Reckoning (35 page)

Chapter 40

Gabriel fights against Elias’ immovable grip.
 
“Let me go!
 
I have to get to Rose!” he cries.
 

Panic slips over him as he watches her hand yanked out of sight, still fighting to reach him.
 
Who has taken her?
 
Why won’t Elias let him go to her?
 
He can save her!

Elias bows his head.
 
“I am sorry, Gabriel, but I cannot allow this to continue.
 
You must return with me.
 
There is much you still must learn.”

“But she’s here.
 
She’s in danger,” Gabriel protests, stretching his arms toward the balcony above.
 

How can he come so close only to be denied the thing his heart wants most?
 
Surely, Elias can understand.
 
He must!

Seneh lands beside Elias.
 
He stares at Gabriel, his usually harsh expression now a mask of sympathy.
 
“This must happen, young one,” his deep voice booms.
 
“You have a destiny.
 
As does she.”

Gabriel’s eyes strain as they attempt to bore a hole in the wall so he can catch one last glimpse of Rose.
 
With every fiber of his being, he wants to fight for her, to be with her, but the sorrow in Seneh’s voice seeps through Gabriel’s anguish.
 
“Will my staying hurt her?”

“In the end, yes.”
 
Elias tilts his head.
 
The pressure of Gabriel’s chest lessens slightly as Gabriel pauses to think.
 
“This is a trial that only you can face.
 
Will you master you heart to move on to the next challenge?”

Gabriel stops fighting completely.
 
“Are you kidding me?
 
This is it?
 
My first trial?”

Elias nods.
 
“Selfless love is the first step.
 
Are you willing to sacrifice your heart now to save Roseline’s life later?”

There is no way to describe the agony that washes over him as he considers his options.
 
How can he continue to fight, knowing that if he does he might hurt Rose, but if he doesn’t go after her who knows what might happen.
 
Gabriel falls slack in his mentor’s arms.
 

He is unable to speak the words that will agree to leave Roseline behind.
 
Not after he has yearned so intensely to see her again.
 
How can fate be so cruel to offer him only this fleeting moment?
 

Gabriel turns to find Nicolae watching him.
 
“Take care of her for me,” he whispers.
 
With a heavy heart he steps between Elias’s golden wings and wraps his arms around his neck.
 

“Wait!
 
Where are you going?” Fane shouts, leaping across the courtyard.
 
Gabriel buries his face in Elias’ feathers as tears spill from his eyes.
 
He wishes he had an answer for that question.
 
Seneh rises next to them, leaving the remnants of the battle behind.
 

Gabriel does not care about the cold winds that whip past him.
 
He is already numb, sickened to his core at the thought of leaving Rose behind.
 

He turns back one last time to watch the castle disappear into the fog.
 
A shadow swoops down through the low cloud, spiraling straight for the castle.

“What was that?” he shouts in Elias’ ear.

“
That
is Roseline’s destiny.”
 

Gabriel’s heart withers as Elias swoops up into the stars, leaving his beloved Rose behind.
 

Chapter 41

Malachi grunts, pushing Roseline up another step.
 
“What are you doing?” she shouts, bucking wildly.
 
“That was Gabriel back there.
 
I have to go to him!”

Her shoulder joint nearly comes undone as she fights back.
 
“It’s not him, Roseline.
 
That thing is playing tricks with your mind.”
 

Reaching the top of the steps, Malachi shoves open the door to Roseline’s room.
 
Everything looks exactly as she left it.
 
Small tokens from her past line her dresser.
 
Her mother’s Bible, her brother’s hunting knife and Adela’s cross necklace that she was wearing the night Vladimir killed her.
 
Each prized possession calls to her.
 

Roseline struggles in Malachi’s firm grasp as she passes by her bed.
 
She latches onto the bedpost, fighting to delay.
 
“Just please let me look, one last time.
 
I can prove to you that it is him.”

“No.”
 
Malachi shakes his head.
 
“You saw that thing coming after us.
 
I believe he is one of the Elder’s servants.
 
They wield an ancient magic that lures victims to their deaths.
 
I will not let you risk your life.
 
You’re too important.”

“To whom?” she grunts, pulling back on the solid wood post.
 
The wood creaks as it begins to splinter near the base.

“To me.”

Roseline releases the post and slams into Malachi.
 
When they tumble to the floor, she scurries back from him.
 
“Don’t say that.”

“It’s true.”
 
Soft eyes stare at her as he closes the gap.
 
“I know that you don’t love me but I can protect you.
 
I can keep you safe from what’s coming.”

“What are you talking about?
 
You’re insane.”
 
Roseline kicks back at him, scrambling across the floor.
 
