“But sometimes they don't, Sariel. Sometimes they can't.” I could hear the desperation in my voice, could feel it bubbling up from inside. “And then ... I feel like I'll fall forever.”
“Circe.” His voice was soft and low, and I was surprised by the use of that name. “You are a goddess, you are adored by so many, hold on to that and fight for what is yours. Don't give up, and I promise you will win in the end.”
“In the end?” I repeated. I wasn't naive enough to take his words at face value. Gods and angels, they often spoke in riddles or had a deeper meaning to them. Did he mean I had to die first? Well what did it matter now? I couldn't escape my fate. I hadn't been able to for thousands of years. All I could do was face it and hope that faith and love really was all I needed.
“Do you trust me?” he asked.
I looked up into the glorious violet of his eyes, a place where everything seemed possible, where all sins were forgiven, where peace was everything I wished for.
“Yes.” I did. He nodded and gave me an enigmatic smile, and I knew he wouldn't elaborate. “OK, then. I guess I'm ready.”
Sariel tightened his hold around me, and I felt the brush of his lips over my hair. “Yes. You are.”
***
I made my way down to the great hall. Sariel said he would be watching, that he would intervene if it became necessary. I had a dark and growing suspicion that it would be only too necessary.
The family all waited outside, milling about, though the party had broken up. They could sense the tension of course, knew that there was some new threat. They just didn't know what. Conscious that my hour would soon be up, I felt their eyes on me as I passed and had to swallow down the emotion as they reached out to me, letting me know they were with me, that they trusted me. Would they still feel like that when they saw who I was up against?
I calmed myself by keeping busy and creating a strong ward around the hall to keep the disturbance hidden from our guests. The guest accommodations were buried deep under ground and a good distance from the Château for privacy and security, but I wasn't taking any chances. Ambrogio and his minions had returned to their rooms after his loss of face at the party, no doubt to figure out the best way to get rid of me without actually breaking the law. I only hoped I'd still be around to give them the chance when they made their move.
I had just completed my work when I felt the prickle of tension, the wave of power as Corvus strode into the room. There was a murmur of shock, unease sweeping through the family like a rip tide, and I felt it sweep me up too. He looked every inch the Master of this house, the Master they had always loved and been so fiercely proud of. My chest ached, the pain a living thing that pulsed and grew along with sorrow that it had come to this.
I stood facing him, and he smiled at me, a hard look as my broken heart beat too hard, too fast and far too loud among the assembly of vampires. I clenched my fists. So what if my heart still beat in my chest, so what if I wasn't really one of them? They had accepted me and I them. I loved them, and I knew they returned that feeling in full. No matter what he thought. I let the knowledge give me strength, waiting for him to try and take them from me. In truth I didn't know what to expect, didn't know how to fight him, because I didn't know how he would do it. I doubted I had long to wait though.
He didn't move or speak, and the strike came out of nowhere with no preamble and seared me from the inside out. I screamed, agony blazing through me as my bones became molten, my blood turned to ashes, and I could do nothing but pray it would be over quickly. I couldn't fight him, not like this. He was taking back what he had given. He was the true Master, and I was powerless to stop him. I had no defence against his attack, no comeback as I waited for the moment I would leave this frail body for the last time.
But then, little by little, the pain eased and the fire in my bones began to cool ... It dispersed as darkness crept over my blazing limbs, smothering the blinding light and soothing the pain. I felt the family lifting me up, holding me to them, protecting me. They were all there, from Lucas down to the weakest among them. They all chose me. I could sense Corvus' fury and frustration, the sheer power of him as he tried to take back what was his, and I knew the family stood in awe. They wavered. They wanted him, they wanted him badly, they needed that sheer male power and strength ... but they wanted me too. They had to choose.
I felt the moment the connection was made. And there was nothing either one of us could do to stop it, or fight it. The family had chosen, and we would have to live with their decision.
I gasped for breath, trembling with effort as I came back to myself. To my surprise I was still standing alone, facing Corvus, though how I was still on my feet was anyone's guess.
