Chosen: Book 1 in the Ancients of Light series (10 page)

The impish smile that answered matched the
sass in her tone, “No Lorcan, I did that because you deserved
it.”

Even as he was shaking his head over her
outrageous answer, his mind was dissecting her other statement. If
Myrrdyn were playing in this plot there was great significance to
it. Everything that the Ancient set to do worked towards the
ultimate purpose of the Light. Lorcan peered into the now-visible,
starry night and wondered if this was what would finally bring him
to prayers before the God that Myrrdyn called the entire Realm to
believe in. Between Myrrdyn’s tricks and manipulation and the
beautiful girl the Sorcerer had wrapped in a bow and dropped at his
feet, Lorcan may very well need to begin a life of prayer…for
sanity and patience.

After scrutinizing her keenly for a moment
Lorcan gave her a nod. He raised his voice to be certain all within
the surrounding courtyard would hear his vow, “You are under my
protection Kaitriana.” She beamed at him and visibly relaxed.
Lorcan could all but feel the pleasure radiating from her, but
would it earn his forgiveness for his earlier behavior?

She wet her lips with the dart of her tongue
and the change to seriousness in her demeanor was instant, “Your
word is your vow.”

There was no question in her words just a
mere confirmation of fact; his character and honor were highly
touted and beyond reproach in the Realm. Lorcan bristled slightly;
she need not require confirmation from him in front of the Coven.
Although Lorcan had a well-earned reputation as a vicious foe in
battle, his strict code of honor, the same code he demanded of his
warriors, was equally part of his legend. He quickly reminded
himself that she was young and more than likely still rattled by
the transition and the events that had followed. He discarded his
irritation. Kaitriana would need to be instructed regarding these
things, but for now her statement was confirmed by Lorcan’s quick
nod.

His honor was also what drove him forward to
her; her hands were quickly grasped in his one while his other
brushed curls back from her face. Lorcan’s expression was earnest,
“The report of your death haunted me these many years. “ He used
her captured hands to tug her closer and his voice lowered for her
alone, “I believed your appearance false, an act of evil treachery
from the Dark or…the Witch…” Trailing off his eyes peered deeply to
hers, willing her to see the truth and his regret over his earlier
actions.

Kaitriana was relieved. Apparently the pain
she had witnessed through Myrrdyn’s memories, the vampire’s pain at
the report of her death, was not false. She took another step
forward of her own accord, so close now that the back of his hand
met with the satin covering her abdomen. Her cheek brushed his as
she leaned up on tiptoes to whisper to his ear, “Twas but a moment
my lord. Had my wits not been scattered from the pain I would have
come to you differently. Your reaction was none but which I should
have anticipated. There are no ill effects and no forgiveness
required; you freely give your protection, tis enough.”

Lorcan could have sworn she rubbed her cheek
against his, but the touch was ever so brief it may have been
incidental. Her eyes were downcast, shadowed by sooty lashes as she
withdrew. He could not read her expression, but he could detect the
increased pace of her heart. He also grasped hold of the fact that
she had said she would have come to him leaving him to wonder if
the pull he felt towards Kaitriana was mirrored in her towards him.
That she would willingly seek him, with the only basis between them
a few fleeting encounters shared over the span of five hundred
years, spoke volumes. Lorcan believed he was not alone in the need
he felt and the instinctive awareness he had of her, but whether or
not she had come to the full realization of what that meant for
her, he did not know.

CHAPTER 11

Kaitriana was very mindful of the quickening
of her heart and the flush of warmth caused by his nearness. That
was the very reason her gaze was hidden as she stepped back and
remained so until she could look at Lorcan without revealing the
consuming attraction she felt. His being the Warrior of Light was a
natural lure to her Warrior Caste instincts. However, now that he
was not a threatening menace, his darkly handsome looks were
overwhelming. Those piercing steel eyes and the masculine strength
of his features coupled with the muscular frame of his towering
form had her reeling. She reasoned that she had still not gathered
her wits and had been without the contact of another being in over
five centuries. Certainly she could excuse the unreasonable draw to
him because she was simply out of sorts.

