Odyssey (The Vampire Destiny Series Companion Book 1) Page 2

  She stepped closer, her long blond hair floating around her narrow shoulders. She placed a heavy hand on my shoulder, her hand tightening around the bone and muscle. If I were human, the pain would have been excruciating. "I gave you everything the night I saved you from death," she hissed through gritted teeth. "You question me...and there is nothing I would not do for you. Nothing!"

  Chuckling dryly, I spun to face her. I towered over her by nearly a foot; my large body a formidable threat to her even though she was my elder and sire. "You are nothing more than a liar. I ask you for one thing: my freedom. I ask you to release me, and it is the one thing you refuse me." I shoved her backwards until she was pressed against a tree. I stared down at her, aware that my face held nothing but disdain for her. "Do not stand before me and claim you would do anything for me. You would do anything to keep me chained to your side."

  She flinched and raised her chin defiantly. Her dark blue irises flashed with anger. "You are all I have in this world. You are my child. I need you as much as you need me."

  It was then that she averted her eyes at her lie. She needed my talent; my ability of seeing her future. It was a human ability that had survived my transformation, altering slightly to adjust to read the future of other vampires. I was perfectly capable of leaving her behind me to pursue some sort of life without her. She refused to let me go.

  My eyebrow raised a fraction as I leaned in closer. I could feel her cool breath wash over me as we stood face to face. When I spoke, my voice was filled with contempt. "It is you that needs me, Solveig. Remember that."

  Turning abruptly, I began to trudge through the heavy foliage once again. I could hear the light footsteps of Solveig trailing close behind me. She would try to appease me, make amends. We were well past that point. She clung to me out of habit and need, and her attempts to placate me would fall on deaf ears. They would mean nothing, simply because they would be filled with deception. Nothing more and nothing less.

  "We should head towards Rome. It is a country we have yet to explore."

  My eyes narrowed as I scanned her future. Solveig always had an ulterior motive to her plans or ideas. I was surprised to find it strangely blank.

  My steady gait did not stop as I considered her offer. Our entire exchange had made me strangely irritable. "You ask me my opinion as if I have a choice in the matter."

  Solveig sped up and blurred to a stop in front of me. Her beautiful face was filled with contrition as she stared up into my sullen face. Her hand stroked the rough material of my tunic. "Steafedn, you have grown bitter. Angry. When did things go wrong between us? When did the hatred you feel for me overtake you?"

  Glancing away from her, I looked into the sky above as if the answer to her questions could be found there. There was nothing but the green canopy of trees and glimpses of the blue sky. My hands combed through the hair that swept at my shoulders and I released a heavy sigh. I made no attempt to meet her inquiring stare or to show any emotion to my maker.

  "The hatred and anger that threatens to consume me began the day you attempted to convince me that humans are nothing more than cattle. Your plans, your schemes…they grow old. You think of no one except yourself. Mark my words, it will be your downfall."

  Pushing past her, I headed on through the forest. By foot at top speed, it would take us a matter of days to enter Rome. I spoke to as we ran, aware she would hear every word. "This is your plan then. For us to venture to Rome, yes?"

  In a rush, she darted through the tall grass so quickly her feet barely touched the ground. "Yes."

  I squinted up at the sun again. "We should move. If we travel out of the sight of humans, we should be in Rome within two days."

  I did not wait for her answer. I simply began to run.

  ***

  "See the human with the amber eyes? He is the one we need, Steafedn. His talent is perfect. As a human he can mask himself. He is unaware of it, I am sure. If he chooses, you would forget you were in a room with him. Can you imagine the strength of such a talent as an immortal?"

  Solveig spoke in an excited murmur as she peeked over the tall stone wall. We both observed the tall, ebony skinned man in long robes as he followed alongside the others dressed in similar attire. It was clear he was a man of God, in Rome on pilgrimage of some sort. He paid no attention to us, his head slightly bowed and his hands clasped in front of him.

  "We need no other immortals, Solveig. Leave him with his God." I watched as he entered the rectory and closed the heavy wooden doors behind him. Not once did he look up. He was intent on his task and nothing else.

  "His God has led me to him. He would be a welcome addition to our family. You could predict the Council's decisions and this man could mask our movements. The Council and Board would be oblivious to us." Solveig smiled widely, her gleaming white teeth shining in the afternoon sunlight. Her delusion was growing with each passing day. She had a justification for every horrid act she committed. "Tonight, I will lure him out. I will approach him under the guise for his spiritual guidance. We must be ready to move."

  Slamming my hand against the stone, I felt the rock crumble underneath my crushing blow. "I will be no part in this plan. You will change him, and you will take him away. I want no part in this, Solveig."

