Underworld - The Turning

Written by
Wendy Dale Smith
st7ci-at-hotmail.com

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Chapter 13

Spotting the gaping outdoor entrance, Michael leapt the dozen steps into the guesthouse basement. His nose told him they had brought Selene here. Eyes quickly adjusting to the dark room, he spotted her instantly. Selene jerked her head up at his unexpected entrance. She was sitting in a sparse metal chair in the middle of the room. He recognized it as the same device she once chained him to, the night of his first turning. He looked back up the steps, at the intense, bright blue beginning to permeate the dark star-filled sky.

Michael's face began to fill with terrible comprehension. There were no doors on the double-wide doorframe, no way to shelter the room from the sunrise. He swallowed in fear. She would be completely exposed. Looking at the floor, he saw it was covered in a thick grayish dust. His fear turned to horror. Michael knew instantly what he was seeing. Death. The gray powder covering the entire floor was the cremated remains of hundreds, perhaps thousands, of vampires. He was standing in a room of execution. He turned panic-filled eyes to Selene. She had minutes before the sun's radiation began to burn away her fair skin.

She was looking at him in relief, the happiness at seeing him showing through her obvious despair. "Michael?" she said in tired awe, noticing his warrior clothing, and that he was coated in blood.

"I'm getting you out of here," he said with quiet deliberation as he moved to the chair.

"No, you can't," Selene responded tiredly as he approached. She sat in the metal interrogation chair, stooped with resignation. She had been beaten badly. Blood still seeped from several deep cuts on her face. But before he could tend those relatively minor wounds, he had to remove the primary danger. He had to get her out of this room.

Michael looked over her bindings, noting the ankle chains as well as the manacles clamped tightly to her wrists. With shaking hands, he grabbed her wrist manacle and tried to pull her hand through. Blood was already oozing from her wrists where the handcuffs cut into her flesh. At her cry he realized he would pull her hand off before the manacles came loose. "I tried that already!" she blurted, jerking her hands from his.

Michael swore in frustration and anger, changing instantly into his hybrid form again. Selene's eyes widened, surprised at the rapid and deliberate change. Michael didn't notice. In desperation, he seized one of the thick titanium chains near the base plate of her chair and pulled with all his strength. Arms straining with palpable force, his growl echoed deeply in the cement and steel chamber. Blood ran down the irregular links as the chains cut into his palms where his hands slipped.

Selene winced at the painful sight, "The chains can't be broken. Not even by you." Selene looked up in fear at the growing brightness in the eastern horizon. "Michael, listen!" Selene stood as much as the short chains would allow and gently caught his face in her hands, forcing him to face her. She spoke softly, calmly earnest. "Shhh…Listen to me. We're running out of time. You have to calm yourself." Shaking his head in denial, she had to force him to look her in the eyes.

He bared his fangs, panting in terror as his black eyes beseeched her. She merely stared back, her face sad, but resolute. Calming himself as best he could, he gently lowered his head to her, falling to his knees before her as she sat chained to the cold metal torture device. She gently stroked his head as he held her desperately. He changed back to his human form in mere moments.

Noting the bright gold now penetrating the deep blue morning light, Selene looked down at his tawny head and gripped his arms painfully. "You have to bite," she suddenly ordered with frightened urgency.

Michael raised his head briefly to the dawn behind him. "There's another way. There has to be…"

She turned his face back to hers. "No there isn't."

"But you'll die!" he whispered fiercely.

"You can't be sure of that! But I most certainly will if you don't." She held his face with a gentleness she had never dared. "We have to try, Michael…"

"No! Listen to me!" He grabbed her hands and held them tightly as his eyes pleaded with her. "I didn't tell you. I didn't…I didn't want you to know." he grimaced and closed his eyes briefly in pain, realizing he had no choice now. He gazed into her fear-ridden eyes, willing her to understand. "Selene…if I bite you, you will age, and you will die. You'd be mortal again. Like me," he said in fierce self-loathing. He let go of her hands and grabbed her upper arms. "That's why Viktor hated it. That's why the rules were in place!" She frowned at him, his simple words and their implications refusing to register.

Michael couldn't bare the thought of her dying because of him. It didn't matter if it happened at that moment, or fifty years later. Ultimately, his bite would cause her death. And to Michael, that was no different than putting a gun to her head and pulling the trigger. "My tests were conclusive. I would kill you," he said, emphasizing every painful word.

The thought of her death brought on the change as his eyes began to blacken. He lowered his head and bent forward as he held her, fighting it with everything he had. The inadvertent move suddenly exposed Selene's face fully to the gathering light. In moments the sun would break the horizon. At her pain-filled exhalation of breath, his eyes shot back up to hers.

