Ch. 43 The Stone Within a Stone
My eyes were closed as I laid there on the bed. Not a feeling of worry endangered my peace of mind. Instead all I could suffer were his phantom strokes from corner to corner across my flesh.
I was paralyzed with ecstasy while Eric forced the sighs out of my trembling mouth. It was as if I was the lion and he the lion tamer. I was to do as he commanded. To sigh when he wanted. To tremble when he wanted. To be tamed…
My breathing made me feel like I was I was so full of life but dieing. It wouldn't go away, and I wasn't sure if I wanted it to. All that mattered was Eric.
His fingers glided over to my hair and lightly gripped at the roots. "Open your eyes," Eric commanded soft.
I didn't know if I could. They were so heavy…
His voice became a little more harsh. "Open your eyes."
When I mustered enough strength to open my eyes I was stunned. My soul mate looked like he was glowing. The bright golden light around him made me shed a tear.
"Eric." I whispered but his face instantly hardened.
The once bright and beautiful angelic Eric before me turned to dark. The light darkened to pitch black and hit fangs were out. For some reason I didn't feel afraid, I felt sad. A bottomless pit in my stomach told me something was greatly wrong.
"You will be your own demise," My damned lover snickered and rammed his fangs straight into my neck.
"Huh!" I jolted straight up out of bed. My breathing was erratic and a serious head rush was coming on.
"You're up," Eric stated and zipped over to my side. "Are you alright?" He was concerned and wasn't oblivious that I wasn't ok. I just didn't know what to make of it and if I should tell him or not.
So I lied. "I'm fine. Just a dream." I reassured him and I wrapped my arms around his waist.
"Ok." I could tell by the tone of his voice he wasn't buying it.
"Have you heard from my uncle? Is he here?" I asked awkwardly because just saying the word and referring it to him and all…
"Yes I am."
Eric and I both jumped a little and saw my uncle standing a few feet away. His presence reeked of power but I wasn't afraid of him one bit. Strange.
"Nice of you to stop by," I smiled and stood up. Eric grabbed my hand and held tight.
Apollo looked anxious. "We really don't have a lot of time. I would have come sooner but the majority of us," He began, referring to the Greek gods, "Have been trying to slow down Eris in anyway we can. Um- never mind that though. The bigger problem is for the two of you."
I didn't even flinch. "What do we need to do?"
The god of prophecy licked his dry lips and whipped his brow. "Niece I know you have not been feeling well, and sadly when that happens your powers dwindle, but I need you to try and see if you can produce your powers now."
I nodded and closed my eyes for a second to concentrate.
Eric you're going to want to let go of my hand and back away, I warned my Viking for the fear of accidentally lighting him on fire.
He did what I said immediately and I held my arms out a little and balled my fists. The feeling surging through my veins after I took a deep breath was incredible. My flames came to life and it was like I was the human torch again.
"Badass," I grinned and then as easily as a switch, shut them off.
"That's great, because you're going to have to be at top notch."
"What do you mean?" Eric asked coming back over to me.
"We've been given information that the next piece of the sword, the stone that's supposed to go into the hilt, is in Egypt. More precisely, it's in one of the blocks of the Great Pyramid at the top. Though there is a catch. The stone only shows itself when the day and the night combine-"
"A solar eclipse!" I chimed in with eyes wide. "But if there is a solar eclipse, that means all vampires-"
"Will be able to roam free during the day for a time," Eric finished.
"Exactly. Eris already has given the orders to some of her followers in the east to grab the stone when the solar eclipse happens today."
I almost choked on my oxygen. "Today! What time? When?"
My uncle sighed deep. "In ten minutes."
Apollo wasted no time in giving us a good luck before he teleported us into another house.
"Ahhhh!" I screamed and fell straight on a small bed, did a double bounce and then proceeded with a face plant onto the floor. "Owwwww."
Eric landed straight on his feet and pulled me up. "You must be more careful."
"It's not like I do this ever damn day!" I objected but thanked him for helping me up.
"It's still day light," Eric hissed and backed away farther into the sad looking room. Really there wasn't anything in it besides the bed I bounced off of and a window that was covered by a black blanket.
"Can you smell the sun or something?" I asked while walking over to the window.
"Yes."
I grabbed the blanket just a little bit and peeked out. "The solar eclipse is happening!"
"Come here. Get away from the window," Eric ordered and grabbed my arm practically swinging me back like a rag doll.
