Frailty: The Darkshine (23 page)

To say it
was strange to be drained dry was an understatement. It wasn’t the wonderful feeling Helina got when Gaijryc did it. With this vampire, this murderer, it seemed so cold, so distant. With her lips pressed against Helina’s neck and her teeth far into her flesh, Helina felt repulsed. She could feel the blood rushing toward those two little marks on her neck. Her whole body felt cold and she was getting so very tired. So many things rushed through her mind, the main one being she wished she had one last chance to say goodbye to Gaijryc.

Her gaze traveled to the crystal clear water that ran right next to her. It was beautiful with its calmness and serenity. Warm blood slid down her arm and dripped into the clarity of the water. Swirls of red mixed in the liquid, as if her sustenance were escaping without her.

Their reflection was a wavy blur, but Helina could see her reflection staring back. She felt the vampire tear her mouth away from her neck. She felt her pulse, that steady beat that slowly started to become less fierce. Helina turned and looked at her killer. In the pale moonlight her teeth were stained black, little droplets dripping down her lips and chin. Her tongue snaked out, licking a path up her throat and around the twin puncture marks. Helina winced in pain as she pierced her neck again, a different place than the last. She turned her attention to the trees, her mind conjuring up images that soothed her.

Lizzy stood mere feet from her and wore the most beautiful dress, all dark lace and silk. She walked out from behind the tree line, her dress brushing against the ground and swirling the deadened leaves around her. Helina didn’t know why she found the sight so captivating, but she couldn’t pry her eyes away from those circles in the dirt. She smiled at her sister, not able to feel the muscles moving, but her mind telling her she was doing the motion. Lizzy smiled back, a sad tilt of her lips that reminded Helina of when she used to tell her everything was okay. Helina tried to move her hand toward her sister, but the act proved too hard. If this was what death was like then Helina was thankful for the mercy. She was grateful for her last visions being of her beautiful sister.

I miss you, Lizzy.
The words didn’t leave her lips but Helina heard them loud in her mind. Lizzy smiled brightly and Helina knew her sister had heard regardless. A low hum started to fill Helina’s mind and slowly got louder. Soon that noise encompassed her whole being. Lizzy was in front of her before Helina could even blink. Helina closed her eyes and sighed when she felt the vampire’s arms leave her body. Helina fell to the ground, her legs no longer strong enough to support her weight. The rich, earthy smell of the dirt wafted all around her. Helina wanted to run her hand through it, but any movements just seemed too much work. Slowly opening her eyes, Helina smiled when Gaijryc appeared out of the trees. His attention wasn’t on her, but on whatever was behind her. Although death was undeniable, Helina was glad she had been able to see the two people she cared about the most. Tears fell from her eyes and she was relieved that the end was near.

They stepped through
the clearing, the commotion ahead of them catching their full attention. They watched in amazement as two females fought fiercely. Gaijryc could easily tell that one of them was Lucie, her strawberry blond hair whipping wildly around her face. The other female he had never seen, but her fluid movements and graceful actions proved she was a DarkShine. He stepped forward, ready to stop the two of them when Ryce’s arm shot out, stopping any further advancement.

“What are you doing?” Gaijryc’s voice was fierce, anger resonating through it and directed towards Ryce.

“Just wait.”

He stared at Ryce, about to object when he saw an expression on his face that spoke volumes. Pride shone brightly on Ryce’s face, a look Gaijryc was surprised to see. He turned back to the fight, watching Lucie swipe her hand across the other female’s face. Three deep puncture wounds appeared, and blood dripping from them. He was surprised when her movements didn’t falter—when they actually seemed to become stronger. The dark-haired female’s hand shot out, easily gripping Lucie by the neck and throwing her against a tree. She held her there, suspended off the ground as she applied pressure. Lucie’s hands went to her throat, trying desperately to get them free. Horrible sounds came from her withering form until finally she closed her eyes and passed out.

Everything happened so quickly that Gaijryc didn’t have time to react. The dark-haired female pressed her hand against Lucie’s chest, her grip still tight on her neck. A light breeze blew over her hair. Gaijryc’s breath lodged in his throat, his body so still he could hear the frantic beat of his own heart. As the wind whisked by him, he picked up the very distinct smell of blood. It was the very smell that lit his blood on fire and had his heart racing. He turned toward the smell, his eyes immediately taking in the small form on the ground.

He was by Helina in the next second, his hands running all over her body to check for injuries. How could he have missed her? How could he have been so careless as to not sense her from the moment he stepped through the clearing? Helina looked up at him, her movements slow, her energy draining right before his eyes.

“I’m glad you’re here.”

“Shhh, be still, love.”

He framed her face, moving down to lay a gentle kiss on her cold lips. “I’m so sorry, so very sorry for all those things I said. Please stay with me.” How could he have said those awful things to her? The very words that were supposed to protect her had led her to this event. It was his fault she was dying right before his eyes. “Please, forgive me. I only meant to protect you. Please don’t leave me.” He didn’t care how weak he looked, didn’t care that tears started to flow freely down his cheeks. She smiled up at him, even that looking like it took too much energy. Her face was so very pale, almost translucent in its appearance. Her hand started to move, lifting toward him. The beds of her nails were blue, so frigid when he quickly grasped it and brought them to his lips and kissing every finger.

“I love you, Gaijryc, so, so very much. I wish we had more time. I know Lizzy’s waiting for me. I saw her. She had the most beautiful dark dress on. She was an angel, her curls a halo around her face.”

