Odyssey (The Vampire Destiny Series Companion Book 1) (4 page)

Letting out a shriek of frustration, she rushed for the ebony skinned man in the middle of the remains of the room.  Once she reached him, she viciously pushed him to his knees at her feet and spoke once she was aware she had my attention once again.

"This is why I chose to turn this man.  You will find a way to leave me, Steafedn.  His blood is on your conscience.  You forced me to do this. 
You
."

In a blur, she turned and buried her fangs into his jugular, draining the man until his heart barely beat in his chest.  She ripped open her wrist with her razor sharp teeth, letting her blood drip into his gaping mouth.

As she caught me staring, an evil grin broke over her face.  "His death and immortality is because of your selfishness and greed.  Your actions caused all of this.  If you would just love me…"

Rising to my feet, I placed my sword in its sheath.  "You are my sire.  I loved you once.  Do you not remember?  I only ask for freedom, yet you refuse.”  I stood before my maker and stared down into her face.  While still stunning, her madness was marring her beauty.  Lowering my voice, I continued.  “I did nothing to cause his death.  You had already planned to change this man. Do not put the blame on me and burden me with misplaced guilt.  We are finished here."

Ducking, I exited the shambles of the house and strode a few yards away from the carnage she'd created.  As I stared into the horizon at the lightening sky, the stark reality twisted in my gut like a dagger.  My sire was slowly losing her sanity and there was nothing I could do to stop her demise.  I could only protect myself by distancing myself from her misdeeds.

It was only a matter of time before the world of denial Solveig lived in crumbled around her, destroying anyone that assisted her.  Sofia promised me she would aid me in breaking free, to vouch for my character in exchange for my assistance.  I could only assume there would be a price to pay for the freedom I would be given.

***

For two days, I had not returned to our encampment.  Choosing to spend my time alone and on the hunt, it was only my curiosity about the clergyman Solveig had turned that lured me back.  He would be waking soon.  Even though his future was a blank to me, I had my suspicions that he would not be happy with his change to immortality.

It was nearly dusk when our den came into view.  I could hear Solveig's voice pleading with someone.  A callous part of myself hoped it was with the man she turned. A newly changed vampire was irrational and impossible to reason with.  They were volatile creatures, stronger than their sire in many cases.

This man's ability was stronger than before, not only leaving him but those around him unreadable as well.  Entering a situation blind was never ideal; and was a situation I was unaccustomed to.

I crept through the small house, listening to the angry exchange between them.  Solveig was in rare form; using all her feminine wiles to attempt to calm him.  As I watched from the shadows, I was amused to see it was a futile measure.  This man had no interest in her.

Leaning against the wall, I simply observed them until I felt his angry amber eyes boring into me.  Unafraid, I returned his furious stare with a bemused smile.  Solveig had her hands full with her new child.

"Who is this?  Another vampire?  I saw you both at the rectory.  You had plans to do this to me?"  His heavy voice was laced with scorn.  "I am a man of God.  You expect me to kill those I am supposed to save?"

Stepping closer, I was easily a head taller than the lanky man.  He was strikingly handsome with his ebony skin and tawny, deep set eyes.  Immortality had been kind to him, giving his dark skin a glowing luminosity it had not had before.

"I had no part in this, I assure you.  You can thank our sire for your addition to our family."  I sighed deeply.  "I can only offer my humble apologies to you."

The man's expression softened slightly.  "What is your name, brother?"

"Steafedn Hlífsteinn."  I answered him simply.  I took a slow, steady step closer to him.  "I will help you with your adjustments to this life.  There is little more I can do..."  My voice tapered off as I waited for him to supply his name.

"Amir.  Amir Negasso.  Unless you plan to kill me, there is little you can do for me."

He was smart.  His ability made him both dangerous and an asset.  That was why Solveig had chosen him.

"He will not kill you.  I forbid it," Solveig screeched as she pushed between us.  She clasped Amir's robes tightly in her hand, glaring out a warning to me with narrowed eyes.

The air grew thick with uneasiness, the tension so thick it could be cut with the blade of a sword.  We all stood motionless until Amir broke the silence, his words clear and sounding more like a pledge as he faced our maker.

"I will serve no one but my Lord.  You may force me to do your will, yet I will never belong to you.  My heart, my soul belongs to my God."

