AN:Thank you so much to everyone who keeps reading and reviewing :) Apologies again for the long updates but I'm trying to get a few chapters done so i can update more frequently over the next few weeks. Without further ado, Here's the next chapter...
No major Trigger Warnings for this chapter..
Shes had bad injuries before, shes felt pain before, but no pain like this even compares. Victoria whimpers, bloodshot eyes cracking open but shying away from the light. Her hands claw at soft sheets, her back arching as a searing pain rips through her mind and makes her cry out.
"Victoria. Victoria its Snow. I need you to calm down okay?"
Victoria ignores the woman, several pairs of hands attempting to grab her bucking limbs and pin them to the bed beneath her.
"W-Whats..ha-happening..?!"
"Victoria your bodies in shock. Some sort of toxin is attacking your regenerative cells so your healing abilities aren't working as they should. You need to try and relax. I'd give you some pain relief but the last time I did.."
Victoria screams, her blood burning and prompting a startled Snow into action. The councilwoman rushes over to a table full of syringes and plucks one from its surface. She flicks the end, draining it of air bubbles before scrambling over to Victoria and hovering a needle over the girls forearm. Shes just about to push it in but pauses, watching as Victoria's thrashing slows.
"Rr...gina.."
Snow quickly looks at a wavering Victoria, cautious white eyes darting around from timid nurse to timid nurse before she quickly waves an authoritative hand.."Get back to your stations!"
Her fellow vampires bow weakly before quickly scattering around the infirmary and avoiding a cautious Snow and a delirious Victoria.
"Victoria.."
"..Gina.."
Snow runs a gentle hand down Victoria's sweating cheek.."The Queen's..Shes.."
"Mad..at me.."
Snow frowns.."Shes not mad at you."
"I-I was..bad..I-I killed everyone.."
Victoria's world spins, her spine burning and her whole body feeling as if millions of needles are pricking her skin. She doesn't know whats happening but she feels its her fault. She should have listened to the Queen. The lycans will never want peace.
"Victoria your okay, just try and rest. We'll have you feeling your old self in no time."
"She..hates me.." Tears trickle down Victoria's cheeks, fingers grinding into the bed sheets and all the while her heart is pulling at her reclusive Queen.
Snow frowns grimly, lacing fingers through Victoria's damp hair as she subtly slides a needle into the girls arm.."Shhh..Just rest Victoria."
Without protest, blue eyes slowly droop, Victoria's world fading..
..
..
..
Its like a veil, a veil of darkness swirling around her and pulling at her very soul. Shes felt something like this before but she cant quite remember where.
Victoria blinks, her movements slow as a light from behind has her turning to investigate. She squints, her heart pounding, echoing into the never ending expanse of black as she prepares herself for the ominous glowing blob that's heading towards her.
She tries to take a step back but finds she cant move her legs. The bright light stretches, floating in front of her until it regains human form. Victoria frowns, looking away briefly as the light blinds her before shes looking back.
"Hello Victoria.."
Victoria's mouth drops open.
"Vala?!.."
Vala smiles, the firstborn Archdemon nodding humbly.
"Indeed.."
"What the hell's going on?.."
"We need to talk.."
Victoria frowns questionably, looking into the darkness surrounding them.
"But..But this isn't real..its some sort of dream.."
"And what are dreams other than forgotten memories.."
Victoria pauses.
"That still doesn't make sense..This isn't a memory..I've never met you before in my life.."
"You are a decadent of the most powerful being in the known world, you are part pure blood vampire and have befriended Lycans..Is it so hard to believe that you are talking to me right here, right now?.."
Victoria studies Vala's smile, her eyes roaming the woman's fair features and old timely clothes..
"Granted, some weird shit has happened to me in the past year, but I'm finding talking to you in some weird dark dimension hard to believe.."
Vala chuckles, laying a gentle hand on Victoria's arm and squeezing lightly. Victoria frowns, a sudden tingling in her chest making her shiver.
"We do not have much time and there is much to discuss.."
"What do you mean we don't have much time?..What is this place anyway?.."
"Victoria you must listen to me..do not give up on your Lycan friends..they are the key to everyone's survival and your happiness.."
Victoria frowns, stepping away from Vala's touch.
"There's nothing more I can do..Ruby set me up and now the Queen will probably kill them all.."
Vala scowls, her eyes flashing a deep red, startling Victoria somewhat.
"As admirable your quest for peace is Victoria, I do not condone your relationship with the Queen..You have made a great error in becoming intimate with her, and it will only lead to more suffering.."
"Hey!..A thousand year old illusion doesn't get a say on my relationship!..I know I've made some huge mistakes but I'm trying to fix things okay!.."
Vala softens.