  She knew better than to argue with me. Her cobalt eyes swept over my face, and I could see her quick nod. “I will meet you back at the camp once I am finished. We will need to remain out of sight for two days while he makes the change. Be safe.”

  She walked along the wall, absently dragging her fingertips across the ragged stones. She never looked back on her trek, focused solely on her task. She would watch him from a distance, and only approach him when she knew she could easily disappear with the man.

  There was no reason to worry about Solveig. She was an impressive fighter, strong despite her small stature. She was the ultimate predator. No one would expect death to appear in such a diminutive, fragile package.

  My eyes stayed trained on her until she disappeared from sight. I knew it would be nightfall before Solveig returned with the peculiar, amber eyed man she had fixated on. If his talent was strong as a human in its dormant stage, it would only increase during his change to becoming immortal.

  Already I was dreading dealing with the frailties of a newborn. Driven by their urges, it would make life even more difficult. How would they explain this man's presence? We would be forced to stay out of sight for years, if not longer.

  No good would come from lamenting over my sire's impulsive nature. There was little I could do to stop her. She refused to listen to reason. She would risk death to see any plan come to fruition.

  I had managed to stay on the outskirts of a neighboring village on my way back to the crumbling ruins of the home we had found deep within the woods. It was the perfect hideaway for vampires. We needed no fire to keep us warm and we could go days, if not weeks without sleep if needed.

  I was halfway to our hideaway when I noticed the presence of a vampire following close behind me. She was female, her intentions quite clear. She was sent by the Council to find Solveig and assess my ability. She had no idea I was aware she was tailing me; I quickly doubled back until I was behind her. I had her pressed against a tree before she had a chance to react.

  She was stunning with her long chestnut hair and dark eyes that flashed in indignation of being caught unaware. She was barely five feet tall, clothed in a gown much too lavish to blend in with the local townsfolk.

  “You were following me. Why?" I demanded in Italian, gripping her shoulders tightly. Her mouth turned up in a sneer as she struggled against my unyielding hold.

  "This is how you treat a woman? Did your sire teach you nothing?" Her raspy voice glided over the heavily accented words, her flashing eyes glancing between my hands and my face.

  Grunting softly, I released her and she smoothed her gown with her long, slender fingers.

  "It is no business of yours." I sat on an overturned tree, squinting up
at her. "What is it you want from me, Sofia?"

  She glanced around before crossing her arms under her chest, looking at me in disbelief. "I see your ability is strong and was not exaggerated. You are one to get straight to the point.” She paused and lowered her voice. “It is your maker we want. We want Solveig."

  I feigned shock and averted my gaze to study the long grass. "Who is 'we'? Why do you think I would turn over my sire to an unknown group of immortals?"

  The woman drew closer, crouching down until our faces were level. "Steafedn, I was sent by the Council to attempt to work out a deal or an agreement with you. You could come with me. You would be safe."

  My eyes shot back up to meet her impenetrable stare. "If you know anything about me, I am loyal to my maker. There is nothing I can do to assist you. You have chosen the wrong man."

  She laughed loudly, her dark head falling back as her husky voice echoed through the trees. "Even though you already know my name, we have gone about this wrong. We will begin again. I am Sofia and I am willing to give you things...any wish you desire."

  The simple way she took seemingly innocent words and made them sound enticing struck a chord inside of me. I leaned forward slightly and fell on one knee before her. "What is it you think I desire, Sofia?"

  A coy grin spread across her exotic face. Even though her skin was pale, a bit of her olive complexion still remained. "First and foremost, I could offer you companionship. You are quite beautiful, after all."

  "What else can you offer me? Companionship is easy to come by." I stroked the side of her cheek with the back of my fingers. Her lips parted and she let out a sigh of approval.

  "I can obtain freedom for you, Steafedn. You would be sireless, free to your own devices." Sofia nuzzled into my hand as a cat would, her long brown locks tangling in my fingers.

  Ah, freedom. She mentioned the one thing I could not resist; the one thing I longed for and had been denied for so very long.

  Sofia sensed my wavering loyalty and struck like a cobra, swift and deadly. Her fingers had crept beneath my tunic, slowly heading down to grasp at my trousers. Arousal spread through me at her aggressive nature and closeness. She wrapped her free arm around my shoulders, drawing herself flush with my body, her lips whispering against my cheek as she spoke. "We will start with companionship. Then...we will work out a plan."

  Any remaining fight left in me dissolved. My meeting with this strange woman was the beginning of the end for Solveig.

  ***

  As expected, Solveig returned near dawn with the large man following behind her. His steps were uneven as he stumbled through the darkness. He was in a trance-like state, deep in her thrall. Even though he was unaware, his living moments were numbered. He would be given no choice in the matter.

