Chapter Sixteen.
A nguished, I screamed Inka’s name and plunged headlong into the blaze. Flames rose around me, and I spotted a figure on the floor. Blindly reaching down, I grabbed them by the scruff of their neck and pulled them out.
It was Mera!
Shouts echoed as I ran back in.
Pal was the next one I dragged out. Panicked, I rushed in again, and the fire caught my arm. In pain, I yelled and beat flames out. Where was Inka?
Hysteria rose, and I swallowed a scream as I lurched from room to room. Finally, I found her. Inka was curled in a ball and burned but was alive.
I pulled Inka out as people rushed up the hill to the inferno. Collapsing weakly on the ground, I heard Mera call Kit’s name and froze. The twins were still inside!
Ignoring the pain, I stumbled in once more. Someone tried to stop me, but I shoved them away and entered, looking for Kit and Rahmon. Kicking open the door to Kit’s bedroom, a wall of flames leapt angrily forward. Stumbling backwards as the heat reached me, I knew that if Kit was in there… I was too late.
Tears in my eyes, I repeated the same with Rahmon’s room and again was beaten back by fire. Loudly cursing under my breath, I was helpless.
Heartbroken, I staggered through the thick black smoke, trying to flee. A loud roar boomed, and the entrance caved in, trapping me inside.
Anxiously, I stumbled as the blaze danced around me, and the pain brought me back to reality. I tried to see an escape but could not, and I sensed a telepathic call from outside.
Having faith in the caller, I threw myself through the flames and out of a window.
I landed heavily on the grass and rolled quickly, putting the fires burning my body out. My arm was blackened, but I noticed the new skin underneath forming. My back was smothered in burns, as were my legs, and the pain was indescribable.
The Tai’moriee bent over and dropped liquid into my mouth.
Without a word, Tai’moriee held my mouth to his wrist as I drank and aided my recovery. Greedily, I gulped precious blood down, and then Tai’moriee vanished. The others hadn’t seen him, and Tai’moriee wouldn’t allow them to. Agonised, I rose to my feet as healing kicked in and scrambled over to where the other three were. Did you think healing would be painless? Wrong.
Pal and Mera had knife wounds as well as burns, and I realised that they’d been in some sort of fight.
Surely, it wasn’t Ami who had done this!
Inka had a massive blow to her head that had split the back of her skull open. I winced as I saw the muscle underneath. Inka was incapacitated. Grabbing Inka and Mera, I transported them a little way away and returned for Pal.
Pal was drifting in and out of consciousness, and I worried whether he was okay. I laid Pal down carefully on the grass. As I bit my wrist for Pal, a weak voice stopped me.
“Jacques, the children?”
I stared at Mera with tears in my eyes.
“Oh God, I tried. Honestly, I did, but I couldn’t reach Kit and Rahmon. I am so sorry,” I cried as tears ran down my face.
Mera opened her eyes, trying hard to focus.
“Ramedes. The bitch took them,” Mera whispered.
Anger rose as I wiped my face and stared. Ramedes!
Her cultists had attacked the palace! In a rage, I flew to my feet. This could lead to war.
The bitch had assaulted three Vam’pirs.
Deep down, I knew I could call an SOS, but, as a group, the Vam’pirs wouldn’t arrive in time. The question was, what could one Vam’pir do alone?
Die.
But I had to try, and just as I turned, Ami fell at my feet. Shocked, I stared and pondered how much weirder tonight was going to get.
“Take the placement from my mind,” Ami whispered.
Ami was weak from lack of blood, and as I received the location, I wondered whether I should stay with the wounded. If anyone happened upon them, none were in a fit state to defend themselves.
“Go. The children have until tonight. After that, Ramedes can no longer claim them. Jacques, I will watch,” a voice said, speaking directly into my mind.
I nodded to the invisible Tai’moriee and, yelling for Nathan, chased after the children.
Ami had been clear in her directions, and it took an hour to reach the caves that she had described. As I crouched, watching for movement, I felt something in my tunic and, drawing it out, I stared at the amulet that once belonged to Ricardus.
I hadn’t even realised that I had picked it up. Without thinking, I shoved it back in and snuck into the cave.
There were no lights inside, and I waited for a moment for my sight to adjust. Within seconds, my night sight adjusted, and I crept forward. A red shape moved, and I paused. A red aura that allows us to see their body heat always frames a living mortal.
Silently creeping up behind the guard, I snapped his neck before he realised I was there. Alert, I crouched and searched for a pulse. Finding none, I pulled my hand away when I realised I had killed a woman.
