I stared at the witch. “You’re saying Annora isn’t a Channeler? How is it she has so much strength?”
“I made her a witch, but not a Channeler. Her mind was too weak. She gave in before she reached the other side.”
“Why wasn’t she strong enough? Mona was.”
Lilith’s eyes squinted into slits at the mention of Mona.
“Mona,” she croaked. “Traitorous bitch.”
“Yet Mona was strong enough to become a Channeler without losing herself in the process. Why did Mona survive it, but not Annora?”
Lilith stood up, her bones cracking as she began to pace the floor in front of me. “Annora was alone. There was nobody here. She had no partner. Mona had somebody.”
“What do you mean, partner?”
“I mean what I say, vampire. A partner. Somebody close. A relative. Or a lover, as Mona had.”
I shot to my feet, anger boiling within me. “Then why wasn’t Annora granted a partner for her transformation? She could have been—”
“She didn’t want anybody,” Lilith snarled. “She knew she ought to have someone, but she refused. She said she had nobody.”
That cut me deep. How could Annora have said that she had nobody? I’d told her a thousand times she owned my heart, every part of me through and through, and I would be there for her no matter what.
I swallowed back the hurt and regained composure, trying to realign my train of thought.
“So if Annora had called someone in with her, she wouldn’t have lost her mind the way she has.”
The witch pursed her rotting lips into a hard line.
“What is wrong with Annora anyway? I see nothing wrong.”
I wasn’t sure how to start explaining what was off about my fiancée to someone who slept in a pool of their own festering body juice. I just glared at Lilith. “Annora can no longer feel anything but pain. She was my fiancée. She used to be in love with me. She lost some of herself when she became a vampire, but when she came to you, she returned to me unrecognizable. You ruined her.”
“It was her choice,” Lilith snapped. “Nobody forced her to become a witch. She knew the risks. She took them.”
Again her words sent a dagger though my heart. I clenched my fists and stood up, walking over to where the towering nightmare was pacing.
“Whatever did happen in the past… that’s not why I’m here now. I came to ask you if what happened to her is reversible. I want you to undo the spell. Make her into a vampire again, if you have to.”
“And why would I do that? Annora is most valuable to us in her current form.”
“Then keep her a witch, but give her back her heart. What if you redid the spell—try to make her a Channeler again—this time with me present?”
Lilith stopped pacing and shot a glare at me. “Much like my skin, my patience is wearing thin. I have granted you this meeting only because of Annora’s and your loyalty to us so far. But remember, I don’t owe you anything. Annora got what she wanted, as did you. Don’t forget what we saved you from. You would still be rotting in Cruor were it not for us.”
There wasn’t much I could say to argue with her, although it felt like we’d jumped from the frying pan into the fire. What the witches had done could hardly be called saving. They’d taken us as prisoners, preying on our vulnerable state and complete absence of other options.
“You’re right that I can’t make you do anything, and neither do you owe me,” I said. “But in light of our years of service to you, grant this one request. I’ll never ask anything of you again. And think of how much more useful Annora will be to you once she’s a Channeler. And I too will be more motivated if we can somehow—”
Lilith clucked her tongue and clicked the bones in her knuckles impatiently. “And what makes you think redoing the curse will save your woman?”
“I don’t know that it will help. But I want to try.”
“There is no guarantee,” Lilith said. “It all depends on how strong her mind is, and how deep her attachment is to you. Her trust in you is vital to regaining mental stability, that you are next to her to remind her who she is… You may be willing to try, but what about Annora? Is she willing to try it? Because I’m not willing to waste any more of my time while you try to convince her.”
Time that you’d otherwise be spending doing what exactly? I couldn’t help but think.
The Ancient was sharp despite her rotten skull. The tension between Annora and me evidently hadn’t escaped her notice and now she was trying to use it to brush off my request.
“Grant me five minutes,” I said.
