Chapter 35
“It looks like I missed a good party.” Countess Dariah’s voice echoed through the cave, cutting through the heavy silence. “Sorry, I wasn’t here earlier, darling.”
Natasha whirled around, leaving our side, as the Countess wrapped her tightly in her arms.
André and I released a satisfied breath as I draped an arm over his shoulder and hugged him to my side. He sighed, wrapping his around my back, glad that all of this was finally over.
“Hugs are not that bad after all, huh?” Countess Dariah grinned, squeezing Natasha before letting her go.
“Not at all,” our mate agreed, pulling back.
“Quite the party.” The countess whistled while her gaze considered all of the singed spots around the cave, only mounds of ash left of our enemies.
“Yeah, but we saved you a party favor,” André offered, kicking Francoys awake.
He passed out from the horror at some point, while Ryker burned.
“I see that.” She smirked, cradling André’s cheek. “You are always so considerate of your Vampir Mother.”
“That I am.”
Francoys’s eyes widened when she crouched over him, ire and fear mixing in his gaze.
“Now, now, darling. You did all of this to end my dynasty, making me believe you were a strong man…” Her voice was sensual but deadly as she dragged the tip of her long black nail down his cheek, caressing it. “Don’t tell me you are afraid of me?”
He tried to reply but she placed her finger on his lips, using her mental supremacy to take away his voice.
“What’s that? Sorry, I can’t hear you.” Standing, she looked at him over her nose, loathing coloring her expression. “Apparently, you were not scared enough.”
Her fingers curled in the air, grabbing onto the gravity around him and she began to drag him toward the very back of the mountain, already knowing the way.
“Care to help me end this once and for all, Daughter?” she asked our mate, extending a hand to her.
Smirking, Natasha took her hand, and we all walked into the alcove.
Flames sparked on Natasha’s fingers, her light immediately smothering the darkness.
A gasp escaped her when she was fully able to see what the shadows hid.
Near the far wall, a large post was staked to the ground with Several rows of quicksilver chains tying Charles Martell to it… Or what was left of him.
“Is that him? The one they wanted to awake with my blood?”
Countess Dariah answered her with a nod, and Natasha carefully observed every detail of the monster before us, taken aback by the gruesome sight.
Charles was completely desiccated under the chains, the layers of his skin separated like the curling pages of a book.
Even the color had left him, his form an ashy grey, enhancing the expression of unadulterated terror that had permanently carved his face.
The eyes were wide but glazed over with a white film of dust and dehydration.
The countess dropped Francoys at his feet, and his eyes widened in terror far more when he realized what was coming. He couldn’t even thrash to try to set himself free anymore. The one person he’d tried so hard to destroy had taken that from him.
Countess Dariah stood next to our mate, taking in the shackles on Charles’s wrists and ankles, the multiple layers of chains holding him to the post, and even the mouth gag. She gestured toward him. “All of this, and it still wasn’t enough for my family’s kingdom to be safe.”
We somberly chuckled.
“All yours, Natasha,” she offered, moving back to where André and I stood.
Glancing up at what was left of Charles Martell, Natasha centered herself across from him.
“Is this what you wanted? The power in my blood?” she asked, igniting both her hands as she glanced at Francoys beneath the grey vampire. “You can both have it.”
Dual streams of blue fire shot from her hands toward them, the blaze igniting their forms on contact. An explosion rushed up the wooden post, the blaze igniting brighter, faster, and far bigger than it had with any of the others.
“Burn it to the ground,” our mate ordered, and the flames immediately complied.
Her fire spread from Charles to the walls behind him, swiftly licking onto the ceiling. More left Francoys, rolling over his scorching form on their path to the floor.
“Thank you.” Countess Dariah hugged Natasha to her side, turning away from the fire and walking away together.
André and I followed them, hearing several rock explosions behind us, the alcove walls caving in with the blast.
We all walked out of the mountain, warmth reaching our backs as the Eternal Blaze eagerly consumed it.
My gaze went to the rocky terrain across from us to find armies beginning to gather in groups. Others congregated farther behind them, along the dunes scattered with bodies, ash, or pieces of crawlers, and even the dead ones turned human again by Gustav.
In the distance, others carried the fallen soldiers through Mathew’s large portal, the Fortress of the Dragon visible on the other side. Dariah’s husband held the power to travel through space, time, and even realms. He stood next to the portal, too far away from us to greet him now.
