Roses Wither: Into the Darkness
Thirty-five

Rose

I always thought that I was fast and intelligent. Being of the Tepes line, I was a war strategist. That, and being of my mother’s line, I was naturally fast, so why had I let my guard down?

I had to process what was around me and how I had gotten into the situation, if I wanted to free myself.

I knew how I had gotten here. I was roped like a rabid animal. Silver chains around my neck. I was also hit in the back of the head when I struggled, and I think drugged.

Due to the fact my head wasn't healing whatsoever and still throbbed like a bitch, I would definitely say that I had been drugged; but with what?

First thing’s first, check your surroundings.

Before I open my eyes, what do I hear? A clicking, a loud humming and something else... Were we on a plane?

Feel... What do I feel? Something stiff and cold behind my back, my arms are pinned by silver and it burns the skin on my wrists.

Opening my eyes slowly, I note the bright lighting.

A plane. We were on some sort of hanger plane. This wasn’t good. Not good at all.

“Don’t struggle, the barbwire will only go deeper.” A gentle voice spoke next to me.

“It’s silver.” I hissed. Whoever this was, they knew how silver effected the wolves.

“That’s not what is effecting you. It’s laced with something too, that’s what’s effecting you. It’s rigged to push the the chemical into your veins if you struggle. The silver is for me.”

I turned and saw myself staring back at me from my side.

Clara. She had done a spell to look like me... I was too tired to think of the how’s or why’s of this. The chemical was draining my energy.

“Stay calm,” I mumbled to myself, “You are not losing your shit tonight.”

“Where are we?” I asked.

“Still on the ground, we haven’t taken off yet.” Clara was protecting me by doing this spell, but I couldn’t help but worry for her safety. She was like a sister to me.

“Thank you.” I whispered.

“Listen, I can look like you, but I don’t feel like you, so keep your power blocked at all times. Push it back, Rosa.”

I did as she said and felt the rubber band of power within me shrink.

“Two wolf vampire hybrids...” A short, older man, with a white lab coat, and rimmed glasses, crept out of the shadows, gaping between the two of us in awe.

His lab coat was covered in blood that came from a wound on his head, and the American was obviously shocked to see us there. He was fully human, but not in shock of seeing two vampires in front of him. He actually appeared to be in awe.

“Both look exactly alike... Same hair, eyes, markings... Everything...” He got into my face, as much as his chains would allow, to look me over, then did the same to Clara.

The man was obviously abducted as well, hence the chain that clanked around his ankle and torso, but the way he examined us confused me.

“There was only one at the birth.” He whispered, “How did they do this to you princess?”

Before either of us could answer, a man walked into the hanger where we were held. This man had nothing out of place. He was in a pristine white suit and black tie, with his black hair slicked back. I had to fight my urge to try to break free and dirty his suit with his own blood as he smiled at me.

The chemical was too deeply imbedded in my veins now and I could tell it wouldn’t be long before I passed out again.

“It’s obviously a spell.” His black eyes roamed us both and a chill went through me. He was a demon. He had to be.

“We need to know which one is the fake,” He turned to the man, “That is why I have you here. Once we know, we will dispose of her. She is nothing but a nuisance. I need the real one.”

“You do realize that there are more Tepes, right?” The human asked nervously, “There’s not just Nicolae. There is a boy. Almost fifteen years older. There's Vlad, and even his son didn't want him to hear about her. Should Nicolae send The Guard-.”

“Vlad has not been seen for centuries.” The demon snorted, “And Nicolae and the boy are no concern. As far as The Guard goes, I want him to come to us, that is the whole point of this... Well, most of it... I just need to replace the real one to execute my plan.”

“And how will you replace out which is the imposture?”

“Can you not tell?” He rose a dark brow at the human.

“I helped birth her, nothing more.” The man shook his head, “I haven’t seen her since she was a baby.”

“Cut the markings off then, when they turn to regular skin, you will know.” The demon shrugged.

“Cut-?” The man gaped at the demon, “I am a doctor, I save people, I don't hurt them.”

“Cut them off.” He pulled a knife from the breast of his coat and handed it to the human, “And be thorough, I want to send them all to The Guard.”

I wanted to cry, I wanted to scream, but I didn’t. Instead, my royal idiocy and thick Tepes skull, had me asking my captor questions.

“How do you know that The Guard even cares about the Vampire Queen?” I asked.

The demon stepped forward, examining me closer. When his nostrils flared, I knew I was caught.

