Chapter 35
“Take him,” commanded Tacitus.
Corvus snarled and crouched down slightly, baring his teeth at the large group that started towards him, some of whom were holding thick, silver chains. As they all leapt forwards, he ducked their grasping hands and sent them flying backwards. Tacitus was circling round the outside of the group, pushing the others forward and staying out of the way of Corvus.
A ferocious looking woman grabbed him around the neck and tried to bite him as a dozen or so others attacked from the front and the spirits tried to hold him still, draining his energy. He pulled the woman off and threw her to the floor but she jumped back, gleaming fangs glistening just millimetres from his neck. He threw her to the floor again and tore into her throat, before picking her up and throwing her against the oncoming tide of vampires. She tripped one and wrong-footed another, giving Corvus a second to stave off another attack, but the next wave managed to grab hold of his arms and held on even as he tried furiously to shake them off. Suddenly, directed by Mr Smith, a dozen of the spirits joined the melee and they all struck at once.Two of the vampires wasted no time in jumping up and hooking one of the chains around his neck. There was a horrible burning smell and Corvus yelled out in pain, pulled backwards as they yanked hard and tightened it around his throat. More chains were quickly looped around his wrists and he roared, struggling as the silver burned into his flesh.
He managed to throw a bolt of energy at the vampires holding him and two of them went down, but it was clear he was weakening and another two replaced them instantly.
Corvus was pulled and pushed until he was backed up against the wall and the chains were hammered in fast with iron stakes. His shirt was ripped from his body and more chains were crossed over both his chest and ankles, making him look horribly like a sacrificial victim. The muscles in his arms tautened as he tried to pull away but the stakes had been driven in too deeply for him to move at all.
I felt like I was hovering in the air beside him, invisible to everyone else. I struggled against the silken threads, panic closing my throat and wondered what the hell I was supposed to do now. The necromancer stared at him in satisfaction before speaking.
“Now then, where is she?”
“Who?”
He hissed in frustration and pulled out a small, silver dagger, testing the blade with his finger which drew blood straight away. He walked forwards until he was right in front of Corvus.
“Tell me where she is, please,” he said politely, as though he was merely asking for directions.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Corvus smiled, defiance glinting in his eyes.
The dagger flashed and scored a deep cut on his chest. He flinched and somehow I felt an echo of the pain that lanced through him, but he didn’t make a sound. The wound seeped blood that trickled down his stomach and didn’t immediately heal as it should have done. I saw Cyd try to move forwards, struggling against the spirits to get to him, but Xavier held her back, ignoring her pleas to break free.
“Where is she?” Mr. Smith repeated. Corvus just smiled at him, and this time the dagger flashed across his face and carved a thin red line over his right eye. He didn’t move.
I felt a sudden shiver, like when someone breathes on the back of your neck and instinctively tried to gasp but found that I couldn’t. I felt something tug at my consciousness but my attention was diverted. Mr. Smith asked him again and Corvus spat at his feet, this time receiving a deep cut to his neck.
I screamed and ranted, pulling against the delicate threads that held me fast, desperate to stop them hurting him, but I had no idea how. It seemed endless, and all I could do was look on helplessly, tears streaming down my face, whilst desperately trying to find a way to do something … anything! I could feel the power of the key but I needed to be back in my body to use it … somehow I had to find a way to get myself back.
Over and over Mr. Smith asked the same thing and Corvus would either say that he didn’t know, or just flatly refuse to acknowledge the question.
“Mr. Smith if you are unable to accomplish the task, I will happily relieve you,” growled Tacitus, who had been pacing up and down, growing increasingly impatient with every failed attempt.
“That will not be necessary,” Mr. Smith replied. “Corvus is going to cooperate now, aren’t you Corvus?” He smiled down pleasantly at him, regarding his handiwork with satisfaction.
Corvus was covered in blood, his body criss-crossed with a network of cuts that were healing slower and slower with each new attack. He lay passively back against the stone, his hair plastered against his face and his veins clearly visible against the alabaster of his skin. He lifted his head to stare directly at Mr. Smith, his expression, and that of the crow tattoo at his neck, as defiant and arrogant as ever.
“I do beg your pardon, Mr. Smith, but I seem to have forgotten the question. What was it you wanted to know?”
A furious yell ripped from the necromancer’s mouth and he thrust the dagger into Corvus' stomach, twisting it brutally to the side before slowly pulling it back out of his body. I screamed and screamed, in horror and disbelief as Corvus went rigid with pain, his fists clenched and his tendons were straining under the skin as blood poured from the wound.
