaned. “Crap. As if this bloody visit wasn't going to be stressful enough. Now I've got to face the prospect that the father of all vampires is coming to stay. Just frigging perfect.”

  Lucas nodded. “I know, Jéhenne. I'm sorry. I wish I could tell you not to worry, but this is serious. We have to do everything we can to prepare. We have no way of knowing if he has much, if any, information about you. I know Corvus always protected you in that manner. He never allowed anyone outside of his immediate circle to know anything about his personal affairs. But ...”

  He paused and I took a breath, waiting for him to marshal his thoughts. “But?” I prompted as he failed to speak up.

  “But ...” he resumed. “The story of your relationship in Corvus' human life is legend and in the days after ... After Corvus left us, things were ... difficult. Before you took control I did my best but you needed me and ...” He looked guilty, and I reached out and grasped his arm.

  “None of this is your fault, Lucas.”

  He gave me a grim smile. “If I have failed to guard your privacy and people have begun to speak about your powers ...” He swallowed and looked sick. “If that has happened there is nothing to say that word of who you truly are hasn't already reached the ears of Ambrogio. If that's the case you may want to reconsider that statement.”

  I shook my head and tightened my hold. “No. I won't.”

  He smiled at me, but it was strained, and I wished I could make him see that of all people, I would never blame him for the mess I was in.

  We all looked up as the heavy tread of boots echoed in the corridor outside the kitchen, and I took a breath as I glimpsed red hair, and Cain's figure filled the doorway.

  “Cain!” I leapt from my chair and ran across the kitchen, throwing my arms around him. He froze, and I laughed aloud at the bewildered look in his eyes.

  “What?” he asked, looking at me like I'd sprouted an extra head.

  I thumped him, hard, as my rush of familial affection turned to anger. “You bastard!” I shouted. “Don't you ever do that again.”

  One eyebrow raised and his mouth twitched a little. “Alright I admit I prefer the shouting and hitting, but why are you yelling at me? I told you I was going to deal with the weapon for you.”

  “You never said you had to go anywhere to do it!” I ranted in fury, relief at his return unravelling any fragile hold I currently had on my temper. I took a breath and allowed my previous happiness to creep back as I looked at his familiar face, scarred and fierce, and those winter green eyes. “And ... And the way you left,” I said awkwardly.

  For a moment I saw a flicker of guilt in his eyes, but he looked away and moved to the kitchen table, throwing down a heavy backpack which landed with a crash, making the china chink and jump. “Well I'm back. I told you I wouldn't let you down, Jéhenne. I won't.”

  “I know that,” I said, my voice quiet.

  He looked around the room at the grim faces and glanced back at me.

  “What did I miss?”

  We filled him in on the arrival of the scroll and my connection to Ambrogio.

  “Well it looks like you're royally fucked, Nina,” he said, deadpan. “Just for a change.”

  “Remind me why I was happy you're home?” I asked, scowling at him.

  He snorted and shook his head in frustration as Rodney coughed, and I turned my attention to him instead. He looked nervous. “At the risk of mentionin' the bloody big elephant in the room ...” He paused and twisted his empty m
ug around in his hands. “What the bleedin' 'ell are we going to do about Corvus?”

  We all looked at each other. This had been discussed a number of times with none of us any clearer as to what on earth we were to do with him.

  “OK,” I said. “What are the chances that they know he was condemned to Tartarus?”

  “High,” Cain said. “I doubt there's any way they can have failed to hear about that. There are enough people who have connections in the Underworld. They'll have heard of our passage through it and you can bet Dis Pater crowed over the fact he'd finally got Corvus where he wanted him.”

  There was a rush of flames, and I took a breath, trying to control my temper as everyone glanced at the fire burning around my wrists. “What about the fact we got him back again?” I demanded.

