Eternal War Rising to the South: The Beynok Vampire Series (13 page)

“Anya, I have never experienced such a strong path to someone’s mind as yours. It’s amazing. This will help us when we are in battle. I am sure of it.”

Great. He knows everything.
“So am I able to have a private moment with my own thoughts while you’re in a room with me, or are you unable to control your own power?”

Galloway nodded his head and turned to leave. “I am assuming you’re hungry. Now come.”

I followed Galloway back through the doorway and up the stairwell to the grand foyer.
Is this scroll stuff entirely true or just some game the vampires were playing with the Beynoks to turn their future leader against them?

The need for Sorin struck me hard in my chest. I needed him to be by my side to help me make sense of all this. I never thought I would rely on a vampire this way, but I ached for him. Galloway must have picked up that thought, too, because he said, “Sorin will be back soon. He didn’t tell me where he was going, but he asked me to reassure you he wouldn’t be gone long. He loves you very much. I know it’s a lot to take in right now, but everything will come together soon. I promise. Please follow me.”

We walked through the foyer to the other side of the mansion toward the kitchen. Thank God, because I was starving. As I followed, we went through many rooms full of paintings, Victorian furniture, and historic items. There really was a lot of history here.

Corbin and Serenity were standing behind a huge island when I walked in the kitchen. Corbin was flipping four large steaks on an indoor grill, and Serenity was chopping a garden salad. She smiled at me as I pulled up a stool in front of her. I sensed no more tension between us. “Why are you preparing four steaks? You don’t eat regular food.” I was hungry, but not hungry enough to eat four steaks.

“Oh shit, Princess. I forgot I was a vampire. I don’t eat steak.” Corbin slammed the tongs on the grill, shaking his head and laughing.

Serenity laughed too. “What Corbin is saying is we eat regular food sometimes. It doesn’t hurt us, and we enjoy it, depending on what it is, but human blood is the only thing that gives us nourishment. We could never survive without it.” She returned to her chopping.

Corbin placed four plates on the table in the kitchen, all with bloody steaks on them. There was only one bowl filled with salad placed on the table, so I knew that was where I was to sit. I think Corbin only cooked the meat for ten seconds on each side. The blood was gushing out as I pushed my knife in to cut it. My face must have said it all because Corbin jumped up and grabbed my plate and threw the steak back on the grill.

“Shit. I should have asked how you like your steak. So how do you like your steak?”

“Not with a side of blood. Medium is fine, thank you.” I was still shocked at seeing vampires put semi cooked meat into their mouths. “So why are you guys eating like this tonight?”

I really wanted to ask where their real food supply was. Just as the question hit me, I glanced up at Galloway and saw his lips open. I shook my head at him and said, “Please don’t answer unspoken questions.”

“Sorry about that. We’re eating with you because we didn’t want you to eat alone. We thought if we helped create something normal for you, it might help you cope. Beside I haven’t had a bloody steak in a long time and it’s quite good.” He placed his third bite into his mouth, and the look on his face told me he truly enjoyed the taste.

I could sense there were others here so I asked, “There are too many rooms in this mansion to only have a few vampires living in it. Aren’t there more vampires living here besides you guys?”

Galloway answered, “Many vampires live here. Some stay permanently, while others travel and stay for a few days here and there, like Sorin, Corbin, and Serenity.”

I could tell he was not telling me everything. He was an easy read when he allowed me in. Maybe this was his way of trying to make me feel better about the whole mind reading thing. Of course, I couldn’t tell what he was thinking, but I could siphon his emotions. He was definitely holding back something, and I could tell by his facial expression that he was reading my mind as well.

“So are you going to finish with the explanation?” I smiled at him. “I’m verbally asking for an answer.”

“Sorin asked me to keep the other male vampires away from you until he returns. So I sent both males and females away on tasks, except for the guards. He wants to introduce you to them himself. I can tell he hasn’t clearly marked you as his yet. Before you meet all the other vampires that dwell here, he wants it to be known that you belong to him.”

“Well, that’s direct. That confirms that Sorin really is crazy? I belong to no one.” I eyed him carefully and asked, “Who’s in charge here, anyway? Do you listen to what Sorin tells you to do? I thought you were the controller here.” I used a spiteful tone towards Galloway.

“I’m the controller here, and I’m one of the most powerful vampires walking this earth, Anya. But Sorin is almost as valuable to this war as you are. When it comes to you, I’ll do as Sorin wishes. Power and placement in the chain of command does not blind me when I am asked to do something of importance.” He was dead serious, excuse the pun.

Serenity piped up, “What do you think about becoming the leader of this nasty war we’re in? Are you up for it?”

“Fuck, Serenity. Do you always have to be so blunt? She has a lot to think about.” Corbin smiled with an apology written on his face.

