Chapter 3 #2
Balthazar, Grayson got out.
Julian is fine. Christian is fine. Julian understands what’s going on here. He’s reacting to Weryn’s anger. He can’t quite block as well as Christian and I can, Balthazar explained. But he’s not a child, Grayson.
I know. I know, Grayson admitted as he curled his hand around Julian’s, trying to give him comfort without giving anything away.
The Syrin Vampire was looking at them. She met his eyes for one moment and he thought he heard a low hum at the back of his mind. He broke eye contact with her.
That gag’s not enough, Balthazar! Grayson warned.
It usually is! Damnit, I see what you mean! What a clever little thing, Balthazar said as he heard the humming too. I’m not quite sure how to stop her without knocking her out. And that would defeat the purpose–
It’s all right. I have her vocal chords, Grayson said.
Her eyes flared with confusion and fear. She looked back towards Dani, but Dani didn’t seem to be paying attention to her. Balthazar though gave her a poke and Dani swung around towards the Syrin Vampire.
“You’re not going to sing, little bird. Try again and I’ll just rip those vocal chords out of your throat,” Dani promised.
The Syrin Vampire stared up at the ceiling. Tears ran down the sides of her face from her eyes.
She’s crying, Julian remarked.
Remember that she only looks like a child, Julian. She was quite happy at the thought of having all those students watch me be killed, Grayson reminded the Vampire Prince.
Yes, I know, and that can’t be forgiven, Julian agreed. I just expected her to react as the Mirryr Vampire is.
The Mirryr Vampire was still hissing and spitting, swearing he wouldn’t say a word between howls of pain.
Weryn was staring down at him without blinking.
He stroked his bearded chin and Grayson didn’t like the look in his eyes.
It was a killing look. He’d controlled himself in the party, but this was too much.
“I smell Legion on you,” Ryder said to the Mirryr Vampire.
The Mirryr Vampire went still.
“That’s what gave you away,” Ryder said, which wasn’t exactly true, but it would explain how he found them so quickly.
The Mirryr Vampire’s lips writhed back from his teeth whether in pain or rage, it was hard to tell.
“The question is: did you know that you stank of them?” Ryder asked, careful to use “them” and not “him” or “her”. “Did Legion send you here, stinking of them, to get my attention? If so, then Legion truly sent you to die.”
The Mirryr Vampire did not answer and their eyes showed nothing of what they were thinking.
Grayson believed that there was unease there.
But he wasn’t sure. Too much was happening to the Mirryr Vampire that was unpleasant to isolate what exactly was causing his distress.
Grayson felt his strain against the invisible hold that he had on him.
The Siryn Vampire strained to hum as well.
Splitting his attention between both Vampires was not ideal.
He felt a single trail of sweat break from his hairline and trickle down his cheek.
He turned his head to the side to hide it.
He wasn’t sure if he was altogether successful.
He cursed himself internally for using so much power earlier.
Now he was running dangerously close to his limits again without more food and rest. But he firmed his resolve. Julian’s hand tightened on his.
I wish I could give you strength, Grayson, Julian said mind-to-mind.
Oh, Julian! You’re not communicating through Balthazar! You’re doing it yourself! Grayson said, startled, but he hadn’t lost control of either Sect member.
Julian gave him a shy smile. Yes, but I forget that I have the powers. I go for my physical abilities first. Christian says it’s because I’m a look before I leap sort of person.
Our physical gifts are the easiest to access, Grayson told him. That’s what my fledglings always told me. The Bloodline gifts were an afterthought. But you’ve done remarkably well considering how new you are to all of this.
I have to do well. Daemon needs me to be at my best. Though I’m far from that, Julian admitted with a faint frown.
Is that why… Grayson paused then pressed on, Is that why you’re here?
You’d do anything for Daemon. So would I. And Christian wouldn’t leave Balthazar and Caemorn to do this on their own either, Julian answered.
“I’d like to do an experiment,” Caemorn said in that dry, cool voice of his. “If you are intent on testing his healing and endurance. I wish to examine the bones to see if, even after he is fully healed, if there are any traces.”
“We could scrape the flesh off now so that you could see it in action,” Fiona suggested.
She’d remained calm and collected throughout this entire matter.
Her arms crossed loosely over her chest. He could easily remember her as Scout, going far behind enemy lines, creeping into enemy encampments, right up to their leaders to take them out.
A snake without a head was not much of an opponent.
Caemorn nodded. “Or perhaps if we removed the feet altogether, I wonder if the healing would still continue when they were not attached to the body.”
“I’m holding him still. He can’t even kick, so I’m certain you could cut them off easily,” Dani suggested, knowing that Grayson was squeezing him in order to feel the structures inside.
“Oh, good show, Dani! Yes, it will be messy as it is simply removing the foot,” Balthazar told her. “If he were moving around as well–”
“You bastards! You fucking bastards!” the Mirryr Vampire shrieked. His eyes sought out Balthazar’s. “Why don’t you just look into my mind? Why all these games? Or are you all just fucking sadists?”
