Ace in the Hole
Summary: [Sequel to Celtic Aurora's Dark Ripples in Blood] When an arcane necromancer offers his allegiance and powers to help him defeat the vampires in the grisly war, Lucian cannot refuse. With Kraven as an unpredictable factor in the game, he needs an ace in the hole to win. [LucianxSonja & other various parings]
IV: Old and New Faces Meet
Text:
"Speech"
Thoughts
Flashbacks
Music/Poems/Sonnets:
"I Wake And Feel the Fall of Dark" byGerard Manley Hopkins
"A Ballad of Past Meridian" byGeorge Meredith
"Zydrate Anatomy" by Repo! The Genetic Opera soundtrack
Disclaimer: I think it's quite obvious that Underworld is not a property of my own. Oh, but I did…hehe, Lucian better watch out. Oh, and Viktor and Kraven would be subjected to severe torturing methods. Nuff said.
Oh, and I don't own the song "Zydrate Anatomy" from Repo! The Genetic Opera. My Lord is that song addicting… Thirdly, Catherine, Cordelia, and Michael Van Helsing don't belong to me—Celtic Aurora has so kindly let me borrow them for this story.
"I wake and feel the dell of dark, not day.
What hours, O what black hours we have spent
This night! what sights you, hear, saw; ways you went!
And more must, in yet longer light's delay.
With witness I speak this. But where I say
Hours I mean years, mean life. And my lament
Is cries countless, cries like dead letters sent
To dearest him that lives alas! away."
-I Wake And Feel the Fall of Dark, Gerard Manley Hopkins
As night overtook the sky, covering the land with foreboding darkness and an unprecedented mystique, a certain hush fell over the area as Bristol maundered her way through the paved sidewalk. She drew her hood up, shielding half of her face from the sprinkle of icy rain drops. Just the dreary weather alone made Bristol severely wished that this Catherine woman lived in the Bahamas or Sicily, where there was plenty of sun.
Ah, but since when I'm ever lucky? I'm cursed therefore, no luck for me.
As if on cue, the raining intensified and soon enough, Bristol found herself caught in a paroxysmal, truculent storm, thunder booming all around her as she struggled onward. Even though she was never unnerved by thunderstorms, Bristol always discovered that little song never failed to lift her spirits every now at then. Especially one that derived from a favorite movie of hers.
"Zydrate comes in a little glass vial! (A little glass vial? A little glass vial). And little glass vial goes into the gun like battery," she sang softly against the cantankerous thundering of the tempest, tightening her grip on her bag so the bellowing, icy wing couldn't snatch the bundle right out of her hands, "And the Zydrate guns goes somewhere against you anatomy. And when the gun goes off, it sparks, and you're ready for surgery, (surgery)."
As the American witch continued warbling her peculiar tune, she eventually found the correct pathway to the abode she was looking for. After scrying for Catherine Van Helsing's whereabouts, Bristol managed to uncover that the fallen-vampire hybrid had sequestered herself in a remote area near Budapest and currently resided in a comfortable, middle-class home.
Abruptly ending her singing, Bristol used her sorcery to sense the vicinity all around her in case she was being followed (which was highly unlikely but you never know how cunning the enemy could be) but nothing came up. Satisfied, the brunette witch reached out and pressed the doorbell, rewarded with a faint but lucid sonance.
Just a few seconds after she rang, the polished maple door swung wide open, revealing a petite, beautiful young woman with pale skin, star sapphire eyes, and long, wavy shimmering burnet hair that simply cascaded down her shoulders and back like satin waves. She eyed Bristol uncertainly, as if she was afraid of something. Easing an amiable smile on her face, the witch straightened herself up and cordially said, "Greetings. Are you Mrs. Catherine Van Helsing?"
The woman nodded slowly, blue eyes flashing with sudden suspicion. "Yes, I am. What do you want?"
Might as well get straight down to business. I'm never good beating around the bush anyway.
"I've come to you as a friend, Mrs. Van Helsing. I know you and your husband were at one point living as guests in the coven of a vampire called Viktor."
Catherine's lapis lazuli orbs flashed scarlet upon the mentioning of Viktor and her face twisted up in total, unadulterated contempt. Her grip in the door tightened as she narrowed her eyes at Bristol. "Yes, that is true," she finally uttered grimly, "But that still doesn't tell me why you are here or what you want–who are you anyway?"
