Devour, A Paranormal Romance (Warm Delicacy Series, Book 3) (4 page)

The roots of the ancient trees weaved through the stone walls of the crypt like spider webs, yet somehow it made it comforting. The smell of moss and earth filled the small confines and filled my nostrils. It wasn’t at all as horrifying as I’d thought it would be. The sight of the plant-life gave a small twinkle of hope in an otherwise heartbreaking place. The narrow hallway sloped down into an expansive room. Torches hung from sconces on the walls and lit the area with a brilliant warm glow, muffling the sounds of sobs with their crackling light. Robin shuddered as we weaved through the mourners. Several archways dotted the walls around the room, leading down other confined passageways. In the center of the room stood a massive statue that reached from floor to ceiling. It acted as a pillar and a focal point. The mourners gathered around it, and from the glow emanating upward I could tell that was where we needed to go.

I hesitated for a moment when I saw Nyx’s face carved into the stone. Even though her gaze was cast downward I still feared she’d look up at me. I felt ridiculous for fearing her. My belief in her had done nothing but help me in the past.

Her expression was chiseled to display a deep sense of melancholy. Nyx’s hands were cupped under her face, and tears dripped from them to a pool at her feet. I marveled for a moment at the magic of such a sight, but realized it was probably a fountain. Yet, that fact still did not change the message the image represented. Nyx was weeping for her lost children. Unlike at the temple in Naos, this water wasn’t crystal clear. It was dark and limitless like the night sky.

Robin and I approached, looking down into the pool, watching the flowers floating in the murky water. They twinkled like stars in the night sky, like the souls sparkling inside every one of us. Together, we gently dropped our flowers into the water and watched them mingle with the others. Even though I hadn’t decided if I was crazy, or if Nyx had tried to send me some kind of message, I whispered a quick prayer as my fingers dipped into the water and released the flower.

“My father always wondered what happened when we died. He had so many books on the afterlife and the realm of Nyx. Now he’ll finally know the truth.” Robin’s words were full of sorrow, but her tears had subsided. I hugged her and she rested her head on my shoulder. “Do you think it’s true what they say, Claire? That our spirits live forever, even after our bodies have turned to dust?”

“I do. Nyx wouldn’t have made a soul as bright as your father’s to let it flicker away. Something that beautiful can never fade.”

Robin smiled up at me. “I think so, too. I never gave much thought about dying. Not until now. The only thing that keeps me going is knowing that I could come here and talk to him. Maybe he’ll hear me.”

“Our souls are always connected to us and the ones we love,” Arrick said as he sat beside us and placed a comforting hand on Robin’s shoulder. “The children of the goddess are laid to rest here so that their souls may visit this plane and hear the prayers and words of their loved ones. Your father’s body may be gone, but his soul will never die.” His words were full of sympathy, yet there was strength in them. I could feel his conviction.

“Thank you.” Robin patted his hand. “I’m going to go say goodbye.” Arrick and I nodded as she stood up and walked toward her mother on the other side of the room. Mara rested her head against the wall, her fingers caressing a carving that I couldn’t quite make out in the dim light or through the fog of tears that still clung to my lashes.

Arrick guided me back out toward the tomb entrance and to an empty stone bench, different from where I’d sat before. Tonight had been harder than I had expected. Not just because of the pain I felt, but seeing the anguish in the ones I cared about. Every vampire around me had lost someone.

A face I recognized caught my attention across the expanse of the tomb courtyard. It was the young vampire who’d danced with Robin at my coronation ball. He was consoling a girl beside him. They looked like they could be related. They shared the same high cheek bones and dimpled chins. She was probably his sister, but the sight of the two of them standing alone sobbing meant only one thing. They’d probably lost both their parents. I could see him fighting back his own tears, trying to be strong as his sister whimpered on his shoulder.

Suddenly my anger was pumping through my veins and my hands flew to my chest, grasping the stones that lie hidden. “I’m going to make Baal pay for this.” I growled through clenched teeth.

Arrick tugged softly at my wrists, trying to pull my hands away. “Just not today, Claire. Control your anger.”

“I am controlling it, but I refuse to deny it.”

