30. Blessing

30

BLESSING

T he slowness of my Dark Haven’s approach is infuriating, as I feel all three groups of my people inch through the Hotel’s halls. I know what they do now as we fight to take it back; that the Gold Eyes has challenged us yet again, to rise to the occasion or give up.

Not only have Lucca and Ariana’s group had to diffuse the Gold Eyes’ warding sigils on the floors as they move through every hall, Luliana and Arturos have had to as well. Like Lucca trading off with Ariana, Ariana’s parents take some of the strain off Luliana, and all of it is bolstered somewhat by the Dark Haven’s power.

Arturos diffuses the Gold Eyes’ handiwork alone, however, despite the Dark Haven’s resonant aid. It leaves our strongest warriors incapacitated by the Gold Eyes’ diabolical works, even though they are somewhat able to conserve their strength.

I hate it that the gold-eyed fiend still controls my magic and my fate; I grind my teeth now as I wait for my Dark Haven to come to me, knowing that somehow, everything we’re doing here only serves the creature’s mysterious agenda .

Yet some part of me knows I’m already breaking away from the Gold Eyes’ power with every ambition I give up. I feel a strange liberation deep inside, each time I speak or feel from my truest heart, as I’ve done in these past few days since I returned from being Revenant.

Some part of me is already coming free of our Maker, just as Lucca and Ariana are, also. But it’s not quick, and it’s not enough as I simmer now, waiting to make our next move.

I feel like a rat in a maze as I wait for my beloveds to make their way to me. The returned Revenants are waiting for my signal; even Gunter’s Vampire-Giants at the front gates won’t begin their distraction attack until my say-so, delivered through Adicus’ amulets. That can’t happen until Lucca and Ariana get to me, because the three of us form the heart of the Music and need to be together for it to be at its strongest so we can take back the Hotel.

Each minute that passes makes it more likely all three groups will be discovered, however. Florian’s not a modern Vampire and has installed no contemporary security inside the Hotel, thank the gods, and hasn’t figured out how to work my own magical security measures. Because of my Dark Haven’s new resonance, each group has killed off their assailants so far, not alerting the Hotel at large of their presence here yet.

I feel our strongest warriors draining with every passing moment, though, despite the Dark Haven’s help. They switch off dissipating wards to give each other the best chance, but all are exhausted now, despite everything we did last night.

Each group has had to fight intermittently to defend themselves, even as exhaustion drains our best people to the max. I try to give those bonded to me as much energy as I can, but it’s as if each sigil they touch leaves a cloud within them, far darker than anything even Florian Delano could create. Like an inky void, it swirls inside them now.

Sapping their strength—and preventing me from bolstering them with my magic .

I growl now, debating what to do; until that decision is taken from me as Ariana and Lucca’s group are suddenly discovered by a large section of Florian’s forces.

A blaring war horn blasts throughout the halls as I feel over a hundred guards rush in and fight them now, a hundred more on their heels. We’ve kicked the hornet’s nest and Florian has realized our presence. I don’t have time to think as I face all our plans ripping into shreds, and the demise of my beloveds at Florian’s hands.

I act—roaring to the returned Revenants waiting inside my underground hall.

“ Attack! ” I seethe as my voice hammers through every connection I have now, ringing with powerful Music as it floods them. “Take back the Hotel! Kill all you can from the Council, but spare Florian’s Vampires if you’re able!”

As the returned Revenants seethe from my position, hurtling as black smoke through the back passages of the Hotel, I feel them burst out everywhere, clashing with Florian’s forces. I turn myself into black smoke too, which I didn’t even know I could do until this very moment, as I surge through the back passages of the Hotel with them.

The seven returned Revenants who pledged to me are with me as we burst into the main halls where Ariana and Lucca are. Becoming human again, I defend my beloveds, fighting for them with true love in my heart as my Dark Fae heave and battle, and the once-Revenants fight like banshees all around us.

As the returned Revenants whirl and clash with enormously impressive magic now, my people give no less, seething and roaring with courage the likes of which I’ve never seen.

