The Vampire's Love (16 page)

The larger
woman made a soft grunt of disbelief and stared at the sword protruding from
her belly.  She blinked rapidly and stared at Abby as blood began to
drizzle from her mouth.  There was another loud crack of thunder and the
skies opened.  Cold rain fell in sheets, drenching both her and Ursula and
washing away the blood from her sword when she pulled it free from the woman’s
flesh.

Ursula
dropped to her knees and reached toward Abby with one groping hand.  The
anger had left her face, leaving only a weary look of fear and resignation, and
Abby reached out and took her hand.  She was suddenly horrified by what
she had done and she dropped her sword and crouched in front of Ursula.

“I’m
sorry.”  She whispered as the woman stared at her with dark eyes. 

“See my
sister…soon.”  Ursula gasped in a soft moan as more blood trickled from
her mouth.  She collapsed on to her back and Abby, still holding her hand,
wiped the rainwater from the woman’s face.

“Yes.” 
She said softly.  “You will see her soon.”

“Good.” 
Ursula wheezed.  “Tired.”

“I
know.”  Abby whispered.  “Close your eyes, Ursula.”

The big
woman nodded and let her eyelids shut.  Her breathing was growing shallow
and Abby continued to stroke her face until she took one final shuddering
breath and died.

Feeling
tired and sick to her stomach, Abby picked up her sword and stood.  She
turned to face Darius.  “Are you happy, Lord Darius?”  She shouted
above the wind and the thunder.  “Was it a good enough show for you?”

He laughed
and fear flooded through her when three of his men appeared beside Val and
Faren.  They urged them to their feet and prodded them with their swords
to move into the arena. 

“Send their
slaves with them.”  Darius demanded.  “I do not need them either.”

Sara and
Sienna were pushed into place behind them and the four of them were herded
quickly into the middle of the arena.  Val put his arm around Abby and
squeezed her tightly as Darius and Tavien stood in front of them.

Darius
stared at the arena of vampires as the wind whipped his long, wet hair around
his face.  “My friends!”  He shouted.  “This vampire says he is the
Lord Joven.  I welcomed him into my home, offered him a soft bed, warm
women, and a chance to take part in the games.  Was that not generous of
me?”

The
vampires nodded, a few of them shouting out ‘yes’, as Darius turned to
Val.  “I know who you really are, Valkyn, son of Maridus.”

Val’s arm
tightened around Abigail’s waist as Faren sighed loudly.  “Well,
fuck.  We’re all dead.”

“What I did
not understand was what happened to the real Joven and why you took his
place.”  Darius said loudly.  The wind was rising and the thunder was
almost continuous now.  Lightning flashed across the sky, illuminating the
arena in stark relief.

“However,
that mystery was solved last night.”  Darius turned to the vampires
standing guard at the wooden doors.  “Bring them out.”

The doors
opened and Abby gasped softly when Jaxen, Michael, Neil, Maria and Evan entered
the arena.  Fear trickled through her as they joined her and the
others. 

“Evan,
where is Wesley?”  She asked urgently.

“I don’t
know.”  He said grimly.  “They took him last night and I have not
seen him since.”

“Are you
looking for your dark-skinned friend?”  Darius asked.  “Shall I call
him?”

Without
waiting for their reply he shouted Wesley’s name.  Abby and Evan gave
matching groans of dismay when Wesley strode into the arena.

“Oh
Wesley.”  Abby whispered.

Wesley
grinned at her and Evan cursed violently at the sight of his long fangs. 
“Hello, Abigail.”

“Your
friend has been quite helpful to us.”  Darius said cheerfully.  “Once
we turned him, he told us everything we needed to know about your pathetic
little rescue attempt.”

He turned
and studied Michael intently.  “Is this man really worth it?  I know
for sure that these two are not.”  He glanced dismissively at Neil and
Maria.

Darius
sighed and glanced at Tavien.  “Humans, they are ridiculous, are they
not?”

“Yes, my
lord.”

