Masquerade (Vampires Realm Romance Series Book 10) (30 page)

Sophis caressed his cheek and smiled at him, hoping to soothe the increasingly turbulent feelings that she could sense in him.

“You already apologised once, Vivek. You don’t need to keep apologising. I just want to put everything behind us and move forwards instead. I can’t pretend the past decade never happened, but I can forgive you and let it go. I’m sure I can find a way for you to make it up to me.” Sophis leaned closer to him and captured his lips with a soft kiss, savouring how they felt against hers, so tender and gentle, and full of affection. She wasn’t saying that there wouldn’t be times when she lost her temper because of something he did and she dragged up his past behaviour and threw it in his face, she was a woman after all, but she was willing to focus on her future instead.

Their future.

That both excited and frightened her. She had wanted someone to love her, and Vivek was that man, the one who could make her feel like the most beautiful woman in the world with only a glance and a smile in her direction.

“Come, let’s try to get some rest before the hunters come and before Tynan returns to taunt us some more. I have a feeling he may grow to enjoy subtly punishing us,” Vivek said and rose from the sofa. He extended his hand to her and she took it. He pulled her onto her feet, clipped her sword to her belt and then dealt with his own before slipping the dagger into a sheath on his other hip. She turned towards the door and Vivek stopped her by tugging her into his arms. He settled them around her and dipped his head. Sophis welcomed the brief kiss, drawing comfort from the fact that she wasn’t alone in her embarrassment.

She wasn’t alone.

It felt good.

It felt even better when Vivek took hold of her hand, linking their fingers, and held it as they walked through the dim basement corridors towards the stairs to the ground floor. She stared down at their joined hands, marvelling at the way Vivek’s engulfed hers and how firm his grip on her was, and how reassuring it felt. He was there with her, by her side. She almost laughed at the contrast between how they had acted around each other just yesterday and how they were today. Her eyes drifted up Vivek’s arm to his shoulder and then his profile, and she smiled to herself. It was still difficult for her to accept that he actually loved her, and that she loved him. It seemed ridiculous that she had felt such a way about him all these years, had remained in love with him regardless of his behaviour towards her. She was sure he would make up for that. She was already coming up with some interesting ways that he could once the masquerade was over, the hunters were dealt with, and the bloodlines had gone home.

Starting with letting her bite him again.

T
he afternoon sun still caught the front of the mansion, shining in through the windows and casting her shadow out long across the marble floor. Sophis didn’t like the warm feel of it on her skin even though she knew it couldn’t hurt her. She wanted to run across the room, seeking the safety of the first floor, but Vivek’s tight grip on her hand soothed her enough that she didn’t succumb to that urge. She was thankful for it when she lifted her head and saw Lady Prophecy standing in the middle of the double height pale room.

The ruler of the Caelestis bloodline stood in front of the windows, her eyes closed and face raised towards the sun, expression serene as though she was enjoying the feel of it on her skin and soaking into the black corseted dress she wore. It shone on her red hair, turning it radiant and as bright as fire. She lowered her head, turned her face towards Sophis, and opened her eyes.

The words that left her lips chilled Sophis to her marrow.

“They are here.”

A huge explosion rocked the ground and Vivek pulled Sophis against him. The light in the room brightened until it became dazzling and scarlet sparks leapt across Lady Prophecy’s skin.

“Magic,” she said on a low snarl as though that word was a curse.

She collapsed to her knees and Sophis broke out of Vivek’s grip and ran to her. She reached out to touch Prophecy’s shoulders. Red jagged bolts like lightning sparked between her and Prophecy before she could make contact. Sophis screamed as they burrowed into her flesh and pain ripped through her. Vivek pulled her away, gathering her into his arms.

“Are you alright?” he said close to her ear and she nodded. Her hands tingled, numb from whatever had just happened.

She was alright but Lady Prophecy wasn’t. The young woman knelt in the middle of the entrance hall, snarling and clutching at herself. Sophis wasn’t sure how to help her or even what was wrong with her. The brightness from the explosion wasn’t dimming. If anything, it was getting worse, hurting her eyes and her skin, as though the sun itself had increased in strength and the glass could no longer filter out the harmful UV in its rays.