  Cain looked at me, his cold, empty eyes considering. “Much less likely. Dis Pater will not have wanted word of that spreading. The fact we breached Tartarus and rescued Corvus will make him look weak.” He flashed an evil grin, enjoying the idea of Dis Pater's discomfort as much as I did. “The family were commanded not to speak of it and outside of the vampires there's us and Dimitri, Kai ...” He listed anyone he could think of that wasn't under the power of my command and shook his head. “I doubt they know we've got him back.”

  “So as far as we know, they think we've lost Corvus and that I've been made Master in his stead.” Everyone made noises of agreement. “They're going to try and replace me then.”

  Lucas nodded.

  “We can't let them know we have Corvus.” I looked at Cain, who spoke. “They will want him reinstated if they think he's been damaged by his time in Tartarus, and he's in any way biddable. It would give them control over one of the most powerful families in the world. They won't turn down a chance like that.”

  “And if they don't think they can control him?” I asked, a feeling of dread creeping down my spine.

  Cain's voice was low when he spoke again. “If they can't control him but he's lost his status as Master, I think they'll take the chance to execute him.”

  “What?” I exclaimed, horrified. “Why?”

  “Because he's more powerful and influential than many of the members of the Senate,” Lucas said, meeting Cain's eyes, his face grave. “He kept out of politics, and he's always kept the Senate at arm’s length. Corvus always chose his own path, often against the will of those in power.” He turned to look at me as he explained. “They have always resented both his independence and the fact that he was too powerful to touch. If they see the cuffs in place they'll argue that he's clearly not of sound mind and a risk to the rest of us. The Senate will be only too willing to stamp their approval on that decree.”

  “Then they can't know we have him back,” I said. “They touch him over my dead body. There's no way I've gone through everything I have to let them send him back to Dis Pater.” Everyone nodded. It wasn't as if we had a choice. How I was going to explain it to Corvus when the time came to put him back under lock and key though ... I had no idea.

  “Alors, I have to get back, Nina,” Inés said with a smile. “We are making good progress with some little surprises for Dis Pater, but I want to be sure we are ready in good time.”

  I nodded at her. “I know we will if you have anything to do with it.”

  She chuckled, a wicked sound that made me grin despite the circumstances. “You can always count on me to cause trouble, you know that.”

  She waved goodbye and headed out the door as Cain picked up his backpack.

  “I need to take care of this,” he said, wielding it like it just carried his lunch. I was pretty sure it wasn't his lunch in there, but I knew better than to ask. “I'll be back in a bit.”

  “I have stuff to do too,” Lucas said putting his hand on my shoulder with a smile. “See you later.”

  Suddenly I was alone with Rodney, and I realised I hadn't really spoken to him by myself since the incident with Kai.

  “How's things?” I asked him and he grimaced.

  “I don't s'pose there's a chance of Kai finding a place of his own is there, luv?”

  I shook my head feeling guilty. “I offered him a home here, Rodney, you know that.”

  He sighed and nodded, getting up to the fill the kettle and put it on. “Yeah, I know.” He turned to me with a shrug. “Truth is, I don't want 'im to go. It's a bit ... awkward like but ... Well I like 'im. He's fun to be around.”

  “Yes, he is,” I agreed. There had been a lot of times recently when spending time with Kai had been the only thing that had kept me sane. There was a calmness, a peace about him that seemed to rub off on whoever he was with. Corvus especially. In fact pretty much everyone except Amelia.

  “Things are no better then?”

  He snorted and got me down a mug before rinsing out his own under the tap. “You could say that, luv.” He glanced up at me. “Didn't you hear the commotion earlier?”

  I shook my head. I hadn't heard from Hekatê for a while and I'd been trying to find a way to speak with her by casting a circle and inviting her to come to me. All I'd got was a deadly silence. I was getting worried.

  “What happened?”

  “The two of 'em had a run in,” Rodney said and I felt bad for him. He looked tired and stressed. Dealing with Amelia and Kai on top of everything else clearly wasn't helping. “I've managed to keep 'em apart on the whole, but then Kai jus 'appened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Milly made some bitchy comment and Kai went up like a bleedin' firework. Little blighter's got a temper on 'im I can tell you.”

