Survive the Dawn (34 page)

“He is inconsequential. He worries of everything and will be no problem. He seeks balance, and the way he sees it now, with Sebastian possessing Tatiana’s power, there is balance. Two members of the hierarchy once again.”

“I don’t care about you elders and your balance,”
Nicholae
said. Even Leigh winced at the vehemence in his voice.

“
Nicholae
, you must remember. There must be a balance somehow. Sebastian told me to tell you, there can be peace or war. She hopes for peace.”

“Then she’s hoping for too much,”
Nicholae
yelled. “I will destroy her myself!”

“
Nicholae
, please listen to reason. Sebastian didn’t want this. It was thrust upon her. If you let this lie and take no action now, I think it will be for the best in the long run. Have patience, and it will all be yours. Let Leigh do what she needs to do. Let her do it her way. She needs to remember. She will and—”
Daciana
stopped and glanced at Leigh, who was playing with the ancient
athame
, tapping it on her chin. She continued, “She will do as you bid. Let her do it. Do not interfere. I beg you.”

Nicholae
tried to calm the rage that rippled through him. He looked at Leigh. “You have nothing to say? You were resurrected for one reason.”

“It’s as clear as a bell. You brought me back from hell and you want Sebastian there, as well.” She stopped and laughed. “We made another poem.”

Daciana
stared at Leigh, then glanced at
Nicholae
, who was seething. Leigh continued. “Don’t worry. I’ll do as you have bid. When I get through with Sebastian, she’ll wonder what I did.”

There was silence for an agonizing moment.

“I have another—”

“Leigh, we’ve wasted enough time,”
Daciana
said and pulled her off the desk. She looked at
Nicholae
, who was so irate
Daciana
thought he might explode. She watched his fangs drop and could not remember seeing the old vampire this enraged.

Daciana
pulled Leigh out of the library as she struggled. “But—”

Nicholae
raised a hand and the door slammed with such fury it knocked the pictures off the walls.

“I had to bring her back,” he said and slumped into his leather chair.

“I had at least two more poems for him,” Leigh said. “Now I can’t remember them, and it’s all your fault.”

“Leigh, you must be serious.”

“I am.”

“What are you going to do about Sebastian?”
Daciana
asked as they walked back into Leigh’s room.

“First, I must have a minion.”

“Why?”

“There are places we can’t go that only a human can. I had one many centuries ago…” Her voice trailed off. “Ah, Jeffrey. He was a good minion but frail. Sebastian scolded me. Sebastian was always scolding me for something. Could I help it if Jeffrey had a frail body? Could I?”

“No, Leigh,”
Daciana
said. It was times such as these she fervently wished alcohol would have an effect on vampires.

“There you go,” Leigh said in agreement as she flounced on the couch once again.

Daciana
shook her head and sat down. This is insanity, she thought. However, she played along with Leigh because the dark, blank look in her eyes unnerved her. It was as if Leigh didn’t register anything said to her. Yet she answered everything and kept up with conversations, albeit with a good deal of insanity. She nearly missed what Leigh was saying and wondered if it made any difference.

“Now you must know of a minion,” Leigh said. “Someone in the village who has been bitten but not turned. You remember my preferences.”

“Yes, I do, and I remember Jeffrey. He was frail. Let me see what I can come up with,”
Daciana
said. “Wait a moment. Tell me about what was resurrected with you.”

“Oh. I’m not sure what they are. They must have just tagged along. You can’t see them?” she asked and
Daciana
shook her head. “Really? That’s interesting.”

“Are they in the room right now?”

Leigh looked around. “Nope. I don’t see a one of them.”

Daciana
hated herself for what she was about to ask. “What do they look like?”

Leigh thought for a moment. “They’re more spirit-like, almost ghostly in appearance. I can see by the look on your face, the answer is no.
A
lthough I have yet to test them, I do not believe they are friendly. Why they choose not to show themselves to anyone, I don’t know.”

“I have seen much in my travels throughout the centuries. I have to admit, I have never experienced this. I hope you can control whatever force is behind them.”

“Why?”

“Because they could cause much destruction.”

“So?”

Daciana
looked into her eyes. “There would be no reason for any more needless destruction.”

Leigh laughed outright and stood. She gathered her cape and swung it around on her shoulders and headed for the door.

“Where are you—?”

“Needless? Oh,
Daciana
, you are amusing. There is always a need for destruction, darling,” she said. “This is what
Nicholae
is talking about. We must have order. We must have control. We shall not suffer the treacherous ones at our door.” She stopped and looked down at
Daciana
. “Remember that.”

She threw the door open. “And as for the humans? We
can not
live among them. We eat them, and we destroy them. And that’s what I believe, as well, or at least I think I remember believing it.” She stopped and shook her head. “No matter, and if my little friends can help? So be it. We’ll stay the course and defeat the mortals—one meal at a time.”

Daciana
sat there; her fangs dropped, along with her mouth, as the door closed behind Leigh.

