Darlings of Darkness: A Vampire Anthology Part 76

I explained this to Carmelo, who a.s.sured me that it might help the witches return him to his former self and I felt some relief. I knew I couldn't lay the blame with the poor man. Full responsibility was with the witch who was being held even deeper into the mountain. Even with Jo's coat enveloping me, I felt chilly and s.h.i.+vered as we approached another cell which was smaller and not quite as comfortable as Charlie's. There were several people outside on guard, but from what I could see, there was little need. Vivian was still pining for her beauty. The looks that would probably never return, thanks to me.

She sat curled up on the floor in the corner, even though there was a perfectly comfortable bed. As she looked up, I saw that the scar had returned to her face. The scar given to her years ago by my brave sister just seconds before her death.

She sat rocking backwards and forwards like a little child, repeating the same words over and over again.

"I am beautiful, I am beautiful, I am beautiful..."

"No, Vivian, you're not beautiful. Not at all," I said, wanting to inflict more pain. "You will never be beautiful again. I've seen to that. You will spend the rest of your life ugly. You have whiskers on your face, hair on your hands and a scar that will never disappear. You deserve even more suffering for what you have done. You deserve to rot in h.e.l.l."

In what seemed like less than a split second, Vivian was standing inches from me. Her fingers had poked through the bars of the cell and she had seemingly picked something from the coat I was wearing. I looked at her face and saw that her eyes had turned red. She was whispering something, something incomprehensible. A spell.

"No!" I screamed.

Carmelo moved like the speed of light towards us, he opened the cell quickly and grabbed her, holding her by her neck up against the wall. She could barely speak and I feared that it was too late. What spell was she trying to cast?

He loosened his grip for just a second and she began to laugh, an evil sound that echoed throughout the mountain.

"Too late," were her final words before he tightened his grip. I heard a crack and her head flopped to one side. She was dead.

But it was not over. A scream was heard from the top of the steps and a desperate voice shouted, "Carmelo, Lilly, hurry!"

Running as fast as I could, I dreaded to think what we would see when we reached the top. But I knew that it must be Jo. She had been standing there waiting for us. She had given me her own coat and Vivian had removed something. A hair.

Tabitha was crouching down, holding Jo's body in her arms, "She just collapsed. She said she couldn't breathe and she collapsed. Do something. Quick. She's dying!" she cried.

I couldn't see straight. The image before me made me feel physically sick. Jo was going to die. It was Vivian's ultimate revenge. The death of a loved one. Perhaps she had thought that I would die. She probably thought it was my hair she had taken. She was wrong. It was Jo. My lovely cousin Jo was on her deathbed.

I cried, sobbing loudly while Carmelo held her in his arms as the life slowly drifted from her body.

"Carmelo!" shouted a familiar voice. Gabriel. "Carmelo, you must save her. You know what to do. It's the only way. Carmelo... you must. It is meant to be."

I was confused, how could she be saved? She was on the brink of death. Seconds until Jo no longer existed in this world.

Carmelo turned to look at me, "I'm sorry," he whispered before he leaned forward and took her arm to his lips and bit her gently, then harder until I could see her blood drip onto the ground.

I couldn't take in what was happening and before I knew what was going on, my vision blurred and I fell to the ground.

CHAPTER THIRTY.

"Lilly, Lilly," said a soft voice as I felt a damp cloth being dabbed across my forehead. I looked up to see Tabitha smiling down at me. Zoltan stood at her side.

I had been carefully laid on the bed in which I had slept the last few nights. Confused, "How did I get here?" I asked and then I turned my head to see the empty bed to my side.

"Jo!" I shouted and jumped up. I suddenly had a vision of her death and I felt like I'd been kicked hard in the stomach. It almost winded me and I had to sit back down again.

"I'm so sorry, Lilly. Carmelo had no choice. It was the only way she could live," Tabitha said as I recalled seeing Jo being bitten by a vampire, the vampire that loved her.

"I'm okay," I said, "can I see her?" I asked.

Zoltan shook his head, "They won't let anyone see her for a while. She needs some time to adjust to the change. They're not quite sure how it's going to work, her being a changeling and all."

I told them I needed to see Gabriel and so we walked to where he was waiting, sitting in a large armchair outside the door of the room where Jo was being cared for.

"Oh Gabriel," I said when I saw him. I rushed to his side and knelt down, putting my head on his knee.

