Ancient Blood: The Fallen (21 page)

However my words were interrupted as Dante's image roared, “who the hell
else
would it be, and why in the
fuck
were you trying to cross a damn river!”

I felt myself let out a relieved breath, for  I now held no doubt this was Dante standing before me, as only
he
could make me this angry, this rapidly.              

Lowering my hands, I glared at him, for his raised voice was making the sledgehammer pounding madly within my head that much worse, and I hissed sarcastically, “why does anyone try to cross a river…to get to the other side!”

Brows slamming down over his eyes in a good imitation of a woolly worm, Dante hissed, “very fucking funny!”

Then slowly enunciating each word with anger he spat “and just what the hell was on the other side of the river that is so goddamn important you nearly died over it?”

The sledgehammer had slowed its tortures blows, easing the throbbing to something that was nearer the point of uncomfortable, and quarrelsome at the fact it hadn’t let go completely, as well as at his tone, I hissed, “your salvation maybe?”

Then, and though my eyes and body cried for rest, my frame tightened as I found myself quickly stunned to the point of incredulity when Dante only exhaled air out his nostrils as, without a word, he clamped his lips together, jaw taut and pulsing from grinding his teeth with some emotion he turned his back to me.

Then, after taking several steps in the opposite direction, he snarled “and what makes you think I
want
saving, besides, it's not possible.” 

Slowly, gazing at his back, I whispered, “but it is!”

After a few seconds, and with voice stronger I murmured, “there's a
book
Dante
…”

However my words were interrupted by his lashed words of “no, I don't
want
to be
saved, end of subject
!”

I gave a vigorous shake of my head as anger infused my body and I hissed, “then I can only conclude you’re a damn
fool
…”

“Yeah…I guess that’s what I am, now forget the whole idiotic idea and get your ass
back
to hallowed ground!” he snapped in my direction.

Glaring at him I hissed, “
that’s
not going to happen! It’s my fault you’re...changing...and I'm going to find that book, and
fix
what I did to you!”

Drawing to his full, intimidating height, Dante bellowed, “like
hell
you will!”

Stepping forward I reached out, and poking him in the chest hissed, “you may be bigger than I am, and you may be stronger than I am, and yes, you may even be turning into a…
demon
…but you don't scare me! I’m going to save your sorry ass, and you can't
stop
me!”

Glaring back at Dante as he stood glaring at me, I spat “now get the hell out of my way” then, pushing around him, I made to stomp off.

However, I was forced to a complete stand still when I heard Dante’s low murmur of, “you don't think I can stop you?” then, “what you wanna bet I can come up with a way...or two?”

Suddenly the small space of ground between us was no obstacle for Dante as, turning he overcame it with two strides, and I found myself being pulled into him, and that's when it hit me, what my senses had been trying to tell me, the smell of cookies had been missing with Jabar!

Yet the thought quickly escaped me, as he nestled against me, chest to back, the heavy, tight denim of his jeans doing nothing to hide the blatant fact he was aroused, his cock pressing against my ass with proud admission as a growl escaped from his lips.

I felt him move against me, at first just a slight thrust, then more insistent as if his hips had taken on a mind of their own, and a slight strangled sound escaped from deep within him as, again he thrust against me.

I felt myself grow damp, wet with need, and I began to whimper, for the scent of his arousal was growing stronger.

The scent seduced my senses, causing my breasts to swell, nipples to harden, a warm, throbbing ache to infuse between my thighs.

A throb, a hunger that needed fulfilled, one that was forcing me to pant a little, and bringing forth tiny, breathy, mewling sounds from between my lips, and I found myself helpless to stop the sounds or the movement of my hips as I pushed back into his.

I could feel the trembling within Dante as he began a slow rocking motion, pumping against the softness of my ass, then with a groan, he turned me within his arms and covering my mouth with his, he allowed the warmth of his lips to suck tenderly at my own.

His tongue softly laid claim to my lips, coaxing me to open to him, to respond to his possession. Then without warning, he was pulling free, and as he whirled around, a sense of Deja Vu washed over me as he stood glaring at the figure shrouded in darkness within the treeline.

The figure finally stepped forward, fully revealing himself as he teasingly drawled,  “she require resuscitation Dante?”

At which Dante grinned and replied, “fuck you Sirrus.”

Sirrus, glancing in my direction, a mocking smirk still curling the edges of his lips stated, “quite a merry chase you gave us there Chick-a-Dee,” then, “glad to see you're still breathing.”

Dante’s features changed, becoming harsh with anger as he hissed, “yeah,
about
that!”

Arreon, having finally emerged from within the trees snapped, “why don’t you climb off your fucking soap box and give someone a chance to explain will ya!”

This only caused Dante to growl low then snarl, “what the
hell
is there to explain Arreon...you were careless and could have cost her, her life!”

Fearing that the tension in the air was going to go from mere words to something physical, I opened my mouth only to snap it back shut when out of the same shadows as the others had emerged from, stepped Gran, who barked “
boys
, that’s enough!”

Flabbergasted, I heard myself squeak, “Gran?”

However, before I could say anything further, a sound something similar to the flutter of bird wings sounded about us, and then White winged beings were landing not a hundred yards behind Gran.

My eyes further widened with stunned shock  at the realization that the winged beings were actually the Keepers of the Forest.

The Redheaded Adonis stepped forward, then made his way to stand next to Gran, the others soon following.

Then I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me, for Gran began to transform. Gone was the old man, and standing in his place was the man whom I had seen agonizing over the death of the woman with the Caramel colored hair.