"The Queen doesn't deserve your love Victoria..She squanders it and will use your power to get what she needs..I am only telling you this out of kindness because many millenia ago, I too fell in love with one of their kind.."
Victoria studies sad brown eyes.
"I know, I saw when the King killed you..It lead me to a vial of your blood.."
A sharper tingling in her chest has Victoria placing a hand over her heart and rubbing gently. Vala regards the move passively.
"Archdemon blood is incredibly powerful Victoria..It can help shape an empire, but it can also be used as a weapon..Be wary of those around you..Some are not as they appear.."
"I don't understand.."
"You are the only one that can ally both right and wrong, both past and future..Everything may seem in disarray at the moment, but worry not, you are a very smart and resilient individual Victoria, use that as a weapon for the battle to come.."
Victoria fidgets, her hand gripping her chest more painfully when a shock ripples throughout her body.
"What battle?..And what did you mean be wary of those around me?.."
Another painful shock has Victoria gasping and falling to one knee.
"Wh-Whats happening to me?.."
Vala smiles weakly.
"You have been at a crossroad, but now you are returning to where you belong.."
Blue eyes bulge, realization hitting her.
"You..You mean I'm dead?!.."
Vala bends to one knee, determined eyes focused on Victoria.
"Blood is the key Goraan Dovah..You will be tested beyond what is expected of you, but be strong..Only you can achieve what I could not millenia ago.."
Another painful shock has Victoria crying out and collapsing, her vision blurring but the darkness around her fading. She looks up, noticing that Vala too is fading, a bright light composing itself around the woman.
"Be strong Victoria, and let your intuition guide you.."
One final shock has Victoria inhaling deeply and eyes slamming shut..
..
..
..
Bloodshot blue eyes snap open, a strangled gasp straining above the chaos echoing around the infirmary. There's shouting, clanging of metal, a high pitch buzzing before Victoria realizes her arms and legs are thrashing wildly.
"OUT! GET OUT!"
The desperate screech is deafening, Victoria clamping her sweating palms against her ears to block out the angry and scared voice. Frantic feet distance themselves from her but she still doesn't have the will to open her eyes. Her emotions are all over the place, guilt, panic, anger and sadness consume and confuse her. Her mouth opens, a muffled groan echoing around them before firm hands are grasping her arm and shoulder.
"Victoria?!..Victoria my love..!"
A cold body forces itself around her, her struggles restricted but her heightened emotions slowly rescinding. There's a gentle hand in Victoria's damp hair, her cheek pressed to cool skin whilst her struggles weaken and her pain slowly wears her down.
"I'm sorry...I'm so sorry beloved."
"..Gina.."
"I pushed too far. This is my fault. I should not have ignored you, I should not have pushed you away so callously."
"B-Blood..Its the key its.."
The Queen frowns, stroking fingers through Victoria's hair.."Shhh my love, you need rest. I will not leave your side again, I promise."
Victoria's thrashing subsides, a subtle shaking taking over her limbs but her fear and panic fade away. With great effort she opens her eyes, squinting as they adjust to the light and she tries to focus on the woman above.
The Queen pulls back, eyes red rimmed and skin as pale as chalk. Her hands capture Victoria's cheeks, red lips claiming a longing kiss.
"I don't want to sleep..I-I cant.."
"It will help your recovery.."
"No! No I don't want to go back there!"
Victoria's panic resurfaces, distorted fragments of the darkened void she just visited scaring her..She doesn't want to die again..She doesn't want to leave when there's so much she hasn't done..
"Shhh its alright. If you wish to stay awake, then we shall do so together."
The Queen shuffles more onto the hospital bed, wrapping Victoria in her arms and humming a foreign melody in the girls ear.
After what seems like hours, Victoria finally settles. Her eyes had unwillingly closed at some point so shes not entirely sure how long they've both been on the hospital bed for. The memories from her recent passing have all but faded but still a nagging feeling ebbs away at the back of her mind. There's something important she needs to remember, but she cant quite place it.
There's a gentle knock on the door, the Queens narrow eyes darting to the body hesitantly sliding into the infirmary.
"My Queen.."
"What?!"
Snow fidgets, her focus never leaving the floor.."I'm sorry to intrude majesty, but our scouts have obtained important information regarding the search you issued yesterday."
"Have Midas deal with it, I am busy."
"But majesty.."
A deadly hiss echo's around them, Snow taking a step back and Victoria gently tucking her face into the side of the angry Queens neck. The royal regards the delicate move, her anger melting away as she squeezes Victoria a little tighter.
"Have Midas prepare a report and have it sent to me immediately."
"Yes majesty." Snow bows her head, stealing a glimpse of a weary Victoria before backing out of the infirmary.
