- XVIII -

Viktor had ordered his soldiers to hide from the deadly rays, but he himself had stayed on the battlefield, slaying the last remaining werewolves one by one until there were none of those disgusting beasts left anymore.

When the last severed wolfish head hit the blood-soaked ground, he mounted his horse, dashing into the forest. His helmet only sparsely protected his face, the light burning its way into his skin like hot acid. He spurred the horse further, keeping to the trail under the pines. The caves lay directly in front of him when the exhausted animal collapsed beneath him. It seemed like he would have to run the last stretch of the way.

Amelia had seen Marcus's attack coming, and so she was prepared when he tried to throw her to the ground. Quickly, Amelia evaded his blow, jumped to the rocky wall of the cave, pushed herself off again, and sailed through the air, drawing her sword. She kicked Marcus's injured shoulder and landed on top of him, overthrowing him, then pressed the edge of her blade down to the surprised Hungarian's throat.

She had doubted Viktor's promise of ultimate superiority several times, but she didn't do so anymore now. Amelia had defeated the original vampire with only one blow, the man who – despite his injury and blood loss – should have been much stronger than her. She stared down at him, hatred in her beautiful eyes. He growled at her but didn't dare to move in the face of her sword scratching the skin near his carotid.

Suddenly, a rustling sound came from the entrance of the cave. She swiftly turned her head. A tall, dark figure leaned against the wall.

"You don't seem to need me coming to your rescue anymore, my dear," Viktor chuckled.

It was a load off Amelia's mind to hear his voice again.

"Viktor, you're alive! You made it!"

"Of course. Though in the end I had to hasten a little," he informed her, somewhat amused, still leaning on the wall, concealed by the shadows.

Marcus's throat had turned dry. However, he didn't dare to swallow with Amelia's sword still pressed to his Adam's apple. Although he still needed Viktor to help him find and keep William under control, he couldn't help thinking that it had been too good to be true, that the old tyrant had stayed out there. Marcus had acted on impulse, driven by his negative emotions, and so had forfeited the chance of winning Amelia to his side. Now they were two against one again.

"Has Corvinus threatened you?" Viktor asked seriously now.

"He is injured and wants my blood. When I refused, he dared to attack me," Amelia said haughtily, anger still present in her voice.

"You've acted correctly. He had no right to demand your blood," the warlord agreed.

Amelia's enraged expression changed into a murderous grin. Viktor's approval had fueled her self-confidence further, so she felt exaltation now. She drove her heel deeper into Marcus's wound and pressed her blade even closer to his throat, then threw him a piercing glare.

"I'd love to kill him for that insolence!" she hissed between protruding fangs.

Corvinus's eyes widened. He hadn't seen that coming. Would she really dare to end his immortality? Here and now? His thoughts raced. There was no chance of escaping, not with Viktor standing at the entrance of the cave, was there?

"Please, feel free to do so. I don't mind," Viktor said, the excitement in his voice betraying his indifferent words. Once again, he was so proud of her cold-heartedness.

Amelia leaned down threateningly over Marcus, her eyes glowing like green flames in the dark. She would do it without question. She had told him that she had committed murder before, and no-one would prevent her from repeating her crime on him. He could not act on instinct this time; he needed to think! Think of something he could do, something he could say to save his life. He felt a stinging pain as the blade slowly cut his skin. Suddenly, an idea sprang to his mind. He would deceive them, lie to them, and beat them at their own game. This could be his salvation!

"You cannot kill me!" he managed to get out. "If you kill me, you will die yourselves!"

Amelia knitted her brows, then stopped driving her sword into his flesh.

"You just made that up, you pathetic fool!" she scoffed, snorting disbelievingly and bringing her sword closer again.

"No... let him speak." Viktor's voice echoed from the other side of the cave.

"Haven't you heard the narratives about us vampires?" Marcus hurried to go on. "If an original immortal is killed, all of his descendants will die, too!"

Amelia still didn't look convinced, but after an unbearably long moment, Viktor's voice could be heard again. He sounded concerned.

"I know the tales the peasants tell about us. Many of them are nonsense..." He paused. "Others, however, are true. I'm afraid we could test out the validity of this particular legend only... once."

It caused Amelia to growl furiously. She desperately wanted to end the impertinent Hungarian's life here and now, but Viktor was right. Corvinus could be bluffing, but if he wasn't...

In a swift movement, she turned her sword and struck Marcus's head with the flat of the blade, knocking him out with a single blow.