Chapter 729: Tainted Blood
Sunny went right to her rival, lifting the fallen queen into her arms with a tenderness I didn't expect. The Sthol Family Blood Clan moaned around the room, seemingly worse affected by the draining than the Wilhelm's had been. Piles of fallen vampires lay everywhere, tangled among themselves as though they'd clung to each other for support prior to collapsing.
They've been under the influence of the taint far longer, Sunny sent. And, from the feeling of them, being the main focus since you freed my family hasn't served them well.
I crouched next to Pannera as Charlotte and Piers paced around the room, assisting the vampires. The queen's eyes fluttered open, her face a sunken mummy mask, though not completely drained. But her clear gray eyes, almost colorless in shock, locked on mine, as full of life as they had ever been. She grasped my hand with a withered hand, nails digging into my skin.
"What..." she trailed off. "What's happened?"
Sunny soothed her, feeding her energy even as the other vampire queen gulped it up. Her skin swelled, filled out a fraction while I augmented Sunny's aid with the power of the vampire essence inside me.
She is very badly hurt, my vampire sent. Her spirit magic is damaged. She showed me the crumbling edges of the queen's power, the way it sparked and died away as we tried to reinforce it.
At least she's free, I sent while Sunny helped her sit up.
Pannera's grasp tightened as she leaned against me. "Maji," she whispered. "Forgive my failings. The Brotherhood's control over me was almost complete."
I held her up with my body, still feeding her power though my vampire pulled away after only a little while, doing more harm than good. "Great Queen," I said, "I'm just happy to see you liberated."
Sure, she'd been a bitch to me when the Brotherhood controlled her. But she was a ruler long before they took her over and, I figured, I owed her that much courtesy for holding out as long as she did.
A handful of her people came forward, falling to their knees before her. She touched their faces, power sparking, though I saw and felt the toll her exchange took. Still, they smiled as their own magic was restored and, after their bond renewed, they gently lifted her and carried her to her throne.
While I sat there and gnawed my lower lip raw over the fact Ameline now had almost all the power she needed.
All but one.
I stood and turned to Pannera as she sagged in her throne. "Queen of the Sthol Blood Clan," I said. "I request a boon."
She nodded as her vampires came to huddle around her as though for comfort as much as connection. "Anything," she said, a wheezing sound ending on her exhale.
"Though not of your choosing," I said, "Celeste Oberman, the vampire who accompanied your enemy, Batsheva, once queen of Wilhelm and murderer of Yvette, has taken control of the Blood Clan DeWinter." A mouthful, but vampires loved formality and after my little spiel to Oleksander, it kind of came naturally. "She has captured and imprisoned Sebastian DeWinter and is starving the clan to weakness, as we speak."
Pannera may have been reduced, damaged, but her anger remained intact. She surged forward, show of power costing her-it had to-but almost seeming to make her stronger.
"Not for long," she snarled.
I approached, her vampires falling back from me in fear, and grasped her hand, not wanting her to waste energy in travel. "Allow me, Great Queen," I said.
Her thin fingers flexed around mine. "As you wish," she said. Thank you, her mind sent.
The veil welcomed her, Ahbi sensing how fragile she was through contact with me. She cradled us gently on our trip to Wilding Springs and just beyond, to the vampire mansion. There were no shields this time, no holding me back as Ahbi dropped us into the giant foyer in a flare of amber light.
Watch Meira, I sent as I left my grandmother's embrace.
Ahbi's power flared in rage and acknowledgment as she sealed the veil behind us.
At least my sister would be safe enough. For now.
Time to worry about Ameline once Sebastian was free and Celeste was dead.
I was really, really looking forward to both.
Once more with my faithful friends into battle. Charlotte on one side, Sunny on the other, Pannera gripped in the vampire queen's arms while Piers tagged along with a smirk of anticipation on his face, we strode through the large foyer of the vampire mansion ready to crush anyone in our way.
How delightful to find Celeste herself standing just inside the main hall on the right of the entry, staring at us in shock, hands trembling, magic flickering in pale ghosts of spirit.
She's weak, my vampire sent as my demon snuffled around the big undead woman. When Ameline took the taint, Celeste lost her connection to the Brotherhood.
Yes. My sorcery agreed, swelling outward as though sensing easy prey, its hunger grasping for the now violently shaking witch turned vampire.
Pannera's rage lashed outward, Celeste falling to her knees with a scream that echoed through the stone halls of the mansion. The damaged queen stumbled forward with Sunny on her arm, keeping her level, Pannera's clawed hands and protruding fangs glistening in the light.
"Traitor," she snarled, "defiler of the clan. I will drain you and dump your blood to be eaten by wild beasts."
A huge insult, Sunny sent.
I could only imagine. Blood was, after all, sacred to vampires. Having Celeste's discarded had to be the greatest of dishonors.
Celeste didn't seem to care all that much as she shuddered with pain, body pressed to the red carpet where she writhed under the power of her blood oath to her queen.
Shame, that.
I should have expected Pannera's strength to wane, but I was so focused on Celeste's suffering-yes, that made me a very bad person, I know-I failed to realize the old queen's power had left her in a rush before Celeste gasped and pushed herself to her feet in a desperate surge before spinning and running down the hall away from us.
