CHAPTER 22
“I am.” The cold voice caused Gillian to jump violently and spin towards the open doorway.
Gillian’s mouth opened and closed helplessly, as if she wanted to say something about the unexpected appearance, but one narrow-eyed glare from the woman in the doorway kept her silent. It was obvious that the blonde had decided to change the plan without informing Gillian. Von tucked that information away for later examination while trying to see what he could learn through a quick study of his newest visitor.
He was not moved by her beauty, although there were some that might be. He much preferred laughing aqua eyes and cheeks that always seemed to be tinged with a sweet blush when he was near, to this woman’s coldness. There was something about the set of her lips that was too cruel. While the angles of her face and body were too harsh to inspire anything other than a strong desire to put as much distance between oneself and her as possible. This was an adversary that required he tread carefully, not a woman that could be won over with soft words.
The woman in question clearly fancied herself some sort of monarch; a crown of dark metal sat atop her almost colorless hair. The black stones which ringed it seemed to suck in the light rather than reflect it. It was an object that should have inspired respect but fell woefully short. The effect of the crown was such that it appeared a gash across the top of her head standing out in harsh contrast rather than any form of glittering adornment. She was trying too hard to be a symbol of power and strength, and the crown seemed to mock, rather than reinforce, her authority.
Von, sensing that his disinterest would garner a reaction nothing else could, asked in a bland voice, “And you are?”
His disrespect proved effective. He watched the woman flinch and press her lips together, her cheeks flooding with color as she snapped, “The rightful ruler of the Chosen and your new Mistress.”
“Mmm,” he murmured, “then we appear to have a problem. I’ve already made a lifetime vow of service to another woman. And maybe no one had the heart to tell you, but you seem to be confused. I happen to have it on good authority that our Kiri is a beautiful and vibrant woman in her prime, not some dried-up corpse.”
The blonde’s icy eyes were shooting daggers at him. Von also noted the way her metal-tipped fingers dug so hard into her fleshy palms they drew blood. Deciding to press his advantage and taunt her further, he added, “Couldn’t find a man with the balls to bed you so you decided to steal hers? Here’s the thing, sweetheart, you might have me tied down, but you still can’t make me fuck you.”
Gillian went pale at his words, cringing when the blonde snapped in a voice so filled with ice-cold fury that the walls began to twinkle with frost, “You arrogant—”
“Asshole? Bastard? Twice-forsaken son of a whore?” Von merrily supplied, grinning widely while staring her down with hard gray eyes. He couldn’t help it; he was enjoying himself. There was something about sizing up a new opponent that made him feel alive. He might be her prisoner, but by the time he was done with her, he would make this woman beg for mercy.
Her eyes widened and her nostrils flared. Von had a moment of self-preservation and sent a thought to Helena, “Darling, now might be an excellent time to join me.”
The blonde lifted her hand, blood dripping down her palm and onto the floor as she said in a voice lacking inflection, “I should have realized you would want to skip the foreplay.” Her ice-blue eyes drained of all color before turning completely black and she began rapidly muttering under her breath.
Her words were unintelligible and Von was just getting ready to goad her further when he felt the first slam against his mental barriers. The blow was so unexpected he curled into himself. It was like receiving a blow to the lungs, and it knocked the breath from him momentarily. Bile rose in his throat at the feel of her trying to peel back the layer of his mind that protected his deepest thoughts. His skin turned clammy as he grit his teeth and focused on repelling the invasion.
Von noticed the moment that the blonde realized something was wrong. She frowned deeply, her black eyes lightening to blue as she stepped closer to the bed. She hadn’t anticipated his being able to resist her attack. Not that Von felt like he had resisted much of anything.
She must have seen something in his eyes because a wicked smile bloomed across her face. Curling her bleeding hand back into a fist, she allowed her blood to drip onto his leg as she began chanting with renewed effort.
“Helena!” he shouted desperately down the bond, his body arching up off the bed as his vision began to fade. He had no clue what she was doing, but it felt as though he was being flayed alive, his mind and body left bare for her to pluck and prod to her liking.
The pan dropped from Helena’s fingers as electricity hummed painfully over her skin. She could hear Von calling for her along the length of their bond, but the corrupted power she could feel clawing at him kept her from being able to form words. It was as though she was under attack as well.
“Helena!” Effie shouted, trying to move to her side.
“Kiri!” a multitude of male voices exclaimed at the same time.
Helena was unable to do or say anything. She could feel herself being pulled back to Von. It was not a conscious choice, more like her power’s instinctive response to the attack. The transition from campsite to the stone room was both instantaneous and disorienting. Helena could feel her physical body collapsing to the ground near the fire but she was also aware of a much larger body reclining on a bed beneath her.
There was no mistaking where she was; her magic had pulled her back into Von’s body. A sweet numbness filled their joint body as they pushed up off the bed, no longer retaining the illusion of being chained. “We’ve got to stop meeting like this,” she purred in the voice of her magic, as Von’s eyes made the shift from steel to molten gold.
The blonde’s eyes widened and her smug smile fell from her face. “You!” she snarled, lurching away from Von’s body. Turning towards Gillian, who was watching the scene unfolding before her with horror, she shouted, “Don’t just stand there you little fool!”
“Mother!” she whimpered, as Helena threw out an arm and ribbons of Fire wrapped themselves around the frightened redhead.