Then I straightened my shoulders. That didn’t matter. Regardless of gender, these fanatics had the children, and I was here to save Kit and Rahmon. Pal and Mera deserved their children back.
I crept forward again and found a flight of roughly cut steps leading down.
Quietly, I made my way down, killing two more sentinels before reaching the bottom. I hoped Ramedes had no guards patrolling. Otherwise, they would find the bodies and would give away my presence. A long passage awaited me that twisted and turned for ages. The only reason I guessed I was on the right path was the fact that I kept coming across Ramedes’s now dead guards.
Down another flight of steps, not as roughly cut as the first ones, I was getting closer to Ramedes when I encountered two sentinels together.
One-on-one is fine, two-on-one is dangerous, and three-on-one means that I am dead. Naturally, I’m strong, but Ramedes is able to juice up her followers. Ramedes can enhance their natural abilities, how I don’t know, but magic seems to be involved.
The fight was a struggle, and I suffered a stab wound to the ribs. Swearing lightly under my breath, I cursed the injury. Tai’moriee’s blood had healed most of my injuries, but I wasn’t one hundred per cent. Still, I didn’t have time to let the injury heal, and I carried on, the thought of the children pushing me onwards.
I hid in a small crack in the rock as a troop of sentinels marched past and guessed I was running out of time. The dead bodies had been hidden, but if they found them, the alarm would be raised. Further flights of stairs suggested a descent into Earth’s core.
Then, on turning a corner, light flared, and I covered my eyes. Allowing my eyesight to adjust, I removed my hand and stared open-mouthed at the wonder emerging from the cave. At first, I thought that I must be dreaming, but a sharp pinch convinced me I wasn’t. Ahead, situated in a huge cavern, lay a city that I had not seen the like of since Har’ches.
Astonishment rose as I drank it in, in sheer wonderment.
The city neatly spread out from around a steep hill. Houses were built of stone, standing in rows and were detached. The streets through the city were straight and reminded me of the long roman roads. Dotted about here and there were huge platforms carved of stone, and they had steps leading up to a summit. Temples.
Narrowing my eyes, I was able to make out large stone coffins supported on frames in the temples.
Did those coffins belong to the Chosen of Ramedes? Who knew? I had no time to investigate.
From the hill in the centre of the city ran four long roads in the shape of a cross leading into the city. Where the four touched the hill, they turned into staircases continuing upwards. At the top was a pyramid that would easily rival the Great Pyramid of Giza that we had created.
This one had a flat apex, and there was something built on the top. While longing to investigate, I had priorities and searched for Ramedes and the children.
Finally, I noticed them at the apex of the pyramid and cursed. Damn it, I would’ve to go through the city whose inhabitants were standing on the stairs leading to the summit.
Peering down, I swore.
Soldiers of Ramedes were dotted everywhere. I sensed Ramedes and cloaked myself. Should Ramedes know I was here, it would be a costly mistake, with Kit and Rahmon’s lives on the line.
In fact, it would be suicidal, and the children were my main priority. Nathan would be tracking me, so I wasn’t worried about that. Nathan would be able to smell the bodies I had left in my wake and would sense I was here.
Lightly leaping down from the top of the staircase I stood on, I heard voices closing. I hid behind a house.
The troop was returning, and by their pace, I knew that they’d not found the dead. Relieved, I released a sigh and moved slowly and quietly through the streets. Every so often, I had to hide, and it was taking too long to reach my goal. Nevertheless, I couldn’t reveal my presence to them. People crossing my path were slaughtered; they were those that I couldn’t avoid or saw me.
Guilt was my companion; these were mortals and had committed no great crime. But it was them or the children. No matter what I had to do to save Rahmon and Kit, I’d commit it. The cultists’ faces I killed that day remain clear in my memory and pain me. Their faces intrude upon my dreams, young and healthy, with no wicked thoughts in their minds. Just the urge to please their Goddess. Tragically, they died for that belief.
To this day, I’ve never talked about the murders that I committed. For murder, it indeed was. I had not taken an innocent soul until that night, and it bothers me still. Kill only those that deserve it. From the beginning, that had been a basic Vam’piric principle. Yet, for the sake of love and friendship, I found myself lumped in with those that I hunted down to live.
Inka has attempted to talk to me about it, Nathan too, but I refused to discuss it. Innocents died. It was simple.
Nathan got off lucky. He never had to kill anyone except in self-defence. How I wish I could say the same, but I know the truth. Reality hurts badly, but I have tried to come to terms with what I did for friendship and for love. This time, I wasn’t going to fail my friends, not like in the past.
