Chapter 11
"Pains"
December 31st 2007
Natalya and Vikirnoff's cabin
"I wonder what was it that they were researching on Maria, now that I've found out what she went through, I can help to think that they used her blood to create something. I'm not sure what, but I think it has to be bad." Amy said to Natalya. The pilgrim society had taken Maria's blood countless times.
"It can be good, we are talking about the society here, and they have never done anything good for us." Natalya admitted. For centuries, the society had been chasing after Carpathians and vampires alike with no such thing as respect for the subtle differences between both kinds, many Carpathians had suffered at the hands of them; their wickedness knew no boundaries.
"At least we know so we can be on the lookout for them. Mary come here, don't play with that." Amanda warned her daughter out loud; Maria was trying to open the oven while it still was on.
"I want turkey, mommy!" Mary said as she pulled the handle harder. Both Amanda and Natalya were still amazed that she could talk so well, as though she hadn't been autistic at all, she had been under some kind of spell, because only that would have blocked every Carpathian probe, even Tristan's, who had a blood bond with her.
"Oh darling, let me help you with that. Would you like some apple cider with that? Maybe some smashed pees too?" Amanda asked as she sliced several pieces of turkey for Mary. The girl had been tampered by a mage, that much they were certain of, but whom? The thought of been Xavier was impossible; it had to be someone else.
"Please," the girl answered as she took a bite of the delicious bird stuffing directly from the hot plate.
She's just amazing. I can't help but loving her. Amanda said to Tristan over their bond as she smiled just looking at Maria eating happily.
She's a doll, and I'm very pleased you and her are getting along so well. Tristan responded as he caressed her cheek in absence. He was hunting for the both of them.
"Are you still here, Amy? You look like you have spaced out." Natalya commented as she sat on the table next to Maria.
"Just talking with Tristan, sorry."
"Don't mention it, I know how you feel, Vic is completely insane with the baby, I can imagine the Redman is just as overprotective about little Mary and you."
"It isn't that bad. We are getting alone very well, I mean Maria and me, Tristan likes that, he was just saying it made him very happy." Amanda said leaving a rather important part fall on its own weigh, she wasn't doing so well with Tristan, they were still quarrelling about Celeste McBride and a thousand other different things.
"Well no doubt, I'm sure he'll never let that other woman take the kid, don't worry about it, the lifemate wishes always come first, have some faith on the man, I'm sure he's realized he can't have a cake and eat it too." Natalya said thoughtfully, she hadn't met Vic with such complications, but she felt for her niece just the same.
"Not in a million years, and neither would I; she may change with time, but the things she did are unspeakable. I won't let her come anywhere near Maria with that psycho mind of hers, besides, I love Maria, she's taken a piece of my heart, she's just so sweet and tender, and she looks up to me with such adoring eyes." It's like she's my daughter, I could never let anybody hurt her. Amanda said.
It's how she calls you, because it's who you are; you are her mommy, never doubt your place in our family, Love. Tristan replied as he found a young couple he intended to use for food.
"I'm sure that woman's lifemate will spend many hours convincing her of how wrong she was." I really don't envy Lucas, I know him, and this can be easy. Vikirnoff said through their link to Natalya. He was never completely out of her mind, always vigilant.
"I hope they never come back here." Amanda said angrily.
"So what do you miss the most?" Natalya asked changing the subject to a safer one. "There's life before lifemates and after lifemates."
"Oh, I don't know. There's really nothing I miss that much. Maybe dancing every night with the ballet company, going out with friends, or just shopping at the mall like a regular person."
"I've heard food, sunlight and even friends and family but I've never heard missing the shops. Don't you feel like you are no longer free? I sometime swear these Carpathians males are all cut with the same overprotective, insufferable mold, like I was never able to take care of myself on my own."
"I actually feel quite the opposite." Amanda admitted, as she noticed Natalya's puzzled face, she elaborated. "Before, I had to worry about paying the bills, keeping the weigh down, paying taxes, dancing better than the younger ones and stuff like that. Now, I feel free, like I could anything I wanted to do."
Amanda continued. "I mean, I can fly anywhere I want without a passport or a visa, I don't need money to buy stuff, I can make money out of thin air, and I have love, so many people out there crave the feeling of unconditional love, and I have it. We all have it. We are very lucky women, don't you agree?"
