Not Another Vampire Book (41 page)

“If
Damien does this, he will die!”  Kara raged.

“Uh-huh.” 
Xim squinted.  “See, I never
liked
Damien, though, so…”

“You
useless green gnat!  When I get out of here, I’m going to rip your wings off!” 
Kara glanced back over at Damien.  Already she could see a red stain spreading
across his shirt as he healed Slade’s wound.  Terror filled her, far deeper
than anything she felt watching the sky crumble into dust.  “Damien, you
promised you weren’t going to die today.  You
promised
me.”

That
got his attention.  At least, for a second.  “Villains lie,
cari
.”  His
sounded strained.

“Villains
also let the good guys bleed to death when they get stabbed!”  If she could
have reached the blue dagger, she would have chopped off her own hand.  “You
are worth
a thousand
times
what Slade is.  Don’t give your life
for his.  Please.  You are my entire
world
.”

His
expression softened.  “I would die anyway.  We all would.  This way
you
will live.”

Her
mind raced for a way to stop him.  “Listen to me, I can think of a better plan
to save Slade.  Just give me some time and I’ll think of
something.
”

“We
have
no more time, though.”  Damien’s voice was faint.  “It’s for the
best.  You will be fine.”

“I
won’t
be fine!”  Kara shouted.  “I need you so much.  So much.  You have
no idea.”  She stretched out a palm, trying to reach him.  “Please, Vlad.  Just
look at me.  Look at me.”

Glowing
black eyes flicked to hers and she saw the pain and regret in them.

The
resolve.

Kara
swallowed, thinking fast.  “If you have to do this, at least tell me what I
need to know to survive here alone.  I don’t know this world and you didn’t
show me how to use my powers, yet, remember?  You’re the last Wizard-Warlock. 
If you don’t tell me, how will I ever learn?”

Damien
blinked, considering that through his painstaking work on Slade and his increasingly
weakened condition.  Normally, he’d be calling bullshit.  With the hole growing
bigger and bigger in his chest, though, he wasn’t at full his mental
capacities.  “Your powers should be just staring to develop.”  He murmured. 
“Don’t worry.  They are there.”

That’s
it
.
 
Keep explaining
.

Kara
kept her face guileless and scared.  The fear was very real and all about him,
but –with luck-- he’d misinterpret it.  “How will I ever be able to protect
myself if I don’t know how to use them, though?  You said you’d teach me to
access the powers, beloved.  Did you lie about that?”

“No.”
 He shook his head, weakly.  “I… No.  Of course not.  All you have to do is
reach for them and they’ll be there.  Close your eyes, center yourself and
just… feel them.  It is all a matter of concentration.”

Concentration.

Right.

Kara
squeezed her eyes shut and concentrated harder than she’d ever concentrated on
anything in her life.

Deep
breaths.  In and out.  In and out.

In.

Out.

Concentration
became stillness.

Feel
the powers.  Harness them, so you can break out of these cuffs and save your mate.

Save
him, save him, save him, save…

Deep
inside, where it felt like her very soul was connected to Damien’s, something
moved.

Kara’s
eyes snapped open. 
Gotcha
.  She looked down at the metal chain
connecting her to the base of the Vampire Throne and willed it to disappear. 
Something extra was feeding into her efforts, now.  She wanted the damn handcuffs
off
and she focused everything she had on making it happen.  The effort
left her sweaty and drained, but a heartbeat away from passing out from all the
controlled breathing, it happened…

The
chain fell apart and the handcuffs snapped free.

Kara
hadn’t realized how hard she’d been pulling against them until the resistance
was gone and she tumbled backwards on to the dais floor.  Victorious, her eyes
slashed over to Damien.  “Okay.  I figured the superpower thing out.”  She
panted.

His
mouth curved.  Just as it always did when she escaped one of his traps.  “Gods,
what a woman.”  He said, softly.

…And
then his whole body tipped to the side.

He
hit the unfinished boards with the terrible, uncontrolled motion of someone
beyond even bracing himself for impact.

