Roses Wither: Into the Darkness

Chase

The castle was full tonight, with Nico and Vlad's inner most trusted guards and companions that had joined them through their time. This ball was to introduce Rosa to the men and women they trusted most.

They were not only testing Rosa, but they were testing their loyalties too. I could not blame them. Had I not known my men for millennia, I would feel the same.

I wasn’t allowed to see her gown beforehand, and when she descended those stairs in a gold, lacy jumpsuit, my heart seemed to beat for the first time ever.

I could feel her anxiety as the eyes in the room turned to face her, but her exterior never showed anything other than total control.

She had been born and bred to be the Queen and she was showing it tonight, in front of her kingdom.

“You amaze me.” I tried to soften her anxiety, by sending mental images and thoughts, but didn’t know if it was working, until her eyes focused on me and she smiled.

“She cleans up nice.” Matthias snickered next to me.

“Shut it.” I glared at him as I moved to the foot of the stairs and extended my hand, smiling up at her as she descended.

I was vaguely aware of the eyes on me and mouths hanging open, as their Queen slid her hand into my own and her power swarmed through the greeting hall.

Her smile, as she focused on me, was so beautiful that I almost forgot to bow. My eyes never left hers her’s though, as I bent forward.

“Oh, my Goddess, he is so hot...” She thought as I kissed her hand, “And those lips... He’s mine... All mine...”

“I can hear you, you know.” I mentally grinned, as we were announced.

“Ladies and gentlemen, may I introduce to you, your Queen and her bound King.”

“Shit! How do I shut it off?!” She thought before going blank.

Well, she figured that one out quick... So, onto other thoughts, like how her hair looked when it was pulled up into a mass of curls and waves, showing her exquisitely unique markings, some that matched my own.

Mental ramblings of shock and disappointment sounded through the surrounding clutch members as people cleared our path.

"The Guard?!” One woman sighed sadly, "Couldn't it have been anyone else?"

“He’s her king?” Another thought.

“Are they bound?”

“It all makes sense now.” Another recalled the war against my men, when Nico turned me.

“Their power together is astronomical.” Someone thought in awe.

The firsts in line for the greetings were her grandfather, father, mother and brother, followed by my grandsire, who stared at her in amazement.

“We finally have a proper meeting." Mehul spoke tenderly, "When I turned your father, I never dreamed that he was the prince of darkness. Then, when he met Nitala, I thought there would be something more. There had to be, but you, your Highness," He bowed his head, "Astound me, in beauty, power and, if you are anything resembling your mother and father, strength. May you be blessed with my sword.”

He then moved to me, “And you,” He chuckled, “I cannot believe this... It seems like only days ago, we met you in battle.”

“Yes,” I cleared my throat, cutting him off before he told Rosa anymore, “I have come a long way.”

“You have.” His eyes narrowed at me, as he glanced between Rosa and I, but he moved on and stood to speak to Nicolae in whispers.

I could hear their mental rambling about their discussion, talking about how Rosa must not know, but she didn’t appear the wiser as she looked at Matthias who was next, and pointed for him to move past her.

He full-heartedly laughed and moved to me, “She doesn’t like me much.”

“You annoy her.” I smiled icily at him.

“I saw you in passing earlier, but I’m Emilia,” Emilia bowed to her, “I can’t do much for you, but my potions can work wonders, if you ever need anything, your highness.”

“Emilia, Chase told me, and I see it in his mind, he loves you as a sister.” She smiled at the tall blonde, “You and I will be close, so long as you keep Matthias in line.”

"One can only try." The two shared a giggle.

“Where is Clara?” I leaned over and asked her when Emilia moved off with Matthias, “I don’t feel her around.”

“Mother has her busy doing something,” She swallowed hard, “Don’t worry, she is around, just disguised.”

Another man stepped up, of similar stature to Matthias. Our brother Caine was dressed in his formal guard attire, and I watched as he bowed and she examined him curiously.

“Rosa, this is Caine.” I introduced her, “One of my brothers.”

Rosa

Caine had olive colored skin, not porcelain like Matthias and Chase, but his hair was that shimmery, near white color. The same as the other two, and I couldn’t feel a single thing from him as he stood stiffly in front of me.

“I know nothing of binding," He bowed, "But, my brother stands by your side, that means my sword is for you and him, Your Highness.”

“Thank you.” I smiled, my mind reeling with questions as he moved to Chase.

“You have been blessed with a beautiful, strong woman, brother.” He told Chase, “She suits you well.”

All of his brothers were all wearing dark colored guard attire, something almost otherworldly, but what got to me the most, was how soldier like they actually were.

It was almost as though they were here, but they weren’t. It really made no sense and confused me.

He had referred to these men as his brothers, but they were nothing alike, other than their hair, stature and build. One of them was even African, but he had introduced them all as his brothers.

How had they become brothers? Were they brothers in arms, like Marcus and Aiden? Would they all fight for one another, like those two would?