“No!” he raged as he realised what had been done, and I almost seconded his cry as I began to understand. I was still Master of the family, but so was Corvus. They had chosen us both.
I began to laugh. What a fucking joke. Something that could have been so perfect, joining us both together so tightly as it did, was now a prison we could never escape from. Not while we both lived.
I knew it was coming. Somewhere in my mind I knew, but my heart refused to believe it. My heart was too stubborn, still clinging to the belief in the man he had been, the man who would have endured Tartarus for eternity rather than see me hurt, not this man.
I was too slow to react. I felt the moment his teeth pierced my skin, felt the blood leaving me so horribly fast and knew I should fight back, but I had no fight left, not against him. I didn't want to fight him anymore. At least it didn't hurt. He had saved me that at least as my body began to sink inevitably into death. I felt the screams of the family, their wails of fury and despair as they stood around helpless, and I wept for them, but I'd had enough. I wouldn't fight him every day for the rest of my life with him hating me for it. Not that. It was too much to bear. Instead with the little strength I had left, I put my arms around him, sank my hands into his hair for the last time.
Better this way. Better this way than that I should fight him. I thought, as I began to slip into the dark, that I felt him falter, felt his determination waver just a little, but before I had a chance to discover if he would really do it, a white light exploded around me, so blinding that it seared my eyes even closed as they were as Corvus was ripped away from me. I fell to the floor and felt the thick, warm trail of blood as it flowed down my chest. Staggering, I lurched to my knees, disorientated by pain and blood loss but focusing on the howl of rage and torment that echoed through my head. I looked up, blinking into a blindingly pure, white light that filled the hall. The vampires had fled in the face of it, unable to endure the intensity, the purity of that illuminating brilliance. All the vampires except one, and he could go nowhere.
“No,” I rasped, my throat raw, too weak to shout or even to raise my voice at all. “No! Sariel,” I pleaded but Sariel did not stop.
Corvus was burning, his body hovering in the air as he twisted in agony, screaming in the blinding light. I hurt everywhere, and my vision was blurry, but I pushed myself upwards, forcing my body to move through the haze, clinging to consciousness by sheer stubbornness. I stumbled forward. I couldn't let him do this. Corvus had suffered enough. I wouldn't let Sariel punish him again. He couldn't help what he had become. I didn't think, didn't hesitate ... but ran into the light.
I knew somewhere in my mind that it would hurt, perhaps that it would kill me, but there was nothing else to be done. I would not sit back and watch as he was tortured all over again.
I saw the moment when Corvus saw me as I was swept up by the scalding power in his place, saw shock register in his eyes and then heard him scream. “No, Jéhenne!” he called as he lunged forward. And then I saw nothing else.
***
I came to by increments. At first I was aware of a soft voice. It was speaking to me in soothing tones. Such a beautiful voice. The floor beneath me was hard and cold, but the hand that held mine was warm and large, comforting. I took stock of my
body, waiting to feel the bloody wounds, the pain of Corvus' bite, but there was nothing. With panic bursting in my chest I came fully awake, struggling to sit up and staring around me, expecting and dreading to see the dead meadow of Erebus all over again. Instead there were faces, hundreds of faces, all of them with concern in their eyes. Lucas was there, looking like he'd been to hell and back again. And there was Sariel, holding my hand.
“Corvus!” I exclaimed, remembering the moment before I'd blacked out with terror.
“Calm yourself, Jéhenne, look.”
My eyes followed where he gestured, and I saw Corvus laying beside me, cold and still, and I gasped in horror.
“He merely sleeps, child!” Sariel said, sounding a little exasperated. “Do you really think I would be so cruel after everything you have done?”
“But you hurt him, you burned him!” I shouted, wondering why I was so angry with him when he had just saved my life.
Sariel just smiled at me, such a peaceful smile. “You knew it would not be painless,” he said as if I should know what he meant.
