Dark Blood
Chapter Three
Challenges and Trials
"I'm so thirsty…Nyla I don't know how much more I can take of this!" Octavia screamed mentally as she curled her hands into tight fists under the table. It felt as though every single lesson of discipline and restrain she had been taught had suddenly been flung headlong out a stained glass window. The intoxicating scent of his exotic blood was tangling her thoughts and confusing her wildly as she suppressed the urge to dive across the table and sate her hunger. Nobody had ever provoke this amount of desire from her; and the worst part was she knew that the thirst she harboured was not shared by anyone else - nobody else even found his blood appealing let alone worthy to feast upon.
"You can do this. Octavia listen to me, just trust me and remember we only have to maintain this charade for a few more hours." Nyla said gently but firmly. Octavia couldn't help but think that even if she managed tonight the journey to his homeland and the further stay there would likely be as impossible to her as dying. She could hardly keep her eyes off him - his smooth warm skin, his long silky dark hair tied back at the nape of his neck and his chilling heated eyes. A cluster of teenagers waltzed passed into the club and to her horror she had to restrain herself from snarling at the blond who dared to wink and smile suggestively in his direction.
Unfortunately this only served to amuse him. He was laughing at her inside. The arrogant stuck up son a….was laughing at her! Charade…she tried to grasp the discipline she had taken years to master and forced herself to remain poised. She would use this against him; she would make sure that by the nights end she would be ensured a place to his homeland.
"We're not like your vampires," Octavia said slowly putting on a pretence of careful consideration. "They have a choice don't they? I mean they could chose not to and they go out of their way to stir up trouble. Most of us aren't like that…we prefer nomadic existences." She watched him carefully assessing his heart rate and facial expression. He was thoughtful, his eyes were staring intently at her as though they were both playing a very eloquent game of chess not quite knowing the stakes.
"You say 'most of us.' Am I to assume that some of you do not prefer these peaceful nomadic lives you paint a picture of?" Tiberiu suggested mildly.
"Every society has it's criminals. Some of us try to build of clans and attempt seize power but they never succeed and they are swiftly dealt with," Octavia assured confidently as her thoughts drifted back to New York. She had first handed ensured that they received the full penalty of the law. It was her duty. It wasn't nice or perhaps very enjoyable but it had to be done didn't it? Of course it did. She affirmed her thoughts chasing them away from treacherous roads.
"You enjoy such a life?" Tiberiu questioned.
"Yes." Octavia said simply trying to seem completely positive about that statement. In reality sometimes she didn't but then she had to make the best with what she had. That's what Nyla had always taught her and besides some parts of her life were good…really good. She had friends…she got the feeling she might not have had many in her human life. And she had other more enjoyable…leisure's.
"Tav?" Nyla said abruptly breaking the up the word games between the two competitions as a slow rare smile curled on her lips. "Looks like somebody has returned early." Octavia's eyes widened a fraction as she took a deep gulp in of the cold night air savouring each scent from the roaring pulse of blood to the engine fumes form cars. There! She could smell it coming quickly towards her, the scent she knew the best.
"Oscar!" Octavia beamed delightedly standing up.
"Returned early huh?" Felix said surprised before shaking his head carelessly. "No wonder. He was with Jane's group right?"
Soon two silhouettes could be seen crossing the street walking towards them. The first was a stunningly pretty young woman whose head of blond curls shone like pearls under every puddle of yellow streetlight. She had a heart shaped face and a button nose that would put portraits of angels to shame and she was wearing stiletto heels trying to build upon her tiny height while her long lithe legs were revealed with a lilac skirt and a halter neck cream silk top. Mariette De Roux formerly Lady Mariette De Roux - a French aristocrat turned vampire during the revolution at the age of nineteen.
Octavia's attention was more avidly drawn to the man walking beside her. He had a boyish yet charming face with bright mischievous eyes and a head of fiery hair that blazed under every light. They were identical - the same eyes, face and hair although he was slightly taller. Oscar; her brother and twin met her eyes with a big grin while Mariette ran forwards excitedly but carefully keeping her pace human as she wrapped her arms around Octavia's neck.
"It's so good to see you! Mon Cherie!" Mariette proclaimed elatedly leaning up to kiss Octavia on the cheek before permitting Felix to life her off her feet and twirl her in the air planting a kiss on her lips as she giggled.