She smiled at him again, a smile that brought his tears streaming faster. “Stay with me, Helina, please. I can make it so we never have to part.”

Her smile faltered, confusion setting into her face. “Really?” Her words were becoming quieter, her eyes starting to drop lower. “I am so tired, Gaijryc.”

“We can be together forever, just you and me. We can go anywhere you want, see anything you want. Just say the word and I can make it come true.” He pleaded with his eyes, with his words, needing her to say that is what she wanted.

“Oh, Gaijryc, I would love that so very much.” She smiled at him again, a single tear escaping her eye.

Joy burst through his chest, happiness he had never experienced taking the sorrow’s place. He brought his wrist to his mouth, waiting for the right moment.

“Oh, how I would love to stay with you, but how can I when my sister would be alone? How can I leave her now that I know she waits for me? I love you.” She smiled once again, causing his chest to ache. “I remember the little red heart now. Lizzy had a shirt just like it.”

He didn’t know what she spoke of, but it didn’t matter. The only thing that mattered was that it didn’t end like this. Her voice grew more distant as she spoke, her eyes becoming unfocused as she stared past him. It couldn’t end like this, his love dying in his arms and her blood coating his hands. Her eyes closed, a small smile covering her lips once more as the last breath escaped her. Gaijryc roared out so loudly the very leaves on the trees seemed to shake. He pulled her closer, curling his shoulders forward. Rage was a slow manifestation inside of him.

He looked down into her pale, beautiful face. Her long lashes cast shadows across her cheeks. He ran his finger across her lips, her skin feeling icy and lifeless. He clenched his other hand, wanting to tear something to shreds. He could have stayed there for eternity, just holding her. He might have sat there for hours, wouldn’t have even thought twice about it if not for the rustling behind him and the gentle hand on his shoulder. He bent down, giving her lips a gentle kiss before rising. She was light, too light in his arms as he turned and walked toward Ryce.

He stood next to Ryce and looked down at the broken body lying mere feet away. It was Lucie, the soft-spoken servant he had watched grow into a woman. Her face was slashed in more places than not—her white gown ripped to pieces. Her small hands sprawled out to the sides with her brightly painted red nails shining under the moonlight. The side of her neck gaped open, like an animal had attacked her and feasted on her blood. All of those things weren’t even the most surprisingly gruesome of her injuries.

Lucie heart had been removed, the hole in her chest enormous, the blood that stained her white dress like red ink on a crisp piece of paper. Gaijryc spotted the heart off to the side, the organ still beating as blood sprayed out from the torn vessels.

“Who did this, Ryce?” Gaijryc didn’t look up as he spoke, just stared at the crumbled, ruined body of the servant that he had known since she was a child.

“I did.” The female that spoke stepped out from behind a large oak tree, her dark dress blending in with the shadows. Her eyes were cast downward, her focus completely on Helina. Her face was filled with sorrow, the reflection of tears shinning in them. She drew her attention back to him, a sad smile curing her lips. Her hair was the color of night—curls moving against her shoulders. Her eyes were a lovely hazel, the same beautiful color as Helina’s. He looked down and noticed the blood that coated her hands and arms and snaked up to her face.

He looked down at his love again, her dark hair sprinkled across her pale face. It was a stark contrast, her beauty even apparent in death. “Who are you?” He spoke the words softly, keeping his attention on Helina.

“You’re holding her sister.”

He looked from Ryce to the female. “How is that possible? I thought you killed her?”

“I didn’t kill her, obviously. She wasn’t ready to die, and she knew that I could make it so she didn’t.” Ryce’s spoke softly, his voice distant from any emotion.

“I love my sister. You can save her.”

He looked at Helina’s sister. Tears fell from her eyes, making steaks of sadness down her face. Her hands were clenched in front of her, as if she tried to hold some semblance of control.

“If you don’t save her, I will.”

He looked into her eyes, eyes that were so haunted with grief it broke his heart. He pulled Helina closer, her form so small and insignificant in weight. “It isn’t what she wants.”

“It doesn’t matter. She will grow to understand, to accept it. Can you live your life knowing you let her die? Knowing that there was a way to save her? I know I can’t.”

She was right. He wouldn’t be able to live with himself knowing he could have done something. His heart battled over his mind, wanting to keep Helina with him for always. His attention went to the broken body of Lucie on the ground. She looked ruined, crumpled under her white gown stained red. “She didn’t want me to change her because she thought you were dead—she didn’t want you to be alone.”

“But I’m not, so save her.”

“Why would Lucie do this?”

He looked at Lucie again, feeling disgusted that he would feel any kind of sympathy for the creature that ended Helina’s life.

“I overheard her taking to Helina before all of this happened. She said she loved you—that you were hers and she needed Helina out of the way.”

All those little smiles and touches she gave him had meant something more. This was his fault; his doing that his love was dead. He could fix it, though, could make it so they could spend the rest of eternity together if they wanted to. Would she hate him for it? Probably, but it was a risk he would have to take. He only had a short window before there was no turning back and she was completely gone.

“Leave us.” He didn’t bothering looking up, just stared at the only person that truly mattered. Rustling sounded to his side, the body of Lucie being carted away. They would need to dispose of her in the proper way, cutting off her head, burning the body, and then burying the ashes in different locations. Their footsteps got more distant until all he heard was his own shallow breaths.