Suddenly, out of nowhere, sensation flooded through me and a pressure started to build, growing stronger and stronger until I felt smothered, crushed under an intense wave that wouldn’t let me go. I had just begun to think that it would not stop until it crushed me completely, when I felt a kind of wrench and the feeling of emptiness vanished and I was once again there in my body, staring up at the ceiling and blinking with the shock of it. Oxygen burst into my lungs and I began to choke. Automatically I sat up and tried to clear my throat. I flicked my eyes over to Corvus. There was a complete silence … both Tacitus and Mr. Smith were staring at me. Everyone was staring.
My legs were surprisingly steady as I struggled to my feet. I stood up straight and flexed my hands experimentally. Power flooded in and warmed them to the tips of my fingers and there was a strange burning sensation around my ankles and wrists but I ignored it.
“Did you miss me?” I asked, sneering at them with all the venom and hatred that had been building inside of me. I aimed the spell at Tacitus and this time he went flying backwards, sending dust and broken stalagmite shards everywhere as he slammed into the wall. He was immediately back on his feet and I threw another that would have fried a lesser vamp and sent the dust for miles, but again he came at me.
“Jéhenne, get out!” Corvus yelled. He was frantic, struggling vainly against his chains.
But I knew what I had to do, no matter the consequences - I closed my eyes and touched the warm golden glow that was burning inside of me. The light burst through me with a flood of pure power and flung my arms outwards as I felt the essence of the key explode within me.
“No!” shrieked Mr. Smith, his face contorted with terror.
Knowledge seemed to stream into my soul, everything became calm and clear to me. My understanding stretched across the ages, from the very beginning of time and forward into infinity and everywhere there was light. The shining stars of a billion souls flooding through me, offering me their service, offering me anything I desired.
For a moment I was dazzled, the terrible beauty and power that was at my fingertips was all consuming and I knew that if I reached out at that moment I would become a goddess. I raised my arms and flung back my head, savouring the moment until I felt the gentlest of tugs at my soul.
Corvus.
I took a last look at the vast possibilities laid out before me and, with regret, wrenched myself away from temptation.
I looked around and saw that everyone was cowering down, eyes shut or covered against the blinding light that had filled the cavern … everyone but the spirits. They were fixated on me and I could feel the buzz of their pleas in my mind. Now I could really see them, their bright souls were mired in darkness and they were shackled with
oily black chains that all led back to the same place. Mr. Smith.
“I release you,” I said. With my words the chains fell away, along with the darkness, and their shimmering lights began to appear again. “In a moment you will return to where you belong, but first I believe you have some unfinished business.”
The attention of every spirit turned as one to Mr. Smith and I looked at him as realisation dawned in his eyes. The spirits released Corvus' family and flowed silently and in a steady stream towards him.
“No,” he begged. His eyes wide with fear as he fell to his knees. “No, I beg you, ple…”
Before he could finish the sentence there was a rush of movement like a vast shoal of mercury fish that glittered liquid silver followed by a blast of freezing air and a scream that froze the blood in my veins. Both Mr. Smith and the spirits were gone.
Immediately, the zombies slumped to the ground and the entire place erupted into chaos. Each side leapt forwards and attacked, ripping and snarling at one another.
Xavier, Cyd and Lucas were by Corvus' side in an instant, punching into the rock and pulling out the iron stakes while at the same time carefully avoiding the silver chains. He slumped to the ground and Lucas supported him, biting into his own wrist and offering Corvus his blood. It gave him the strength to stand, and he managed to catch hold of an enemy vampire by the throat and drain him completely before throwing himself into the fight as he tried to cross the cave to my side.
I threw a spell at a man running towards me with a knife in his hand and he flamed and burned, sending more ash into the steadily thickening air. There was a scream behind me and I turned to see Chloé wrestling a knife from a woman trying to kill her and then slashing her across the neck with it. As she fell to the ground with blood bubbling and frothing up from her throat, I stared at her, she was young, maybe in her mid-thirties … she could have been someone’s mum. It took all my will to remember that she was trying to kill us and would have finished me off in a heartbeat, before I threw a spell at her and watched, emotionless as she left a burnt patch on the dirt floor.
