Chapter 21: The Journey Begins

AN: WEEEEE! I got over my writing slump! My Midterm exams are done! Christmas break has started and for once it's not filled with homework. Life's looking good right about now. Sorry I took so long, I really am. I hadn't really thought out the particulars of this section, because originally, she didn't go to Kiev. Actually, come to think of it, I didn't even plan how she would get to Rome. Oh well. (: p) I like Indian food (wow that's random) but while we're on the topic, go to an Indian restaurant and order garlic naan and vegetable pakura. Naan is good. (nummy nummy in my tumbly)

Oh, before I forget. A Remarkably Crazy Person Called Aleera was wondering if Destiny loves or hates Dracula. Well, it's a lot of both. A very rocky love/hate relationship. She really really loves him, but knows he's evil, so she really really hates him too and is not quite sure what to do about her feelings. My poor character. I'm really torturing her, aren't I? (Naan is goooood)

And crackpotjoe? You are not the only one who can bend my sister to your will. Soon I will interrogate her and find out your secret weapon. Then, it will not be secret anymore! And I will know what it is, because it will not be secret! And I will devise a counter weapon for your formerly-secret Secret Weapon! (evil maniacal crazy laughter)

Ummm…yeah, sorry 'bout that. (it's an ongoing battle between us. I WILL win, eventually. I WILL ENDURE!) kay, I'll go take my meds now…(inches away)

I woke shortly before dawn. The fire in my room had gone out and my breath formed wispy cloudy in the air as I rose and crossed to the water basin. A few splashes of the icy water on my face were enough to wake me up so that I could function, to some extent. The irregular sleeping pattern I had had of late was severely draining my energy.

I looked at myself in the mirror, once again wondering where my past self had gone. My eyes no longer held their youthful sparkle; instead, they were filled with the look of one who had to bear the weight of the world upon her shoulders. My skin, pale before, was nearly transparent now and my face was drawn and worn.

Sighing, I changed into one of the other dresses I had brought with me and left my room, heading for the castle's entrance. Nonia and Boris were already there, each readying a team of black horses attached to one of two carriages. I climbed into Nonia's.

"We'll aim to meet at Black Dale. If not, then see you in Kiev," Nonia was telling Boris. She gave him a hug and then climbed up into the driver's seat of the carriage. With a flap of the reins, we were off.

Most of the ride that day was uneventful. For the most part I studied my books, watched the landscape roll by, or simply dozed. I knew that sleep would not come easily during the night. The sky turned cloudy and it began to drizzle. I thought of Nonia, out there in the wet. She was probably cold, or, perhaps not. She was Transylvanian after all. We are a hardy lot.

Around late afternoon, my vamp senses twitched. I popped the top hatch of the carriage open. "Nonia!"

She looked back at me. "What?"

"We've got vamps coming our way."

Nonia cursed fluently and picked something up from the seat next to her. "Here," she thrust a crossbow into my hands. "Shoot them. I can't protect the both of us and drive this thing at the same time."

I gulped slightly, having had really no experience whatsoever with crossbows. And then there was the problem, again, of my damned loyalties. I couldn't shoot Vladislaus or Verona, I just couldn't. Marishka I could and Aleera I happily would shoot however. Before long, I could see shapes in the distance. My eyes narrowed as they came closer. There were only two…

Where were the others? I could make out…yes that was Marishka and Verona. Did that mean that Dracula and Aleera were tailing Boris? Or had they figured out our ruse and the other two were hiding? I fervently hoped for the former, although Boris would be vulnerable with no one else to shoot while he drove.

I aimed, looking down the shaft and waiting for them to come within range. Sending a prayer up to God, I squeezed the trigger and loosed the shaft. My first shot went wild, but it warned the two Brides to be cautious. My second shot lodged itself in Marishka's leg. Because the shafts were tipped in silver and had been dunked in holy water, she was forced to hover and remove the bolt before it poisoned her bloodstream.

"Destiny!" Nonia yelled. I looked to my left, and saw the other carriage through the trees.

"Shit!" I hissed, fumbling to reload the crossbow. Nonia tied the reins in place and grabbed her gun. As she loosed a shot at Verona, I scanned the sky for our missing vampires.

