CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Together in Death

Heylo watched over her beloved Natashia, but saw no sign of her returning. Natashia had done what few Ventrue would dare do. She used her powers of possession to free herself from the bond she was in, and now lives within the body of someone else. Heylo's fear now is that the one she had taken over may have been destroyed. It's been weeks since the rescue, but everything went wrong...

Vilona came back to the manor with Natashia expecting her family to gather there once they each completed their tasks, but there was someone else in the manor waiting for her! ...

Vilona stood staring at the dagger stuck into the center of her oak table the blood on the blade pooling around it onto the table and trickling towards the edge. She moved slowly toward the table and ran her finger along the table edge catching the flow before it fell. Instinctually she raised it to her lips and tasted the sweetness of its flow. She froze at the taste. Its famililarity caught her off gaurd. How? Her heart ached with the knowledge of whose blood it was. She glanced at the door to the hidden underground. It stood gaping. She ran to it closing it up tightly then out the door she fled, but she was stopped short at the coming of dawn. Angrily she bared her fangs and let go a monstrous yell of agony into the night. Then she retreated back to the manor and waited for sundown.

Through his weakness Mullen looked up at Heylo. He recognized her immediately, but he also recognized the change in her. He tried to reach for one of his arrows that Heylo had stashed in her cloak but as he moved she looked down at him. Her smile seemed almost friendly and warm, but how could he trust a vampire. She was saying something, but he couldn't make it out. He was getting weaker and he began to feel cold. Heylo knelt down beside him. She seemed to realize that he was dying. She cradled him closely. He watched her face; she seemed to be trying to make a decision. She gently placed a hand over his and whispered,

"Do you want me to keep you from dying? I can you know? I'm supposed to ask my Sire for permission, but I don't have enough time. I can smell the death coming. You are my friend. I don't want to hurt you, but I'm afraid you are dying Mullen. Please let me help you."

Mullen realized what she was asking, and he found that in her words he wasn't terrified. She seemed to be offering the "dark gift" as he had learned they call it. She actually didn't want this for her, but a way to save his life. But he had long decided that death was better than a life of murder. He managed a small smile,

"Please don't do that to me. Let me die and find my peace."

With that Heylo held him tightly and rocked him as he slipped away into the night, never to wake up.

Vilona kicked the door down and walking into the room. The blood soaked carpet reeked, and the walls were splattered with blood in a way that looked like there had been an explosion but there were no burns. Just the gore of blood and tissue splatters. She saw a body slumped in the corner and the hilt of a sword protruding from the wall just above the head. She carefully walked past the body and searched the rest of the house. There were blood and obvious signs of a massive killing throughout the house, but no bodies except the one in the front room. She went back to the front room to examine the sword and body more closely. When she entered the room she noticed the body had moved. It was now leaning over onto its side and the blood on the wall indicated it slide along the wall about 3 feet. She pulled the sword from the wall without looking at it and approached the shadowed figure.

Her vampire eyes could see clearly in the dark, but for some reason this figure was obscured. It seems to have blood running from every pore, and it is so badly disfigured there is no way of knowing whom she is coming towards. She glanced at the sword for a moment and found she was holding her beloved Cham's Black sword of darkness. Her eyes widened as she approached. Her greatest fear is that this creature would be her love. Gently she whispered,

"Cham?"

Quickly and with a snarl and a hiss this misfortunate victim jerk his head upward to look at her face. She knew immediately it couldn't be him.

"Where is Priest of Death?"

Again he hissed. She held the blade to his throat and pressed in slightly to stress her seriousness,

"Where is he?"

"I'm dying so what do I care if you cut my throat. You're precious Cham is dead you idiot! I just wish I had had the pleasure of doing it myself!"

Vilona recognized Clave's voice immediately. After watching him try to kill her family for so long she couldn't hold the rage back any longer.

"NO!!!!"

And with the swiftness of her anger, she relieved this pathetic creature of his life. She wanted to tell herself she was putting him out of his misery, but even she could not believe herself. His death was her first murder for revenge or hate. She knew Cham wasn't dead, she could still 'feel' him, but where? She stepped outside and looked down the street, she began to step down the front steps when she felt the piercing pain of Cham's summons to her. He was in severe pain and he was calling out to her. She immediately knew where he was. She raced through the house and down into the basement.

Taria and Cham both were bound in the same barbed wires that Tashia had been held in. Taria had her mouth taped shut with gray electrical tape and her eyes covered with a blindfold. Vilona knew immediately it was not to keep her from seeing but to keep someone from seeing her eyes. Taria is a Psy Vamp and can drain the Psychic powers and mental strength from her victims. She doesn't need to touch you, but she needs either eye contact or for her seductive voice to penetrate into your subconscious. Their captor was wise to use such precaution with her. Cham was struggling and blood was flowing from his tear ducts and ears. The cuts to his arms and ankles seemed to be mere scratches compared to whatever agony he was enduring internally.

