The Immortal Scrolls (23 page)

“No!” cried Tiberius.

“Lucian!” cried Araceli. Araceli rushed at Amara, who was still being held by Androcles, and cut off her head with one swift move. She dropped the sword and fell to Lucian’s side as her memories came back. Lucian was dying. She threw herself over his body. The wolves were chasing off the remaining vampires. Tiberius knelt by his son.

“Lucian, no!” said Araceli as she sobbed. “I can’t lose you again.”

“Skye,” said Lucian weakly. “My love.”

“No, no, we can fix this,” cried Araceli. She looked at Androcles. “Do something please.”

“What?” asked Androcles.

“Her blood healed your leg. Maybe…” said Araceli.

“Not for this, my child,” said Tiberius as he held his dying son’s hand. He nodded toward the dagger. “Silver.”

“Then change him,” she begged.

“No!” said Lucian in as strong a voice as he could manage.

Araceli wouldn’t listen. “Please, Androcles. Please.”

“It won’t work, Araceli. I’m sorry,” said Androcles. “The silver has poisoned his blood.”

“No!” she cried as she bent over to lay her head on Lucian’s chest. Lucian stroked her hair.

“Shhh. Don’t cry, my love. It’s all right,” said Lucian. Lucian looked at Androcles. “Take care of her, brother.” Androcles nodded that he would. “Skye…tell our children their father loves them.”

“I will. I love you,” Araceli sobbed as she kissed Lucian. He reached his hand up and wiped away the tears on her cheek.

“I…love…you,” Lucian whispered with his final breath. His hand fell lifelessly to his side.

“No, no, no!” cried Araceli. Tiberius kissed his son’s forehead and closed Lucian’s eyelids. Then he grabbed Araceli and hugged her.

Androcles walked away to give them a private moment to mourn. He had liked Lucian when he knew him and mourned his death as well. The other wolves were back and gathered around Lucian. They howled into the night. It was a melancholy sound.

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Chapter Sixteen

N
APLES, 2011

T
iberius woke up on the couch in Araceli’s apartment to a gentle knocking on the front door. He could smell it was Androcles and got up to answer.

“Come in,” said Tiberius.

“How is she? How are you?” Androcles asked, worried. He had not stuck around that night because he wanted to make sure the other vampires were long gone and not stupid enough to return. He came across Callixtus, who begged for his life. Unfortunately for him and his lover, Androcles was not in the forgiving mood and ripped their heads off. He stayed away for a few weeks to give them both time to mourn. But Androcles couldn’t stay away from her any longer.

“Araceli is sleeping. I gave her some strong medicines to get her to sleep. She has been inconsolable. Not eating…”

Androcles looked upstairs, worried for Araceli.

“She will be all right in time. We all will,” said Tiberius as he walked to the door. “I will just give you two a while to talk.”

“Thank you,” said Androcles.

“She remembers, by the way,” said Tiberius as he closed the door behind him.

Androcles was nervous. He could feel Tiberius’s sorrow. He felt an even greater sadness radiating from upstairs. He hoped he could help her. Androcles walked upstairs. He found her awake and lying in bed.

“You’re up,” he said in surprise.

“Yes,” she said.

“Listen,” he said. “I want to tell you how sorry I am about Lucian. I know how much you loved him. I could feel it.”

Araceli nodded her head. “Yes, I did very much.” She was silent for a moment. “Androcles, I remember everything. I remember you. I want you to know even though I loved Lucian, I love you too. And right now I am confused.”

Androcles went and knelt by her bed. “It’s all right, Araceli.” He kissed her forehead. “Everything is going to be all right.”

“The twins,” Araceli said. “They are alive, Androcles. Our children.”

Androcles looked at her in surprise. “But how…after all these years? And for that matter, how are you alive if you are not a werewolf?”

“You see, I almost died giving birth. We were in Britannia in the woods. I was saved by the queen of the fae. She gave me and the babies their essence and their immortality. They are alive and well in Fae right now. They come and go into our world as they please but always return. When I went in search of Amara with Tiberius, I gave them to Oona for safe keeping. I never thought I would be gone so long. I go visit them often. But they were raised in Fae and feel at home there. Unlike me. I never felt at home in any one place.”

“Can I see them? What are their names?” Androcles asked excitedly.

“Our daughter is Willow Oona. I named her after Lucian’s mother and the Queen. Our son is Tiberius Lucian after—well, you know who they are named after. I call him Wolf.”

Androcles laughed. “They have noble names. I like it.”

“I also have a son, Faelan, with Lucian,” Araceli said. She looked at Androcles gauging his reaction.

“Then I shall love him as Lucian loved my children,” he said.

“I don’t know if you can go into Fae,” she said.

“Then we go as close as we can, and they can come to me,” suggested Androcles.

“All right, then we will go to Britannia—I mean England,” said Araceli.

“I will go with you anywhere if you let me,” said Androcles.

“I think that’s possible,” said Araceli as she smiled.

Androcles leaned over and kissed her on the lips. This time Araceli didn’t stop him. He moved on top of her.

“This feels so wrong so soon after Lucian,” said Araceli sadly.

“Yes,” agreed Androcles. “But I need you, Araceli.”

Araceli didn’t protest. She had already lost so much. She lost Androcles only to find him and then lose him again. She lost Lucian once before only to find him and lose him again. She was tired of losing. She knew Lucian would want her to be happy.

Androcles made love to her slowly, savoring every moment and getting to know her once again. It was new and familiar at the same time. Araceli was shy and nervous. It reminded him of their first time together. He kissed her breasts as she ran her fingers up and down his back. Androcles moved in and out of her gently. Araceli started to moan and respond to his touch. He moved faster as he felt his own climax coming. Araceli began to tremble as her moans became louder. Androcles let himself go once he knew she had been satisfied. His body collapsed on top of her. She was breathing heavily.

“I love you, Araceli,” he said.

“I love you too, Androcles,” she replied.

“I have to leave you,” he said suddenly.

“Why?” she said, more upset then he expected.

“No, not like that,” he said, laughing. “I need to go feed and soon.”

“Oh!” she said, laughing. “Well then, in that case, don’t be gone too long.”

“Never again,” he said. He kissed her swiftly and disappeared out the balcony door.

Araceli stood up and walked over to her dresser. She took off the necklace that Lucian had given her and kissed it. “I will always love you, Lucian. I have the chance to be happy again. I hope you understand.” She put the necklace away in a safe spot and waited in bed for Androcles to return.

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Glossary

Bella – Italian for “beautiful”

Centurion – Roman officer in command of 100 men

Ciao – Italian for “hi” or “bye”

Domina – female master

Dominus – male master

Dove sei stato per tutta la mia vita – Italian for “where have you been all my life?”

Fae – fairy

Faun – half-human and half-deer mythical creature

Legatus – Roman army general

Ludus – gladiator training school

Palla – small cloak or scarf

Stola – a female tunic of any color worn over another tunic, and can be with short sleeves, long sleeves, or sleeveless

Subligaculum – loincloth

Thyrsus – staff

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Locations

Herculaneum – ancient Italian city located on the Bay of Naples just southeast of Naples at the western foot of Mt. Vesuvius; destroyed in the 79 AD eruption of Mt. Vesuvius.

Britannia – ancient name for Great Britain