Odyssey (The Vampire Destiny Series Companion Book 1) (6 page)

Ignoring the others, I stepped closer to her side. Averting my traitorous eyes, I stared at the floor instead.  "This was not what I wanted, Solveig.  There is always a price to pay when you willingly break the rules of our kind."

I was amazed at how easily I shifted the blame from myself onto her; at how effortlessly I was able to bury my guilt away at her bitter words.  My actions may have set this into motion, but her misdeeds had caused her death.

She let out a maniacal laugh that echoed in the sparse room.  "I should have known you would bring my final death upon me.  What I agreed to that night brought my death, even though it took over two centuries.  You are no better than the Council with your protestations of right and wrong.  We are vampires, Steafedn.  We should have no rules to follow."  She laughed weakly, and I could feel the intensity of her hate-filled gaze upon my skin. "I thought you were my greatest creation but instead…instead you were my harbinger of death.  Even angels are capable of concocting wicked schemes."

I tried a final time to speak to her, to make amends.  "Solveig..."

"There is nothing more for us to say," she whispered through gritted teeth.  Her fangs had been ripped from her gums, her teeth stained with her own blood.  She was finished with life, with me. "If we do, it will only be lies from both of us. You are not sorry and I…I will not offer you absolution.  I can only wish that my final words will haunt you for centuries to come, and that is payment enough to me. There will be a day you know the truth about your own change.  Then…then you will see things differently...and your anger will be my final revenge."

Solveig's eyes closed and tears lined her dirty, blood-caked face.  When she finally spoke again, her face turned up towards the ceiling and acceptance had settled over her.  "Finish me.  I want no more of this."

The bigger of the two men stepped forward with a torch in his hand.  As he threw it at her prone body, I watched as it quickly consumed her.  The orange and white flames grew hotter and brighter as they licked over her immortal flesh.  Thick smoke began to fill the room. Its putrid smell became almost too much to bear.

As I watched my maker burn, I risked the chance and peered at Amir.  His ebony face was filled with joy, a smirk pulling at the corners of his lips.  He made no effort to hide his satisfaction at seeing her die.  I both detested and envied him at that moment.  He did not care who witnessed his happiness at her death.

Feeling the weight of my stare, his topaz eyes met mine.  Neither of us spoke; only his smile increased in size.  He was taking too much joy in suffering and pain for a man of God.  I expected to see mercy, sadness and acceptance…yet all I saw was his delight.

The last of the fire was waning and Solveig’s body was nothing more than charred cinder.  Sofia's hand on my chest brought me back to reality.  Staring blankly down at her, I offered her no smile or words.  I had expected to feel liberation; instead I simply felt nothing.

"Let us find you both rooms to rest.  We will talk tomorrow."

Tomorrow.  It would be the day I would find out the true price of my betrayal.

***

I had not slept.  I spent the night pacing the stone floors of my room, watching the night sky fade to shades of gray until finally bright blue filled the window and sun streamed through the glass.  I may as well have been the one awaiting death.  Solveig’s words haunted me, ringing through my head and reverberating through my very soul.  They were as clear as if she was beside of me. 
"If we do, it will only be lies from both of us. You are not sorry and I…I will not offer you absolution.  I can only wish that my final words will haunt you for centuries to come, and that is payment enough to me. There will be a day you know the truth about your own change.  Then…then you will see things differently...and your anger will be my final revenge."

There was no other truth to my change.  Solveig wanted to leave me with self-doubt and she was accomplishing her task.  My guts felt as if they were being torn apart.  As I waited, the realization did not escape me that I was awaiting my sentence.  I could not focus on the outcome; no party involved would make a conscious decision.  Minds changed, as did my fate.

The silence of the castle was deafening.  As I stared into the distance, guilt seemed to almost crush me apart.  Logically, I knew there would be a price to pay for my freedom from Solveig.  For every gain, there was a sacrifice to be made.

To make matters worse, not only was every fiber of my being on alert, my throat burned in hunger. It had been nearly four days since I had fed.  I could not wait much longer.

A sharp knock on the door brought me from my thoughts.  I did not turn from the windows, I only offered a brusque "Enter" to Sofia.  She had made the decision to collect me for my meeting with the Council, however Amir's presence at the meeting had blurred my foresight.  As much as I loved my brother, I could not remain at his side.  As soon as possible, I would break away from him and go my separate way.

"Your presence is required."  Sofia crossed the room to stand at my side.  A glance at her from the corner of my eye revealed her dark beauty as she stood in the dappled sunlight from the window.  Her long, chestnut hair hung to her waist and the light brought out streaks of red I had never noticed before.

"Fine.  I have no choice in the matter," I muttered and folded my arms across my chest.  "Lead the way."