Pulling myself together I spun round just in time to save myself from another vampire, a guy in his twenties with blonde-tipped hair, trying to grab hold of me. He yelled and stumbled away as he burst into flames. Breathing hard, I tried to make my way closer to Corvus. He and Tacitus were hurling themselves at each other again and again, and neither one seemed to be able to get the upper hand. Shards of shattered stalagmites flew around them and the ground vibrated under my feet each time they smashed into the walls. Someone caught my arm and I twisted, ready to defend myself, but it was only Rafael.
“Are you trying to get yourself killed?” I asked furiously.
“Not on purpose!” he yelled over the din. “Are you alright?”
I laughed, sounding just a touch hysterical and nodded. “What are you doing here?”
“I didn’t want to miss this!” He winked at me before throwing himself at Tacitus.
His fist connected with the vampire’s jaw, shattering bone and jerking Tacitus’ head back.
“Rafael, this is personal. Leave him to me!” Corvus snarled as the incubus pushed in front of him.
“For me too,” he said, grinning. “And I won't be killed for destroying him. Go! Look after, Jéhenne.”
Corvus looked at Tacitus regretfully, hatred burning in his eyes, but protecting me seemed to win out and without any further hesitation he was by my side.
Rafael stepped back rapidly when Tacitus pulled a dagger from a sheath. My breath drew in with a gasp as I realised that this was the Knife of Belial, the precious stones on the gold hilt glittering as Tacitus moved his hand.
“That dagger belongs to the demons,” Rafael growled.
Tacitus smiled wickedly. “Come and get it then.”
His stereo system may have bitten the dust, but it seemed he still didn’t have any trouble broadcasting to all of us as his voice echoed through my head.
Even in the dimming light of the cave the blade glinted and flashed as Tacitus sliced the air and began a strange kind of dance with Rafael, each of them looking for a chance to strike at the other.
“Are you OK?” Corvus asked, pulling me out of their way. “You should leave now, it’s too dangerous for you here.”
I rolled my eyes at him in annoyance. “I’m fine,” I yelled. “I can take care of myself. Help your family.”
He scowled and was about to object when I sent a spell behind him and finished off an older looking lady vampire who was about to skewer him with a silver dagger.
“You are going to give me grey hair,” he said, sighing. I reached up and kissed him hard on the mouth feeling my heart turn at the warmth I saw in his eyes. “Stay close to me,” he warned.
Rafael was still fighting Tacitus by himself on the narrow pathway, trying to avoid the wild slashes the vampire made with the dagger.
“Can’t you do any better than that, bloodsucker?” he taunted, dodging a swipe that would have ripped his stomach open.
Tacitus bared his teeth and lunged forwards again but Rafael spun and curved round the blade, catching the vampire by the arm and twisting it behind his back. I heard a sharp snap and knew that the bone had broken. His scream of rage echoed around in my head, but the bone healed almost instantly and Tacitus darted forwards again.
This time the dagger sliced into Rafael’s arm and sprayed blood across the walls. He yelled and slammed his fist into the vampire’s leering face, snapping his head back, before jumping away as Tacitus crouched forwards and started making swipes with the dagger. He wasn’t quite fast enough though as Tacitus kicked out with incredible speed and caught Rafael in the chest, making him fly backwards. His head smashed into a boulder and great chunks of rock flew off in all directions. Rafael groaned and clutched his head, struggling to get up, but Tacitus jumped lightly down to where he was and planted his foot on his chest, forcing him back down.
He held onto the dagger as Rafael lay helpless, clutching at his wounded arm, and with blood trickling in a steady stream down the side of his beautiful face and soaking his shirt. Tacitus grinned and leaned towards him, pulling him up by his hair. Rafael grimaced as the vampire ran his tongue over the fresh blood and breathed deeply, savouring the taste.
“Any last words, incubus?”
“You’re going to die,” Rafael said, breathing heavily before spitting in the vampire’s face. Tacitus snarled and flung him back so he was sprawled against the rock.
“Is that all? Very well.”
The dagger flashed as it plunged down towards Rafael’s chest, and I heard him cry out. But the blade didn’t reach its target. Corvus slammed into Tacitus, knocking the dagger out of his hand, and they crashed into the wall, breaking off thousands more shards that flew through the air like tiny daggers.
“Do you have any last words, Tacitus?” Corvus growled.