Lady Prophecy growled and pushed herself onto her feet with monumental effort. She rose slowly, her breathing hard. Sweat broke out across her brow. Sophis stared at her. Vampires couldn’t sweat. The only time she had heard of it happening was when they were infected by Nox Noctis or poisoned. Prophecy raised her head, swallowing constantly, her eyes ablaze with pain, and then lifted her hands. Her chest heaved against her long black dress as she closed her eyes and the room dimmed, the shadows growing long and dark around them. Sophis’s finer hairs stood on end, skin prickling as though static electricity filled the air, and she kept still, afraid that moving would somehow endanger her.

Prophecy drew a single deep breath and roared as she pushed forwards with her hands, leaning into the air. Darkness swept outwards, the dazzling light outside fading, and Sophis held her breath. Was she using her magic to fight whatever the hunters had done? Was that magic too? Clouds gathered, blotting out the sun.

If it were cloudy enough they would be able to fight the hunters in the open.

Could Lady Prophecy control the weather and give them the cover they needed to fight?

Sophis marvelled at that.

The sun broke through a chink in the clouds at first and then a hole, and then spread rapidly outwards, filling the sky and evaporating the clouds.

“Witch.” Prophecy collapsed to her knees again as bright light filled the room. “They have a powerful witch.”

Sophis growled as the light touched her and burned her skin. She flinched away from it, desperately covering her hands with the sleeves of her black uniform jacket, afraid that it would kill her.

“Prophecy!” Lord Valentine vaulted over the banister of the balcony above them and landed behind his mate.

Another explosion shattered some of the windows, sending glass flying inwards and Sophis shrieked, curling into a ball on instinct. Vivek crouched with her and launched them backwards, pulling her into the safety of the stairs down to the basement. Someone roared. She opened her eyes and they shot wide when she saw Valentine in the middle of the entrance hall, his body curled protectively around Prophecy, bearing the brunt of the sunlight for her. He growled in agony, ribbons of smoke curling from his back through his dark red jacket. Prophecy stirred in his arms, her face a picture of horror as she realised what was happening to her mate and felt his pain in her own blood.

Her slender bare arms curled around her mate, her face contorted in despair, and then she screamed. The world turned black, the air thick with magic, and a crackle of electricity leapt down Sophis’s arms and over her skin.

Venturi raced in from the hallway that led to the grand reception room and yanked a black cloth off a side table, sending the vase of red roses crashing to the floor. He threw the cloth over the Aurorea and held onto Prophecy, and Sophis had the hideous feeling he was trying to restrain her for some reason.

“Prophecy, we must move... we must get Valentine out of danger,” he said and Prophecy lifted her head and looked at him, her gaze glassy and expression distant.

She turned away from him as though he had never spoken and stared down at Valentine in her arms, the aura surrounding her growing darker with each passing second.

The ribbons of red twisting around her arms burned through the black cloth, leaping high into the air, and the darkness in the room increased. The bulbs in the chandelier flickered on and off.

Prophecy threw her head back and screamed again. A red shockwave shot outwards with her at the centre. Every bulb and crystal in the chandelier exploded and the windows burst outwards in a million glittering fragments. Glass rained down on Prophecy from the chandelier but melted before it reached her, falling through the red haze to fizz and pop on the cold marble floor.

Sophis’s senses reeled, the world twisting before her eyes and her stomach turning.

When she settled again, she realised that Vivek was rocking with her, holding her close to his chest.

“Are you alright?” she said, struggling to breathe the acrid thick air that filled the entrance hall.

“I was going to ask you the same thing,” he whispered. “I am fine but I think we should move.”

He took her hand and stood, and Sophis stared at the lacerations on the back of his black jacket. The glass must have hit him. Blood glistened on the fabric but he didn’t seem to notice his wounds. He touched her temple and his fingers came away red. He wasn’t the only one hurt. The glass must have caught her too.

Sophis rubbed the blood away, rose to her feet and looked around them. The entryway was dark but outside it was still bright, and it was pushing against the darkness, driving it back again.