Lorcan was becoming acutely aware of the
murmuring throughout the many that stood behind. The words ‘chosen’
and ‘prophecy’ were being bandied about and he was aggravated by
it. His people need not get their hopes raised that this little
creature would bring about the Prophecy of old. Transitioned she
could be only as powerful as a normal vampire. The female had
certainly struck a serious blow to the Ancient Dark this eve, but
the inevitable retaliation had him mightily concerned. The fury of
the Dark would ensue and her magic was now dead. When word spread
that the one responsible was under his care it would bring down the
full wrath of Rhydach on his people. It had weighed on his mind
even as he made the public declaration of protection for the
girl.

His youngest sibling Gareth took that
opportune moment to move to the front of the crowd, elbowing his
way past even the Elite. His bold words carried to Lorcan as he
raised a hand in Kaitriana’s direction, “That creature was born a
witch and her transition was not sanctioned by the Council. Her
very existence is forbidden. She is an abomination!” Gareth spat
the last. Drawing his sword, he issued a challenge to Lorcan, “If
you will not end her brother, I will do that which is
required.”

The Elite near simultaneously put their hands
to their weapons. Challenging Lorcan was a death wish and their
allegiance was to Lorcan, not to the Council. Lorcan had offered a
vow of protection to the girl; the Elite themselves would die
before allowing any harm.

Lorcan shifted his gaze to Sayer, the second
behind Colm in leadership of the Elites and his middle brother.
Lorcan and Sayer shared a similar nature and appearance, as well as
a bond that was absent for both of them with the youngest. Gareth
took after their father in both looks and demeanor; he had the pale
hair, coloring and slighter build of their sire along with his
acrimonious hatred for the Witch. As with Colm, words need not be
exchanged between the elder brothers for there to be understanding.
Sayer nodded and motioned the Elite to stand down. Although
compliance was immediate, the five remained vigilantly attentive to
the confrontation before them should action become necessary.

Lorcan fingered the hilt of his sword lightly
as his gaze checked the girl and then shifted back to his brother,
“The female…
vampire female…
is under
my
protection, in
my
home, in
my
Coven. If a
threat is made against her it is made against me.” Gareth remained
unmoving, his sword still high and his scathing gaze affixed firmly
on Kaitriana. His lack of compliance flamed Lorcan’s anger, “Do you
understand me Gareth? Stand down, lest I feel the need to drive
some sense into your thick skull with my fist.”

The temper in his words directed at most any
would have caused immediate action. Gareth, reckless in his youth
and feeling safe from harm as Lorcan’s brother, found it necessary
instead to correct his brother’s mistake, “Her beauty causes you to
react so, brother. Even you cannot defy the law of the Council and
the edicts of our own father.”

Bubbling laughter from Kaitriana cut short
Lorcan’s reply. Both brothers as well as the Elite turned
incredulous gazes on her. Perhaps the transition had made her daft
and she did not comprehend the precarious situation. The
possibility existed that she may have hundreds of warrior Vampire
seeking her death in the next few moments were they likeminded with
Gareth.

Kaitriana cast them all a look of censure for
staring at her. She could tell from their expressions their
wonderings about her mental state. This latest delay was ridiculous
and was the reason for her humored outburst. Though she realized
that she was not fully herself, she was no…she grasped for the
right word from her memories…ah, ninny. She smiled prettily at them
all - aye, she was no ninny.

Her head was beginning that throbbing ache
once more. Moreover, her magic was barely leashed and the hunger
was making her feel like a ravenous dog. The situation needed to
end now. Rather than taking shelter behind her massive protector,
Kaitriana surprised them all by directing her icy gaze at Gareth.
Her voice was strong and purposely raised so that all that gathered
might hear, “I am neither an abomination…nor shall I willingly
submit to your blade. Please be a dear and do as your brother
requested.”

Kaitriana continued on to mutter under her
breath, “Stupid Council…” and nodded her head in an exaggerated
motion to affirm that blasphemous assessment of the Ancient Vampire
leaders. Lorcan and his men were all giving her that look again and
for that she was going to try extra hard to rankle their feathers,
“Your brother also happens to be just such an…” she paused for a
touch of drama “…
abomination
.”