Tacitus didn’t say anything, but he was back on his feet in an instant. They threw themselves at each other, snarling like wolves and moving so quickly that my eyes couldn’t track them properly. I could just make out Corvus landing a solid blow in Tacitus’ chest who retaliated with a fist to his jaw that made a cracking sound as his knuckles broke the skin. Tacitus was fighting furiously, but his movements were now becoming more desperate by the second whereas Corvus was unrelenting and completely focused.
Then, for a heart stopping moment, it seemed as though Tacitus had Corvus in his grasp. I heard the awful sound of bones snapping and saw Corvus grimace with pain and stagger backwards. I gathered all my energy and threw a barrage of spells causing Tacitus to roar with pain and drop to his knees, his skin was alight with blue flames and he clutched at his chest as the spell began to burn him from the inside. He glanced around, eyes wild, before jumping up and running for the way out.
Corvus didn’t hesitate but leapt forward and caught him by the neck, wrenching it ferociously to one side and burying his fangs in his throat. Tacitus’ silent sc
ream rang around my head as he struggled bitterly, but Corvus held on as his movements became feebler as the blood was pulled from his body. Suddenly Corvus pulled back with victorious roar and I screamed for him to stand away. I wouldn't let Corvus suffer for the bastard's death. I threw the final spell at him with everything I had watching with satisfaction as he burned with a searing heat, leaving nothing but ash.
Despite the loss of their leader, the vampires on Tacitus' side had regrouped. The smell of blood and death had sent them into a frenzy and if anything, things seemed more desperate than ever. Despite the vast numbers we’d killed we were still hopelessly outnumbered.
With a sigh of relief, I caught a brief glimpse of Inés through the madness, her clothes bloody and torn she looked every inch the deadly witch I knew her to be. At that moment all I could feel was intense gratitude that for once she was on our side.
My attention was diverted a split second later by a jewel bright gleam out of the corner of my eye. I turned and there on the floor was the Knife of Belial. I took a step towards it but before I could reach out my hand it was snatched up by a snarling vampire with the mania of blood lust seething behind his eyes. I took a step back ready to defend myself, but as his hand closed over the hilt there was a shimmering in the atmosphere and Sariel appeared at the centre of the cavern. His wings were thrown up behind his back and the sheer force of his anger was radiating off him like the heat from the sun, while the flaming torches threw his ominous shadow across the walls of the cave.
“The Knife of Belial is not yours to possess, vampire,” he said in an awful voice.
The vampire quailed for a moment but he was too far gone to realise the danger he was in. “I have as much right to it as anyone else,” he hissed.
Everyone froze as the sheer insolence of this comment rang jarringly around the cave. Sariel’s voice followed it in the softest of whispers.
“You dare to disobey me?”
The vampire glared at the angel for a moment, then dropped his gaze and sighed. “Very well, if you want it so much…” His arm lifted and he threw it faster than I could blink.
“Sariel!”
Rafael had shouted out and jumped in front of Sariel just as the dagger flashed through the air and buried itself to the hilt in his stomach. I gasped as Rafael staggered and Sariel caught him, lowering him to the ground before waving his hand and drawing the struggling vampire towards him with some unseen force. Corvus grabbed hold of me and swung me into his arms.
“Time to go,” he said.
As we turned I glanced back at Sariel. His eyes had turned black and they sparked furiously as he placed his hand on the vampire’s chest. The vampire choked, writhing in pain as the angel’s touch burned him from the inside. Then the flames erupted from his flesh and he opened his mouth in a silent scream before disappearing, leaving only a wisp of smoke that curled softly in the air and then drifted away. Just before we turned the corner, I saw that every one of the enemy vampires were being drawn, inexorably, towards Sariel.
We were moving in a blur of speed that stung my eyes and whipped my hair around my face until just as I thought I couldn’t take anymore, the nauseating ride stopped and I gulped in lungfuls of blessed fresh air.
Some distance away from the cave entrance, Corvus lowered me gently to the ground and I looked around, dazed but happy as I saw the family appearing around us. To my intense relief that included Inés who was being carried by Guillaume, much to each other’s disgust. Guillaume practically threw her to the ground and she retaliated with a volley of obscene French that even seemed to shock the burly vampire.
I looked down as something small and furry bumped up against my legs and cried out in surprise.
“Astro!” I picked him up and hugged him fiercely. His fur was stiff with dried blood and he smelt bizarrely of magic and dust.
“Were you in there?” I asked him in astonishment. “Did you follow me down there, you silly, brave boy?”