Chills chased over her arms and down her spine as she turned to find Lady Prophecy still in the middle of the room, her eyes filled by swirling dark purple as she stared at the shattered windows. Rich threads of magic in the same colour chased around her arms, coiling through her fingers. They leapt and arched from the glowing star marks on her shoulders and chest, lighting her skin in eerie hues of purple. The black cloth that had covered Valentine was in tatters on the floor, scorched by the melted fragments from the chandelier. Prophecy held him close to her, silently stroking his thick black hair with her left hand. She moved her right one to his back. The amulet she wore on it glowed red and the ribbons of magic emanating from it turned crimson too as they touched Valentine’s blistered skin.

Sophis couldn’t believe her eyes as the wounds there healed, leaving perfect pale flesh behind.

Venturi sat back, his dark clothing torn in places and lacerations on his face. Patches of red marred his overlong blond hair but he didn’t seem to notice the cuts. No pain showed in his black eyes. They were warm with concern as he stared at Prophecy. She turned her head slowly to face him and opened her mouth. Even though he was injured, he didn’t hesitate to give his lover what she was silently requesting. He pulled the sleeve of his black shirt back and offered his wrist. She pushed it away, leaned in and bit down hard on his throat. He grimaced and his jaw tensed, his eyes screwed shut in evident pain. Prophecy continued to hold Valentine to her as she drank from the Tenebrae. The darkness increased, pushing back the sunlight, leaving a large area in front of the house in shadow as black as night.

The more she drank from him, the more the darkness grew. By the time she released Venturi, Prophecy had half the grounds in shadow.

Valentine stirred, fluttering his eyes open briefly before they closed again.

Venturi took Valentine from Prophecy and helped the Aurorea vampire to his feet just as Lord Hyperion, Commander Tynan and several Watchmen reached the vestibule. All kept back as though they had sensed the same danger that Sophis had. Lady Prophecy was volatile.

The young Caelestis vampire rose to her feet and didn’t stop there. She left the ground, hovering a few inches above it, murderous intent in her swirling purple eyes.

She looked down at her hands and her red hair drifted upwards to dance in the air above her as though she was underwater. Her skin darkened and the stilted threads of magic changed with it, nearing black now as they twisted and writhed around her body like living creatures. Twin black orbs of magic grew from her palms, bright purple sparks leaping from them. She smiled viciously, exposing her fangs, and then roared as she flung her arms forwards. Rubble and wood exploded outwards into the grounds, the world darkened beyond what Sophis could see, and high screams shattered the distant silence.

Valentine pushed out of Venturi’s arms and Sophis couldn’t believe it when he dared to approach Prophecy. Magic swirled like a storm around her, a tempest that forced everyone back and shifted debris with its might. Fragments of broken vase and roses battered Valentine but he didn’t stop. He held his arm up to protect his face and pushed on through the raging maelstrom, his other hand reaching out to her. Lady Prophecy turned her dark eyes on him when he neared her, her eyebrows knitted into a tight scowl, and snarled. He held both hands up to her and the bolts of magic crackled and leapt to him, disappearing into his skin. It didn’t seem to hurt him. It turned red whenever it touched him and the more that gravitated to him, the lighter purple the rest of the twisting threads around Prophecy became.

“I am all right, my love, and I am glad that you are too,” he whispered and his green eyes implored her to hear him. “Come to me, and let me be your anchor. You do not need to do this, my love.”

Prophecy looked as though she was going to refuse and knock him aside with her power, and then her expression changed from one of pure darkness to one of pleading and fear. She reached for him, her arms visibly shaking. The moment their hands touched, her magic turned red and she dropped out of the air. Valentine caught her and smiled when the purple swirling in her eyes shrank back, revealing her brown irises.

“I was scared I had lost you,” she said and flung her arms around him.

Valentine held her close, murmuring quiet private words against her hair. Sophis cast a nervous glance at the world outside. She was glad that Lady Prophecy was back in control but it was getting lighter again and the hunters had already made it halfway across the extensive mansion grounds. She could see them now, breaking through the scores of werewolves fighting to hold them back and racing towards the house.