Chapter 17 - Blood Warriors (Part 1)

Disclaimer: I don't own Underworld nor any of its beautiful characters.

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Selene knew that everyone was wondering why she's not using her powers—rarely can she be seen fighting in her glorious hybrid state. They did not understand. Even after finally knowing of Viktor's betrayal and the sudden, horrific realization of the injustice of her actions brought about by blind vengeance, the blood of more than a hundred lycans in her hands… there was one thing that in a way, grounded her. The one thing that even the longing of redemption cannot take away.

She was a damn good warrior.

There was nothing immortal in the way she fights. It was pure human. Driven by something ironically human from within her. Immortals were lazy—most do not deserve what's been given to them—three, four hits and they're done. Humans on the other hand fight with all that they have, how little it might be. Inside their fragile flesh and raw bones they always felt death was inevitable; the true definition of fear wasn't wasted on them. Their lack of any semblance of power made them crave it all the more, as so did she. But she didn't crave power, she's had enough of it, no, what she craved was the humans' passion. Passion for war or love, or just about anything worthwhile. Valuable skills that disappear and become utterly useless when you can just fly through your oppone—

"—Look out, Selene!"

In her normal form, she felt the blood pound in her ears, and turns just in time to see and deflect an approaching bullet that could have gone to her left shoulder. She prided herself of being a good warrior all right, but having company in the battle field was always good as well.

Rushing to Katie's side, she manages a quick "thank you" and she meant it. They took cover behind a huge rock. "I'm sorry you're fighting alongside the enemy. Your brothers—"

"—are not my blood. This is war and I have seen firsthand how you deal with prisoners." She looked up to her and smiled. "I believe I've never been able to properly thank you for allowing us to stay, no less than protected and cared for in your coven."

Selene was surprised to hear this. "It's not my coven," she says. "But you're welcome."

Both took the silence from the exchange as good as time as any to be lost inside their heads again. But all too soon it was disrupted by another Sundal soldier, who braved an approach close to where they were hiding. Katie shoots him down, once, almost without thought, straight to the back of his head. An unfair way to fight, Selene thought, but kept her mouth shut. There was nothing fair in a blood war of course. For a moment they both watched the lycan writhe on the ground.

Selene looks away from the scene, suddenly feeling something inside her that had never been there during her many Death Dealer hunts in the past. A past that feels like another lifetime.

"Michael often talks about your kindness." Katie continues as if the silence and killing her fellow soldier, fellow lycan, was just an inconvenient diversion from their conversation.

Selene nods and silence filled their temporary shelter once again. Far from being the best conversationalist, she does even worse with small talk.

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Katie looks at Selene's turned back, a look that was almost filled with longing.

Now's your chance, she thought, heart hammering inside her chest. Could it really be this easy? After all this time she had waited—searching for something, anything useful she could report back to Fawkes. How good would "I have killed Selene" sound as a homecoming treat?

With an unsteady hand, she rolls up her sleeve and unsheathes a knife coated with nightshade she kept strapped to her person ever since Varga accidentally let out Selene's weakness. The knowledge of what she was about to do—the power it brought her—was almost too much. In the end she realizes there was no other way to do it. It must be done quickly. And now.

She approaches her slowly, barely aware of anything else, controlled breathing coming out in small puffs of air.

Why isn't she moving? Selene's almost absolute stillness was unnerving Katie. It felt as though her inaction itself was luring her into a false sense of security.

She might turn around and stab me with my own blade before I even realize what's happening.

She had imagined defeating Selene countless of times but never like this. This was most definitely cheating. But who was she trying to fool? She could never have stood a chance with her on even ground—nobody could.

A second before she finally stabs her back, she had expected—anticipated even—screaming, body twisting, and then eventually maybe that wonderful thing vampires did when they fall down helplessly, seeming to have swallowed the sun whole as dazzling purple rays of UV light emitted from within their bodies, burning them inside out. Lycans drown in a pool of silver nitrate but the vampires extinguish to nothing but ashes. No body to bury.

Selene did fall.

With one weak gasp, she clutched at her chest, the blade was buried so deep inside from her back that a small part of its end was caught between her blood soaked fingers.

Katie was a little disappointed as she wrenches it free, Selene all but stone falling to the ground.

She watches her, whose eyes closed in paralyzed agony, the expression on the great vampire's face alone could make Michael hate Katie enough to kill her—

She lowers herself down and stabs Selene three times more for good measure.

( Earlier in the day )

Selene did not like to wait—in part because she still didn't find the benefits of having an immortal existence to her liking, and in part because she valued and planned her time. If you told her something was going to happen at a certain time and that she needed to be there when it happened, you better make sure it would be worth it for her. Which is why, as Varga watches her pace along the royal platform, looking down and scowling as gloriously as ever, he begins to considerably panic himself.

By the saints, where the hell are you, Lena?

He hastily and quietly asks for pardon for his improper address. The third Elder will soon rule after all. This was the reason why she, along with a decent party of Nordic coven vampires, had been invited to come here. For them all to discuss about reinstating the practice of The Chain cycle. If Varga was lucky, he'll still be able to serve Lena. He held no hope serving under David.

He clears his throat. "My queen—"

She doesn't even look up when she holds out a hand to silence him.

He shuts up with practiced ease. She surely was affecting an impossible behaviour that warred with her usually laid back, gives zero fucks self when she's losing her patience.

Selene moves to stand still in front of her throne, as though contemplating to either sit and wait calmly or to torture them all for a longer time. "They were supposed to be here an hour and a half ago," she says loudly to the chair. She seems to care less and less by the second about being watched by the whole coven basically have a mental breakdown.