I nuzzled his neck with my face and was rewarded with a deep grumble of purring. Kissing his head I put him gently on the ground and watched as he trotted off towards the cars that must have transported some of the family and curled up on one of the bonnets.
I made my way over to Inés who smiled at me, triumph blazing in her eyes. “Thanks ... Gran.” I grinned and she chuckled and patted my cheek affectionately.
“You are quite welcome, Jéhenne.”
We stood for a moment in silence, both of us happy enough to have a moment of peace to catch our breath. I frowned as a strange though niggled at the back of my mind.
“Inés,” I said, as the niggle became a suspicion. “Can help me with something?” I glanced back across the field. “I think I might be in need of a transformation spell.”
Inés raised an eyebrow, obviously surprised by my timing but she outlined a simple spell for me. Before she had time to quiz me over what it was for, the ground began to quake and the hillside began to crumble and slide down towards us.
I felt another huge tremor beneath my feet and turned back to see Sariel exiting the cavern carrying Rafael just as the entrance collapsed into rubble behind him. The knife was still in Rafael’s body, and as Sariel reached the field, he placed him carefully on the ground. The incubus was clearly dead and I felt a lump in my throat. The care with which Sariel handled him though, made me believe this wasn't over.
Sariel ripped his torn shirt away to reveal the thick crimson blood around a ragged wound and the knife still buried deep in the gaping flesh. Bending over he gripped the hilt with care, pulling the blade from his body. Sariel glowed with a golden light, the warmth of it falling over Rafael's still form. To my astonishment blood began to pump from the open wound as Rafael's breath began to come in short gasps. Sariel watched him calmly and placed his hands gently on the demon’s stomach, ignoring the blood that poured over his fingers. Rafael’s eyes flew open.
“Why?” he rasped, disbelief in his voice.
The angel looked down at him with a placid expression. “You sacrificed yourself for me. I owe you a debt.”
“But I am a demon,” he said, incredulous. “It’s forbidden,”
Sariel smiled wryly and chuckled. “I’ve never been one to follow the rules.”
Rafael shivered as Sariel’s eyes gradually darkened and the shimmering golden light settled over his body, focusing on the centre of the wound. As his body started to relax his breathing calmed, and I stared in awe as I watched the wound healing before my eyes. Sariel’s eyes changed back to their original colour and watched over Rafael as his strength gradually began to return.
I looked around to find Corvus quietly seeing to his family, making sure that everyone was accounted for. As he turned and our eyes met, I felt such a powerful surge of love for him that my legs went weak. He walked quickly towards me and caught me up in his arms, planting kisses on my lips and across my bruised skin. As I buried my face against his chest I heard him murmur in my ear, “It’s all over now. It’s finished.”
I sighed and leaned against him, soaking in his strength, beyond relieved that it was finally over. Eventually, he released me with a smile and sat wearily down with his back against a large oak tree. A rustling in the leaves above revealed Nerva on the branch above his head, and he dipped and cawed at Corvus. Corvus chuckled and held out his arm so the crow could fly down to him. Corvus cooed and fussed over him as the crow preened and I smiled, a warm feeling in my heart at his affection for the bird.
“Hey, you,” said a voice from behind me.
I turned to see who was yelling at me. “Amelia!” I shrieked happily, throwing my arms around her. I hadn’t noticed her in the melee inside, but was unbelievably pleased to see her. Judging from the rib cracking embrace she was giving me, she was pleased too. I stood back and took a good look at her
“Well, that’s just bloody typical, isn’t it?” I said, taking in the barely creased pink blouse and a little patch of dirt on her cheek.
“What?”
she asked wrinkling her pretty nose.
“You two,” I explained, gesturing from her to Corvus, “look like the heroes in a big budget action movie, while I look like I just crawled out of the primordial ooze,” I said in disgust, folding my arms and then thinking better of it as my hands touched something sticky on my shirt.
I heard Corvus snort with amusement though he didn’t open his eyes. Amelia took a critical look at my ruined, blood-splattered clothes and hair that even I could see looked like I’d stuck my fingers in an electric socket. There was something slimy stuck to my right thigh that I wasn’t even going to contemplate and I could feel the dust sitting on every inch of my skin, so much so that it cracked on my sweaty face when I smiled.
“Well, honey, I’ve seen you look better,” she admitted. “But for primordial ooze, you kicked some serious arse in there.”
I looked at her for a moment before we both collapsed into hysterics, not entirely sure whether we were laughing or crying but not caring either way.
We were all alive, and that was a miracle.