"But you can't go anywhere or do anything; you are basically bound to your mate's wishes. You don't even hunt your own food. You can't make decisions, and your lifemate thinks you can do nothing to help him but stay out of trouble." Natalya said with some lingering grudged over the loss of her independence.
"Freedom is just an illusion of control, it's just one set of rules that you test until another set of rules comes along, you can't be free for real, just accommodating with the rules of society. And I have to agree with the males, safety is important, actually it's essential, one mate dies and you lose the pair, imagine how many children will not be born. I would die for Tristan, but I know he wouldn't let me. It's selfish of me to find it comforting, but I do. I just enjoy been looked after, having little to worry about its tremendous comfort, after the life I've lived."
"Doesn't it bother you? The double standard I mean. It's great been pampered and all that, but they don't let us help, it's like we are made of porcelain."
"Not really, I'm selfish and coward; I don't want to fight or die for anybody, not when life is finally comfortable. You know? I'd rather be safely tucked in this little haven of life than cold, alone, out in the streets, having to worry what will happen after the next show is over. We won't age, get sick or pay taxes ever again … I would never go back to been human, this existence is perfectly fine with me."
Does that mean you are happy, sielamet? Tristan asked through their link, noticing that even during a quarrel she could admit she was happy with him.
Comfortable, I'm very comfortable, free of responsibility and sexually satisfied.
We'll I'm not with you on the last one, not yet, not today at least.
Hurry back home and we'll get on with business.
Bossy woman. Tristan said as he slapped her ass through their link, he was miles away, hunting for healthy prays, been the holiday season, most people were drunk or high, and he hated polluted blood.
"You spaced out again." Natalya mentioned as she waved a hand in front of Amanda's face. "And you are blushing." Natalya said with a mischievous smile.
"Sorry!" Amy said sassily. "I can't help it. He's terribly distracting."
"Be happy then. You are very right, this life is amazing, a little dangerous at times, a little sheltered most of the times, but overall, a very fulfilling one." Natalya admitted as she rubbed her belly. It was hardly showing, but Amanda could hear the soft murmur of the heart beat.
"I just pray more males find their lifemates, I hate the idea of killing a magnificent been like that, just because he was alone for too long." Amanda said hopefully. Sympathy, she wasn't one to feel it easily, but she felt it for all the lonely ones out there, the ones yet without a mate. Carpathians were amazing people, they should survive extinction and thrive again, and she would make damn sure she worked towards that goal as well.
"We should go home, mommy." Maria said as she finished her food. "I want to play with the magic castle again."
"Of course, pumpkin. We'll go now, say goodbye to Auntie Natalya. I'll see you later at the new year's eve gathering, ok?" Amanda said to Natalya with deep affection. She loved been Carpathian because it had brought her a family, been alone for so long, she greatly appreciated feeling like she finally belonged somewhere.
"Sure, have fun with the little pumpkin. I'll see you around, and you little hellion, be good and listen to your mother." Natalya said to the girl, feeling the same about all the dragon seekers together again.
"I will!" Maria said cheerfully and she hung to Amy's arm to swing back and forth. She was four years old but her body was small, she looked at least a year younger than that. "I'm a little hellion." Maria repeated with a huge grin.
"Come now, Mary," Amanda said as she took Maria's hand and walked with her out the house and into the enchanting forest.
ZZZ
"Let's play hide and seek!" Maria suggested as she started running and hiding behind the trees. "Pretty please, mommy. I love hide and seek."
"Alright, I'm gonna close my eyes and count to ten, and then I'll go looking for you, don't go too far, Mary." Amanda said as she covered her eyes with her hands.
"One…nine and ten; ready or not, here I come."
Maria started running down the hill, excited with the game, and every time Amy was about to catch her, she ran further.
But then she was having so much fun that she lost track of time and distance and she ran so far that she reached the edge of her safeguard, beyond that point, Carpathians were not safe.
Maria didn't feel the barrier when she went through it, and she kept running down as far as the inn, careless of the danger she had placed herself in.
Maria had covered quite a distance on Amanda when she decided to hide behind a large pine tree and wait.
Amy had to run to catch her, been so small Maria could go through the trees like the wind. Amanda's 5'10'' height couldn't afford that feat unscathed.
"Marco…" Amy said when she reached the safeguard.
