Part 21 (2/2)

”Well, well, well.” Lucian entered the room. ”What a beautiful night.”

The smile he wore sent chills down my spine. It seemed so threatening and almost psychopathic. Hunter and Anna strolled sheepishly behind him. Something wasn't right. I glanced at Eli, and judging by his expression, he was thinking the same thing. Lucian's gaze fell on me. It wasn't filled with his usual sarcastic, fake happiness. He was angry and somehow his eyes had grown darker than their usual shade of black.

”Do you think I am weak?” he asked me.

The vampires in the room that stood in front of me parted like the Red Sea, clearing a path between Lucian and me.

”Not at all,” I replied calmly.

”Hmph. Then why do you think you can outsmart me?”

”I don't know what you're talking about.”

Lucian covered the distance between us in less than a second. Four vampires dove onto Eli, holding him back. He fought against them but there were too many.

”Don't play coy with; me, child. I know everything. I know that Ivan has planned an escape for you at Gerald Harbor tomorrow night. Did you actually think it was going to work? It's a good thing I have my little protege over there, otherwise I would have never known.”

Oh no. I told Hunter about our plan. I only did it because I thought maybe he could help us. I looked at Eli. He stared at me in disbelief before shaking his head in response, disappointment plain on his features. I tried to convey how sorry I was, but he no longer looked at me.

”Hunter, how could you?” I yelled, tears threatening to spill over and run down my cheek.

”I'm sorry, he is my creator ... I - I don't have a choice.”

Lucian ran a finger along my jaw bone and forced my attention back onto his face.

”It appears Ludiia didn't search Mr De Luca thoroughly enough to find his cell phone.” Lucian clicked his fingers.

”No, no please! I'm sorry!” Ludiia begged. It didn't matter how sorry she was, Liam and another vampire tore her head from her body before she had a chance to explain.

”After everything I've done for you,” he growled, his intense eyes searching my soul. ”Tomorrow will continue as planned. I'll bring more vampires and we'll take care of Aleksandrov and the other pesky guardians if they show.” He tapped his chin in thought. ”But how should I punish you ...”

He clicked his long fingers. ”Hunter, come here.”

Hunter dashed over but I avoided his eyes.

”Drink from her.”

”No!” I yelled. ”Please.”

”Do you want her to feel pain or pleasure?” Hunter asked.

He couldn't be serious. To tell my plans to his creator was one thing, but to try and drink from me was something else entirely.

”Hmmm, pain.”

Hunter grasped my head and tilted it at an angle so I was facing Eli. Eli wore a panicked expression as he fought even harder against the vampires holding him. I heard the subtle sound of fangs clicking out of hard gums. My palms grew warm. There was no chance in h.e.l.l that I was going to be bitten by a vampire ever again, at least, not if I could help it. I pressed my hands against his face and hissed in pain, stumbling backwards.

My hands started to glow a more vibrant, healthy golden color. I felt powerful, I felt angry. My magic grew in size and pressure, causing my arms to shake violently. The surrounding vampires watched me in shock and fear. Eli managed to shrug off the four holding him off, pulling a stake from his back pocket. Before he could stake them, I willed the magic to release itself all in a single burst and it shot rapidly from my hands, incinerating the vampires that had held Eli.

The bright glow caused the vampires to screech. He forced them to pile behind each other, cowering, as it burned their skin. When the light dispersed, the vampires came back with a vengeance. They were p.i.s.sed off and there was nothing I could do. I had never used so much power at once before and it had taken a toll on me. I was finding it difficult to stand. The room began to sway.

No! Not now, Ruby! Don't you dare pa.s.s out.

”No!” a voice rang throughout the room.

Lucian was blocking my view, I couldn't see who it was. When I was yanked out from underneath him by Eli, I saw what was happening. It was Mithras. He was standing in the doorway, glowing like the sun.

”I won't let you take what's mine,” he shouted.

He was crying. Mithras was actually crying because he thought I wanted Lucian to bite me. This man was seriously messed up. Mithras ran at me and no vampire could stop him. The vampires screeched and hissed from being burnt by the glow as he pa.s.sed by. Soon enough they fled, leaving Mithras, Eli, Anna, and I alone in the room.

Eli dove out of the way, if the light hit him, he would get some serious sunburn. Mithras grasped both my shoulders and I focused on absorbing his energy so it couldn't hurt me. As I absorbed it, I became more energetic.

”Get off!” I yelled as I kicked his knee out from under him. Mithras collapsed to the ground, clasping his knee and crying in pain.

”Don't make him too mad, he'll explode,” Eli informed me urgently.

”Here, Ruby!” Anna called, throwing me a little green gem attached to a silver necklace.

”It will prevent him from absorbing energy to use against you.”

I placed the talisman on his flesh and his skin stopped glowing.

”It will only work as long as it touches him,” she added.

Whilst he laid there whimpering, I tied the chain to his ankle. I crouched in front of him, watching to see if he was okay. That was twice now that he'd attacked me, and yet here I was, still feeling sorry for him. Mithras jumped at me, catching me off guard and knocking me to the floor.

”What have you done to me?” he yelled, his hands squeezing my throat.

I couldn't breathe, any tighter and the sides of my windpipe would rub against each other.

Mithras's mouth dropped open and he gasped. His grip loosened and after a few deep breaths I could breathe again. It wasn't until I saw Eli stand up from behind him that I realized what had happened. Eli killed him.

I crawled backwards frantically as his lifeless body fell to the ground. Eli pulled me to my feet.

”I'm so sorry, Ruby. I had to do it, he -”

”I know ... it's okay,” I panted, my eyes not leaving my dead father's body.

The doors burst open and in poured a ma.s.s of angry vampires. Lucian's face stood out against the rest as his eyes fell onto Mithras. I don't know how to describe his face. Anger? No. Sadness? No. Lucian was beyond those emotions, I could see it. If this were a cartoon, steam would be pouring from his ears. How could he get stronger and stay stronger now? His Heelian was dead and I was only half Heelian ... My blood couldn't give him as much strength as Mithras's did.

”Do you have any idea what you have done?” he hissed.

”He tried to kill me!” I protested.

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