His hand latches around her ankle, pulling her back.
 
He is so strong.
 
She can barely hold her own, even with the strength of human blood seeping through her veins.
 
“What are you?” she grunts, shredding the carpet as he yanks her to him.

Malachi pulls her face around, cupping her head in his heads.
 
Deep sorrow etches lines into his face.
 
“Please don’t make me hurt you.
 
I don’t want to.”

Roseline spits in his face.
 
His handsome features contort into a mask of evil.
 
He slams her head into the floor.
 
Spots of darkness explode before her eyes as she falls limp.
 
Her jaw hangs at an odd angel, dislocated.

Malachi’s hands cup around her jaw.
 
He closes his eyes, grimacing as he sets it back in place. She trembles as Malachi latches his ax to his belt and scoops her into his arms.
 
His voice is filled with sorrow as he presses back against the wall.
 
“I didn’t want this to happen.
 
I tried to fight it.”

A guttural sound wrenches from his throat as a shadow passes by the window.
 
Roseline’s eyes widen.
 
They are on the fourth floor, how could anything be this high?
 
“What was that?”

Malachi looks down at her.
 
His eyes are wide with stone cold fear.
 
“
That
is what I am trying to protect you from.”

 
Tendrils of terror vein around her heart.
 
What if he really is trying to help her?

 
“Let her go,” a feeble voice commands from behind them.
 
Malachi turns.
 
A deep growl rumbles in his chest.
 
Roseline’s head rolls to the side, staring at her best friend - foolish, loyal Sadie.
 
She wavers terribly on her feet.
 
Dried blood has soaked through nearly every inch of her clothes.
 
Her pain-crazed eyes lock onto Malachi.

 
“No, Sadie,” Roseline cries, her fingers flexing around Malachi’s arm.
 
“I’ll be fine.
 
Just run.”

Sadie holds onto the bedpost, fighting to remain upright, but even in her weakened state, Roseline recognizes her defiance.
 
“I said, let her go.”

Malachi glances out of the window.
 
Something has landed on the roof of the castle.
 
It is waiting, impatiently.
 
“We don’t have time for this.”

He twists around, unlatching his ax from his side as he turns to face the shadow.
 
Like a microburst, the window explodes inward.
 
Roseline cries out as hundreds of tiny glass shards pierce her flesh.
 
Malachi cradles around her, taking the brunt of the explosion.

Sadie throws herself onto Malachi, feebly beating his back.
 
He elbows her in the chest, knocking her back.
 
“Don’t hurt her,” Roseline pleads, clawing at Malachi’s arm.
 

He nods, turning away to step out onto the balcony.
 
The shadow shifts, watching.
 
“It’s too late,” he whispers.
 
Roseline stares up into his deadened eyes.
 
His face sags with regret.
 
“I’m so sorry.
 
This is the only way.”

Malachi whirls around.
 
His blade slices through flesh with little sound.
 
Sadie’s eyes bulge as the bottom of her shirt falls away, revealing a deep laceration across her entire abdomen.
 
Blood gushes from her wound.

“No!” Roseline shrieks as her friend’s legs give out from under her and she tumbles to the floor.
 
Sadie’s tiny screams rip the breath from Roseline’s chest.
 
Her muscles coil just before she launches toward Sadie and falls by her side.
 
“No,” she sobs, holding her best friend’s hand.
 
Sadie’s head slowly rolls toward her.
 
Her eyes flutter several times before they fall shut.
 

Rage contorts Roseline’s face as reaches behind her for her swords.
 
Her harness is empty.
 
Her swords remain on the great hall floor, next to Vladimir’s body.
 
Her stomach plummets as the back end of Malachi’s ax fills slams into her temple.
 
Darkness takes her.

THE END
 

Epilogue

Pain blooms behind Roseline’s closed eyes.
 
Her head throbs just above her right temple.
 
The scent of her own blood is strong in her nose.

She shifts, attempting to rise, but is held at bay.
 
Her shoulders and wrists are in agony as she tries to free them from their binding.
 
The material encasing her wrists and feet is smooth as silk, but far stronger than anything she has come across before.
 

“You won’t be able to break free,” a voice calls from the dark.
 
“Pureblood angel hair is the only thing that can restrain you.”

Roseline struggles to open her eyes but her right eyelid is nearly swollen shut.
 
Brilliant white light shines down from above, illuminating the floor that her cheek presses against.
 
Its surface is smooth, polished and cold against her skin.
 
It reeks of varnish.
 

 
She squints against the light, trying to find the voice.
 
The room, of indecipherable size, lies in deep shadow.
 
Her eyes fail to pierce the darkness.

“Who is there?” she calls.
 
