Lord of Shadows book 2: Bloodlines Page 22

  "Anton!" one of the women yelled and turned with her palm facing me. She screamed something incoherent, releasing a torrent of flame my way. The fire singed the layer of darkness I summoned around me when the woman next to her joined in and sent lightning right at my head. Skin sizzled and revealed the bone beneath. Caught off guard, I stepped aside and put up more darkness to cover myself.

  "Die!" someone yelled from my side. I turned to see who it was just as the gigantic Werewolf slammed into my chest and drove me against the wall. The stone cracked and gave way to our combined weight. We dropped over sixty feet and slammed right against the hard, stone beneath the tower. To my bad luck, the Werewolf landed atop me with his massive claws burrowed into my chest.

  Anger washed over me that someone was able to maltreat me so, but then I noticed a chain wrapped around his neck, no, not one but three different ones. More were wrapped around his arms. Were they all enchanted?

  I bared my fangs and bit the arm he used to keep me down with and pulled him in, then headbutted the Werewolf and kicked him off.

  More flame and lightning showered me from above. "Shield me!" I yelled summoning all of the darkness from around me and put it up above my head at an angle. The magic bounced off and struck Anton, singing his fur and paralyzing him. Using my chance, I lunged up and pressed my leg down on his chest while ripping his right arm off at the shoulder. The beast howled in pain, but it still couldn't move. I rammed the claw right into his throat over and over again until his head popped off.

  Footsteps and screams from the inside caught my attention. The rest must have recovered from the surprise attack. Vladimir came shrieking from overhead, jumping after me with his claws extended. His body was covered in pitch-black shadow that writhed around his body. So he had awakened to stage two already, I noticed.

  Pushing all thoughts aside, I lunged up at him and struck his shoulder with a glancing blow. He winced and twisted around me, hammering the back of my head with his interlocked hands.

  I crashed face-first into the ground as Vladimir dropped on my back. He stomped against my neck three times in quick succession and jumped to add power to the kick. I rolled out of the way and sent a blade of shadow up his gut. He brushed it off and jumped back just as the remainder of his retinue arrived. Three men and one woman. I had no idea what they were, but at least one of them was down.

  "This is how all of you will end up, son," I growled. "Leave this place behind and come with me if you know what's good for you."

  "Fuck you whoever you are, you're dead! You've killed my friends, and now I'll kill you!"

  I sighed, annoyed at his rather childish behavior, but what the hell had I expected? Him to welcome me with open arms? I sighed and held out my right hand, then summoned the spear.

  "Oh no, you won't!" a female voice rang out from behind the group. The spear disintegrated into thin air.

  "The hell?" I cursed. "What's going on?"

  "She's a hag. They can summon and cancel out other summoned objects or creatures. Physically she's fragile but annoying."

  I sighed, annoyed by the constant meddling of others. Before I could do anything, the two elemental women showered me with magic again, this time even stronger than before. Annoyed, I jumped out of the way, picked up a pebble from the ground and threw it at the lightning hurling witch. Unfortunately, I was off by a couple of inches, and instead of hitting her neck, it slammed into her left shoulder. She was sent flying into the tower with half of her arm missing.

  "Rita!" the other woman cried and knelt beside her. She used her flame to burn the wound and stop the bleeding. The woman called Rita cried before she fainted. The other woman screamed in rage and took a vial from her breast pocket, drank it, and started glowing red. Good thing I could see whatever my shadows saw.

  The flames grew many times stronger and intense as she unleashed a precise blanket at my position. I ducked behind a piece of broken-down wall and hid from the flame. Using my shadows, I crawled up the side of the tower, trying to evade the extreme heat. Even brick started crumbling and smelting under the intense attack. But she never saw my hand coming, reaching out and catching her leg. She cried out, startled, just before I hurled her down the tower. The witch’s skull cracked wide open as she hit the ground with a meaty thud.

  Vladimir was pissed. He looked up at me, and then at his dead friend and lost it. With a feral scream, he flew right at me, slashing his claws at my neck and face. I backhanded him, sending the brat flying, but he came at me again along with two of his friends. One was a vampire, a weak fellow whose powers had been enhanced by jewelry. I dodged his slash and brought up my right hand and burying it deep into his side, just under his armpit. He thrashed for a long moment and then dropped as I ripped him in two.