Okay, maybe I wasn’t controlling it. My future had more than one battle in it, the battle with Baal and his legion of dark vampires, and the battle within myself. Arrick
had
to be sick of always trying to calm me whenever I let myself get heated, which was pretty often.

“I’m not asking you to deny it. I can taste the vengeance you crave. I can feel the hatred sweltering in your heart. Baal will pay for his crimes. I promise you.” A hint of anger lingered on the edge of his voice. I hadn’t thought he could be as angry as I, but maybe he could mask it better. “I will fight beside you, Claire. No matter what, I’ll help you stop him or die trying.” The certainty in his tone was undeniable. Arrick was pledging an oath to me.

“As will I.” Robin’s voice was so deep with fervor I hardly recognized her. I looked up, startled to see not just the torment in her features, but the rage in her eyes. That wasn’t something I wanted to see.

“No, Robin. I need you to stay safe. I couldn’t stand it if something happened to you.”

She took a seat beside me, dropping her hood and taking my hand. Her red curls stuck in tendrils to the tears on her cheeks. She was pale; paler than any vampire would normally be. Dark circles had formed under her eyes and her body looked frail. All our bodies looked frail. The fasting was beginning to take a toll on us.

“And I couldn’t stand it if I let others fight for me. I
have
to do this, Claire. Not just for me, or for you, but for my father. I won’t let his death be in vain.”

“I won’t let that happen. I promise.” I pulled her into my arms and held her to me as tightly as I could. I didn’t know how, but I knew there had to be a way. No one was unstoppable. There had to be a way to stop Baal; we just had to figure out what it was.

“I want to go with you to Naos. I don’t want to stay here anymore.”

I pulled Robin away from my chest and looked into her eyes. “Are you sure?”

She nodded.

“Let her go,” Mara spoke up. She was sitting a few feet away, a black lace veil shrouding her face. “She will be safer there. There is nothing left for her here.”

Robin began to shudder, so I rubbed her back to comfort her. “What about you?” I asked Mara. Surely, she didn’t plan on staying here. Was she really just casting her daughter away; the only family she had left?

“I will stay with my husband.” There was cold finality in her words.

“But…” I blurted out to protest, but Arrick put his hand on mine and shook his head.

“Leave her be,” he said.

I could only shake my head as Robin began to sob softly. She’d lost her father, and now, in a way she’d lost her mother, too. I knew the loss of a mate was brutal for vampires, but I never quite understood how much until now. Mara would never let Edgar go, and she’d never be able to go back to who she was. Was this what happened to Ana? She was already a monster before Luka died, and it only amplified after his death. After I killed him.

I continued rubbing Robin’s back as she steadied her breathing. Maybe it was better for her to come to Naos than to stay here and watch her mother turn into a shadow of her former self. At least in Naos I could make sure she was protected.

My eyes traveled across the vampires around us as they gathered in small groups, shuffling slowly in and out of the tomb, and others beginning to filter back up the stairs looking completely weakened. The energy needed for the evening seemed to have drained them. The young vampire I’d recognized earlier with his sister was guiding her back up the stairs of the crypt, allowing her to rest all her weight against him. I watched his jaw clench with effort to hold her up, his muscles straining to comply. It normally took
a lot
of exertion to tire a vampire, but with such a long time since drinking blood it didn’t take much.

The crowd of mourners broke away to reveal Nicolae standing alone. I ground my teeth to keep from growling, but failed to prevent my fangs from stabbing into my lips. Luckily, they didn’t draw blood. He was standing off to the side, looking completely catatonic. He should be comforting his fellow vampires, telling them he will avenge their loved ones; that he will stop Baal from harming anyone again. Arrick might want me to control my anger, and he might also be right, but
this
I couldn’t stand for.

Before Arrick could react to the fury he was no doubt starting to sense within me, I bolted from my seat like a jack rabbit. I marched toward Nicolae with fierce determination to give him a piece of my mind. I’d been easy on him for everything, but not anymore. I’d overlooked his wrong doings because I couldn’t let go of the few memories I had when I had thought he was my father. Now that I knew my real father, I knew he’d never stand aside when others suffered around him. No, Nicolae wasn’t even half the man my father was.