Well, staggering. Charlotte growled beside me, loping after her in half-wolf form and I let her go.
She'd been a good girl. Deserved to have some fun.
Pannera collapsed, sinking to the stone floor as Sunny let her rest, even as vampires drifted closer, thin, ragged, their spirits almost broken as they looked at their queen.
Starving. Wretched.
Sebastian's first lieutenant, Anastasia came to the front, the normally stunning blonde vampire now emaciated, though she radiated hope around her hurt. "My queen," she wailed. "You've come to save us."
Excitement ran through the spirit power in the mansion, rippling with a murmur of need, tight and eager.
Pannera nodded slowly, though she could hardly hold her head up. "Your leader," she whispered. "The maji will free him."
I stepped forward, closing the distance to Anastasia. "Take me to Sebastian," I said.
She led me at a rapid pace, Piers beside me, down the same corridor Celeste fled through. I reached for Charlotte, felt her still in pursuit, left her to it. No matter the outcome, there was nowhere Celeste could hide from me now.
One way or another, she'd be dead the moment I had time to track her down.
As long as Charlotte didn't beat me to it.
I descended into the vaults below the mansion, though not into the maji chamber, but the very one where Batsheva imprisoned the vampires during Mom's trial. Rows of coffins lined the cold, damp walls, the one at the far end the most elaborate, sealed tightly with spirit magic and a skim of black sorcery.
Just a hint remained behind, obviously not tied to the power Ameline siphoned free, independent, slowly devouring the soul inside to keep itself intact. Piers's power cracked the edges of it before I had a chance to do so, powdering the darkness into dust. My vampire's spirit magic sliced free the remaining shields as I stepped back.
"Open it."
Anastasia did so, reduced by her starvation. But her undead strength more than a match for the cover of Sebastian's coffin.
I held my breath, knew what to expect. Had seen it before, his remains, withered and mummified, only his stunning blue eyes alive and aware. This time, not even that remained to him, dull emptiness meeting me as I leaned in and looked down into his sunken face.
My hand touched his cheek, dry and flaking. Fear drove its needles of fire through me as I reached with my power, letting the vampire call to him.
Sebastian. I couldn't feel him at all. Was he gone? How could he be? Tears blurred my vision as I fought my grief, my failure. I'd left it too long, allowed the Brotherhood to destroy my friend, to drain him until there was nothing left.
One of my tears dripped onto his barren cheek, glistening softly on the gray parchment of his flesh. I reached deeper, my vampire seeking, but not alone. Demon joined her, Sidhe, family power blazing a trail to his soul even as the sorcery inside me blossomed in answer.
We will not let him go, they said together.
And my maji power rose, engulfing him in iridescence, calling to my friend, begging him to come back from the dead.
No, not dead. Not yet. He was there, after all. But so close to being lost I knew it was only moments, seconds, heartbeats before Sebastian DeWinter was no more.
And I couldn't let that happen.
My creation magic surrounded his spirit, fed it from the fount of all power. I felt him draw on me, in a sip at first, barely there, hardly noticeable. But his strength increased as he absorbed what I offered, soft draw now greedy gulps, desperate and hopeful in a place where hope didn't live anymore. He rose with me, returning, slowly first, then faster, powerful, in a rush as I gave him access to the power of creation.
Sebastian's roar of life echoed in the room as he surged up and out of his coffin. Fully restored. Body perfect, flawless, power flaring around him in sparks of every color. He landed on his feet, spinning to face me.
Strode the five steps it took to come to my side and grasped me in his arms.
Kissed me with passion so powerful I swooned.
I kid you not. I read about swooning in romance novels. Thought it was all a load of bunk and someone's romantic idea of what being kissed should feel like, but not real.
Um. Yeah.
Swoonaroonie.
His kiss lingered, finally broke as he leaned away, a smile on his delicious face.
"I owe you again, it seems," he said in a voice throbbing with emotion.
Throbbing was a bad choice of words. Married.
Remember you're married.
"You're welcome," I said. Well, tried to. Whispered, really. All breathless and stuff.
Yikes.
"Your queen is here," Piers said, sounding amused. I turned my head to glare at him, caught him tsking silently while he waggled his eyebrows at me.
So that's how this marriage is going to go, he sent. Good to know.
Creep. He'd pay for that.
Sebastian seized my hand and turned, striding away, power still rippling in waves of color. He felt different, but there was no time to process. Not while he practically ran me up the stairs and down the hall, halting at the sight of Pannera still lying on the floor next to Sunny.
He finally let me go, rushed to his queen's side, bent on one knee.
She reached out and touched his cheek, smiling. "My dear Sebastian," she said. "I worried so."
I almost missed the shock in her eyes, I was just so happy he was okay.
But when Pannera's head turned, her blazing fury focused on me, I realized something was wrong after all.
"Maji," she hissed as Sebastian stood, amazement on his face. "Do you mind telling me why my vampire is no longer mine?" She jabbed a finger at me. "And why that vampire now feels like you?"
Oh boy.
***