"Damn damn damn," I chanted under my breath. "This is not good."

"Understatement," gritted Nonia tersely.

Some sixth sense tingled and I dropped back into the carriage just as something large and winged swooped in from behind. I popped my torso back up, seeing Dracula wheeling for another go. Swaying slightly, I lifted the crossbow.

'You think you can kill me so easily my darling?' he taunted in my head, battering mercilessly on my mental shields.

'No, but it'll still hurt and I'll settle for that!' I yelled back and shot him, piercing his wing. With an enraged screech, he dived.

"God give us sunlight!" I screamed, scrunching my eyes together and shooting again. I heard the cries of my undead 'family' and opened my eyes to see that a shaft of sunlight had broken through the cloud cover and surrounded us. Dracula and the Brides were flying away to escape its rays.

"Thank you Lord," I whispered, and fainted.

"Boris, I'm warning you." That was Nonia's voice. "Show some –"

That was Nonia's voice.

Slap! A stinging blow was dealt to my cheek, quickly followed by one on the other. My eyes snapped open.

"This isn't naptime, Majesty," growled Boris. I opened my mouth to deliver a sharp reply, but he was pushed out of the way and Nonia entered my line of vision.

"Are you okay Destiny?" she asked. "Nothing hurts?"

I sat up on the carriage seat, rubbing my temples. "Just my head," I replied. Nonia nodded her head understandingly and helped me out into the evening air.

"You're sure Dracula can't find this place?" I asked, looking up at a little patch of sky visible between the thick tree cover. She smiled.

"Positive. This place isn't called 'Black Dale' for nothing. Come nightfall, this place will be virtually invisible from any other point of view."

"Good." And I stalked over to where Boris was moodily unhitching the horses so they could graze and dealt him a hefty smack.

"What was that for?" he demanded.

"I tell you as soon as you explain why you slapped me!" I shot back. He floundered for an answer.

"Maybe because we were attacked by four vampires?"

"And how is that my fault!?"

"He could sense you, unless you called him," Boris accused, eyes dark with anger.

"What part of me running away to the VATICAN do you not understand, you asshole?"

"Don't deny you have the ability to do it. Hell, you have a motive to do it!"

I gaped at him, outraged. "And just what in God's name is that?"

"You still love him!" I glared daggers at him. "Don't deny it! You still love him! Why else would you be carrying his progeny? Be willing to bring little demons into this world? Don't we have enough already?" That was going way too far. I pulled a dagger from its sheath up my sleeve and pressed it under his chin.

"Listen you spoiled, overgrown child," I hissed. "I don't care what you say about me. I don't need your opinion, however little it's worth. But don't ever even think about threatening my children, do you hear me? Whatever I do, I do it for my own reasons and I am not answerable to you and your over-inflated ego. Pull one more stunt like this, and I won't hesitate…" I let the words dangle as I pressed the blade a little closer to his skin.

"Children, stop fighting," said Nonia. "And go to sleep! We're moving again in a few hours." I sheathed the dagger and stalked over to where Nonia had put her things.

"Your brother, no offense, is an asshole," I remarked, laying down on the grass.

"I know he can be at times, but could you two just try to come to some sort of truce? It makes the trip a whole lot harder with you two arguing all the time."

I sighed. "All right, for you. But tell him," I jerked my thumb over to where Boris was, "to just lay off my past okay? That's why I fight with him."

I could make out Nonia's grateful smile in the growing darkness. "Thanks Destiny." She squeezed my hand and stood. I rolled over and pretended to sleep while I eavesdropped on their conversation.

"Boris, this needs to stop. You're just going to lose every time, you know. Plus, you logic for that argument was completely off course."

"Point being?"

"It's pointless for you two to keep at it like this. It's driving me crazy. And why do you keep needling her about – wait, don't even answer that. Promise to try?"

"Fine! If it'll get you to stop nagging me."

"Good. And, dear brother, a word to the wise: don't ever threaten a pregnant woman's babies if you want to avoid circumcision." Smothering laughter, I drifted into sleep, where my dreams were filled with arrows, darkness, and the constant beating of wings.

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