Chapter Six
Chapter Six:
Savior
T he sun was set to rise in an hour, which meant the anapriek would be dead in less than that.
The therion brothers had proven that they were capable of being enough of a nuisance for them to finally track down and kill, but the brothers were good at hiding. Moreover, the vampires were lazy; relying on fear and the loyalty that fear earned them to get what they wanted. They were no more hunters than they were bullies, and it was easier to bait a pair of dogs than to actually go out and track them. The anapriek— Gods! Her blood smelled divine!—was a difficult piece of bait to keep, though. Granted, they could’ve gutted the pretty little sprite and cast her guts across the hillside—surely that would get the yapping highlanders to come running—but the two had proven themselves strong enough in combat once before, and sacrificing their only real leverage at keeping the brothers in their human form was too great a risk. So long as the girl’s heart was beating they had a leash on their enemies, and so it would continue to beat until the time came that they were certain such luxuries would no longer be of use to them.
Declan’s golden eyes glossed over the mewling quim once more as she tugged and strained against the ropes that kept her secured to the log they’d embedded in the earth like a waiting pyre. Between the fear-laced blood coursing through her veins and the muffled squeals of desperation that oozed around the makeshift gag she was a picture-perfect sight to get the therion-scum to come running. However, it was also making her a picture-perfect entrée, and Declan was having an increasingly difficult time keeping his boys’ fangs—not to mention his own—sheathed and out of her throat.
“So pretty…” he mused, more to himself than any of his companions.
He was certain they agreed; their partially-raised plaids told him so.
Katarina’s whimpers were growing weak. Her desperation had dried up almost an hour ago, and the tugging pain of her restraints had dulled down to a constant ache. She’d run out of reasons to fight…
All but one.
Lachlan…
If only she could’ve offered him some greater explanation. If only she’d worked harder to show that she’d meant to offense.
Reflecting on her words—the implications laced throughout them—she could see how they could cut the pride of a man like him. He lived a simple-but-happy life of honor and independence, and she’d spoken so passively about leaving it all behind, and, in doing so, put a spotlight on his poverty.
No, she had nothing left to fight for at that point—no more fuel for her stifled cries— except for her regret and the burning desire to have one final moment to set things right with her therion highlander.
Her Lachlan.
Hers …
How easy it was to still think of him that way; to see promise for the two of them.
To hell with it! she thought to herself, I’ll live in the damned cave if I have to! Anything to stay with him!
“You look like you’ve accepted your fate, I see,” the leader scoffed. “Though I won’t say I’m not disappointed, I’d certainly hoped that you’d lure them out. Don’t fret, though, you can die with some dignity knowing that those brothers are cowards.”
She narrowed her eyes at him and cried out against the gag.
“What’s that?” the vampire asked, stepping forward and yanking the gag from her mouth.
“They aren’t cowards,” she hissed. “They are brave and noble! Not like you! You’re just a scumbag terrorizing others to get what you—AHH!” She cried out as his hand crossed her face and she winced at the sudden throbbing she felt in her cheek. Holding her glare, she sucked a wad of blood from the tear inside her mouth and spit it at his feet. “There! A little snack for the real coward!”
“You are a brave anapriek, I’ll give ya that,” he chuckled. “But maybe I should give you a little lesson in the food chain!” he motioned to the others, “Bring her down!”
Her eyes widened in horror as he began to unbuckle his belt, his kilt beginning to sag from his hips. Two of the vampires lumbered forward, smirking at the chance to finally do something other than stare.
“N-no!” Katarina whimpered, her struggles finding new strength as she pitched against her binds. “NO! DON’T! DON’T TOUCH—”
A howl cut through the night, stilling the crowd and silencing everything. Then, with the sound still piercing the vail of night, a second rose to join it.
Wolves…
… in the highlands!
Declan growled, cinching his belt once again and glaring at the two vampires, frozen in mid-reach towards their captive.
“Get out there, you fools! Find them!” he barked before casting his golden gaze up at her, “Looks like you might be right about them after all,” he grinned. “But remember this:”—he leaned in close, letting the stink of clotted blood on his breath fill her nostrils—“I was rooting for this all along!” He turned away and rolled his shoulders. “Soon those pests will be no more than pelts for my chambers, and then we’ll see to you!”
She watched as he started down the hillside to join the others, and fresh dread washed over her.
Would Lachlan and Munro be able to survive this?
They’d fared well with surprise and the dense woods on their side, but here—in the vampires’ territory—she couldn’t be so sure.
“Lachlan…” she whimpered, “LACHLA—”
A shadowy figure started up the hill towards her, and a swell of hope that Lachlan had already found her was quickly dashed as sleek, feminine features came into focus and the redheaded vampire stepped into the moonlight.
“D-don’t come near me! I’m warning you! He’ll kill you if you harm me! My Lachlan will kill you!” she whimpered.
“Oh I’m quite certain of that,” she smirked, drawing a dagger from a sheath at her waist.
“P-please no! Don’t! I don’t want to die!” Katarina whimpered, “I need to see him again!”
“And you will,” she said as she began to cut through the binds securing Katarina to the log. “I’m Anna, and I’m helping your Lachlan and his brother to stick it to my brother.”