“Damien!” 
Kara dove for him, sliding across the wooden slats and leaning over him,
frantically looking for his pulse.  She felt a faint flutter and kept her
fingers pressed against it like it might vanish if she moved her hand.  “Damien,
look at me.”  She shook his arm, trying to get a response.  “Look at me, Damien!”

He
didn’t answer her.  His eyelashes didn’t even flicker.  Kara’s throat went
dry.  If there was any part of Damien that heard her, he would have done
something
to respond.  He would have tried to reassure her even as he bled to death.   Pale
and still, his legs caught at an awkward angle, he already looked… dead.

“No.” 
Kara’s insides slid downward in a hot/cold rush.  “No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no,
no.”  It was an unconscious chant as she ripped off one whole side of Damien’s
shirt and clamped the makeshift bandage onto his barrowed chest wound.

Oh
God.

There
was so much blood.

She
swallowed hard.  Stay calm.  Stay focused. 
Concentrate
.  “Hey, Vlad?” 
Her voice shook, but she tried to keep it calm.  “It’s Karalynn.  I need you to
wake up, beloved.  I need to ask you about the healing power thing.”

Beside
her, Slade let out a groan and sat up.  “What happened?”  He asked the world at
large, clutching his forehead.  “Did I win the fight?”

And
just like that the earthquake and bubbling ocean and fracturing sky just…
stopped.  Whoever or whatever was guiding
Eternal Passion at Sunset
seemed appeased by Damien’s sacrifice.  The world went quiet, again, except for
the cheers of the assembled Vampires.

Kara
barely noticed.  “Damien, I’m scared.”  All stops pulled, she went right to the
vulnerability card.  “I need your help.  Are you just going to leave me here
alone and unprotected?  There are Vampires here! 
Vampires
, Damien!” If
there was one word in the English language guaranteed to register in his
deepest parts of his consciousness that was it.  “
Vampire!
”  This time
she screamed it and Damien’s face tightened a tiny bit in response, his
forehead creasing.

Bingo.

“Thank
God you’re back, Slade-y.”  Melessa dashed towards his side.  “I was so worried
about you.  Also, is that dagger over there really made of blue
diamonds? 
If
it is, can I have it?”

Kara
ignored the chatter and grabbed hold of Melessa’s dangling Princess Leia leash
as she passed.  The girl was brought up short, but at least it shut her up. 
“Mel, hold this against his wound. 
Now
.”  She ordered and handed her another
wadded up piece of Damien’s shirt.

“Do
I have to?”  Mel wrinkled her nose.  “It’s so icky.”

“
Fucking
do it!
”  Kara screamed and yanked the girl into position by Damien’s side. 
“We don’t have much time.  Keep the pressure on that injury no matter what,
understand?”

“I
don’t think you’re allowed to yell at a queen.”  Melessa muttered, but she did
as she was told.

“King
Slade!”  Fibos cried.  “Oh, it’s a miracle to see you alive!  You have risen
like a phoenix to bless us with your majestic light.”

“We
are all fortunate I’m here.”  Slade agreed, modestly.  “I am…  Hey!”  He broke
off with a yelp as Kara sized his arm.  “Witch, what do you mean by…”

Kara
cut him off.  “Shut up and say you’re going to kill me.”

He
blinked.  “What?”

“
Say
it!
”

“Fine! 
I’m going to kill you, alright?  Well, I will probably have my men do it,
but...”

“No,
don’t tell
me!
  Tell
him!
  Threaten me, so Damien hears it.”

Slade
looked down at Damien and frowned.  “What has happened to the sorcerer?”

“He’s
dying, because he saved
you
.”

Slade
glanced over to Fibos, who nodded.  “He… saved me?”  Slade looked back at
Damien’s still face and his eyes widening on a sigh of true revelation.  “Of
course
he did.  Oh, yes.  I see the truth, now.  How could I be so blind?”   Slade
clutched a hand to forehead.  “Poor Damien.  All this time, the creature just
wanted me… to like him.”