Selene was looking up at the entrance, her eyes now a brilliant hazel. They were a color Michael had never seen. He suddenly realized the morning light was emblazing them with a soft, yellow glow. The sun was just under the horizon, filling the sky with radiant blue, crimson and gold. They had seconds left. Selene stared in wonder at the beautiful sight as long as she dared, then shut her eyes tightly, grimacing in pain. Already the sun's radiation was affecting her. Michael moved to block the impending light, knowing it was a futile effort.

"It doesn't matter," she said softly as she looked back up at him. It was too late. Her eyes burned as she let thick tears fall, no longer ashamed or afraid of what she felt for him. She stared at Michael with the saddest adoration. "I love you," she whispered, taking hold of her pain and fear and smiling gently into his striking eyes. "Despite all my efforts." Tenderly, she touched his face. "To be with you, even for a day…" He shook his head with a sob as he gazed back into her beautiful eyes, knowing she was saying goodbye. "Death is a small price, Michael," she finally whispered. She was shaking, holding back the excruciating pain for as long as she could. "I never wanted to live forever." She kissed him gently then, showing him, pouring into him all that was in her heart.

Suddenly, she tore away and gasped. Her head snapped back in agony, revealing the source of her pain. A brilliant beam of sunlight had entered the room a hand's breadth above her body. He could see it traveling down the wall behind her, drawing a deadly trail ever closer. Her eyes shot open briefly, now ice blue in abject pain and fear. Selene gasped again and ducked to him for protection, trying to escape the light.

"It burns!" she gasped. He heard the sound before he understood its source. Then the smell hit his senses. Radiation was filling the room. The full force of the sun had begun to touch her body. Her skin was beginning to hiss as it scorched and blackened.

Selene screamed.

Michael had no idea he had turned. All he knew was that he sank deeply, and with ease, into the soft skin of her neck. Warm liquid surged into his mouth, insuring him that he had penetrated the swiftly flowing blood of her jugular. His virus would spread throughout her body in seconds, bringing her change quickly.

Despite her burning skin, Selene gasped sharply in pain at his ferocious bite. Almost immediately, she felt the agony that accompanied the virus as he poured it into her system. It combined cruelly with her blazing flesh. Selene felt nothing but the white hot roar of pure agony as her eyes opened wide to the inferno pouring into the chamber. As if in a nightmare, she tried to scream, but no sound would come. The torturous fire had stolen her breath.

In his primal state, Michael clamped her viciously to him. Taking no pleasure in tasting her flesh, he finally pulled loose from her neck. Panting, blood stained mouth open wide, he turned his head to hers. His hybrid eyes could only stare in awe as the change took hold.

Just like his memories of Sonja, he saw Selene's pale skin alight with flame. He smelled her burning flesh, smelled her hair as it began to singe. Her mouth lay opened in a silent scream as the sun appeared fully in the eastern sky, exposing her completely. He could only watch as she burned away in his arms.

Then he noticed her eyes. They emerged from the ravages of her face like two black pearls. Suddenly, she jerked in his arms with a strength that astonished him. Her shape did not change, as his had done, yet he could feel the muscles of her back and arms turn dense as steel. His eyes shot back to her face. She had gone rigid in his arms, no longer trying to get away from his embrace. Selene panted heavily as her black eyes fixated on the rising sun.

Michael watched in fascination as her skin remolded itself as quickly as the sun had burned it away, first blackening, then becoming the palest blue. He noticed her fangs elongate to fine daggers. Gradually, she began to settle down in his arms. Her breathing slowed to a more relaxed pace. Still, she gazed at the light.

He looked up at the sunrise, his hybrid eyes squinting from its brightness. The sun was well above the horizon now. The sky was becoming a brilliant cyan as the golden rays of first light began to fade. It was going to be a beautiful day. He heard the chains rattle, and felt her movement as he cradled her in his arms. Looking down, he was taken aback. She was silently watching him with her coal-colored eyes. He stared back with his own, feeling a profound wonder.

Somehow, she was still alive…at least for a while longer.

A shadow suddenly appeared over them. Someone was standing in the entrance. He clutched Selene protectively to him. Michael looked up at the dark silhouette. With alarm, he saw that it was Marcus. As much as the chains would allow, Michael turned her away from the other hybrid's sight. It would be over his dead body before Marcus would touch her again. He rumbled low in warning.

The other man tossed something at them. It made a metallic clink as it landed on the concrete floor. Michael looked down as it slid to a stop in front of him. Twinkling in the dust-laden light was a ring of keys. Seeing shadowed movement, Michael looked up again.