"How'd it go?" Octavia asked as embraced Oscar glad to feel the comfort of his arms again. She hadn't seen him in two weeks and for five years they'd hardly spent more than a day away from each other. The separation had been a mixture of liberation but at the same time oddly lonely. Oscar laughed ruffling her hair.
"As good as can be expected with our dear friend," He snorted derisively. "Looks like you've been having all the adventures and I've missed out on all the fun! Is that him? Sorry for staring but you are kinda fascinating." Oscar's eyes were drawn to the foreign creature taking it's place at their table in wonderment and blatant curiosity. He inclined his head politely and smiled turning back to his sister.
"Oh? That is our guest. Tiberiu Bercovitz of the Carpathians," Octavia explained aloud knowing already that Oscar probably knew all of this via telepathic link with Nyla however formal introductions had to be made as tedious as it seemed. Mariette gazed up from greeting Nyla and pried her arms away from the younger vampire to look intriguingly at their visitor. "Tiberiu," Octavia continued, "This is my brother Oscar and our friend Lady Mariette De Roux formerly of France."
"They're twins," Mariette stated proudly.
"I would never have guessed," Drawled Tiberiu bowing at the waist as he was introduced to the former aristocrat. Octavia rolled her eyes as Mariette beamed excitedly at the handsome newcomer. It wasn't that her blond friend was a typical airhead, by the contrary Mariette could be extraordinary bright when the mood took her and was a breathtaking artist however sometimes she gave the impression of being a bimbo and it was true that she had a knack with the opposite sex.
"We have just been explaining to our guest about ourselves," Demetri said dragging two extra chairs over from the opposite table. "Attempt to enlighten him to our situation." Oscar pulled the chair back courteously allowing Mariette to sit down before taking a seat himself next to Octavia squeezing her hand under the table.
"Oh? Merveilleux!! Mariette said pleasantly.
"We thought since you are not an actual member of the Volturi you might be able to give an outsiders perspective?" Demetri suggested. Mariette nodded clearly happy to be the centre of attention temporarily. Octavia merely felt relieved to have the burden momentarily lifted from her shoulders and relaxed back into her chair letting the blond take centre stage.
"I was born during the Revolution." Mariette began in a soft flowing voice reminiscing her prior glorious lifetime that had ended quickly in brutal blood and tragic death. "My Papa was a Noblesse d'eppe. A Lord of a provincial estate however when the revolution came knocking at our doors he was taken with my Mama and elder brother and executed in our gardens." Felix drew a finger across his throat and Mariette looked oddly sincere by this point her story remembering that fateful day over two hundred years ago. "They came for me next. I was hiding from them in the nursery where my cousins would play but they dragged me kicking and screaming into the courtyard. I think they must have been drunk because when they went to stab me they missed my heart and left me to bleed."
"I am sorry. Nobody should have to suffer that," Tiberiu said gently looking sympathetically at the vampire. Octavia felt a reluctant jealous twinge and for a moment felt that she perhaps could have lingered longer on her account of her car crash if it had maintained such compassion from him however she knew it was silly to think like that. Mariette nodded in agreement but smiled.
"It was I suppose at the time. However I was found by a vampire named Aimee and she turned me taking me in and treating me like a daughter. I can remember very little of human life and I have long since severed any emotional attachment. I live with Aimee and my sisters Monique and Sasha but we are always welcome guests." Mariette said cheerfully at the idea of her mother and sister figures.
"What of Carpathians? Are you all so handsome amour?" Mariette piped brightly shamelessly flirting. Octavia had long became accustom to Mariette's ways and knew that most often her playful banter led nowhere with anyone however she was shocked to find that she was resisting the urge to pummel her friend as a hazy red mist swam before her eyes and she bit back a low warning hiss. Normally she never felt this amount of contempt for somebody merely talking to sweetly to a person like but at that moment Mariette might as well have been Jane.
"No; I'm the exception," Tiberiu said huskily. Instantly the attraction of Octavia's rage turned counter clockwise. Every instinct was screaming at her to rip his damn throat out but somehow she barely retained a façade and most likely it was due to her brother iron clad grip on her wrist restraining her.
"Are all Carpathians born arrogant and stupid or are you the exception?" Octavia snapped unable to control herself silently. The words slipped off her tongue before she could swallow them and she jerked back mortified at her outburst while Felix gave a low whistle and Nyla's feline glare pinned her. What would Aro think later? What if this lost her his trust? She couldn't lose that! It was everything to her, he was everything to her.