"We can't wait long. You're going to have to fly us up at the top of the pyramid too."
"I know. We need to go now! Hang on!" Eric grabbed me again and encaged me in his big burley arms. There was no escaping him and I didn't really feel like it once we were soaring through the air like a rocket.
"Look down below! Those must be Eris' men!" I announced at the group racing towards the pyramids like we were. "Eric hurry up! I can see one flying right behind us!"
Eric looked back for a quick second and saw a female vampire almost all covered up except her face, racing in towards us. It seemed like she was getting closer and closer but maybe that was just because I was freaking out inside my head.
I gave a yelp once something shark sliced itself against my arm. When I looked down I could see my sleeve cut and blood oozing out. "Eric she's throwing knives!"
"Can you use your powers without killing me?" Eric asked and I gulped. I did it once with Max, maybe I could do it again with Eric.
I nodded and saw Eric growl because he was too now getting knives thrown at him. One even stuck into his shoulder and I had to pull it out.
"Flip me onto your back!" I told him and with one quick flip, it was like I was sitting on the back of a dragon.
You can do this Violet. Don't burn him. Don't kill him. You got this!
I produced a grape fruit size fireball in my hand and chucked it right at the flying female vampire behind us. It hit her square in the face causing her to scream and fall to the ground a few hundred yards down. "Bulls eye!" I cheered.
That's my girl, Eric smiled in his head and soon we were at the top of the pyramid.
"Apollo said it was blue and oval," I gulped and tried not to think of how high up we were and that a little army was coming to get us.
"They're already coming up! Look fast!" Eric urged and I flicked my flames on.
"I'll try to slow them down a little bit!" I stood facing the mob jumping up the stones at major speed. "Prepare to get crispy."
Just like before with the bikers, I lifted my arms up and produced a huge fireball. I let it grow bigger and bigger until I couldn't hold it any longer and just let it go. It flourished into a sea of flames and wiped out almost every last one who was coming up.
"I found it! Come on Violet!" Eric yelled to me and I turned the flames off.
"Coming! I'm coming!" I shrieked like a little girl and jumped into Eric's arms. It didn't take long but I remembered Apollo telling me the solar eclipse would only last a half hour! "We need to get you inside!"
"I know! We'll have to find a place!"
I think we flew for another five minutes and Eric's skin began to heat up and burn! "Eric the sun!" I urged and he zipped us down into some alley.
"Through here!" My Viking steered us through an old door and inside a place very dark.
"I can't see anything! Oh hold on!" I smiled at the fact that I could now hold a flame for other than just throwing at evil things! I could use it as a source of light! Duh!
"I can't sense anyone else here."
I let out a breath of relief. "Ok, that's good. Now all we need to do is call my mom or my Uncle or something. Plus we really need to get you home. You're hurt and blood is starting to come out of your ears." I winced when I moved my flame holding hand a little closer so I could get a better look up at Eric. The dude was a mess.
"When we get home I'll need your blood," Eric whispered as if he was asking me if he could.
"Babe, of course."
"Would you call your mother now?"
I nodded and spoke up, "Mom! I really need you right now."
A sudden jolt of energy came into the room and there before me stood my mom. "Are you alright?" She asked panic while looking at Eric and myself.
"Eric is burnt and he really needs to rest. Can you pop us back home?" I asked and linked my fingers with Eric's.
"Yes. He must heal fast. You have the stone then?" My mom asked me and Eric pulled it out of his pocket and handed it to her.
"There you have it. Now send us back please!" Eric started to fall a little bit but I caught him in time. "Now!"
My mother waved her hand and then Eric and I were in our master bathroom. He started to slump more on the floor.
"Eric come on, you need to bite me," I urged and pulled the collar of my shirt down enough so I could place his head in the crook of my neck.
He made a little noise and then his fangs were plummeting into my skin. It hurt a little but I knew I had to suck it up. No pun intended.
"Eric that's enough," I whimpered but he only drank more. I could feel myself start to slip into unconsciousness and began to panic. "Eric stop!" I yelled.
"More!" He growled and held me to the tile floor.
"You'll kill me!" I screamed and burned him with my hand covered in flames.
He flung back in pain but I dropped to the floor immobilized. My limbs felt too heavy and the last thing I saw was Eric looking shocked and trying to say something to me. Slowly everything then became black and I was out.