The Power of One (The Forever series Book Two) (18 page)

He shrugs. “Anything to protect you, my sweet. I would do it
again in a second. I should have, but you wouldn’t let me,” he adds softly.

Ahmed clears his throat and I realize I had forgotten he was
even there.

“I am sorry my dear. It was necessary that you learn the
true events of that day. To know that nothing you did or didn’t do would have
changed the outcome.”

I nod grimly, seeing it all in my memory again.

“Your rise to power will be swift now child. You need to be
prepared.”

“Rise to power? What does that mean?” I ask confused.

“You are the Power of One. The only one, to rule.”

Pardon? Rule?

“What? What about The Council?”

“It will be disbanded.” He shrugs apologetically at
Constantine who just looks as if he knew all along.

“Disbanded how? Gregor and Eloise won’t take that sitting
down.”

“They won’t have a choice.” Again with the cryptic. “Come
here, child.” He holds out his hand and I take it hesitantly, glancing at
Corinne who nods reassuringly. As our hands join a spark flares up and
everything I need to know is transferred into my head. I double over at the
overload of information that is racing through every synapse. In agony I try to
pull away but Ahmed holds on tight as I drop to my knees unable to stand any
longer.

Cole rushes forward. “What are you doing to her?” he
demands, trying to get to me as CK holds him back. I can see all of this going
on even though it is behind me. Trying to separate all the images, all the
knowledge in my head I cry out clutching at my head with my free hand. Then it
all stops. The pain is gone and the images and knowledge and Power are there.
My future is clear. The mission is perfectly clear.

Standing as Ahmed helps me up he says, “The transfer is
complete.” He then says, “You know what you need to do?”

I nod. Yes I do know. My eyes gleam as I hold out my hand
and a sword made from the flames of hell appears in my hand.

All five Vampires take a collective step back as I twirl the
sword in a perfect circle, flicking my wrist expertly remembering William’s
tutelage.

“Err, Liv?” Cole asks, “What the fuck is that thing?”

“This, my love is
Gladius Infernus
.”

“The Sword of Hellfire?” CK breathes, “I thought that was
just a myth.”

“Nope. The only weapon created that can end an Initial
Vampire. Or two,” I add in unrestrained glee.

CK and Ahmed exchange wary glances and step back further,
much to my amusement.

“How do you have that?” Devon asks.

Eyes focusing on him I let the sword go back from whence it
came. “It seems I have every weapon ever created ay my disposal.” I click my
fingers and the dagger from
Nagyvárad
is back in my hands. Tossing it to Devon, I click my fingers again and a large
sword appears. “Excalibur. Niiiiiice,” I say. Letting that go, I pull on the
virtual armory and a beautiful sword with a pure gold hilt appears. I throw it
to CK who deftly catches it. “Recognize that?” I ask.

I giggle in delight at a
speechless Constantine. “Christ,” he says finally. “I haven’t seen this thing
since…”

I interrupt, “Rome went to
war with Egypt and you gave it to Octavian as a gift for his success.”

He looks at me in wonder,
saying “Fuck me. How did you know that? Every weapon ever created?”

I tap my head knowingly. “Every
single one.” I pull out an M5 rifle. “Hm, could do some damage with this,” I
murmur.

“Um Liv sweetie. You are kind
of scaring the shit out of me,” Devon says. “Wanna put the arsenal away and
maybe get back to the part about killing an Initial Vampire?”

“Or two,” I remind him.

“Yes, or two,” he repeats.

“I’m going to assume the
other one is Eloise,” CK says wryly.

I nod slowly, “I’m afraid so.
She is surplus to requirements.”

He narrows his eyes at my
tone. “How so?” he inquires warily.

Ahmed answers for me, “There
can be only one.” He says, going all Highlander on us. Quite fitting really,
seeing as how that ended.

“One?” He stands up straight
now.

“Don’t worry, my love. We are
in this together.
Semper et in saecula
. That hasn’t changed. Everything
else is about to,” I say mysteriously.