“His scent is so strong on you, little one,” He slowly looked me over, “How is someone so tiny, supposed to lead an army of the damned against me in war?”

"Against you?" I gaped at him, "What-?" I was about to ask what he had to do with the war when I was cut off by another voice.

“How does his dick even fit? He's more than double her size.” A vampire I hadn’t noticed by the exit door snorted. Damn chemical was killing my instincts.

“Enough, Swanson.” The demon got even closer, his face mere inches from my own, “I see it now. The slight nuances of the Earth creatures. She is lighter skinned, but her eyes, her features, are that of the Indigenous.”

“Why are you doing this?” The doctor asked in tears, “I-I'm a doctor. I've done nothing to you. I have nothing to do with any of this.”

“Start with her hair.” The demon backed away and moved toward the doctor, pulling a knife from his breast pocket, “It is a native symbol of life, one her mother and father will recognize. They will understand that her time on this plane is very limited, if they don’t deliver The Guard.”

“And the fake?” Swanson asked.

“You will dispose of her now.” The demon told him, “You know where to meet me.”

“Are you sure about that?!” Clara shouted as they pulled her from the room, “You really think it’s her?!”

“I saw them in the woods tonight.” Swanson spoke curtly, grinning wildly at me as tugged on Clara’s arm, “That one is the real one, she is drowning in his scent and she has one more marking that this one doesn’t. It is her. Not this one.”

Clara’s eyes met mine, full of shock and remorse.

“So, we know it’s her.” The doctor smiled with relief, only to lose it as the demon gave his orders.

“The hair goes now and, if you want to live, get the markings off before we take off as well.” The demon turned and ordered another vampire, one out of view, “You stay and collect the hair. You will deliver it to Nicolae Tepes immediately.”

“Yes, Azazel.” The vampire gave a nod and Azazel turned back to the doctor.

“When you go after her marks, I want the bite mark on her neck first.” He ordered as he left the room, “The guard is now half vampire. They are bound, that is his mark.”

“This is barbaric.” The man hesitated, but when the vampire stepped forward he went to work, cutting into my hair at the shoulder.

I didn’t expect the tears that fell from my eyes when I felt the knife slice through my locks. My father had always said that my longevity was based upon my will to survive, but to lose my hair like this was barbaric. My hair had been with me since my birth.

When the doctor handed my hair to the vampire and he left, the man whispered.

“I am so sorry, Princess.” He cried, "I do not mean to do any of this."

“So, Smitty, how’d you get this job anyway?” I teased the doctor when the door to the hanger shut behind the vampire’s retreat, “I hate to break it to you, but you don’t seem to be the teacher’s pet.”

“He took me too. He killed my son's and his family.” He examined the knife in his hand. I did the same.

It was an intricate knife, with blue veins glinting through the silver. I had seen something similar before. My bound had carried two, exactly like it, and a sword.

“It’s the way of my grandfather.” I stated before I could hold back, “He and my father taught me how to fight. I’m good with knives. I could get us out of here.”

“There are demons on this plane, along with master vampires, almost as old as your grandfather.” The man spoke as if his mind was off in the distance, “I don’t want to do this...”

“Then don’t.” I spoke softly to the man, "Let me try to free us."

“You are weak.” He hissed, “If you have it in you, contact The Guard. Please! Tell him what they're making me do! Tell him where to replace you!”

I tried to open my mind, but I was too weak. The chemical was doping my vampire and she was the only connection I had to Chase. Even if she hadn’t been, I didn't have my wolf any longer.

“You don’t think he’ll kill you anyway?” I asked, “If he doesn’t, my father will, or Chase, or Marcus, or Bunic. You know how the Tepes enjoy torture.”

“I am so sorry, Princess. Please, understand, if there were another way... If I don’t do this, he will have one of his men do it, and I’ve seen what they do.” He choked and gagged, “I would not wish that of anyone. So please, replace it in you to contact The Guard.”

He dug the knife into the skin of my neck and it took a moment for the pain to register. When it did, I tried to hide to hold it in, but I couldn’t, and I began to scream.

Chase

“Where is she?” I slammed the demon against the wall.

The night club had been closed for hours, but I followed his powers here. It only took me 10 minutes to get here without my bike, but even that seemed to be too much time. She could be anywhere by now, especially if a demon had her.

“I didn’t touch her!” He shouted, putting his hands up in surrender. Some demon he was, most didn’t cower, they fought back.

