Love Unfortunate (7 page)

"So why didn’t you?"

Liana flinched. "You were just a human. How could you’ve understood, much less believed?"

"Tell me who you really are."

"I’ve told you before."

"Yes, many, many times. I want to hear it again. It’s the least you can do, don’t you think?"

Laurent’s unforgiving stare unnerved her. No matter how many times she said the words, they never came any easier. Laurent knew that and wanted to wound her. He succeeded beautifully.

"Have you ever heard of Hel? Legend records her as being the half-dead daughter of Loki and ruler of the Underworld."

"Pagan beliefs. Unholy to God. Demons—that’s what she was, wasn’t she? I don’t have to wonder what that makes you." He took perverse pleasure in Liana’s broken posture. "Finish your tale, my love."

She nodded, clinging to the pitiful hopes attached to a scornful endearment. "What they don’t say is how she had the power to help bring this world to an end. Before she could use it…the Elders…my guardians…found a way to seal her. But even locked away in slumber, Hel still had the strength to summon a man to her forsaken tower."

Liana stared at her hands, feeling the helplessness of her origins.

"She quickly drove him mad, but not before accomplishing her first goal—giving birth. Hel needed me to break her seals. I almost did…because I loved her so much. But she didn’t love me back. I was just a tool to her."

"Not just you."

The bitter words held a wealth of meaning for Liana. "No, not just me." She met his gaze squarely. "I’m a vampire, Laurent, but I’m not like the rest. The blood of gods and kings runs through my veins. I influence wars and bring about unspeakable death. I don’t love it, but this is who I am. I can’t be controlled. I can’t be stopped and it takes very little for me to follow my nature."

Unabashed love shined brightly amidst tears.

"But I changed when I met you. I became more than just a divine hammer. When you looked at me, you saw what I could be. Who I was didn’t matter. It doesn’t have to now."

"It does matter because you haven’t changed."

"I have!"

"No. You are your mother’s daughter, Liana."

"I am not! Hel loved nothing but death. I love nothing but you, Laurent."

"Me? Hmph. Don’t forget Cristophe. Don’t forget how much you love that monster too." Laurent studied the effect of his cruelty. He smiled with bitter glee. "So know this—I couldn’t hate you more than I do now."

Liana’s fine features twisted in a tortured grimace. "If I let you stay awake, will you try with me?"

Laurent trembled with loathing. "I’ll kill you. I’ll rend your limbs apart, burn you alive, and wait until your ashes regenerate. Then I’ll do it again. I’ll keep doing it over and over until you’ve paid for what you’ve done to me."

Liana choked back her tears, knowing she deserved his venom. Not for what happened the first time, but what happened each time afterwards.

For what was going to happen tonight.

"When I wake again, I’ll think it’s our first night in the tower."

"I know."

"Why?!"

"I don’t know."

Her wounded sigh enraged him. "Why wouldn’t you? You’ve kept everything the same. The fortress, the people, even yourself. You manipulate it so I’ll never suspect the truth. Because you don’t want me to know."

"Everything I’ve ever done has been to protect you! I’ve whored my will to keep you! I’ve done profane things for this dream, Laurent. I won’t apologize because I’d do it all over again if it meant keeping you."

"I’ll never get to go to Heaven because of what I am, will I?"

Liana picked her words with precision. She feared to make things worse. "No. Not your Christian one."

"There is no other." Lifelessness overcame him. "Let me sleep."

"Not yet. Not like this."

Harsh laughter dirtied the air. "THIS isn’t any different than any of the other times—and you never had a conscience to bother you before. Now do it."

Obsessive attachment dictated her next move. She laid her small hand over his heart. "I do love you. Maybe one day you’ll see."

Laurent lifted a trembling hand and pulled her head down. "And maybe one day you’ll let us both fly from this cage, little bird."

Helpless once more, Liana claimed Laurent’s mouth in a wretched kiss. Power pooled from her fingertips into his chest, seizing his heart. When Liana pulled back, Laurent’s eyes stayed closed.

Agonizing pressure threatened to send her crashing. Liana stumbled from the bed and rushed towards the door. Yanking it open, she slammed it shut. Her fingers slid the bolt into place, locking her lover in perpetual slumber.

