MIDNIGHT CONQUEST: Book 1 of the Bonded By Blood Vampire Chronicles (44 page)

Broderick jumped to the landing and came back into the room. “You are correct. He’s here…or was. He lives to fight another day, but the more pressing issue is what has happened to you.” Putting the knife on the table at the side of the double doors, he guided her to the settee where they sat. “You have become what is known as a Blood Slave. What Angus did to you is difficult to explain, and I can go into more detail later on our journey, but—”

“Journey? I am not leaving to go anywhere!” Davina stood and put some distance between them.

“Davina, you’re going to die if I don’t get you to the only people I know who can help you.”

* * * * *

Davina staggered back a step, fear numbing her body, unable to speak. The women pounding at the nursery door drew her attention, interrupting the shocking effects of the words Broderick just uttered.

“We must make preparations to leave immediately,” Broderick said, moving closer and keeping his voice low. “The journey is at least two nights ride from here and we must travel at night, as you do not know the way. We have the advantage of the long evenings in winter, so we might make good time. The sooner the better, as your condition will worsen as time progresses.”

The women pounding at the door increased, and Davina stepped before the armoire. “Mother, please stay calm. I’m well. Do not worry. We will get you out of there as soon as we are able.” The commotion ceased. Davina turned back to Broderick. She didn’t want her mother to hear the conversation, so she guided Broderick to the opposite side of the room, which now lay in disarray after the fight. Everything happened so quickly and she tried to make sense of the confusion.

“How is Cailin?” Broderick seemed to sense her mood.

Davina nodded, grateful for a change of subject. “Aye,” she rasped. “She’s well, but I do not know how. Her arm was broken. She was on the verge of death. You…?”

“Aye, it was me. The blood running through my veins has healing powers. As gruesome as it sounds, that’s what I used to heal you and Cailin.”

“Your blood? How?”

“By using it like a liniment.” Bowing his head in what appeared to be shame, he then glanced back up at her. “Or like a potion in some tea…” His voice trailed off, leaving her to interpret the tea Amice administered when she was ill.

“I consumed some of your blood?” Davina felt the warmth drain from her face and she sat on her bed to steady her weakening legs. “But how is it that I consumed your blood and I was not in danger, but with Angus’s blood I am?”

“Angus fed from you first, and then he fed you his blood, which was mixed with yours. As I said, it is difficult to explain, but this infusion causes your body to try to turn into what we are.”

Now that she had the chance to ask her multitude of questions, Davina didn’t know if she wanted to hear the answers. She swallowed her apprehension. “And what is that? What are you?”

Broderick inhaled a deep breath. “We are known as Vamsyrians. We are a race of immortals—once mortal, who have gone through a transformation through a blood infusion. The process of transformation normally drains the mortal of blood to the point near death, and then they drink from the Vamsyrian who drained them. This mixture of blood takes over the body to complete the transformation. However, in your case, you didn’t have enough blood drained from your body to make the transformation complete.” Broderick sat beside her and grasped her hands. “Davina, your body will die trying to fight the transformation if we do not get help.” Deep sorrow filled his eyes. “I’m sorry I didn’t have the chance to tell you all this. This is what I wanted to explain to you, but I wanted to get you out of danger first, because I knew Angus was using you to get to me.”

“And I played right into his hands.” Davina shook her head. “I thought I was—”

He placed a finger on her lips. “None of that matters now. Blossom, if I do not get you to the Vamsyrian Council as soon as we are able…” He stopped and his brow furrowed. “Come, let us free your family from the room and make haste.”

Davina nodded, her head swirling with fear and confusion…as a dark heaviness crept over her soul.

Chapter Sixteen

Davina fell to her hands and knees on the stone floor, screaming at the pain slicing through her body once more. Drops of sweat soaked into the sandstone as she trembled, struggling through the effects caused by her condition. Though the pain was intense, they made the journey before her condition was too far along. Broderick told her of his experience, standing right where she did, facing the same choices. If his condition was further along by the time he reached this point, Davina paled at the agony he must have endured. When the wave passed, she heaved heavy breaths as Broderick helped her to her feet.

The Elder named Rasheed stared at Broderick, as did the other two Elders at the table flanking him. “You say that Angus Campbell is your brother?”

Broderick still struggled with that information; the tick in his jaw gave evidence to his clenched teeth. “Aye, my brother he is.”

Davina noticed on their journey—which took two nights to traverse—that her senses seemed more acute. She heard the slightest sounds, noticed the slightest movements in facial expressions, giving away subtle hints as to what others may be feeling…just as Elder Rasheed did now. Broderick’s answer seemed to increase the alarm in Rasheed’s eyes, and yet he did everything to maintain an even façade so as not to reveal his emotions. Surely Broderick noticed these subtle changes as well, with his magnified senses, but he gave no indication.

“Did you know this when he transformed you?” Elder Mikhail asked.

“Nay, I did not. I discovered this two nights ago.”

The three Elders exchanged fear-filled glances, almost seeming to wait for one another to make the next move. Even Broderick looked uneasy at their silence. Rasheed inhaled a deep breath and nodded. “Davina Stewart-Russell, you have a choice before you. You can either become a Vamsyrian and join our race, or you can choose to become a member of the Army of Light.”

“I’ve explained the choices, Elder Rasheed, and what each of them entails.”

Rasheed nodded. “Then take her into the room where she will face a member of the Army of Light.”

Broderick helped Davina cross the room to a large wooden door, which two hulking men opened and ushered them through. Sitting her on the chair in the center of this room, Broderick stood at her side. One of the Vamsyrian guards tried to lead Broderick out, but he shrugged off the efforts. “I’m staying with her.”

