Forged of Fire (33 page)

The doors burst open and Alaric’s regal form filled the doorway. Gilly pushed past him and ran to the bed, pushing her sleeves up as she made her way to the bed. “I’m here, mistress Kielyn.” She scrambled up onto the other side of the bed and thrust her wrist over Kielyn’s mouth. Kielyn remained motionless, her vacant eyes fixed on the ceiling.

“Why won’t she feed?” Alaric was storming forward.

“I think she is too weak,” Stefen said worriedly. He grabbed Gilly’s wrist and moved it to his own mouth before looking over to Alaric. “I have to break the skin. It’s the only way.”

All Angel’s had fangs they could grow at will, same as Vampires, only it was considered crass to expose them and a sin to use them on another unless engaged in battle. Alaric nodded his consent and Stefen sank his bite into the Gilcolm’s flesh, puncturing a vein. He drew back when the coppery tannin of her blood filled his mouth. He angled Gilly’s dripping arm over Kielyn’s mouth as Alaric stepped up grabbing a flower vase as he approached. His brother held out the glass container and Stefen spit the blood into it. It was also toxic for Angels’ to consume the blood of others. All three watched as crimson drop, after drop, landed on Kielyn’s closed mouth and rolled across the lifeless porcelain of her cheek.

“It’s not working!” Gilly cried.

Stefen gently placed his thumb on Kielyn’s bottom lip and pulled down so that the blood stained her teeth. “Come on, Kielyn.”

As if on command, Kielyn’s tongue darted out to collect the lifesaving nectar. Stefen heard Alaric exhale beside him. “That’s it. Drink,” his brother encouraged. Two pearly white fang’s elongated and Kielyn sunk them into the vein. Gilly continued to sob, this time from joy as the nasty burns on Kielyn’s arms began to close shut and color slowly returned to her skin.

Kielyn continued to drink until Gilly’s eyes began to glaze over. “She can’t take much more or she will bleed the slave dry.” Stefen said.

“A sacrifice that will be for the better good.” Alaric answered just as Hamilton entered the room.

Kielyn’s eyes snapped open, a feral gleam radiating from them. She retracted her fangs and Gilly slumped to the bed, too weak to sit up any longer. “I will tend to the Gilcolm.” Hamilton rushed forward. “I had bags of donor blood brought in for possible situations like this and a nurse added to the staff who will discreetly attend to the transfusion.” He picked up the other woman and hurried from the room.

“Kielyn?” Stefen’s voice made her jump and she looked him over wildly as if she was trying to recognize him. “It’s me, Stefen,” he coaxed. “I got your call for help.” Her gaze softened and all at once she flung herself into his arms. He hugged her tightly as his own vision blurred before him. Whatever weird connection he had to this female could not be denied. He had been worried sick over her and now he was having a hard time holding back that emotion. He soothed her hair with his hand as she shook in his arms. “Shhh, you did good, dear friend. You did so very good, Kielyn.”

After about five minutes Kielyn pulled back and wiped her tear streaked cheeks with the back of her tattered shirt sleeve. “They still have the others. Bane betrayed us! Dante has Ash. He…He…” Fresh tears began to flow down anew. “He nearly beat Ash to death…” She choked on the last word.

Stefen wanted nothing more than to absorb her pain. He knew all too well what sort of grisly scene she had been made to witness. He could only pray Ash had survived all that was surely following the thrashing. Dante was a monster and now that he had Ash back…Stefen did not want to think on it. “Ash is very strong, Kielyn. He has survived this in his past. He will survive it again.”

“I wish I could believe that, but Dante is a bastard possessed. I managed to stop him by bending his blood to my will and freezing it, but I was just too weak to finish…I failed Ash!”

Stefen cocooned her in his arms again as much to comfort her as it was to conceal the anger he could no longer hide in his eyes. “I will get him back.”

“You cannot enter Hell!” Alaric spoke up, apprehension in his voice. He knew his little brother all too well.

“I can if I’m a Vampire.” Stefen lifted his eyes to his brother’s sea-green ones.

