Roses Wither: Into the Darkness

Rose

I was in the library, looking at the maps. I had to find Clara and I knew what I needed.

I had seen in Swanson’s mind, where she was. I saw what he had done to her and what kind of guard surrounded her. I also saw his reasoning for keeping her. I just needed to find the right people to help me get there.

I did have someone back in Romania, but would he help me?

I knew I had to stay focused, because if I didn’t, I would break again, thinking of that day. I was a Tepes, I had the powers of the Moon Goddess and I couldn’t allow this pain to seep through. I had to channel my strength. Focus it.

I was stronger than this. So much stronger than my pain or my vengeance, but my lust for a man that I could have sworn I had killed, I couldn’t control.

I had lost every ounce of anything I had ever felt for anyone, when I watched that glass slice through his neck. That was what haunted me the most.

I could have sworn that the glass took his head off of his shoulders, with everyone else’s. I had lost him, of my own doing, because my powers were too strong and I couldn't control them.

That feeling, of killing my fated, proved two things to me. First and foremost, he was my destined. Far from a mate, but someone who I desperately needed. Someone who had intertwined their soul to mine. If I died, he would die too. So, that made my second point.

My body physically craved that man and there was no denying that he was a God of a man. I mean, women didn’t drool over men like that, they fell and spread their legs for him.

“What are you doing in here?” The curious voice came from behind me and I turned to see Matthias standing there with a confused look on his face.

His features were so different from Chase’s. Where they had the same hair color, Matthias’s eyes were a deep, almost unnatural green. His nose was slightly larger, and his lips a little fuller. There were no other similarities, except for the sheer size of them both.

“I-uhm,” I scrunched my face, looking back at the books, “There’s a lot of bibles and biblical stuff in here.”

“We were raised by those who we believed to be priests,” He gave a slow nod to the books, the curiosity still there, “This was monastery once upon a time as well. Some of our staff, we have even met through the church, living by God’s will.”

“I know. That’s why it’s so peaceful here.” I glanced out onto the terrace and back to him.

“Our worlds were once filled with so much darkness,” He followed my gaze, but there was something about the look he had on his face that paused me, “Some of us still live there, but Chase cared enough that, when he was given his freedom, he moved us here. He wanted to give us a sense of peace.”

“He told you what happened this morning!” I hissed.

“He didn’t have to.” He grinned wickedly, “The scent of sex lingers on the skin, it leaves patterns and foot holes on a person's skin too. For instance, you are rather flush today. Even for a vampire. While my brother was grinning like a fool, ordering flowers for the home.”

“How-?”

“Let’s just say that sex is my specialty.” He looked a little cheeky, “I understand you being weary and nervous, based on your prophecies and what you’ve been through. Chase is stronger than you think though.”

“Can I ask you something?” I furrowed my brow in question, “Azazel? What is he to you?”

“You didn’t see it in his memories?”

“I don’t get much from Chase. It’s all under lock and key. I can’t figure out why or how.” At my words, he nodded slowly.

“Azazel was the head Father. One who we believed to be a man of God.” His smile faded and, for the first time ever, I watched Matthias grow angry, his eyes shifting to the color of fire. Moving from their deep green, to a yellow around the pupil, melting into red as it pushed outward, but it sated again and turned back to his natural deep hue.

I had only seen eyes that color from on man, and he was a demon. A demon who's help I needed to save my sister.

“Azazel spent millenia poisoning us and making us do his bidding.” He ground out, “If he is around, things are going to get bad for us all.”

“Is he a demon?”

“Chase believes so.” He gave a nod.

“How do we kill him?” I could see that my question caught him off guard.

“There is no we, Rose.” He spoke slowly, “There is Chase and the guard. We help him hunt and Chase kills the demon. You will not be involved. The rest of our brothers are skilled in this.”

“I killed him, Matthias.” I could feel the tears welling in my eyes, but my mind kept going back to what I had just seen from Matthias, “I swear I did. So, how did he come back from that?”

"Who are you referring to?" He looked to the books, not meeting my gaze.

"Chase." He gave a slow nod, but didn't turn to face me.

“It may have been a fatal wound, but he is a warrior. Stronger than the typical vampire. It will take more than an army to kill him.” The words he didn’t say spoke volumes.