There was a rumbling through the gathered
vampires then but she did not spare even Lorcan a glance. He might
likely beat her for driving her point home at his expense with the
reminder of the circumstances of his birth and his heritage.
Kaitriana was not quite ready to face his fury full on again.

She knew better but could not control her
tongue. This latest encounter was truly driving her to the brink
after this seemingly never-ending night. She encompassed them all
with a regal wave of her hand. “All of you are so willingly blind
to the lineage of your mighty warlord because it suits you?” She
gave a little rumbling growl and bared her fangs as she gave her
attention back to Gareth. The power inside her was driving her ire
to an unreasonable level and had her eyes shifting dark with
Vampire rage. With deliberate slowness she leveled a finger at him,
“Your
mother
was a Witch. Welcome to Club
Abomination you repugnant whelp.”

A few of the Elite had the audacity to smirk
over her saucy taunt, which served only to drive Gareth further
beyond control. He shadowed a few yards closer. His sword rose
along with his voice in anger, “I shall end you now, not for the
disgusting creation that you are but for your insolence Witch.”

She spread her arms wide to either side of
her then, her face a study of question as though confused,
“Vampire, Witch, Vampire, Witch…which is it Gareth? Either one or
the other but surely not both?” She laughed merrily. Kaitriana
sensed Lorcan moving closer from behind her and she wondered idly
if he was about the throttle her. Throttle…oh, another good word.
She tucked it away for later use.

Kaitriana’s eyes were deadly black, but a
murmur was sweeping the crowd as they began to notice that hers
remained ringed in blue. The odd trait was identical to that of
their Coven leader. Paying no heed to the conversations, Kaitriana
sighed heavily, thoroughly put out by the exchange, “And I shall
not
end you now because you are not worthy
of my attention. You are a most ignorant cur, Gareth.”

Before the little one could damage completely
any chance she might have to find home in his Coven, Lorcan
muttered to Colm, who had shadowed back in time to hear her last
insult, “She must be fed, she is becoming unmanageable.” He made
move to pull her to him but Kaitriana was having none of it. She
skirted his reach easily as lightning blazed through the night sky.
It drew Lorcan’s notice this time. When his gaze riveted back to
her, his expression was stunned.

Catching his look, she confirmed with a
slight inclination of her head that the bolts of light were not
nature’s doing. Kaitriana wondered for a moment if Lorcan and his
men would turn on her at the realization that her magic remained.
She quickly dismissed it; frankly she was too incensed to care. She
had had a wickedly bad night and now Gareth dared to cast
aspersions on her character.
She
was in
the line of
Myrrdyn
; Gareth was but a
bloodsucking leech. Her right hand stretched forth. Gareth’s blade
was pulled from his hold and found home within hers with seemingly
no effort on her part. Gareth was left to gaze dumbfounded at his
empty hand.

More lightning followed and another sigh
escaped her lips. “How’s that plan…” she struggled for the words,
upset that it was totally ruining the effect “… working out for you
Gareth?” Kaitriana’s left hand glowed with blue light.

She next affected a tone as though schooling
a young child, “One should know one’s foe before rushing to attack.
Perhaps your failure to understand this is the reason you are not
an Elite? Or is it just because you are weak?” When he continued to
look at her slack-jawed, she jabbed the air with Gareth’s own
sword, punctuating each word, “Rude little vampire, I
do not
like you.”

The uneasiness spreading over their audience
was palpable. Hushed words contained both fear and awe. Lorcan
moved in her direction once more and her gaze fell on him. Sadness
marked her expression briefly before masked. “Lorcan…please,” the
anger had left her tone as she spoke to him and there was a
desperate edge of fear in her plea.

Lorcan could see the exhaustion etched in her
features now, the weakness she was desperately trying to counter
long enough to bring the situation to resolution. Did she fear that
he would not honor his vow of protection, that he too would see her
as abomination now that her magic had been revealed? Was that what
weighed on her? He would never persecute her and would never
tolerate such. He understood full well the pull of magic.