From the corner of his eye, Varga sees Michael take a step forward as do at least five Death Dealers nearby.

The queen turns around, feeling the start of a commotion, and waves off her guards. "It's okay," she says, looking straight at the hybrid.

"I could go," Michael says, taking a pause at seeing Selene's furrowed brows. "With a couple of others as well." Oh, I've got to give it to you, Corvin. You're a brave, brave man. "We could meet them halfway."

Varga looks at the queen, surely she will not allow this. Forget the council, Selene fought long and hard to maintain the peace among the three species, but a lycan party escorting a vampire Elder? In this time and age?

"No."

It was simple and he thinks he saw a flicker of boldness from the way Selene lets the simple refusal out to Michael. I dare you to contradict me.

But he also knows that what she had truly left unsaid are the words I'm not going to lose you again.

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"Selene—" Michael takes another brave step. This time, two members of Selene's royal guard, who he thought were no doubt also very abled Death Dealers, took their guns out—an obvious warning for him to step no closer. If the queen hasn't made it clear that she would have the final say—and she already did, with her the first thing was most often also the last thing she wanted to say—her vampire knights would see to it that the message was succinctly delivered.

And yet where electric blue orbs struck him moments ago, soft brown hues now reside, and when, for the second time, she tells her ready warriors to stand down, she gives him a surprisingly much gentler beckon. "Let's go to our chambers."

But still it was another command which he had no choice but to follow. He did so willingly, with a sideway glance at Eve, who, as he had expected, was beaming. With the whole coven present, he cannot speak his mind nor contradict anything and anyone. Selene asking him to her chambers—our chambers—was her way of allowing him to argue with her—without the fear of losing his head.

Not that being alone with her is any safer.

"I'm sorry about that." She almost rips the leather gloves off her hands as Michael closes the door to the room.

He wondered, not for the first time, how the hell has he ended up being alone with her again.

"This is the curse of being made a royal," she continues, irony thick in her voice. "I'm not used to being told no anymore. Nor of being expected to wait patiently."

He smiled at that. "You're within reason though. It has been some time now—"

"Why do you want to go?"

The question was quick and unexpected.

"Er…" He runs a hand through his hair. "I wanted to do something about it—all the waiting I mean. No one was offering anything to help."

She nods. "Is that all?"

"Yeah."

They stared at each other. There was no hunger, nor any kind of urgency—but the pull of his gaze was strong enough to match her curious eyes. A sure step forward answered her hesitant approach. He seems to be challenging her display of impatience earlier without realizing it. There was no hint of arousal nor of any kind of playful teasing but there is heat. Too much of it. The heat of how he's taking her all in without making her feel she'll be preyed upon any second now was surely a feat close to be considered a miracle.

And only Michael can do it.

You win, was her last thought before she lets him take the last step of the little dance they've somehow started, and when their lips met lightning didn't strike and the world outside was the same, hatred-filled place as it ever was. It didn't feel magical, there was no sense of the cliched finally, finally—no. When they kissed, one hand simply cupped her cheek, the other, warm and strong, pressed in the small of her back, and Selene didn't feel reborn or ready to take flight.

But she did feel safe. She felt safe even with no threat of any immediate danger. She felt protective; that once unfamiliar emotion she'd only ever started feeling for another being that night when Michael saved her from drowning in the Danube so many years ago. She remembers telling herself that it was only natural to repay his kindness, natural to forget her usually sound musings and bring the human to their coven, restore him to health. But who was she fooling with when she had spent that whole time watching him sleep?

She pushes him gently, breaking the kiss. "I thought you wanted to leave—"

"What?" He asks breathlessly, surprised. His dazed eyes starts to focus. "No—Why would you think that?"

He gently rests his forehead against hers, hands finding her own and holding on to them.

She shrugged, and gently pulls one hand away from his. "I don't know." Curious fingers danced along his covered chest and her eyes also followed them. She knew he was trying to meet her eyes but she couldn't bring herself to look at him.

"I saw how upset you were… Hey," he starts, still gently, tucking a finger under her chin. "It's not just about having to wait for them, is it?"

Selene remains silent so he continues, "When Lena or David rules, you'll be free."

"Michael—"

"You're scared of having no responsibility anymore." He was being forward and most probably crossing over a line he shouldn't but the truth wouldn't become less real no matter how long you ignore it. And this truth didn't just concern her. It will affect him too, and of course, Eve.

"You're scared of an open and unknown future." He pulls away from her slowly. "One that might involve Eve…"

Finally Selene looks up to meet his eyes.

"And me…" He takes a deep breath. "…being with you."

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( To be continued. )

AmericanWildDog/Katie: OMG, that's unfortunate in this case! Haha. I actually named the character close to Kate Beckinsale's name if it's not obvious :P she's nothing like the goddess of course.

HarmonyAlways63: Thank you so much for taking the time to read and for leaving a review in almost every chapter! It still means so much to me whenever someone new stumbles upon this fic and lets me know their thoughts on it :)

GemstoneProductions99: Selene is stupidly holding back, I know. She's making Michael and I, the impatient writer, work extra hard to get through her million barriers! Haha

SamFanFirst: Thank you for holding on to this fic. I miss writing it, too. Hope you like this chapter. :)

Hope you like this one guys! And I hope I delivered the "action" as promised… Although it's just a part of it. Hold on for the next one. Would love to hear your thoughts and feeling as well! :)

- Jill