“She was wearing your bracelet. Track it and replace her or I will kill you where you stand.” I ground out as I dropped him and he hit the floor, running to his desk.

“I can feel it. It’s in a field. I thought she was doing some late night training.” He fumbled with some paperwork and pulled out a map, pointing to a field, “She’d been stationary for weeks.”

“She had been in the castle with me.” I ground out as I looked over the map. The distance to the clearing he showed me was only 20 minutes from here.

"No, I mean stationary, like she hadn't really moved from-," His eyes went wide as he stared up at me in shock, "Oh."

“How do I know what you tell me is true?” I snarled in his face.

“Because, I work directly for my father and he wants her alive as much as you do.” He stared into my eyes, "Apparently like he wants you alive."

For some reason, I thought, maybe the demon was telling the truth. I didn't have time for this though, I could only ask the question that came to my mind.

“Why?”

“She’s the future for us.” He stared, "Just like you."

“How?”

“I have another half brother out there and they are connected.” He gave a firm nod.

“How is my bound connected to your half brother?”

“Satan was given a prophecy,” His eyes were saucers, “It was given to him when he was cast into hell.”

“I know the stories, but they speak of a prophecy that will open the gates for him to roam free.”

“He was free to roam, before the last of the Earthbound Angels were murdered, as long as he served his penance.” He told me, “It was how he governed the demons he created.”

“There has to be more to it, if it involves Rosa.” I ground out, not believing him one bit now.

“Precisely.” He gave a singular nod, “It is said that his son and heir will be fighting in the final battle that will bind the species, by Rosa’s side.”

“She is my bound, she will not fight with your kind.”

“You’re wrong, she will fight with our King her equal,” He swallowed hard, “Father only trusts me. He knows I will protect them both and fight with them.”

“I don’t have time for this!” I slammed my hand on the desk, “I need to replace Rosa! I cannot sense this demon, like others, and my connection to her is muffled.”

“You can feel the demons too?” He was still just staring at me.

“I always have,” I ground out, walking from the room, "It is why I am The Hunter."

I went to the exact place the map showed, where I found nothing but more tracks and the bracelet. I had never encountered this before. An untraceable demon?

It had been almost three hours when I returned to the castle. She could be anywhere. I hated that I had no clue where to start. This demon was good. Untraceable.

I had never encountered this before.

I went back to the castle, to see if Vlad or Nico had found anything, but I knew it would be futile.

I found Nico seated at his desk. His hands burying his head as he stared into a box.

The scent of Rosa was strong in the air, but it wasn’t good. It was mixed with smell of her blood and rotting flesh.

My blood ran cold.

“What did he do?!” Rage fueled in me as I stepped closer to the desk and Vladimir Tepes spoke low and eerie in my ear.

“This is a hard decision for me, Chase.” His voice was laced with venom, “My son thinks you can help protect his daughter, that is why you are her bound, but my grandchild was taken from his home and you have not found her yet.”

“Explain to me why you come in here, with the remnants of her essence clinging to you, as we sit in front of her rotting flesh.” His voice grew higher until he was shouting, “Find her before I do, or I will go against my son and kill you!”

“Who sent it?!” I ground through clenched teeth.

“Azazel.” Marcus mouthed and handed me a card with intricate writing, "A demon named Azazel."

Find me at the beginning, boy.

-Azazel

I ran out the door. I knew where I was going and it would be a short fall for him, once I got there.

“Where are you going?” Matthias asked as I clothed myself in my hunting gear, fastening the buckles of my jacket.

“Azazel has her.” I rushed, slipping my belt on next.

“Father Azazel?” Matthias gasped, “It was him. How?”

“He is no Father,” I ground out, “He took her hair and my bite from her neck. It is down in her father’s office now. In a fucking gift box.”

“He what?!” Matthias moved quickly to the door, “Emilia, get my hunting garments! Men, ready up! We leave immediately!”

“I go alone.” I sheathed my weapons.

“Absolutely not!” I heard Matthias shout in return.

“Rosa is my bound.” I hissed, going out to the common where the men now all stood, “You and the brothers are not strong enough to face Azazel.”

“Says you!” Matthias ground out.

“I am the keeper of the blade!” I shouted at him, “I am the only one who can kill him! Therefore, I go alone and you stay here, Incase there is any news!”

“Theo,” Matthias glared at me as he gave his order and Theo stepped forward, “You will go as his back-up. He will keep you nearby, in the case that you are needed.”