Chapter 52
Seraphina bolted upright in bed startling Achilles awake. He turned to face Seraphina and froze as he took in her appearance.
The blue and purple eyes he adored had turned a terrifying silver and her dhampir markings as well as her familiar marking were all glowing a bright white. Even from a distance, he could feel the heat radiating from them.
“Seraphina, what’s wrong?” his voice laced with panic.
She turned slowly to face him, her head slightly titled. The sight sent a shiver across his body.
“De-Buccleuch, I’m going to kill them all,” she spoke in barely a whisper, her voice sounded hollow as her gaze bore into Achilles.
He fought to supress a shudder as goose bumps prickled his skin.
Achilles gulped as he tried to summon his voice.
“Why?” he croaked out.
“They killed my parents. They are the reason I was enslaved.” Her voice sounded so unattached and not like her own. She stood from the bed and unlaced her dress letting it fall to the floor.
Her hands began to shift and long claws extended from her fingers as she sauntered to the door without another look at Achilles.
She stepped out into the hallway, dragging her claws along the walls of the corridor until she reached a door.
With a slight flick of her wrist, the door flew off of its hinges and went soaring through the room before crashing into the wall. Aurelia shot up out of bed, shifting mid-air. She landed in a crouch with a low growl before she recognised the intruder.
Her wolf let out a little whimper as she could feel the rage radiating from Seraphina in engulfing waves.
“Today the blood of the De-Buccleuch’s will colour the streets. They will pay for their crimes with their lives.” Seraphina voice echoed through the room.
Aurelia’s wolf straightened up and she let out a low growl as she followed Seraphina out of the room.
She had expected Seraphina to shift but, she remained in her Dhampir form. Well mostly, a tail had sprouted from the base of her spine and her hands were shifted into claws.
This wasn’t surprising though, Seraphina had partially shifted before, it was one of her many abilities.
No, what was surprising was Seraphina’s silver eyes and glowing markings along with the aura of death and pain she exuded.
Aurelia feared that all of Seraphina’s loss and suffering had truly hardened her heart and turned her into something else entirely.
She blindly followed Seraphina out of the Manor and into the streets. Her words playing over and over in her head ‘the blood of the De-Buccleuch’s will colour the streets.’ Aurelia repressed a shiver.
Seraphina didn’t speak another word as they walked through the empty streets. Aurelia couldn’t help but wonder how Seraphina knew where the De-Buccleuch manor was. Seraphina not only knew where is was but, she was also taking short cuts that Aurelia had never seen before.
The fury radiating from Seraphina was smothering, Aurelia nudged her head against Seraphina’s leg in a bid to encourage her to talk.
Seraphina turned her burning gaze down to Aurelia’s wolf, slightly startled.
Her eyes turned back to the road, “I had a vision.”
Aurelia let out a low growl for her to continue.
“It was a vision of the past. I saw Lord Stevano and Lord Isiah discussing the assassination of my parents and my attempted assassination. Lord Stevano promised a seat on the royal council to Lord Isiah if he orchestrated the murders.”
Aurelia’s growl turned to a furious snarl as spit flew from her muzzle, her teeth bared and ready to tear out the throats of anyone who may cross their path.
They rounded a corner and the De-Buccleuch manor came into view in all its grandeur.
The wrought iron gates were shut and locked, blocking their entrance.
Taking in a deep breath, Seraphina opened her mouth wide, revealing pointed teeth, as she let out a ground shaking roar. Her purple flames expelled from her mouth directed at the gates. They burned a bright red under the heat of her fire until they stared to melt away, singeing everything the molten iron touched.
Seraphina walked straight through, unphased by the searing heat that licked to soles of her feet.
Crouching back, Aurelia sprung forward over the charred grounds and back to Seraphina side as they stalked up to the manor.
Roars filled the sky followed by Seraphina’s brilliant purple flames, she made no effort to conceal their presence. She wanted the Lord to be aware of her arrival, she wanted to smell his fear as she descended upon him.
As they reached the steps leading up to the manor, Seraphina came to a sudden halt, she turned to face Aurelia.
“When we get in there, no one innocent dies. If they attack you, defend yourself by all means. But, anyone wearing a serpent marking will die.”
