Awoken By Passion

Chapter 19

  Power

  I snapped my eyes open.

  Alastair stepped back in shock, his hand moved to the scar above his left eye. The wound had never healed; I smiled briefly.

  “You cursed me,” he yelled. “Roger, Lloyd! Go to the river, find the sword.”

  “What bout this one?”

  “Oh, I’m sure Tristan can handle him, now go!”

  Alastair was angrily pacing back and forth, muttering under his breath. Just then, four vampires were entering from the tunnel, holding four frightened students.

  I was shocked; they were all dressed so elegantly and purposely. I racked my brain for a reason why. The school dance was on last night; celebrating … something? I completely forgot all about it. What with Brant and his buddies attacking me, finding out Ethan could hear me, and Tristan hunting me. Dancing seemed the least important thing in all that was happening.

  Claire, Amanda, Valerie and Flynn.

  “Ah, yes food at last,” said Alastair, gracefully moving towards the four students.

  All were looking worried and shocked, taking in the scene of me, crumbled to the ground, Ethan being pinned by two others.

  “Oh, well, aren’t these a fine treat, you did well Mavrick.”

  The tall man dipped his head, teasing his goatee with long fingers as he sneered amusingly as the Master drifted to Amanda first. Her frightened eyes pleading for help, but it was no use as she screamed.

  “Hush now child.”

  And she did.

  His face shimmered to the monster that he was. I forced my eyes down. I would not watch him kill anyone, Ethan struggled under the two body guards, but it was no use. The orbs above me, screamed. I looked up to them in shock.

  What do you want me to do about it? I called to them.

  They floated around me, buzzing like glow flies. Staring at Ethan struggling to stop the Master, trying to fight Tristan. His eyes locked with mine and he calmed instantly. The love that we shared last night was still a fire inside of us both. It strengthened me to know how much he did care for me and I for him. Alastair had said I had the power of vampire in me. I was just a Fae, who can make candles light, make lights flicker, make others think I was something else, and move metal poles with my mind. I glanced around for a pole, or a weapon. Nothing. Just a cave, and dirt and four students all dressed for a party they had been enjoying.

  I was Fae. I was stronger than the Master. Melody and I didn’t know what was happening that day, but now I do. Trying to feel the power to understand it. I was a Fae who had strength and energy to stop the darkness. I gathered my strength just as Alastair stopped feeding.

  “What do you think you’re doing?” Alastair turned to me, his face shimmering to his flaky self. He hadn’t drained Amanda, she was still breathing.

  What I should have done long ago. I pushed thoughts into his mind. The hate, the anger, the pain. All of it, as much as I didn’t think it would work, I was surprised it did.

  He stumbled from the force of my attack on his mind. An orb floated to my side, it shimmered brighter than the others. Alastair gathered himself together, blinking to stare without moving for a full minute.

  I thought I had frozen him, even the other vampires were unsure.

  Like a tick on a clock that paused for no reason, he started laughing. Another minute of his laughter echoed around the cave to stop just as quickly. He clicked his fingers and Tristan grabbed Ethan by his neck, pulling him to his feet.

  “Now we are going to dance,” taunted Tristan and tossed him twenty feet across the cave floor. He staggered and clutched his abdomen; thick dark blood oozed from his wound, staining his shirt. He coughed and growled deep in his throat. His anger clear, his face shifting; changing into his demon self and ready to lunge.

  Alastair sighed at the sight alone. “See now, you can’t stop me. I am stronger. I am a vampire. You are a Fae. Nothing but a thorn in my side. And soon, all of this will be over; if you would just wait until my boys return with the sword you will be free.”

  My knees were shaking, ready to buckle. His cold glare had me buckling at the knees. I crumbled and inhaled shaky breaths, feeling the power running through me. I knew I was strong; I just had to wait for the right time. Ethan stumbled and crumbled to the ground, clutching his stomach, defeated. He heaved a long breath as his eyes locked with mine, clouded with fear, anger, and love for me. I thought I could hear his voice. Just wait. Was I thinking I thought it, or was it his voice?

  “Ah, yes. My meals.” Alastair turned to the four frightened students. “Such pretty things, such a shame to waste them.” His hands lingered on Claire’s face. He turned and looked at Tristan, who was ready to fight Ethan. “Ah, Tristan, where is that fine girl you brought me?” Tristan stiffened.

  “She was used, almost dead,” he said not turning to look at Alastair.

  My mind tumbled. Stacy. Almost dead? He … I was sure he liked her that he would look out for. He used her? Alastair walked in his fogy wave, gliding towards Tristan with an amused smile.