“I like Serenity’s bluntness, but I’m not ready to give my answer. I have a lot to sort out and understand. Everything I’ve been taught has only been half-true. It’s kind of hard to do a one eighty on the way you think overnight.”

We finished our meal with small talk. After we had cleaned everything up, Galloway asked Serenity to give me a tour of the mansion so I’d know my way around.

Three hours later, I finished the tour of all four floors of the mansion. Serenity had shown me where everything was, but I wasn’t sure I had retained it all. There was a full library, an indoor pool, a theater, five conference rooms, several guest quarters, another kitchen, a game room, and a huge garage that fit more cars than I wanted to count. The tour ended on the fourth floor at the gym, where we found Galloway. It was set up for weight training, aerobics training, and combat training. All the equipment was state of the art, some I had never seen before. They could train an army there.

“That’s what I am hoping for,” Galloway whispered, responding to my thoughts again. “Why don’t you and Serenity spar. See if you can take a vampire one-on-one without weapons. Of course, don’t kill her, Anya.”

“She won’t be able to touch me,” Serenity said.

“You may have been in battles with other Beynoks, but never with me. Let’s see what you’ve got.” I was ready to get this estrogen war on.

I had fought vampires but never alone. Nickolai always had my back if I needed it, and I had on occasion. I realized, at that moment, I might never again fight with Nickolai or any other Beynok at my side. The thought was foreign to me, and I didn’t like the place my mind was going. I was starting to feel all alone without my family.

Serenity’s fist hit me in the face and knocked the self-pity right out of my head. A fight was what I needed. An hour later, with many punches and kicks thrown, Serenity and I had beaten the shit out of one another. We were an even match without my swords, and our fighting style was similar. I was exhausted, sweaty, and ready for a shower. During the fight, Galloway and Corbin stood in silence watching us. Maybe they were making sure one of us didn’t take it too far. In the end, they got a good show because our faces were bloody, and I was sure our bodies looked equally as bruised. Of course, Serenity would heal much faster than I would. It might take me a day, compared to her hours.

I felt Serenity’s body flop on the mat next to mine. I could barely move. My one good eye was able to make her body come into focus. I knew I looked as messed up as she did, or worse, and the thought made me laugh. It hurt like hell, but I couldn’t help it. A second later, I heard her join in. I couldn’t remember the last real laugh I’d had. It felt good even through the pain. I felt Serenity’s hand collapse over mine.

“Come on, Princess; let’s get you to your room so you can shower. I’ll let you borrow some of my clothes until the ones I ordered for you come in.”

She helped me up, and I couldn’t control my compulsion to hug her. To my surprise, she hugged me right back.

“You know, Serenity, you’re all right. I would be proud to fight by your side any time.”

“No, I’m the one who will be proud to follow your lead and fight by your side, Anya.”

Three days passed with no sign of Sorin. Life at the mansion with Galloway, Corbin, and Serenity had almost become normality for me. They had become my friends in many ways, but still, it felt strange at times. Some of the vampires that were sent away had come back, but I had not yet seen them. I could only sense them in the mansion with us. Galloway wanted to continue honoring Sorin’s wishes by keeping them distant from me until his return.

My sun had become the moon. I woke and slept the same hours a vampire does. It wasn’t much different from before. Most of my missions had been during the night, so I’d slept during the day, but back then, it was an option to miss the sun. In the mansion, it was almost an unspoken rule: No wondering around during the day for the Beynok. No one came out and said it, but I could read it in Galloway’s eyes when he would walk me to Sorin’s bedroom before each daybreak.

The house was sealed tight during daylight hours. Shields would lift in place in front of each window right before dawn. I could hear the mansion locking itself up tight. Each window and outer door would seal itself to the frame and a lock would slam into place. It was a suction sound and slam. No entry. No exit.

When Galloway secured me in the bedroom for the day, I would hear others walking around and talking in far off distances. My presence was putting a damper on the activities of the other vampires because I would never see them while I was out. You could blame Sorin and his obsessive wishes for that one. I thought Vladimir and Irena’s story about Sorin’s obsession with me must be true. He didn’t want other vampires around me until I’m “marked.” What kind of shit was that? If I had been anywhere else, I would never have allowed anyone or anything to tell me what I could or couldn’t do. It wasn’t in my nature. I had to remind myself daily that the mansion was full of vampires, a species I had daily tried to destroy, not too long ago.

During my captive time in the bedroom, I slept some, but mostly read books from the mansion’s library or wrote. Some days I would write for hours about how I was feeling and the emotions I was holding in. I missed Sorin and wondered where he was. I could talk to Galloway, Corbin, or Serenity, but not really because I didn’t know what was acceptable in their world. I was trying my best to fit in.

