Roses Wither: Into the Darkness
Thirty-eight

Chase

I looked into Azazel’s eyes and only saw the monster that had tortured my brothers and I for millennia. He may have traded in the cloak for a pristine white suit, but he was still evil.

I couldn’t sense the demon, but I knew he was behind this, and he was going to pay for what he had done to Rosa.

I was going to cover that white blazer in his own blood, but first I had to get Rosa out of here. I was certain that these weapons couldn’t hurt me, but they would kill her.

“I only came to retrieve what is mine.” I spoke loud and clear.

“Your’s?” His dark eyebrows shot up in question and he began to chuckle, “Would you like to explain how she belongs to you?”

“She is a Dracule,” The venom in my voice was now thick, “It is my duty to protect the Line.”

I wasn’t telling him anything about me being a vampire now, and binding myself to Rosa.

“There is more to this story, Guard,” He was treating this situation as though it were some kind of joke, “Because I know that your days of working for Nicolae were over when he released you from your duties and gave you a pretty little house to live in. I also know that you were part of his clutch, living as a vampire.”

My teeth clenched together. He had been watching me. Waiting for the time to reveal himself, but why now? Why me and my bound? Did this mean that he was going after the brethren next? Was he just trying to take me out first?

“I am a vampire. I became one the day Nicolae Tepes turned me in battle," I glared at him, "Despite the fact that I was relieved from my duty, I will guard this woman with everything that I am.”

"And why would that be?" A slow, foreboding smile creased his mouth.

"She is mine to protect." I ground out my words, "I have lived millennia. I am indestructible and will continue on, whereas your time on this earthly plane is about to end.”

I felt Rosa’s silver eyes dart to me, but ignored it. My site never leaving Azazel as I spoke.

“Aren’t you curious as to why I took her, boy?” He emphasized the name he called us all during our time with him, “You are a rare one, aren’t you? Tell me, are you still stronger than the others, but still unawares? Do you still have the markings? You must, considering your bound carries them.”

“You will die for what you have done to her and I will see to it personally this time!” I shouted.

“I saved you, and this is the thanks I get?” He tsked.

“You killed our families and burned our villages, then tortured us for millennia. I hardly call what you did to us saving.”

“Had I not done it, you would have been tortured.”

“We were tortured by your hand, blinded to everything around us.” I growled, "We were mere war machines to you. Drones, to do your bidding!"

“You are the ultimate fighter,” He shouted, “Because of my efforts!”

“I was a murderer!” I shouted back, “Because of you, I killed innocent beings, innocent humans!”

Something in the air shifted and I smelled him... Swanson... He would die today, just as the others had and I would use my bare hands to rip him apart, limb by limb.

“I see your fear,” Rosa spoke eerily soft, looking at all of the guards with guns, “All of you fear what Chase will do to you. You have heard the myths. A sword that can kill four demons with one cast. A sword only he can yeild."

She looked to my sword and smirked. I changed a glance, before turning back to Azazel. The man was not evading me today.

"It was seven, last I heard," I shrugged with a grin. She was using her powers to get into their minds, "Perhaps I haven't exercised it enough recently."

"You may not need to." That smile returned to her face. It took on an almost vacant appearance as the the sound of the wind outside began to pick up and the aura around Rosa became laced and heavy again.

“Rosa-” I could feel it building in crescendo, but she didn’t seem the least bit worried as she smiled up at me, before turning back to the men.

Her sights were narrowed in on a dark haired, blue eyed vamp that was closer to my size than her’s. She began to glare and it gave me an unnatural chill, reminding me of her father in battle.

I knew it was Swanson, not only from the scent that wafted my way, but the way his blue eyes raked her body. I wanted to rip them out myself, but I saw the fear in his eyes when he felt the power from her.

"How?" Swanson gaped at her, "How are you doing this?"

“Nicholae Tepes was reborn with a prophecy, as you all know.” Rosa stepped forward, her smile focused on her singular target, “One which stated the Vampire Prince himself and his Vampire Childe would bring forth a daughter, one born by graces if the moon. She would rule over the creatures of it’s creation.”