“I can
understand why they would want to rescue their friends, they are too
tender-hearted for their own good, but why on earth would vampires align
themselves with the humans?”

He gave
Jaxen a look of false sorrow.  “Jaxen, my old friend, I am most
disappointed in you.”

“You are
not my friend.”  Jaxen said steadily.

“That hurts
me.  You have spent many months living in my home, taking your fill of my
slaves, and this is how you repay me?”

Darius
stepped closer and Abigail raised the sword she still held as Val pulled his
free from his belt.  Darius rolled his eyes.  “Please, do you believe
that either of you have a chance against us?”

“You do not
have that many men.”  Val said softly. 

Darius
chuckled with amusement.  “I suppose that is true, and most of them are on
a hunting trip, but you forget who our audience is.”

He stared
at the crowd.  “This vampire – this imposter – has made an alliance with
the humans.  What do you think of that?  Does he deserve our mercy?”

The crowd
screamed angrily, and a few of the vampires in the lower stands actually leaped
over the stone wall and began to close in around them.  Darius stopped
them with a wave of his hand.  “All in good time, my friends.”

“Jaxen,
come to me.”  He encouraged.

“Don’t,
Jaxen!”  Abigail said sharply.

“He has no
choice.”  Darius replied.

“Jaxen.” 
Abby whispered.

“It will be
alright.”  He smiled at her and moved jerkily to Darius.  He stood in
front of the larger man, his fine white hair sticking to his head as the rain
poured down, and folded his arms behind his back.

“Why would
you betray me, Jaxen?”  Darius asked with genuine puzzlement.

“The humans
are not ours to control, Darius.”  Jaxen replied.  “All creatures
deserve freedom, deserve the right to live their life without being – “

“Boring.” 
Darius sighed.  His hands snaked out and Sienna and Sara both screamed
shrilly when he ripped Jaxen’s head from his body.  The old man’s body
crumpled to the ground as blood poured from the stump of his neck.

“I never
really liked him anyway.”  Darius grinned at Tavien before dropping
Jaxen’s head.  His body and head exploded and the blood and ash was
immediately washed away by the hard rain.

“You son of
a bitch!”  Abby cried.  She leaped forward and growled angrily when
Val’s arm snapped around her waist and pulled her back.

“Let go of
me!”  She shouted.

“Be
still!”  Val hissed into her ear and she slumped against him as Wesley
stepped forward.  He reached out, ignoring Val’s growl, and stroked Abby’s
cheek.

“I was
wrong to fear it, Abigail.”  His eyes were a golden brown now and they
glowed with a hellish light.  “It is,” he paused, “beautiful.  This
is a gift.”

Evan, the
freckles standing out on his face in pale relief, shoved Wesley away from Abby
and glared at the larger man.  “Don’t touch her, you fucking leech!”

With a
snarl of rage, Wesley yanked Evan into his embrace and yanked his head
back. 

“Wesley! 
Don’t – “

He lowered
his head and sunk his fangs into Evan’s neck.  Darius laughed and clapped
his hands delightedly as the big man tore Evan’s throat open and lapped at the
blood like a dog.

“No.” 
Abigail whispered.  She stared in horror at Wesley.  “What have you
done?”

Wesley dropped
Evan’s body and licked the blood from his lips.  There was more blood
smeared across his cheeks and chin and he wiped at it with his hand before
licking the blood from his palm.  “It is a gift, Abigail.”

“It
is.”  Darius agreed.  “Unfortunately it is not one you will ever
know.  We’re not going to turn you, my pet.  We’re going to keep you
as human and use you in the games.  First, we’ll kill your friends,” he
glanced at Michael, “except for your beloved Michael, of course, he’s too
valuable to simply kill.  And then we’ll chain your master and let him
slowly starve as he watches me feed from you.”

“You’re
going to die tonight.”  Val said tightly.

Darius
laughed again.  “My friend, there are so few of you and so many of us –
you don’t stand a chance and you know it.”

