Chapter 11: I'm giving up again.
Rayne scooted closer to Viktor's side, nearly hanging on the arm of his chair. She was trying so hard to get his attention, I could tell it was the first time she had sit beside him. She looked far too eager to have been this close to him before. Viktor glanced to her then away as he stood up walking towards the center of the room.
"I'm sure you are quite aware there is an uprising taking place as of late…" Viktor looked powerful as he spoke, he also looked too focused for my liking, I wanted him distracted from his tasks. I leaned closer to Mark laying my head on his shoulder as I continued to watch Viktor with a vindictive smile. Mark took the bait further, putting his arm around me to help better support my body. He probably thought I had not slept well during the day, and knowing he was attracted to me he did his best to win me over. "The Lycans…" Viktor's eyes settled on Mark and I, he grew quiet, his jaw locked in frustration. Tension running through his every muscle. He walked right over to Mark and I continuing to speak beside us as if his very sight would intimidate us but Mark had no idea what he had put himself into. "They are becoming more insubordinate." Viktor eyed me again, as if he were comparing me to them. I used this moment to my advantage. Sparking a new idea that would surely tip the scales.
"Sire, it is simple." I said aloud as I rose from my seat, pulling out of the arms of the reluctant to let me go Mark. Viktor held back his hiss, held back his growl, held back all emotion as he watched me step in front of him. I had stepped onto his playing field where no matter what occurred he would appear to have won, Viktor knew how to fight, knew how to plan, but what he didn't know is I had learned too.
"Please Amelia, explain." He challenged me, seeming interested in what I could possibly be up to. I smiled, making sure to show off my fangs, it was a smile that made it clear he did not frighten me. A smile that made it clear I would not let this go, I was Viktor's match we both knew it without second-guessing.
"Why don't you simply train them better, as you have me. I was once insubordinate but look what you've turned me into now…" It was a silent stab at him, something only Viktor and I could share. Everyone would dismiss the comment thinking I was praising Viktor and his methods, but I was secretly damning him for making me feel this way. Damning him for turning me into this person, never in my life had I been vindictive but Viktor had me going out of my way to get what I wanted.
"Yes, what a prime example you now are Amelia." The smirk played heavily on his lips as he spoke to me with a dark tone. He was mocking me. Doing a good job of it like I had as well, because no one looked like they had suspected anything, not even Rayne who was overly cautious when it came to Viktor's interests. "Except you were lucky to be born of a better breed, you had everything in your favor to be great, and with someone like myself putting you in the right direction you were bound to succeed." He lightly pushed my shoulder indicating for me to sit without another word but I only stepped backward by two steps. I gathered myself and moved back over to him, I was not ready to sit out, and the round was not over yet.
"Are you saying you do not have the ability to train them? Or do you fear that they will fight you back when you have betrayed them so greatly?" I asked with anger. When had I defended the beasts in my life? Never. It was not the Lycans I felt for, it was myself. Yes Viktor had manipulated the creatures but they deserved it, they were of a different breed, as he had said, a race running on things opposite of ours. Viktor treated me just as cruelly as them sometimes even though I was made of the same flesh as he, born into the same curse and gift as he but still I was cast aside. I may not have been born a mortal, and turned late in life but I knew how to feel. And though he was once human, he was void of all his emotions. Shouldn't I have been the one plagued by a feeling of emptiness, why did I feel so passionate when he did not feel at all?
"I have not betrayed those beasts!" Viktor grabbed my throat and slammed me against the nearest granite beam. I let out a groan grabbing onto his hand to stop the pressure. He leaned closer to me his lips moving towards my neck, I thought I would feel his bite, I thought he was going to bleed me dry. His lips brushed against my ear as he whispered softly to me, his grip on my throat now as soft as a lover's caress. "I have not betrayed you either." His breath was warm, causing my body to shiver without the ability to control itself. The idea of the council thinking Viktor was hurting me when instead he was being soft and gentle thrilled me. It was the idea that right under their very noses their feared leader looked down upon me with something I'd hope was equivalent to respect and admiration. "Put your personal vendetta aside Amelia…" Viktor's warm lips left my ear as his tone became sharper, more violent. "Or you will join your new brethren of the wolf kind." He spat at me in anger playing up that he was hurting me. He was putting on a show for the council, tricking them into thinking he had never lost control of the situation. "Do you understand me?" He asked with a glare. I looked to Viktor's face unable to challenge him further, he had won on his grounds, but I still had Mark.