The massive distraction at the gates that Gunter’s Giants are giving raises hell with their pummeling power and inundating waves of magic. It gives our far smaller forces inside the Hotel the confusion we need, as Florian’s guards don’t know which area to rush to, or which invasion to stop .

But as I feel hundreds, if not thousands of Societas Sanguinis hurtle to our location inside the Hotel now to annihilate us, I know someone has alerted the Council of my whereabouts. We may have the Revenants on our side, and most of our people bonded together now and sharing power via the Dark Haven’s magic, but I know it’s not enough, as a massive force floods the halls now, arrived by portal inside the Hotel from elsewhere.

Something must be done, something clever to fight this horde; as it comes to me, I quickly pass through to all my people an ability to open the back passages of the Hotel.

It’s like what Devi and Curio can do with my magic; I feel that knowledge rush into everyone now, connected to me by my Dark Haven’s bonds. My people are already imbued with my power, via the Dark Haven of Florence.

As we abruptly cease fighting—and rush to the nearest portraits to enter the back halls of the Hotel.

We break into packs, my people escaping through the blue-lit back halls of the Hotel—only to emerge some place else and battle on. We go on like this, in and out of the back halls as I keep Ariana and Lucca close to me now, making the Music sing between us as we all hold our true heart intentions, to win this day.

Our enemies are constantly surprised as we raze them, searing them with our combined Music and magic before disappearing again like wraiths into the walls. A guerrilla fighting tactic, we dart out from behind tapestries and sculpture vaults, pastoral paintings and austere portraits, only to clash hard and dash back in again.

I feel the Council’s forces struggling as our people gain from that incredible confusion of power and magic. Still, it’s taking its toll on us as we rush from place to place, battling, resting, then rushing out to battle on.

Even as I fight hard with a Faeanic spear now, claimed from one of my fallen Dark Fae, it’s a numbers game and we’re losing too many. Even with the Music stunning our foes, our Dark Haven bonded together in our power, and the returned Revenants fighting for us, we barely come close to matching the Council’s forces, pouring through from elsewhere into the Hotel.

I had underestimated how much the Council truly wanted me dead, as the elite warriors of the Societas Sanguinis just keep coming, no matter how many we kill. I’m not sure if they want to capture or kill me, as my paltry force struggle to take them out now, despite the Vampire-Giants winning their clash at the gates with Florian’s guards and barreling on inside.

Magical battles are draining, and even our most expert warriors can’t fight forever. And the Council’s forces are ever-fresh as they continue to come at us.

Rushing into every hall in never-ending brigades as they work to take us down.

Though I had such high hopes for this day, a wretchedness of heart takes me now that we might lose everything. As I fight back-to-back with Lucca and Ariana in a trio, bloodstained and covered in gore from how many foes we’ve slain, a feeling of deep wrath takes me.

I feel that wrath resonate with the part of me that is still the Gold Eyes, deep inside. As a massive void of darkness opens up within me, the Music suddenly goes sour between us because of me.

Cacophonous, horrible tentacles of the deepest Night shoot out from me now, devouring everything around me as the Music careens out of control between us. Clanging and terrible, that ungodly Music of the Night screams through my mind and all around me now; my Night magic becomes a diabolical sea, a leviathan of darkness set to drain the living hell right out of every Council Vampire around me now, rather than simply kill them.

But it’s not just me that feels this terrible sensation. Tortured, shrieking cries from my Dark Fae come all around me now, as everyone re-bonded to me via the Dark Haven of Florence loses control of their most diabolical Night magic, while I lose control of mine .

Through our shared power, I feel it as my terrible wrath infects everyone, that dire void opening up inside all my Mentale Dark Fae who have Night just as strong in their magic as I do.

All of us are going Revenant together, falling into that endless void as one; some part of me feels it as Ariana and Lucca throw down their weapons and turn to me in terrified shock now, though another part of me is already gone.

As they wrap their arms around me, holding me rather than fighting now, I feel their twin kisses come to my lips and the back of my neck. As they save me from myself, from becoming lost in my Revenant thanks to the Gold Eyes’ power, and taking all my Mentale Dark Fae with me, awareness floods back.