“His head came off, with everyone else’s.” My voice was strained, “I know what I saw, he is so much more, but what?”

“Maybe that’s what you thought you saw.” He smiled as though there were some big secret I wasn’t aware of, “War can do that to a person. Make them see things. I have seen many men lose their minds on the battlefield.”

“You wouldn’t understand.” I shook my head and began to move toward the door.

“I understand that the mind is a very complex thing.” He turned as his gaze followed me, “It plays games on us and also makes us feel weak, but we are stronger than we think sometimes. We need to overcome.”

“I don’t know what your talking about.”

“You know exactly what I am talking about,” He gave me a dirty look, “The Five should be hunting Azazel, but instead, for the past two weeks, Chase has had the brothers guarding the property, and protecting you.”

“Why?”

“You know why, Rose. The only one who can tell us where to start our search for Azazel is currently at the last place you want to be.” His lips were tight as he spoke, “You had better decide who you are going to be. Are you going to be Rosa, the wolf girl, or Rose, the vampire Queen? Because he needs to get his head in the game if this demon is hunting him. He needs to hit him before he strikes again and he cannot if he is worried about keeping you safe.”

“My hands.” I whispered, looking at the backs of them, “Thos markings that were deep are coming to the surface.”

As I examined my hands, Chase started to examine his, “i have some too.”

We laid on our sides, facing each other, as the sun hung low in the sky.

Having Chase bound to me again was amazing, but I couldn’t get what Matthias had said out of my mind.

“I don’t understand how they come and go.” I whispered, “Or why.”

“I had someone tell me once, that it is because you’ve done something pivotal in someone else’s prophecy. Something that changed it, or moved their path.”

“Look, it's a rosary. Like a mini version of your’s.” I smiled down at the small, holy rosary on my hand.

“You also have the wings on your back, like mine, but mine are all dark, where your’s are more intricate.”

“Your’s are intricate, it’s just that it’s black on black.”

“I wasn’t a believer, you know.” Chase’s brow furrowed as he played with a piece of my short red hair, “I was a soldier of God. I didn’t know of any prophecies.”

“What do you mean?”

“I wield a blade that no one else can for reason, Rosa. I am a strong warrior, even before Nico turned me. I knew nothing, felt nothing, and always followed the orders I was given. Until I saw you as baby.”

“Me?” I smiled up at him, “What did I have to do with it?”

“Everything.” He rolled over pulling me on top of him, looking into my eyes, “But I never imagined that my Queen would be so beautiful.”

“You really think I’m beautiful? Even after I-”

“I think you may have some anger issues,” He smiled and gave a little shrug, “But I think it’s kind of sexy. Especially when you take it out on your father.”

“I don’t want to go back, Chase.” I rested my chin on his chest.

“Then don’t.” He shrugged like it was nothing, but I could feel his emotions.

They were so torn, and it was because of me. He wanted to keep me safe, physically and emotionally, but he also knew we had to go back.

“We need to.” I knew he could see why in my mind.

“You cannot go after Clara.”

“She rests in the midst of the most holiest waters, I will be safe.”

“You will be safe from demons, but Swanson is a vampire. Which means that he has a clutch, which we do not know the size of at this moment, and holy water does not bother them.”

“So, we talk to Swanson.”

“Absolutely not.” He rolled us again, so he tumbled on top of me.

“You keep up all of this rolling and you will roll us off this bed.” I gasped, checking to make sure we weren’t going to fall.

“I love the twinge of your accent.” He grinned down at me, “There are slight Romanian twinges in there. It’s harsh, firm and gentile, all at once.”

“You’re about to hear a lot more of it, if my ass falls on that floor.” I squirmed as he laughed, low and huffy.

“Let us see, if I can get you riled up then.” He teased, swiveling us, so that my head hung over the edge.

“You’re an asshole.” I held onto his neck as he grinned down at me.

“Mmmm?” He cocked a brow at me, going for my neck, “Am I?”

He pressed his pelvis into mine, grinding his firmness between my folds.

“Let’s see how long it takes, for your accent to get heavier, shall we?” He teased, sliding his firmness down and pressing into me.

My head fell back as a gasp escaped me.