Burn (Drift Book 3) (7 page)

I lowered my head in thought
. “If I can’t take his heart, then how can I beat him, save Shade, and survive?”

Elysia turned to me with a look of peace and confidence
on her face. “Like I said…
nearly
impossible.”

“That still doesn’t help me
, Elysia.” I looked back up at her, discouraged.

“Opportunities will always present themselves
, my dear Leo, you’ll just have to know what to do when they do.” She placed one arm on my shoulder and raised the other with the sharp letter opener in it, handing it to me.

“What am I supposed to do with this?”

“If an opportunity presents itself, Leo…” she encouraged me.

I looked down at the tool in confusion as she took her hand off my shoulder, put her hood back on over her head, then linked her hands together under the arms of her robe
and stared at me with a calming smile.

“What if I fail?”

“Then you fail. Nothing is ever set in stone, Leo. Just stay vigilant and take the chances when they are presented. That’s all the help we can offer you other than informing you of what you are truly up against. This is your task, and yours alone. Be strong. You have talents that you’ve yet to let blossom…use them.”

She bowed, then turned her back to m
e and started to walk away. I slowly turned the letter opener around in my hand and then looked back to her.

“Elysia
.” She turned to acknowledge me. “Just think, up until now, I thought you were the quiet one.” I smiled. Elysia simply grinned back at me and nodded before walking a few more steps and disappearing.

I stood there for awhile and glared
at the tool that stabbed Geoffrey Lonecrow’s heart. Angels always speak in riddles and this was the case again. What opportunities could she be talking about that would present themselves to me? I mean, I guess I’d have to wait and see, but I didn’t have a clue as to what she was referring too. Not only that, what did she mean that I have talents that I’ve yet to use? In every scuffle that I’ve had up to this point, I’ve used everything in my arsenal that I’m aware of.

Well, there wasn’t much time left to figure it out anymore. It was
time to head back to Romania. Everything that Shimmer has put me through would now be thrown back at him in the most furious way I could muster. I may not be successful in defeating him, but for the sake of Shade and myself, I would throw everything I had within me at him. I was still very pissed, and I was still all demon. That was the best weapon I had against him right now and he was going to feel every bit of my rage. Tucking the lengthy letter opener into my pocket, I thrust my wings out and rocketed towards earth and inevitability.

Chapter 8

CAVITY

Just out of curiosity, I carefully flew over Transylvania and Dracula’s castle. The streets were empty and everything was eerily quiet. It was if the humans in the small city knew that something
big was going on. Just before I got to Devil’s Tooth I could hear the roar of a crowd bellowing out from within the mountaintop. I landed and stood upon a nearby peak and looked down into the cavity of the mountain where the coliseum sat. Off in the distance I could see a nearby storm approaching in the cloudy sky. It made the scene all the more ominous.

This was the first time I had laid eyes on the Cavity Coliseum…and it was massive.
It looked nearly identical to the infamous Roman Coliseum, but it was much deeper and wider. The arena hosted a group of vampires battling for sport. It was apparent they weren’t trying to kill each other, it was more of a show of strength in order to entertain and warm up the already raucous crowd for what was to be Shimmer’s main event with me, I assumed.

Thousands upon thousands of blood suckers sat in stands th
at were actually seats carved out of the mountain itself. At one end of the arena, what would be an end zone location on a football field, sat Shimmer in between his two brides above the festivities. As always, standing just behind Shimmer’s mountain-made throne, was Murgit. They were seated directly in the center of the most powerful vampires in all of history. Well, those that still dwelled on earth, that is. All of them were taking in the festivities, clapping, and laughing at the scene below.

When m
y eyes panned down directly beneath them on the dirt field of battle itself, I saw a figure chained to what looked like a very large wooden crucifix. I realized almost immediately that it was Shade. The crucifix was stuck into the ground and chains held Shade in place. They were tied around her wrists and feet, very similar to the way I was held in the Caverns of the Forgotten. I could tell Shimmer hadn’t taken her as his bride yet. Their word was kept, but the sight of her distress lit a flame of fury within me that needed to be released.

I leaped off the peak I was standing on and
jumped down to the battleground. I landed in a three point stance, directly in the middle of the six vampires that were battling one another in good fun. I raised up slowly. Everything stopped and the crowd hushed as I stood. I made eye contact with the worn out, exhausted Shade and she flashed me a big smile. She seemed too tired to call out to me, but I could see her lips move. I couldn’t make out what she was saying. I could tell she was very happy to see me, though. Her dingy hair was covering her face, but I could see for sure now that she was still human by the color of her eyes.