As she prowled forward the men behind their master looked around, but no one dared to move. Someone whispered of the power and I stepped behind her, ready to pull her out of harm’s way.

If these soldiers got scared, there was no telling what they would do.

“This daughter would be given the full unearthly powers of the moon and the skies. She would be born with the ability to govern the creatures of the moon’s glow, with a strong hand and firm council. She would be a Goddess.”

“You cannot hurt me, girl.” Azazel snorted.

“Wrong!” Rosa’s voice echoed through the silence as she shouted, “I am the only natural born daughter of the Moon and Earth! One who died before birth and transformed in her mother’s womb! I am to rule over those who are reborn by the moon’s power! Therefore I can and will take your army from you! I will weaken you!”

“You have no power over my men! You have been a captive, if you had the ability you would have used it.” Swanson's eyes grew slightly wider and I could see a twinge of fear there, “You are too much of the wolf.”

“All I needed was a tipping point, which you and your men saw to, didn’t they?” She looked to her hands, examining them as though we weren’t about to get into a full on battle, “Then I just needed a good feeding of human blood and, poof! So, now how should I repay your hospitality?”

“She’s bluffing!” Swanson shouted, “Shoot her!”

I jumped in front of her but no one moved to harm her, none of them cocked their guns. That was when I realized that no one had moved their bodies at all, for some time actually. Why weren’t they moving? Why weren’t they following orders? Then it hit me and when I turned to face her, her crazed little smile deepened.

“Swanson,” She sing-songed as she peeked around me, to the only remaining man who had violated her, “Step forward.”

He did as told, his eyes nervously darting around as if he was moving against his will.

“What are you doing?!” Azazel shouted, stepping forward, “Don’t listen to the bitch!”

I gaped at her as I stepped up to Azazel, the point of my sword dangerously close to his jugular.

She was controlling Swanson, I knew she was. She was controlling them all! That had to be why no one was moving to their arms, so I would take out the demon.

She had the man stand before her. It must be shit to be killed by the one you had wronged, I mused.

“You!” She gripped her hand in his face, making a tiny little fist, and without even touching him, blood began to drain from his neck as if her nails were digging into it. Where had she learned this? Did she know she could do this or was this her anger taking over?

“You took it upon yourself to take advantage of me and you welcomed other guards to do the same," Her voice was laced with an anger I had never heard from her, "You lead a party of your men to defile me, your own Queen. How many countless other women have you done this to?”

He tried to respond, but nothing escaped his lips as she crushed his esophagus, without so much as touching him.

My shock, at these abilities that I had never seen her wield, left me standing there, gaping at the tiny little thing all covered in blood. She was devastating and so utterly beautiful.

“Oh,” She crooned, ominously, “This revenge thing is pleasant. I see why my father is so fond of torture.”

“Your father is a monster!” Azazel shouted, “He will be going to hell when he dies. I assure you. He will face Satan, and without a king, Satan will destroy him.”

“Say another word.” I warned him, stepping forward and holding my blade to his throat.

When it began to sizzle a glanced between him and the blade in shock. It only did this for demons.

“On your knees soldier, while I address the rest.” Swanson did as Rosa ordered and she patted him on the head like a dog.

She was beautiful... Scary, but simply beautiful.

She bent forward and whispered in his ear, “I can hear your thoughts, I know where you have Clara hidden, and I will replace her and free her as well.”

Fuck! She could hear them too... Why couldn’t I hear them? Why wasn’t it registering?

I tried to open my mind and I couldn’t even replace Rosa there. How? Where was our bond?

She stood taller, bristling as she addressed all of the vampires holding the riffles, “Any other last thoughts, before I end this?”

“Oh, that’s a good one to answer, Grupman.” She snapped her fingers and pointed to one of the guards, calling him by his name.

“I fed.” She spoke excitedly, as though speaking to a toddler. I had to hold back my laughter, in our dire situation. One slip and they would shoot. She had to know this.

“When Azazel caught me, I hadn’t fed for weeks." She shrugged, like it was nothing, "See, I have this... Thing... I like to NOT do anything my father wants me to do. I’m a little rebellious that way.”