Holding back a sigh at the rather slow progress she was having, Bristol tilted her head upward to look directly at suspicious hybrid. Just as she did, her hood slid back, revealing more of her face. Catherine's eyes widen and a gasp of shock nearly escaped her. Two purely white, opaque eyes scrutinized the Romanian huntress, unblinking and strangely focused as the resolute witch tucked a damp strand of hair behind her ear.
"My name is Bristol and I'm in league with a person who desires to see Viktor fall from his oh so mighty pedestal."
Catherine snorted at the humor in the young woman's words and relaxed a bit, motioning for the newcomer to come in. "Nice to see someone else who is trying to achieve the same goal," she replied, watching curiously how Bristol strode right into the room with any help of a walking stick at all. Her posture was erect and proud and the way she walked, it seemed that she already knew where she was going and what lied before her.
But how is that possible? She's blind, she can't see at all!
As if Bristol had read all the perplexing thoughts and questions whirling about in Catherine's mind, she abruptly voiced out, "I use my magic to help navigate me around, to sense where everything is at. Believe me, it's not as easy as it looks."
"Magic?" repeated Catherine, staring in bewilderment as her guest plopped right down a finely furnished coach and stretched her arms out as if she was a cat who had just woken up from a refreshing, long nap. "Are you saying that you are—"
"—a witch? Yep, that's me." Bristol finished with ease, a carefree expression adorning her features. "But don't worry, I'm a white witch and I don't dabble into any of that hocus pocus nonsense."
Prior to Catherine could even ask what she meant by that, a young man supporting unruly blond locks and eyes identical to his mother's strolled right in, his handsome face bright and charming.
"Hey, Mum—" He stopped short when he noticed Bristol almost immediately. She gave him a little jaunty wave of greeting. He looked back at Catherine, a quizzical expression unraveling on his features. "Who is she, Mum?"
Catherine opened up to reply but naturally, the spunky witch beat her to it. "The name is Bristol Blackbourne. Don't worry, I come in peace." She flashed Michael an amused grin before turning her attention back to the Van Helsing huntress. "I don't mean to rush things along, Catherine, but you could you please tell me where Lucian is hiding? I really do need to speak with him."
The fallen-angel hybrid arched a curious eyebrow, cocking her head at Bristol's haste. "And may I ask what the reason is?" After receiving aid from the lycan leader himself, Catherine didn't want to unintentionally betray him by revealing his location to a stranger who could may or may not be the enemy.
"Because my friend wants to join his cause. Hell, so do I!" added Bristol, an impish twinkle flaring up in her light umber orbs as she spoke, "I could never stand servitude or slavery so I'll be delighted to stick my foot right up crotchety Viktor's ass if I get the chance."
Michael burst out laughing at the last sentence, obviously overcome with the mental image of this feisty witch giving the said vampire Elder a good swift kick in the rear. A broad smile broke across Catherine's alabaster features, an amused chuckle escaping her. Just by those words alone and the way Bristol's eyes shone so truly and frankly was more than enough to reassure her that Bristol was on their side, stranger or no.
"I'll give you directions to his lair, Bristol," she later told the witch after the cachinnating had died down, "Follow me."
And she immediately disappeared into the other room with Bristol following her as quickly as she feasibly could.
Success! Won't Zael be pleased!
Lucian never thought in his lifetime he would ever hold Sonja, the love of his life, again until Death personally came to his doorstep and wrenched his soul right out of his body. But here she was, alive and breathing, trapped in his loving enfoldment. He brushed his lips against her bare shoulder, relishing her soft, breathless sigh of delight and kissed the nape of her neck.
"A necromancer has joined your cause, Lucian. Unbelievable. I didn't know they were around."
"Neither did I, to be honest," the said lycan admitted as Sonja turned her head around to face him, "I suppose they kept their existence discreet and under wraps."
"They must have." Sonja furrowed her eyebrows, her mind still whirling with musings on this Thanatos fellow. "But what are his motives for aligning himself to you, Lucian? What does he have to gain should you win? What does he benefit from my father's debacle?"
"I have no idea," he answered truthfully, wishing he knew more of Thanatos's agenda yet that arcane man kept his lips sealed tighter than a dead man, "But for some reason, I believe he bears a grudge against your father."
Sonja snorted. "He's hardly the first. I wouldn't be stunned if everyone does."
