Vampire - Child of Destiny (Vampire Series Book 2) (10 page)

"Henry said you would return, but I wagered you would not...it looks like I am the loser of that bet."  Again he paused, his eyes raking up and down my body hungrily.

"I told you never to return, Gwen...but then you never did listen to me, did you?"

Finally

I found my voice, albeit that it sounded very shaky and nervous.

"I have only returned to see my granddaughter, Robert.  I will leave as quietly as I have arrived, I am not here for war ..." Robert threw his head back, a hearty laugh vibrating in his throat.

"Oh but you are still so arrogant, Gwen!  I told you I would kill you; remember? I am almost certain that the act does not involve walking away from anyone or anything."

"Can I see my granddaughter first?" I asked, pulling my body up straight and into my full height, my eyes held his steadily, and I refused to cower.

"So much bravery in that little body, Gwen...is it any wonder that I wanted you to be the mother of my son and heir?" he whispered, almost as if he was talking to himself.

"Henry told me of your bargain...” He paused again, and then continued, "I will allow you to see the girl, she is weak and will probably not survive...but the boy is mine."  I bowed my head in acceptance.  I had known that I would not be able to see my grandson, and although it angered me, I knew better than to push Robert for that which he was unwilling to give.

"But I will not allow you to witness Henry's rebirth." I started to protest, but he held his hand up to silence me. "No, Gwen, I do not trust you, you are not one to hold to a bargain, and I have a feeling that you will try to stop the ceremony in some way."

"But...” I tried again to protest.

"There are no buts, Gwen...I command you to stay away from here; if you do not then I will do what I promised you I would, on that night nearly seventeen years ago. 
Do you understand me, Gwen?
"

I knew he meant what he said, and so I let my eyes drop, and whispered, "Yes, Robert...I will do as you say." He did not comment on my answer, but simply beckoned me to follow him, and made his way quickly to my old bedchamber.

A small wooden crib rested by the bed, a woman, obviously the wet nurse, sat on a stool beside it, rocking it gently from time to time.  There was no sign of my grandson, Jane, or Henry.

"Why is she alone, away from her brother and mother?" I asked.

"She is weak...it is better for her here."  Robert's voice was hard and rough sounding.  I did not comment on what he said, but I knew that his response was false; it felt as if they had thrown her away, before they had even given her a chance.

I walked over to the crib, pulled the woollen blankets back, and looked into the face of my blood.  She was so small, and all alone.  Her skin felt, to my gentle touch, like the finest cream silk, and her features were so tiny and perfectly formed.

She was the smallest baby I had ever seen, and I thought, at first, that this was why they had given her up to die.  Reaching over I lifted her gently from the crib, and pulled her to my chest.  Her eyes opened wide, and they were the same blue as her father’s and mine.

"What is her name?" I asked in a whisper, not wanting to startle her.

"We have not named her,” Robert said, not bothering to lower his voice. "She will not survive, Gwen."

There was something so wrong with his words.  I knew that Robert’s blood could heal almost any ailment, so why did he not feed her, that which would make her live?  Moreover, the child’s heartbeat was strong, she was a fighter, and I believed she would live. I did not trust Robert’s words, there was another reason other than he believed she was too weak, and I would find out why, or die trying.

I forged a look of sadness onto my features, and looking up at him said, "I believe, like you, Robert that she shall not live long...but we all deserve a name, do we not?  I shall think of her always as a white rose, perfect and pure."

Robert walked away from my side and waited by the door. "It is time for you to take your leave, Gwen," he said abruptly.

I lowered my lips to Rose, and biting the inside of my mouth, I quickly pushed the tip of my blood-covered tongue into her perfectly formed mouth.  I knew my blood did not hold the healing properties of Robert’s, but I hoped it would sustain her until I returned. 

I placed her back in the crib, gave her one last kiss, making sure her lips held no trace of my blood, and walked towards Robert.  We quickly made our way in silence down the servants’ staircase, through the great hall, and out to where I had tethered my horse.

"I take it you will not be back, Gwen?" Robert asked as he watched me hoist myself up on to the horse’s back.

"I gave you my word, Robert," I replied abruptly.  Then, in an attempt to sound gracious, I said, "There is no point in me coming back, but thank you, Robert...for allowing me to see her."

Robert visibly relaxed and whispered, "It was the least I could do, Gwen, and I hope life treats you well."  I smiled at him briefly, whipped my horse around, and galloped in the direction of the inn without looking back.

I had lied, I had every intention of coming back for Henry's rebirth, for I had a feeling that the ill treatment of Rose was somehow connected to that ceremony.  I had decided that I would return on the last day of November, the birthday of my son, and protect my granddaughter, whatever the cost.

Chapter Twenty-One

Over the next four weeks, I planned for our escape.  I suspected that Rose was to be included in Henry's rebirth ceremony, and I had begun to think that they intended to sacrifice her.  I was not, under any circumstance, going to allow that to happen.

Daily I waylaid strangers on their travels, but I had stopped killing.  My mind was now set on rescuing the child of my blood, and murder was not part of that rescue.

When the eve of my son’s birthday arrived, I was ready.  I had forged a disguise, it was only small changes in appearance, but I was sure that it would be enough to allow me to enter Vanike without notice.