  He flung a couple of tea bags into the mugs and groaned. “I'm in the dog 'ouse is all I know. I had to step in before Milly ripped his bloody 'ead off ... So now I'm on Kai's side not 'ers of course. Bleedin 'ell,” he said with feeling, and I walked over and put my arm around him.

  “I'm so sorry, Rodney.”

  “Not your fault, luv,” he said quietly. He turned to look at me. “You knew though, didn't ye?”

  I nodded, feeling bad. “I'm so sorry, Rodney. I should have taken the time to warn you but ...”

  He held his hand up. “Put a sock in it, luv,” he said with a grin. “As if you 'aven't got enough on yer plate wivout worrying about me love life an' all. Bugger me.”

  I laughed and hugged him. “Oh, Rodney. What would I do without you?”

  He snorted and rubbed his chin, looking embarrassed but pleased. “Come on, luv, everyone knows this place would go to hell in a handcart if I weren't 'ere to keep you all in line.”

  I chuckled. “Yeah. We all know it.”

  We looked up as Cain came back in carrying a slim wooden box. He glanced at Rodney making tea with a scowl and put the box down on the kitchen table. “Isn't there any coffee?”

  “Nothing fresh,” I said, gesturing to the pot that had been made some hours previously. Cain sniffed it and poured it into a mug despite the fact it was stone cold. He put the mug on the table beside the box, and headed to the fridge, removing anything that took his fancy. Rodney and I watched as he began piling things into a sandwich. There were a variety of cold meats, ham, salami, beef and chicken, followed by thick slices of cheddar cheese and Brie, a generous dollop of red currant jam and finally a couple of salad leaves and a cheese triangle balanced on the top. Cain picked up the final slice of bread that would serve as the lid, rethought the salad, tugging it out and squashing the lid on firmly to make it a reasonably edible size. He raised it to his mouth and then caught the two of us watching, fascinated.

  “What?” he asked.

  We just shook our heads at him, and he took a massive bite of his sandwich and chewed contentedly.

  As I watched him my eyes fell on his hands. They were swathed in bandages. I frowned. “What's in the box?” I asked and then wondered what the hell I was saying. I knew better than to ask Cain questions like that. To my surprise, however, he slid the box over the table towards me. I opened it with trepidation and was rewarded when my suspicions were confirmed. I felt my bl
ood run cold.

  It was a dagger.

  “You made this,” I said in awe. I realised suddenly what the bandages were for. He'd been unwilling to touch the feather. Something belonging to an angel would be difficult to handle if you had little or no soul. I looked back at the knife and realised he had somehow forged the feather into the blade. As terrifying as it was, it was a beautiful thing. I picked up the box, too nervous to handle the actual weapon. It was double-edged with a deep groove running between the blades. The wicked thing glinted in the light and as I turned it the delicate traces of a feather etched into the metal became apparent.

  “Pick it up, Jéhenne.” I looked at Cain who was watching me. “I made it for you. For you to use against your enemy. Pick it up.”

  I swallowed. He was right of course. There was no point in evading the issue, or pretending that it wasn't going to be used to kill. The idea that I was cold-bloodedly setting out to murder someone was something I hadn't allowed myself to consider too hard. Except that it wasn't murder, it was self defence. If I didn't kill Dis Pater he would keep me as a slave and condemn everyone I cared about to an eternity in Tartarus - far worse a fate than any death. I would do to him what he would do to my loved ones. I refused to feel any guilt over that fact.

  I was well used to handling knives now after Cain's merciless training schedule, though self defence wasn't exactly his style. He'd taught me to protect myself of course, but he'd mostly taught me to attack. I knew how to use a weapon like this, providing I could get close enough to get the chance. I took hold of the knife and gasped as a thrill of power surged through me. This was indeed no ordinary blade. I hefted it in my palm, appreciating the weight of it. Heavy enough to give me a solid grasp but light enough that it wouldn't tire me to wield it.

  “It's perfect,” I said, looking back at him.