I frowned at him and then realised what he’d done. “A second attempt,” I whispered. “When you took his madness away before, you said you might be able to bring his memories back if you tried again.” My heart thudded but I didn't dare hope for it. I'd been disappointed too many times now.
He just looked back at me, placid and unruffled. “There is no more guarantee this time than there was before,” Sariel said, and I knew I’d get no further explanation.
My hand drifted to my neck, expecting to encounter blood but of course the wound was gone. I didn't know what Sariel had done to me, but I felt vibrant and alive. All the physical aches and injuries were gone. I felt vital and full of energy to the point that I looked down at my hands, expecting to see some visible sign of the power in my veins.
“Thank you,” I said, a little belatedly in the circumstances but ... better late than never.
Sariel squeezed my hand. “The least I could do ... for my friend.”
I struggled to produce a smile as I recalled just what a mess I was in now. “He's Master now too,” I said, looking at the sleeping figure at my side. “With me. We'll never be free of each other now. How will I bear it?” I asked him desperately. “When he'll probably despise me for all eternity.”
Sariel leaned forward, shielding me from the family by covering me with his vast wings. “Do not look to eternity yet, child. For the moment just live today, and see where it may take you.”
I nodded, knowing he was right. I had to face Ambrogio yet, and the gods alone knew what fresh hell that would bring or whether Corvus would try to murder me the moment he woke before I found out.
He moved away, folding his massive wings neatly behind him, and I looked back to my vampires. “Thank you,” I said to them, to each and every one. “I love you too.” There was a great deal of grinning and shuffling, and I had to smile, but I noticed how their eyes kept returning to Corvus.
“Decimus, take your Master to his room and see that he is comfortable and has all he needs when he wakes.”
I watched with a lump in my throat as Decimus did as he was bid, and Sariel helped me to my feet.
“The sun is rising, Jéhenne, and you have Ambrogio to deal with tonight.”
“Thanks for reminding me,” I muttered. “It had almost slipped my mind.”
Sariel shook his head, laughing silently. “I do hope you never stop getting into trouble. Life will be terribly dull if you do.”
I rolled my eyes at him. “Not for me it won't,” I said indignantly, heading for the door.
“Jéhenne.”
I stopped, turning back to him.
“If I were you, I would take a leaf from your father's book ...”
I frowned, but he just disappeared in a sweep of power.
Chapter 51
Tonight was supposed to be Ambrogio's last night at the Château and a celebration had been planned. Only the most important and powerful were invited to attend, and the grand hall had been decked out to within an inch of its life. Crystal glittered in the light of hundreds of candles, the scent of roses and lilies and dozens of exotic blooms filled the air. Along with the smell of blood of course, sparkling glasses of Champagne mixed with the gory liqueur. Gilded chairs were arranged about large, round tables where long-legged appetisers sat and chatted, looking pretty and very edible.
A stage had been prepared for the evening's entertainments, thick, burgundy velvet curtains hiding the performers from the guests. I watched through Decimus' eyes as Ambrogio walked in. He was immaculate as ever, as were his companions, with dark suits and crisp white shirts, handmade shoes and manicures. The women of course were not to be outdone in glittering gowns and heels and their own bodyweight in jewels. I thanked Decimus and turned back to the mirror in my room, smirking a little. I had dressed with care too.
I'd taken a little time to visit Cain's room earlier in the day. I felt sure he wouldn't mind. Of course I'd nearly killed myself trying to navigate all of the booby-traps he'd set for anyone who was less welcome. Thankfully he'd trained me well.
“You sure about this, Jéhenne?”
I looked at Lucas in the mirror as he stood behind me, and I grinned. “Oh yes.”
My reflection grinned back at me. High-heeled boots - I had no plans to run tonight – matched with tight, black leather trousers and a black vest top. Oh and one simple addition: the knife of Belial was strapped between my shoulder blades underneath. My hair was loose and flowed down my back, covering any tell-tale lumps beneath the top. I turned to Lucas.
“How do I look?”
He groaned. “Please don't make me answer that.”
