Eternal War Rising to the South: The Beynok Vampire Series (15 page)

Galloway got up and started to pace. I could tell he knew what I was getting at. “Anya, I told Sorin we would stay here and wait for him until his return before we made a move. I will keep to my word.” He ran his hand through his wavy shoulder length hair. His action revealed a concerned, indecisive facial expression. I couldn’t tell from his emotions whether I could persuade him. Right then, he didn’t know what he wanted to do. It was the best time to make my case.

I wanted to be short and to the point, so I said, “Galloway, there’s a lot I don’t know about your species, it turns out, so I need your support on this. The war is starting, and I haven’t a clue where to begin. I just know the war is not going to wait on us. We need to do something before it comes to our doorstep again and with a bigger army.”

“I trust Sorin with my life. He will be here when he is needed. We will not move without him.” Galloway was firm in his voice, but his emotions told me this time he wasn’t as confident in his choice as he wanted to sound.

My anger was compounding. “Galloway I need your help to understand what’s happening to me...what’s happening to my swords…what to do to win this war. I need your help to make sense of what that scroll is telling me to do. You and many others, it seems, brought me here to be your leader. Now let me lead. Otherwise, this was all for nothing.”

“Anya, you’re right. I’m sorry. We have waited for you for so long. Now that you’re finally here, I’m not quite sure what to do next.” I could tell he didn’t like admitting the last part. He was always so in control, never faltering at anything he did.

“Well, if we follow what is written on the scroll, then we need to go somewhere so both sides can see me…put me on a throne. I’ve been caught off guard by what this world holds, but not anymore. I’m ready to face what’s coming for me but I need all of your help. We need all the help we can get.” Where was I going with this? “So I guess the next step on the scroll wants me to be shown to all. Is there a place we can go?” I was nervous, but I knew we needed to get on with the show … with or without Sorin.

“Shit yes, Princess. You know us vampires. We always make a grand appearance.” I could tell he was nervous, too, but still trying to make light of it. “I think we have a place in mind.” The three vampires nodded at one another.

“Good, we’ll leave right before daybreak. Oh, and Galloway, I want to meet your men.” I was no longer concerned about Sorins request.

“Yes, Princess.” He bowed toward me. The thought of such a powerful vampire bowing to me gave me an awkward feeling.

Where did all that authority come from? I was proud of myself. If I could lead a group of Beynoks, then I could lead an army of my past enemies, right? I asked Galloway to follow me to Sorin’s room after our meeting in the kitchen.

“Galloway, I have to know what is going on with my swords. The last two times I’ve pulled them to fight, something strange has happened.” I was so hoping he could wave a magical wand and fix them. I depended on them more than anything else. “Can you please tell me.”

“Sorin told me about what happened in Salvuswy, when you pulled them on Gallagher. I have read books and called old friends, and I can’t find anything.” He sounded hopeless. “I can’t be for sure what is happening. I’m sorry.”

For the second time that evening, Galloway sounded defeated. I had to say something to help him. I thought,
Watch your words, Anya. You know you suck at consoling others.

“Don’t worry about it, Galloway. You can’t know everything. When I’m supposed to know, I’ll find out.” Good job. No foot in your mouth. “I’ll be down in couple of hours to meet the rest of your men.”

Galloway nodded and left the room. I wondered,
Where the hell is Sorin? He brought me into this mess just to abandon me. What an asshole.
I packed the clothes Serenity had ordered for me in a suitcase I found in the closet. Then I sat on the bed and sharpened my swords. I was as confused about my swords as I was with my scroll down in the dungeon.

I found myself in front of the hidden door leading to the underground room where my scroll was kept. I had to read it again. The desire to hold the scroll pulled me further and further down the stairwell unit I reached the shelves. I was consumed, wrapped in a trance.

The dim light from the stairwell was the only light provided. The dark made it impossible to read so I had no choice but to take it to the bedroom. Galloway was going to kill me since it was not supposed to leave the sacred room.
Again I read:

The one who holds the soul of her enemy in her hands shall lead her followers down a long and perilous journey to a time of union. On the second rise, the chosen must be found by good before evil and placed on the throne for all to see. Only then will war and rage begin. The chosen spirit and that of her enemy held shall raise the fall of evil.

In time, peace will prevail. Place trust in the power of the four directions and the heart will guide the way. A journey of rising and falling is key to everlasting peace. She will become what she was created to be.

Reading my prophecy again did not bring clarity as I had hoped.
What to do now? Placed at the throne for all to see, well, that’s where I’m going to begin, with or without Sorin, and if Sorin isn’t going with me, the scroll is.
I placed it securely in the suitcase.

