Chapter 309: Cavern
I remembered that walk, taken with Quaid, down the long, dark tunnel, on our way to face Cesard and rescue the people he'd taken. It seemed like so long ago, yet the feeling was so familiar it all flooded back as if it was happening all over again. I fought the urge to look around, to feel for Quaid, knowing he wasn't there with me, that two vampires followed my lead instead and this time, I was the one in charge.
Not my mother.
The idea scared me more than a little bit.
The soft glow of permalight beckoned from up ahead. I emerged into the large cavern with a sharp exhale, only then realizing I'd been holding my breath. Part of me worried the vampire would jump out at us, and I'd either succumb to the pull of his power or be forced to kill him. Neither of those options worked for me.
At least the demon binding was no longer in place. Whoever restored the elemental wards had failed to return the muffling pressure of the demon proofing which held the demon Torsh here for millennia, only offering him a hope of freedom when the ancient Susquehannock Indian tribe trapped Cesard, already fully infected with the vampire virus, in his prison. Those same wards acted as a siphon, collecting every ounce of energy the combined magics of the three powers threw at them and sent them back to the magician and his possessors.
Talk about centuries of frustrating.
It was a big relief to know only the elemental wards were in place, considering I'd need my demon magic if I was going to succeed in this particular endeavor.
Sunny and Uncle Frank joined me, the three of us staying near the entrance, looking around in the dim light. It was more than enough after the walk in the dark for me to get a good look around. But there was nothing, no one.
The cave appeared empty.
"How could we be wrong?" Sunny took a step forward then froze again. "No, he's here," she whispered. "Somewhere."
She was right. Now I was used to the deadened feel of the place again, I could sense Sebastian's faint energy. I strode past her, refusing to be afraid, probably for stupid reasons, but unwilling to stop now. I made it three more steps before I froze in place, eyes locked on the far wall and the bundle of cloth and bones propped against it.
He was so thin and filthy he blended into the very rock, his skin shriveled, dark hair lank with dust, what was left of his clothing stinking rags hanging in tatters from his skeletal body. Sebastian looked like mummified remains, normally smooth skin darkened and rough. His fangs protruded from his thinned lips, every bone visible through the parchment texture of his flesh.
But he was alive. That was the worst of it, I think, the fact I knew his shining white heart still glowed, the virus keeping him from letting go as he obviously had chosen to do. I drew closer slowly, clenching my jaw against the tightness in the back of my throat and blinking away the prickling in my eyes, knowing I could dissolve into sobbing at the sight of him if I didn't keep firm and rigid control over my emotions.
"Syd." Uncle Frank caught my arm, held me back from getting too close. "We have no idea what he's become."
Fair warning. I turned back just as Sebastian's eyes opened and met mine.
A thin rattling sound emerged from his mouth, his chest caving in on itself as he struggled to speak. The sticks that were his fingers fluttered, fell still.
"Sebastian." To hell with warning. I went to his side, found myself on my knees beside him, Sunny with me, while Uncle Frank stood over his fallen leader with a frown on his damaged face.
Again the dry, whispering rattle. Was he trying to say my name? As much as it revolted me, I reached forward, took his frail hand in mine. There was nothing in his flesh, no residual power at all. Demon power ready, I followed the lines of his magic back, deep inside him, to the barely pulsing heart of white light. The virus refused to die, swirling angrily, hungry still.
"Sebastian." Sunny's hand settled on his forehead, stroked the tangled, lank mass that had been his shining black hair. "We're here to bring you back."
He moaned, a long and horrible sound, his body jerking once as though in protest.
"Don't worry," I said. "We're going to heal you first. Kill the virus. Do you understand?"
How was it possible? Even in the wasted and husked state of his body, he was able to generate a single tear. It stood for a moment, a drop of moisture, before tracking down the leather-like skin of his cheek.
As quickly and as efficiently as possible I filled him in on what was happening to Mom, the trial, how his clan was in danger of possible eviction from their home and the likelihood of extermination if the Hayle coven wasn't there to defend them. He remained still, but his eyes were alive, active, the only part of him not shriveled and sunken, a hideous reminder of the undead creature he was.
