Half Blood Rising

I tried to move, but excruciating pain shot through my limbs. That bitch grabbed me by my hair and lifted me back to my feet. More pain lanced through my chest. I needed to gather myself, but someone struck me with an attack of magic. There was one streetlamp out here, but I could see everyone's faces pretty clearly. The mage narrowed his eyes at me, he probably recognised me after all. The councillor appeared confused.

"What is she doing here, Councillor?" Leonidas asked. "I thought no one from the inside knew we were meeting here tonight?" I was far outnumbered and weakened by protective wards. Truly, all I cared about right then was how I wanted to stab that bitch right in the gut and then twist the blade a few times, too.

"Traitor," I spat, trying to break free from her grasp, but she pushed me towards the ground, then kicked me, taking full advantage of the fact I wasn't in my usual form. Someone's magic was affecting my nervous system. Damn it! I wanted my knives.

"I have no idea why this girl is here, but we should make a deal, anyway. No one else needs to die," the councillor said calmly. "This one is special, she's a half-vampire breed with strong magic. Take her and let my daughter go. She's important to the school."

"He's right; she survived my injection of power, and no one ever does," the mage said, the same one who'd blasted me with energy before I'd joined Moonlight Academy, fuelling me with anger. I'd bet he was not expecting to see me here.

Leonidas smiled, and then smoothed his chin, and his energy kept tempting me once again. I needed to taste him, touch him.

Was he hypnotising me again? I had to close my mind, so he couldn't get to my memories. He still obviously had no idea who I was.

"I don't need to make a deal with you. The half-blood is already mine," the ancient said, approaching him. "Ramona caught her, and I know all her secrets. Let's talk about the real reason you showed up here." The councillor flinched as Leonidas placed his hands behind him and then began circling around the official. "Richard needs to have a free hand. We have a few excellent candidates who should be admitted to the Elite. You only have to change the voting system, and your daughter will be free."

My energy was growing very slowly as I tried to pick myself up off the ground, but each time, Ramona pushed me back down with her heel. My ribs were hurting, too.

Lachlan was probably in the area, but I had no way to reach out and pass him a message. We'd never bonded that way, but I'd heard it was possible between lovers. Ramona still had her damn foot on my back, and she was pressing the heel of her boot into my spine. I was taking long deep breaths, trying to think about my options. The deal was going ahead whether I liked it or not. There was no way I could stop it now.

The councillor appeared troubled but prepared to agree to anything. The ancient had his daughter, but this wasn't why he was scared. I found it odd that such a powerful supernatural from the High Council was submitting himself to a vampire.

Leonidas had something on him, because his daughter didn't seem important to him at all.

"Very well, then. I can convince others and charm the newest members, but this isn't a long-term solution. Sooner or later, the High Council will figure out what is going on," the councillor mumbled. "There are five talented vampires who must pass the admission process," Leonidas responded automatically. "Your daughter is going to die tonight if we do not agree. Her energy is diminishing."

I felt tingling inside my body that began in my toes and then moved upwards. I was gaining power, but from where, I had no idea. I couldn't let them win just yet. Half of my genes were from my fae family, and I suddenly remembered Oldman's words. My magic was stronger than I realised. I was a ticking time bomb that could explode at any moment.

"Have you fucked him yet?" Ramona asked, leaning over me. "I bet he jumped into your bed the moment he found out I betrayed him." She was obviously still jealous.

My strength was returning, and I just needed to wait for the right moment. The pain was fading as quickly as it appeared. Her long blond hair was hanging next to my left side. Suddenly I had an idea.

"Let her go, and I guarantee you'll get what you want," the councillor repeated. "Three of the elder board members are now dead. They have been making everyone's life difficult. I assure you that I can make this happen."

I didn't wait, I just pulled her hair, as a switch flipped inside me. That incredible power shocked even me, as I felt light rushing through my veins. It exploded through my palms. Ramona screamed, landing on her side and I shot to my feet, breathing hard. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw four other vampires making their move towards me.

I kicked the bitch several times, hearing her bones breaking, and then removed the wooden stake from my boot and stabbed her in the back. I was glad I'd thought to bring it with me, just in case. Now was my "just in case" moment. My intuition had yet to let me down, and tonight was no exception.

Foreign, dark, twisted magic embraced my body as two other vampires advanced on me. There was nothing stopping me now.

I sank my fangs into one's neck as he tried to grab me, and I ripped his throat out, kicking the other one in the stomach. There was an animal inside me that was repulsive, but I was fighting for my survival. The vampire roared with pain, falling to the ground before death could claim him. Another pair of hands grabbed me from behind. For a second, I couldn't move as my arms were being stretched. I spat bits of flesh and blood on the ground. My breathing was whizzed.

"You're causing way too much trouble for me, my dear half-breed." Leonidas was saying, approaching me. "Rodrick, sign the contract with the councillor. The board is ours, and it will be a new beginning. A new transition, the old times based on purity are finally over."

One of his vampires was holding me as I tried to free myself. I could feel the blood dripping from my face.

His incredible blue eyes pierced through me. I craved him, desired his blood, as my fae side fought with my maker's instinct.

He touched my hair and moved it aside, smiling. Despite his age, he was still attractive. I wanted to taste him so badly now, even if my heart screamed no.

"Don't do it. The board will never allow dark magic to pass through the Elite Academy walls," I whispered, not recognising my own voice. This was what Oldman had once said to me, and I remembered it. There was no place for dark magic in the Elite. Every single student who wanted in needed to pass the trials. This deal wasn't going to happen.

"You're special, so very special, and I want you to submit to me. We have been waiting for you for a very long time. Ramona disappointed me. She was loyal, but I think you can do better than her, isn't that right?" Leonidas asked, caressing my cheek with his hand.