There were hours of sparring and training with Corbin and Serenity. Afterwards, I would shower and sit in the library with Galloway, going over the weaknesses and the strengths of different species. We talked about battle strategies and personal experiences, followed by the usual steak dinner.

I was getting tired of the same routine. The same talks and the same dinner. I was going to end this. I no longer cared about Sorin’s wishes. They were stupid. I was sick of staying indoors and doing the same things, although I appreciated everything that Corbin, Serenity, and Galloway had done for me so far. They had been welcoming and accommodating in every way, but things needed to change or I was going to go crazy.

When I woke up, I made it official, in my mind, of course. Tonight I was going for a run outside. I needed fresh air. I no longer cared if it was sunlight or moonlight that lit the sky. I needed to go outside.

So I woke extra early, put on a set of Serenity’s workout clothes and sneakers, strapped my swords on, and out my bedroom door I went. Everything was silent in the house. The windows and doors had not yet unlocked. I hustled down the three flights of never ending stairs to the main foyer. All I had to do was wait for the front doors to unlock, and I was free to go outside. I wonder how much longer I have to wait. When I’d left the room, I’d only had seven minutes left until the house opened itself up.

I think they forgot I was a Beynok warrior who was supposed to be their leader. I still hadn’t digested that one. Had they forgotten I could take care of myself? What were they trying to protect me from? If I was to be their leader, it surely wasn’t going to happen if we continued down this road. A caged bird is what I felt like. Please open the little metal bars so I can fly out. I’ll come back. I promise.

Snap … pop. The locks on the shields freed, and the doors loosened from the frame of the mansion. The roar that traveled the halls as the shields slid off the windows and doors told me it was time.

I pulled one of the front doors open, and out I went. I stood on the entrance steps for a few seconds in amazement. My feet told me to get going, so I did. I wanted to get my bearings first, so I started in a slow jog. The road we drove on to come here was the only road I knew, so I decided to go in that direction.

I knew the drive, once past the gates, had been about two miles to the mansion. To the gates and back would be a long enough jog for today. I didn’t want to push my luck. Leaving the mansion without asking or telling anyone was bad enough. I didn’t want to be gone too long.

It felt great. The cool breeze in my face and fresh air in my lungs was erasing the claustrophobia. I was far enough away from the mansion to open my senses up fully. I had felt my way around the mansion some but never fully open. I let go of my control, and off my mind went bouncing off trees to ground and back to the trees. I was stretching my legs and mind and it felt great.

I was almost to the iron and stone three-story gates when I sensed a power coming in my direction. It was a group of vampires. I could tell that much and they weren’t coming to say hi, either. I stopped running to focus on their direction. There was one extremely powerful vampire and five others with him. My senses told me they were running and only about a mile outside of the main gate.

If I ran at full speed in the direction of the mansion, I might be able to make it back to warn the others. The wind must have blown my scent in their direction because the powerful one sped up, leaving the others behind. The distance he was putting between the other five was impressive. At this rate, I might only have to fight one and then five, rather than all six at once. Yeah, I was pretty sure that wasn’t going to work, either.

The hate and determination from the one in front shot through me. I could have sworn it felt like Gallagher. I had to filter my senses a touch so it didn’t affect my race to the mansion. Boy, did I ever pick a great day to sneak out. What a reunion I’d miss between Gallagher and Galloway if I managed to get killed.

Shit. Pick up the speed, Anya.
I had never taken my life seriously, only the lives of the ones I was in charge of during a battle. Times had changed. I no longer was just in control of my own balance, but of the balance of good and evil. I owed it to the ones that wanted to fight with me against evil to stay alive. I owed it to Sorin who has searched for me for years just to show me my real purpose in life. I wanted to live each one of my rises to its fullest potential.

I wanted to live. I had never run from a fight before, and I tried to tell myself I was running now so I could fight later, but it still didn’t feel right.

I thought,
NO. If it’s my fate to be the leader, then I will not die now.
For the first time since I read that damn scroll, I believed. I believed in myself and the prophecy. My instinct told me it was not time for me to fall but a time to rise.

I could sense the powerful one reaching the gates. He was about a half mile in front of the others now. When I felt him jump the gates, I heard a siren sound from the mansion.
Good, so they do keep surveillance.
I was a little over half a mile from the gates, so I turned and stood my ground. Others were sure to come shortly and fight off the other five tagging along behind.

I was right; a seven-foot Gallagher came into view like a speeding bullet, about hundred yards away. It was my turn to fight the bastard. I pulled my most trusted companions, my swords, and something oddly comforting but strange happened.