"So very true, my love," murmured Lucian huskily, pushing back the straps of Sonja's gown so he could have more access to her creamy white shoulders. Closing her eyes in utter bliss, Sonja arched herself as her lover trailed a stream of butterfly kisses across her shoulders, arms, throat, and chest, the fire of their love and passion being rekindled after all those centuries ago.
"Lucian?"
Hearing the deep, low baritone of Raze, the lycan leader jerked his head up and rose from his chair, Sonja doing the same as she fixed the straps to her gown. "Yes, Raze? Do you have him?"
This time Raze didn't answer but Clarissa instead. Lucian could recognize that mellifluous, seductive voice anywhere. "We sure did, darling Lucian. He's taking a bit of a doze but he should be awake in a few hours."
"Darling Lucian?" hissed Sonja in his ear, just in time for Raze and the succubus to enter the room. "Please tell me she says that to everyone."
"Don't worry, she does," he reassured her, the corner of his mouth quirking up briefly in amusement at Sonja's fleeting pang of jealously, "Clarissa is a succubus so you'll have to get use to her and her…wanton methods." Although Sonja has nothing to fret over, it's not like I remotely attracted to her any shape or form.
But Lucian knew who was and that was his second-in-command. Raze was eyeing Clarissa so lustfully and openly that Lucian was almost half-afraid he would pounce the voluptuous demon right then and there. Of course, she immediately spotted his transparent ogling and gave him a suggestive wink before whispering:
"If you're free, I'll be available in my room after this." Raze replied with a toothy grin and nodded his head, dusky eyes alight with exuberance. Lucian fought back the urge to roll his eyes, he really didn't need this at the moment.
"Attention, if you please," he cut in, interrupting their little flirtatious moment, "Did you run into any trouble while you were acquiring Michael?"
Another nod from Raze. "Yes, it was a Death Dealer, the woman who ambushed us before in the subway."
"But," added Clarissa clearly, "only I had to reveal myself to her so she probably has no idea that I am working for you."
Her claim did little to placate Lucian's nerves, he doubt they could shake a Death Dealer off their trail that easily. Next time, they had to be more prepared and possibly concoct a diversion to hoodwink the Death Dealer from stumbling across the plans he had been so delicately putting into place for years.
"Thank you for the report. Tell me when Michael awakens and I shall personally see him myself. You two are dismissed."
Raze bowed deeply to Lucian while Clarissa offered him a sensational pout and Sonja returned the entreating gesture with a stern glare. Tinkling laughter bubbled out of Clarissa and she merely grinned sweetly at the feisty vampiress.
"Have fun with him, honey," the burnet-haired succubus replied amusingly before she linked arms with Raze and sauntered out of the chambers. Shaking his head, Lucian turned back to Sonja, who wore a slightly softer expression once she realized that Clarissa wasn't going to be pursuing her lover.
"Looks like I'm going have to face the Death Dealers sooner or later," Lucian told Sonja as he sat back down on the leather loveseat, "I have Michael but I cannot afford to let the coven know what I'm up to. Hopefully, Kraven can actually do something right for a change and divert their focus to somewhere else."
"I can help you think of a plan, Lucian," said Sonja, her onyx eyes warming over as she stared contently at the dedicated, resolved man sitting before her, "I want you to win this war as much as you do. Our child must live in a world where both races are accepted." The mentioning of their unborn baby brought a half-smile to the lycan's lips. He reached out and rested his hand against her belly, already sensing the first stirrings of life in Sonja's womb.
If he played his cards right, he and Sonja would have a beautiful future together with their new baby boy or girl. And no one, not even Viktor himself, will tear that image away from him ever again.
"Selene! What happened?!"
Those were the very words exploded out the mouth of Kahn, the coven's weapon specialist. Selene was hoping he would know anything about the strange, alluring lady she saw swipe Michael away from her grasp.
"I was ambushed," she explained succinctly, "and not by lycans."
Kahn's dark eyebrows knitted themselves together, evidently perturbed via her answer. "Do you know who your assailer was or at least their race?" he questioned, handing her another round of silver bullets for the next time she went out on a mission. Selene shook her head.
"No…but she seemed to have control over spiders and was unnaturally striking, too beautiful to be human."