Damn it, Tristan. She's out the bubble again. That girl needs a cow bell. Maria had gone out the barriers twice already, she had inherited that trait form her birth mother, she had something that could cut through magnetic fields, in fact she couldn't touch watches, TVs or anything electronic, she made them stop forever.
I'll be with you in a few minutes, don't fash. Tristan said as he plummeted through the sky, turning on his hinges to go back home ASAP.
"Marco!" Amanda shouted deeply into the woods, not caring who could be listening.
"Polo," Maria said timidly from behind the pine. Amanda noticed she was quite far, just outside the inn. With great difficulty she unraveled the safeguards and went to get her.
"Marco…" Amanda asked again, as she lapsed back into the game.
"Polo," A tall, blond man said as he came out of the inn. "Madam, are you looking for some company? I will be delighted to oblige."
Amanda's alarm system rang loud and clear, that man was huge trouble. He had the smell of powder about him, and he had something that made her skin turn into Goosebumps.
Wait there, give me a few minutes. Don't confront him. Tristan said through their link.
"What's wrong, dear? Did the cat eat you tongue?" The man asked as he surveyed the area, she was all alone down there, save for Maria. "I just arrived here from New York and I'm dying to meet some of the local girls. I was hoping you could assist me on this matter."
"Maria, game is over, come with me!" Amanda shouted with deep compulsion imbedded into the order as she went to get the girl. She came out from behind the tree with apprehension and ran to her mother.
The man noticed the girl's looks, and his breath caught on his throat. That was experiment 331 the vampire-girl they were after. "Get your hands were I can see them!" The man shouted to Amanda as he pulled out a gun and aimed.
Amy paid no attention to him, she gathered Maria on her arms, and stared at him about to mesmerize him into letting them go.
But she failed to notice another man coming out of the inn. He was older, his white hair betrayed him, and he saw the girl he had worked on for years and immediately pulled out a dart gun and shot.
Amanda sensed the dire threat poised on Maria and on the mere seconds left to spare Maria from the danger, she turned her body just in time to get the dart the man had shot meaning to get the girl, shielding Maria with her own body.
Get out of there now, Amy; that man wants to kill you. I'll stop the one with the real gun, you must run out of there. Tristan said as he used mind control on one of the two men. He thought the darts contained some sort of tranquilizer, so he didn't worry much about it; he would never let them take either one of them, it was just a measure to weaken her, he would deal with it in seconds.
Amy conjured a small explosion of dirt and smoke and ran out of there feeling as the liquid entered her bloodstream through her arm, understanding how something terrible was getting inside her, something that made her feel as if lead was flowing through her veins rather than blood.
Amanda ran as fast as she could and did not stop until she was inside the guarded area again; issuing a cry of alert to all Carpathians available on the area.
But in the time she had ran with her back to them, two more darts had hit her, one of them directly into her lung, sending the chemical into her heart, and the other on her leg. So she had three times the normal dosage running through her bloodstream.
Amy! Stop running you are sending the poison everywhere, stop now, stop right there so I can help you. Tristan ordered as he soared the sky right above her.
He felt the same heavy sensation sinking into her and he feared for her life, he had thought it was just a tranquilizer. She stopped, kneeled, took one last deep breath and in seconds she fell like a rag doll onto the ground, her lungs shutting down with a sensation close to drowning, her heart slowing down to a near stop.
He took both of them on her arms and flew to Shea and Jacques' house. He was petrified of whatever had been on the darts. He was no healer, had never been, his own wounds had nearly killed him several times, nothing to say of a poison created by the society. He didn't know how to abandon his body as go into hers, and the thought of losing her was unbearable.
ZZZ
"I need your help desperately! She's been shot with something horrible, a kind of poison I've never encountered before." Tristan said as he came inside the cabin, with Amanda on his arms, she was unconscious, limp, and almost boneless as she hung on his arms like a rag doll.
"OH my God, look at her skin, and the veins popping everywhere. We must get Gregori and Franchesca, they are the best healers. And we need a sample of the darts now, go get them, I'll see to her." Shea said as she assessed the damage done to Amanda.
Tristan was reluctant to leave her, but he had to, those men had to be neutralized. He was petrified of his lateness and carelessness. He should've thought of a way to keep Maria inside the safeguards, he should've shielded Amy. "I'll be back as soon as I can." Tristan vowed as he carefully dropped Amanda on a table on Shea's lab.