The stones on my swords were doing their color show again. The stones turned crystal clear and an amethyst-colored cloud appeared before me. It started to travel around the circumference of my body as I stood in wonder and awe. A surge of energy pelted into me from the two swords and it felt amazing. My body tingled and felt powerful. The same thing had happened when I defended Sorin from Gallagher, but this time it was enhanced. Once again, the cloud disappeared as fast as it appeared. My stones went back to their normal color but the surge of energy was still traveling my body.

I waited, watching the giant vampire storm in my direction. Gallagher was traveling so fast I could see the tree branches that lined the road dance as if gusts of wind blew by them. He was here for one thing, to kill me, and I didn’t need my gift of sense to know that.

I held my swords in my hands absorbing and welcoming the height of energy running through me. I only had seconds to figure out a plan and understand this incredible new strength before he reached me.

Gallagher was faster and much more powerful than I was. If he was as old as Galloway, and he was, he was going to be the oldest vampire I had ever been in battle with. The older a vampire becomes, the harder it is to kill them, same rule with Beynoks. If a vampire was ancient, and he was, a sword through the heart wouldn’t kill him. I was going to have to take his head clear off his shoulders.

A plan was coming together, almost. I knew what to do, but how was I going to do it by myself. Nickolai was not there to get my back. The feeling was strange.
Focus, Anya. Okay, just take his head off, and don’t get killed.
That was the extent of the plan I came up with in the time I had.
Game on.

I took my usual crouching position with my swords held firmly out ready to defend myself. Boy, was he fast … twenty yards … ten yards … face. He came at me with his fist to my face. Contact. I shook it off, turned and lunged at him as he sped past me. My foot returned the favor of his fist. Surprisingly, I knocked him down to the ground. The slice of my sword barely missed his neck as he dodged and rolled back to his feet with quickness.
Too slow, Anya, you need to be faster.

Strange thing was, I felt stronger, but my reactions seemed to be the same as usual. I thought,
His followers should be arriving shortly, but where the hell are mine? Surely they’ll send guards out if the sirens sounded.
I needed to buy some time now that I was face to face with Gallagher.

“How did you find me?” I was weaving in and out of his attempts to hit me with his fists.

“It was easy. I know Galloway takes Sorin in every now and then. So I checked a few places along the way before I came here, and look, here you are appearing as delicious as ever.”

Drops of venom formed on the tips of his fangs. His eyes were pitch black, and his heavy warrior clothes looked even more rugged than before. He had no weapons out. He was confident his body was enough to take me down, and I knew he might be right. I might die, but I was determined to give him the fight of his life.

“Why do you want me dead?” I knew the answer, but I wanted to hear the reason come out of his mouth. I ripped my sword through the air at his neck and missed. I had to be faster.

“You know why I want you dead, and after I kill you here, I’ll kill you again on your next two rises. You don’t believe in yourself enough to fulfill your prophecy. You’re doomed to fail.”

He made a quick move towards me and swung a fist at my face. I barely dodged it. He was quick, but I was smarter. Why would he ever think he and five other vampires could invade a mansion as large as this one and succeed at their mission?

“We were not here to invade. I was here to see if there was any trace of you or your beloved Sorin. When I smelled you so close and felt your senses bouncing around, it was too much of a temptation to make this only a scouting mission.” He paused and smiled devilishly, “Surely you can understand.”

Okay. So Galloway was not the only vampire with a mind reading trick.
Note to self, keep your mind closed to all old vampire bastards
. He came at me again. This time my swords tingled in my hands and shot a small surge of power into me. I was quicker than before. He came at me fast, but I was able to slice his stomach open. He bled out, turning his dirty warrior clothes crimson red.
Score one for me.

He gave me a malicious smile. “You think that hurt me. Compared to what I’m going to do to you, it was enjoyable. I heal almost instantly, honey.”

Where the fuck are the guards?
I had to open myself up to sense if there was help coming or if his followers were closing in on us. My mind, metaphorically speaking, ran down the road towards the main gates, shot out into the surrounding woods and traveled in the direction of the mansion.

I sensed the guards and the other five vampires should be arriving at the same time. I was hoping the guards would get there sooner so we could take Gallagher out, but my luck was not running so good. Gallagher must have smelled them, too, because he became anxious with his attacks towards me.

He knew the guards outnumbered him and his men. He would either have to kill me now or schedule another date. I was determined to hold him off. I sliced through an arm and then a leg during his attempts to attack me. With every slice he received from me, I received a punch to the face and stomach from him. I wasn’t winning this fight by any means, but he wasn’t either, and he knew it.

He plunged towards me and his mouth wrapped around my shoulder. The entry of his fangs into my body became painfully noticeable as I felt his venom leak into me. He sucked and bit deeper into my shoulder. During his invasion, I managed to insert one of my swords into his lower chest. Missing the heart was not like me. When the sucking stopped I felt the burning venom from his fangs travel my body. In a panic to get free, I carved back and forth into his chest like it was a piece of meat.