I laced my boots up, slid my swords down my back, and grabbed my suitcase with the stolen scroll, and out the bedroom door I went.

A large group of both male and female vampires was waiting for me in the foyer. Galloway stood in front to make the introductions. I wondered,
Should I open myself up and read their emotions? Would I like what I felt? Would I be discouraged by what I felt? Would the faces before me be willing to fight and die for me, or are they only here because they serve Galloway?
Do they think I am strong enough to lead them? Do I want to know? Yes.

Undeniable confidence and courage silently roared off the beings in front of me. I glanced away to look at Corbin and handed my suitcase to him. As my eyes moved back to the small army of twenty, they started to kneel, one behind the other. I wanted to protest that it was unnecessary, but Galloway stroked my arm.

“Anya, let them be. They feel privileged to finally meet you.” He took his place beside me while I watched each one of the warriors drop a knee and kneel before me with a bowed head.

I fully opened myself up to them. My mind bounced from body to body, and a powerful sense of honor and determination cocooned my body. They truly loved me, and they didn’t even know me. They loved me because they believed in the prophecy and what I represented. Galloway touched my shoulder as he spoke this time.

“Have faith as these warriors do. Question yourself no more. A few days ago, you would have fought to the death to kill them, and now they will fight to the death to protect you. If you can believe what is in front of you now, then you can believe in the impossible.”

It was Salvuswy all over again just on a much smaller scale. Galloway was right, they would most definitely die for me with no questions asked. I needed to do my best to make sure none of them died in vain. There would be blood and vicious battles ahead. I didn’t need a scroll to tell me that.

“Please rise. I’m honored to meet you. We’ll make our formal introductions when we arrive at our destination.” I glanced at Galloway. “We need to be on our way. Dawn comes in a few minutes.”

The fancy Hummers made it possible for us to travel during the day, which was probably the safest time to travel. I couldn’t see too many other vampires having expensive SUVs like this, but then again, I never thought I would be leading the vampire race and other species into a battle against their own kind … Strange thought.

16 - With A Slip Of The Sword

The day was as long as the drive, never ending. We were in the third Hummer of six in the convoy. I was in the passenger seat next to Corbin, who was driving. Serenity and Galloway were in the back. Galloway’s personal guards rode in the other five Hummers. Talk had been next to nothing since the trip started, so I thought a little conversation was needed.

“I’ve been dying to know for the past six hours, which by the way feels like twenty, where are we going?” I almost forgot I was hungry. “Plus we need to stop soon. I need to go to the bathroom, and I’m getting hungry.”

“Shit Princess, just say the word. You need me to pull over right here? I’m sure we can find something you can wipe up with.” Corbin was serious.

Sometimes I forgot they were vampires and had a savage instinct until I was reminded with remarks like that one. But I couldn’t lie. If I had needed to go badly enough, I would have taken Corbin up on his offer.

“No, keep driving until you hit a rest stop.” I rolled my eyes at Corbin. He mouthed the word “what?” to me. “Galloway, where are we going?”

“We’re traveling to Salvuscol. It’s the safe city in Pueblo, Colorado. They have the largest pavilion in the states. Well, the largest we can all attend in our true forms anyway.”

I almost didn’t want to ask but I had to...I couldn’t stand the thought any longer. Nor could I go on acting as if I didn’t care at all. Besides I was sure Galloway was reading my mind, so I didn’t even need to ask the question.

I turned to face Galloway in the back seat. He was all too ready to catch my eyes. His face was a puzzle to me. I hadn’t been around Galloway long enough to understand the meaning of the small crease in his forehead or the twitch of his mouth or even the glare in his eyes. I would one day, though. If he was able to read my mind so easily, then I was going to have to put extra effort into reading his facial expresses in combination with his emotions. I intended to put myself on equal ground as much as I could.

“Anya, you have other powers and abilities that I do not. You’re young, and I’m almost two thousand years old. You need not be so hard on yourself. The connection I have with you is rare and will be put to good use someday.”

“Are you going to make me ask then?”

“Ask what?” He smirked. He was playing games with me. I didn’t need to be a psychic to read the meaning of the smile forming on his face, which was not a common act for him.

I gave in and asked, “Do you think Sorin will be there? I mean, wouldn’t you think if he spent years trying to find someone for a certain goal that he would want to be there when she took her first step toward achieving that goal? Unless …” I couldn’t say it aloud. If Sorin wasn’t there, then he was either dead or didn’t really care about me at all. Meaning he might as well be dead if he didn’t show.

“I’m not sure. Neither Corbin nor Serenity have received word from him. I know this for fact.” Meaning he had been in their thoughts to verify their responses. “Time will tell. Word has traveled quickly amongst all supernaturals across the states and across the world about the rise of the Beynok princess. If Sorin is alive, he will be there. I can assure you of that. We placed calls to all the heads about your arrival. Sorin will get the word as to where we are going.”

The answer was a good as any. In a days or so, I would be the leader of something bigger than I could even imagine. A war would start, and Sorin would or would not be by my side. The outlook of the days to come was not a positive one. Somehow, the thought of Sorin being by my side brightened the path I was about to take. I needed him desperately, and I thought it was starting to show.

I could feel my face getting hot and turning red at the memory of our first time together in the shower room at Yachts. The thought of him lifting me in the air so I could wrap my legs around his waist took my body over. Then the sensation of him slipping inside of me rushed in.
Oh, my God. Galloway.

I felt my cheeks grow even hotter and I turned to Galloway in the backseat. “You better not be in my head right now.”

“Trust me. I left at the start of the memory.” His face was as red as I believed mine to be.
That’s what he gets for being in my head.

I saw Corbin glance back at Serenity to acknowledge her giggle. Thankfully, we came to a rest area and pulled in under a large awning to shield the sunlight as I quickly opened my door and slid out. I needed a moment to myself and especially a break from those three.

Hours later, I felt the Hummer come to a halt and heard Corbin shift into park. I was in the middle of a catnap. I opened my eyes to find us parked in what looked like a parking garage. The other Hummers parked along both sides of us.

“Where are we? Are we near the entrance to the city?” This didn’t look like the old abandoned house on the hill that Salvuswy had as its entrance.

“We’re close. We’re not in the safe city yet, so the laws do not pertain up here. Precaution is necessary. Now is as good a time as any to go over something with you before you show yourself tonight.” Galloway pulled me to the side of the Hummer so that we were alone. There was a chance the others could still hear us, so he whispered, “If you’re ever taken, keep your mind open for me to read. Run through area details in your head. Focus hard and push your brain to find mine. With your capabilities and mine, I should be able to tell where you are.” I wondered if he knew that his twin Gallagher could read my mind as well. “Yes, I do, but never mind him. Focus on finding a connection with me.” He pulled away from my ear to focus on my face. His eyes looked sad. He placed his lips close to my ear again. “If you’re not killed on the spot, but taken, I fear you will only have minutes to hours left to live. They will not keep you alive long. So during those few precious minutes, I need you to focus hard. No one knows how strong my connection is to you, and we need to keep it that way.”

Corbin interrupted, “Fuck, we’ve to get a move on it. They could be watching us now and sending reinforcements.” He looked serious.

Corbin was right. We had no time to waste. The sun was down and the creatures were up. I did a controlled sweep with my senses. Waves of hate came rushing up from beneath me. I was ready for the surge, so I was not affected much this time. I stood my ground. I couldn’t tell the good from the evil. Hate was raging from both sides.

The sweep above ground was different. I could tell we were being watched by both sides. The watchers were in corners, on rooflines, and in windows of the surrounding buildings. I could sense from all watching us that they couldn’t tell if their numbers surpassed the numbers of their enemies. There was much hesitation from both sides. Chances were good that a bloodbath was not going to happen tonight, at least not up top in this human city.

Two of Galloway’s men stayed with us, while nine took the front about twenty yards up, and the rest fell back in equal distances. I could tell this was not their first rodeo.

We exited the garage onto the main street. I could sense many sets of eyes watching us, both friend and foe. I wanted to reach out to see if I could sense a specific vampire but my gut told me he wasn’t out there and not to risk letting my focus be diverted for selfish reasons.

We went four blocks up and then the first set of Galloway’s guards entered a large, predominate building. It looked like a Wall Street bank building. Soon all of us were standing inside the first floor of the grand building. A set of guards belonging to Salvuscol allowed us to continue down a long corridor leading to a secured door. Another set of guards opened the door revealing an empty ten-by-ten room.

“You ready for this one, Princess? I know you don’t like elevators, so don’t shit your pants.” I felt the elevator drop suddenly. These creatures are so much more intelligent than the Beynoks ever gave them credit for … underground cities, mansions, highly sophisticated vehicles, secret passageways, laws and so much more. Boy, were we ever wrong about the other side … my side now.

We waited at the bottom for the rest of Galloway’s guards to travel down. Then we walked down yet another empty long corridor to another locked door. This door was a ten-by-twenty concrete slab with markings on it in many of the languages I had studied while in Russia. I was in the middle of deciphering the words when I heard Galloway speaking.

“I expect all of you to protect Princess Anya above all others, including me. We hold the key with us now and it is our job to deliver it and to protect it. Does everyone understand?” They all gave their assent.

“Corbin … Serenity, you two are personally responsible for her. The job you have performed thus far has been almost flawless, and we all need you to continue doing so. Do you understand?”

I guessed the “almost flawless” part was about my little jog down Galloway’s driveway and my meeting with Gallagher, but it had been my fault, not Corbin or Serenity’s.

“Shit, yeah. We do,” Corbin said.

“Anya, what you’re about to see is going to be very similar to Salvuswy, but on a much larger scale. I would recommend keeping your hood on and your swords concealed as much as you can.”

Galloway turned to the door to push the numbers on the key pad, but before he did, he said, “Anya, keep your senses under a tight rope if you can. Use this place to teach yourself directional control of your gift. Only focus broad if need be.”

With that said, he opened the crypt door, and the city became alive in front of me. I saw all the creatures I’d seen in Salvuswy, along with some new ones I had only heard about. The hood of my leather jacket was up, Corbin to my right and Serenity to my left. We followed Galloway through the crowded streets. Galloway’s guards spread out and blended into the crowd, but I could feel them near. They had a distinctive protective feel when I reached out to them.

I wasn’t scared or nervous at all. I felt extremely protected. I hope it wasn’t a false blanket hiding what was to come.

The streets were full of vampires, werewolves, Vendennares, human-formed demons, witches, and warlocks. There were even species I had never seen before, one being Lacevertos. A small group of them caught my eye as they stepped out of a pitch-black ally. I had always heard Lacevertos were amazing creatures if you ever got the chance to see one and lived to tell about it. So far, I was still breathing, which was good. I was as amazed at seeing them as I had always heard I would be. They have a human-shaped body with a long, thick tail, and their skin is covered with scales like a reptile. Their bodies change color to match their surroundings so they never wear clothes, except over their private areas. Lacevertos are truly beautiful creatures. It’s hard to believe they come from hell. From what I’ve heard, they are messengers between hell and earth, but don’t let the “messenger” part disguise their deadly capabilities. I guess their messages are important enough for them to possess such power.

The light was not as good as the light in Salvuswy. The air was thick and tense. The over-populated streets almost caused me to miss another view of the Lacevertos. Serenity had to tug at my arm to keep me moving in the right direction. I wanted to throw my hood back, take a seat on a bench, and “people watch” in a roundabout manner. At least I had enough time to steal a few seconds to study the group of Lacevertos before I got tugged away by Serenity.

As Galloway had said, the streets were a replica of Salvuswy, but on a much larger scale. Buildings were carved into the earth. Balcony after balcony lined the buildings from the second story up. Small alleys were carved out to do who knows what in. I didn’t think I’d ever get bored during a visit to one of the safe cities. I hoped someday to have a chance to enjoy what one of these cities had to offer for entertainment.

Not until I was safely in the hotel room was I allowed to remove my hood. One of Galloway’s guards arranged for a block of rooms to be held under a false name. Weren’t all these precautions silly? My enemies knew I was there. Wasn’t this considered a safe city?

“Yes, Anya,” Galloway said. “We need to take as much precaution as possible. We have no idea how our numbers stack up to our enemies’ here. We won’t know until tonight.” Galloway seemed disappointed with my careless attitude.

“You’re right, but if someone wanted to kill me badly enough, they could find me here like a sitting duck.” His look told me I was right. “Besides I thought this was a safe city.”

“Shit, Princess, times have changed; and who knows what else is changing along with it? I’ve grown kind of fond of you, and I want to keep you around a little longer.” Corbin patted me on the back as if I were one of the guys.

I took a moment to look around the room. It was similar to the one Sorin and I had stayed in at Salvuswy. The memories rushed in, taking over my body. The way Sorin held me down on the bed … the way I could hardly resist. Where was he? My body was desperate for him.

The lust seeping out of my body was twisted, folded up, and put away for later because I felt a sudden surge of hate and desire for revenge coming at us from outside. The emotions were strong because I had myself closed to my surroundings, and they still plunged into me. The split second I had to warn everyone in my room was wasted in my confusion. I couldn’t figure out what was coming for us or from what direction. I screamed, “Get down,” as I hit the floor, but my warning came too late. Sharp stakes came through the windows and the outer framing of the building into our hotel room. We were under attack from the building on the opposite side of the street.