Kara
was beyond anything except blinking in that moment.  Hysterical screaming was
the only other option.  “I can’t believe Damien –
my
Damien-- got stabbed
in the heart for
you
.”  Her tone was just north of fury and slightly south
of revulsion, but Slade didn’t notice.

“Yes,
he had a noble death.”  Slade seemed close to tears.  But they weren’t genuine,
sad
tears.  They were the tears of someone who just watched a reality
show wedding on TV and wept about how pretty the bride looked.  “Everyone
yearns for my approval.  Even lesser beings like Damien.  For centuries, he
acted badly, trying to gain my attention like a wayward boy and his glorious
father.  But today…”  He pressed a knuckle to his trembling lips as his voice
cracked.  “Today I saw the deep love he truly bears for his king.  And I am…
moved.  Fibos!”  He looked over at his lieutenant.  “We shall have a day of
mourning for the sorcerer.  Not today, though.  It’s my birthday.  Perhaps
Tuesday.”

“You
have that polo match Tuesday, Sire.”

“Oh
yes.  Well, Tuesday’s out, then.”  He gave Kara’s shoulder a consoling pat. 
“We won’t allow anything to distract us from remembering the sorcerer’s final
act of goodness.  Not even my magnificent horses.  He had so few decent
moments, we need to celebrate that he at least died in a civilized way.  So…” 
Slade bobbed his head back and forth, thinking.  “We’ll switch his memorial to
Thursday
,
I suppose.  Because Tuesday’s polo and Wednesday’s that thing with the Ant
People.”

“Thursday.” 
Fibos looked overwhelmed by the thought of it.  “You are ever generous, your
highness.”

Kara
didn’t have to reach for the blue dagger.  Her new powers just pulled the thing
into her hand like it was magnetized.  “
You son-of-a-bitch
.”  She jammed
the edge of the blade against Slade’s windpipe, nicking his golden skin. 
“Damien isn’t dead!  Not yet.  Now tell him that you’re going to kill me!”

“I’m
going to kill you.”  He squeaked in panic.

“Louder!”

“Sorcerer,
I am going to kill your Witch!  Slade, King of the Vampires, will now kill
Karalynn Don. El. Ey!  She will be very, very dead!”

“Close
enough.”  Kara dropped the knife and leaned down next to Damien’s ear.  “Help
me, Damien!  Vampires! 
Help.  Help.  Help.  Help.  Help
.”

Black
eyes snapped open on an indrawn gasp.  “Kara Lynn.”

Boo-yah!

“I’m
here.  Damien, I’m right here.”  She pressed her lips against his.  “Stay
awake.  Just
fight
and stay awake until I figure this out.”

He
scanned her face.  “Are you hurt?”  Damien sounded hoarse.  He had to be on his
last reserves of strength, but he was
alive
and she planned to keep him
that way.

She
gave him a determined smile.  “I’m fine, Vlad.  How do I do the healing thing?”

“What?”

“The
healing powers, Damien.  Stay focused on me and don’t go to sleep.”  She laid a
palm his face, forcing his gaze to stay locked on hers.  “Do I just put my hand
on your chest and concentrate or do I need to do more?”

“You
cannot heal me.  Do not try.”

“Well,
that sounds like a dare to me.”  She was going for levity, but her attention
kept shifting to the ever darkening red of the shirt that Melessa had pressed
to his wound.  How much blood did one person have?  Even with magical aid, how
much more could he lose and still survive?  “Seriously, how do I do this?”

“Kara
Lynn.”  Damien gave his head an almost imperceptible shake as she put her palm
on his chest and concentrated with all her might.  “Skills at healing… are
different.”  His voice was getting weaker.  “They take centuries… to develop. 
It will not… work.”

Kara
blinked back tears, knowing he was telling the truth from the utter lack of
power she felt.  “
Shit.
”

“I
would not allow you… to die for me… anyway.”

“I’m
going to save your life if it kills you, Damien.  Deal with it.”

Slade
knelt down between Melessa and Kara.  “Sorcerer?”

“Oh
fuck.”  Damien groaned as Slade clutched his hand and held on.