I raised an eyebrow at him, and he shook his head.
“Hot,” he said, a very real fire burning in his eyes. “And deadly.”
I smiled at him, somehow avoiding looking him in the eyes. We hadn't spoken since ... well, since. I didn't know what to say to him. “Just the look I was going for,” I said lightly, heading for the door.
“Jéhenne.” He stopped me, grabbing my hand and turning me around. I looked up at him with trepidation. Please not a big emotional scene now.
“We will talk when all of this is over,” he said in a threatening tone, though there was laughter in his eyes. “And I know you'd rather face Ambrogio than do that but tough luck.”
I snorted. He knew me so well. I felt his hand at my cheek, and he leaned in and kissed me lightly on the mouth. “Win, Jéhenne. You have to win this.”
“I'll do my best, Lucas. I promise you.”
He nodded, and now there was no laughter in his eyes, just an emotion that I couldn't return, no matter how I wished I could. “If anything goes wrong and--and you get to the Underworld before me, just ... wait until sunrise, OK? I'll be right behind you.”
I gasped as I realised what he was saying. “No! Lucas, I forbid you.” I made it a command, though of course if I died, there would be nothing I could do to stop him walking into the sun. “Lucas, the family will need you more than ever if I'm gone. Someone will need to try to keep Corvus in line.”
He laughed and shook his head. “Don't kid yourself, Jéhenne. You know I couldn't. If you can't hold him, what chance do I have?”
I knew he was right, but I couldn't let him follow me into death. Not when I didn't love him as he deserved.
“Lucas ...” I began. He placed a finger on my lips.
“If you don't want me to die, you must live. You must win.”
I took a breath and nodded. “I will. One way or another, Lucas. I will.”
I reached up and kissed him, just a touch of my lips against his. They were as soft and warm and welcoming as always, and just as always, they only echoed back to me the loss of everything I'd had. I knew he felt it too, but he said nothing, just smiled at me. “Go and show them who you are,” he whispered.
I smiled in return and headed out the door, determined to do just that.
**
*
The entertainers left the stage, looking perplexed and muttering about the last minute change to the show.
“We're with you, Jéhenne,” Lucas spoke into my mind, and the thought was echoed over and over by everyone. I tried to let it give me courage, but I knew they would be forced to turn on me sooner or later. I listened to hear if Corvus' mind was among them, but he still slept. I breathed a sigh of relief. There was now a very real and dangerous prospect that I couldn't overlook. If Corvus hadn’t recovered his memories when he woke, he could simply decide to throw his lot in with Ambrogio. Now that their ambitions had dovetailed so neatly, they wouldn't need to be at odds. Corvus no longer cared for the Senate's rules; he wanted to kill when he wanted and live as they once had, just as the father of the race desired. They could join forces and take me out together before they challenged the Senate. And I wasn't sure I could rely on Sariel to save me a second time, friend or not.
I stepped onto the stage and stood behind the curtains, waiting as they slid smoothly open. I had the dubious pleasure of registering the surprise in Ambrogio's eyes as he saw who was standing in the spotlight.
“Ah, our beautiful hostess. I'm so glad you could join us. I was beginning to think we had frightened you off.”
I stepped forward as the spotlight followed me. “Oh I don't frighten easily, boy.”
I laughed and walked towards the edge of the stage, though the spotlight glared in my eyes. I sent a furious message to whoever was controlling the lighting, and it moved a little so I could now see the rage in his eyes and his posture, though the burn of his power over my skin was more than enough evidence of that.
“Boy?” His voice was dangerously quiet. “What exactly do you mean by that?”
I shrugged and walked along the stage a little, so that I stood directly in front of him. “Well you are a boy to me, Ambrogio. A sulky little boy. You see I was already a powerful woman when my father laid that curse on you.”
He jolted. Vampires, especially ones as ancient as Ambrogio, could hide all but the very strongest of emotions. I'd just shocked the hell out of him.
The Fires of Tartarus Page 41