Marcus was gone.

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After a few minutes, Michael carried Selene out of the death chamber into the fall meadow surrounding the guesthouse. Back in his normal human form, Michael looked down at Selene's sudden movement. She blinked and turned her head into his neck, firmly closing her sensitive black eyes from the bright morning light. She was not coherent. Her brow was damp from sweat. She was sweating. Michael was amazed at how rapidly the virus has taken over her system. She had a fever already.

Michael looked around him in hesitation, his mind a blank. He hadn't thought beyond saving Selene, and now that he had her, he didn't quite know what to do next.

From the tree line a dozen meters away, ice blue eyes watched the couple quietly. "Your lady love had the presence of mind to bring a," he hesitated, trying to form the last word, "An automobile." It was Marcus, leaning casually against a tree. His blond head gleamed in the morning light. He must have been patiently watching for them the entire time. "I would suggest you leave here with all speed."

For his part, Michael just stared at his ancient relative, clutching Selene protectively. Yet he knew the other man had no intention of harming them. The Elder Corvinus had gotten what he wanted. Michael touched his cheek to Selene's burning forehead. He added another hybrid to their fledgling species.

"I'm sorry I had to force the issue, Michael," Marcus said as he pushed himself off the tree and walked a few meters to the couple. He stopped, coming no closer at Michael's sudden, dangerous growl. Marcus smiled peaceably, his voice still calmly reasonable. "But you know we have no choice, if our species is to survive."

Michael shook his head. It was the same old argument. "Don't involve us in this."

"But you are involved, up to your necks," Marcus said with impatient irritation. He gave Michael a look like he was speaking to a naive child. "Do you really think they'll let you live as you please? Knowing what you are? We're in a new war, Michael, with new rules. Time isn't our ally." Marcus smiled. "But power is. And through that power, our progeny will either rule the immortal world, or destroy it." Marcus looked at Michael with intensity, with a force of will that would not be denied. "Those are our choices. The only ones they've given us."

Michael couldn't help it. He bared his teeth in rage. "I don't give a damn about your fucking war," he said in soft ferocity.

"But she does, Michael," Marcus said, nodding to the now unconscious Selene. "She does."

Michael pulled Selene even closer, drawing his brows together tightly. He hated Marcus for what he forced him to do to her. She could have lived forever. Now she would grow old, and she would die. "If you ever touch her again, I'll kill you," he whispered.

Marcus shook his head grimly, clearly disappointed at Michael's reaction. He raised his wrist to inspect an expensive-looking watch. "Well, my coach is waiting." He smiled with relish. "In a few days I'll be taking my very first flight, to New York. I've always wanted to see the New World," he said as though he were having a pleasant conversation with an old friend. He flashed a disgusted look about him. "Certainly hope its better than the old one." He gave one curious glance at Selene. "And don't worry. She'll return to her normal state as the fever wanes," he said as he turned to make his way toward the front of the mansion.

A few paces away, he turned a wicked grin back toward Michael. "Oh, and by the way…Don't be surprised at her, shall I say, delicate senses?" Marcus laughed at his inside joke. "Better keep your strength up, cousin," he said and turned back toward the path. Michael could hear the other man chuckling as he walked away. "You're going to need it!"

Michael continued to watch as Marcus disappeared down the path. He shook his head, utterly speechless at the audacity of the elder hybrid. Michael was certain the man was a psychopath. He was perfectly willing to kill hundreds of vampires just to create a small group of hybrids. He had no doubt he would do the same to lycans, if given the chance. Anything to breed more hybrids.

He looked grimly down at Selene as he began to trudge back to the mansion. She had told him about Amelia's coven in North America. It was huge. Amelia had amassed several thousand vampires there, spread throughout the continent. He didn't even contemplate the lycans that he knew were hiding there. Marcus would be after all of them, every last immortal.

Suddenly, Michael ducked instinctively, hearing a gigantic explosion, feeling it as the concussion wave buffeted their bodies. Seconds later, he saw a black cloud mushrooming into the bright blue sky. It came from the vicinity of the mansion.

"Jesus Christ!" Michael whispered, knowing what he was seeing. They had blown up the ancient castle. They were destroying it completely. He walked back up the path as fast as his burden would allow as debris and fiery ash began to fall around them. Humans would surely be there soon to investigate. He had to get them out of there, to safety.

With terrible foreboding, Michael realized what Marcus had in store for that leaderless group of immortals in America. He looked down at Selene and swallowed. He also knew, as surely as he drew breath, that Selene would not stand idly by as the Underworld was decimated. Marcus was correct, he thought grimly.

Michael was up to his neck.

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