“You!” I hissed the words like an angry cat. My attack was assembling inside me. I was ready to call him out on everything. Every dirty deed, every shameful act. He wouldn’t be able to hide from any of it. Arrick appeared by my side with lightning speed, but he didn’t hold me back as I had expected. He just stood like a guardian beside his princess ready to defend her and aid her in any way she needed.

Nicolae’s eyes fell slowly to me, and the vacant stare that I had thought I saw was nowhere to be found. Nor was the vampire I had once known. What stood before me was a broken shell, a fallen king with no will to go on. I could feel my wrath begin to dwindle as surprise and confusion snuffed it out.

“Forgive me,” Nicolae begged, his voice wavering with emotion and guilt.

I stepped away as he reached for my hand, a single tear falling down his cheek. I didn’t want to forgive him, but could I really refuse him? This man, this vampire, this
king
, was begging my forgiveness. Who was I to say no?

“You’re a monster.” I whispered the words, but was still able to express the ire I felt. “You had me kidnapped. You allowed me to live a lie my entire human existence. You risked my life when you knew others were vying for your throne. You knew didn’t you?” He blinked miserably at me, unshed tears threatening to fall. “You knew all along that the threat of The Dark returning was possible?”

Gasps and whispers fluttered behind me, but I ignored them. I might have decided that I would try to forgive Nicolae but there was only one way I could do that. He had to admit to everything. He had to confess his guilt, and beg Nyx for forgiveness; not me.

“No.” He swallowed hard and took a deep, wavering breath before continuing. “I didn’t know The Dark was coming. I knew Ana and her family was after my throne, but I never would have imagined in my worst nightmares that they’d attempt what they did.”

“They almost succeeded,” Arrick replied in a growl beside me.

“I’m sorry.” He sighed at Arrick then looked back toward me. “Their thirst for power was stronger than I had ever expected.”

I could only shake my head. Claiming ignorance didn’t sit well with me. He was the king, he should’ve known everything. Especially when it came to the royal family and those in it.

“And what about me? You didn’t know I was Cathair and Ione’s daughter?”

“I knew,” he admitted, his head hung low.

Anger was storming inside me. He knew! He knew all along and he still took me. I just couldn’t wrap my head around it. How could anyone be so cruel, so evil as to steal a baby; a helpless, innocent child?

“Why?” Arrick wrapped his arm around me as I shook with pain and anger.

“The only way to keep Lilith and Samael from openly attacking the throne was to reestablish my power. Without that, I would lose the support of the other vampires in the region. They wouldn’t stand beside me should Lilith and Samael execute their plan to steal the throne.”

“You knew they were plotting against you. Why didn’t you just simply have them killed?” Arrick tried to keep the level of his voice down. Several of the vampires around us were attempting to listen in, while others shifted away; uncomfortable with the conversation or unable to handle whatever truths might be revealed.

Nicolae’s face lost its sadness and filled with regret. “I thought that I could change their mind. I hoped they would see reason. When I took my role as king I vowed an end to the killing, to death. I wanted to avoid it at any cost.” His face hardened at Arrick, but grew soft again when he looked at me. “I thought I could give you a good life, Claire. You are loved more than you’ll ever know.” His eyes drifted away from me, so I followed them.

Evilyn sat at a lone bench in the far corner of the courtyard. The hood of her cloak had remained draped over her face, but the light of the Astraia flower that she still held in her hands illuminated her ruby red lips. A long braid woven with black velvety ribbons spilled out of her hood.

“There was nothing she wanted more in this world than a child,” Nicolae said, his voice filled with sorrow. “She prayed and prayed to Nyx for countless years, and was never blessed with such a miracle. Perhaps Nyx was punishing her for marrying me…” I looked back to him. I could feel the desire to pull Evilyn into his arms seeping out of him like honey. He must have felt my eyes on him, because he jerked his face back to me with surprise. Maybe he got lost in the pain, or the memories of seeing his wife begging the goddess for a child that would never come.

“When I learned of your birth I saw it as an opportunity. I could give my wife that which she most desired and I could protect my region from being ruled by Lilith and Samael. I always knew they’d never fully accepted our new way of life, but I refused to admit it. When they’d agreed to follow me I thought they’d relinquished their loyalty to The Dark. I was wrong.”