  I lost myself to bloodlust and rage mostly after that. Trying to hold myself back was annoying. It was like playing a game with a child and trying to let him win. I wouldn't have any of it, at least not now.

  "Now, now. Why are you so mean, young Ivan?" a familiar voice whispered from a dark corner. My blood froze. It was him, Nosferatu. Why hadn't I felt him approach, just like Freya said I would?

  "What the hell do you want?" I growled. "Leave or die!"

  "No, no. That's not how we play these games," he sneered and burst out in laughter that sent chills down my spine. "You've just killed three powerful Supernaturals I gifted to Vladimir. I can't have you hurt any more of his friends, young Ivan. You see, each one of them was quite old and powerful, but it's just that you've gained much more power than I anticipated you would."

  "I'm really not in the mood today, Nosferatu. I just want my son; you can have your own children and be on your way."

  "But that won't do," another familiar voice said seductively. "We see each other after such a long time, and this is how you react?"

  "Oh, how nice of you to visit, Countess. Saves me the time of looking for you," I replied, turning toward the half-naked woman. The bony-translucent wings were pointed right at me while snake-skin leather hugged her body in only a couple of places to keep her modesty intact. If she even had any to begin with.

  "Disappear," Nosferatu said as he stepped from the shadows. Vladimir's remaining retinue disappeared from sight as if swallowed by the dark. All who remained were him, the Countess, Vladimir and me. No, I could feel another presence stir in the shadows. Damn all these creatures of the night.

  "Why are you hiding?" I asked and sent a spear of shadows right into the spot they were at. A peal of wicked laughter rang out in the still night as another woman appeared behind me. I couldn't help but recognize the woman from the mayor's description. "Bathory?"

  Her right eyebrow rose as she grew silent.

  "How do you know my name?"

  I shrugged.

  "A little birdy told me, but not that it matters. Tonight, all of you will dine in hell!" I yelled, summoning my spear. I went right after Nosferatu hoping to catch him off guard, but the bastard was ready for me. He slapped away the spear and punched me in the gut. I followed up by kicking out and striking him with the butt end of the weapon across the chest. He cried out, cursed, and sent a wave of darkness that slammed into me.

  "I assume that's the fabled Bethrezen? I thought it would have a bigger kick to it honestly," Nosferatu cackled. "But what did I expect from a second rate fledgling Vampyre? To stand up to a god like me? Hah!"

  I glanced over at Vladimir who stood there as if dazed. He looked from me to the mad-man, then to the Countess. There was indecision in him and not a little bit. Maybe he saw me for what I was, or he believed that I was his true father, whatever it was, it stayed his hand for the moment.

  "Ivan, why are you so hostile?" the Countess asked as she stepped closer to me. She didn't seem afraid for her life, which was rather strange. If what Freya said was true, I could easily end her.

  "You've got something that belongs to me, you old witch," I snapped. "Why did you keep him hidden from me for all these years? He's not even yours! He bel
ongs to Freya and me!"

  "No! He belongs to me! He's my son! Where were you for the last eleven years, huh? Rotting and slaving away! You should be lucky I spared your life, you ungrateful inbred!"

  She caught a nerve, and I couldn't quite help it, but I leapt at the woman and slapped her across her right cheek. She fell to the ground with Elizabeth Bathory appearing right next to her. They disappeared for a moment and appeared behind Vladimir.

  "Mother!" he growled and helped her up. "You dare hit her?"

  "Shut it, kid!" I hissed. "She's not your mother. No wonder you've become such a cruel creature having her as a tutor. Not that I'm much better, but I kill out of necessity, not out of pleasure."

  "No! You love it as much as we do!" Nosferatu cried out. "You love it! Admit it, and everything will be so much easier, Ivan!"

  "The only thing I'll admit to is that I want to see your head on the tip of my spear, you miscreant!"