I see the living sea of Night that roars out from me all around, and from my people now, too, and I am shocked by that insane wave of power and destruction. It’s too close to how I was in my Revenant state; we’re too close to losing everything, if all my Dark Fae go Revenant with me, thanks to this awful void inside my power.

Halting with my beloveds as the battle continues all around us, I pull myself back, deep inside. I throw down my weapon to wrap an arm tight around Ariana before me and seize Lucca’s neck behind me, pulling them close as they finally reach my heart.

The Music tunes between us as I make a decision, to fight from my love rather than my wrath, though I might lose everything this day. As I make that decision, a massive wave of Light takes me.

I feel everything else drop away as that incredible sensation blazes into Lucca and Ariana, and everyone else bound to us. Like the most beautiful wildfire, it fills us now, rather than the hateful void of the Gold Eyes.

That wildfire sets everyone ablaze with the glory of what I feel for them. As Ariana stares up into my eyes and Lucca nuzzles my neck, and my Dark Fae sear like dark stars all around, I feel everyone send that glory back to me in spades.

As the most beautiful sensation floods my heart, pure Light blisters out of me—seething with gold, red, and white fire as it blazes. The Music roars with towering angelic harmonies now as my living fire engulfs every Vampire around me—scorching them to ash.

I feel that glowing wave pour from us all now as it rushes throughout the halls of the Hotel, devouring enemies as they try to flee its bliss and fail. My Vampires are not touched; only my foes are blasted to ash as that incredible wave of Light surges from me, Lucca, Ariana, and all our bound Dark Fae, scorching the halls of the Hotel and taking back our fight.

Vampires from the Council are blasted away, though I feel Florian’s people are spared, as I wished. Gunter’s Giants are similarly untouched; this blazing fire of our heart touches only those we want it to touch.

And kills only those we want to be killed.

As that Light seethes through every hall of the Hotel now, illuminating even the deepest catacombs and seeking the highest heights, I stand still, singing all through with the purest Music I’ve ever felt. The Gold Eyes’ taint is nowhere in that all-consuming love, as a series of Ascendant Sigils blazes all around me now.

They write a phrase I understand, as I sing with that towering Music— be pure of heart, and be cleansed. That is just what my Light, Lucca’s, Ariana’s, and all our Dark Fae’s does now as it sweeps through the Hotel.

Burning up our enemies and sending Florian’s spared Vampires to their knees before us.

With tears in their eyes and exclamations on their lips, Florian’s people cease fighting as that incredible fire surrounds them, contained but unharmed. As it finally blazes out, unable to be sustained any further by our combined magic, since we don’t truly have full control over the Music yet, I shake with ecstasy, then fall to my knees.

I feel only one presence still burning inside the Hotel now, wrathful, as everything he worked and betrayed and bargained for is scorched away by our fire.

Florian—hiding like a sewer-rat in my rooms, rather than fight.

I come for him now. Finding my feet, I blast a fiery wave of our power ahead of me as Ariana and Lucca come with me to my apartments inside the Hotel, ready for him.

I don’t hide my whereabouts as I stride through turn after turn of the underground halls, letting Florian know I’m coming for him. But even as my trio seethes into my apartment now, blasting open the tall ebony doors, I know I can’t kill Florian in wrath.

If I do, the Gold Eyes will have truly won, as this battle raging inside me from the fiend’s power is driven by hate rather than love. As I see Florian down on his knees before a big fireplace in my living area, trapped by one last ring of my scalding white magic, I also see the Gold Eyes’ terrible bright orbs in my mind.

Florian is incapacitated inside my ring of power; his vast magic has been arrested by that last ring of the Music, singing all around him in living white flame. Hate burns in his sea-green eyes as he lifts his head at my approach.

Do it. Kill him. In wrath. The Gold Eyes goads me as it gazes out at me from inside my very own mind now. Because it was my Maker; it will always be a part of my magic, its Night which made me as I am.