Helena felt a moment of shock as she processed the word, how was that even possible? Batting the thought away to deal with later, she kept her attention on Gillian. The blonde backed out of the room, eyes never leaving them.
Von’s lip curled in a sinister smile, enjoying Gillian’s mewls of pain as the Fire began to singe skin and cloth alike.
With a frustrated growl, the blonde stepped into the hall, “If your final act is to buy me time, so be it, at least your death will be more useful than you ever were!”
“Help me! Please, Mother!” Gillian sobbed as the blonde fled.
Helena protested the retreat, knowing the true threat was currently escaping and wanting to pursue her. She looked back to the cowering girl, an annoying sliver of sympathy worming its way into her heart, despite everything she had done. No one should have to face such betrayal from a loved one. Especially a mother.
“Give me one reason I should spare you,” Helena demanded in the harmony of voices; Von’s approval radiating along their joint consciousness at her words.
“I-I,” she stuttered, crying out as the bands of Fire drew tighter. Tears filled the eyes that were so like her brothers, suspended from her eyelashes like drops of rain caught on a branch. “Mercy! Please, Helena. I was only protecting Micha.”
Helena loosened her hold on the Fire, startled by Gillian’s words.
“She does not deserve mercy,” Von snarled.
“We cannot kill her, my love. Not yet. We will need her if my plan is to work,” Helena cautioned.
“You think that blonde bitch will let her live after this? She does not care what happens to her daughter. She all but left her for us to finish off.”
“It doesn’t matter, we cannot risk it. She might be our only chance. Gillian lives.”
Von’s growl of frustration escaped and caused Gillian to flinch.
“Just because she must live, does not mean she needs to be conscious.” Drawing back his arm, Von let his fist slam into her jaw. Gillian’s head snapped and she crumpled to the floor.
Helena looked on in amusement. She might feel sorry for the girl, but it didn’t mean she hadn’t deserved it. Not after what she had done. A sense of disorientation grew and Helena had a vision of the campsite superimposed on the small room. A wave of nausea hit her causing Von to stumble.
Von took a tentative step towards the door, knowing this might be his only chance at escape. Helena tried to refocus on him and the room, but could feel herself being pulled back.
“Be careful!” she warned, her voice thin along their bond. Her magic was fading, having been pushed too far already.
Already Von’s eyes had returned to the usual gray. She could feel a gentle caress along the bond, and his concern for her.
“Do not worry about me. Just stay safe until I get to you.”
With a final fervent “I love you” their connection was severed, neither certain who had sent the thought.
Pulling his focus back to the present, Von’s eyes scanned the room. Gillian was out cold; she was not going to be an issue. Stepping into the hall, he checked for signs of others. There was nothing. Balls of Fire flickered from glass orbs which floated every few steps along the otherwise dim corridor. There was a muted fabric, that had once been a vibrant red, running the length of the hall. It was clear this was not an area that received much attention.
Letting his instinct guide him, Von shielded and took off at a run. Reaching a corner, he slowed, peering around the dank stone wall before continuing. After several more turns he reached a dead end.
Von slammed his fist into the wall. Earth infused the blow causing the wall to tremble under the force, small bits of dust raining down from hole he’d left behind.
“Leaving so soon?” a cloyingly sweet voice called.
Von spun, his lips pulling back as he bared his teeth like a cornered animal ready to strike. The blonde was standing there surrounded by a small army of Shadows awaiting her command. Von lost count at seventeen and knew, without a doubt, that he was completely and utterly fucked.
Feigning indifference, Von shrugged and allowed his body to relax, “With a hostess like you, you can’t blame me.”
The blonde tilted her head, studying the change with interest, “Do my Shadows not concern you?”
Von’s answering smile was pure arrogance as he replied, “Woman, I’ve single-handedly destroyed entire cities. What’s a handful of mindless corpses?” With a quick move, Von threw out a wave of his power, but it was significantly weaker than it should have been, harmlessly sparking when it came into contact with her shield. Apparently, Helena wasn’t the only one who was drained. Von did not allow his expression to alter, despite the failed attack.
Looking entirely too gleeful, she simpered, “Why don’t you be a good little boy and get down on your knees? There’s no reason to lose a warrior as strong as you to such foolishness.”
“There’s only one woman I will ever kneel for, and you are not even fit to speak her name.”
The amusement fled from the woman’s face and she scowled, “You dare speak to me that way?”
Von’s arms crossed against his chest as he defiantly lifted his chin, “I just did. Do you need me to repeat myself?”
Rowena threw out an arm and Von heard a sickening crack. Looking down he noticed a finger hanging crookedly at the wrong angle. His own shields were no match for whatever power she was wielding. Von’s shoulders began shaking with laughter and his eyes met hers, “Is that all you have bitch queen? It’s going to take more than that to bring me down.” The laughter died down and he said in a voice filled with venom, “I. Will. Not. Kneel.”
“Yes, you will,” she ground out, eyes narrowed into slits, as another wave of magic hit his body. There was another crack and Von was falling.
Looking down he noticed the bone in his shin sticking out of his leg. There was another loud crack and the world around him began to dim. As his hands slammed into the stone floor, he felt the sticky warmth of his blood. The last clear thought he had before everything went black was If I get through this, I will need Nial to make me one of his chairs.