“I forbid it!” Alaric seemed to grow in size right before Stefen. “That is blaspheme!”

“Stop, stop, both of you.” Kielyn yanked back as though sensing the brewing sibling war. “There is another way Marsala said. Just before I jumped.” Her violet eyes searched Stefen’s. “She said you would explain it to me when I told you.”

Stefen reached out and brushed a fresh tear from her cheek. “The only way to enter is to become one of them.”

“No! She said there was another way.” Kielyn looked between the two Angels, imploring them both. “She said Alaric’s army could enter now that…” She looked back to Stefen. “Now that I am with child.”

Stefen processed the words with a myriad of mixed emotions. She was carrying the chosen one. A baby that could command all the realms. The only soul that could easily enter anywhere. His gaze shot up to Alaric’s who was likewise, contemplating this revelation. “It would mean you would have to go back in with us, Kielyn. The life inside you is the key to unlocking the door for us.” Alaric finally said.

“Absolutely not!” Stefen stood. “She can’t risk it. Especially now!”

Kielyn pushed to the edge of the bed and rose to her feet, her chin held high. “Neither Heaven or Hell can stop me!” She said firmly, looking from brother to brother. “Since day one all of you have had an opinion, a say, a ruling, in what my role here should be,” her crystal eyes shown with confidence. “It is time I enlighten you now. My responsibility, my destiny, my fucking right, is to be Queen! And by God, I will stand by my King!” She walked between them, her gaze never faltering. “That is not simply, my minds allotted role… It is my hearts unyielding choice!”

****

Kielyn’s hair whipped around her face as she stood with the others in the open meadow just after dusk. Over two thousand warriors lined up in rows behind her. Stefen stepped in front of her and began tightening the straps at her shoulders that fastened a metal chest plate. “Hopefully you won’t have need of this encumbering thing.” He smiled with his eyes. “But they do make for rather impressive fashion statements, huh?”

“I think if haute couture designers get wind of these,” she eyed Stefen’s own uniform. “Paris will have an interesting fashion week for sure.” Kielyn grinned as she looked down the line of battle ready soldiers. All of them looked like a cross between modern day bikers and medieval warriors. Clad from head to toe in form defining black leather, fitted metal breast plates and polished forearm guards, tall black military boots and various weapons ranging from crossbows, swords, throwing stars, battle axes, bows and guns adorned each male and female supernatural. It was a grand display of purpose and efficiency. The leather was soft enough to allow for unrestricted movement, yet still protective enough to ward off superficial wounds. The weapons were obviously hand selected by each individual as well, depending on specialized skill sets.

The thought reminded her that she possessed no special knowledge of any of these weapons. She felt utterly inadequate next to all these trained soldiers. “I don’t exactly have knowledge of any weapons, Stefen.”

He chuckled, his head swiveling to follow the direction of her vision down the battle line. “Everyone on this field has their own unique gifts.” He looked her in the eye. “You for example, are the only one among us that can freeze the ruler of Hell’s blood in his very veins.” He reached behind his back and pulled out a handgun. “But, if a physical weapon will make you feel better,” he handed her a gun. “This Glock G30 should do it.” He pulled out a clip and fixated it on her belt while Kielyn eyed the deadly piece of machinery. “The bullets are laced with Ashwood. Put one bullet in an advancing Vampire and it will slow them down. Put six in one Vampire and it will kill them within minutes.”

“I see.” She holstered the Glock. “Where do you want me when we get inside?”

“I want you sitting on the hill by the exit ravine waiting for us to return with Ash and the others.”

“You expect me to not help?” Kielyn eyed him like he had sprouted antlers. “Stefen, I cannot sit back and pretend to have a picnic while you lay siege on all of Hell!”

“You can and you will!” He said sternly. “The only reason you are even crossing over is to admit us all in. Then you will wait with Kizer.” His features softened. “I applaud you for your bravery Kielyn, but part of being brave is knowing when you are out matched,” his eyes moved to her stomach. “There is more than just your life to consider now.”

