The Bride and Her Bloodlust

It happened faster than I would’ve liked. I had no warning, no way of knowing which way to turn, which enemy to face, but I worked with Lucius, sensing where he was turning and reacting with him.

As Lucy fell to the floor, pulling Vivienne with her, the hunters let their bullets fly. Elizabeth ran, shrinking in size and flitting out of the way. Molly swerved and mashed her elbow into her captors side, making him shrink away as she snatched her gun up and dived back into the barn, shooting down a few hunters in the process. But myself and the others, we were too far in the open. We had nowhere to flee.

Not that I needed to worry about that. I could feel Pyotr shivering, shaking as he wrapped us in his mind, protecting us from the bullets. Ice began to crackle beneath my feet. The muddy cobble turned white with it.

I had turned and sent several rounds off in the direction of numerous hidden hunters. Daniel held Alphonse, keeping him close. But it was Miriam I was worried about. She tossed Augusta aside, wrenching out her blade from her body, and quickly stepped forward, intending to slay me. But Lucius was there. He grabbed hold of her wrist and arm, gripping her tightly with in iron claws, before he hauled her over his shoulder and tossed her hard. She flew away from us, crashing through the small barn opposite and taking down a few hunters with her.

I briefly glowed with joy at seeing Lucius’ strength and his aggressive protective nature until I noticed something. Less hunters were there. They slowly went missing and shadows flittered about in the darkness, muffling terrified screams as their throats were slit.

But my attention was taken from the shadows when saw a man come charging towards us. Guntrum ripped through Pyotr’s barrier and crashed into Vincent, ripping at tearing at his throat and arms. Flayed and wounded, Vincent bowed only briefly from the onslaught. The sound of Pyotr’s wounded cry riled him though. Snarling, Vincent slashed at Guntrum’s face, ripping lightly at his cheek as he jerked his head back. But Lucius was there, tossing his fist into Guntrum’s face and forcing him back.

It was then, as Guntrum prepared himself to tackle both Vincent and Lucius, the world went quiet with a single shout.

Miriam was coming out of the barn, her face twisted with rage. She looked about, staring at the remains of her hunters and at Guntrum’s wounds. I scowled at her, placing myself in front of Augustas as Daniel checked the gaping hole in her chest.

“So the Elders actually caught up with us?” Miriam demanded sharply.

Out of the darkness, three shapes formed. I recognised one as Viorel, Eva’s adopted son and warrior. He stood tall and as broad as always with his shotgun at hand. The other two I didn’t quite recognise but something about the proud demeanour told me they were sent by the Elders.

Miriam’s mouth fell in disdain when she saw Viorel. “The Lady’s soldier.” She spat.

I couldn’t help but grin maliciously. Viorel couldn’t die. No matter if he was torn limb from limb or had his heart removed, Viorel would still live. Eva had chosen him as her warrior and so long as she lived, Viorel couldn’t die.

Viorel bowed mockingly. “The Lady told me the Rains’ needed help.”

Miriam scowled. “You do realise that, even though you’re immortal, I can tear you apart, lock you in separate boxes and bury you? You can be dealt with. Being Eva’s chosen isn’t as much as a shield as you think.” She clicked her fingers and melting out of the house came several witches.

Three I knew. One I loathed. The one who had shot Ella. But Nina was not there. I could not see her among the varying faces.

“I had hoped you all were unnecessary and you could continue to pack up.” Miriam said as she stepped out of the barn and glanced down at the remains of the Allaway Family, six witches. “But I need every one of you now.”

“Miriam Allaway, the Crone will want words with you.” One of the vampires said firmly. “You are to stop this and come with us. We can take you to her.”

Miriam’s eyes narrowed. “I am going nowhere until the red witch has suffered for what she has done. She murdered my mother, Ethelinda. Slew her which caused my Family to be hunted! My mother was beautiful and strong and I won’t ignore her slaughter.”

I could see the fight about to break and I quickly turned to Augusta, helping her too her feet.

“Daniel, help Alphonse get Vivienne out of her.”

Alphonse turned and shot a scowl at me as Daniel nodded and scooped Pyotr into his hands, cradling him gently and whispered kind words.

“I stay.” Alphonse said sharply.

“No, you go. You protect that little girl with your life.” I snarled quietly, keeping my voice low as Viorel and Miriam barked at one another. “Keep her safe. Clare is relying on you to.”

He looked as if he wanted to fight but a softness came it his eyes, a sad calm. He was thinking of James, how he hadn’t managed to protect him. Slowly he nodded. “I’ll get Vivienne out.”