"There there. Don't worry, she'll be fine. I'm just sorry you had to see that," he said rea.s.suringly.

"It's all my fault, Gabriel. I wanted to see Vivian for the last time. It wouldn't have happened if I hadn't gone down there to speak to her." He gently stroked my back and a.s.sured me that it wasn't my fault at all.

"It would have happened one way or another, Lilly. At least Jo is alive, in a manner of speaking. And this, this is something that she would have eventually wanted. She would have asked Carmelo to do it. Don't blame yourself, Lilly. Don't do that."

I heard noises from the other side of the door, and then it opened and Carmelo walked out, closing it behind him. He looked sad. My stomach twisted, fearing the worst.

"Jo is going to be fine," he said. "Lilly, I'm so sorry. I hope that one day you will find it in your heart to forgive me."

I stood up and stepped towards him. I put my arms around him and hugged him tightly, "Carmelo, there is nothing to forgive. You saved Jo. That is what matters. I just wish I hadn't wanted to speak to Vivian. This may never have happened otherwise," I whispered.

"Lilly!" shouted a voice from the other side of the door. Although it sounded like Jo, the voice was slightly different, smoother somehow but in pain. "Lilly!" she yelled again.

Gabriel looked concerned, "Is it safe Carmelo? Surely not so soon?" he asked.

Carmelo explained that when somebody becomes a vampire, they usually need weeks, sometimes months or more, to adjust to the transformation. They have a thirst for blood that cannot be quenched until they have mastered the art of control.

"So at this stage, Gabriel, no, it is not safe," he added.

"But she wants to see me, and I want to see her," I said, stepping forward and putting my hand on the key to unlock it.

"No!" Gabriel yelled, "No, Lilly. I will not lose you," and he tried to stand up. He was very weak though and he struggled.

"Gabriel, please. If Carmelo comes in with me, and perhaps Ursula, I'll be safe. I need to see her. I'll be safe," and he nodded his head and gave in. Tabitha knelt by his side and took his hand in hers tightly and they sat and waited patiently while I turned, took a deep breath and opened the door.

Jo was lying on a bed, handcuffed. I was sure though that if she really became desperate she could easily break them off her wrists. I'd heard how strong vampires could be.

I stepped further in and whispered her name.

She turned to look at me, "Lilly," she cried. She looked as if she was in a lot of pain and it hurt me to see her like that.

Even in pain, she looked absolutely stunning. The combination of vampire, woman and raven had an extraordinary effect on her. She was beautiful before, but now everything about her beauty was increased a hundred fold. Her black hair had grown longer and even darker, if that was at all possible. Her blue eyes had turned so deep in colour that even though they continued to be blue, they were almost black. Her pale skin sparkled and her nails had become like talons.

"Jo... I'm so sorry," I whispered.

Jo shook her head, "Lilly, eventually, this is what I would have wanted. I wanted to be with Carmelo and this would have been the only way. It was just sooner than I thought it would be, that's all," and she squirmed and winced again. "Vivian is dead now. That's what really matters. When I can, I will come home, okay?" and I nodded as the tears rolled again. "Lilly... thank you. Tell my family I love them and that I will be home when I can. Please tell them the truth. Tell them they can't come here until I have control, okay? I love you Lilly and I will see you soon," and she tried to wink at me. "Now go... please go," she said as she pulled uncontrollably on the handcuffs, while Carmelo and Ursula held her down.

"I love you too Jo. I will see you soon," and I tried to smile as Ursula moved towards the door and opened it, ushering me out as I attempted to hold back the tears.

CHAPTER THIRTY ONE.

I had been home for just over three weeks. It was strange living in the house without Gabriel, but I had accepted the fact that he was meant to be with the Elders and I would see him soon. Sammy and I had decided that once Jo was strong enough to come back to see us all, we would return with her to visit the Elders, Gabriel in particular. We had decided that we would leave at night and travel together as mountain lion and raven. Well, part raven.

I had hoped that when Vivian had died, her curse on Sammy would automatically be lifted. Even the witches with the Elders had said that the curse should disappear but when I finally returned home, Sammy was still the same. A man with two big black beautiful wings. Wings to be proud of, I told him at the time. We were all confused why the curse had not been dropped, but n.o.body had the answer.