"Hmm," Tiberiu said amusedly. "You remind me of Gregori. You would both get along well."
"Who's Monsieur Gregori?" Mariette enquired curiously.
"My old mentor," Tiberiu said with a strange wry smile on his face. "He was considered ancient among my people and was greatly feared. He and I never got along well…he found me too rebellious…too irresponsible. We never did see eye to eye and I had a problem obeying his authority. I thought it might be good for him to let loose once in a while but unfortunately he did not share this opinion." Octavia found herself picturing a tall thin stereotypical school master with a cane facing Tiberiu dressed in a 'Dennis the Menace' like attire.
"On what level is your society organised?" Oscar asked with childish intrigue. "I mean do you all run wild or?"
"Yes Oscar. I am sure somewhere there is a herd of Carpathians running free in their natural environment howling at the full moon and hunting zebra," Nyla noted sarcastically. Felix snorted and Oscar looked a little bewildered at the idea half believing it while Mariette through back her golden locks and giggled, her laughter sounding like wind chimes in the breeze. Even Octavia found the heart to chuckle at the joke while Demetri smiled.
"I would not know. I have not seen my people in some time," Tiberiu shrugged passively. "I know they still live but things may have changed. I left six hundred years ago and have heard no words since, only whispered rumours." Octavia tilted her head to the side as she progressed this. Certainly they had assumed he was in regular correspondence with his people - it was one of the reasons they had spared his life. Aro didn't want to invoke the wrath of another species upon them. She wondered if he was now expendable? A swift glance in Nyla's direction told her that her best friend was probably notifying Aro at that very moment.
"That's sad," Mariette sighed. "Six hundred years is a long time to be alone. I've only been gone for three weeks but I miss my Mama very much. Do you have parents? Brothers perhaps? Life can be so dull sometimes…"
"Aro says we keep him alive." Nyla added to them all mentally. Octavia felt a strange fusion of disappointment and relief. Disappointment because she would have hope to taste his blood which her body was yearning for and relief because some warped part of her wanted him alive and found the idea of ripping his head off extremely repulsive.
"Dull?" Oscar said as if insulted but his cheeky grin was still on as he nudged Mariette. "Do I not amuse you? I suppose I'll simply have to try harder." Octavia resisted the urge to gag as her golden haired friend giggled at the display of playful flirting. Naturally her brother was a growing man but there were areas of his life she simply didn't want to know about - certainly he avoided those particular areas of her life like the plague.
"You too need to get a room. Faraway from here, you're so sweet I'm gonna puke." Nyla muttered sourly. Oscar looked a little bit taken aback and his eyes widened puzzled while Felix smiled mischievously leaning in closer to the colder vampire.
"Maybe if you got some you'd loosen up Nyla! Just cause everyone here is getting some and you're not…well actually neither is Demetri. Hey! You'd make a great pair!" Felix declared thoroughly pleased with himself. Demetri glowered delivering a swift punch to his oldest friend while Nyla hissed her dangerously sharp nails extending threateningly. Felix however did not seem to get the warning and seemed delighted to continue listing everybody's secret sexual escapades. "What? It's healthy! Even Octavia-"
"Demetri," Octavia said sweetly as her foot found his shin. "Continue and I will sing to you. Or maybe I should enlighten Jane about that remark you let slip about her last month? What was it you described her as? Ah yes, I think it was a lap dog." It wasn't that it was a private fact that she entertained a relationship with her Master but at the same time decorum usually wiped any traces of gossip and conversation about it. It was generally accepted as one of those things that happened however Octavia usually did her best to get away from Jane's company so the likelihood of her striking up a conversation let alone a chit-chat session would likely happen when hell froze over.
"Everybody is so uptight," Felix groaned stretching his arms. "I think we have to restrain ourselves too much. When we get some time off we should enjoy it! When was the last time anyone here had some fun?"
"Aren't we having fun right now?" Oscar asked innocently.
"I was having fun talking to Monsieur Tiberiu? What about you Monsieur?" Mariette mentioned hopefully. Octavia found her eyes drawn automatically towards Tiberiu to gouge his reaction. Had Felix let slip something too fatal? She felt torn in two about this happening - on one side she was anything but ashamed of her place and her affections but on the other hands she didn't like to hear them thrown around so casually, especially in front of this man. The raging pumping of his heart tore at her throat burning her slowly from within at the thought of the hot fiery blood circling his body. Other than the rapid escalations of his heart and perhaps the sudden coldness of those obsidian black eyes there were no outward signs of anything other than chilly indifference. Tiberiu inclined his head curtly but said nothing as he glowered at Octavia.