When the Ancient hesitated, I reached out and gripped her bony arm. “Just five minutes of your time, in exchange for years of service.”
She withdrew her slimy hand from mine and shook me away.
“Very well, vampire,” she grumbled. “But no more than five.”
I raced down the steps and out of the chamber. Annora waited outside the door. I thought she might have been eavesdropping, but I didn’t care now. I just had to get her to agree to what I was proposing.
“Annora, I know you tried to become a Channeler. And you failed,” I said, gripping her shoulders. Her face contorted. “The Ancient is willing to give it another shot with hopes that it will be successful this time and this time I will be there with you.’
Annora narrowed her eyes on me. “What does this have to do with our trip? You said you wanted to become a dark witch yourself…”
“And I will,” I bluffed. “But Lilith said that before she agrees to it, since you’re here with me, she wants to try turning you into a Channeler again.”
“No,” Annora said, stepping back from me. “I don’t want to go through all that again.”
“Lilith wants you to,” I lied. “But think about it, this is a good thing. You’ll be more powerful than ever. You need to take this chance while the Ancient is willing. Her mood might change at any moment. It’s now or never. Come on.” I tugged at her.
“I’m fine how I am.”
I paused, staring at her.
“Do you not remember the pain you feel each night?” My face now a few inches away from hers, I continued to squeeze her. “Do you want to feel that for the rest of your life? Do you remember nothing of the life we used to share?”
She stared at the floor, refusing to make eye contact with me.
“Look,” I said. “I don’t care any more if you do this for me or for yourself. I’m tired of having to deal with you. Become a Channeler and finish the job. Do it for Lilith, for Christ’s sake, but just do it.”
“You didn’t want to come here for yourself at all, did you?” Annora said, biting her lip.
“It doesn’t matter any more.” I grabbed her hand and pulled her into the room. She didn’t resist this time, although she could have easily. I pulled her down the sloping floor toward the pond.
“Lilith,” I called.
The hulking skeleton descended slowly down the steps toward us.
“We’re ready,” I said, even though Annora looked anything but.
“Are you ready, Annora?” the Ancient asked, her eyes boring into her.
Annora breathed out and looked up at the ceiling. “What difference will being a Channeler make? I’m strong as it is.”
“You will be of more use to Lilith and the rest of our kind.”
Lilith began clicking her tongue, inching back toward her liquid tomb.
“No, wait,” I said. I pushed Annora toward the Ancient.
Come on, Annora. Don’t sabotage this. Please…
Annora glared at me one more time, but finally nodded. Turning to the Ancient, she said, “All right, I’ll do it. I’ll give it another try. But only if Caleb leaves.”
I stared at her in shock. “What are you saying? You need somebody present who’s familiar to you. Even Lilith advised this.” I turned to Lilith and looked at her desperately. “Didn’t you?” Lilith scowled, but nodded. “Otherwise it will just be a repeat of last time and
you might even end up worse off.”
Lilith coughed up another mouthful of black phlegm and spat it over her shoulder into the pond. “Hurry up!” she rasped.
Annora swallowed hard and then nodded. “Okay, with Caleb present.”
Annora folded her legs and sat cross-legged on the dusty floor, while I took a seat next to her.
I looked up at Lilith, who had approached and was hovering over us.
“Let’s begin.”
Chapter 33: Caleb
Watching Annora writhe and scream, semi-conscious throughout, was perhaps the strangest experience of my life. Her eyes rolled in their sockets. It was as though she was present at times, rested enough to scream, but other times I had no idea where she’d drifted off to.
I didn’t know what Lilith was doing to her, or why it caused so much pain. I would have liked to ask, but there simply was no time. Lilith had been on the verge of disappearing back into her black pond and I couldn’t afford to agitate her further.
We sat on the dusty floor for what felt like hours. The whole time Lilith instructed that I keep my hands firmly placed in Annora’s, which was becoming harder and harder as she sweated. They were becoming slippery and I had to grip tight as she writhed on the ground and tried to break free.
