Rise of the Vampire Queen
Chapter Seven
Standing outside, Celeste sighed as she looked up at the gray color sky. Her ears twitched at a peel of thunder while she saw lighting hopping from cloud to cloud. Looking down, she spotted Annabeth and Grover looking at an old tavern.
As Celeste grew closer, she noticed a sign saying historical landmark. From the gray wood painted roof to the faded white stone and wooden door with a brass hawk on the outside brought a smile to her face. But it was when she looked down at the various flowers in the garden out front and spotted a lavender patch that her heart skipped a beat.
Annabeth looked up at the sign by the door that had a pair of bird wings on it with a moon behind them with the words The Hawk Moon across it. Grover inhaled deeply when a familiar scent tickled his nose. A smile spread across his lips.
"Oh, man, I can't wait," Grover said, licking his lips, picturing the mug of ale in his hand.
"Don't drink too much, we still have a world to save." Annabeth said.
"Yeah, yeah," Grover said, walking inside.
Annabeth tapped Celeste on the shoulder before looking down at the lavender patch. Looking around, she noticed there were no other patches like this one, as was curious. Celeste smiled.
"I helped plant this with another," Celeste said.
"It's lovely. It looks like it was planted recently." Annabeth said.
"It was planted over hundreds of years ago, Celeste paused. "Come on, we better get in side before Grover Drinks himself under the table."
Nodding, Annabeth walked in first, with Celeste right behind her.
Moving out of the doorway as Annabeth joined Grover by the bar, Celeste looked around. She noticed the various chairs and tables held a more modern theme. They were wood but glazed over with furniture and the pictures on the walls were of held a mixture of many tourist attractions in Greece.
"Excuse me," a barmaid said.
Celeste looked at her. "Yes,"
"If you think this is cool, the back is room is even better,"
Nodding, the barmaid walked away. As Celeste made her way over to the door leading to the back, she glanced over at Grover, who already had foam on his nose and lips from the mug of ale he was holding. Annabeth pulled the mug away from him. Celeste shook her head, chuckling before walking into the back room.
The moment Celeste entered through the door, her heart almost fell out of her chest. From the creaky floorboards to the oak wood celling and walls with a dash of mahogany tables and chairs. Even the bar looked the same as it did all those years ago.
The sound of shuffling cards caused her ears to twitch. Looking toward the table, a woman with long brown hair and crystal blue eyes looked right back at her with a smile as she set a deck of cards down on the table.
"Welcome back, Celeste," the woman said.
"Lydia," left Celeste's lips.
The woman smiled. "I am glad you remembered my name with what little time we spent together back then."
"You knew I come to visit you," Celeste said.
"And that you wouldn't be alone, Annabeth and Grover, right Percy's friends are with you."
Celeste sighed as she sat down in front of Lydia.
"Fancy a game of cards?" Lydia asked.
"I don't play card games."
"Because of that day?" Lydia asked.
Celeste stood up and walked away, but another person sat down."
"I don't mind playing a game of cards with you, but I might cheat," a familiar voice said.
A scoff left Celeste's, for she recognized the voice immediately.
"She might do more than transform if you do," Celeste said.
Now it was Bacchus turn to chuckle.
"So you come to visit and I happen to be here too."
"Looks that way…. remember the lavender patch?"
"Always,"
"You have a promise to keep," Bacchus said.
"And so do you,' Celeste replied.
Lydia stood up. "I will have no violence here. This is a peace zone,"
"We're just exchanging words," Celeste said.
"Yes, just words,"
A crashing noise out front, along with footsteps, brought a sigh from Celeste.
"And you brought the old hag with you, too."
"I heard that, Natalia said, looking at Lydia. "Good, the witch is still here. Shall we have an early breakfast?"
"No, this is a peace zone. No violence here," Bacchus said.
"Screw peace zones," Natalia said, her eyes giving off a red tint.
Celeste stood in front of Natalia.
"Let me guess, you're going to hit me?" Natalia said.
"No, but if I say a word, I bet you will hit me." Celeste said.
Natalia scoffed. "Go on then."
"You not scared?"
"No, for everyone here knows I am a vampire,"
"What about being a snake, an Adrolph one, in fact.
"Natalia's eyes widen as Celeste smirked.
Bacchus stood up as Natalia's face turned red, and her snake eyes came to the surface. A hiss escaped her as she punched away at Celeste. Smiling, Celeste dodged with ease. Bacchus grab the back of Natalia's color on her dress, he picked her up and set her down outside the door in the front area.
By then Celeste could see Annabeth and Grover glaring at Natalia, who looked back at them and walked away.
"I see there still with you," Bacchus said.
"You have their friend remember," Celeste said.