"And maybe one day you’ll let us both fly from this cage, little bird."

Bitter sobs rent the silence as she gave into her anguish. Liana may have made this ending different, but it meant nothing. Once more she stood naked, broken, and bleeding on this side of the door—without Laurent.

Footsteps scraped against worn stone, interrupting her mourning instantly.

You’re here!

Liana needed him desperately. Only he could understand her sins—for they were also his. "I lost Laurent again."

Cristophe stood at the darkened entrance. His silver-blond hair shimmered with unnatural brilliance. "I hoped that by now…" The words left unsaid cut to the core of her disgraceful existence.

"He…hates…me." Liana sank to her knees, unmindful of nudity or dignity. "Laurent HATES me."

Cristophe came forward and enveloped Liana within his arms. "Ssh, I’m here for you. You’re not alone."

Wounded cries spilled from her cracked lips as she clutched him tightly. "Why can’t I undo this?!"

Two children were spawned in a forsaken tower. Nursed by hate and manipulation, they became monsters.

Once free, they thought to challenge their destiny.

But in the end, it didn’t matter because Liana and Cristophe couldn’t fight who they really were.

And so, they never left that tower—only collected broken companions.

Cristophe bowed his head and wept, knowing there was nothing he could do to mend the tragedy he had helped create.

"How long are you going to keep doing this, Liana?" he whispered hoarsely. "When will you stop this madness?"

The only answer the desolate vampire received came from the tower in the form of echoes.

Mournful echoes of his sister’s grief and their victim’s unnatural slumber.

LOVE UNFORTUNATE – Epilogue

Hours passed before Liana let out a final, watery sigh. She rubbed her cheek against Cristophe’s damp coat. "Laurent hates me."

"I know. He hates us both. This is why—"

"But it won’t stop me from trying again," she interrupted violently, knowing exactly what her brother was going to say—what he always said. "Everything at this manor is just how it was then. The Shapeshifters I hire ensure that even the people look exactly the same. It’s all perfect…so why do I keep failing?"

"Because HE doesn't want this, Liana. That's why. What you're doing to him is cruel and wrong, don't you see?"

"Everything's perfect," she murmured as if she never heard him speak. "Everything's perfect except for me."

Cristophe tightened his arms. Pity and helplessness scarred his ethereal beauty. "Liana, how long will you fight this losing battle? Eight centuries have already passed! How many times will I find you like this?"

"As long as I exist. I’ll never stop until I get him back."

Slender fingers ran through her hair with long, soothing strokes. "And if it doesn’t happen?"

"It will! Laurent is mine, Cristophe. I will cure his madness. I’ll cure it and
no one
will take him away before then."

"Even the End of Days?"

Liana pulled away, chilled by what she had been racing against frantically. "That’s why you’re here, isn't it? After all, I haven’t seen you since Vietnam. Why else now?"

"Because our nature calls." While a beautiful smile teased the corners of Cristophe’s full mouth, his eyes reflected terrible sadness. "War is coming, Liana. Iraq has just invaded Kuwait."

She held his gaze for several moments before shrugging. "I care not."

"So you won’t come."

"No." Liana stood up. "I’m needed here. Any one of a hundred gods can take my place and provide you with an opponent."

"I don’t do it for sport." Cristophe’s fiery tone belied his negligent posture. "So don’t you dare insinuate that I enjoy this anymore than you do."

Liana began her trip down the tower stairs, steps weary but sure. "I’m sorry. You’re right. I shouldn’t have said that. I’m just not used to real conversation."

"You say it so matter-of-factly. This is madness, Liana!" Cristophe kept close to her heels. "What happened at the beginning cannot be taken back. Neither you nor your ridiculously overpaid scientists can erase the past."

"I know! Don't you think I know that! Those who can change time won't come here no matter how much I offer them so this is the only way left to me!"

"They won't come because this is something that can't be erased, Liana."

"I’m not trying to erase it. I’m just trying to fix it."

"By replaying the same tape over and over again?" They reached the last step. Cristophe's tired whisper pleaded in favor of the inevitable. "You spend exactly twenty days in this tower. You’ve never made it to twenty-one, Liana."

