A/N: Hey guys! Countdown to the end of the story has begun! LE GASP! Meh, not that exciting. I really hope you guys are okay with how this ends. It's really bloody hard to finish off something I've worked so hard on. I dunno... I feel like you guys might be disappointed but I feel like I've done all I can do with this story, it had to end sometime.
Slave or not, Lucian had been through quite an ordeal. Therefore, he figured he deserved an awakening a little more dignified than a slap to the face. However, that was what he got. Lucian squinted and blinked, his head spinning. It was dark. He was laying on something soft and he wasn't alone. His eyes adjusted to the dark and he scanned the room. It was a bedchamber. He noticed two beds across from him but he couldn't see who occupied them. He, himself, was on the floor, lying on a blanket.
"Over here, servant,"
Lucian started and turned his head to the one who had woken him. He immediately recognized the grotesque skin of the woman from before.
Suddenly, he remembered the events in the elders' chamber. He sat up in alarm, raking his sore hand through his hair. Both of his silver-burned hands had started to heal over. It must have been a few hours ago that he'd passed out. Grief gripped him as he realised that he must have lost, that Sonja must have… He could even bring himself to think it.
"What happened?" he stammered, focusing his attention back on the corpse-like woman. Her skin was slightly less disgusting that he remembered and her sharp features and dark eyes were somewhat familiar, though he couldn't place them.
"The red head got away," the woman sighed, understanding immediately what he meant. She stood and crossed the room, sitting heavily on a chair to finish the story.
"I tried to follow her but I was too weak from my awakening and the sun was beginning to rise. The coven was forced to retreat and the dogs couldn't hold back all of the tree-huggers." she explained, a bitter undertone in her voice as she spoke of the Atralis. Lucian suspected that this wasn't the strange woman's first encounter with the Atralis, but he was far too anxious to ponder this further.
"But what happened with… everyone?" he questioned, catching himself at the end before he said Sonja and got himself into even more trouble.
Again, the woman understood, "I rescued Viktor and his daughter. I couldn't decide if the other was friend or foe, but I wasn't going to risk inhaling any more of that gas to find out."
She shrugged it off like the loss was no big deal. Lucian felt a stab of regret. He would have liked to have been the one to kill Nazar. He also noted the informal way this woman spoke of the coven Elder. To every vampire, he was Lord Viktor.
"Who are you?" Lucian blurted before he could think better of it.
The woman's face was sunken and grey but Lucian could still see the haughty expression.
"You're daring, dog," she said calmly, "Or incredibly stupid. Either way, I am Amelia,"
Lucian blanched. The vampire elder. Of course! Lucian immediately made the connection in his mind, matching her features with his memory of her. The female elder had not been around much during her reigns over the coven, favouring to take select groups on wild ventures around the world. Nevertheless, he could completely recognise her sharp beauty now.
"My apologies, milady, I didn't recognise you," Lucian stammered, bowing his head.
Amelia scoffed, "Never mind, dog, you can be excused. You've been through quite a lot, so I understand,"
"If I may, how are you here? I thought you were at rest," Lucian questioned when Amelia didn't speak on.
"Blood from Viktor's daughter awoke me. I noticed she had a wound in her chest. She bled into my tomb and I woke. Just in time, it would seem," Amelia looked to the two beds.
Now that Lucian was sitting up, he could just see who lay in them. Viktor was in one, breathing steadily. Lucian's heart gave a jolt at he saw Sonja in the other bed. He craned his neck to get a better look.
Sonja's hair was damp and ratty, fanning out in a tangled mess around her head. As if the vampire wasn't pale enough, her complexion held a sickly colour. He breathing was uneven and laboured and now that he was paying attention, Lucian could hear her chest wheezing. His throat felt tight and it took all his strength not to weep over her body.
"Viktor is old so that infernal gas didn't affect him too much. He'll be awake by nightfall, I suppose,"
Lucian had almost forgotten Amelia's presence until she spoke. He tore his eyes off Sonja and looked to the elder. She was watching him with an eerie, knowing expression that chilled Lucian. It was almost as if she knew that Viktor's wellbeing was the last thing on Lucian's mind.
"The girl was affected much more heavily. I can't tell what will happen, she still has the gas in her system. She may not make it," Amelia's voice sounded offhand, as if she couldn't care in the slightest.
The smallest shred of hope, the beacon of light in Lucian's dark mind, was torn away from him. He couldn't bear it if Sonja didn't pull through. It wasn't fair. She didn't have to pay for Lucian's mistakes. She was too good, too beautiful. Lucian yearned to take her place and internally cursed himself for ever thinking he could mix with the vampires. If Sonja lived, Lucian promised himself, he wouldn't see her again. He would drop all contact and treat her the way he should, like his better. She was, after all, his better. She was a vampire princess and he was just a Lycan. She would go on to rule the coven and he would never hurt her again. She could punish him all she wanted and he would take it willingly.
"You must leave now, dog," Amelia said.
Once again, Lucian looked to her and was met with an odd expression. He felt a stab of dread. What did Amelia know? Had she drank his blood while he slept? Did she know about Sonja?
Lucian nodded quickly and stood, ignoring his spinning head.
"Thank you, milady, for keeping me here,"
Lucian could swear he saw Amelia smile.
"You are a slave but you did good things for this coven. Think of my hospitality and my gratitude,"
Lucian excused himself quickly, shame washing over him. He hadn't done great things for the coven, he'd plotted against them.
A vampire guard waited outside the chamber to escort him out. He reached the courtyard and was greeted by a grim sight. It was midday, and the sunlight washed over the battle scene. Hundreds of bodies lay with grotesque wounds, Atralis and charred vampire. Lucian felt multiple stabs of sadness as he recognized the bodies of some Lycans in the mix.
The rest of the Lycans, scarred and exhausted, were disposing of the bodies in a large fire. Lucian immediately went to their aid, following suit by adding to the flames. He was met by whispers and scathing looks that Lucian knew he deserved. Through it all, Lucian would regret losing his brothers the most. He made a second promise to himself; that he would give them a reason to trust him again.
AND THEN IT WAS TIME...
Lolwut? Um, I dunno, I've really got Scott Pilgrim on the brain. It's very late and I'm trying to finish this off, don't judge me!
xx Love you all!