Annora was so far gone, I wasn’t even sure she was aware I was even here for her, or what good simply holding her hands would do. Still, I had no choice but to trust Lilith.
I wanted to ask how much longer, but since Lilith too had her eyes closed tight I was sure she wouldn’t welcome the interruption. I dared not say anything lest it interfere with the process and the spell went wrong yet again, leaving Annora in an even worse condition.
Truth be told, I was surprised that Annora had agreed at all. I had thought she’d refuse and just vanish from the spot. A small part of me hoped that perhaps she was doing this for me after all. That there was still a part of her that missed what she was before, when she’d still loved me.
It was impossible to know, and a waste of time speculating about, but I had nothing else to distract myself with. Otherwise, I would just find myself worrying about things out of my control, such as whether Annora would resurface at all after Lilith was done with her.
I knew I shouldn’t get my hopes up too high. If she did resurface, she would still be a witch. Still affected by the darkness that had first consumed her when I’d turned her into a vampire. It wasn’t like we could erase all that history and bring back the sweet beacon of light Annora had once been. Still, I hoped that she would at least revert to the way she was before she’d attempted to become a Channeler—when I could still recognize pieces of her, rather than seeing nothing but an empty shell.
More time passed, and Lilith still showed no signs of letting go of Annora. At least by now it was easier to keep hold of Annora’s hands. She seemed to have passed out completely. Her face was still contorted, as though pain was still coursing through her, but now she was stiller, her breathing more steady.
I was beginning to suspect that we were nearing the end when a click echoed around the chamber. Though I was careful not to let the shock loosen my grip on Annora, my eyes shot toward the entrance.
The door was wide open. And standing in the doorway was a man with pitch-black eyes and pale skin. A dark traveler’s cloak was wrapped around his shoulders.
Outraged, I glared daggers at him. I wanted to shout at him, but I was scared to break Lilith’s concentration. She hadn’t yet looked up at the intruder. Her eyes still closed, she seemed so absorbed in what she was doing, I wondered if she’d even heard him enter.
The man began walking down the stone steps toward us, his heavy black boots echoing around the chamber.
No. Not now. Leave, you bastard. We were so close to completion. We couldn’t afford for this to get messed up now. I need Annora back.
To my horror, he approached just a few feet away and broke though the silence.
“Lilith. Your Grace. I’m sorry to interrupt.”
Lilith shook her head, her thin eyelids fluttering open. She glared up at the man. Then, once she took in this intruder, her face softened.
To my horror, she let go of Annora and stood up. She hurried over to the man’s side as though Annora and I didn’t exist.
“What are you doing?” I hissed, jumping up. “Did you even finish?”
She ignored me and began speaking in hushed tones with the man.
“Well?” she asked him.
“I’ve—”
I barged into the man, gripping him by the collar and pushing him back. I took his place in standing next to Lilith and staring down at her. “What is happening with Annora? She’s still unconscious! Have you finished—”
Fury sparked in the Ancient’s eyes and with one sharp incantation from her I flew backward and crashed against the wall at the far end of the room.
“Tell me, Rhys,” she said, scowling at me and then fixing her black eyes once again on Rhys.
He threw me a dirty look too and continued, “I was successful.”
“Ah, good, good. Where is the catch?”
“Outside. First I need to speak with you. Alone.” Rhys glared at me once more.
Lilith lost no time in issuing me orders. “Take your girl and get out of here,” she hissed.
Although my blood was boiling, I didn’t see another option but to obey. Infuriating her further might lead her to take her irritation out on Annora. I just had to hope that the spell had worked and now all I had to do was wait for Annora to wake up.
Glowering at both of them and cursing beneath my breath, I brushed past them, scooped the limp Annora up in my arms and stalked out of the room. I took special care to slam the door behind me.