“My
friends, it’s nearly time for our main event!” a voice echoed from above me. My eyes shot up to see Shimmer rise from his seat and begin clapping. This caused the crowd to roar in delight. I took this moment to survey the entirety of the massive complex. I looked up and turned a complete three hundred and sixty degrees. The Cavity looked even bigger when standing at the base of the battleground…and it was loaded, shoulder to shoulder, with screaming vampires. It was a very intimidating site to behold, even for a demon.

“My gods and goddesses, behold, the one who claimed Diccit
tidel, the vanquisher of Queen Agrelia, and the biggest traitor of all time.” The crowd hissed and booed. “The love-struck hero demon…Leo Cutler.”

Shimmer waved his hands up and down in an effort to calm the rowdy mass and they did as he commanded.

“My friends…I know you are anxious to see me dispatch this delinquent, but first, I have a little something…
more
in store for you. An appetizer…if you would be so gracious.”

Immediately my first thoughts were, Here we go with
the changing of the rules again, but I had no choice other than hear what game he was about to play next.

“For Leo here to gain the prestigious opportunity of a one on one confrontation with me,
” like Agrelia wasn’t enough of a test, “he first must prove he is worthy. So I will issue a challenge to our brave brothers below…a true test of ssssssstrength.”

The combatants surrounding me looked
at one another in confidence as Shimmer continued.

“The first brother capable of killing this traitor, keeping me from having to sully my hands with him, I will make a member of my personal high council.” The crowd began to oohh and ahhhh and Shimmer had to motion for them to quiet again.

“Along with that great honor, he will have a permanent place at mine and my beloved queen’s dining table in the great ballroom
and
he will also be able to have the first dance this very evening with my new bride…after I’ve had the pleasure, of course.” He waved one hand down to Shade and crowd roared in exuberance.

The six blood blisters all
glared at me with hunger in their eyes. I looked back up to see Sierra hand Shimmer the Demon Dagger and he held it up in display to the loud mob before purposely throwing it into the arena. It stuck into the ground right in front of Shade’s shackled feet on the crucifix. The blade was sitting there for any vampire to simply pull out of the ground.

“Let the games begin! To the winner goes the sssssspoils!”
The crowd exploded in glee.

Without a moment’s hesitation the s
ix blisters came at me in a blaze. Fists were being thrown at me from every direction. I took a few blows but pretty much ducked, blocked, and evaded everything they hurled at me. They were sloppy fighters, so I was confident I would prosper.

When I was through toying with the id
iots, I retaliated. Punches kept coming at me from all directions at the same time, but I managed to block and strike. One by one I pulled out their hearts in record time as they fell to the dirt. I did it so fast they never stood a chance in fetching the Demon Dagger and I accumulated all six hearts of the blood suckers within my arms in mere seconds. I looked up at Shimmer, smiled, and tossed the hearts on the ground. It was a few seconds later they all disappeared into ash along with the bodies of the vampires I just vanquished.

The crowd went deathly silent
. “Is that the best you can do?” I taunted. They began to boo me in pure hatred now, but Shimmer just continued to smile as he raised a hand back up to silence the hostile crowd by placing a finger over his lips.

“My friends! The traitor has gotten past the weak. This still does not prove his worth to us! Worry not, for I did promise you entertainment.” The cr
owd screamed again in jubilance.

“As a gift…just for you, my two beautiful brides will be doing the honor of being the next in line to eradicate this virus. I assure you, you
will
be pleased.” The crowd cheered again as Sierra and Molina looked at each other with reluctance. Shimmer sneered back at them, which caused them both to stand and wave at the crowd with nervous smiles. Murgit clapped his hands wildly behind them.

I watched as the twins released their stilettos from wherever they kept them under their lengthy sleeves. Shimmer threw his hand back at them
. “No…the only blade you need is the one in the arena. I need your hands free to use it…leave those here,” he ordered as the duo looked at each other again in hesitance as they released the knives.

With all of the grandstanding Shimmer was doing, I completely forgot about the Demon Dagger just sitting, unguarded and exposed
, in front of the imprisoned Shade. As he addressed the crowd I started to inch a little closer to the weapon in hopes of grabbing it and possibly free Shade. I didn’t get very far at all before the twins leaped off their platform and landed side by side directly in front of the dagger. The sight of seeing their adored queens ready for battle sent the crowd into pure ecstasy.