  I don't know if it was my insult or something else, but his demeanor switched hundred-and-eighty degrees along with his body that easily compared to the dead Werewolf's. He bared his monstrous claws and teeth at me and charged. Before I could even react, he had me pinned beneath his bulk as his fists kept pounding my face.

  I bit down on his claw and ripped at the flesh, but then stopped as his ancient blood flowed into my mouth. He stopped and stared down at me in confusion, then headbutted me and pulled his hand away.

  "You want to use my own blood against me? What an idiotic, young man you are!"

  My body started convulsing as an incredible pain shot through my body. My limbs felt like they were on fire, hurting with every breath I took. I twisted my body around, using the shadows to try and squeeze the pain out of me, but it wasn't working. Was this the difference in power between us? Or had it been my greed?

  "Just look at the poor soul. Look at him writhe in agony!" the Countess laughed. "Look at your father, son. Look at the poor bastard!"

  "So he really is--"

  "What does it matter?" Nosferatu asked as he kicked me in the ribs. "He's going to die soon anyway. I was thinking of letting him awaken fully, but I rather not risk it. He's far too powerful to let him run free. In any case, if you have something to ask or to tell him, now's the time."

  Vladimir looked up at the ancient bastard and then down at me. I could see the pity in his eyes. I didn't want it, I didn't deserve it! And what's more, I wasn't going to die. Not now that I was so close!

  "You're really him then?" Vladimir asked as he knelt beside me. "Why didn't you come to find me sooner if you're already so intent on taking me with you?"

  "I-- found out about you only a couple of days ago. Do you think I would let her raise you otherwise? Don't make me laugh! That sadistic creature only deserves death, nothing else!"

  "She's my mother!"

  "No, she's not!" I hissed. "Your mother is someone else, someone much stronger and more beautiful! That over there is a snake that's about to lose her skin!"

  "Son! Come here! Let uncle Nos finish this vile creature!"

  "Oh? Since when do you order me around, Countess?" he asked. His face was set into a wicked grin with all his teeth showing. It was abhorrent in the least.

  "We had a deal!"

  "Yes, we did, but that doesn't make you my master, quite the contrary." He disappeared and appeared right next to her, his enormous arm around her tiny waist. "It would be so easy to crack you open or fuck you to death. But I won't do that," he whispered. "At least not yet."

  "Nos!" Elizabeth hissed. "You're not even remotely funny! By the blood of my ancestors, finish the job, and leave us be!"

  He dropped the Countess and stepped over to me, cursing and hissing. He kicked me again for good measure and leaned down to pick me up. His heavy hand tightened around my neck, squeezing ever harder until I was about to faint. No, this wasn't happening. How the hell had it turned out so badly?

  "Do you need my help?" Bethrezen asked. My head boomed with power and his presence. "But remember, once I'm out, there's no going back to the way it was before," he said. "Think about it carefully, but be quick as our life is about to end."

  Did I have another choice? No, I didn't, and we did strike a deal in the end. But why wasn't Dracul coming out? Why was the bastard spectating from the sidelines? Whatever the reason, I couldn't die here, even if I were about to release the biggest plague upon these lands, I wouldn't die.

  "Hey Bethrezen, give them hell."

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  "You're a man of your word, Vampyre. I can respect that," he replied as my body started aching, and my skin burst open. Bone protruded and grew in all directions. It started enveloping me at a rapid pace. Nosferatu was caught off guard by my sudden change in appearance. He stepped back and looked down at me as if I was a pile of dung, and he had no idea what to do with me.

  "What the hell do you think you're doing?" he hissed. "Stop that nonsense, or I'll kill you! This world isn't the place for a Demon of his power!"

  He snarled and darted in at me, slashing at the bone armor surrounding my body. With every hit, he cut into the pure-white growth surrounding my body. The pain was excruciating, and to my bad luck, he was whittling down my regeneration. Soon I wouldn't be able to keep up with him, or rather Bethrezen wouldn't be.

  "How is this possible?" he groaned in my mind. "I can't keep this up much longer. If we don't get a break, I can't take over and transform."