“I won’t kill him in rage, or torture him in hate. Not like he did for me,” I say aloud now as I stare at Florian on his knees before me with my ring of white fire around him, though what I’m really doing is speaking with the Gold Eyes.

“Pity,” it says now, as it swirls into being beside my trio, manifesting in all its dark-smoke wrathfulness.

I glance at the Gold Eyes, somehow not surprised it’s found me in this moment. As Ariana and Lucca step into a tight chevron against it now with me at their lead, Curio, Devi, and Alleno come barreling through the doors with Bello and Ariana’s parents on their heels.

Arturos is after that, with Luliana; I don’t expect the quick upsurge in Arturos’ magic as he rushes in fast, intent .

Despite the crippling exhaustion I feel draining all through him from eliminating the Gold Eyes’ sigils in the halls by himself earlier, plus all the fighting these past hours, Arturos surges forward now in a masterful wave of dark water, brutal.

He comes for the Gold Eyes. I try to jump in, to stop him, but even with all my Master’s reflexes and the support of my entire Dark Haven behind me now, plus Ariana and Lucca, I’m too slow.

As Arturos concentrates all the power he has left into one towering wave of water in my apartments, he blasts that gargantuan wave forward. It manifests into a terrible, watery lance—heaving right to the Gold Eyes and piercing its center. As he does, the Gold Eyes sends a spike of pure gold energy back.

Striking Arturos also—right through his living, beating heart.

That spike goes all the way through Arturos, skewering him like a fish on a spear. A hole the size of my fist gapes where his heart was; as he gasps in shock, I see that was a killing blow, even for a Siren.

No creature can heal from a wound like that; as Arturos falls, I catch him, cradling him to my chest. As I roar for him to stay with me, a blast of energy goes out from his missing heart.

Lodged upon the floor with that golden spike of energy still twisting through it, Arturos’ beautiful heart gives one last thud. It sends a blast of pure blue, watery power right to Florian as Arturos looks at me with his beautiful cobalt eyes and whispers his last mesmerization.

“Be free.”

The final wish of Arturos’ heart bleeds Florian out completely, even as something in me rings true like a bell, cleared. Sirens have dominion over all things aqueous; as Florian gasps with seawater bubbling from his throat, all his Vampire’s blood in a pool around him, I feel a strange alchemy inside me. Because Arturos’ final blast was sent right from his heart, to kill Florian in true love. True love for me, as he gasped his last.

And made right all his transgressions against me.

I sob for him, and roar now as I cradle his body close to my chest. His wound isn’t repairable by Vampire magic, so thoroughly done by the Gold Eyes to smite him. As we lose one of our best warriors, and I lose a beloved friend, everyone else looks on, shocked.

The Gold Eyes only smiles now, in its cunning darkness.

Before flashing out—leaving us.

“Arturos!” I roar as I bend over his dead body, cradling it. “No… please, all the gods, no…!”

“He’s dead, Quinn. He’s gone.” Lucca kneels behind me, placing a hand on my shoulder as Ariana hugs me around the waist. “He did a final blessing for us. Let it be good… and let him go.”

As I go to argue with Lucca that I condemned a dear friend today in my bid to take back my Hotel and Dark Haven, I notice what Lucca’s just nodded at. Because where the Gold Eyes flashed out, there is now a little trail of golden blood.

Congealing into a pool where Arturos’ watery lance struck it.

“Right through its own heart—or where its heart should be…” I say, as I suddenly realize that ancient creature can be harmed. And if it can be harmed, it can be killed; a thousand plans go off inside me now.

As I wonder how we might kill it, at last.

A crowd of Dark Fae, liberated Revenants, Gunter’s Vampire-Giants, even a number of Florian’s people move into my apartment around me now, amazed, as I know we have worked miracles today. We’ve achieved all our aims, though Arturos paid the price—despite my wretched sorrow at his sudden death from the Gold Eyes’ strike, I must be the leader they need me to be now, as I do what must be done next.

Though everything inside me screams to hold him forever, I slowly lay Arturos’ dead body to the floor. There will be time to honor him properly, and say goodbye later, I know as I stand, facing my Dark Haven.