Seraphina outstretched her palm towards the grand double doors, a white glow emanated from her fingertips and the doors burst open raining shards and splinters over them.
The shrapnel seemed to bounce away in thin air, Aurelia looked up and saw Seraphina had an arm stretched up and another to her side holding a protective barrier around them.
Footsteps sounded in the distance, followed by the clanging of metal. Seraphina stood in the entrance hall of the manor as they awaited the soldiers.
A small army of around 30 came to a halt in front of them, spears and swords in hand, ready to battle.
“I warn you, if you attack, you will all lose your lives. I will give you one opportunity to leave now, if you stay, I will burn you where you stand.”
The men shared worried glances, a few of the younger soldier dropped their weapons and ran out of the manor.
Seraphina arched an eyebrow, “Last chance, leave or die.”
The remaining men rolled their shoulders and steadied their stances as they glared down at the half-shifted Seraphina and Aurelia’s wolf.
Aurelia and Seraphina exchanged a glance, Seraphina shrugged and drew in a deep breath as Aurelia crouched down, ready to lunge. Seraphina let out her breath, engulfing the men in her hot flame.
Their screams only lasted a few seconds before they dropped, one by one.
As the final solider fell to the floor, nearing footsteps echoed through the halls, Seraphina looked at Aurelia with a sigh.
“Sorry about that, I’ll let you have some fun this time.”
Aurelia let out a happy growl as she brushed up against Seraphina’s leg. It had been a while since she had been to battle, she welcomed the rush of adrenaline at the thought of killing mercilessly.
The second line of defence rounded the corner and came to a halt as they looked at the carnage surrounding them. Charred and bodies and melted weapons scattered through the hall whilst, Seraphina and Aurelia looked only bored, if anything, as they stood in the middle of it all.
This time, Seraphina didn’t even need to offer a warning, of the group of 30, 10 dropped their weapons and immediately fled, not wanting to receive the same fate as their comrades before them.
Seraphina gave a nod to Aurelia who lunged forward, straight for the neck of the first man. She jerked her head to the side and the satisfying sound of bone snapping rang through the air and the soldier fell to the ground. Aurelia wasted no time, she used the dead mans falling body to push herself back into the air, landing with her jaws on the throat of another solider. This time, she ripped his throat out and tossed it to the side as his lifeless body dropped.
The remaining soldiers didn’t seem to know whether to attack Aurelia or to advance on Seraphina who was stood watching, her naked form basking in the sunrise.
Aurelia was making quick work of the soldiers, random limbs and organs were strewn about the hallway, the scent of blood overpowered the charred smell of the flesh from the first barrage of men.
A group of 3 decided to advance on Seraphina, she looked up at them, a sinister smile appearing on her lips to reveale a mouth full of razor-sharp teeth. Her tail whipped out from behind her to wrap around the neck of one of the men, she tightened her grip and tossed him up into the air before releasing him, the familiar sound of bones snapping rang out as his body fell to the floor next to her.
Her hot gaze turned to the other 2 stood before her, their eyes widened in horror. Seraphina pulled her arms from behind her back revealing her pointed claws. The men tried started to back away in an attempt to retreat but, Aurelia’s snarls from behind them caused them to freeze up, they didn’t know who to be more frightened of.
They shivered as they felt Aurelia’s warm breath blowing against the back of their necks.
Seraphina extended an arm and thrust upwards, her claw going through one of the soldier’s chins and out the top of his skull. She held him hovering above the ground for a brief moment before she retracted her arms letting him drop.
Bringing her claw to her mouth, her tongue darted out and licked the blood that had coated her talons, moaning gently as she savoured the taste.
The remaining solider felt a body press against his back, his body stiffened.
“Should’ve left when you had the chance,” Aurelia whispered into his ear. A bead of sweat ran down the soldier’s face as Aurelia sank her fangs into his neck, taking a long drink.
“Your fear tastes exquisite,” she whispered against his neck as she pulled her mouth away.
The soldier’s shoulders slumped slightly, that is until, he felt the cold touch of a blade against his throat. Aurelia dragged the blade across his skin and the man fell to the ground, quietly gurgling as life left him.
Aurelia looked over to Seraphina, a wide grin breaking out on her face. “That was fun.”