Before she could argue, Alaric strode up with Kizer and what looked to be about thirty Vampires, Benders, and some Originals. “We are ready.” He looked at her. “You will go in with them.” He motioned over his shoulder with his eyes. “They will protect you from anything at the border and give you time to welcome us in. Do you remember what to say?”

“Protectors of light, brighten the night,” Kielyn recited what Alaric had instructed her. She looked over to the other tall blonde standing beside Alaric. She was still uneasy about Kizer’s involvement, but Stefen had assured her he had read the Water-bender’s mind and there was zero knowledge of Bane’s betrayal. Kizer was virtuous of soul, Stefen stated.

“Yes.” Alaric stepped to the side. “We await your command.”

She nodded and stepped forward, joined by Kizer and the others. She took a deep breath as she tried to steady her nerves. A warm hand clasped hers and she looked up to see Kizer’s steady gaze silently assuring her. She closed her eyes and stepped over the invisible threshold.

They landed roughly as if hurled from the sky onto the far side of the ravine, all of them rolling quickly to their feet as the expected border guards attacked. Kizer and three benders surrounded Kielyn as the others fought off the Originals. “Now Kielyn!” Kizer said.

“Protectors of light, brighten the night.” She chanted and just like that, Alaric’s army descended. They took many shapes as they advanced on the unsuspecting guards. Alaric grew wings and took to the sky as a hawk after pulling the heart from an Original with his bare hands. Stefen morphed into a snarling wolf and ripped the throat out of another before the downed Original could open a device in his hand. The communication device, no doubt an alarm, skidded across the ground and was smashed by the heel of a bender.

The short lived fight was over before it had even begun and Alaric’s army sank into the depths of the forest like an advancing storm leaving Kielyn and Kizer to wait behind. “Damn it!” Kizer cursed beside her. She looked over to him. “I still can’t get a message through to Skyler,” he explained. “It’s like there is a blocker on our telepathy connection.” He huffed and began to pace their new surroundings.

Kielyn could relate, even though she wanted to warn Kizer that his maker might very well be in on Bane’s betrayal. But, she would obey Alaric’s orders to keep the subject mute until they had absolute proof. Regardless, she understood the Water-bender’s aggravation. It utterly sucked having to wait, wondering, hoping, and praying their loved ones returned safely. All the while, she and Kizer had to stay put, like unruly children, unable to assist at all. She stepped forward, looking deep into the dark of the forest.
Fucking Zander and his mental games!

A sudden idea slammed into her thoughts like a lightning bolt.
Zander…
Kielyn had managed to shut off his ability to enter her thoughts when she crossed back over into Earth’s realm. Now she wondered… Could she enter his? If she could see into his thoughts she might have an idea what was happening with Ash.

She closed her eyes and tried to track his energy. There, like a thin spider web floating in the dark was a trace of the connection they had shared, his forced telepathy on her. Kielyn mentally latched onto the thread’s end and focused on his essence. Like electricity running through a wire she sped, at an alarming pace, to his thoughts. He was sleeping. Kielyn frowned. There was nothing to be seen while he was at rest.
But…
She felt herself smile as she crafted the words, painted the nightmare and created the omen. Kielyn then placed the images with deliberate care into his dreams.

Shifting embers of light broke apart like granules of dust swarming the forest’s cool embrace, penetrating its clever concealment and exposing its nakedness. Dancing and drifting they swayed through the shadows, defining the difference that laid in between what one knew and what one fantasized. Their secrets misspoke, twisting and lying to the darkness which sought to draw forth clarity. Deeper in they pressed, consuming, with softly spoken whispers of pleasure and warmth. So unsuspecting was their charge, so quiet their advancement that the night never questioned their being. But… This is how it goes when the end is near at hand. It rarely makes a noise as it strokes softly along the breath of a fading breeze. It seldom leaves a trace of its time and cleverly disguises its purposeful destruction. The day simply slips in like a secret lover and just like the solid hands of death, it rarely announces it’s intent upon its dawning arrival.