...trapped...
That whisper in my mind. It had to be Sebastian.
"We're here to free you." Sunny looked up at me. "Tell me your plan will work."
There was only one way to find out.
"I have something I want to try." I winced at the weak sound of my statement. "You just have to trust me."
He shuddered once, but weakly.
...hunger...
I pulled back, biting my lip against the renewed need to sob. I could only imagine the pain he endured. And with the virus inside him, would he ever be allowed to die if he remained here, like this?
"There are two things we can do," I said. "We can make this virus fully integrate with you so you can control it." I knew a thing or two about that. My separation from my demon was what gave me the idea in the first place. "We kill off its personality and you take over. It will mean you'll still have the power it commands, which might lead us right back to where we started, or it could mean you're just the strongest vampire ever."
Sunny was nodding. "The fight with it, that's what drove him here." She stroked his face again. "He told me he could no longer control it."
"And we know it has a life of its own," I said. "It was one of the personalities inside Cesard. So if we can force it to give up control and let Sebastian take over for good, maybe he'll be okay."
"Maybe?" Uncle Frank met my gaze. "That's a huge maybe, Syd. What if it doesn't work?"
I nodded. "Then we go to plan B."
He grinned like it was really funny. "Of course you have a plan B."
"If we can't integrate the two with Sebastian in control, we take it out of him and destroy it."
Sunny sighed. "We've tried," she said. "The only way to do it is to transfer the power to another vampire. And then we're back where we started."
"I don't think so," I said. "Because you two aren't going to do it. I am. With a little help."
"Even if we do pull it out of him," Sunny said, "what will happen to him? Syd, without the virus, he'll die in this condition."
I hadn't thought of that. Or considered he'd be in this kind of shape. "I just don't know," I said. "But remember, that's plan B. Hopefully, if Sebastian is strong enough to take control, with assistance, we can feed him and he'll recover on his own."
Those blue eyes didn't blink, just watched me as if he considered what I said.
"Okay, so to what help are you referring?" Uncle Frank finally crouched next to his fallen leader.
I shrugged. "Dad."
Both vampires looked startled. "How is a demon going to fix this?" Sunny seemed almost angry.
"And I don't see his effigy anywhere around here," Uncle Frank said.
"I don't need his effigy," I said. "I still have the imprint of him from last time I called him to this cavern." I could feel Dad's residual energy all around me when I reached out to the wards still surrounding the cave. "He's powerful enough now to come over on his own. All I need to do is invite him."
Sunny was staring down at Sebastian. "And then what?"
"Vampires and demons have something in common," I said. "Blood magic." It made my stomach turn just to think about it, thanks to the centuries-old geas placed on all witches by the church who desperately wanted to control and destroy us. "The connection might be enough. If I can't help Sebastian integrate, Dad might be able to use blood magic on his plane to pull the virus out."
Sunny looked down into her leader's eyes. "Do you understand what she's telling you?"
The rattling sound was louder this time, mixed with a breath of expelled air.
Okay then.
I reached out and grasped Sebastian's hand one more time. "For better or worse," I said, "here goes."
It was clear to me almost immediately integration wasn't going to work. There simply wasn't enough of Sebastian's own power left to fight. He tried, oh he tried, the weak thread remaining grasping for me, but I knew he was just barely hanging on to who he was. If his thread snapped, he might as well be dead.
I pulled back, wiping my mouth with the back of my hand, disappointment bitter.
Sunny sobbed once, stilled. They all knew what it meant.
"Okay." I stood up, backed away. "Extraction it is." Even though I now knew it could kill him. Sunny was right. If the virus was pulled out of him, he would die. There just wasn't enough of Sebastian left.
But I had to try. I couldn't leave him here, not like this, suffering endlessly until one day he broke at last. I just couldn't.
My heart heavy, but knowing I had no other choice, just hoping Dad had a better idea, I reached out with my demon power, tapped into the feeling of my father and drove my magic into the veil, calling his name.
***
