Aaron's Revenge (17 page)

A single tear slid down Dragan’s face; relief was the only thing he could feel as he felt himself slipping away quickly. “Forgive yourself, Aaron. It is not good deeds that take you to the light, but grace. I will never stop waiting for you on the other side. Our hearts will always beat as one.”

Aaron felt himself battered by Adara’s spells, but the cloak protected against the magic as he twisted the knife within Dragan’s body. Feeling a light extinguished inside him, the cloak lost its power and Aaron felt himself lifted and thrown against the wall again. Collecting himself quickly, he watched as Adara pressed Chavali’s arm against Dragan’s mouth in desperation. It was too late; his brother was gone.

Looking down at his hand that still held the knife covered with Dragan’s blood, Aaron fell to his knees, dropping it, horrified as his whole body shook uncontrollably.

Thunder erupted all around them, as Adara’s fury reached a fever pitch. Chanting, she raised her arms outstretched, threw back her head, and called on all of the power of the sons of darkness to her. At her bidding, darkness inched its way into the entrance of the door towards Aaron, swirling around him as he crouched on the floor.

With Dragan’s death, and the cloak no longer able to protect him, he knew his own death was imminent. Aaron was afraid. He despised the fear that swelled inside him as the first tendrils of the dark mist gripped him, and he tried to push it away. Retching at the evil that was consuming him, Aaron knew he had nothing left, no hope. Covering his face, he pressed his body to the floor. Desperation broke him—he screamed, “Father, help me!”

Immediately, the darkness released its icy fingers from his skin, screeching and wailing as it retreated behind Adara.

“
You cannot save him. He is mine.”

Aaron raised his head, shocked to see three massive figures in white standing between him and Adara, their arms outstretched and each holding a flaming sword. Their faces were set and more than ready for battle, while their bodies shimmered and their light glowed so bright he could not look at them directly. Standing in front of them was another figure, much smaller than the three. He did not carry a weapon.

“
Enough!”

Adara’s face contorted in disdain at seeing the fourth figure. “There is nothing that you can do, Sebastian. He is mine.”

“
You cannot play your games with me, Adara. As you very well know, Aaron is no one’s right now. His journey is not complete and the ending is yet to be determined, is it not? The harvest of the souls is still many months away.”

Aaron saw genuine fear on Adara’s face at his words. He was unsure of what that meant.

Adara charged the one she called Sebastian, stopping as he now stood behind the three beings. Aaron never saw them move.

“
You know better than that, Adara. You are getting desperate and it is making you look pathetic. Leave now. There is nothing more for you to do here at this time. Go back to your master.”

Turning her gaze to Aaron, Adara’s eyes flamed with anger. “It is not over, Aaron. You better keep your loved ones close. I may have lost your brother’s soul, but I now have something better.” Grabbing Chavali, they both disappeared.

The silence within the chapel was immediate. To Aaron, it was as if the whole world had stopped breathing.

Sebastian walked over to Dragan’s body, squatting down, touching the forehead gently before standing again. Turning this time to Aaron, his eyes filled with compassion as he stared at the vampire.

“
Who are you?”

“
I am the one called Sebastian that Dragan has spoken about to you. And these three are angels, or as some might call them sons of light, that were sent to protect you from the daughter of darkness.”

“
Why?”

“
Why what, Aaron?”

“
Why would they protect me? I am undead.”

“
Indeed you are.” As if he was confused, Sebastian looked to the angel closest to him.

“
Did not the one who calls himself undead cry out to our Father?”

Smiling, the angel winked at Aaron before replying to Sebastian. “Indeed he did. Maybe Hell has frozen over? I must check on the way home.”

Turning back to Aaron, Sebastian became serious once again. “I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move. Nothing would be impossible.”

Aaron stared blankly at Sebastian. Sighing, Sebastian placed his hand on Aaron’s shoulder. “The truth is there for you to see. Only you can unlock the door, my son. You have much to learn, yet the learning will come much easier as you read the ancient book if you remember this secret. Ask and it will be given to you, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened to you. Prepare yourself, for she will return with an army if she must. The sons and daughters of darkness will not be happy when she returns and only to learn the soul has been lost.”

“
And Dragan?” Aaron fought back the tears that were trying to consume him.

“
Dragan is where he has wanted to be for a very long time and is still making the transition. He will not return to this plane again in human form. I know that is not what you want to hear, Aaron.” Sebastian wanted to console Aaron more, but knew he had to return and had already overstayed. “You will be seeking forgiveness for your brother’s death from those around you who you love…forgiveness must first be sought by you.”

Aaron started to speak before realizing that they had all disappeared and he was alone. Hearing a tapping, his heart sank knowing that Amira knew nothing of Dragan’s death. Within less than an hour, he had learned he was going to be a father, killed his brother, and called out to a God that he did not believe in, yet that same God sent help. He thought he was tired before.

Lifting the trap door, Shadow limped out first and as if knowing Dragan was gone, headed directly to his master’s body.

“
I cannot believe that you left us in there for as long as you did. We could not hear or see anything.” Her eyes took in Shadow, who was now lying next to Dragan, resting his giant head on the body.

Aaron reached for her. “Amira.”

Pressing her fist against her mouth to hold back the sob, she rushed to the altar, dropping down while stroking Dragan’s head.

“
Oh my God! Aaron, what happened?”

Pulling on her arm to get her to stand, Aaron fought back his own tears. He would not lie to her.

Standing, he grabbed her face in his hands. “I killed him, Amira.”

Amira shook her head vehemently. “No. You wouldn’t.”

Gripping his fingers, she tried to pull him away, but he gripped her tighter, forcing her to make eye contact.