I can feel the structures in his mind, Balthazar, Grayson said, as he alternately squeezed and released him.
“I have him quite firmly,” Dani said, though she had done nothing.
The Mirryr Vampire looked confused. He clearly expected something to happen.
Maybe Dani’s use of the gift was supposed to trigger that trap.
But then, as if shrugging that off, he glared at Balthazar again.
Grayson could feel the edges of the structure in his mind quite clearly.
But something was different. It had changed somehow. Almost like when a mouse trap was set.
Balthazar, you just reached for your gift, yes? Grayson asked.
Yes, you felt that? Balthazar asked.
The structure in his mind did. The trap is set up to spring, Grayson told him. How would you normally invade his mind?
You wish me to explain–
Actually, no, no explanation necessary, Grayson quickly amended. It doesn’t matter. At least, it doesn’t matter if I understand. Another Eyros would understand it, right? So you need to do something different–way different–which no one would expect.
Okay. Okay. Okay, Balthazar said. I think I know....
For a moment, there was a frown of concentration on his face then it cleared and he was smiling.
I’m going in! Balthazar told him.
Be ready to pull out–
He felt the structure go hot. The Mirryr Vampire smiled. Grayson held strongly onto the structure, keeping the trap from springing shut.
Balthazar, pull out! Grayson warned
But Balthazar didn’t. He was frowning fully now. His silver eyes were gleaming. A cold wind from seemingly nowhere sprang up and blew through the room. Caemorn’s head snapped to Balthazar. Christian’s did as well a moment later.
The Kaly Bloodline gift! Julian breathed. He’s using it…
“I can feel…” Balthazar frowned. “I can feel it… I don’t know…”
Balthazar, you’re Kaly as well as Eyros, Grayson sent. Julian can feel you using it. So can the others.
What? No! That’s not… I’m not!
You are! Balthazar, I’m holding this open, Grayson growled. I can’t do it forever!
Ryder’s eyes were on him now. Sweat was coursing down Grayson’s brow. Concern was causing Ryder’s fangs to show.
Caemorn was beside Balthazar. He put a hand on Balthazar’s shoulder. “Show me.”
Balthazar though was shaking his head and trying to physically and mentally remove himself. “I can’t do this! I’m not–not you! I–”
“You’re my fledgling. You can do this,” Caemorn said firmly.
Balthazar’s head shot towards him. It was something he knew. Something they all knew. But hearing it from Caemorn somehow made it through all of Balthazar’s defenses.
“You are my Childe. You are so very powerful in my gift,” Caemorn told Balthazar. “You can do this.”
“I… But…”
“I am with you, Balthazar. We can do this together,” Caemorn said, and Grayson knew how hard these words were to utter in front of others. To expose himself in front of others.
Oh, Caemorn, you’re still blaming yourself for everything, Julian thought sadly. But at least you know that you’re not alone anymore.
“Why do you think Bone Bear comes into your bed?” Caemorn continued when Balthazar just stared at him.
“Because you have a very strange sense of humor!” Balthazar bleated.
“I do, but that’s not why. Balthazar, it comes to you, wants to be with you, because you are its Master. Its creator,” Caemorn told him.
“You’re joking!” Balthazar’s eyes were filled with tears.
“You know I don’t joke,” Caemorn answered. “Often. Or very successfully.”
“Fuck,” Balthazar said and looked back at the Mirryr Vampire then back up to Grayson, but he said to Dani, “Dani, can you keep him still for me a moment longer?”
I can, Balthazar. But you’ve got to make it quick, Grayson said.
Grayson felt one corner of the structure being grasped somehow. It was Balthazar, but he wasn’t sure how he was doing it. There was a firm tug and the structure completely unraveled. But the moment the structure was gone, the Mirryr Vampire let out a gasp of air. A single gasp.
“Oh, goodness, looks like I’ve killed him,” Balthazar murmured. “That wasn’t to plan.”
“On the contrary, this is perfect,” Caemorn said.
He had a soul gem in his left hand. It was clear and big as a pigeon’s egg.
He swept his right hand over the corpse and the gem suddenly filled with a pulsing, blue-white light.
He smiled. It was not a nice smile. “I have his soul. And there is nothing standing between me and knowing what he knows now.”
The structure is gone, Grayson realized, letting go of the lifeless body. The soul is helpless against Kaly.
The Siryn Vampire’s terror and confusion was clear from her face as Caemorn–the Immortal Kaly–swept oover to her and leaned over her.
“You will be kept alive. For now. I want my fledgling to practice this new ability, my dear,” Caemorn said softly. “So don’t you worry your little head about it.”
She fell into unconsciousness. And Grayson was pretty sure it was simply from sheer terror at what she saw in the Lord of Death’s face.