"We could use some fun," Felix repeated flimsily, "Nyla probably doesn't know the meaning of the word and Demetri's got his head stuck in too many books. What about you Tav-Tav? When was the last time you had some fun?"
"Two hours ago?" Octavia said dryly. "What did you have in mind Felix?"
"A game?" Felix suggested coyly before nodding his head in the direction across the street. It was a standard blue Fiesta and nothing particularly special looking. "Each of us have to get a car. The two people who get he best car get to race each other." Octavia felt a bit confused - they couldn't go around stealing cars from people encase something went wrong let alone race them. Had Felix gone delusional? To her surprise though Nyla smiled in a smug way and Octavia knew the battle was lost - Felix was appealing to Nyla's competitive streak.
"What's in it for the winner?" Nyla asked suddenly avid to the idea.
"The joy of victory?" Felix elected mildly. "Or we could spice it up. Say the loser has to do whatever the winner says for an entire week? I mean whatever…anything…everything?" Felix innuendoes. Nyla smirked and Octavia knew that she was obviously not riding the same train as Felix as far as his idea was concerned but rather the idea of winning and humiliating Felix for the entire week held much more of an appeal.
"There would have to be rules." Demetri inserted calmly but there was a twinkle in his eyes. " Obviously we would have to get the humans consent before we purchased their vehicles and the vehicles would have to be returned unscathed." Octavia nodded - of course getting a humans consent was easy for any vampire. A smile and word in the right direction and the poor animals were helpless but for Octavia this was practically child's play.
"Then Ladies and Gentlemen we have our terms," Felix said happily as he bounced to his feet saluting them. "In one hour we meet up by the hills…that's about twenty miles away and pretty damn deserted. Until then ciao!" Octavia rose to her feet unsure about how exactly to face this new challenge. Getting a car would be easy but she'd have to get a good car…where did the rich of this down associate or gather? Where was a lawyer or a doctor when you needed them? One by one her fellows disappeared into the night and Octavia crossed the cobbled street and slunk down a narrow allow fading into the shadows alone. The buildings became more rustic with yellow bricks and overhanging roofs and the cobbles in the street more uneven.
"Why are you following me?" Octavia demanded aloud as she stopped whirling around on the spot blurring before reappearing solidly behind her pursuer. She glared but kept her voice a nice and even monotone. His intoxicating scent was drowning her in it's musky erotic odour and the tall powerful muscular body towering over her did not help her thoughts in anyway. She bit her lip - every fantasy, every image, every thought she knew her Master would be able to see later. Sometimes she dreaded his ability but this time she could feel herself internally panicking. Aro…think Aro…she repeated this like a mantra in her head. An unholy prayer to whatever deity was listening. It wasn't that she suddenly found him unattractive…god no she found it felt like her insides were rupturing into two separate entities both madly infatuated with two different people.
"Can you not guess?" Tiberiu asked his voice suggesting as much innuendo as Felix's only darker. She felt her insides shudder almost with anticipation and excitement as he walked towards her and she felt her back hit the wall. He was overpowering, wild and suddenly very appealing. The desire to do so many things was staggering but the thirst for his blood was reaching a deafening crescendo. If he continued like this she wouldn't be able to stop herself. He was close now…so close it felt like he was in the very air she breathed and it fizzled sparking with energy and drive as he stood over her so close.
"This is wrong…dangerous…." Octavia murmured as a protest. It sounded so pathetically feeble. What was stopping her from tasting him now? Aro would forgive her, she would end this torment and remove the threat. In fact the idea seemed highly sensible…all it would take was for her to urge herself forwards and to act upon the brutal impulse. Just one bit, her teeth against his neck and then it would all be over. Problem solved.
"Dangerous yes," Tiberiu agreed his words soft like velvet before they took a sharper edge, "You will not know any other man save me. I will make sure whoever touches you without my permission ends swiftly. I will have you beg for me sivamet, each and every time. Do you think me dangerous? You have no idea." Octavia swallowed and felt something completely unfamiliar that she hadn't experienced in years - pure cold terror slinking away dragging her down into its depths. The heated passion in those eyes made her want to run yet she felt like a hare being pursued by a tiger. Aro…she loved him…she couldn't betray him. This monster would have her heart break for his amusement? Had he any idea how close he strayed to the lionesses den by being this close?