"That's right, Natalia said his good to use in a pinch, but since I am back, I won't be needed him,"
"Who's that?"
Bacchus turned around and looked at Celeste.
"Because, like I said, you have a promise to keep."
"Step outside and I'll be sure to keep it. Question is can you keep yours?"
"Let's find out, shall we?" Bacchus said, walking out of the room.
Pushing out a breath she didn't know she was holding, Celeste blinked away a few tears. Looking at Lydia for a moment, she walked out of the room. As she entered the front, she looked at Annabeth and Grover, who were ready to join her, but she shook her head.
Walking to the main door, she opened it and looked down at the lavender patch before looking up at Bacchus with Natalia right beside him. But she moved away the moment Bacchus looked at her.
Stepping outside the door, Celeste pulled out her sword and walked toward Bacchus. A sword formed in Bacchus's hand as his red eyes changed back to brown, forcing the tears to remain with in his eyes. He moved toward Celeste.
At first the of them were walking, but they so grew faster until they were running. Within seconds, the two jumped in the air and the moment their swords met created a wave of energy that knocked Natalia off her feet.
Annabeth and Grover raced to the door.
In the backroom Lydia turned to an end table with a card under a glass dome. Her eyes widen when the dome shook irately. Lydia jumped up and race out of the room with worry in her heart and mind.
"No….no, this isn't right," she mumbled to herself.
Running into the front, Lydia spotted Annabeth and Grover at the door. She expected more people to be in here, but it was bare. She looked around, seeing the patrons hiding under their seats while a few were sprawled out on the floor.
"Riley," Lydia said, hitting the bar.
A young blond hair man popped up from behind the bar bow slightly.
"Take everyone out the back way. I'll close up," Lydia said.
Nodding, Riley ran out from behind the bar. Gathering up the people, they all headed out the back way while Lydia rushed to the main door behind Annabeth and Grover, watching the fight.
Outside, Celeste and Bacchus were meeting each other blow for blow, their swords clashing with so much intensity knocked down trees and push Natalia back so much that she ran off into the night.
Celeste kicked Bacchus back while swiping his feet, only for him to flip backwards and charge forward, slashing away. While Celeste backed up, blocking each hit. Their eyes were locked on each other, never once straying.
"Stop dilly daily and hit me," Bacchus said.
"I can say the same for you," Celeste said.
Bacchus eyes narrowed as did Celeste, for both their eyes held sadness within in them. Twirling around Celeste nicked Bacchus shoulder, he moved and did the same to Celeste. But their wounds didn't heal.
Moving back a few inched from each other, they held their swords toward each other's heart and steadily pressed in slowly. Both gritted their teeth as tears trickled down their cheeks.
Annabeth and Grover's eyes widen they needed to stop them, but when they took a step forward, Lydia pulled them back and step forward instead. Closing her eyes, she a whisper escaped her lips. Lydia's eyes snapped open. As a red light formed at the tip of her fingers.
"That is enough!" Lydia shouted as she flickers her wrist and wiggled her fingers.
A red light lined both Celeste and Bacchus bodies, pulling them apart knocking them a foot or more away from each other.
Bacchus jumped up first, charging toward Lydia, only for Lydia to flick her wrists and knock him down again.
"You can't do this!" he shouted.
"Go," is all Lydia said.
Annabeth and Grover ran over to Celeste, who was still laying on the ground. They rolled her over. Her eyes were open, but her breathing was short. Tears were stream doing her cheeks as her body jerked with each breath she took. Grover looked over at her shoulder, but it wasn't healing. It was bleeding a lot. But the wound where the sword piece in her chest didn't bleed at all. Grover looked at Annabeth, who was at a loss for words. Annabeth rip of some of her shirt and covered Celeste's shoulder wound and applied pressure.
Bacchus glanced at Celeste's twitching body on the ground. He growled at Lydia once more, only for her to glare back at him. His once brown eyes turned red as he backed up, disappearing into the night.
Lydia ran over to Annabeth and Grover. She looked over the wound on Celeste's shoulder, but as she pulled down her shirt to see, the wound on her chest didn't bleed; she laid her hand over the wound and closed her eyes. A gasp escaped Lydia's lips as tears trickled down her cheeks.
"What is it?" Annabeth asked.
"What's wrong?" Grover asked.
Ignoring them for a moment, Lydia laid her other hand over Celeste's forehead. Only for more tears to flow, as Lydia looked at the lavender patch by the door of the tavern. The once calm patch was glowing as it steadily was steadily wilting. Annabeth and Grover looked over at the patch.
"Its dying…" Annabeth said.
"So is she," Lydia said.
"But she's an immortal. Why doesn't she heal?" Grover asked.
"Because her heart is breaking and once it's gone immortal or not, life isn't worth living anymore."