My Vampire and I Vol 3: Blood Resurrection (19 page)

The guards rounded the corner then came to an abrupt halt when they saw me standing there alone. There were six of them, all carrying lethallooking crossbows, primed and ready to fire.

“Where are the vampires?” one of them shouted.
“Gone,” I replied. “Escaped.”
“Escaped how? It is daylight outside. They must still be somewhere in these chambers.”
“You’re welcome to look.”

They eyed me suspiciously, and I could not blame them. After all, they knew me to be a traitor. My father had imprisoned me, twice, and now here I was, once again freed from the cell they had locked me in a few hours earlier. They warily inched forward, bows cocked and trained directly upon my chest.
Thank you, Marcus…

Suddenly, above them, there was a blur of movement, and two of the demons crumpled to the ground, dead to the world. The others looked around in fear, wondering what had happened to their companions then another one went down then another. One of the two remaining guards squeaked with terror and turned to run. He got no more than two feet, before Joseph dropped in front of him, fangs bared, a vicious snarl contorting his face.

The guard shrieked and staggered backward, colliding with the other. The two of them, lying slumped on top of one another, begged for mercy. I shook my head in disgust.

Inappropriate behaviour in the face of adversity! What were these young demons coming to?
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Two quick, well-delivered blows to the back of their heads from the vampires rendered the guards unconscious.
“Can we use these?” I asked, pointing at the crossbows scattered about the stone floor.

“We have no need of them,” Marcus said. He lifted two of the guards as if they weighed no more than children and threw them into one of the vacant cells. The others were disposed of in similar fashion then Marcus sealed the door. Joseph disarmed the bows, breaking the arrows into useless bits.

“Well, we’ve evened the odds a little,” he said. “Now, if we only knew that Micah and Roger were safe.”
“And Gustav,” I muttered.
“If he is with them, he is in good hands,” Marcus assured me. He glanced at his watch.
“Another hour until sunset. We should try to find out what your father’s plans are. I sense a quickening of his purpose. His time is running out.” “You mean he will soon die?”
“Unless he has found a way to cheat death, then yes, that is what I mean.”
“But how can we be sure he won’t live forever,” I protested.
Marcus shook his head. “He cannot, Constantine. Regardless of what he believes, he is dying.”

“Then, I am at a loss to fathom what he intends. If this is not all for his own glory, to rule the world forever as he told me, why is he going ahead with this monstrous plan? If he dies, who benefits from it?”

 

The vampires exchanged glances, and I could tell they had no answer for me.

 

“If only I could enter his mind,” Marcus said, half to himself. “If I could find a weakness there, I might be able to answer your question, Constantine. Can you lead us closer to where he might be now?”

 

“He will be surrounded by guards,” I told him. “Most likely awaiting the news of my capture and your deaths,” I add wryly. “But he should be in his office with the door locked.

 

He won’t want the Vatican staff to know what’s going on.”

 

“What if you gave yourself up” Joseph said. “Tell him that you have reconsidered your traitorous actions and now wish to be taken back into the fold.” Blood Resurrection

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“He would never believe that,” I protested. “And besides, he can read my thoughts as clearly as you can. He would see through me immediately.” “Hmm…” Marcus looked at me with a speculative air I did not like.
“What?” I asked nervously.
“If I hypnotised you into believing that you actually did want to return to your father’s side, your thoughts would reflect that, and Pius would be fooled.” “But for how long would I believe it?”
“Until I release you from the spell. I could implant a trigger word in your mind.”
“Brilliant, Marcus,” Joseph said, thoroughly enthused. “Let’s do it!”

“Wait!” I backed away from them. “I should go where my Father could imprison me again or, worse yet, kill me? Where will you two be while I risk my life?”

“Don’t worry, we’ll be right behind you, or at least, as close as we can get. If you are in any danger, we will immediately come to your aid.” I believed him. Marcus, even though he was a vampire, was a man of his word. Still, could I trust that he and Joseph could come to my aid quickly enough? They thought my Father was dying, and in our earlier confrontation, I had seen weakness in his eyes.