  "Then I guess we're dead. Take the time to--"

  "Hey!" an incredibly loud voice roared from behind us, just as something slammed into Nosferatu. "Damn idiot! Do you want to die?" Boris asked as he towered over me. An extreme deadly chill dropped over the alley. It was Selene. I could distinguish her among thousands as the cold she radiated wasn't like Katya's, no it was that of pure death.

  I wanted to speak and move, but I couldn't as Bethrezen had taken over and was transforming my body into-- a monstrosity. I tried to push him back, to stop the demon from taking over, but he wasn't giving in and steadily progressed.

  A cold flame washed over me, burning the bony growth and the hardened skin. I couldn't help but cry out in pain as it felt like I was being consumed alive. Bethrezen was giving it his all to try and wrestle power away from me, tearing at me from the inside, but I wouldn't let him. No. I still had a chance, a chance to get out of this mess alive.

  "Stop fighting me!" I yelled and mentally attacked the demon. He roared in defiance, pouring all he had in the takeover. I couldn't help but glance at Boris who towered over me like an avenging god. Selene appeared beside me wielding a scythe created from pure frost.

  "Calm yourself, Lord Ivan," she whispered. "He isn't that strong, not in this world. Here, take this," she said, putting her hand on my shoulder. A cold wave passed through me, soothing my soul and my mind.

  "No! Don't you dare go back on your promise, Vampyre!" Bethrezen bellowed.

  "I'm not, King of Demons. But it isn't my time to die after all. My promise still stands, though. Both of them."

  He screamed and thrashed around for a moment longer, but calmed down in the end. His presence disappeared to the back of my mind, just like with Dracul. I sighed and got up, flexing my arms and legs, cracking my neck, and looking around the alley. It was a strange stand-off, one which somewhat surprised me. To one side were the three of us, and to the other Nosferatu, Vladimir, the Countess, and Elizabeth Bathory.

  This is becoming troublesome," the ancient Vampyre hissed. "Whatever, I'll have you play with my children," he added, waving his hand in an arc. A wall of darkness appeared from nowhere. One by one, men and women stepped out from nowhere and stood opposite us.

  "Whatever, Nos," I hissed and summoned my spear again. Recognizing the hag from earlier, I hurled it right at her chest and impaled her against the wall behind her. Her hands grabbed for the hilt, but they burned at the touch.

  "You insolent creature!" he screamed. "Don't you have any manners?"

  "Not when it comes to my enemies
!" I growled and released a wave of dark javelins against the enemy. A short, young man went down with the hag, but the rest defended themselves or evaded my attack. "Kill them all!" I ordered. My big Werewolf served as a battering ram, as he charged Nos and slammed right into his body. The old Vampyre slammed his fist into Boris's chest, sending him flying right back at me.

  "Vladimir! We need to leave!" the Countess ordered waving him over, but the young man stood there as if rooted to the ground. "Vladimir! I order you to follow me!"

  "Bella? Why in such a hurry?" I asked, stepping in closer. She unfurled her wings in response and sent out tentacles of metal to meet me. Three of the eight struck my chest, my gut, and my left leg. Bathory joined in helping her friend releasing a swarm of blood locusts from her chest. It was utterly disgusting, but the little buggers exploded upon contact ripping my skin open.

  A wave of frost struck the dead center of the alley and washed over the enemy. The attack froze skin and clothing in place, shattering meat and skin on contact. Finally, Vladimir moved and dove toward his mother and Elizabeth. Nosferatu sent a burst of energy slamming me against the floor and then hurled me against the wall. Selene's deathly magic battled Nosferatu's, but she was both outmatched and outclassed.

  Boris launched himself off the wall and directly into the group of Nos's children. They started changing into what they really were, and it shocked me to see such a large group of supernaturals in one place. The first woman turned into a stone statue with wings, a man turned to an Ogre, something I already had the pleasure to meet at Castle Bran, while two others turned to flaming ghosts.

  "What the hell is that ugly fucker?" I cursed as a rather small man turned into-- a monstrosity. It had the head of a monstrous goat, the body of a tumor and incredibly large nails for fingers.

  "That's a Fiend. They can cause poison and paralysis," Selene said as she took her position up behind me. "Those ghosts are Modeus, undead magicians specialized in fire magic."