“My brothers and I have spent a millennia fighting together.” Chase whispered to me as we danced that evening and the questions swirled in my brain. His men, his brothers, stood on the fringe watching as guards, not guests. Matthias was the only one acting as the guest.

“They are my brother-in-arms," He whispered low, pulling my chin up to look into his eyes, "I trust them with my life and your own, but I never want to hear you thinking of the wolf when I hold you in my arms again. You are mine now.”

“I don’t miss him,” I whispered, feeling the blush creep onto my face, “I’m so happy here, with you.”

“I can feel that,” He smiled cockily down at me, “It is why I am not angry. I am just stating the facts. I am yours, just as you are mine. Nothing can ever break our bond.”

“Chase, when you say millennia, what do you mean by that?”

“I mean what the the time frame means, my love.”

“But how?” My brow furrowed, “I mean, Bunic and Rosamond created the vampire. So, how have you and your brothers been around a millennia?”

“We were taught, by a priest, to believe that we were given unnatural longevity as a blessing, but in retrospect, I look back and believe that it was blood sacrifices.”

“What?” I paused to stare up at him in shock.

“Not by us, but by an angel,” He returned quickly, “He would, more or less, inject us with the blood.”

“My father’s books...” The journals he had written. Their throats were slit and he would inject the blood. It was why they were mindless guards that followed orders...

“You have been reading the-?” He began to ask but stopped as his eyes began to search the ballroom.

My instincts suddenly went on overdrive. I heard footsteps. There were lots of them outside. Too many to be passerbys. Then I felt it.

It was instant, Chase pushed me behind him, ready to defend.

As the noise finally registered to the others around us, they all stood and went into defense mode.

Tati, Bunic, Chase and Marcus all circled around me, while my mother shifted and looked up at me with saddened eyes.

I knew she couldn't feel my wolf, but there was more to it than that, as Chase spoke his orders to his men in a language I'd never heard before.

Chase

"I want everyone on their toes." I ordered in our native tongue, "No one touches my bound."

“Brother?” Matthias asked over my shoulder.

“I sense a demon.” My voice was dry. We hadn’t encountered a demon of this caliber in over a millennia.

“What do they want?” Clara asked me in the same tongue, rushing to Rosa's side.

"How-?!" Rosa began to ask Clara, but Clara's mind was blank and she didn't respond.

I already knew, from hearing the thoughts of the vampires outside. I knew Rosa, Nico and Vlad had to hear them too. Me. For some reason, they were told to obtain Rosa and kill me in front of her.

“Good fucking luck.” Nico mumbled low, “It took me one hundred years and 3 witches.”

I didn’t even have time to laugh at his quip before the windows were smashed in and we were descended upon by a militia of vampires dressed all in black.

“Rosa!” Nico shouted. His concern was evident, but she was already pulling the blade in her bodice from it’s sheath.

“I’m prepared.” She thought.

“Where-?!” Nico’s shock was evident, as she pulled another blade from her back.

Beautiful. I thought as I pulled mine and one assailant reached me. I rammed my sword into his heart and went for the next. He was dead. My blades guaranteed instant death to anyone who crossed them.

I rarely pulled my blades, due to their uniqueness, but this was a matter where I felt their need.

Rosa was in the midst of her fight and I could hear her animatedly in my mind. It wasn’t distracting, just a constant check that she was okay, and that was all I needed. I knew she could protect herself.

“How many do you sense, Chase?” Nico asked, fighting one off.

I looked around at the bloodshed, after ripping into another vampire.

“Based on what I see, 122 vampires,” I shrugged, “And one very strong demon, against your inner most trusted and their armed dates.”

“These vampires will be easy,” He grinned wildly, as he smashed one’s face in with his dress shoe, “They do not come into my home uninvited. Go find the demon.”

My eyes moved to Rosa, who was taking her father’s approach. She had both of her heels in her hands and I watched on as she jammed the pointy ends into the neck of one of her attackers and pulled them apart, opening his throat.

When she was sure that his head was dismantled from his body, she turned to look at me. Her stance was that of a fearless warrior, a glorious Goddess of the moon. It was only an instant, before she turned and caught one trying to come up behind her, with a heel to his eye.

“I’ll be fine!” She shouted, “Go!”

I could still feel it out there, watching this fight. It was calculating our moves.

“You have your blades! You are the only one who can track him!” Matthias shouted over the fray, “We need you, brother!”

I swore under my breath and moved to where Rosa fought the vampire missing one eye. She had just stabbed him with a steak knife. The woman was resourceful, I would give her that.

I grabbed her shoulder and swung her around, she must have known it was me, because she didn’t attack, but she looked at me questioningly. Then I kissed her. Right there, in the middle of the fray, I pulled her to me and brought our lips together in the the most beautiful kiss I had ever experienced. It was heightened from our bond, the blood and the adrenaline of the fight.

“Be careful.” She whispered when I pulled away.

“Always.” I gave her a sly grin and pushed away, “Be safe, my love.”

Never. She mouthed the word with a sinister grin.