Natasha and André headed toward Vanessa, Alyce, my father, and the knights, while I searched for Dante. I watched my sister transform back from her Beast into the woman, and the pride and joy I felt for her at that moment couldn’t really be described.
She had always been strong, like Mom, but now she had finally found a reason to roar out of her comfort zone. Loving Vanessa helped her become an unstoppable woman, and flourish into who she was always meant to be.
The relationship between me and my beast was one of the deepest most fulfilling things, just like with my wolf, so I was excited to see her experience that too.
Countess Dariah headed straight toward the group where Gustav stood, both of them smiling as they hugged, finally reuniting after so many years.
She’d actually been the one to help him figure out his power and learn how to use it to fight.
A beautiful friendship had developed from it, which, as fate would have it, brought me to my mate.
The girl with the lavender hair stood near them, chatting with several of the Vampire guards… I still wondered who she was.
There were so many of us now, filling the vast desert when it had seemed helpless during the battle. Coming together helped us win.
I noticed Isis walking toward me through the throng of people and stopped to wait for her before joining Natasha, André, and my family.
As soon as Isis reached me, I pulled her into my arms, hugging her fiercely. She was a part of my family too. “I’m so glad you are safe.”
“Same, handsome,” she replied, squeezing me and kissing me on the cheek before letting me go. “Have you seen Bj?rn?”
I shook my head. “Last time I saw him, he was taking the Viscountess to my mom after Natasha, André, and I got her out.”
“My baby girl really saved her mother.” Tears shone in Isis’s eyes as she looked up at me.
“She vowed she would,” I reminded her. “And she didn’t let any of us stand in her way.”
“Natasha didn’t do it alone.” Cradling my cheek lovingly, she smiled even as a tear fell. “I’m legit so proud of all of you.”
Leaning into her touch, I smiled. “Thank you, Isis.”
“Love you,” she whispered in my ear when I hugged her again.
“Love you too.” Kissing her cheek, I pulled away. “Have you seen Dante?”
“He’s missing too?” she rolled her eyes. “Maybe he’s with Bj?rn. When did you last see him?”
Her question made my heart lurch in my chest, remembering…
“Dante!” I shouted through our direct link, turning in a circle as my keen gaze scanned the battlefield. “Dante!”
“When did you last see him?” Isis asked again, immediately noticing my rising distress.
Cupping my head, I looked at her, not really seeing her while vicious dread chilled my bones. “He took over fighting the Dark One so Bj?rn could get Anastasia out of here.”
Isis’s hand flew to her mouth with a loud gasp. Eyes filling with dismay. “Let’s not panic. I’m sure he killed him and is somewhere around here.”
“Dante!” she called.
“Dante is missing!” I sent into the shadow link at the same time.
André and Natasha whirled to look at me from the other side where they stood with my dad. “What do you mean, he’s missing?” André asked.
“Dante!!” Isis yelled toward the battlefield even louder. “Help me find Dante,” she recruited someone, but my gaze was glued to my mates.
They flashed toward me. “He’s not missing. He’s Dante,” Natasha reasoned, but worry clouded her eyes. “He’s here somewhere… Dante!”
“Dante! Answer right now or I swear…” André hissed into our minds, but there was no answer.
“Aaah!” Natasha’s piercing scream silenced everyone, her form staggering back against André and me from the shock.
Our gaze followed hers to find the Dark One had reappeared across from us, tossing our mate onto the sand.
Dante’s body rolled to a stop, his arms shaking when he attempted to stand but failed, his form collapsing. He was beaten within an inch of his life.
“Dante!” Natasha yelled, pushing us out of her way as she ran toward him.
Shaking the shock and horror André and I flashed toward the Dark One, seeing Bj?rn blink and tackle him, taking him away before we could reach him.
André and I skidded to a stop glancing at each other as true fear gripped us.
“They were both fighting him all this time?” André gasped.
“Help us!” Natasha shouted, trying to make him drink her blood but he kept pushing her hand away.
We rushed toward them, to find Dante lying on his back, glancing at the sky as he tried to speak. “No. I-I—”
“Drink, damn it!” Natasha shouted, gripping his suit while tears left her.
“He can’t…” André’s words called her attention to him. “Only the Twilight can heal him, remember?”
Her dismayed eyes lifted to him, and she nodded, seeming helpless.