A white haired man sat a mere 3 feet in front of them, his eyes shut but his focus was completely set upon Cham. Vilona lunged at him, only to find his tightly gripped hand about her throat. Cham slumped forward his head hanging limply before him. Vilona had succeeded in interrupting Sam's concentration. She looked him directly in the eyes. She recognized him immediately and the shock was apparent on her face.

Sam let her go. He stood towering over her as she stood from her kneeling position that she found herself in. Her eyes questioned him. He sighed simply answered,

"I'm an Assimite. It's what I do. My contract is on Cham for the murder of my family. I did feel bad for misleading both of you, but then I remembered what you are, and I got over it. "

"Cham killed your family? Why would he?"

Cham lifted his head and choked out,

"It was my first kill. It has haunted me for all my existence in this life. I didn't know that Sam knew, but that is why I won't fight this. This is justice, and it is time. Please Vilona take Taria and go, it is my time."

Vilona looked at Sam, he nodded his permission to allow Cham's request, but before Vilona could say a word, Heylo burst into the room armed with a crossbow. She had it steadily trained on Sam's head. Her voice shook a bit when she spoke, but she was determined.

" Let them all go. I've already lost one friend today. I won't lose anymore!"

Vilona and Cham both knew the training and skills the Assimite Clan bestows its members. Heylo was not a warrior and could not win against this powerful beast. Samron Mead was not your usual Assimite either. He was an albino during his mortal years, but in his turning, he had gained the coloring of his skin. He was not very old in the 'blood' but his fighting skills and weapons training were very extensive. Cham himself had taught him how to sword fight. The whiteness of his hair gave him the air of wisdom and age, but in actuality he was no more than 40. He muscular build and leathered armor told you he had little to fear. Vilona saw the ninja star move silently out of a pocket and into his hand, she knew any moment Heylo would be caught unawares and this could only mean disaster. Vilona called out to Heylo,

"Stop! Heylo put down your weapon. Sam has agreed to release Taria. I need you to take her home. I can handle the rest from here."

Sam stopped and listened over his shoulder for Heylo's reaction. Reluctantly Heylo lowered her bow, and stepped toward Taria. She looked back at Vilona dismayed at her Sire for not letting her help. Heylo carefully untangled Taria's wrists and began to remove the tape. Sam gripped Heylo's hand,

"Leave that be until you have her out of here. You I can destroy. She is a threat to me. Now take her and go, or I will destroy you first."

A single trickle of blood rolled down Vilona's cheek. Vil's emotions were forcing blood from her once usable tearducts. Heylo's eyes widen as she passed her Sire. Vilona whispered,

"Go home and take care of Natashia's body. Someday she may return. Taria has earned her keep there with you..."

Heylo carried Taria out of the house and into the forest behind the house. There she took off the blindfold and tape from her mouth. Taria and Heylo wondered if they really should leave Vilona and Cham there. Taria told Heylo the story of Cham's killing Sam's family when he was young and how Cham didn't even fight when Sam revealed himself. Heylo so wanted to go back in, but she felt something binding her forcing her to obey Vilona's words. She then realized that Vilona had been giving her some of her own blood in the wine mixture. In a sort of way this had made her a blood bond slave to Vilona's wishes. Vilona had been very careful to never impose an order on Heylo, but now it was taking affect.

Heylo struggled to go against the order to return to the manor and take care of Tashia.... but Vilona's bond and will was too strong. Heylo gave in and headed back home. Taria's heart was breaking because she knew what her dear friends were about to do, but it was their choice and she must allow them their destiny.

Vilona gently and sweetly untangled Cham's wrists and ankles. She coiled herself within his arms and kissed him one last time. Without a word they looked at Sam and without fear or anger allowed him to fulfill his contract.

As Heylo stepped on the front step of the manor she felt it. Her body shook and a low groan escaped her chest. Her Sire was dead and the blood bond broken. Heylo accepted with deep sorrow the gift Vilona had given her. This manor and all within was now hers to rule. Heylo now had her own domain...



Taria placed a hand on Heylo's shoulder. Heylo jumped a bit from the start of having her thoughts interupted.

"I'm sorry to interupt Sis, but there is a young man on the phone named Disciple. I think you need to tell him about Cham. "

Heylo sighed and blotted the blood from Natashia's lips. Then gathered the wine bottle and wine glass from the bedside table. With a sigh Heylo ran a finger across the gold lettering of the Ancient family book that lay on Natashia's bedside.

"I miss her. ... I miss them all."


The End