The Fire Within (The Fire of The Soul Series) (12 page)

"Come with me Kayden, I have to show you some
new plans that I've been working on in the war room," Victor says before I
hear footsteps walking away.

"You go ahead I'll be with you in a
moment," Kayden calls, I wait in silence for him to leave too but I know
that he won't just as I know that he is aware that I have been present for
quite some time. It isn't long until he finds my hiding place in the alcove and
the grimace on his face tells me that he is not happy about me eavesdropping.

"If you were anyone other than Victor's
betrothed, I would be sentencing you to have your ears cut off for
eavesdropping," Kayden says with a scowl, "Even so, I should be
punishing you for your act of felony... But I won't. Instead you're going to answer
one simple question for me; why were you eavesdropping on us?" He waits
patiently for an answer, and for a moment I'm persuaded by the idea of running
from him, but I want Kayden to trust me and I cannot possibly out run a
Shape-shifter, could I?

"I swear I didn't hear much Kayden. I was in
the study doing some research on vampire history, but then I heard the pair of
you coming towards the study, and so I left before I was found in the room.
Problem is you came out of the study rather than into it, and I had but little
choice, either hide here in this alcove or be caught leaving. Not that I was
doing anything wrong, but I was afraid of being accused of doing so," I
say, answering his question as best as I can. I leave out the fact that I know
that they came out of the stairs that descend from the fireplace. I was
grateful for the fact that Kayden isn't a mind reader, although he's quite apt
to pick up when someone is lying, as he takes my answer quickly and without
complaint.

"Well then you heard that Victor requires me to
go over some plans with him, so I must bid you adieu fair maiden," Kayden
says, as he bends at the waist to kiss my hand. "I hope to see you again
at supper tonight. I believe that your friend Meg has been sent to work in the
upstairs parlour, if you wish for some company, but I must insist that you stay
away from empty corridors and locked rooms, it is simply for your own
safety." And then he's walking away from me. I make my way down the
corridor without looking back, even though I feel eyes watching me. When I no
longer feel Kayden's eyes watching me, I turn back around and decided to follow
him. I want to see what he and Victor are to talk about. This curiosity brings
me to the corridor of Victor's throne room, to find that there is a door
slightly ajar opposite of the throne room.

"The time for war is now Kayden, we cannot
continue to live with the Skin-walkers reign of terror. I will not allow my
people to live in fear any longer!" Victor sounds demanding, nothing like
I've ever heard him before. As much as it's terrifying, it is also strangely
thrilling and enchanting.

"So what's the plan? Do you want me to take my
men out and infiltrate the Skin-walker's territory?" Kayden asks, his
voice as deadly cold as it was before when I had overheard the two of them
talking.

"No, we need something more direct. At the end
of the week I plan to leave the castle. Shade, you and I will visit the
different kingdoms and attempt to recruit the kingdoms on to our side. I know
that you're apt enough to handle it," Victor says. I peer into the room
and see Kayden slam his fists onto the table.

"And what of those who refuse to join us? Those
whom refuse to unite?" Kayden asks his voice, demanding to know of the
consequences. I see him flinch when Victor throws him a deadly glare.

"Then they will be on the Skin-walkers side,
and be treated as one of them in the war," Victor says, his voice as cold
as ice and as hard as steel, warning his brother not to double cross him.

"And what of Anna? Will she go with you?"
Kayden asks, I'm grateful for him asking the question because I am quite
curious as to what Victor has to say.

I see Victor flinch as if the question burned him,
before he answers "She... She will remain here, where it is safe for her.
Astoria and Augustus will be here to watch over her and my kingdom in my
absence." Silence falls over the room like a thick fog, and somehow I know
that Victor has sensed my presence, buying myself some time I run from my spot
beside the door, back down the corridor. It is quite a stupid idea to run, I
should have learned from my dream that it is impossible to outrun the
supernatural, but obviously it hadn't sunk in.