She patted my arm softly, offering me a wan smile.  It did not escape my notice that it failed to reach her brown eyes.  In that moment, whatever we had shared was over between us.  All of the time we had spent together had been used to obtain information for the Council, and I had fallen for her half-truths because she had told me what I had wanted to hear.  I had no interest in resuming an association with someone that would so readily use me as a bargaining chip.

"Steafedn, you saved our kind from being discovered.  The Board and Council are grateful to you.  You will not be punished.  It was as I said last night.  You will be rewarded for your sacrifice."

My
sacrifice?  I was not the one that lay chained to a metal table with missing limbs, being cut with weapons until there was little blood to stay alive, only then to be burned alive.  What reward could I possibly deserve?

My brows furrowed as I turned and stared down at her.  "Sofia, I deserve no rewards.  I betrayed my maker for my freedom."

She shook her head and tugged on my hand.  "Come.  After they speak with you, you are free to go."

She led me from the room and down yet another murky hallway that smelled of mildew and had the sharp metallic smell of blood that seemed to saturate the very walls.  She tossed me a grim smile over her shoulder before pushing open the heavy wooden door.

The curtains parted and I watched as a group of five vampires filed into the room.  Sofia left my side to join them as they stood in a row, facing me.  The curtains opened once again and Amir was led out by the vampire we had met last night upon entry to the castle.  They were all dressed similarly in crimson cloaks and the similarity between their attire and what Amir had worn as a human did not escape me.  I wondered if Amir was noticing it as well.

With those thoughts heavy on my mind, I met my brother's eyes.  Amir was solemn, and it was not until I heard laughter ring out that I looked back at the Council assembled in front of me.

One vampire broke away and approached me.  He walked gracefully, almost as if he appeared to be floating over the uneven stone.  He was smiling almost maniacally, clasping his hands in front of his chest in delight.

I was struck by his appearance.  He was the first immortal I had encountered that was not preternaturally attractive.  However, his immortal change had left him with oddly perfect features that were unattainable by nature alone. It left me to wonder if he had always appeared this way or if I was seeing the effects of aging on the ageless.  Would I appear like this in another 1,000 years?

His ashen face was twisted in a gruesome smile as he looked me over from head to toe.  "We finally meet the immortal that made the ultimate sacrifice for our survival.  Steafedn Hlífsteinn, I am to presume?"  His brown eyes flickered towards my brother.  "And this is your sire's other child.  Your brother, am I correct?  How…familial your group is.  It is most peculiar."

“Yes.  He is my brother for all intents and purposes.  We share the same blood.”  My shoulders rose and I stood nearly two heads taller than everyone in the room. When needed, I could appear quite intimidating and I was using it to my benefit. “I am at a disadvantage.  You are?”

His long raven hair gleamed as he tapped his finger against his chin.  He leaned towards me slightly. “I am Silvio Armeni.  You are quite forward for one facing the Council – the very same Council that holds your life in our hands.”

Swallowing, I forced my lips into a stiff smile.  “Perhaps you are correct.  However, if I am to face execution I only ask to know those who will be carrying out my sentence.”

Silvio’s grin only broadened, turning to the immortals that stood behind him.  He clapped his hands together with great glee. “Sofia, you did well when you chose this man.  He is not only charming…he is also striking and intelligent.  Magnificent!”

My eyebrow twitched and my eyes shifted to each of the vampires, stopping when my gaze fell on Sofia.  She refused to return my stare and instead chose to scrutinize the ground.  The guilt that had been plaguing me now morphed into trepidation and resentment.  I would be tied to this Council now.  I had earned my freedom from Solveig, yet I would still be doing the bidding of another.  Amir stiffened beside of me and it was apparent that he had figured out my punishment as well.

“What am I to do for you?  Was handing you my maker not enough?”  My voice was strained as it strangled its way through my clenched teeth.

Silvio turned and gestured to the much larger vampire that Sofia had mentioned was Reginald.  He was slightly shorter than me; yet his shoulders were broader and his neck was muscular and thick.  His brown hair curled around his menacing face, his sharp brown eyes narrowing as he approached.  “You are innocent of the crimes of your maker.  We have determined she acted unaided.  You have been chosen by the Board and Council to carry out punishment to rogue immortals.  Your ability will assist you in this position, which is why the Council also rules that you and your brother,” Reginald paused and sneered in Amir’s direction. “Must be separated.  He possesses an ability that hinders all of us.”

Drawing in a deep breath, I pushed down my elation at this part of the punishment.  I had already planned on severing my ties with Amir.  My joy was short lived; I was not pleased that I was appointed into a position I had never requested.  “And if I refuse this appointment?”