“Your brother? Then you’re… you aren’t fighting with the other vampires?” she frowned, eyeing her warily.
“I’m a big girl, anapriek; just like you—I make my own decisions and everything. I decided to free Munro from my brother before they could kill them, and I’ve decided to help you now. You have my word that I’ll help keep you safe,” she smiled as the last of the binds were severed and she helped Katarina to her feet. “Now, let’s get you out of here!”
“What about Lachlan and Munro?” Katarina bit her lip, “We need to help them!”
“The greatest help we can offer them is getting you outside of camp,” Anna gave her a stern look. “You aren’t strong enough to fight with them, so we need to remove the threat of your harm from their list of burdens. That’s how we can help them right now.”
Anna was right. Katarina was no fighter; there was no way she’d be able to handle herself in a battle. But if their concern for her was a distraction that could get them hurt, then she owed it to them to stay safe and preserve their focus.
Anna, seeing Katarina nod, took her by the wrist and began to escort her down the hill. A short distance away, near the rocky point of a steep hill, Katarina caught sight of Lachlan—recognizing his wolf-like form—and, beyond him a short ways, Munro. The two were as an impressive sight as they’d been the first night she’d seen them, and their ferocity was no less awe-inspiring. A vampire, clutching a long sword and wielding it clumsily, charged Lachlan from the front, only to have the therion’s powerful claws take him by the throat and disarm him.
Katarina gasped, covering her mouth in shock. Disarm? He’d literally taken the vampire’s arm off!
Its shrieks and hisses garbled by Lachlan’s choking grip, the vampire flailed for a short moment until the therion, dropping the sword and arm that still clutched it, ripped his head off and cast him aside like a used-up toy.
Katarina gawked at the scene. “He’s so…”
“Awesome?” Anna finished for her, “I know. You should’ve seen Munro when we were coming into camp. Tore one of my brother’s largest cronies in half!” She made a snapping motion with her hand accompanied by a wet, squelching sound. Smirking at Katarina’s stunned stare, the redhead shrugged, “What? It’s like you said: awesome, right?”
Katarina blushed, “Well, actually you said—”
“Oh hush! Come on! While our boys have them distracted!” Anna continued to lead her down the hill.
Katarina took one last look at the brothers as she struggled to keep up with Anna, but the sight on the battlefield was enough to stop her in her tracks. A new vampire—one more experienced with his sword and more competent in battle—was drawing Lachlan back with a series of wide swings. Lachlan, distancing himself from the blade, kept himself poised, waiting for an opening to take his attacker out; unaware of Declan’s approach behind him. The golden-eyed vampire had his own sword in hand, readying a kill strike. Katarina’s mind spun; desperation screaming in her core.
Don’t be a distraction!
Get to safety!
No way he’ll survive!
Have to stop…
Anna caught sight of her brother as well and cursed under her breath. “Dishonorable, snake-bellied coward!” Her eyes flashed with the same luminescence as her brother’s as she looked at Katarina, her fangs beginning to extend. “Stay here and stay down! Don’t let yourself be seen!”
And then she vanished.
Blinking at the plot of earth where the vampire had, only a moment ago, been standing, Katarina was startled to hear the violent scream of metal-on-metal and looked back to the battlefield.
Anna had appeared behind Lachlan and was holding back her brother’s sword with her own dagger; their faces glowering at one another as they hissed and cursed.
The vampire attacking Lachlan tried to use the moment as an opening to lunge, only to have the hulking therion twist out of the blade’s path. Momentum and sacrificed balance dragged the vampire past Lachlan, who reached out and pulled Anna from her brother just as his attacker’s blade plunged into Declan’s chest.
A shocked-and-excited squeal erupted past Katarina’s lips before she could think better of it, and the stunned vampire that had just impaled his leader whipped his head around, spotting her in the distance.
Then he vanished, leaving Declan to collapse between Lachlan and Anna.
Katarina heard the hiss—like an angry housecat’s—before she could see the vampire. He materialized in front of her, his face flush with shock and rage and guilt; fangs extended and eyes glowing like twin embers. Startled, Katarina turned to run, only to have the vampire’s cold, clammy grip come down on her and drive her to her knees.
“Ye’ve seen yer last night, ye long-eared cunt!” he growled, his voice growing louder as he moved his mouth closer to her throat.
“N-no…”
A roar echoed behind them, and the vampire’s hold on her tightened as she felt it twist to face what was coming. There was another flash of movement in front of her, and Katarina looked up as Anna appeared, prying the vampire’s hand from her shoulder and driving a fist over Katarina’s head. A sharp impact and a pained growl sounded behind her, and Katarina felt the vampire’s looming presence wane as it staggered back. Anna pulled her to her feet, starting away from the battle with her.
“Told you to stay quiet !” she scolded.
Katarina panted, coming down from her panic. “I… I know. I know! I’m sorry! I just…”
“Save it!” Anna barked, “They know we’re here, and they’re all out for blood! We don’t have time for—”
Another vampire appeared in front of them, cutting off their retreat, and throwing Katarina from Anna’s grasp.
The force…
Incredible!
Katarina felt herself sailing through the night air as though she were flying!
One push… and she was flying?
But what went up must come—