  “Really,” said Alastair. “That is too bad. I would have liked to drink her blood. These school girls are so young and fresh and so full of emotion. I hear she was a lady. Tell me boy, where is she?”

  “She is in the clearing by the stream as are the other flesher’s of ours.”

  “Hmmmm … Kevin, go fetch her for me. I shall finish her off properly … waste not, want not.”

  The biker shoved Claire to the ground and left instantly. Claire was frightened and crawled away from them and towards me, pleading with her voice. The orbs floating around me, the one on my right was shaking in fear.

  “Ah, yes. My keepers. What do you think you’re doing?” His hand shot up and the lights were forced to the roof, though with more effort from the fourth one.

  “Such little things, so easy to control. Now Kera, I didn’t like the way you spoke to me. For a minute there it seemed you wanted to fight me. Why would you do that?”

  You killed my friend.

  “Oh, yes, Melody. Shame. She was tasty. But it was you who took all her energy, all that love from her; oh, it’s not that bad.” His finger curled around my face and forced me to stare at Ethan. Wanting to stand, wanting to fight, but couldn’t and he slumped on the cave wall. The wound from the wood was too much.

  Alastair pinched my chin. “At least now you have him. Don’t you want to keep him?” He shoved me away and walked towards Flynn.

  I cringed as Claire clutched my arm, tears streaming down her face. Her voice was a whisper. ‘It’s not real. It’s not real.”

  I didn’t want her to see this. I didn’t want any of them to see this. Flynn was going to die. The sudden charge of Ethan had me gasp. He lunged into Tristan, creating a distraction and stopping the Master feeding on Flynn. Ethan barrelled Tristan over, sending him several feet through the air with a punch hard and true to his brother’s face. They rolled and tumbled into a fight of animals. Two vampires fought with strength and speed I wasn’t able to see. My hope of this nightmare ending was lost instantly.

  Tristan’s shape changed and he became a vicious black wolf, snapping and nipping at Ethan in a blur of motion. It resembled that day in the woods. That day was unimportant because here, my senses had slowed around me. Seeing them fighting in slow motion. Each snap, each claw, each hit and roll moved on with sounds not possible. A click of fingers, and Ethan was pinned by the wolf; its large paws pressed to his chest, snapping inches from his throat.

  “No, no, we don’t want a war,” said Alastair.

  Tristan stepped away from Ethan, but remained the wolf, inches from his face. I turned to the group of scared students. Alastair didn’t drain Flynn, but had dropped him hard enough he was now unconscious.

  Who stole my voice?

  “Hmmm. Yes, your memory was interesting, since it wasn’t me who tranced you. Must be another. Though, I wasn’t alone when I arrived here. Must have been my unfaithful liege. He was nothing but three centuri
es old, has a thing for voices, and I do believe keeping me in slumber was his hope.” Alastair moved airily around the room, glancing at everyone. “But I fear something dreadful has happened to him. Hmm. Guess the only way your voice can return is through the act of turning.” He sneered and glanced at Ethan. “But, that would be something we’re not going to test this day.”

  Two voices came through the dark tunnel.

  “We found it Master, the sword.”

  “It was in the lake, like you said.”

  “Oh, how delightful, now give me the sword.” The first vampire held it out to Alastair. Taking in the familiarity of it. My memory of that sword and all that happened tumbled inside of me. It was real. Everything I had seen was real. All this for a curse. Melody. I whispered in sadness. It wasn’t worth it. As Alastair reached for it, the sword swayed and flew from the vampire’s grasp. It landed within an inch of my hand; a haze lingered within it.

  “Well, that is interesting, it seems I can’t touch it, or go near it. I wonder how am I supposed to get myself free?”

  I knew now as I had then. He was trapped here forever. The curse was permanent; there was no way to reverse it, even as his face flickered with different emotions. He would have to kill me to set himself free.

  “Ah, your mind is but a glimmer of hope. And yes. You’re right. It seems I will have to kill you.”

  Ethan moved with speed. He knocked the wolf with one swipe, and leaped towards his throat. Alastair put out his hand and a pulse stopped Ethan in mid leap. The students gasped. Ethan was trying with all his strength to break through that force field.

  “Oh, I know Ethan. It will be hard, but it will be so much fun to watch you destroy the town.” Alastair’s voice was calm. His red eyes locked with mine, changing to a blue rim around the edges. His stare held me in place as everything around me changed.

  Instantly.

  Several things happened at once.