He smiled
at Abigail.  “Take Wesley’s hand, my pet, and I will end your friends’
lives quickly and painlessly.  Disobey me and you will watch them suffer.”

Abigail
glanced at Val and his eyes widened in horror.  “No!  Do not, little
dove!  Do you hear me?”

“Shh, my
love.  It will be alright.”  She kissed him lightly on the
mouth.  “Do not fight, Val.  They will tear you apart.”

“Listen to
your slave, Valkyn.”  Darius advised.  “I would prefer to watch you
starve to death but I won’t hesitate to take your head if you insist on,” he
paused and laughed, “making a scene.”

“Abigail…”
Val muttered.

“Trust me,
my love.”  She breathed into his ear.

Holding her
sword loosely in her left hand, she took a few hesitant steps forward. 
Wesley smiled and held out his hand and she took it, shuddering a little at his
touch.  His hand tightened around hers and his fangs lengthened. 
“Just one taste, Abby.”  He whispered.

He yanked
her forward and Abby began to cry as his eyes widened and he gave her a blank
look of surprise.

“I’m so
sorry, Wesley.”  She whispered.

His gaze
dropped to his chest.  Abby had skewered him through the heart and he gave
her another puzzled look before he burst apart in a shower of ash and
blood.  Abby wiped the hot blood from her face and backed away toward Val
and the others.  She was covered in ash and blood and she lifted her face
to the sky and let the rain wash it clean.

“You stupid
little bitch!”  Darius snarled.  “Your friends will die cursing your
name!”

He motioned
for the other vampires and, as they began to close in around them, Abigail and
the others formed a tight circle.

“What the
fuck do we do now?”  Faren shouted as thunder, this one so close it shook
the ground beneath their feet, boomed above them.

“We
fight.”  Michael said quietly.

“Right, of
course.”  Faren rolled his eyes before pulling the dagger from his
belt.  “Here, take this.  You’re probably better with it than I am.”

Michael
took it as a flash of lightning struck the ground only a few feet away from
them.

“Bring them
to me, now!”  Darius suddenly shouted.

Before the
vampires could attack, there was another bolt of lightning and a few of the
vampires in the stands screamed as it struck the stands and sent vampires
scattering.

The wind
became a screaming, shrieking moan and everyone glanced around uneasily when
the air began to crackle.  The hair on Abigail’s arms was standing on end
and there was a strange hum of electricity.

“What is
happening?”  Darius turned to Tavien.  “What is – “

He cried
out when there was a loud snap of electricity and the arena was lit up with a
brilliant, golden light.

“Oh my
God.”  Abby breathed.

A small
yellow orb was hovering behind them and, as they watched, it grew steadily
larger.  It hummed and crackled with power and Sienna gave a shout of fear
when she was pulled off her feet.  She was being dragged toward the
glowing orb and Neil reached out and snagged her arm.  He yanked her to
her feet and held her against his firm body as Abby grabbed Val’s arm
frantically.

“Val! 
It is our only chance!”  She screamed at him.

He shook
his head.  “No, we cannot!  We don’t know where it will go!”

“Anywhere
is better than here!”  Neil shouted.  He held Sienna’s hand in his
left and grabbed Maria’s in his right.  Before they could stop him, he
dragged them forward.  They were caught in the light of the orb and there
were screams of shocks from the vampires in the arena when they were sucked
forward and disappeared.

“Michael! 
Take Sara and go!”  Abby shouted.

Violet, her
wings fluttering violently in the wind, zipped out from Sara’s hair and dived
into Abby’s.  She could feel the pixie clinging tightly to her scalp and
she grabbed Michael’s arm and shook him.

“Go,
Michael!”

She pushed
Sara forward, the woman gave a shriek of fear and tried to back away, but
Michael took her hand firmly and with one last grim look at Abby, pulled her
into the orb.

“Wha- what
is going on?”  Darius asked in a soft little mutter.  The sight of
the orb and the humans disappearing into it had seemed to completely disarm him
and he backed away as the light washed over him.