Pal, although annoyed sometimes, still stood by me and my erring ways. I owed Pal a lot, and I meant to pay the debt back. Instead, I dug a hole I’d never escape from.
◆◆◆
Damn you, Ramedes, will you read this? Probably. For we have had other encounters, haven’t we, since that night? Neither of us walked away without a scratch, but understand one thing. That evening cost me too much of my humanity. Whenever we met, you have never alluded to it or ever discussed it, and I wish to understand why. Why have you never mentioned it, Ramedes?
I cannot say that we are friends, but we are more than acquaintances. And we dance around the truth as if nothing ever transpired between us.
Quite frankly, you’re a raging bitch, possibly even one from hell. And we get along just fine now. Immortals try to exist peacefully and stick to our own kind, but between us, there is a bond. If you called, I answered, and vice versa.
Ramedes, you are older than me. In Viscerov’s terms, I’m a child, given our age difference. What makes me so intriguing to you? For Ramedes, you shun all other immortals, including Vam’pirs and Viscerov. However, for a time, you hunted with me, like Diana from the Greek legends.
Ramedes, you and I shared more than just a romantic relationship, but I still feel like I don’t really know you. You could say the same, but sometimes I believe that you understood me a little too well.
Perhaps you noticed something I missed, only apparent in my writing.
Do you think there is a cure for the painful memories remaining from that night? It’ll haunt me until I do take the plunge and die. Indeed, I can never escape my actions. And sadly, because I do have some sort of ragged conscience, I will never truly forget.
Upon waking from sleep, my mind immediately goes to that evening. Ramedes could not have punished me more. How would Ramedes respond should I solicit aid from a different Vam’pir? To erase the memory from me, as we are able to. Is the memory her punishment for my actions that night?
Or if I came to you, Ramedes, to wipe that recollection away, would you?
Whatever, it doesn’t matter, does it? My asking these endless questions as in all likeness you’ll never answer.
Ramedes, I’m a contrary creature. Do I give you amusement? Would you inform me if I did?
Poor, pathetic Jacques, begging for freedom from that awful moment. Only the Tai’moriee knows what truly happened, and he has never mentioned it. Tai’moriee respects my wishes.
Ah, beloved Ramedes, there is one thing that you never realised. Over time, my love for you grew, and although not a grand romance, it was sincere. Though not as consuming as my love for another, this love is everlasting. But you are not the love of my life. Nevertheless, Ramedes, you are magnificent, and I had never seen your like before or since.
Tragically, I pity your followers, for they’ll never touch you, neither will any of your own kind. For our similarity in many things, in this we are dissimilar. Ramedes constantly seeks love and never finds it. However, I have experienced love from Inka, Elizabeth, and now from Eden.
Are those two names unfamiliar, Dear Reader? Do you cry out, who is Elizabeth? Who is Eden?
Good.
You’ll meet Elizabeth and Eden later on, and then you shall know that I finally found what I was so desperately searching for.
But I digress.
Let’s return to that night.
◆◆◆
When I reached the pyramid and saw Ramedes’s followers, worshipers, standing at various stages on the steps, my heart sank. Then I felt Ricardus’s amulet and pulled it out before placing it around my neck.
Swallowing, I began to climb the stairs to where the children were—and Ramedes.
I ascended, feeling eyes watching, but none dared to touch me, for the amulet I wore belonged to Ramedes. This was the hope Ricardus had offered. How Ricardus came to own this, I didn’t know, but I prayed it held enough power to let me reach the summit.
The mortals whispered as I climbed. They recognised me for what I was. Inside, I shook so badly I feared everyone would see.
On guard, I stopped at the top of the platform and gazed into Ramedes’ eyes.
They narrowed, and then Ramedes looked past me. Tied down to two biers and laid out like sacrificial lambs were the children.
Kit was staring ahead, and Rahmon had his eyes closed. Sweat dripped off them, and I could smell their fear.
I glanced back at Ramedes and wondered what would happen next. A man moved, and a quick motion from Ramedes stopped him.
Warily, I stepped to the side.
Ramedes watched me like a hawk as I reached Kit. Kit’s eyes were open, but I felt as if Kit was not really seeing me. I bent down to untie Kit and, picking her up, I shot across to Rahmon. Holding each of them under one arm, I retreated. The priests looked up at their Goddess in puzzlement.
“Jacques, you are too late,” Ramedes said finally.
Oh, her voice, so sweet, like nectar. I stared at Ramedes and continued to back away.