  Four new arrivals I was pleased to see, burst through the tunnel. Vampires. Erika and Marcus in a rage of fangs. Behind them came Caleb and Judith, who suddenly shimmered their forms into two eight foot lions. They roared and lunged at the vampire holding the scared students. One dropped Valerie hard as she yelped in pain. The lion swiped his paws on the runaway vampire. The hold that Alastair had on Ethan was released.

  Everyone glared at someone.

  Everyone positioned themselves ready for attack.

  Tristan lined Ethan up.

  Alastair’s followers lined up the lions and the two Dundine. Everything seemed to—

  Snap!

  In a blink, Ethan leapt towards the black wolf. Shimmering his form to the silver furred wolf of Spirit. He snarled with a rage and anger forced at the black wolf. Alastair clicked his fingers and the bikers lunged. The lions got a hold of three, as Erika attacked with fluid movement with Marcus beside her; they fought side by side, striking at three. The lions pounced on their targets as Claire whimpered beside me. The fighting intensified to a scream of echoes. Alastair called the others, and they didn’t disappoint. Biting, howling and roaring rage was all around me.

  Alastair glared with a cynical twist of his lips.

  “Well, I guess this is how it will end little Fae.” He lunged towards me.

  I grabbed the sword from the ground and held out my hand towards him; my shield blocked him. The light buzzed over me, around me. My love was fighting to his death, as to my new family. I could hear their pain and their anger, as they attacked. The white lion pounced and landed on Alastair trying to bite his head. Alastair was ready. He had pushed a force field around him. Both of us were locked behind an invisible barrier neither could get to, or be attacked in. The crease of his brow showed the level of concentration he was using. I watched as Caleb, the silver lion was forced back. Another group of vampires leaped onto the lions back. The orb at my side glowed, shimmered and danced with fear. I heard its whispered voice.

  “Love.”

  I was Fae. Fae are creatures of love. My love for Ethan was in his bite. It shimmered through me. I felt the love of him, and the love of Melody pulsed.

  “You can’t stop me little Fae. I am the oldest thing around, and I cannot die.” Alastair was pacing towards me, breaking through my force field slowly.

  I flexed my fingers. Ignite.

  And he did.

  A ball of fire covered him in moments.

  I waved my hand towards the wolves, keeping my palm up with force of mind strength towards the black wolf. Toss!

  And he was tossed into the cave wall, crumbling with no sign of moving.

  Spirit bounded towards me, shimmering to his true self as I turned and watched the orb shimmer into the sword. Ethan grasped the sword from behind me and together we plunged it into the burning form of a screaming Master. Thrusting it deep into his hardened heart and dead body as the flames receded and smouldered. Alastair stumbled, sword embedded in his chest, swaying without motion of his unheard music this time. Gasping, he blinked … half a blink.

  Everyone stopped in mid fight.

  A hushed silence passed without words.

  All were stunned as the great Master Alastair turned to dust and fell in a pile of ash. I stared at it, tilting my head in surprise. The snarl echoed and the fight continued. All who were helping the Master, where now running for their lives. The lion lunged at one holding it to the ground; a wide bite, and the head came free. The lioness missed one, as did Marcus and Erika. The vampires were leaving. We were all that remained. The students, Ethan, his family, me and a pile of ash.

  I stagged, dizzy.

  Ethan caught me in his arms. “Kera, my love,” he breathed.

  I turned to him. Worry shadowed his features, his love radiating a heartbeat within. I hugged him. “Sahh!” he hissed. The wound. He’d been staked by wood. Blood was there, soaked through his torn shirt. The hole was deep and needing stitches, but he was a vampire; doubt a hospital is what he needs. “Be okay in a bit. Once I feed.”

  I smiled and reached towards the wound; his hands came to my wrist stopping me.

  “It’s okay, it will heal.”

  I ignored him; I placed my palm to his abdomen. A glow lingered as the others gathered around us. Watching me, us. The shock was on all their faces. His eyes lit up as I dropped my hand to show his wound was no more.

  “How did you—” His voice lost as something stirred to our left.

  The black wolf of Tristan rose on shaky feet. He looked around the cave in confusion. There were no vampires that he knew, only those that had come to the battle stood here and the lion and lioness leaped in front of us. The black wolf stepped back, not about to fight the lions, and like all the others; it ran with his tail between his legs.

  The orbs had come from the ceiling, whispering a voice of happiness. I reached out to them. You’re free now, I said and touched each in turn. The light shimmered until the light was no more. The cave was thrown into darkness; water above was heard for the first time. The dizziness washed over me as I turned to Ethan. Tired, drained, sleepy. I was falling, half aware of voice’s and cool hands on my skin as I slipped away.

  Into the darkness.

  Into the emptiness.

  Into nothingness.

  Into fog …