“My father wants my vampire strong and I want her weak, because when she is alert, and strong, my wolf backs away and takes all of my shifter insticts with her. Instincts that I have grown accustomed to.” She sighed like she was bored, “I haven’t quite gotten the hang of any of this vampiric ability yet, and I was starving my vampire, but tonight I fed off of warm, human blood and let me tell you, some of your employees were very tasty.” She licked her lips to emphasize her point.

“Yes, Johnson, I’m going to kill every last one of you. That’s what this whole monologue is about," She grinned at another vampire, "Because, as you can tell, I am not nearly ready to reveal myself to the public, so none of you will be alive to talk about me.”

“Oh, but then there’s you.” She got into Swanson’s face and gave him that crazy ass grin as she patted his cheek condisendingly, “You aren’t dying tonight. No. I’m going to have my father ram a pole up your ass repeatedly, maybe for the next century or two.” The fear was evident in the guard’s eyes.

“Hard and fast, over and over again, while you cry out in pain.” She sneered, “Seems like you like it that way. I would do it with the others too, but unfortunately, Chase has already killed them.”

“Chase, I’m assuming you have a some back up?” She cocked a brow at me. Christ all mighty, she was beautiful like this.

Now I was grateful for Matthias’s request. He would need someone strong to hold him.

“A mile south of here.” I gave a nod.

“Tell them to pick my buddy Swanson up.” She grinned wildly in his face, “On your knees, soldier.”

He did as she directed and she leaned over him with a crazed gaze, “I want my Daddy Dearest and Bunic to meet you personally.”

I pulled the phone out of my pocket and sent a message to Theo, to pick him up.

“And for you?” She turned back to Azazel, who I still had at sword point. “I have something very special planned. I have been thinking about it for some time now.”

He didn't move under my sword but his eyes darted to the vampires, who were unmoving, then back to Rosa, “You do realize that your little tricks don’t work on me, right?”

“Correct, but I’m guessing, since you wanted Chase so badly, and you two have a not so good history, that he is your threat.” She smiled, turning her head to meet my lopsided grin, “He’s your’s, handsome.”

Theo came in and glared at Azazel under my blade, then his eyes roamed the armed men in the entrance to the facility.

“You sure you don’t need backup, brother?” He eyed me.

“I think Rosa’s got this,” I directed my head to the frozen men then sneered, “You know what to do with the rapist.”

Rosa stood over Swanson, glaring at him and Theo moved to her side, his eyes roaming curiously over her miniature frame.

“You froze them didn’t you?” He looked back at the men, “Small, but mighty.”

“Enough,” I stared down my enemy, “Take him, Theo.”

“Yes, Sir.” He gave a nod.

“Still following orders, boy?” Azazel asked Theo with a sneer, "Just by a different demon."

“I came as backup for my brother," Theo glared at him, "He is a vampire, not a demon. I will be glad to help Chase kill you.”

“He has grown quite the personality, don't you think?” Azazel spoke curiously.

“We all have,” Theo turned to him coldly, “As the drugs you poured into us faded, leaving us with no taste, no feeling, no emotion, aside from anger.”

“It wasn’t drugs, Boy,” He grinned wildly, “It was blood. From your beloved brother’s mother.”

“What did you say?” I pressed the blade deep into his throat.

“Theo, take him please,” Rosa watched on as I lost my witt with the demon, “He goes to my father.”

“He goes to my dungeon!” I shouted.

Her head swivelled and she glared between me and Theo, “Don’t fuck with me, Chase. I want him impaled!”

“I can easily do it!” I argued, but it raised her hackles.

“I said no!” The windows began to rattle and Theo was the only one with the freedom to look.

“Tepes's it is,” He gave a nod, “Sorry, Chase.”

Theo gave a nod and left, taking Swanson with him.

As soon as they were off, she turned and gave her captors one last look, then snapped her fingers.

All at once the wind picked up and the windows, in the lobby we were now standing in, imploded.

I ducked as the glass went flying. It still hit me with force, cutting my pants to shreds, along with the skin on my back, although I didn’t get the brunt of it.

It seemed to have the target of her captor and his men. The shards decapitated every single man in the building, including Azazel.

My last thoughts were, “Fucking hell! She did that?! How did she know that she could do it?”

Then, everything went dark.