Still wary he keeps his
distance from me, eyeing me speculatively.

“Aefre,” Ahmed says and I
turn to him. “The powers and knowledge you have been bestowed are of great
importance. It is up to you now to use them as they were intended. In order to
gain control you need to wipe out your enemies. It is what She needs you for.
We will see each other again very soon.” He bows and takes Corinne’s hand.

“Next time we meet I shall
have more to tell you,” she says and they both blink out of existence.

“She?” Cole asks hoarsely.

I spin around at his voice
and shrug. “That is the one thing I still do not know. The root of this Power.
I know that ‘She,’ whoever she is wants, unity. That leaves no room for
dissension.” I turn to CK who is still impassive. “I am sorry, my love. My
mission--what she wants of me--is to kill Gregor and Eloise. They are against
me,” I say sadly.

“How?” he asks.

“I’m not sure I should tell
you, you may not want to know. I know I don’t really care for it.”

“Aefre, I told you not to
keep secrets. Tell me what you know,” he says now annoyed.

“Fine. Gregor was also in London
in 1012. Both of you were sent there.”

“Sent there? I was there of
my own choice,” he says in a huff.

“No, it was implanted in your
subconscious to come to London, to find me. Yours and Gregor’s. They knew it
was me. Had been watching me and they sent you to me to turn me. To fulfil the
prophecy.”

He closes his eyes at this
revelation. “No, it’s not possible. I would have known if he was there.”

I shake my head. “I’m sorry
my love. You happening upon me in the marketplace was no accident. It was fated.
I chose you.” I smile softly.

“You chose me?”

“Yes. I don’t ever remember
seeing Gregor and yet he was there as well trying to make contact with me.”

“Well, fuck me. You are
shattering my illusions, my sweet.”

“I know,” I say sadly. “I
told you, you didn’t want to know.”

He pulls me to him and I lean
into him. “Do you want me to carry on?”

“I suppose you best had,” he
sighs.

“Once he became aware of you
and me, he was angry. Furious that you were there and that I wanted to be with
you and not him. He was the one who told Radulf about us. That we were in the
barn that day. That’s how he knew to come looking for us. His intention was
that I either died or you turned me to save me, losing your chance at a Holy
Union.”

“No!” he says vehemently,
taking a step back.

“I’m sorry. He wanted me for
himself and if he couldn’t have me in a Holy Union…”

“…then no one could?” Devon
asks sadly.

I turn to him. “Me too?” he
asks, quick as ever.

“Yes. Although he convinced
Eloise to join his vendetta. It wasn’t difficult as she hated me anyway. It was
she who told your mother about us. About me. That is how she ended up in your
barn that day. Eloise told her that she had to kill me, knowing that you would
try and stop her. Which you did my darling boy.” I touch his face gently as he
closes his eyes in pain.

“And Fraser? Gregor killed
him because you loved and married him,” Cole says quietly.

My heart wrenches at his
name. “Yes.” I turn to Cole. “And our relationship was such a whirlwind but
they were watching us. It’s how they knew to come to the chapel but they were
too late. Thanks to you.” I turn back to Constantine who is looking thunderous.
“Once I had turned Cole, he effectively fell under your protection, knowing I
would insist on it. There was nothing they could do to him without setting off
a major shit storm. It’s why they seemingly accepted the situation as well as
they did.”

He closes his eyes briefly,
“How do you know all of this?”

“Ahmed and Corinne have known
I was the Chosen One since I was born. He is a conduit for this ‘She’ Power. He
transferred all this knowledge to me. I know things now that I wish I didn’t
but…” I trail off.

He pulls me to him. “I’m
sorry, my sweet. If I had known I would have stopped them.”

“I know,” I say simply.

“They must die, both of
them,” he says ferociously.

“They will. I know how. I
just need to be able to get close enough to them. I will get one chance and I
will need your help. All of you.”

