Chapter Seven
It was still fairly quiet in the main area, though there were one or two booths taken up by private parties.
Roman had taken Theodora up to another level of the club. She had barely taken in the VIP area when he steered her to a private garden balcony which overlooked the city. Roman said something about giving them privacy and getting some food for her, but she didn’t take much notice of anything else he said as he’d left her at the door.
Seated at the far side of the balcony, Sam caught her attention. He looked deep in thought as he stared off into the night sky.
She made her way over and sat down beside him. “Hey.” She gently bumped his shoulder.
“Hey.”
“How you doin’?”
“I’m good.”
Theodora gave him a knowing look.
“I’m good. Okay, maybe not so good. I’m confused, I’m annoyed and I’m pissed the hell off after Roman roofied me with his blood. He officially claimed me as his, all apparently for my own protection. Then he went off to go get me a sandwich like it was no big deal. I can’t do a damn thing about anything that’s happening in my life right now, so I’m out here quietly freaking the fuck out. But other than all of that, I’m good.”
“Blood roofie?”
“Uh huh.”
“Well, shit.”
“Yeah shit. So what happened out there?”
Theodora took a deep, audible breath before answering.
“Well, I’m pretty sure I just met two of Lyzander’s exes. One was a human blood donor, who he had cast aside because of me. She hates my guts and wishes me nothing but pain and misery. We didn’t speak, but I could tell by the hate-filled glares and hostile vibes she sent my way. The other woman was a vampire who was trying poison him, but I managed to foil her plans. So now she also hates me, yay!”
“Aside from the whole being mated to a vampire madness, Lyzander turns out to be the king of all vampires, which makes me the queen of freaking vampires! I know this because someone just pledged fealty to me, their queen! That was weird.”
“I also have this strange telepathy shit going on which I can’t control. I can’t seem to be able to keep Lyzander out of my head or stop myself from hearing other vampires’ thoughts either. Oh, and I almost forgot, I possibly have some odd power that is freaking the hell out of Lyzander. Which isn’t actually a good thing. So yeah, I’m good too.” Theodora spoke quickly in that rambling way she only did when nervous.
“Wow, what a pair we make.”
“The next time you suggest a weekend away, I’m choosing where we go!”
“Absolutely. This whole thing sucks. Pardon the pun.”
“You’re right. It sucks.” She sighed. “What are we going to do, Sam?” She was much calmer now that she got that all off her chest.
“Honestly Teddy, I don’t know. It’s happening too quickly for either of us to digest. I’m a numbers guy, you know that. I like my facts and figures. I like to read and research and have as much information as I can before making a decision. This is not supposed to be real. It’s fantasy. This is one big game to those vampires. You and I have been dragged into a world that we didn't even know existed two days ago. We’re now players in a game we know nothing about. We need to figure out the rules so neither of us are blindsided again.”
“But how do we do that?”
Sam took a moment to gather his thoughts.
“Roman, he reminded me that I now work for him. I’m going to find out as much as I can from him and anywhere else I’m given access to. You find out what you can from Lyzander and we’ll pool whatever info we find out. It’s a weak plan, but I’m tired and hungry and I can’t think straight, so it's all I’ve got right now.”
“It’s good, Sam. It’s better than what I’ve got anyway.”
“Thanks. We can do this, together.” He bumped her shoulder.
Theodora rested her head on his shoulder for comfort. She only got to enjoy their closeness for a moment before he moved away.
“First things first, I need to find a bathroom pronto and then I need to eat something. Roman better go all out on that sandwich. I’m bloody starving. You must be too. It's been a while since either of us ate anything.”
Theodora wasn’t starving at all. Drinking Lyzander’s blood had filled her up and given her the nourishment her body needed. But she wasn’t going to explain that to Sam.
“I could eat.”
“I’ll be right back.” Sam stood and made his way over to the door. “Are you going to be alright?”
“Yeah, I’ll be fine. I’m the badass queen of vampires, remember.”
Sam gave her a sad smile before pushing open the door. “Back in a minute. We’ll talk this plan over some more then. Don’t worry.”
And then Theodora was alone.
She looked out into the inky night sky, contemplating not only what Sam had said and what Lyzander had told her, but what she hadn’t told either of them. She felt good, strong. Stronger than either of them realized. It scared her. Since her first feeding of blood, deep down, not only did this feel right, it felt like this was only the beginning.
Closing her eyes, she inhaled deeply, willing calmness into her soul.
“Well, look who we have here?”
Theodora's eyes snapped open and she looked to her right where Cleo’s gleeful voice came from.
“Wasn’t I just talking ‘bout the best way get her alone?” She asked the six large formidable men flanking her.
With black sunken eyes, pale brittle-looking skin, the same dark cropped hair and dressed in the typical bad guy black, they nodded their reply in unison.
“As luck would have it, here you are all alone. Like a gift from god.” She chuckled as they made their way towards her.
Theodora’s fight overpowered her flight once more, and she stood to face them.
“What do you want?”
“Well, we really wanted Lyzander. But since I can no longer get to him, I’ll settle for you, my queen. Dead!”
The six men let their fangs drop, confirming what she had suspected. She was now facing six, deadly blood fiend vampires eager to hurt her.
Lyzander! Theodora cried out with her mind.
Cleo lunged forward, throwing a punch at Theodora, moving with deadly vampiric speed.
But instead of making contact, Theodora instinctively turned her face to the side and dodged the punch with ease. Cleo threw a right but she blocked it with her left forearm. She threw a left and she blocked that too before shoving Cleo in the chest with enough force that she flew several feet, landing hard on her ass. Empty glasses smashed on the ground as tables and chairs went flying across the balcony garden.
“But you’re a human, how is this possible?” Cleo snarled astounded at her strength.
“How the fuck should I know?” Theodora cried out, staring at her hands in wonder.
“Get her!” Cleo shouted, and the six vampires lurched forward.
What happened next lasted mere seconds.
The first vampire come at her with a sword, slicing it through the air with each step. Managing to dodge his forward thrust, she grabbed his wrist, turning to bodycheck the vampire with the skill of an NHL hockey player. Taking the sword from his hand, she turned to face him, slicing through his neck and taking his head off in one fluid motion.
Blood sprayed out in an arc, raining down on Theodora like a bloody shower before his body turned to ash. Some of the blood got into her mouth and she shivered. It tasted nothing like Lyzander’s, but like acid. She was horrified, but it didn’t have time to take hold as something came hurtling towards her from her left.
With the sword in her right, she turned swiftly and caught the object midair with her left hand. Looking down she couldn’t quite comprehend what she was seeing. She was holding fire. A large flaming ball of red fire. But it wasn’t burning her, it didn’t hurt. In fact, she couldn’t feel a thing.
The vampire who threw it was still moving towards her, but to her, it was as though he was moving in slow motion. She threw it back, hitting him directly in the chest. The red flame engulfed him, incinerating him on the spot and his ashes sprinkled down around where he once stood.
Something slammed into her back but it didn't hurt. Instead, her body was infused with raging power. Intuitively, she knew it was Lyzander. She turned her head and saw that he was brandishing his own Katana.
Cleo and the remaining vampires came at them, biting, kicking and slicing at them with swords, knives and other weapons. Lyzander switched their position, turning Theodora so he could grab Cleo by the throat and shake her in the air like a rag doll. At the same time, he used his sword to fight another vampire who came at him with two blades. Cleo lashed out, trying to get her hands on him and he turned her, using her as a shield, letting the vampire take chunks out of her with his knives.
Theodora kept another vampire at bay with her sword. She was distracted for a split second when a ball of red flames appeared in her left hand, but as another vampire approached, she knew what she had to do. Throwing it at her target, she turned him into a pile of ash.
She took a deep breath and looked around. She could hear Lyzander taking care of those at her back. The balcony was covered in blood and ash. Two bodies lay still, severed and broken on the ground. The rest had long since disintegrated. They were no match for their king and queen.
Cleo was clinging on, gurgling on her own blood as her throat had been partially ripped out by Lyzander. The remaining vampire screamed in pain, his body pumping blood profusely after being separated from all of its limbs.