Gazing at those before him, Gran stated, “one among you has become a betrayer, for even as we stand here, the Dark army comes for they have been informed of her where abouts.”

No sooner had the words left his mouth, than a sound I recognized filled the air, the chatter of monkeys.

Yet, this time I knew it wasn't the  sound of primates I had believed it to be before, but rather the call of the Dark Ones.

   The trees began to quiver and shake, much as they had before. However, though the ebony winged warriors peppered the ground again with their landing, this time they did not immediately attack.

Instead they stood before us upon and out of their midst walked Jabar as, standing before Gran he nodded his head and murmured, “Uriel.”

Then in the very same breath, sounding almost like the lash of a whip cracking the air, he barked, “
seize
him” and suddenly those of Jabar's men that had come to flank Dante, lunged in his direction, and I heard the rage of Dante's roar as he was captured.

At the same time, I found myself jerked back against Elena as the sharp sting from the blade of a dagger she held in her hand pierced my flesh, before she jerked loose from the sting of my summoned shield as it began to surround me.

Instantly though, the power of the developing thermal expulsion lost strength, and faded out altogether as my skin began to burn on the inside from the poison the dagger had been tipped with, and an enveloping weakness consumed me, making my legs wobble unsteadily, and my knees trying to buckle beneath me even as Elena began tugging and pulling at me, hissing “back off or she
dies
” to those that had begun encircling us as they tried to come to my aide.

Then still wielding the  dagger, she continued working her way towards Jabar, except two things happened simultaneously that she obviously hadn't counted on, The Keepers of the Forrest, whom I had come to recognize as being Uriel’s Army, began whittling away at the Dark Warriors numbers as they worked to advance forward under the guidance of Jabar, and Dante, arms swinging and legs pumping as his heavy fist slammed blows against the heads of those who held him captive, shouted my name as began dragging minions with him, face contorted with determination as he slowly began to advance in my direction.

Arreon, having slewed the dark warrior he’d been battling, glanced up and seeing Dante's movements and realized his intentions, however, as Jabar and a few of his men had managed to slip the ranks of Uriel's army, and were now just yards away from reaching me, he must have realized that Dante would never make it in time, so he lunged toward Jabar instead, his body slamming into the other man’s, as drawing his arm back, Arreon thrust it forward with a powerful blow, burying  his dagger deeply within Jabar’s neck.

A stunned expression slid across Jabar's features before he fell against Arreon, and as both hit the ground, Elena thrust me away and ran over to Jabar, where jerking at his body she moaned, “no...no...
no
, this can't
be.
..you swore you'd take her...that Dante would be
mine!
”

Then, as she stared down into his sightless eyes an enraged scream ripped loose of her lips, and eyes wild in her insanity, she lunged toward Arreon, a maddened wail of,  “look what you've
done.
..”escaping her mouth before she plunged her dagger into his chest.

I was screaming and running in Arreon’s direction as fast as I could, yet Dante, there before me, silently came up behind Elena, and with a smooth swipe of his own blade, slit her throat, dropping her where she stood.

Then falling to his knees, he gathered his brother within his arms, beginning to rock with him as I stumbled my way to their side, dropping to my knees just as Dante, reaching out, swiped a lock of hair out of Arreon's face an with tears in his eyes, he breathed brokenly, “
why
Arreon?”

Looking up into Dante’s eyes, Arreon whispered, “your baby needs a soul, as well as its father.”

Then glancing up at someone who stood behind us, he breathed, “Uriel, take my soul for I no longer have need of it, but my niece or nephew does.”

Finally his eyes fell upon me, and reaching out he grasp my hand within his own bloodied one as, again returning his eyes to Dante, a tear rolling out from a corner,  he softly murmured, “ take your salvation” then closing his eyes he whispered, “love you both” as closing his eyes, he left us.

I heard a low pitched wail of agony emerge from somewhere deep, deep within Dante.

* * *

Uriel allowed us no time to grieve however, as reaching into his ugly brown robe, he pulled out the tablet he had placed within my hands upon my arrival on hallowed ground. Then turning to us he stated, “we must hurry.”

Reaching out he grasp my hand as, in a blur of motion he pricked my finger, squeezing until a tiny bead of blood trembled upon my flesh, then in a downward sweep he touched my finger against the unmarred page, dotting its unblemished surface, staining its corner with the liquid he’d brought forth.

Just as quickly as the red stain of my blood had marked the page and was absorbed into the pulp that made up its texture, he did the same with Dante’s, then Arreons.

The page began producing symbol after symbol, filling its empty surface with the strange markings and a soft gasp escaped my lips as I stared, a bombardment of questions filling my head as Gran, or rather Uriel, without ever looking up breathed, “that it should reveal so quickly shows of how strong your abilities will be upon full maturation.”

Staring at the symbols with my brows drawn tight over my eyes, I whispered, “what
is
it?”

“The Book Of Invocations” Uriel murmured before continuing, “it contains incantations, spells, charms, as well as teachings and instructions that have been placed upon its pages.

It in itself is unique, for there is no other like it. It only works with the blood of a female castor, its last owner was…Karia…my wife, and she cast it into suspended time, where it has been awaiting your time with it.

However, it must be protected at all costs, for within it, great power exists…that of good and evil, for it holds the powers of the Gods and true illumination” then “however, for today it is being used to assure your baby receives Arreon's soul, as well, invoke Dante's salvation, now it is time for you to begin.”