Outwardly, I showed no emotion or reaction to his blatant disrespect.  I made no movement, nor did my expression alter. Yet inwardly, the realization that I had gained an ally did not escape me.

“Your God brought me to you.  It was his plan for you,” Solveig murmured soothingly.  Foolishly, she was going to attempt to use her feeble reasoning with Amir.

Amir watched her with his golden eyes.  A brief smile broke over his lips.  “My God may have sent you my way, that much is true.  However if he did, it was to see you burn in hell.”

He glanced in my direction and nodded sharply before he swept away in his long robes.

As I watched his retreating back, it was apparent he would never yield to Solveig.

***

1305, Dijon, France

Over the years, we moved from country to country.  Solveig refused to release either of us from her control.  Her cruelty to humans grew as Amir struggled not to succumb to his vampire nature.  In the end, he always failed.  And he would repent and pray for hours to a God he felt had abandoned him during his darkest hours.

After all, he had turned his life over to God and religion and what he had become was a contradiction to everything he believed.  I had no such issue, yet I found myself adapting my behavior as we hunted together.  He struggled tooth and nail to hold on to his humanity, which in turn awakened the part of myself I thought I had lost.

As time passed, I grew to love Amir as a brother.  He was keenly intelligent, and there were times I could almost see his mind working behind his peculiar amber eyes.  He was stoic and had never openly complained about his immortality.  After his first day of standing as a vampire, he had never voiced a protest.  Yet it was easy to see the toll it had on the strong man.

It was on one of our excursions to 'hunt' that we veered off deep in the forest.  His future was still remarkably unreadable to me and I found it to be a relief to be in his presence.  He dampened my senses, gave me a bit of peace from the barrage of images I struggled to shut out.

We had walked in silence for miles until he gestured to a fallen tree.

"Let us sit.  We must talk." Amir's voice was deep and lightly accented.  I met his gaze and nodded, following him to sit at his side on the rough bark.

We sat in silence for some time.  It was almost as if Amir was gathering his thoughts or his courage to approach this conversation he was intent on having with me.  I simply sat at his side, staring into the dense green forest surrounding us.  Occasionally, the silence would be broken by the crunch of leaves or the chatter of birds.  Amir did not move or react.  He simply sat motionless, his amber eyes taking in the scenery.

"It has been nearly 60 years since my change, brother.  Solveig is growing dangerous.  You know this," Amir began quietly.  His words drew my eyes to his profile at my side.  He also stared ahead, refusing to meet my inquisitive stare.  "You have a connection that will be helpful to us."

Nudging my toe on a rock, I looked away from Amir and stared back into the tree line.  "What connection would that be, Amir?"

The power of Amir's smile could be felt.  A smugness rolled off of the man, filling the space between us with his undisguised delight.  "Do not be coy, Steafedn.  It is the woman you disappear to meet.  She is on the Council, am I correct?"

Dread cascaded over me, seeping into my very skin.  Shrugging, I grunted softly.  It was neither an admission nor a denial.

Amir waved his hands in front of him as a sign of acceptance.  "You do not have to admit to anything.  But know this.  There will be a time I will lift my power and reveal the atrocities Solveig is participating in and planning.  You will see her misdeeds and I trust you will inform your companion.  The Council has been actively waiting for the moment to punish our maker and that time will come soon.  All I ask is that you do not shield her.  You have served your time with her.  It is time to be free."

There was that word again.  It was if every immortal knew of my deepest desire: to be free of Solveig.  My options were slim; she would never willingly release either of us.  There was only one way for Amir and myself to taste true freedom.

Solveig would have to meet her final death.

Amir's voice cut into my thoughts, pulling me from my realization.  "Shall we carry on?  Solveig will be searching if we do not return soon."

Jutting my chin in agreement, I stood and we resumed our trek.  Amir walked like a man with a 100-pound weight lifted off of his shoulders, and I now walked like a man shackled with my conscience.

***

Sofia and I managed to keep in communication with one another, relentlessly designing a grand strategy.  We were playing a dangerous game; Solveig was growing more and more unstable as the years passed.  She did not like that I grew more independent and began disappearing for weeks on end for relief.

It was during one of my rendezvous with Sofia that my mind was flooded with destruction, blood and death.  Amir had let me see Solveig and all of the horror she had unleashed.