I had to close my eyes as his energy gave me strength. He was right; I was loyal, and he was my master.

"For a drop of your blood, I can do a lot of things," I said, licking my lips. I didn't want this, and I didn't want him, but, suddenly I couldn't remember why I was here.

He smiled again, and my entire body tingled. Part of me, my fae side was still fighting, but the other voice was muffled. I couldn't submit to him, not now, not ever. No, this wasn't what I wanted.

Then his fangs extended, and a jolt

of electricity rushed through my core. He grabbed the back of my neck, yanking my head to the side, and bit me, drinking in, and I moaned. In a matter of seconds, I was lost in the essence of ecstasy and pleasure. It felt incredible as he began to drink my blood, my entire body started to shut down. The voice of the fae was long gone. Nothing else mattered, only the fact that I was pleasing him-the master.

He was taking too much, part of my soul-part of me that didn't want to give up yet. I was falling, drowning in the darkness and slowly suffocating in pain.

He was taking more than he wanted, addicted to the taste of me. There was fae blood in my veins, and he wasn't expecting it to taste so good. I could sense everything, feel everything he was feeling. until it all stopped.

I was going to die here, and I couldn't stop him. He was ancient, and I was going to become another victim. The clock was ticking, the seconds were passing

...

The pain and pleasure. It all ceased, and I began to feel energy spreading warmth through my cells. It was shutting down the gloom, injecting me with strength like a virus. I was waking up, roaring with power I'd never felt before.

He pulled away, and, suddenly began coughing up my blood. I felt light-headed, and I could barely stand on my feet, but at least I was lucid.

He backed away, still spitting blood and stumbling. My blood was dripping down his face, and for a second, I thought he would fall to the ground. I thought I was going to pass out, too, but this energy inside me was helping. I felt it in my bloodstream, my bones, and nervous system, spreading faster than a wildfire. A few vampires appeared confused, while others glanced at each other.

The ancient pointed at me, and his hand was trembling. He opened his mouth to say something, but no sound came out. I glanced at my hands, and my fingers were electrified, fire burned through my soul like an invisible flame. It was the fae voice, it found its way through.

"You shouldn't have done that, Leonidas." I said, smiling at him. "My fae genes are much stronger than my vampire genes." No one was going to stop me now, not even Ramona.

Then, in that one moment, I did the one thing I thought felt right: I released the volcano inside me. The wind blew from the south, and it was like an explosion-my energy engulfed the entire space. The ancient collapsed to the ground, and a white froth-like substance spilled from his mouth.

The other vampires rushed at me, but they couldn't get to me. I started blasting white energy from the source, and they were thrown backwards.

Then the mage who'd attacked me in the basement must have only just realised what happened. He attacked with everything he had, but it was too late. For a long moment, we were wrestling with each other's power, but my magic spread everywhere. No one could conquer it. He looked terrified, and I laughed out loud. The dizziness, the pain, everything was gone in an instant.

It almost felt as though Leonidas had awakened the other part of me-the silent fae that was always too afraid to become one with my soul. The whole place was radiating with magic; every creature around me collapsed to the ground. No one could survive this.

The mage was thrown across the alley as I tried to gain control of this unexpected power. The councillor was gone, but his daughter was still lying unconscious—he'd left her behind.

I felt like I was rising above the ground, enveloped in fire, like some sort of ancient god. I started walking towards the mage, knowing I had to end this once and for all. He was trying to get up slowly, but he was injured. Blood was gushing from his left hip. He was wearing the same coat he'd worn in the basement of the pub in Lviv.

He glanced at me, and his lips started twitching. "It worked; I can't believe it. The lord has been waiting for this moment, and it has finally come. He thought you had no magic, that you were his failure," he started mumbling and I stopped, staring at him. He knew, he must have known this entire time.

"Who was the vampire that decided to take my life?" I asked, but, honestly, it wasn't that important to me any longer. I was so tired of everyone trying to manipulate me.

"He's the creator of all creatures, and you just passed the test. You're his true daughter, and you could stand by him!"

"There is no test, and I'll never turn to the dark side. That deal is off the table," I whispered, sensing death approaching. It was waving at him. He had to die.

"You're one of us now, made to serve him. If you kill me, he will never take you in," the mage screamed, attempting to use his magic against me, but darkness was already taking over. I tried to cease the magical fire burning him, but I wasn't controlling it any longer. He screamed as the flames consumed his body.

I started backing away, wanting to turn around, but my energy had taken on a life of its own. It struck, pounded, and penetrated through me, burning him alive.

I forced myself to turn and walk

away, his terrifying screams were going to stay with me for the rest of my life. The streetlamps stopped flashing, and then complete silence filled the space. The mage finally stopped screaming-it didn't take long. He was dead, and so were all the other vampires who'd arrived here with Leonidas. I didn't even know how it was possible, but their corpses started burning. I searched for him, but he must have recovered somehow and escaped while I was killing the mage.

Moments later, I collapsed to the ground as the energy left me, draining away the last bits of my strength. My body was shaking uncontrollably. Dorothy laid on the ground, several meters away from me. My head was buzzing, dull pain spreading along the back of my skull. I glanced around at the devastation I'd caused, thinking that this couldn't have been me. I was just a half-breed without any magical skills. But I knew it wasn't true. I had magic... Magic unlike anything I'd ever witnessed.

I managed to crawl back to Dorothy, she was very pale, but alive. Then in the distance, I saw them, my team-the members of Moonlight Academy. I was seeing their stone-cold faces, staring at all the corpses around me, and I realised... I was death.