"I’m very aware of that fact, Cristophe." Liana waited for him to say his peace before exiting. It was a trial of patience but she owed him this much.

"It won't change. This madness won't stop until you free him."

"No!" Liana whirled around and pushed against his chest. "I will never free him. Laurent belongs to me. Don't ever suggest it again!"

Cristophe grasped her violent hands with gentle pressure. "He loved you, Liana, but what you're doing is eroding every bit of that away. Can't you see?"

"No, he loves me. I love him. Nothing will change it." She stated the words with the calmness of someone too maddened to see anything else. "He's getting better. Tonight was different. I will fix this."

"I know you believe it, Liana."

"Why can't you?"

"I tried. I was more than willing to help you and did for over three-hundred years to make this right."

"I never kept you from leaving, Cristophe."

Exasperation laced his voice. "I’m not saying you did."

"Then what are you saying?"

"I’m saying I left because I couldn’t stand to see you continue to barter your life away to chase this dream. I left because this is never going to change."

"You didn’t love him, Cristophe. You’ve never lost anyone like this. You wouldn’t understand."

"I understand love because I love you. And I see what loving Laurent is doing to you."

Cristophe’s next words shot out, designed to pierce through Liana’s apathy.

"You’ve killed to keep all away. You’ve defied the Elders and threatened to send this world to Hell to keep this land. You’ve refused to change one thing of your appearance, but don’t you see? You can’t fix what we broke because
it is not meant to be fixed
."

Liana yanked her hands away from his. She turned away and pushed the door open, uncaring of her nudity or the swarm of bodies who could see it.

Cristophe viewed the milling crowd with mild disgust. The array of guards, scientists, and Shapeshifters gave his sister's madness legitimacy. It infuriated him. "You’re going back to the lab, aren’t you? Back to your data and reports?"

"What do you think?"

"I think that you’re going to end up destroying whatever is left of his mind! If it’s not destroyed already."

She whirled about, rage contorting her fine features. "It’s not destroyed! Laurent,
my
Laurent, is still there. So stop trying to convince me otherwise!"

Identical gazes glared in stalemate. Finally, Cristophe nodded his head and murmured, "I hope you are right, Liana. I truly do."

She swallowed once and replied, "I’ll come to the next one after Iraq. I won’t let you shoulder our legacy alone."

"Legacy? Curse is more apt. There is no rest for the wretched Children of Hel. But we are as we are, Liana. It's how we choose to live that determines the quality of our existence."

Liana's patience with her brother's lectures had long since come to an end. "Go back to Rome, Brother. I don't believe you've prayed enough today."

"My prayers are spent on you, Liana. Don't mock them." He didn't wait for an apology that didn't exist. Instead, he clasped her in his arms. "I have to leave, but I will see you soon. I'll send word of the next engagement."

She returned his embrace. "Things are getting worse—even without me leaving this compound. Aries must be becoming fat."

"He's been very busy, not that he minds." Cristophe kissed her brow and released her. "The Elders believe the seals will break before this generation grows old. What do you feel?"

She watched her lead scientist approach with robe in tow. Accepting the garment with thanks, she slipped it on and motioned for Cristophe to follow. The final visual enchantments about the castle fell with a brush of her hand. A silver door appeared in place of battered stone. "Do you want to come up for a bit?"

"No, thank you. I really have to go." Cristophe saw her nod her head in acceptance while reaching for the door. He repeated his question of before. "What do you feel, Liana?"

"Yes, they're right. We have a little over twenty years left." Her hand tightened on the door handle. The cold metal reminded Liana of the fear spiking in her heart. "I’m running out of time."

Cristophe remained silent. There wasn’t anything left to say.

"Do you ever miss how we were?" she asked suddenly. "You know, before the Elders took us away."

"Sometimes."

"Why?"

"It was just us. Hel didn't exist for me, Liana. Only you." Futile regret brushed across his words. "I know that's not what it was for you. I know she spoke to you. I know she tried to force her will on you while I dreamt. I know she scarred you in ways she couldn't do to me."