I smiled, pleased he agreed without much of a quarrel as I gripped Augusta’s shoulder. “How are you?”

“I’ll be fine. A stab in the chest can’t kill me, just cause me pain.” She answered through gritted teeth.

“Then I need you chase down Abraham. I think Nina is with him so you’ll have a fight but you’re the only one who can sneak away and cover ground fast.”

Augusta nodded and spat blood into the icy mud. I knew in her eyes that wasn’t what she wanted to do but accepted my orders all the same. “Fine. Just make sure Miriam hurts before she dies.”

“I intended to.” I glanced up when shots suddenly rang out and Daniel fled to Alphonse. Miriam was charging towards me.

Augusta shifted sharply, clamping onto my arm as her owl form settled. Just as Miriam closed in on us, I tossed Augusta into the air, not even pausing to see if she took to the air, and grabbed the hilt of my witch blade. I barely unsheathed it in time and our swords mashed together with a hiss of Matter. Miriam instantly shoved me backwards hard, making me stumble a little, as she turned and spotted the owl.

“Augusta! Come back here!” Miriam howled at the sky.

She would’ve charged after the owl if I hadn’t taken a swipe at her head. She swerved out of the way like a snake and came to face me with mad rage boiling in her eyes.

“I will kill you all.” She snarled venomously. “I will slay every single one of you and give your heads to Augusta before I shoot her down and eat her heart!”

She came at me fast with wild eyes and bared fangs. He slashed at me, sending a massive wave of Matter cutting at my left then my right, forcing me to dodge and swerve. She was quick. Almost too quick. Several times I felt the wave of Matter vibrate dangerously close to my face and a couple did nick at my face.

But it wasn’t until Lucius tore at Guntrum’s face that Miriam’s malicious attack wavered. The moment Lucius’ claws dug into Guntrum’s scalp, her face turned rapidly from madness to shock. As Lucius tore his claws through Guntrum’s flesh, ripping away a large chunk of his face, Miriam’s eyes were on him, screaming to him.

I couldn’t help but glance. As the witches took on my Clan, the Blackburns and Viorel around them, Guntrum fell to his knees from shock as black blood spilled over his face and raw fleshe and bone were visible for the world. His right eye was barely covered and stared widely up at Lucius.

Miriam made to go help, to protect him from Lucius as he bore down on Guntrum with bloody claws. I wasn’t having that however. I tore forward and took a swipe at her neck. I barely missed but grabbed her attention again.

For a brief moment I thought we had the upper hand. As Guntrum’s agony hummed in Miriam’s mind, distracting her every second, I thought I could slay her. But then I felt an explosion of pain within Lucius and my grim smile vanished.

Guntrum had caught Lucius’s wrist and snapped it hard at an awkward angle. Power thrummed through his body as adrenaline took over and he hauled Lucius over his head before tossing him away. Guntrum charged at him like a bull, filled with anger and pain. It didn’t like how slowly Lucius got up, how he held his twisted hand protectively against his chest. I wanted to go to him. To help him and soothe his pain.

But Miriam was demanding my attention, slashing at my face and then sending a round of bullets at me, forcing me further away from Lucius.

“Neither of us can go to them.” Miriam shouted with a weird cackle in her voice. “One pair of us will die tonight and it’s not going to be Guntrum and I.”

Matter hummed loudly in her sword, making my blade warp with the amount of power it held. I had forgotten that Miriam was old. She was far superior in strength than I. But I was a Lowell. My Family had been known for our potent Matter, for the sheer levels we produced.

And I killed Morrigan when I was twenty-one years old. If I could kill that two thousand year old mad vampire at such a young age, I could kill anything.

With determination filling me, I reached for my Matter, letting it throb and soar within me, gripping my sword tightly with my claws ripping from my fingers. I summoned Matter into my blade and suit, making them heat with power. The moment we were both ready, we charged at one another and I let a savage roar escape my fanged mouth.

The moment our blades met is something I’ll never forget. A massive Matter wave shot out when the steel crashed into each other. It tore at the earth with such force is tossed us both away from each other. But Miriam and I weren’t going to stop. The moment we both landed, she sent off a massive wave towards it. It moved horrifically fast, tossing clods of dirt into the air, until it met my own Matter in a bright purple explosion. Smoke and purple flickers of lightning were left behind, covering us both in an invisible cloud. But I could feel her moving. The air crackled with her every step.

I twirled in the smoke and flattened myself against the floor as Miriam’s sword flashed out, humming and warping with Matter, then rolled sharply out of the way when she brought it abruptly into the ground. The ground shattered at the impact and I didn’t have much time before she wrenched it free. But Miriam knew this. So instead of raising her sword, she raised her pistol.