“No, it is never too late,” I answered, reaching the top of the stairs.
“Did you honestly believe, Vam’pir, that I was unaware of your presence here? Did you believe I was ignorant of your coming because you thought I was weak?”
“No. But you can’t have the twins,” I said.
Fool!
How was I going to get them out safely?
“Kitiaria and Rahmon are marked, Vam’pir. The children are mine, and I mean to have them.”
“And just what is marked?” I shouted.
The men drew back in fear.
“You do not know? You have travelled this way to save them, and you’re unaware of what the twins are?”
Ramedes laughed, and I hated her. Loathed Ramedes for her perfect golden skin, deep amber eyes and beautiful white hair.
“Kit and Rahmon are loved, and I am taking them home. Marked means nothing to me.”
“You cannot. The ritual has already begun. Jacques, you are too late.”
“No, I’ll save them,” I whispered, looking down at Kit.
Kit’s head hung limply, and my eyesight picked up minute changes.
“The transformation has started. It’s unstoppable. Marked means, Vam’pir, that they’ll become mine. Rarely into the mortal world is born the soul of my race. These two possess the spirits of my ancestors. By completing the ritual, two Viscerovs will take back their rightful place in this world. Kit and Rahmon are of my kind.”
I stumbled backwards.
The children were meant to be immortals!
I understood what Ramedes was saying, for we, too, believed that souls could be reborn. Yet something didn’t quite ring true, but I couldn’t work out what it was.
“They are mortal, and I’ll ensure that they remain that way. They are entitled to have a life. Whether a mortal one or not, and you have no right to force a choice,” I argued.
“Vam’pir, I have already begun the change. If you leave with Kit and Rahmon, they will die,” Ramedes said.
I hesitated, then retreated. “Then that’s will what happen, but they’ll die free.”
I leapt from the pyramid and landed, still holding the children.
Ramedes’ scream echoed, and shouts abounded. I ran as fast as I could. I couldn’t transport for I didn’t know if it would harm them. Ducking behind a house as footsteps neared, I hid.
I didn’t want to have to fight my way out, especially with the children possibly drugged or in some other altered state. Ramedes shouted for the gates to be shut, and I cursed. Trapped! But then I remembered that the ritual had to be finished tonight. If it wasn’t, then Ramedes couldn’t change them.
I smothered Rahmon’s mouth as he groaned and footsteps paused. My skin crawled as someone looked in my direction.
Thankfully, they continued onwards. I was scared. Undoubtedly, I had walked into the lion’s den with no support.
“Over there! Vam’pir!” a voice yelled.
I froze, and people run past my hiding place.
Nathan!
I expressed gratitude to all the Gods being worshipped and stood up smoothly. I carried the youth to what seemed to be a vacant house and, kicking open the door, I searched quickly. The home was empty, and I hastily kicked the door shut and laid the children down.
Kit’s breathing was ragged, and her skin had started to take on a golden glow. I touched Kit’s skin, discovering it was cool, although she was sweating freely.
Pursing my mouth, I checked Rahmon and found him in an identical condition.
I was clueless about what to do, so I just waited. Daybreak must be near. I heard sounds of fighting, and I hoped against hope that Nathan would be all right. Screams and shouts punctuated quiet spells.
I didn’t want to extend my senses in case Ramedes found me. Considering the chaos, I did not believe Nathan was alone.
Kit suddenly gasped for breath, and her hands clutched the air. The door flew open, I spun quickly, and my heart sank.
Ramedes silently crossed over the threshold.
“This is doing no good, Vam’pir. All you are succeeding in doing is killing them. Give them up, Vam’pir,” she said, gliding towards Rahmon.
Ramedes reached down and gently touched his face.
“I cannot give them up, Ramedes.”
“You mean you will not? This is strange. I never imagined a Vam’pir could care so deeply for someone outside their bloodline,” Ramedes stated.
“That does not make love. Blood is meaningless to the Vam’pirs except as food. We love who we wish, and there is nothing that we would not do for one of us.”
“You mean the Vam’pirs, who have been Kit and Rahmon’s parents all this time? Because Kit and Rahmon are not one of you,” Ramedes challenged.
“But the children are not truly Viscerov either. What does it matter to you if I save them?”
“That means that my friends may never be reborn again,” Ramedes whispered.
There was another yell, and I grinned.
“Do you think your friend will elude us for long? I am afraid not. We’ll have him soon, and I already have you and the children, so shall we finish this farce?”
“I’ll kill the children first,” I said, and Ramedes flinched.