However, before Victor could catch me I ran straight
into another body, one slim but muscular, and as I looked up expecting to see
Victor I come to find a face that I thought I would never see again - the last
time I had seen him I had been nine - he smiled sweetly down at me as if he had
been expecting to see me all along, and I returned the motion.

He lends out a hand to help me up and says "Hey
Bells, long time no see." I laughed quietly, wary that Victor could still
be around and reply "You are the last person I expected to see here
William but it brings great joy to my heart to see you once again."

William leads me away from the corridor and down
another until we reach a bedroom. Will's bright smile illuminates whatever
darkness is within me. He leads me to sit on the small bed beside him, and we
easily get into a good conversation.

"So how did you end up here? Are you a vampire
like the rest of the people here or are you something else?" I ask
excitedly, wanting to know all that I can about Will, and his life here.

"My parent's brought me here when I started
showing signs of a supernatural element, and no I'm not a vampire; I'm a
werewolf," William says. I frown slightly, it is strange to think that
William is a wolf. Weren't wolves meant to be savage? And yet William is
anything but that. There is a knocking at William's door, and before either one
of us can move Kayden walks in.

"This is quite the coincidence. Blades, I came
to ask you a favour, His Majesty needs someone to stay here with Anna, and I
wanted to ask you if you would be willing, besides Shade your the second person
I trust most, but I'm starting to think that it won't be a problem,"
Kayden talks quickly, but William or as Kayden had called him
"Blades" follows quickly.

"That is quite alright. Anna here is an old
friend," William says, answering both questions - whether asked or not.

"Then it is settled. I expect you to still help
us organize strategies tonight. Anna, Victor is looking for you, he is
expecting you in the throne room," Kayden says before leaving the room, I
turn to follow him but I quickly say goodbye to Will before I actually leave.

Victor's P.O.V

I know that Anna had overheard me, but she needed to
hear it, although I had preferred to do it differently, it is too late now. I
had been planning to unleash war on the Skin-walkers for quite sometime, but it
hadn't been until now that I had been prepared to do so and to overcome the
bloody devils, I had to unite the Underworld. To start though, I'm to travel
from the pure kingdom - which is my own kingdom - to the forest vampires. I
hear a soft knock at the door and realize that Kayden has already sent Anna to
me.

"Come in," I call and I see my dark beauty
enter into the room. She is hesitant to meet my eyes, but after a moment she
finally does and it draws me in. I have nothing but mercy and love in my heart
when it comes to Anna. "Anna, love, I don't know how much you heard of my
conversation with Kayden but I want you to know that I'm not mad. However, I
won't continue to allow you to eavesdrop on what was clearly a private
conversation. I want to let you know that I am planning to leave for a few
weeks to unite my people in time of war. Kayden has chosen someone to look
after you, and you will have Meg here as well. Lord Augustus and Lady Astoria
will be taking my place in my leave. It will not be long, and I will be back as
soon as I can be. You can trust the people that I leave here with you," I
know my voice is soft and soothing as I talk to her, but it is evident that she
is scared.

"Soon all of this will be over, the
Skin-walkers vanquished and us Vampires will rule supreme. When peace has come
to the Underworld, we will be united in marriage. Things will work out love,
trust me," I whisper as I take her in my arms. I am going to make things
work out in the end, simply because I want our happy ending to come to us at last.

Meg's P.O.V

I finish cleaning the dishes in the kitchen and take
off my apron. Victor sent me to work in his castle as soon as we had gotten
here, saying that it was my place in the human world and that I should not
divert from what I already know, simply because I am in the Underworld.

I sigh. I haven't even seen Anna once since I came
here, but now with word that Victor is to leave, I will make it my goal to seek
her out, and just relax and enjoy this new wonderful world with her. My
thoughts drift to my only other friend, whom had departed from us before we
could all leave together; Simon. I miss Simon with all of my heart, I miss
hearing his voice and speaking to him, I miss having him present and just being
with him. I miss his beautiful eyes and his lazy smile. I miss him speaking of
the horses and his love for them. I miss joking around with him. I simply just
missed him.

