Authors: Kelly Varesio
Insperatus (39 page)
No, no, pretend I am not here, Traith,” Taverin said. “It does not frighten me; I want to know what you must do to fix these things.”
least
a hundred to one. And they have an attack planned, but they’re holding it for something. Once they unleash their attack, it is inevitable that one council will cease to be, and it looks as though the odds are in their favor.” There was a long silence. “They want us, Rein. You and I. Alive. I was the most powerful person in our council before you, and now you will be more powerful than me. That’s what they wanted when I was on the ship—me to surrender to them. And that’s what they want now. It just worries me to think what they will try in order to persuade us to give in now.” He turned as if to walk out the door. “I’m sorry I scared you, but I needed you to know. I need to
think
…”
Dear God,” Rein said softly. She shook her head, trying to get foreboding thoughts out of her mind.
possibility
and what were thoughts of
prophecy
.
Chapter 54
The next day was as dreary as the last had been. After Traith’s panic about the Mardinial Council, Rein knew she had to get her mind to stop playing with the matter, and Taverin’s mind
off
it. So with the transportation aid from Traith, Rein took Taverin to the expensive dress shop just outside Teesdale—the largest one in that part of England, and the one in her dream.
Taverin was a material girl; she liked shiny things. So they laughed and bought a few dresses each, and Rein felt herself growing much closer to the girl. She was indeed a good replacement for Saria, if there could be one.
But, despite the few words and mental signals exchanged to get to and fro, Rein hadn’t spoken with Traith since the previous day. When she returned to the castle with the girl, Traith had been barely awake. He was deep in thought for the remainder of the night, and she had left him sleeping in his study, with notes and papers and quills about him.
And he was still in there upon daybreak.
Opening the near-vaulted door as quietly as she could, Rein could see Traith, now awake, concentrating deeply on his writing.
“
I missed you last night, Traith,” she purred.
His head shot up fast. She saw him smile. “You’re startling, Rein, you know that?”
She had her hands on her hips, but dropped them as she walked in. “And what is that supposed to mean, Traith?”
She bent down, wrapped her arms around him from the back, and leaned her face against his, staring down at his paperwork. The enticing scent of his skin triggered the hair on her arms to stand on end.
“
Stunning is a synonym,” he replied, turning his face to her. “If you prefer that one.”
She kissed his cheek, and walked around to kiss his lips. He pulled her to him on his lap and smiled as he gazed at her.
“
So what do you dare interrupt me for?” he said, trying to act serious.
“
I want to know what’s going on inside that handsome head of yours. I passionately hate reading minds unless I must, so you have to explain.”
He tilted his head back against the cushioned chair they sat in. “Taverin is in grave danger. I knew that. So I’ve been searching for a tactic—something I could surprise them with, but, thus far, I’ve come up with nothing. It is only a matter of time until they try to kill or, more likely, take Taverin hostage in an attempt to get one of us to surrender on her behalf. But you
do
know that if they get her and all works as they desire, they’ll murder her
anyway
. If we beat them in that rumble, they’ll send all they’ve got after us, and we have to fight to the death.”
“
That’s terribly morbid, Traith Harker, for you to sit for a whole day and contemplate over.”
“
I’ve contemplated over worse.” He gently eased her off his lap, and stood up beside her. “Just keep a close eye on Taverin, because they will strike when we least expect it—hours, days, months, or even longer than that.”
“
Of course,” she replied. “I have been.”
“
Where is she now?”
“
Just across the hall, in the lounge, doing English grammar work. I told her for those dresses she got she had to work her mind a little.”
He smiled and sighed, closing the book on the table. “I just wish it would happen sooner rather than later. Get it over with. I’m ready now, and the suspense of not knowing when is the worst—”
“
Now sounds about good,” a voice hissed. “I’m ready, too.”
Rein’s head shot around.
Nice to see you, Traith,” the woman said, grinning. “It’s been so many years, and I’ve missed rivaling you! It was…how long? One hundred and ten years ago? Right before you were cursed onto the
Olde Mary
!”