Maria stared at all the worried faces and started crying her eyes out. "Mommy!"
"Everything is alright, girl. Daddy is going to take you to your auntie Natalya's house." Shea suggested as she gave the shrieking girl to Tristan.
"Of course, she's in your way right now. I'll see to that first." Tristan said as he comforted Maria. "Everything is alright, love. Don't cry."
Go with him. He needs help, I'll contact the healers. Shea told Jacques.
No, you need me here. I'll stay with you and our son. I'll send other males to him. We need to help this woman, she looks awfully sick. Jacques said through their private link as he noticed Amanda's injuries. The place were the dart had pierced and injected the liquid was swollen and angry looking, done in circles of red, blue and black, hot and throbbing like a bruise that seemed to extend and threaten her life with poison.
ZZZ
It was still the season for gathering, and both healers were still on the reservation. By the time Gregori got there, Amanda's heart had already stopped. She was comatose and not even her mind could be reached.
"I don't know what to do, Gregori. Her veins had collapsed, it's like they swelled so much that I can't get new blood through them." Shea said as she tried to push fluid into Amanda's vein.
"We need to get the poison out of her, or she'll be gone forever." Gregori said as he turned a nail into a razor sharp talon and opened several long lashes across the biggest veins and arteries. To his surprise no blood came out but something like jelly, thick, dead and completely coagulated. "How on earth could they manage this?"
It was as if Amanda's blood had been turned into gel, and her veins swelled to try and push the thing through her body, into her working muscles. "We need to study this compound as soon as possible." Gregori said with desperation.
"We will," Shea said as she started using a surgical vacuum to remove the jelly from her veins. "I assure you that we will."
ZZZ
"Prey, tell me you can save her," Tristan pleaded as he arrived at the lab, where they were working on Amy, with medical supplies requested by Shea. His heart had sunk to a place he never thought existed, the dark monster laid there waiting to awake. Should she die, he would turn into a vampire and create havoc among them.
"We will save her, give me the dart, I'll study the component." Gregori vowed as he took the vial and poured some on the microscope. He added a few drops of his own blood and to his astonishment the thing took over it as if suddenly alive, digging into cells, swelling them and exploding them, the drops of blood turned into dying cells and in seconds nothing but genetic waste remained. "I've seen this happen with bacteria and antibiotic, but this is different. This is triggered to destroy our cellular structure, our very own DNA."
"That's what they were doing when they took Maria's blood constantly, they probably have a specimen they tried this on as well. They have created a new poison." Tristan said as he tried to reach out to Amy. She was completely gone, not even the sleep of their people could silence her like that. "They finally made something strong enough to kill us."
"It's getting worse," Shea said worriedly as she noticed what had happened to the blood on the microscope slate, and on the receptacle where they were gathering the jelly of her blood, to study it.
"See with your own eyes what they have created." Shea said to Gregori and Jacques, they were watching the byplay with fear and concern; the thought of a new threat as strong as that was unbearable.
Both Jacques and Gregori stared at the bucket silently, and for once in a lifetime the dark one and the prince's brother were scared. The blood on the bucket had turned into ashes, grey, dull, thin ashes.
"We have to get rid of them for once and for all. This society must stop." Gregori vowed as he left Shea and Tristan to look after their fallen member, while he and Jacques ran to take care of the dire threat. He had to tell the horrible news to the prince at once.
"I'll get Franchesca to come." Tristan said as he left too, he couldn't bear to imagine what was about to happen to him if he lost Amanda, so he rather sprang back into action, anything else he could do; he would do it.
ZZZ
Shea tried her vast experience to heal Amy; she used all kinds of human medication to stop the progressing damage, and at some point, while she was injecting her with plasma as well as warfarin to keep her blood without clots, she sensed movement on her patient.
The heart monitor registered a flimsy, barely there heartbeat, and Amy's eyes opened for a second. "Trist…" She managed to whisper. "Grim…" She needed the Grimoire to severe the bond, she knew she was desperately close to death, and she would not leave Maria an orphan.
"Don't waste your little strength, sister. You'll see him again. I promise you that, but you must also do something for me," Franchesca said as she cut a small gash on her wrist. "Drink my blood and heal, you must use your powers to heal yourself, you must want to live, we need you to stay here and fight the sickness with us."