"Octavia?"
Octavia felt her cold dark fear vanish as a ray of pure golden sunshine shone through. She sighed a long breath of relief as a wonderfully familiar and beautiful voice reached her hearing snapping the atmosphere nicely. In a heartbeat Nyla was at her side with a worried look in her eyes. "Go! Go now, there's a rich banker in the hotel across town. He's wearing a red shirt and is about thirty and drives a red jaguar." Octavia smiled wanting to hug Nyla but instead she nodded and in a flurry vanished.
Leaving Tiberiu to face the angry Tigress.
Tiberiu could feel his heart drumming against his ribcage. His blood was boiling with need and every part of him felt hot and hard with desire and rage. His life mate…with another man…the idea was enough make him want to rip the person limb from limb and to take his life mate. How dare she be with any other male! The sky above his head crackled with rumbles of thunder before a fork of white hot lightening blazed across the sky illuminating the shadowy side street reflected in the blood red feline irises before him. This woman had sent his mate away and now she was angry…he could hear her hissing.
The next moment he felt ice cold hands wrap themselves around his wrists like manacles tightly as he was flung roughly against a wall - had he been human he was certain he would have been flung straight through the wall however he managed to prevent by asserting his own strength. There was a clash of forces and a silent battles of wills as smouldering dark eyes battled those feline red ones until both contestants relented as it became apparent a victor was not going to emerge any time soon.
"Do you have a death wish?" Snarled Nyla savagely seeming for moments more animal than human.
"She is my mate. I suggest you recognise this fact and do not come between us again," Threatened Tiberiu reluctant to threaten a female yet angry enough not to hold a care he felt her grip on his wrists drop. She stepped back and flung back her head into a bitter laugh.
"Listen carefully because what I say to you is for your benefit not hers! We thirst for human blood but thus far your blood has no appeal to us - it is like offering a tiger cabbage however she thirsts for you. Sometimes it happens that we encounter people whose blood holds more appeal than others but for her that is you. You think your…lust is terrible? She can hardly stand to be in your presence and every moment she is she thinks only of how easy it would be to kill you and get what she wants and trust me she would kill you and drain you dry!" Nyla snapped viciously. Tiberiu digested this news…he was hurting her. Involuntarily perhaps but the blow was still true however it was not enough to sway him.
"Who are you?" Demanded Tiberiu seizing a hold of her arms and pushing her into the opposite wall.
"I know about your kind! You think you are so much better than us yet you are all nothing but hypocrites. I might steal peoples lives but your kind steal peoples souls! You take their freedom and you crush it to dust. Not her though…you're too late . Open your eyes because he heart belongs to someone else." Nyla declared with wild triumphant and a blazing fury in her eyes. Tiberiu felt shocked as he heard the voice enter his head barging past all his immaculate safe guards. What was she? How could she enter his mind so easily and how did she know so much? Why was her opinion of them so devastatingly low? This hatred went beyond the normal boundaries but more ailing to him was the news of his mate's love.
"Who?" Roared Tiberiu pushing her further against the stone brick work.
Nyla smirked and with one swift motion escaped his clutches. In one blur she ran like a comet leaving Tiberiu deserted in the street. He could pursue…he would pursue but for the moment he pondered her last breath echoing across the breeze in his ears pure beauty and pure agony.
"Open your eyes!"
Thank you so much for the reviews!!!
Some info in the introduced characters.
Lady Mariette De Roux - extremely talented artist but with no known special abilities. Sensitive yet surprisingly clever despite her outward act she see's more than she lets on. Enjoys having fun and is very attached to her makeshift mother and sisters. As a human she was spoilt and fond of living the luxurious life but often became withdrawn as her Father had hoped to produce another son. It took her three decades to forget the horrors of her family's death and she still harbours a small grudge towards those who support the revolution still using her title to keep the French Aristocracy alive.
Oscar - Enjoys having fun and can be a bit oblivious at some moments. Enjoys flirting and although constantly smiles it can be concluded that he'll very happily smile and rip your head off at the same time not openly displaying any rage yet you'll know...cause you'll be dead.
Anyway I hope the reviews continue to roll in. Next chapted - we meet Aro and Caius's wives and Aro makes a proposal while Tiberiu "opens his eyes."