Only slightly, but she did. Why? I looked down at Kit and Rahmon as their change continued, and I found myself wondering.
“That would shatter your friend’s hearts,” Ramedes declared, recovering.
“They would rather the twins dead than a slave to Viscerovs. If you take one more step, I’ll break their necks right now.”
I laid a hand on their throats, and Ramedes stopped. I swear she paled.
“No need to be stupid, kill them, and you shall not get out alive. Neither will your friend,” Ramedes replied softly.
“If I don’t save the twins, then what does it matter if I die? I may as well be dead if I fail Pal and Mera,” I answered, and as I watched, Ramedes took a step back.
Ramedes’s hands came up as if to calm me down, and I suddenly felt peace. I realised what I had to do, and there would be no going back once I made the decision.
I smiled at Ramedes and bared my fangs.
“You would change them! The children of your friends?” Ramedes exclaimed.
“Yes, it would hurt Pal and Mera, but they’d have the twins forever. By killing Kit and Rahmon, I stop whatever foul process you started. By reviving them, Pal and Mera still have their children. To a Vam’pir, death doesn’t always signify the end.” I laughed.
Somehow, I had Ramedes off guard, and I picked the twins up again.
Ramedes let me leave, and I discovered priests and soldiers waiting outside. I looked back, and Ramedes reluctantly motioned for them to move away. I could still hear screams and shouts, and, opening myself, I found Nathan.
He was alive and running. Nathan was full of glee at the chaos he caused. I sent Nathan a message telling him where I was and waited.
Nathan appeared grinning; trust him to be having the time of his life. Nathan’s grin faded when he saw Ramedes.
“So, you are the one causing all this trouble? By rights, I should have your head,” Ramedes said.
“Kill me and lose your own head, too. Your kind turns to ashes, much like ours, so I am told,” Nathan replied, taking Kit.
“This is stalemate. I will not let you leave with them, and I do not think that you would truly do what you said that you would do,” Ramedes insisted.
I looked at the regal figure in front of me. Ramedes was clothed in gold satin and her clothing left nothing to the imagination, yet all I felt was pity. Ramedes would not have the children.
Over my dead body, but then I am already dead, am I not?
“No, there is no stalemate. I will kill the children, as I said. Let us through.”
I moved forward, and Nathan followed.
Ramedes glared but allowed us to pass. Then, as fast as I could, I ran with Nathan on my heels. We raced back to the entrance and found ourselves facing a gate of stone. It was a solid wall, and to open it, I would have to put Rahmon on the ground.
Ramedes appeared and chuckled.
“Decisions, decisions Vam’pir. What do you do now? To put Rahmon down will allow me to take him, and you’ll need two of you to open the gate. They’ll die one way or another, so why not let me save them?”
I cursed loudly as Ramedes laughed even harder. The bitch! Ramedes knew that she had us trapped and, at the same time, guessed I wouldn’t kill them.
Then, the decision was taken out of my hands. Kit opened her eyes and blinked.
Kit smiled as if she recognised me, and I heard her heart begin to slow.
Ramedes leapt forward, her hands outstretched.
“I can save her. Give me Kit,” Ramedes said urgently.
I peered down at Kit’s face and at Nathan, tears in my eyes.
Nathan shook his head. “You have to do it, Jaq. There is no other way. They are dying.”
I screamed aloud, full of pain, lowered my head, and bit Rahmon.
I have described the ecstasy of drinking, but here was no pleasure. This fulfilled a duty, not a need. I acted accordingly. Biting into my wrist, I forced the blood down Rahmon’s throat.
Ramedes began to scream and fell to the floor, clutching her stomach. I ignored her and turned away as Nathan lay Kit down at my feet as he moved to help the vampire being newly born.
I stared into Kit’s face and cursed myself a thousand times over before biting her, too. When I finished, I threw myself from them and let Nathan help.
I glared in hatred at Ramedes and realised that she was feeling everything that they did. They were linked! I rose and laughed in Ramedes’ face. But it was hollow laughter; I had not won. Not truly.
I had lost, Pal and Mera had lost, but maybe they would understand why I had to do it.
If I had taken two corpses back, then it would have broken their hearts, especially as Kit and Rahmon were so young.
Nathan soothed the twins as they moved through their deaths, and I thanked him for I would not have been able to. It had been bad enough watching Mihal die.
I could not watch their change, and I kept my eyes firmly on Ramedes as she cried aloud with them. I had not realised that Ramedes would be linked to this, and I hoped she experienced everything that they did.
She who had forced me into this. My hatred towards Ramedes reached its peak.