Weakness and fear…
“All right,” I muttered. “Let’s do it.”
Marcus gripped my arm and levelled his eyes at mine. So powerful was he that I felt my will evaporate almost immediately. We stood as close as

lovers do before making that last move into one another’s arms. I could feel his breath upon my lips, and his scent, that unique spicy scent that only comes from vampire blood, filled my nostrils. I became aroused then his mind met mine, and all I could think of was running from this place and throwing myself at my Father’s feet to beg his forgiveness, to take me back into his confidence and allow me to aid him in his ambition to rule the world.

“Go now,” Marcus said gently, releasing my arm from his powerful grasp. I stared at him and Joseph, hating them for what they represented and the threat they posed to my Father’s dreams of conquest. Without a word, I turned on my heel and strode away from them down the long passageways that would lead me to my Father’s private quarters. At that moment, I did not know that the vampires followed close behind me. Their presence was now hidden from me by Marcus’ will.

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Guards at the door tried to prevent me from entering. “Father,” I yelled. “Let me in! I have come to beg your forgiveness!” The door was flung open, and a demon I recognised, named Nathaniel, glared at me.

“Enter,” he rasped. “But don’t try any trickery, Constantine.” My Father sat on his gilded chair, watching me approach, an amused smile playing on his lips. “Well, well, the prodigal returns,” he purred, “and with purer thoughts than before.

 

What has brought about this change of heart, my son?”

 

“I was wrong to doubt you, Father,” I said, with complete sincerity. “I crave your forgiveness and ask that you will accept me back as a loyal follower once more.”

 

“Where are the vampires who released you?” Nathaniel asked, his sneer telling me he did not believe me.

 

“I don’t know,” I said truthfully. “They were with me in the passageway then they disappeared. But I don’t care where they are.” I turned again to my Father. “Just tell me what I must do to win back your favour.”

“Well, you could start by killing the vampires, I suppose,” he said, laughing lightly.
“Do you feel up to the task, Constantine?”
“Anything you ask, I will carry out, or die in the attempt.”

“My, my…now that’s more like it, eh Nathaniel? Perhaps, Constantine, I will set you the task of killing all vampires. I happen to know there are several more hovering about the place.” He and Nathaniel shared some more laughter, and I began to feel that he was playing with me. “Father, you do not believe I am loyal to you and only you?’

 

“What makes you think he would?” Nathaniel snarled. “You, his own son, turned against him, betrayed him and joined forces with vampires. Why would he now believe you?”

 

“Father,” I said, ignoring Nathaniel. “You can probe my mind. You will see that I am sincere.”

 

Pius stood and scowled at me. “What I see, Constantine, is a travesty, a mind that is being controlled by a superior force.” He waved at me as if to dismiss me. “Come out, Vampires,” he yelled. “I know you are here. My power is greater than yours. The darkness of Blood Resurrection

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night will not protect you from me. Come out and be seen for the weak and pathetic beings you are!”

From all sides of the room, demon guards appeared, armed with crossbows strung with the silver-tipped barbed arrows meant to poison the vampires’ blood and render them defenceless. I looked around for any sign of the vampires my Father had called on to reveal themselves. I could see nothing.

“Cowards!” He was incensed with rage. He strode down from the dais on which his gilded chair was perched and ranted, “Come out, I command you!”

“Command? A strong word from one so feeble.”
He swung round then gasped with shock and outrage as he saw Marcus seated on the gilded chair, Joseph at his side. “How…?” He staggered back then, squaring his shoulders, he screamed, “Guards! Kill them now!”

A fusillade of arrows was unleashed at the vampires, and as Marcus released my mind from his thrall, I cringed at the sight of all those arrows about to imbed themselves in his and Joseph’s beautiful bodies. I gaped as the arrows failed to strike their targets, but hovered in the air, inches away from Marcus and Joseph, before falling to the ground with resounding clatters.
My Father screamed in frustration.

“Again,” he shrieked, his voice sounding thin and weak to my ears. While the demon guards fumbled to reload their bows, the air became alive with the sound of bodies flying overhead. I looked up and saw Bernard, Pietro and the two American vampires fairly zooming above me, diving upon the unsuspecting guards and laying them out on the ground.

“No!”