Right now, I must be the general and not the aggrieved. I must be the strength these people all around me see in me.

As I summon my courage to lead them, all the way.

“Friends. We have been liberated today,” I begin now, as my gaze roves them. Bloodstained and battered, all are on their feet as they listen to me, just as I am on my feet as I speak as an equal with them.

“With this win comes a re-building of our society, for what it means to be Vampire, Fae, and Dark Fae.” I take them all in. I join hands with Lucca and Ariana, and deep love flows through me from them, bolstering me as I continue. “For I mean to make this Dark Haven a haven now for all who would come to it—Vampires, Fae, Dark Fae, even those of other Lineages who wish to escape tyranny. Because I believe in the equality of all peoples, and the right for us all to live free, sovereign in our lives without any Masters. Though I will remain the pinnacle of the magic here, simply for protection, I shall open this place up to a council’s governance. Of which I would love if Ariana Summers Altvie, Lucca Bellari, Devina Scarlotti, Curio Silverfrost, Adicus Briarwick, Illyria Amati, Bello Bellissimo, and Alleno Massi would join me in lighting the way. Together, we shall build a sanctuary for all who would leave traumatic lives and pasts behind. Or simply those who wish to come join us… because a great love is rising here.”

As I make my speech, I see everyone around me understand. Even Alleno gets what I’m asking, as the tiniest smile takes him—he sets a hand to his heart, saluting me like I’m still his Summer Fae Prince. I am and I’m not; neither Lucca nor I hold that title anymore, being Dark Fae as we are. But we’re building a new family here, a found family, despite everything we’ve lost.

I turn to all of Florian’s people now, and say to them what I have to say next.

“I spared your lives today, because I know many of you never wished to be under Florian’s influence as Master of Monaco. Many of you only did his bidding because you were afraid of his golden manacles, or of those you love being enslaved by them. Just as I never wished to be Emiliana DiClario’s, but did her bidding to protect others, many of you did the same under Florian. I offer you a choice now. Either go your way, liberated from this Dark Haven and seeking another if you wish, or join mine, as I liberate the rest of the Dark Haven of Monaco. And give all of Florian’s people a second chance at life—and love, at last.”

As Florian’s Vampires go still all around me, I feel a decision take them. Then all are sweeping to their knees before me, including Julian, with a fist to his heart and deep honor in his eyes. I nod to him, accepting his allegiance, then nod to them all.

Before turning to the returned Revenants—who wait with hooded, dark eyes all around the shadows of my rooms.

“You are free.” I speak quietly to them, even as I find the small Pict woman and the tall, gaunt man in their midst. “You have been freed from Revenance by my trio’s Music; now, I set you free from any sense of obligation you feel towards me or them. I believe in the right of all to live their lives. Go, if you wish. But know there will always be a place for you here at the Dark Haven of Florence. For what you have done this day… and how you have helped us.”

As the returned Revenants stare at me, I feel an ancient wind of release sweep them. And then they’re turning to dark smoke, whirling out through the gables and towering eaves of my apartment as the long day finally deepens towards night through the crystal vaults above.

Though I sigh to see them go, feeling the loss of their tremendous support, I look down to see three still standing before me. Though seven had pledged to me initially, it seems they have business elsewhere, now that this battle is over.

But the small Pict woman, the tall, gaunt man with red eyes, and a willowy woman so pale I know at once she was an ancient Spring Fae, still stand with me in my rooms. As one, they set their hands to their hearts.

And the Pict woman speaks.

“We wish to stay. Though the others go where they will, they have heard your words. You honor us, Quindici DaPonti. And that honor shall not be forgotten… come what may.”

Though I don’t understand her words exactly, I feel her deep honesty. I nod, acknowledging her statement and her commitment, along with the two others.

As I finally take a deep breath, gazing around the crowded room, and how many are beyond in the hall next to my apartments, I see how many faces we’ve saved today. To build something better than just a Vampire’s Dark Haven, as we create it from our deepest hearts.

And from our true love, at last.