One shot was fired and smoke swirled around it like a vortex as it tore towards me. I held my blade to deflect it but the force was stronger than I anticipated. It crackled and exploded against my sword, sending out shards of Matter as it tossed me into the air. I landed awkwardly on my feet outside of the smoke and looked up sharply, trying to see Miriam as I ignored the pain of my bloodied hand. I could feel holes in my suit as the cold air touched my torn skin. The suit had been torn away at the shoulder and sides and the flesh completely melted on my hands. It hurt to clutch at my sword but I did still as I rose to meet Miriam.

She bounded out of the swirling ball of smoke and came hurtling towards me. Breathing heavily, I stood, ready to take and not confident at all I could withstand much more. But I stood all the same. Lucius’ life depended on me. I gripped the handle with bloody and sweaty hands, ready to avoid and slash, hoping to slay her there and then.

But, as Miriam neared, she suddenly stumbled as something burst through her throat. Stunned and confused, she stopped running and touched the hole where the bullet had come through and turned to face the cliff where Patrice lay.

And in her confusion, I struck. I let a massive wave, all the Matter I possessed, swerve towards her in one clean arch. It tore rapidly towards her, like an unstoppable force, and met her blade with a terrific explosion. She flew backwards and tumbled along the ground, torn and bloody.

Heavily and with a queasy feeling filling up in my stomach, I made my way towards her with sword and pistol in hand. Miriam slowly got up, dazed and spitting blood and still probing the hole in her throat. But as she slowly turned to me, she gripped her sword, bared her fangs and roared at me with wild rage in her eyes and I raised my pistol, shoving what little Matter I had left in there.

I pulled the trigger and a bullet dove into her mouth, forcing the back of her skull open in a bloody mess. Miriam crumpled to the ground without another sound.

I stood and stared at her corpse, watching as Patrice put several more bullets in her face just to make sure the mad witch was dead.

Exhaustion swept over me as my Matter retreated. I couldn’t stop my knees from buckling, even as I knew Lucius needed me. I tried to gather my strength to go to his side but I couldn’t. I just sat on my knees with a horrible churning sensation in my stomach.

But apparently I wasn’t needed. I could feel only a couple of witches still alive and I could hear the pained roar of Guntrum. He wasn’t dead but Lucius wasn’t in pain anymore. In fact he was rushing to my side and I quickly found his arms around me and my eyes latched onto his torn face.

“It’s okay now, Susan. Everything’s dealt with.”

“Guntrum?”

“Caught and unconscious. He’ll be taken to Eva. The two remaining witches will go to the Crone.” He whispered softly and smoothed back my hair pressing kisses against my mouth. “But don’t worry about that. Rest. You’ve expended too much energy right now.”

I was pleased he was alive. Pleased we had won. Pleased I was having his kisses again, and would still, but I wasn’t about that churning in my stomach. I wanted to kiss him still, to feel his mouth against mine, but bile quickly rose in my throat and turned sharply away, retching into the bloody earth.

“Let it out.” Lucius said soothingly and as he stroked my back. “You have probably over exhausted yourself.”

Once I had finished I let him gather me into his arms so he could cradle me and keep me close. I wanted to ask if Augusta was okay, if Alphonse had managed to spirit Vivienne away safely and if the Blackburns still breathed but I couldn’t gather the strength to speak.

I looked up as someone approached us and found a happy old face grinning at us. “Justice has been served. Well done Lowell.”

I smiled her in thanks, glad she had convinced to take her with us. She has been more helpful than I imagined. I listened to her ramble as she described what she had seen happen, how worried she had been when everything went crazy and had no clear shots. I was happy listening to her. Her calming voice and Lucius warmth and gentle heartbeat kept the sickness at bay. That was until Patrice silenced herself and Lucius grew tense.

He growled gently as I opened my eyes and saw the two vampires sent by the Elders. Viorel stood behind them with his knuckles pressed to his limps in worry. My eyes returned to vampires and my body stirred angrily at the hostility there.

Lucius just held me tightly and glanced down at me sadly. It was only then I registered that my fangs were prominent. That my claws were unsheathed, black and thick.

Lucius nuzzled my hair softly and let me feel the love for me within him, the golden warmth and care he had for me.

‘It seems our time is up, Susan.’ He whispered softly to me, like a soft kiss in my mind.

All I could do was clutch onto Lucius. They knew. The Elders knew about Lucius and I.

Suddenly the relief I felt at slaying Miriam was snuffed out as death loomed before me.