The two men glanced at each other, shrugged and closed the door, retreating into the back corners of the room, settling into the dimness. The lighted brazier to one side did little to give the room light and Davina shivered. Before too long, a bolt thrown back on the other side of the door caused her to jump and the door creaked open. A cloaked figure entered the room, frail and small. The door closed and the bolt clanged again, locking them in together. This figured turned and faced them, revealing strands of silver hair spilling out from the hood of her cloak. She fell to her knees in a gasp. “Father, why do you curse me so!” she said, clasping her hands together before her.

Broderick stepped forward and pulled her hood back to show the anguished face of a woman who appeared in her fifties. “Evangeline?”

Evangeline trembled at the sight of Broderick and the agelessness of his choice so many years ago.
Why, Lord!
She anguished internally.
Why have you brought me back to this?

“Evangeline?” the woman in the chair whispered. “Your wife?”

“The marriage was annulled,” Evangeline responded and looked pointedly at Broderick, who nodded.

The beautiful woman doubled over in pain, and Broderick rushed to her side, comforting her through the wave of what Evangeline recognized as the Blood Slave condition. Through the soft whispers of Broderick’s soothing words, she learned her name was Davina. Evangeline had a curse on her soul, carried through the years of not being able to save Broderick from this damned life of becoming a Vamsyrian. Now she would be the agent of sending another innocent soul to hell—or of taking her away from Broderick if this woman chose to go with the Army of Light.
Have I not devoted my life to you to make up for my sins, Father? Was that not enough?

Davina recovered from the pain and turned her eyes to Evangeline. “I understand you’re to explain to me the other side of my choice. Please do so.”

Evangeline nodded and swallowed. “You have become a Blood Slave. If you choose to come with the Army of Light, God will heal you. But if you choose to come with me, you will…” She hesitated, knowing the impact this may cause on Davina and Broderick. “You will never see Broderick again.”

Davina gazed back at Broderick, who stood by her side like a sentinel, anguish in his eyes. “And if I choose to become a Vamsyrian? What will this mean other than the immortality and this life at night I’ve seen for Broderick?”

With all the gravity and truth she could muster, in hopes of saving this woman’s soul, Evangeline said, “You will be turning your back on God, child. Vamsyrians rarely elaborate on the details of this choice, but they’re creations of Satan because—”

“What?” Broderick took a faltering step forward. “Vamsyrians are no such thing!”

“Broderick!” Evangeline was aghast. “How can you lie to this woman? I see you care a great deal for her, but are you bringing her here to give her immortality for your own selfish reasons? I thought at least you would have told her the truth!”

“You never said this on that night I was faced with this choice! You only said I would be turning my back on God.”

“What did you think that meant, Broderick?” Evangeline’s mind went back to that night she faced him. Broderick had been filled with so much rage, grief, and betrayal at seeing her—redeemed from her sins and with the chosen few of God—and he suffered from his condition and loss of his family. “What I tell you is true, Broderick, and I’m amazed they never explained this to you after all these years. Even if I had finished my explanations, you wouldn’t have listened to me. You had made up your mind.”

Broderick glared at her, searching her face, and the anger and accusation in his eyes faded to resignation. He nodded. “Aye, you’re right, Evangeline. Continue.”

“Davina, Vamsyrians are Satan’s revenge against God. In his eternal hatred of man—God’s special creation with free will—Satan struck a bargain that would trap man’s soul for eternity. Satan’s new creations developed a thirst for blood so they would slay innocent lives for their immortality, thus adding a never-ending list of sins against their trapped souls.” Evangeline hesitated at the horror on Davina’s face, but she pushed on. “They are a mockery of Christ’s salvation, my child. They gain immortality for the shedding of innocent blood. Humanity gained eternal life for the shedding of Jesus’ innocent blood. What the
Tzava Ha’or—
the Army of Light—offers is a chance at a new life, and protection from the Vamsyrians. They’re not permitted to harm us or anyone we take with us or they’ll incur God’s wrath. Choose to come with me and you can also be healed. This is what I set before you.” She sat back on her heels, waiting for Davina’s decision with hope in her heart.

Davina looked to Broderick and back to Evangeline, who could see the struggle of this young woman’s heart deep in her tear-filled eyes. Fighting another wave of pain, Davina clutched the chair as Broderick kissed her sweaty brow, encouraging her to make her choice. Davina nodded and gained her breath. “I choose to become a Vamsyrian.”

“Davina, nay!” Broderick grabbed her by the shoulders as he knelt before her. “Nay, you must choose to go with Evangeline!”

“This is the choice you wanted me to make all along?” Davina’s bottom lip trembled with a new flow of tears. “Why did you not tell me this is what you wanted?”

Broderick bowed his head into her lap. “Because I feared you wouldn’t come with me. I didn’t want you to transform, but I couldn’t bear to see you suffer the death before you.” He lifted his head. “This is the only way. You won’t be turning your back on God and you can still be with your daughter.”

“But if I choose to become a Vamsyrian, I can have both you and Cailin in my life. Why are you doing this to me? How can you expect me to give up the one true love I have with you?” Davina clutched Broderick to her, and Evangeline’s heart ached for them.

What has Broderick done to be cursed like this, Lord? Why have you asked me to be the one to deliver your judgment?
Evangeline wiped the tears spilling down her face.

The first sign will be the sacrifice of a troubled heart. This sacrifice will spawn the forgiveness needed to release this heart trapped by guilt and heal.

The words floated through her mind, causing a peace to settle upon her soul. “The prophecy,” she whispered. Only now did she understand what it meant. Evangeline burst forth with tears of joy.
Thank you for making me your instrument of peace!