  Nor was I at the time of my change. We would have that in common.

  Solveig's prideful smile slowly faded away as she entered the crumbling ruins. Her eyes narrowed into accusing slits as her head bobbed from side to side, her nose high in the air.

  "Who was here? It was another immortal." Solveig scurried past me, looking behind every wall and dark corner. She spun and her accusing eyes met mine. "You bring another back and bed her in our home?"

  I did not move from the floor, my legs stretched carelessly out in front of me. Slowly and methodically, I sharpened the sword in my hands. It was one of three I managed to salvage at the time of my death. Along with a few trinkets, they were the only relics that remained from my human life. The necklace hidden away in my pack had been my mother’s and had been with me when I went to battle on my last mortal day.

  The blade slid across the whetstone and I did not look up from my work. "Our home?!? This is a merely a rickety hut. Look around us, Solveig. It is in ruins. You have other matters to attend to." Glancing up at the rotting thatched roof, I jutted my chin towards the man who stood swaying side to side in the entranceway. "What I do or whom I do is none of your concern."

  Solveig knelt beside me and her fingers slipped underneath my chin. When our eyes met, her face was contorted in anger. "I gave you this life and I can take it away. You would do good to remember your place."

  Grabbing her hand with my own, I grasped it tightly until I heard the bones grind together under my strength. "Your fate lies in my hands, Solveig. Never threaten me again. You may be my maker, however I am finished existing only as your slave. Do we understand one another?

  Dropping her hand, I picked up my sword and resumed began cleaning the blade. She cradled her injury against her chest and stumbled backwards.

  "How could you? You have spoken with the Council? You have betrayed me, Steafedn? Betrayed me with the immortal I smell on your skin, whose stench lingers in the very air around us." Her voice screeched as she paced nervously. "What have you done to me? To us?"

  Shaking my head at her selfishness, I did not grant her a reply. I simply continued on with my task as I let my thoughts wander. Sofia had offered me a precious gift; one I had yearned for nearly two centuries. It was the whisper of hope and the promise of freedom. Her words alone had given me the faith that all was not lost. It would take time to put things into place, yet time was something I had an abundance of.

  Letting out a shriek of frustration, she rushed for the ebony skinned man in the middle of the remains of the room. Once she reached him, she viciously pushed him to his knees at her feet and spoke once she was aware she had my attention once again.

  "This is why I chose to turn this man. You will find a way to leave me, Steafedn. His blood is on your conscience. You forced me to do this. You."

  In a blur, she turned and buried her fangs into his jugular, draining the man until his heart barely beat in his chest. She ripped open her wrist with her razor sharp teeth, letting her blood drip into his gaping mouth.

  As she caught me staring, an evil grin broke over her face. "His death and immortality is because of your selfishness and greed. Your actions caused all of this. If you would just love me…"

  Rising to my feet, I placed my sword in its sheath. "You are my sire. I loved you once. Do you not remember? I only ask for freedom, yet you refuse.” I stood before my maker and stared down into her face. While still stunning, her madness was marring her beauty. Lowering my voice, I continued. “I did nothing to cause his death. You had already planned to change this man. Do not put the blame on me and burden me with misplaced guilt. We are finished here."

  Ducking, I exited the shambles of the house and strode a few yards away from the carnage she'd created. As I stared into the horizon at the lightening sky, the stark reality twisted in my gut like a dagger. My sire was slowly losing her sanity and there was nothing I could do to stop her demise. I could only protect myself by distancing myself from her misdeeds.

  It was only a matter of time before the world of denial Solveig lived in crumbled around her, destroying anyone that assisted her. Sofia promised me she would aid me in breaking free, to vouch for my character in exchange for my assistance. I could only assume there would be a price to pay for the freedom I would be given.

  ***

  For two days, I had not returned to our encampment. Choosing to spend my time alone and on the hunt, it was only my curiosity about the clergyman Solveig had turned that lured me back. He would be waking soon. Even though his future was a blank to me, I had my suspicions that he would not be happy with his change to immortality.

  It was nearly dusk when our den came into view. I could hear Solveig's voice pleading with someone. A callous part of myself hoped it was with the man she turned. A newly changed vampire was irrational and impossible to reason with. They were volatile creatures, stronger than their sire in many cases.

  This man's ability was stronger than before, not only leaving him but those around him unreadable as well. Entering a situation blind was never ideal; and was a situation I was unaccustomed to.

  I crept through the small house, listening to the angry exchange between them. Solveig was in rare form; using all her fe
minine wiles to attempt to calm him. As I watched from the shadows, I was amused to see it was a futile measure. This man had no interest in her.