"That's disconcerting," replied Kahn staidly, his swarthy visage wracked with heavy contemplation, "I, for one, am drawing a blank. I never heard of any vampires wielding spiders as a primary weapon so she might be a new species altogether. And there's only one person who can accurately find your new foe, Selene."
Biting back a groan, Selene felt her face hardened at his implication. "Yes, I know. Tanis." she uttered darkly. She could never forgive that lecherous scribe and librarian for accusing Lord Viktor of such heinous crimes that were obviously fabricated—she hoped that bastard was rotting in that hellhole she sent him to. "Honestly, Kahn, do we really even need his help? I'm sure there is someone else who is just as erudite as Tanis was and could aid—" Kahn started shaking his head ruefully and she broke off, the acidic taste of frustration and helplessness forming in her mouth.
"You know as much as I that no one could ever replace Tanis for his knowledge. You need to go to him and find out what he knows about this mysterious woman. If there is more of her kind out there, we might have another breed of enemies on our hands."
Despite her inner despisal for Tanis brewing truculently in her heart, Selene fathomed deep down that Kahn was right and like it or not, she had to visit Tanis for assistance.
I much rather face that horde of spiders once more than met that insufferable lummox face-to-face.
But her moody reverie was cut short for Kraven's demanding tone sliced through the air, bellowing about like he was ruler of the coven. Just then, Selene decided taking a trip to see Tanis wasn't such a horrible idea after all.
A pair of boots landed gracefully and noiselessly against the roof tiles and the lithe figure crouched down so the shimmering, luminous moon wouldn't reveal her location to the vicious guard dogs or any vampires scouting the perimeter down below. Once she was satisfied that the coast was clear, Zael adroitly climbed down the roof and combed her way through all the gothic architecture framing the illustrious estate, making sure she didn't trip up any alarms in the process.
Finally, when she neared the first floor, she pulled out a pocket knife from her boot and landed next to a partly opened window. Taking a whiff of the air inside, her olfactory concluded no one was in the room and she could enter undetected. Using the dagger to push the window in, Zael furtively slipped into the room and slipped the blade back into her boot, only to go to her coat pocket and retrieve a small vial.
Inside was a thick, cerise and murrey colored liquid–one of Bristol's many positions. This one would grant Zael the ability to take the appearance of anyone she wished. Prior any vampire could walk in on her, the blonde woman quickly unscrewed the lid and gulped down the concoction in a matter of seconds. As soon the last drop was drunk, the transformation betided immediately.
Zael's flaxen tresses flared out and became a vibrant auburn while her skin paled until it was the color of milk. Her wintry lapis lazuli orbs turned into a muddy evergreen hue and her face was altered to give her features a more delicate, slender structure while her body grew a few extra inches, making her taller than she was before. Glancing into the mirror, Zael examined her new form and took a few minutes to adjust to the longer height. She was probably just as tall as Bristol now.
"Time to get down to business now," she murmured softly to herself and exited the room, strolling down the halls like any confident, cocky vampire in the coven.
After receiving Lucian's summons about an hour or so ago, Kraven found himself standing in front of the aforementioned lycan's liar, rapping soundly at the steel door so he could be heard. Soren and the rest of his entourage stood stoically right behind him, waiting for them to be ushered in. Finally, the door open yet instead of encountering the wild face of a werewolf, Kraven was beset with the sight of an alarmingly gorgeous woman with cascading sable curls and chocolate brown eyes. For a moment, he completely forgot about his concupiscence for Selene.
"Ah, you must be Kraven," purred out the Spanish-looking woman, beckoning the vampires in by crooking her finger at them, "Lucian failed to mention how handsome you are!"
Kraven couldn't resist gifting her a winsome smile. He always had a thing for dark-haired woman–there was Selene, Catherine, and now this enchanting beauty guiding him and his fellow men along. Although there were a few female werewolves here and there that Kraven knew Lucian had, he reckoned this woman who was swinging her hips in such an inviting fashion was no lycan. And she didn't appear to be a mortal or a vampire either.
Who else is Lucian aligning himself with?
"What's your name?" he inquired, craving to know more about this mysterious woman.
"Wouldn't you like to know," she replied friskily, dark pupils shining with mocking laughter, "But I'll humor you just this once. I'm Blanca."
Just when Kraven was about immerse into charming mode, an older man with matching umber eyes and pepper-speckled hair came out of nowhere and wrapped his arms around Blanca, claiming her lips in an aggressive, almost ferocious manner. A tic started in Kraven's jaw when he witnessed this. Why did all the stunning ones have to be either taken or ignore his advances? The concept was downright infuriating!