The room is void once more, Victoria feeling uncomfortable in the stony silence. She just wants things to go back to normal, for things to be the same before she screwed up with Ruby and Granny.
"I'm sorry Regina, you were right about everything. They used me and you almost died
because I.."
"Shhh..It is alright Victoria. We have both greatly miscalculated, but we will move forward together, like we always do."
Victoria squeezes the Queen, clinging to the royals blue dress and promising herself that she'll listen to her life mate from now on. The Queen knows this world of demons and monsters and she should have listened to the woman earlier. There is however a subtle feeling tucked away inside her mind that's telling her shes wrong.
"What happened to me?"
The Queen peers down with sad eyes, continuing to stroke lifeless hair.."You died."
Victoria pulls back confused.."How?"
"At the warehouse, you had been injured severely before you fell unconscious. Your regenerative cells were not healing your wounds so you lost a dangerous amount of blood whilst we journeyed back to Barthmont. Snow informed me you were not receptive to any of her medications and you were hallucinating more and more."
"Hallucinating?"
The Queen nods grimly.."You were reaching out, screaming for me informally but I.."
The royals focus drifts off, shame and guilt brimming brown eyes.."But I ignored your calling, I pushed you away until..until.." A tears rolls down cold skin but is gently smoothed away by Victoria.
The Queen refocuses on weary blue eyes.."I have never felt pain such as that. I was empty, as if I could not continue a moment longer without you. When I reached the infirmary...you had left me. I tried everything but in the end, it had been Snow and her medical expertise that brought you back to me."
"Why didn't I heal?"
"Snow deduced the bullets that entered your body have been coated in an unknown toxin that has attacked your regenerative cells. I have already sent a team back to the warehouse in hopes of recovering some proof."
"Midas.."
The Queen nods.."I assume he has news on the matter."
"You have to go Regina, Your people need you."
The Queen frowns grimly.."So you do not need me?"
Victoria smiles weakly, hugging the woman's side.."I'll always need you, but its not fair on everyone else if I steal you away."
Red lips pull into a small smile, Victoria pulling back and placing a gentle kiss on them.
"Go, you have an empire to run, Snow will take good care of me while I'm stuck in here."
"I will be back soon."
"Take as long as you need, I'm not going anywhere."
The Queens smile slips, cold hands capturing Victoria's cheeks before the royal kisses her desperately. After a beat, red lips pull away hesitantly.."I will be back soon."
Its more of a statement than idle words and Victoria's smile grows a fraction.
"See you soon then."
The Queen gently untangles their limbs, sliding from the sheets and rising elegantly from the bed. Victoria shivers from the missed contact and curses herself when the Queens concern only grows.
"Regina I'll be fine, the sooner you go, the sooner you'll be back."
That seems to snap the woman out of her worry as the Queens chin raises and she nods firmly.."SNOW!"
Victoria jumps but chuckles, placing a shaky hand over her erratic heart and reassuring her sheepish Queen..Regina really does have a set of lungs on her..
Snow quickly enters the infirmary and bows.."Yes my Queen?"
"I have business to attend to, you will not leave Victoria's side until I return, am I clear?"
"Yes majesty."
With one final look at a smiling Victoria, the Queen quickly glides passed Snow and exits the infirmary.
"Snow?"
The council woman quickly refocuses on a bed bound Victoria.
"Could I have some water please?"
Snow smiles, quickly heading over to the fridge.."Of course. How are you feeling?"
"Just achy all over..And I have serious dry mouth."
Snow chuckles, heading over to the bed with a jug of water and a glass.."It will take a while for your body to fully recover. Did the Queen tell you what happened?"
"Yeah, so they have a weapon that can kill me now.." She sighs.."I guess it was inevitable."
Snow places a gentle hand on the girls shoulder, handing her a glass of water.."We'll figure something out Victoria. Midas has retrieved data that should help me create an antidote for whatever toxin attacked your system. The Lycans aren't half as clever as they think they are."
Guilty eyes refocus on the white cotton sheets.."Clever enough to have me befriend one of them, to almost get me and the Queen killed...Ruby really was a brilliant actor."
Snow gently sits on the side of the bed, pulling a miserable Victoria into a hug.."You only did what you thought was right. You have a very big heart Victoria, it just doesn't get you anywhere in this war..Im sorry."
Victoria quickly wipes away her tears and composes herself.."So what happens now?"
"Honestly? I don't know. Things are entirely in the Queens hands. But after what happened to you, I think she'll obtain more information before making a move on Granny."
Victoria nods, Snow pulling away and smiling weakly. Victoria watches the council woman head back over to the computer and sighs. Everything's messed up, this isn't how she'd imagine things playing out. She saw both sides gathering to sign a peace treaty, maybe toast to new beginnings, but now she only sees death in their future..