My Father turned to run, but one of the guards had let loose an arrow from his bow. As Roger struck the guard a numbing blow to the side of his head, the arrow flew off course, ricocheted off the stone wall and struck my Father, piercing his heart. With a shriek of pain, he fell backward, stumbled then righted himself, his hands tugging desperately at the arrow imbedded in his flesh. But the barbs he’d had so meticulously fashioned to destroy the vampires now tore at the walls of his heart, and as he wrenched the arrow from his body, Blood Resurrection

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great gouts of blood and pieces of his heart sprayed from him, drenching his robes in gore.

He fell to his knees, and before our eyes, began to wither. In a trice, he had aged at least a hundred years. His face, once so smooth and handsome, became a wrinkled mass of loose flesh and brown spots. As I gazed down at him, willing myself to feel some grief, his flesh began to dissolve before my eyes, until all that was left was dust on an empty robe.

“Bastard child!”
I turned at the sounds of hate behind me. Nathaniel, crossbow in hand, confronted me, his face contorted with rage.

“You…spawn of darkness,” he seethed, spittle dripping from his lips. “You have outlasted your usefulness.” The arrow hit me in the middle of my chest. The pain was, at first, negligible, but then the barbs ripped into my flesh, tearing me apart as they passed through my body. I fell to my knees and looked up at him just in time to see Joseph put his hands on either side of Nathaniel’s head and snap his neck.

They gathered around me, these creatures of the night, gazing down at me with concern and compassion.
Gustav,
I thought.
Oh, my love. I will never see you again.

* * * *
Bernard

We brought Constantine to the Lady Andorra’s palazzo so that Gustav could see him and say goodbye. The poor boy’s eyes were filled with tears and grief as we laid Constantine on a couch in the living room.

“Is there nothing you can do for him?” he beseeched us. “Your supernatural beings who can cheat death, over and over…” “Demons are not immortal,” Joseph said, with sympathy.
“Gustav…” Marcus laid a hand on the young man’s shoulder. “Only one thing will give him life, but I cannot guarantee he will be whole again.” “What is that?”
“My blood…but I have never given it to demon-kind before. I cannot be sure how his body will react.”
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“Without it?”
“He will die.”

“Oh, Constantine…” Gustav’s body shuddered with grief, and he lay over his lover’s body, kissing his lips in a feeble, but loving, attempt to revive him. “I wish I knew what to do.”

 

Micah, his face creased with sadness, came to kneel beside him. “Gustav, I know you love him. If I had this decision to make, I would take the chance. The blood Marcus can give him is very powerful. It runs through all our veins and makes us stronger than even most vampires.” Gustav gazed into Micah’s eyes, searching for hope, and for a moment, I was struck by how amazingly similar they were, and yet, so very different. Both young men, both having had dangerous, life threatening experiences, but only one who was immortal.

 

“I…I don’t know,” Gustav stammered.

Micah gripped Gustav’s shoulder, pulling him in close, sinking his fangs into the young man’s jugular. Gustav struggled in Micah’s steel-like grip then, in an instant, collapsed against him, giving in to the rapture that accompanies the vampire kiss. As we watched, and I have to admit captivated by what we were seeing, Micah bit his own wrist, and pressed it to Gustav’s lips, urging him to drink. Gustav suckled at Micah’s wrist, drinking down his rich, vampire blood so recently imbued in his body by Joseph, who now stood silently amazed by his young lover’s actions.

When Micah gently eased Gustav from himself, he kissed him on the lips. “The blood we have shared will give you longer life and greater strength. Perhaps now, I have made the decision a little easier for you.”

 

Totally in Micah’s thrall, Gustav nodded his consent to Marcus who lifted Constantine into his arms as if he weighed no more than a child and carried him from the room.

Some time later, Marcus reappeared and signalled that Gustav should follow him.
Curious to know what had transpired, we followed quietly and stood at the foot of the bed where Constantine lay.

“He lives,” Marcus told us, and I heard Gustav whimper with relief as he bent over Constantine to kiss his lips tenderly. “He responded well to the infusion of my blood—and Blood Resurrection

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with no ill effects,” Marcus told us. “In his mind, I sensed an end to his confusion over his place in this world. He and Gustav should have a good life together.”

“We should leave them alone,” Micah said, putting his arm around Joseph’s waist and leaning into him. Joseph kissed his brow and whispered something in his ear so softly that even my vampire hearing could not discern what he had said. I presumed he was giving his blessing for what Micah had done earlier. They were so in love, no rebuke could pass from Joseph’s lips.