I marched back through the dim tunnel. Although we hadn’t arrived through it, Annora had told me that there was a gate on this island. The problem was, I had no idea where it was. I’d have to try to wake Annora up or just wait until she woke by herself.
Still shaking with anger and frustration, I stopped in my tracks just as I neared the exit of the tunnel. My nose caught a scent. A familiar scent, both sweet and terrifying.
I laid Annora down on the ground and followed the smell. It led me to the end of the corridor. I stopped in front of a narrow gap in the wall, just large enough to hold a thin human. A girl. A black-haired, green-eyed girl. Gagged and bound in ropes at her hands and feet. Blood seeped from her kneecap.
Rose Novak.
Chapter 34: Caleb
I almost choked on my tongue.
As soon as Rose saw me approach, her eyes widened and she struggled to sit upright. I stood frozen. My instinct was to reach out and help her, but my hands remained at my sides. It was as if time itself stood still as I stared at the girl.
A wave of longing crashed over me. Longing I’d tried to bury deep. Longing I’d tried to forget. Longing that would only lead to pain and trouble.
Rose began to choke as she tried to talk to me through the gag.
My eyes travelled from Rose in her desperate state, to Annora still unconscious on the ground, then back to Rose.
I didn’t know why Rhys had brought Rose here, but I knew one thing—once she stepped into that chamber with Lilith, she wouldn’t come out the same. Whatever those two monsters had in store for her, they would take something from her, perhaps her very life.
Rose, the delicate flower I’d tried so hard to shelter from my dark world, had been thrust right into it.
All logic shut down and adrenaline took over.
Despite the pang of guilt I felt about leaving Annora in her helpless state on the ground—a state I wasn’t even sure she would wake up from—I approached Rose and scooped her up in my arms.
I didn’t know what I was doing, or where I would go with her. I didn’t consider what would happen if we were caught. All rational thought escaped me as I raced out of that cave and hurtled down over the boulders toward the beach. All of it blurred into the background as I was left with the on
e overwhelming urge to carry Rose out of the dark. To not let her witness the nightmares within it.
I didn’t want to think about what Rhys might have done to her already. My stomach clenched as I eyed the blood on her leg, which hung limp.
She moaned as I continued ahead full speed, her leg swinging roughly over my arm. Once we’d lost sight of the cave, I dared pause for a breath.
I placed Rose down on the ground and pulled the gag out of her mouth.
She gasped and choked, coughing up dirt and blood. Her lips were parched, her face smeared with blood and sweat, eyes wide and fearful.
She opened her mouth to speak, but we had no time for it.
I shook her silent. “Listen to me, Rose. How did you get here? How did Rhys bring you here?”
“I… Th-there was a… crater. Further up. On the beach. Near the statue.”
“What statue?” I looked left and right, scanning the length of the beach.
She raised a weak hand, pointing toward our left. I squinted and finally saw it—right at the other end of the beach. A lone statue rising high into the sky, at least fifty feet.
I tore off my shirt and wrapped it around her leg for extra support. I picked her up again and as soon as I did, I cursed myself for ever touching her leg. I’d managed to smudge her blood on my hands. It was everything I could do to not stop then and there and dig my fangs into her soft neck. Her scent was making me feel nauseous, like a drug taking hold of all my senses.
Biting my lower lip, I continued racing forward, throwing a glance back over my shoulder every ten feet. Rhys was still nowhere in sight. Either he was still talking to Lilith, oblivious of the fact that I’d stolen Rose, or he had just found out and was now chasing after us.
Whatever the case, there was only one thing to do. Run.
I approached the statue—an odd grey structure shaped like an upward-pointing dagger—and circled it. I breathed out in relief as I spotted the crater Rose had spoken of. So this is another one of the witches’ remaining gates.
I had not the slightest clue what we might find on the other side. But there was no time for thought. I just had to let my instincts and adrenaline keep me running, because the moment I stopped to think, the insanity of what I’d just done would come crashing down on me.