Roseline’s voice cracks, making her sound as feeble as she must look.
 
The muscles of her neck ache as she cranes to search behind her.

“Do you not know?” the man taunts.
 
His footsteps circle just out of reach of the light.
 
He shifts toward the crown of her head.
 
She drops her cheek to the floor, blowing her tangled hair from her eyes.
 
She detects only a faint movement, nothing more.

“Show yourself,” she demands.

The man tsks at her.
 
“Now, now.
 
This is my home, Roseline.
 
We shall play by my rules.”

Anger simmers in her chest.
 
“Where are my friends?
 
What have you done with them?”

He shifts again, stepping lightly around to face her.
 
“They might be alive,” he replies, sounding bored.
 
“Although it is a shame about the girl.”

“Sadie.”
 
Roseline groans, closing her eyes to the memory of her fallen friend.
 
Tears press between her eyelids, slowly trailing down her face.
 
Oh, Sadie.
 
I am so sorry
, she silently cries.

“It is a pity that such youthful blood was wasted.”
 
The sound of the shadow man’s smacking lips curdles the contents of her stomach.

Roseline rolls onto her back and screams.
 
She strains against her bindings.
 
Blood runs down her ankles and wrists as the angel hairs slice into her flesh.
 
Numbness begins to settle into her fingers.

She can sense that the man has shifted toward her.
 
“Are you angry yet?” the man taunts.
 
The tips of his shoes appear at the edge of the light.
 
Her screams die off as she spits at the man.
   
 

“Good,” he replies, stepping fully into the light.
 
A thick black hood hides his face as he kneels down next to her.
 
“Welcome home, Roseline,” Lucien grins.

Her shriek shatters dozens of windowpanes in the distance.
 
The sound of raining glass shards echoes down the corridor beyond.
  

“But you are dead,” she cries, inching away from her brother-in-law.
 
Despite the shadow that hangs over his features, she can easily recognize his voice now.
 
“I saw your head cut from your body.”

“Yes,” he nods, reaching out to stroke her cheek with a long dirt-encrusted nail.
 
She gnashes her teeth at him, glaring up at his veiled face.
 
“That’s the thing about family blood.
 
It can heal all wounds.”

Roseline’s eyes close as her heart implodes in her chest.
 
Of course.
 
Lucien’s head rolled into Gabriel’s blood.
 
How could she have been so foolish to leave it behind?
 
She should have burned him when she had the chance!

“You look surprised, dearest.
 
Did my son fail to tell you of his parentage?”
 

“No,” she spits out.
 
She turns away from his revolting caress.
 
“He told me.”

Lucien pulls back.
 
“And yet you still chose him?”

“I didn’t choose him,” she snaps, yanking against her bindings.
 
“I am bound to him.”

Lucien thrusts back his head, howling.
 
His chest heaves within his robe, his breathing labored.
 
His nails claw into the floor, peeling up slivers of hardwood.
 

“You are supposed to be mine.
 
I chose you!” he growls, slamming his fist against his chest.

Roseline cringes back.
 
In all of the times she has been around Lucien, he never once implied a desire to have her.
 
He was the one that convinced Vladimir to marry her in the first place.
 
Ever since that night, he managed to regard her with only cool indifference.

“You want me?”
 
She whispers.
 

“Don’t flatter yourself,” he spits, smacking her cheek.
 
“It is your destiny to rule this world by my side.
 
I want nothing more from you than that.”
 

His hood falls back.
 
For the first time she can see his features in the light.
 
Blood red eyes stare back at her.
 
His flesh resembles a snake’s skin - scales of crimson disappear into the depths of his black robe.
 
Two small horns protrude from his temples.
 
Jagged rows of teeth, like a great white shark, leer down at her.

Roseline screeches, horrified by Lucien’s transformation.
 
“You’re one of those monsters from the caves,” she gasps, sucking in huge breaths as panic squeezes her chest.
 
The pieces of the puzzle rapidly fall into place: the raspy voice in the cave, the bloody cloth from his healing neck wound, his mission to find Gabriel.
 
How could she have been so blind?

“So you
can
see me now,” Lucien grins, kneeling beside her.
 
His hands grip her neck, turning her head to the side.
 

“Vladimir was too weak to ever see me for my true self, but you, my dear Roseline are far more special.”
 
He leans down and whispers in her ear.
 
“Those servants were created in
my
image.
 
As will you be.”

Razor sharp teeth pierce her neck.
 
Roseline’s screams echo through the vast room as searing pain torpedoes through her veins.
 
As darkness begins to steal her sight, she sees a somber figure emerge from the shadows.
 
Even with his head bowed low, she knows exactly who he is.
 
Malachi.