My heart had not stopped grieving for him, I had not
forgotten him and I doubt that I ever could. If only there was a way to keep
him by my side forever. However, if it were to change him, I would not use it,
even if there was a way because I wanted to keep Simon just as he is, human and
full of life and I suppose that's how he will remain, forever in my heart and
mind.

Christian's P.O.V

It has been days since the party in celebration of
my return. I have made use of many of the maidens from that evening, and each
of them is as young and inexperienced as the next. However, I am now sitting in
a dark damp room, my warriors surrounding me. The walls are wet and bare, made
of dark grey stone. There are chains attached to the far wall, and hanging from
them is the King of Wersider, Rupert VanDyken.

I nod towards one of my warriors, and with that
slight movement of my head the warrior prods Rupert violently until he awakes,
groaning with the pain his fragile human body is feeling.

"Hello Rupert," My voice is cold, and I
can feel fear stirring within him because of it. His fear feeds me, gives me
strength and I continue, as a slight smirk grows on my face.

"Mr Sitzman?" Rupert asks, still groaning
in pain. He shakes his head, trying to get his mind clear.

"Indeed Mr VanDyken, I am Prince Christian
Drocona Sitzman, Prince and sole Monarch of the Skin-walker Kingdom. Hugo, lift
his head, I want him to look at me as I take on my true form," I say
drawing in the power that his fear has fed me with. The smirk grows on my face
as Hugo - the warrior I had ordered to wake Rupert - grabs a fist full of
Rupert's hair, and forces his head up so that he cannot take his eyes off of me
as I shift.

I can feel my flesh rippling, my insides churning,
my bones snapping and rearranging as my body takes on the change. When my kind
changes forms from one humanoid species to another it is usually a slight shift
in skin colour, hair colour, height, weight but when we change into our true
form, everything about us changes and so it is a more exhausting procedure.
However, his fear feeds me, gives me strength and as he sees my true form his
terror grows, giving me the power I need to rise.

"This is my true form Rupert; I am a
Skin-Walker. A man, who can change forms, can swap skins - so to say - with
other men." I speak softly, venomously and I can see the effect I am
having on him, as clear as day on his face. I can smell his fear in the air,
can almost taste it on my tongue and I continue to push the man, until I can
physically taste his fear.

"My kind are carnal animals Rupert, who crave
the flesh and blood of mankind. We enjoy killing the weak and taking control of
the powerless. And I am the Leader of my people, which makes me the worst of
them all. I have already taken your wife. She was warm and willing, her old
body craving for my young human flesh. She begged me for more; to the point
where she would do anything I said to have me take control of her. And soon it
shall be the same with your daughter. But as for you, it is a shame you are not
one of us, for you are just as carnal, you desire your daughter's body. Don't
deny it because I can see it clearly in your mind, you think you'll find warmth
and comfort there, however cold she may be to you. It truly is a shame but you
are human, despite the fact that you had the supernatural living within you.
I'm going to kill you Rupert, and it's going to be slow and painful, but first
I will break you as I broke your wife, and when I'm through with you, you will
be begging for more, more pain than you can handle." I finish bringing my
little monologue to an end. My men have heard every word and they are grinning
from ear to ear. They know that they will be taking part in this and the look
on Rupert's face appears as if he is going to be sick. This makes me grin. The
man deserves to have every horror of his own creation replayed back onto him
and my men and I are going to see to it.

It is awhile before my warriors leave the cell,
tired from the full day they had spent breaking the prisoner and when I
re-enter into the room - my humanoid form back in place - I see a broken and
bloody Rupert hanging from the chains. I had ordered my men to be rough and not
to spare Rupert, to do whatever it took to break him, to make him beg and want
more, and when I enter the room that is exactly what I find.