I lightened my hair and eyebrows with urine in the weeks leading up to the ceremony.  It was the most foul of experiences, but it worked, and my hair turned the colour of copper leaves floating on an autumn morn.  I braided my hair tight to my scalp, a style I had never worn before, and I blackened under my eyes with charcoal, which helped to age me by several years.  I also used rags to bulk out my figure to that of a woman at least ten years older, the rags also helped to hide the wooden stakes tied to my body...

I had organized my party of servants so that they had already made haste to Dover, and would wait for me in a small inn on a cove near Dover's white cliffs.  The very same ship I had crossed from France in, awaited my boarding at the cove, we would cross the English Channel to Calais, and from there I would travel to wherever I wished.

The risks were high, and the difficulty would lie in snatching Rose and escaping unscathed, I knew there was a very good chance that we would both die in the endeavor.

I had timed my arrival well and when I arrived, the great hall was full of vampires.  I did not recognise many faces from the crowd, and I knew if this was the case, then they would likewise not recognise me.

I made my way slowly towards the front of the rabble.  Not close enough that I was able to be observed by Robert, Henry, or Matilda, but close enough to make my move when the time came.  Matilda, as always, shone brightly in a beguiling gown of emerald green velvet, threaded with gold thread, and sparkling with diamonds.  Her eyes sparkled like the jewels she wore, and I felt my hatred of her build afresh, as I watched her move around with catlike grace.  Robert stood on the other side of the hall, his presence godly, overpowering, and all-consuming.  He did not need jewels or fine clothes to gain attention, his being naturally drew admirers, as a candle welcomes moths.  Henry, my son, stood in between them.  He shone as greatly as those at his sides, and I did not doubt that he would fulfill the destiny that Robert had predicted for him.

I watched as they prepared themselves for the ceremony, which would see Robert with the son of his and Matilda's blood.  They had fed Henry from before he was born, via me, the vessel, with both of their blood, and his rebirth would be born from both of their blood.

The atmosphere in the hall started to change, and excitement charged the air.  Robert stepped forward, his hands held high.

"
Today you will witness the rebirth of my son, Henry,
" he shouted to the now silent crowd.  "
He will become a great prince, the first true prince of the vampires; his destiny will begin!
"

The vampires cheered heartily to the sound of Robert’s voice.  I ignored their cheers; to me they were no better than animals following the pack leader.  It was at this point that I noticed Matilda turn and walk towards the roaring fire. She swiftly bent down and then straightening up, walked towards Henry with a small bundle in her arms, she then placed it in on the floor in front of him.

"
The child of our son,
" she shouted to the crowd, "
The pure blood of innocence will give our son strength, her blood will power his reign, and her kin sacrifice will be his life's blood.
"

Rose was to be Henry's first taste of blood, and his first kill as a vampire!  For the first time in a very long time, I felt vomit fill my throat in disgust; swallowing it down, I moved forward.  I knew that I needed to act quickly, because Henry was now kneeling behind Rose, his head flung back in preparation for the slicing of his throat and his death.

I pulled the stake out from under my skirt, and before anyone could stop me, I lunged at Matilda, the stake in my hand pierced her body, and her scream echoed with horrific clarity around the great hall.  I had very little time and so I ran towards Rose and quickly snatched her into my arms, but I was too late, Robert was already by my side.

I thought he would kill us both, but he ignored us, and he walked past us as if we were not even present.  His intention was clear; he wanted to reach Matilda's side.  When he did, he fell to the floor and pulled her now aged and rotting body into his arms.

His voice rang out around the hall in a language that sounded as ancient as time, I did not understand him, but I was sure that I was not alone in my bewilderment.

His voice echoed repeatedly.  Agony, deep and raw, resonated within the sound.  The pain in his voice clenched at my heart, it was the sound of a broken but enraged animal.  The sound suddenly awoke within me the awareness that I must escape before his anger swept the hall like an avenging demon. 

I scurried quickly towards the doorway. Not looking into the faces of the vampires surrounding me, as I was sure if I did, then they would be aware of our escape and Rose and I would be torn limb from limb.

I had just about reached the entrance when what can only be described as a howl, although the force of it caused the stone of the manor to shake around me, and was unlike any sound I heard before or since, vibrated in the air.

"MARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY"

His voice repeated, piercing my mind and delaying my progress, I was confused, for he shouted 'Mary', not 'Matilda'.

Disorientated by the sound of his voice vibrating inside my skull, I made the mistake of looking back towards him.  His eyes shone like the burning sun into mine, his wrath was such that I felt I could feel it scorch me from across the hall.

I watched, mesmerized, as he moved with great speed towards my son.  He then grabbed Henry's head in his hands, and pulling it back towards he twisted his head as if it were no more than a twig in his fingers.  Robert sunk his teeth into his own wrist, which enabled his blood to flow freely.  He then held his wrist to Henry's mouth, and in doing so, completed Henry's rebirth.  Robert's blood had slid down my son’s throat in the moment of death, Henry was now a vampire.

Robert had watched me throughout the whole of the quickly performed ceremony, but not once did he move towards me.  Even now, I do not know how, but I somehow managed to find the strength to turn away from his gaze and stumble out through the doorway.  I tied Rose, in her blanket, tightly around me, vaulted on my horse and took off, away from Vanike, Robert, and my son, at a raging gallop.