Traith jumped over the chair, and shook his head with a crooked smile, tossing a glass paperweight in his hands. He held it as it fell from the air for a moment. “Thanks, Tanya,” he said. “No more suspense. What, were you waiting for your cue?”
“
You think you have this all figured out, don’t you, Harker?” she laughed, licking her teeth.
“
Aw, come on,” he replied, holding up the paperweight, studying it. “Give me a little credit, Tanya. I’ve been doing pretty well at predicting you all so far, considering I was oblivious to this world for a hundred years stuck on a
ship
.”
“
We left you a little cloning surprise, too,” she said as calmly as if she hadn’t felt pain at all, beginning to snigger wildly.
Rein had no idea what that meant, but she realized she needed to get Taverin as fast as she could. She ran to the door, but she heard a crack, and, turning to look back at Traith, she saw Tanya’s form nearly on top of her. In the next moment, all was black.
Traith shook his head from under the stones Tanya had thrown at him, and he vanished from under them as fast as he could. Rein and Tanya had disappeared instantly, and he had no idea where to.
They hadn’t taken Taverin? They wanted Rein first?
He ran to the doorway where Rein had been and came to a halting stop at the sight before him.
Bodies
.
There were
bodies everywhere
. They lined the floor, and extended all the way down the hall. He squinted in disgust and had to take a step back at the stench.
Blood, flies, and corpses freshly beheaded or mangled were strewn everywhere he could see. Innocent people.
How long had Tanya been in the damned castle?
He phased into the room across the hall that Taverin was in and saw her running for the door he was suddenly in front of. She ran into him, and after a moment of shock, looked up at him with fright in her eyes.
“
Lord, Traith, what just happened? What’s out there?”
He held her shoulders and thanked God that he’d made it to her before she saw what was outside the door.
“
They came…took Rein—”
“
Took
Rein
? Why won’t you let me out the door?”
“
Just…I don’t want you out there, all right? Stay in here a moment. I need to look at something.”
He vanished back into the hall and materialized standing on a body. He jumped off fast, onto the bloodstained stone. He shivered;
so many
. He looked around, trying to find someone, just someone, alive. Maybe one, barely alive. But as he stared around him, the hall like an unearthed graveyard, he realized that everyone was dead, and a part of each body was cut off somewhere or another. It was a demonstration. The Mardinial Council was giving a demonstration of what they were capable of, in both mass murdering and cloning. And now he would have to dispose of everything—but not before he won the battle that needed to be won.
He heard a gasp, and his heart dropped. He turned and saw Taverin standing in the doorway, the door opened inward. Her hand was over her mouth in a mist of panic, her face pale, tears falling.
Oh
God
…” she choked.
I told you to stay
in
there!
Damn you
, why didn’t you
listen
to me? Did you think I was trying to hide something
good
from you?”
She ran back in fast, crying. He sighed and ran after her. “Taverin come here, please. I’m sorry—listen to me, all right? I only want you safe.”
She buried her head in his chest, and he felt her nod.
The next second, Traith and Taverin were enveloped in white.
In the council.
Chapter 55
clairvoyant
. It was so terribly hard to sift the arbitrary thoughts and pressures pounding into her head because of where she was and the confusion of everything.
Good evening, Rein,” the woman teased. “Do you know who I am? Of course not; I am Helena, dearest—the most advanced form of a vampire that has
any
human attributes whatsoever, and I consider those
physical
attributes. Fancy your cell? Even further unlike anything you’ve ever seen, isn’t it?”
Pierson, you thought we were after the puny girl, your proclaimed ‘sister,’ didn’t you? We’re trying something different, and so far it’s worked. We have
you
.” The winged woman walked toward her. “You foolishly let Tanya touch you, and she brought you here. Behind these bars, your powerful mind cannot be used.” She laughed. “Such a powerful girl, and yet you seem not to know. Either that, or you’re completely stupid.”
numerous
potential benefits, and I am more than willing to do whatever it takes to attain them. Your mind will develop with our tactics, which will make for better brainwashing, my dear!”