"Forgive me Sire, my comment was uncalled for, I care not for the beasts, I was bitter m'lord, forgive me." I begged him making sure to look pitiful. In the council's eyes Viktor had turned my personality around completely. I was aiding to Viktor's rumors, restoring his power with each fake wince and cry. Viktor looked more lethal now then ever before, because they had seen what he had 'turned' me into.
"This will be your last pardon dear Amelia, after your tardiness, and your tongue…you are quite lucky my mind is elsewhere tonight." He released my throat and stepped back. I quietly took my seat playing up that he had shaken me, but he had. The moment I felt Viktor's warm breath sliding across my neck, caressing me in ways his hands had yet to, it made me shiver.
"Are you okay?" Mark leaned over to me whispering as softly as he could. This set my plan straight into motion again. I clung onto Mark making it appear that my apparent shivering was due to fear of Viktor, instead of yet to be satisfied carnal lust.
"I'm shaken Mark." I replied to him laying my head against his shoulder again. He gently set his chin on the top of my head as he held me.
"You'll be fine." He promised as he placed a kiss on my forehead before putting his chin in its resting-place again. I glanced upwards watching as Viktor kept his hands balled tightly. The jealousy and anger radiated off his body.
"The beasts must be put back down!" Viktor was yelling now, his anger misplaced on the topic, he was lucky he didn't have to give some kind of praising speech. "I want them understanding their place, or we will find a way to punish them beyond belief for doing something against our wishes." He glared hatefully at me. He was well aware that I had my intentions in order. I wanted him to be angry. "Does no one have anything to say!" Viktor shouted as he stormed to his throne. He was close to shaking in his anger, everyone watched him wondering what had upset him. Yes Viktor was known for being cruel but some explanation or a justified reason usually accompanied angry outbursts as there had been with the mortal situation a day ago.
"Sire." Rayne gently reached towards him laying her hand over his. Viktor jerked his hand back about to scream at her till something clicked in his mind. He looked to me, half smiled, and then reached over taking the shaken Rayne's hand.
"Forgive me dear, I did not mean to startle you." He explained beckoning her to come closer. Rayne eagerly took the chance moving closer to his seat, in fact, I'm certain if she wanted to be any closer she would have been sitting on his lap. The council watched Viktor's display of emotions with confusion. Maybe I had done my job anyway, if the noble vampires turned on Viktor who would he have. "I would like to reschedule this meeting for a little later, there are a few aspects I'd like to look into concerning the beasts. If I can not find a solution I will be asking for your ideas…" I used this moment to kiss Mark's cheek silently thanking him for holding me close. I did the move out of desperation; I did not like seeing Rayne touch Viktor. The worse was seeing Viktor return the affection, not once had he caressed my hand as he did hers. "You are dismissed." Viktor kept his expression void, but I could tell inside he was fuming. Confused noble vampires spilled out of the room talking quietly among themselves, devising their own theories over his behavior.
"Let's meet up later." Mark whispered to me as he kissed my forehead again. I nodded my head eyeing him mischievously.
"I think we could have fun together." I was definitely speaking the way I thought Rayne would, she had told me Mark's likes, and I was not that woman, but Rayne was.
"Come by my room." Mark said softly and I nodded watching him leave. I wouldn't be going there but if Viktor thought I would, it served its purpose.
"Sire, I do not like seeing you like this." Rayne confessed. "Is there anything I can do for you?" She asked. I had just stood when I heard Rayne mumble the words to him, he better say no.
"Perhaps there is, for if we can not help eachother…" He brushed his fingertips across her cheek. I would not hear another word of this. I could not bear the way he spoke and touched her; my plan had turned around on me. Instead of making Viktor furious, he had done it to me. I walked out of the room slamming the doors behind me. I paced in the hallway for a moment trying to decide what to do, I could run, run away till the castle was far from my sight and never speak of the elder again. I could kill Rayne, bleed her dry for ever looking upon Viktor with longing for the power he held. Atleast I had enough decency to be in love with the man, his power mattered little to me.
"Amelia, are you okay?" I looked up for the owners voice and saw Tanis. Had he been standing there the entire time? I could not recall, in my pacing I had been so focused on one thing solely.
"No." I mumbled as the anger began to fade away and a deep sadness cut straight through my bones. I had gone from a vengeance-filled maniac, to a melancholy maiden. My heart ached so painfully that I wished my body had never possessed the organ before.
"Would you like to talk with me?" Tanis asked placing his hand on my arm forcing me to look up at him. In this place that was both my heaven and hell, Tanis was my friend though I feared his betrayal throughout my stay. At this point I didn't care if this ever got back to Viktor, it was something I just needed to say. A confession that clawed me from the inside, wishing to be freed.
"Tanis, I've done something horrible." I explained to him. He looked to me with concern. I was sure endless possibilities were scanning through his mind as he envisioned the worst, but perhaps my truth was far worse then anything he could have thought up.
"What have you done m'lady?" He spoke to me with the utmost respect.
"I have fallen for someone I never should have." I explained needing to tell someone, I just needed to get it out. I felt if I did not say it my lungs were going to burst from the tension.
"I know." Tanis said softly. I looked up in shock.
"You know?" I asked dumbfounded, why hadn't Tanis made it clear to the other nobles? Why hadn't he used this to tear me down? Why hadn't he used it against Viktor to get anything he wanted? Or did he think my 'feelings' for Mark were truthful?
"I saw you and Viktor last night." He glanced down for a moment recalling what he had seen, atleast that's what it looked like he was doing. He looked to my face seeing the endless questions burning in my eyes, then he began to explain. "I had left my scroll behind and when I walked in… you were kissing Viktor." He seemed shocked still. As if he almost questioned what he had seen, as if it were something as made up as a dream.
"Why didn't you tell anyone?" I asked. Tanis could have done anything he pleased with that knowledge. The very power he held for seeing such a thing was unquestionable. Yet, he had not said a word, it seemed implausible. Tanis smiled at me a little.
"I respect you Amelia, I believe you are what this race needs, in every way you are as strong and as beautiful as our elder." He said with a small laugh, as my jaw lay open in shock. Truthfully, I was shocked, shocked to the very depth that being shocked could go, I was unable to grasp that he knew and had done nothing with the secret. "And I think you are the very thing Viktor needs." His cool fingers gently patted my cheek before leaving my skin tingling in their wake.
"What do I do?" I asked defeated, I was ready to give in, bow out, and try my best to put the pieces together again. I would never make another wrong move so that my father would never send me back here or it would be the death of me. Tanis smiled.
"It is your choice Amelia, fight for him if he is really that important to you, or wait nine more days and you'll be free to leave without another word to him." He glanced to the council room then to me. "Either way Amelia, with him, or without him, I know you will do great things." Tanis confided in me. I felt swept up in my emotions, Tanis the first person to fully believe in me. Something only my mother had done before leaving me behind.
"Tanis I will repay you for all you've done, I promise." I said pouncing on him with a tight hug. Tanis hugged me with a laugh.
"Good luck." He said walking towards his study. I watched Tanis leave, I felt bad to have ever doubted him. Throughout this experience Tanis was the only person I felt I could tell anything to. He was sweet, and gave me the courage to fight for Viktor. If I fell in my pursuit, something told me Tanis would be there to help me stand on my feet again. And when this journey came to its ending, whether my outcome was good or bad, I would ask Tanis why he had been so kind to me.
A/N:
-Thanks for all the reviews. You guys are amazing. ^^. I'm glad this story has been well received so far I hope I don't go and mess it all up.
-Like I said before, chapters will probably be getting longer and whatnot as the story goes on that's why you all get lucky to have this mass of text to read.
-Gotta feel bad for Rayne/Mark who are both a bit... 'readily available' ... and they don't even understand their pawns in a chess game that is called Amelia/Viktor. Lol.
-Oooohhh and I just have to say, I love Tanis, I think every girl in pursuit of Viktor needs someone like him to say "Keep going, he's just a bit rough around the edges." And I wanted Tanis to be the only one that knew of their 'relationship' in the same sense he was the one that knew about Sonja/Lucian in RotL first.