“You will die.” He choked out. “He will send the purebloods…and kill you all for this...the true king knows you exist now.” He rasped out to Theodora, giving her a bloody smile. “You will all die.” It was the last thing he uttered before Lyzander severed his head, turning him to ash.
Still holding her bloody sword, Theodora walked over to Cleo, who lay in a pool of blood, her arms and legs bent at odd angles and her body cut to ribbons.
With hate filled eyes, she stared up at her queen. “Make...it...quick.” Was all she managed to whisper.
Theodora raised her left hand, producing the red flames. “Goodbye, Cleo.”
Cleo closed her eyes for the final time.
Lyzander turned Theodora away from the pile of ash, towards him, and raised her head. Breathing heavily and covered in blood, she looked every bit the warrior he needed by his side.
In that moment, he realized exactly what she really was.
“My queen,” he whispered in awe.
“What did I just do?” Adrenaline was still pumping through her system but the rational part of her was already trying to push its way back to the forefront.
“You survived.”
“I killed them.” Disgust was evident in her tone.
“Yes, but in doing so you kept us alive. You were magnificent.”
Behind them, a door opened and they turned in unison, ready for battle.
Roman and Sam stepped out onto the balcony, mid conversation. Roman was carrying a large bag of takeaway food while Sam held a stack of napkins and cutlery. They froze, their mouths agape at the sight that greeted them.
Blood and ash covered every surface, including Lyzander, who was stood with his sword raised above his head. Theodora resembled a bloody lady justice, with her sword held in one hand and her burning flame held high in the other.
“What the fuck is that?” Sam almost shouted, gesturing to the fire.
Theodora glanced down at the flames and closed her hand into a fist, dousing the flame. Everyone watched as smoke rose up from her closed fist. When she opened her hand, it was normal once more.
“I was gone for just a minute. A minute! What the hell happened?”
“Are you alright?” Roman asked, worried.
“We are.” Lyzander nodded.
“What happened?”
“Vampires.” Lyzander stated blandly.
“Bad vampires,” Theodora corrected.
“How many?” Roman frowned.
“Seven. Cleo came back to try and kill Theodora but she was no match. It seems my keeper, our new queen, is a siphon.”
Roman was unable to hide his shock. “I’m not sure how that is even possible, but you truly are a gift, my queen.” He bowed.
“Why? What’s a siphon?” Theodora frowned in confusion.
“Each vampire has their own particular gift.” Lyzander explained. “A siphon can draw on the power and gifts of other vampires. Some powers are borrowed and stay with you temporarily, while others will always remain a part of you. To draw on at will.”
“How many other siphons are there?”
“Before you, there was only one living siphon still left. Me.”
That was it. Theodora couldn’t take any more. She was hungry and tired. And after what she had just done, it was too much for her mind to reconcile. A breakdown was imminent.
Sam could see it while Lyzander could feel it through their bond.
Sam took a step forward before remembering the warning about touching her in front of Lyzander and instead, he looked her over. She was pale and covered in blood, looking like she’s stepped out of a horror film.
Lyzander took her by the shoulders and turned her towards him. “You need food and rest, Theodora. I will take you and Sam back to the apartments. You can clean up before we leave.” He turned to his second-in-command. “Roman, I want the jet ready within the hour. We’re going to France. All of us.”
“What?” Sam exclaimed.
“Why?” Theodora glanced up at him.
“Because that stupid vampire gave us our first crumb. He was French. He said the purebloods are going to kill us. Who do we know with a connection to France and the purebloods?”
“Gaspard,” Roman growled.
“Exactly.” Lyzander nodded sharply.
“Purebloods? Is that the same as a natural born vampire?”
He shook his head. “No, they are something else entirely. I’ll explain on the way.”
“Why do we have to go with you?”
“Because, my dear queen, even though I now know you can take care of yourself, no one will ever get that close to you again. From now on, I’m never letting you out of my sight.”
Theodora sighed. “You know what? I’m too tired to give a shit. Come on, Sam. I need a shower.” She turned her back on the disarray.
They left the balcony garden, leaving the bloody mess behind for someone else to clean up.
An hour later, they were all safely and comfortably buckled in on Lyzander’s jet, France bound. But none of them was prepared for what awaited them.