“
He begged me to kill him. I didn’t want to but I drove a knife into him, before Adara could turn him back into a vampire.” Uncontrollable sobs came from deep within him, and he dropped to his knees, gripping her around the waist as he pressed his face against her stomach. “I had no choice—please forgive me, Amira. Please do not hate me.”

Amira stared blankly down at the top of Aaron’s head as he hugged her tightly. Her love was gone, killed by his own brother, her friend. None of this made sense to her. With fingers shaking, she touched the top of his head as anger welled up inside her.

Aaron knew he could not expect her to forgive him, especially when he was unsure if he could forgive himself. He heard her blood flowing, moving strongly through her veins as he held her tightly. He could also feel her withdrawing from him as her heart was starting to beat faster and faster within her chest as the reality set in, and he ached for her pain. Slowly, Aaron became conscious of another sound, faint, but steady and strong.

In disbelief, he pushed away, jumping to his feet as he perused her face, willing her to look at him. With his voice barely audible, unable to believe the irony of what he had just heard, he whispered, “Amira! You are with child.”

“
What?”

“
I can hear a heartbeat. Amira, you are having Dragan’s baby.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

Amira stepped out of the tiny chapel without looking back. She did not want to remember Dragan as the broken, beat-up body that lay inside beside his beloved altar. All around her smoke rose up from piles of broken bodies of beings she had never laid eyes on before. Her consciousness was hanging on by a thread as her mind took a surreal approach to the horror around her. She felt absolutely nothing. There were no tears, no anger or rage. All she felt was emptiness inside.

Stepping over debris of a battle hard fought, she worked her way to the manor as the survivors around her picked through the dead, looking for more survivors.

“
Amira! Wait!” Aaron’s voice filled with pain, tried to reach out to her. She did not even pause, but continued toward the house.

“
Leave her be, son.”

Turning, Aaron sobbed with relief at seeing James walking towards him.

Reaching out and clutching his arms, Aaron staggered under the weight of what he had done.

“
I have killed him. My own brother.”

“
I know. Daphne has told me.” Patting him on the back, James held in his own grief. There would be a time for him to grieve. Now was not it.

“
Daphne, she caught on fire…”

“
I am well, Aaron. It would take more than Adara’s little spells to take me out.”

“
What happens now?”

Daphne shook her head. “I am not sure, Aaron. It cannot be a coincidence that both Amira and Chavali are with child. Until we find answers, we must remain vigilant. Right now, we all need time to heal.”

All eyes turned towards Amira as she finally reached the door of the manor. They watched her hesitate, waiting as the wolf ran out of the chapel to reach her, before they both stepped through the door together, closing it firmly behind them. To Aaron, it was as if she had closed her heart to them all.

“
Two, who are one, undead yet alive, will defeat evil’s curse only when seeds planted in fertile ground multiplies, embracing and pushing death aside. The scales, once tipped, will become balanced, as justice reigns once more when harvest comes.”

EPILOGUE

Adara was still furious, but now, as she reached closer to her destination, apprehension slowly invaded her being. The ground shook while the earth belched and groaned beneath her feet. Eyes darting, she took in the dark forms of her sisters and brothers as they stood vigilant as always, protecting him. Their faces were unreadable. Having no idea of what she was about to face, she burst through the doors, wanting to get it over with. A thousand eyes turned to stare at her as a deep voice came out of the darkest corner of the room.

“
Adara, love, you have returned. How ridiculously brave of you, considering the circumstances of your failure.”

Dropping to her knees, Adara kept silent.

Looking past her at Chavali, the dark bronzed face lifted, sniffing the air. A malevolent grin bared jagged teeth as he took in her tiny form. Chavali caught a flash of a midnight blue tongue as it spoke again. “Ah, now it starts to make sense. “

Rising up from his chair, she watched in horror at what she thought were carvings in wood slither and slide down to the floor and make their way towards her. Frozen in deep fear while caught by his flaming red eyes as he stepped closer, she held her breath. The thing, though man in form, was massive, standing more than nine feet tall, with muscles bulging from his entire body. He equaled the size of three men put together. He looked fierce and invincible. Her body shuddered as a rush of desire ran through her.

Leaning down, his face inches from her own, she closed her eyes, praying she would not pass out as he walked around her. He did not touch her but she could feel him over every inch of her skin and it was evil. Her stomach churned and, unable to hold the contents in any longer, leaned over, retching. Chuckling, he did not seem fazed by her discomfort. His voice dropped to a whisper. “You will get used to me, my dear. I have been waiting a long time for you.”

Speaking loudly, his voice became cool and unemotional. “Congratulations, Adara. You have been spared my personal wrath by bringing this yearling to me as a gift. I am assuming that the human is also with child from the seed of the soul I lost; otherwise, your half-breed would mean absolutely nothing to me right now.” Looking at her breast, he grinned. “Or next to nothing.”

Nodding her head, Adara stayed in her prone position, relief emanating from her body.

Reaching out, he traced a fingernail down Chavali’s face, between her breast and past her ribcage, to lay a gnarled hand flat where the baby lay deep within her, waiting to feel the heartbeat. Barely days old, it was hard to discern…but the sound was there.

“
Well done. It is a strong boy! We must make sure, with absolute certainty, the child stays safe, mustn’t we, Chavali?”

Nodding her head, the room began to spin and she had the sensation of falling, and then being caught in strong arms before she hit the stone floor.

Her head felt light as if she were floating on a cloud as her eyes blurred and became unfocused. The voice carrying her barked out an order as he carried her through a door. Hearing a terrified scream, Chavali looked over her captor’s shoulder, catching Adara running before a thousand hands tore her to shreds, screeching loudly.

The heavy door swung closed, blocking out the gruesome sight and sounds. That was the last thing Chavali saw as she finally succumbed to the darkness, smiling.

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