Chapter 30

Kasandra
stood on the balcony. It would be dawn soon and she would retreat from it as she had for nearly a thousand years. How she envied the mortals this one simple pleasure. Her mind immediately went to Sebastian. She was glad she was able to assist Tatiana one last time. It was right that Sebastian take her place next to
Nicholae
. She hoped Sebastian had the strength to defeat him if the time came, which she knew someday it would. Sebastian was such a magnificent vampire in the old days before Anastasia. Leigh was right about one thing—Sebastian’s love for Anastasia changed her existence forever. If there was ever a chance for a vampire to find their humanity, she hoped for Sebastian.

“I do remember you now.”

Kasandra’s
back stiffened when she heard Leigh’s voice. She turned to see Leigh standing there. She now wore the black cape as she always did; the hood covered most of her face as she walked toward
Kasandra
. When she stood directly in front of her, Leigh slowly pushed the hood away from her face and smiled.
Kasandra
watched her eyes and tried to calm her breathing. Leigh’s black eyes registered nothing; they were void of any emotion and recognition. It was as if they were not real at all. It oddly reminded
Kasandra
of two onyx stones.

“I’m glad your memory is coming back, Leigh,”
Kasandra
said. “You’re going to need it.”

“You assisted Sebastian in obtaining Tatiana’s power.
Nicholae
was not pleased, let me tell you. You elders are not supposed to choose sides.”

“When
Daciana
broke that rule, all bets were off. You know that. There must be balance and now there is.” In that instant, Leigh was gone. It caught
Kasandra
off-guard as she stood there staring at the empty balcony.

“I’m right here.”

Kasandra
whirled around. “Up here.” She looked out from the balcony to see Leigh sitting in the tree, her legs crossed and swinging. “Something I can do now that I’ve been resurrected.” She stretched her arms from her sides and hung her head in dramatic fashion. “Who am I?”

“The mortals would not find your blasphemy amusing.”

Leigh laughed and floated out of the tree to stand on the balcony railing. “You old fogies are no fun.” She floated off the railing, closed the distance between them, and whispered, “And I’m all about fun.”

She took the silver
athame
from her cloak and held it up in front of her. “
Nicholae
said some Irish sorcerer gave this to Kendra, who sent it on to
Nicholae
. This sorcerer thought we’d have better luck with it since his ritual went awry. Some mortal it seems bested him. Imagine, getting the better of a sorcerer who is over a thousand years old.” She shook her head. “Very rude.”

In a flash, she was gone again.
Kasandra
whirled around in all directions; she was alone. She waited, but Leigh was nowhere, well, nowhere
Kasandra
could see. She started off the balcony and into her drawing room all the while feeling someone, something. Leigh was following her.

“Are you scared yet?” Leigh’s voice called out; her laughter mingled with the wind.
Kasandra
kept moving; her breath became erratic. She wanted to go back to Sebastian where she felt safe. Leigh did indeed scare her.

“Sebastian can’t help you.”

Kasandra
stumbled on the carpet in her haste.

“Oops. Be careful.” Leigh’s voice taunted her.

Kasandra
felt like breaking into a dead run. She was old, tired—tired of this game, tired of this existence. When
Nicholae
beheaded Tatiana,
Kasandra
knew the balance shifted; she knew Marcellus would not be strong enough and
Daciana
would choose
Nicholae
.

She stopped in the middle of the room and let out an amused laugh as she turned around. “Show yourself, Leigh. Don’t hide in the shadows like a girl.”

Leigh appeared from the dark balcony and slowly walked toward her.
Kasandra
mustered every ounce of strength. She knew she was no match for this insane vampire. Her time had come, and she welcomed it—no more feeding off mortals, no more hiding away from the dawn.

A serene, almost peaceful feeling wafted through her. This was what humans must feel like at a moment of bliss. She laughed sadly.

“What’s so funny?” Leigh said in a flat voice. “Now’s not the time for levity, old woman. You’re about to die—again.”

Kasandra
smiled and nodded. “Yes. I know. I welcome it. Do your worst, Leigh. I’m not afraid of you.” She laughed openly then, much to Leigh’s ire. “I’ve existed for nearly a thousand years. I have sat with noblemen and women. I have drunk the blood of emperors. I have known the sexual desire of queens and princes, and above all, Tatiana.”

Kasandra
walked forward and looked into Leigh’s lifeless eyes; Leigh backed up. “I have seen more with these eyes than you could ever imagine. Be afraid of you?” she asked and laughed. “You’re pathetic. And…you’re insane.”

Leigh’s fangs dropped and the whites of her eyes turned blood red.
Kasandra
had to admit it was a dramatic change. The red and black of Leigh’s eyes seemed to swirl and mingle together. She grew taller, or perhaps
Kasandra
was shrinking back. Leigh stood over her and raised the
athame
. “I am told this dagger is made of pure silver, and when driven through the heart of a vampire, it reduces them to ashes. Let’s see if it works,” she said in a hissed whisper and plunged the dagger into
Kasandra’s
heart.