Amanda swallowed, feeling as the blood went straight into her brain, feeding her neurons, so she could think clearly. "I'll try," Amanda whispered as she aided the healers even though been awake was excruciating pain.
Truth be told, I don't think she's going to make it. Franchesca said to Shea in a private path. She's dying, her pain is agonizing, and the harder we try to repair the damage, the worst it gets. We need a miracle here.
It can't be happening; we've never lost someone like this. We'll lose them both her and her mate. We have to stop it. I can't let this happen, I have to save her. Shea vowed as she injected more anti coagulants, more steroids to reduce the swelling, and more human plasma to feed her sick cells.
But deep down into Amanda's body the poison ragged a war against them, it was a neurotoxin fashioned to destroy only Carpathian DNA with the explosion of the cellular membrane, it also contained a blood thickening virus called the Kawasaki mixed with the deathly Ebola, causing massive swelling, hemorrhages by destruction of vascular system, and if that wasn't enough, it also contained traces of chemicals used to destroy cells causing rapid necrosis and the eventual dead of the Carpathian or vampire, in the most horrendous agony of pain and suffering.
The pilgrim society, a new branch of the original society and the Morison society had started from the ashes of the last ones, this time military establishments were collaborating with them, now the Carpathians and vampires alike were considered a matter of national security. And thus, the effort to destroy them had culminated on the "TSDC 131" as in toxin to subdue demons compound, mix number 131. This horrible toxin would have killed a child in minutes, a fledging in hours—as it was happening with Amanda—and, an ancient in days, leaving them days to study the slow, torturous and certain death of the specimen at their will.
"She's collapsing again…" Shea warned as she noticed Mandy grasping for breath, the white of her eyes had turned red with blood and her body was covered in a rash, pustules filled with necrotized blood and pus. Pain engulfed her, making her every second a living hell.
Kill me now! I can bear the pain. Amanda begged to Tristan through their private link. He was miles away in the midst of the battle, killing every member of the pilgrim society, making sure such a drug was never used against them again.
"When this battle is over, you must put me to rest, I can't bear feeling her die. You must sleep me and kill me." Tristan begged to Gregori, who was fighting side by side with him.
"Don't lose hope yet, brother. There's still time, I called Gary Jensen, he would help us creating an antidote." Gregori said to the redhead with a hint of the same despair on his voice. "But if it comes to that, I'll make sure you rest with the next dawn."
Go out of your body, love. The pain is too great. I understand you cannot bear it; I'll anchor you to me for as long as I can. Don't fret, hope is coming. Tristan said to Mandy over their private link.
You must promise me you'll find the grimoire and break the bond, Maria needs you. You must live.
I can't do that, love. I can't live without you.
Yes you can! And you will. Swear it to me, Tristan!
I'll try. Tristan vowed but he knew no Carpathian male could live past the death of his lifemate, no matter how strong, or how ancient. It was simply impossible.
And as Tristan fought the humans, and destroyed the military facilities; the dark was spreading on him, he was standing over a tall abysm of pain, and the only thing anchoring him was a faint, almost blurry heartbeat she still had.
She was fighting the toxin with everything she had, and every Carpathian available was trying to save her as well, but still, the angel of death was still on her heels. Hopefully, they would save her, or they would have to kill Tristan as well…
ZZZ
The end of chapter 11…
Extra:
Time of dying
By Three Days Grace
On
the ground I lay
Motionless in pain
I can see my life flashing
before my eyes
Did I fall asleep
Is this all a dream
Wake me
up, I'm living a nightmare
I will not die (I will not die)
I
will survive
I will not die, I'll wait here for you
I feel
alive, when your beside me
I will not die, I'll wait here for
you
In my time of dying
On this bed I lay
Losing
everything
I can see my life passing me by
Was it all too
much
Or just not enough
Wake me up, I'm living a nightmare
I
will not die (I will not die)
I will survive
I will not
die, I'll wait here for you
I feel alive, when your beside me
I
will not die, I'll wait here for you
In my time of dying
I
will not die, I'll wait here for you
I feel alive, when your
beside me
I will not die, I'll wait here for you
In my time of
dying
I will not die, I'll wait here for you
I will not die,
when your beside me
I will not die, I'll wait here for you
In
my time of dying