“Of course,” they all say
together.

“What is the plan?” Devon
asks.

“I know how to get to
Gregor,” I say with distaste and they all disagree knowing what I am thinking.

“I won’t let that man near
you,” Cole growls.

“Baby, it’s the only way. I
have to get close enough to him to end him,” I say, taking his face in my
hands. “If his defenses are down it will be easier.”

“Aefre, I will not allow you
to do this. There has to be another way,” CK says all sire-like.

“I’m sorry but it isn’t up to
you,” I say quietly and his eyes harden at my lack of agreement. “This is my
mission. I am the only one who can do it.” I pull on my handy armory for
Gladius
Infernus
and the three step back again. “Unless you want to have a go?” I
say smartly.

Glaring at me, he
remains silent. Hm, I could get used to this new dominant role with him. The
wicked thought must flash across my face as he suddenly smirks and says, “Not
likely, my sweet.” And old CK is back. I sigh. Oh well, it was fun while it
lasted. I let “GI,” as I now fondly think of it, go and they all breathe a sigh
of relief and step forward again.

“Can we get out
of this cave now?” Cole asks wearily.

I nod at him. He
looks worn out and I don’t blame him. It’s been a trying day all around and he
needs to feed. I turn to CK, “Can you get them out of here? There’s somewhere I
need to go.”

He looks
suspicious but agrees. “I can get out of here, but can you?”

“Yes, I can.
Don’t worry about me. Just please get Cole back to the hotel and get him
something to drink.” I pull Cole to me in a tight hug and he grabs me back in a
death grip. He pulls away slightly to kiss me sweetly. “Where are you going? Do
you want me to come with?”

“No, I’m fine. I
need to go on my own. Go with CK and Devon. I’ll see you shortly.”

He agrees
reluctantly. Devon pulls me to him then and we repeat the process. Bless my
boys, I think gratefully.

“If you aren’t
back in twenty minutes I will come and find you,” CK threatens me and I smile.

“Just go. I will
be fine.”

He takes Devon
and Cole by the arms and blinks out of the cave. Left alone, I put my now
shaking hand to my stomach. I feel weak and my head is spinning. I need to feed
as well and soon but first, I have to go to him. Concentrating on where I want
to be I close my eyes and Astral out in a swirl of black.

Feeling the cold
chill of the rain on my arms I open my eyes again. My heart lurches and I sob
when I see his gravestone. “Fraser Hamish Campbell. Beloved husband to Emily
Campbell. 1720 – 1746.
Ne Obiliviscaris.”

Dropping to my
knees on the wet grass, I crawl over to the headstone and place my hand on the
cold wet stone, tracing each letter out over and over again.

“Thought I would
find you here,” CK’s voice says from behind me some time, presumably twenty
minutes, later.

Not startled as I
knew he was there, I ignore him and carry on with my tracing.

He crouches next
to me. “We should get back, my love. It’s muddy and wet. What is it with this
place and rain?” he asks rhetorically.

“You go. I’m
staying,” I say absently.

“I’m not leaving
you here,” he says resolutely and sits down next to me.

I shrug and carry
on with my obsessive tracing.

After a few
minutes he murmurs, “Your true love? Can’t say that didn’t hurt.”

Placing my hand
flat on the stone, I stop my task and look at him then. He looks almost sad.
Even though my heart is breaking over Fraser, I take his hand in mine and lean
into him. He puts his arm around me and we sit again in silence for a few
minutes.

I break the
silence, “He was my true love. I won’t deny that.”

“I’m not asking you to,” he
says petulantly and I snort unattractively. Petulance on him is most amusing
even in light of the somber mood. Relaxing slightly I feel the need to comfort
him, “Don’t pout, my sire. You know you will always be my first and my last
forever.”

His smug, arrogant look
returns at my words but then he frowns. “Don’t do that,” he scolds.

“Do what?”

“Don’t feel you have to
protect me or comfort me. I told you before it’s not your job.”