After the couple finished their heavy, passionate kiss, the older man refocused his attention to Kraven, a sadistic sneer slithering across his tanned countenance. Again, a stab of indignation and envy surged through the lewd reagent's body. This man isn't even good-looking, how did he end up with her?!
"Kraven, isn't it?" voiced out the man, his tone humorous and slightly taunting. Kraven said nothing at all. He just nodded and continued to glare at the offensive male. The black-haired man chuckled, as if he knew what was going on in Kraven's brain. "I see you already met my mate, Blanca. Tasty little baggage, isn't she? I noticed she got you all hot and bothered but unfortunately, you're out of luck–unless you enjoy pain."
"What?" sputtered Kraven, now completely puzzled by his meaning. The man simply tossed back his head and laughed manically, his eyes bright with malice and the sadistic grin never left his lips.
"Jacob, Blanca, quit fooling around and just escort our bloody guests in!" groused out a third voice and the speaker stepped out of the shadows, a thoroughly irked expression etched on his smooth, alabaster visage.
As soon as the newcomer came into Kraven's view, the vampire blanched instantly and for a minute, he thought he was hallucinating and this wasn't the very same hybrid he sent himself out to ruin countless of centuries ago.
"You!" he spat, unable to control all the rage and loathing he had harbored for the man standing right before, "What are you doing here?!"
Upon hearing Kraven, Edward snapped his head around, his once coal-like eyes now blazing with a frightening, infernal orange. A snarl escaped the demon-vampire hybrid and his fangs and claws elongated themselves at an astronomical rate.
"Hello, Kraven," Edward hissed, his smooth voice deepening and becoming more demonic, "Nice to see you again."
With that said, he lunged forward, a furious holler erupting from his throat and the tortured caverns of his lonely heart. Kraven felt Edward's hands clamp down around his neck and knew with utmost certainty that this crazy, demented hybrid was seriously going to slaughter him until there was nothing left of him.
"Last night returning from my twilight walk
I met the grey mist Death, whose eyeless brow
Was bent on me, and from his hand of chalk
He reached me flowers as from a withered bough.
O Death, what bitter nosegays givest thou!
Death said, 'I gather' and pursued this way.
Another stood by me, a shape in stone,
Sword-hacked and iron-stained, with breast of clay,
And metal veins that sometimes fiery shone.
O Life, how naked and how hard when known!"
-A Ballad of Past Meridian, George Meredith
Color Glossary:
Burnet- dark brown
Umber- brown
Murrey- a blackish purple
Hey guys, sorry for my absence! I was busy wrapping up one story that was only four chapters away from being done and I wanted that to get finished so I could focus more on this story and Wild Justice. Now I updated, you all can celebrate. Go on now, don't be shy.
This was some chapter, wasn't it? I couldn't resist in making Bristol sing a song, she just seems like the type who would spontaneously do that sort of thing. And now we finally met Catherine and Michael! Those who are reading Dark Ripples In Blood, the prequel to this fanfic, will understand her significance. If you haven't yet, you better hightail yourself over to Celtic Aurora's page and read the prequel! You'll get to know Catherine and Edward a lot more.
And yes, I finally reveal who Clarissa will be shagging up with: Raze. I know some of you were almost expecting her to side up with a vampire (she does seem like the type do so) but she is bundle full of surprises. She does that to me plenty of times….
Hehe, Tanis is coming to town! Let's see what I have in store for Selene… Mwuahahahaha!
Of course, Zael's goal is still hidden yet if you recall what Bristol said to her in the last chapter, you'll probably get a good idea what she's up to.
Thank you to: Celtic Aurora, fugaziclash, keili77, vamplady101, Explodium, xPrincetonx, and Furionknight. I always love hearing from you guys!
Ah, I am positively excited for the next chapter, so much more is going betide. Well, you all know the drill. Review, fav, alert, critique, etc but flamers will be served to Jacob and Blanca, who are looking for some new souls to torture. Of course, the lesser flamers will be stuck with Kraven and his endless boasts about his nonexistent valor.
Until next chapter, I bid you all adieu! (And don't forget to read Celtic Aurora's Dark Ripples In Blood!)
:SpeedDemon315: