Odyssey (The Vampire Destiny Series Companion Book 1) (3 page)

In a rush, she darted through the tall grass so quickly her feet barely touched the ground.  "Yes."

I squinted up at the sun again.  "We should move. If we travel out of the sight of humans, we should be in Rome within two days."

I did not wait for her answer.  I simply began to run.

***

"See the human with the amber eyes?  He is the one we need, Steafedn.  His talent is perfect.  As a human he can mask himself.  He is unaware of it, I am sure.  If he chooses, you would forget you were in a room with him.  Can you imagine the strength of such a talent as an immortal?"

Solveig spoke in an excited murmur as she peeked over the tall stone wall.  We both observed the tall, ebony skinned man in long robes as he followed alongside the others dressed in similar attire.  It was clear he was a man of God, in Rome on pilgrimage of some sort.  He paid no attention to us, his head slightly bowed and his hands clasped in front of him.

"We need no other immortals, Solveig.  Leave him with his God."  I watched as he entered the rectory and closed the heavy wooden doors behind him.  Not once did he look up.  He was intent on his task and nothing else.

"His
God
has led me to him.  He would be a welcome addition to our family.  You could predict the Council's decisions and this man could mask our movements.  The Council and Board would be oblivious to us."  Solveig smiled widely, her gleaming white teeth shining in the afternoon sunlight.  Her delusion was growing with each passing day.  She had a justification for every horrid act she committed.   "Tonight, I will lure him out.  I will approach him under the guise for his spiritual guidance.  We must be ready to move."

Slamming my hand against the stone, I felt the rock crumble underneath my crushing blow.  "I will be no part in this plan.  You will change him, and you will take him away.  I want no part in this, Solveig."

She knew better than to argue with me.  Her cobalt eyes swept over my face, and I could see her quick nod.  “I will meet you back at the camp once I am finished.  We will need to remain out of sight for two days while he makes the change.  Be safe.”

She walked along the wall, absently dragging her fingertips across the ragged stones.  She never looked back on her trek, focused solely on her task.  She would watch him from a distance, and only approach him when she knew she could easily disappear with the man.

There was no reason to worry about Solveig.  She was an impressive fighter, strong despite her small stature.  She was the ultimate predator.  No one would expect death to appear in such a diminutive, fragile package.

My eyes stayed trained on her until she disappeared from sight.  I knew it would be nightfall before Solveig returned with the peculiar, amber eyed man she had fixated on.  If his talent was strong as a human in its dormant stage, it would only increase during his change to becoming immortal.

Already I was dreading dealing with the frailties of a newborn.  Driven by their urges, it would make life even more difficult.  How would they explain this man's presence?  We would be forced to stay out of sight for years, if not longer.

No good would come from lamenting over my sire's impulsive nature.  There was little I could do to stop her.  She refused to listen to reason.  She would risk death to see any plan come to fruition.

I had managed to stay on the outskirts of a neighboring village on my way back to the crumbling ruins of the home we had found deep within the woods.  It was the perfect hideaway for vampires.  We needed no fire to keep us warm and we could go days, if not weeks without sleep if needed.

I was halfway to our hideaway when I noticed the presence of a vampire following close behind me.  She was female, her intentions quite clear.  She was sent by the Council to find Solveig and assess my ability.  She had no idea I was aware she was tailing me; I quickly doubled back until I was behind her.  I had her pressed against a tree before she had a chance to react.

She was stunning with her long chestnut hair and dark eyes that flashed in indignation of being caught unaware.  She was barely five feet tall, clothed in a gown much too lavish to blend in with the local townsfolk.

“You were following me.  Why?"  I demanded in Italian, gripping her shoulders tightly.  Her mouth turned up in a sneer as she struggled against my unyielding hold.

"This is how you treat a woman?  Did your sire teach you nothing?" Her raspy voice glided over the heavily accented words, her flashing eyes glancing between my hands and my face. 

Grunting softly, I released her and she smoothed her gown with her long, slender fingers.

"It is no business of yours."  I sat on an overturned tree, squinting up at her.  "What is it you want from me, Sofia?"

She glanced around before crossing her arms under her chest, looking at me in disbelief.  "I see your ability is strong and was not exaggerated.  You are one to get straight to the point.”  She paused and lowered her voice.  “It is your maker we want.  We want Solveig."

I feigned shock and averted my gaze to study the long grass.  "Who is 'we'?  Why do you think I would turn over my sire to an unknown group of immortals?"

The woman drew closer, crouching down until our faces were level.  "Steafedn, I was sent by the Council to attempt to work out a deal or an agreement with you.  You could come with me.  You would be safe."

My eyes shot back up to meet her impenetrable stare.  "If you know anything about me, I am loyal to my maker.  There is nothing I can do to assist you.  You have chosen the wrong man."

She laughed loudly, her dark head falling back as her husky voice echoed through the trees.  "Even though you already know my name, we have gone about this wrong. We will begin again.  I am Sofia and I am willing to give you things...any wish you desire."

The simple way she took seemingly innocent words and made them sound enticing struck a chord inside of me.  I leaned forward slightly and fell on one knee before her.  "What is it you think I desire, Sofia?"

A coy grin spread across her exotic face.  Even though her skin was pale, a bit of her olive complexion still remained.  "First and foremost, I could offer you companionship.  You are quite beautiful, after all."

"What else can you offer me?  Companionship is easy to come by."  I stroked the side of her cheek with the back of my fingers.  Her lips parted and she let out a sigh of approval.

"I can obtain freedom for you, Steafedn.  You would be sireless, free to your own devices."  Sofia nuzzled into my hand as a cat would, her long brown locks tangling in my fingers.

Ah, freedom.  She mentioned the one thing I could not resist; the one thing I longed for and had been denied for so very long.

Sofia sensed my wavering loyalty and struck like a cobra, swift and deadly.  Her fingers had crept beneath my tunic, slowly heading down to grasp at my trousers. Arousal spread through me at her aggressive nature and closeness.  She wrapped her free arm around my shoulders, drawing herself flush with my body, her lips whispering against my cheek as she spoke.  "We will start with companionship.  Then...we will work out a plan."

Any remaining fight left in me dissolved.  My meeting with this strange woman was the beginning of the end for Solveig.

***

As expected, Solveig returned near dawn with the large man following behind her.  His steps were uneven as he stumbled through the darkness.  He was in a trance-like state, deep in her thrall.   Even though he was unaware, his living moments were numbered.  He would be given no choice in the matter.

Nor was I at the time of my change.  We would have that in common.

Solveig's prideful smile slowly faded away as she entered the crumbling ruins.  Her eyes narrowed into accusing slits as her head bobbed from side to side, her nose high in the air.

"Who was here?  It was another immortal."  Solveig scurried past me, looking behind every wall and dark corner.  She spun and her accusing eyes met mine. "You bring another back and bed her in our home?"

I did not move from the floor, my legs stretched carelessly out in front of me.  Slowly and methodically, I sharpened the sword in my hands.  It was one of three I managed to salvage at the time of my death.  Along with a few trinkets, they were the only relics that remained from my human life.  The necklace hidden away in my pack had been my mother’s and had been with me when I went to battle on my last mortal day.

The blade slid across the whetstone and I did not look up from my work. "Our home?!?  This is a merely a rickety hut.  Look around us, Solveig.  It is in ruins.  You have other matters to attend to."  Glancing up at the rotting thatched roof, I jutted my chin towards the man who stood swaying side to side in the entranceway.  "What I do or whom I do is none of your concern."

Solveig knelt beside me and her fingers slipped underneath my chin.  When our eyes met, her face was contorted in anger.  "I gave you this life and I can take it away.  You would do good to remember your place."

Grabbing her hand with my own, I grasped it tightly until I heard the bones grind together under my strength.  "Your fate lies in my hands, Solveig.  Never threaten me again.   You may be my maker, however I am finished existing only as your slave.  Do we understand one another?

Dropping her hand, I picked up my sword and resumed began cleaning the blade.  She cradled her injury against her chest and stumbled backwards.

"How could you?  You have spoken with the Council?  You have betrayed me, Steafedn?  Betrayed me with the immortal I smell on your skin, whose stench lingers in the very air around us."  Her voice screeched as she paced nervously.  "What have you done to me?  To
us
?"

Shaking my head at her selfishness, I did not grant her a reply.  I simply continued on with my task as I let my thoughts wander.  Sofia had offered me a precious gift; one I had yearned for nearly two centuries.  It was the whisper of hope and the promise of freedom.  Her words alone had given me the faith that all was not lost.  It would take time to put things into place, yet time was something I had an abundance of.