“Quiet down…quiet down…that’s not all! Our valiant and brave watchman of the Caverns of the Forgotten will be joining his queens!” The crowd roared in delight as Murgit quit clapping and looked
at his Lord in despair.

Shimmer
said something to him and then grabbed his reluctant follower, pulling him to the front. I could see Murgit swallow hard as he sheepishly waved at the now insane crowd. With a push, Murgit flew down into the arena, landing on his side in the dirt. The twins looked back at him as he shuffled up and brushed the dirt off his clothes. With impatience, Molina walked back and pulled him to the forefront. All three of them stood in front of the dagger by Shade, only Murgit still looked a little insecure.

“The traitor dies tonight!” Shimmer egged on his supporters
and they cheered even louder.

I flapped my wings and prepared for the attack of the trio of vamps
, who were now fanning out. The sky was beginning to light up due to the approaching storm. Thunder rolled as a few drops of rain began to fall out of the roaring sky. This set an even darker tone.

Sierra and Molina slid around to my right and left sides as Murgit stayed in front of me. He looked confused as to what he should do, but the twins weren’t. They charged me at the same time and started punching at me. I leaned back as far as I could to dodge their first couple of attacks. It didn’t take long for them to get me in a compromising position because again one of them hit me high as another swept my legs out from underneath me and I fell to the ground on my back.

The twins wasted no time. They punched and stomped at me as I rolled around in the dirt, attempting to avoid their strikes. I was successful in evading some, but not all.

“Murgit…you fool, grab the Demon Dagger
, and when we get him where we want him, get over here and kill him!” Sierra called out to the still stupefied watchman. He reached down to pick up the weapon.

They kept throwing blows with their feet and fists and I did everything I could to get back on my feet. With a short window for error, I found the
opening I needed and pushed my wings against the ground, which lifted me off the dirt.

I could hear the crowd every step of the way, cheering when th
e twins had the upper hand and jeering when I would get out of a compromising situation and counter the duo.

After absorbing a few blows from the vampire queens, I was able to grab Molina by the throat and chuck her at her sister. She blasted into her twin and slammed into one wall surrounding the arena.
It was a similar to a move I’d used on them before in the ballroom. I gave them no respite and charged straight at them. As soon as they hit I was on them. I grabbed the two of them and slammed their heads together. I made sure to keep an eye on the dagger-toting Murgit off in the distance just in case he decided to get involved, but he didn’t. He just stood in place and held the weapon. It was easy to tell he was frightened.

Rain was really coming down now and m
y attention stayed on my rematch with the girls. I picked up Sierra and threw her about fifty rows up into the crowd. Then I grabbed Molina and punched right where her steel covered heart rested. It was hard and it thudded when I struck her, but she flew back on her butt and slid across the arena floor. I lunged after her and buried a knee in her chest when I landed. In a mad flurry, I punched her repeatedly in the face.

Being sure to watch my other adversaries
, I glanced at the still standing Murgit and then turned to find Sierra. Good thing I did because I saw her jump from the stands with a cocked fist coming down at me. She didn’t get a chance to land it because I shot up from pounding Molina and nailed the oncoming Sierra under the chin with an uppercut from hell. I hit her so hard that she actually flew out over the top of the stadium.

Once I knew she was safely out of the way for a
few seconds, I turned my attention back to Molina, who was staggering to her feet. I darted back to her and hit her in the back of her head with my forearm. This knocked her face into the dirt. I straddled her back and pummeled her. I was winning, and the spectators, along with Shimmer, knew it.

“Murgit! What are you waiting for
, you blithering idiot? Kill him…kill the traitor now! Aid your queens or suffer the consequences! You will suffer a fate ten times worse than anything he can dish out if you continue to stand there!” The crowd roared in agreement and Murgit stared up at his master, still clutching the dagger. Then he looked down at me. I was still keeping an eye on him while beating Molina.

I saw him take a deep breath and start running at me with the dagger cocked and ready to stab. He was to me in seconds, but I was ready. Just as he tried to stab me with the weapon, I grabbed his t
hrusting arm and bent it backwards, breaking it. Murgit screamed in pain as I took the dagger out of his fingers.

“I told you, if I ever got free, I’d kill you.”

With those words, I freed up one of my hands while holding onto the dagger with the other and punched him through his chest. I watched the face of my old tormentor strain in pain as I pulled his heart out of his chest. In seconds, Murgit was no more.

The crowd moaned at the
sight of the easy defeat of one of their well known figure heads. Then they went silent. Only the sound of the falling rain hitting the landscape could be heard for a few seconds.