The curse on Charlie, however, had been lifted and he was now a free man. Carmelo saw to it that he had found his way back to London safely. I had seen his return home on the news on TV. He maintained that he had absolutely no idea what had happened to him or where he had been.

His family were shocked and amazed when he came home safe and well and I was happy for him. Truly. Vivian was responsible, not him.

I was adjusting to life without Gabriel at home. It was a strange time in my life, especially considering that Sammy and I were now living in his house with two house guests... Tabitha and Zoltan had moved in, making it an unusual household a changeling, a werewolf, part raven part human and a potential changeling in the making! Although we were an odd combination of people, we got on tremendously well together.

Rose had been ecstatic to see me when I came back. She told me that she had been so worried and hugged me tightly. I had decided not to mention my momentous discovery until Tabitha was there with me. I knew she would arrive a day later so Rose and I just enjoyed some time together, just the two of us. We spoke about Gabriel, Jo and Carmelo and of Vivian's death. When I left her that night, I was so excited about what would happen the next day.

I had knocked on Rose's front door later the following day and greeted her with a hug before she noticed I wasn't alone.

"I've brought someone to meet you, Rose," and Tabitha stepped forward with the biggest grin on her face. Rose's face changed immediately and she had to sit down, "Oh my goodness," she said, knowing immediately that she had a strong connection with this young girl.

"This is Tabitha... your granddaughter."

Rose let out a gasp, both her hands moving to her cheeks.

"My... granddaughter? You are Lori's child?" she whispered and Tabitha nodded. Crying, Rose stood up, steadied herself and took her in her arms. "Lori is alive?" she asked and again, Tabitha nodded and smiled. "I have a picture of her," and she put her hands in her coat pocket and pulled out a small wallet. Opening it, she revealed the face of a woman smiling happily and Rose began to cry tears of joy as she hugged her long lost granddaughter for what seemed like ages.

We spent hours and hours talking about our lives, Tabitha explaining to Rose what had happened to Walter and to Lori and how she had come to be in Canada again. When we finally called it a night, we had left Rose looking more peaceful and happy than she had ever looked before, eager to get to know the granddaughter she never even knew existed. And ecstatic that she would finally get her daughter back after all these years. The daughter that she had never given up hope on, and the daughter she had never stopped loving.

Although I had still not discovered what had happened to my father, I was one step closer. I knew that he had not perished at the hands of Vivian. There was still a chance that he was alive and I knew that one day, I would find out the truth.

Books II and III in The Raven Saga: December Moon and The Lost Soul are now available!

About the author.

Suzy Turner has worked as a journalist, a.s.sistant editor, features editor and magazine editor. Early in 2010 however, she began writing full time and has since completed six books for young adults: The Raven Saga trilogy and The Morgan Sisters series, as well as a chick lit novel ent.i.tled Forever Fredless.

Although Suzy is a Yorks.h.i.+re la.s.s at heart, she left her home town of Rotherham, UK, to move to Portugal with her family when she was ten. The Algarve continues to be her home, where she lives with her childhood sweetheart and husband of 15 years, Michael, and their two neurotic dogs and a cat who thinks she's a princess.

website: http://suzyturner.com.

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VAMPIRES RULE.

K. C. Blake.

Story 4.

Vampires cannot return to their previous mortal state... or can they?

Jack has spent the past ten years as a vampire, traveling with his fanged friends, but there is something missing. Once a year he comes home to take a nostalgic walk through his childhood home. He visits his grave and looks in on his kid brother, watching him from afar, but this time is different. Billy is older than Jack now, a jaded hunter with a thirst for killing vamps, and he almost catches Jack in the house. Then a werewolf tries to kill a pretty girl in the cemetery. A freak incident restores Jack's mortality and takes away his fangs.

This is it, the day he's dreamed about. He can return home, graduate from high school, and reclaim his life... but there's something Jack doesn't know. His transformation was not an accident. He has a destiny to fulfill and it doesn't include any of the things he so desperately wants.

Jack is supposed to kill the head werewolf using a one-time-only magical device, but he kind of likes the guy. And he's sure the rumors about the head werewolf building an army to destroy the world are just made-up lies. Besides, there's another werewolf Jack wants to kill. The psychotic werewolf still living in town, pretending to be normal, ripped his parents apart in front of Jack. If it wasn't for his vampire friends he'd be dead too.

Should he use the magic Silver is trusting him with to save the world or get revenge?