Chapter 72 - Surprised by Three Mates

NO!” I growled. I pushed my arms out, releasing a stream of flames at her. She flicked her hands and dodged them like they were nothing.

I knew everyone would feel my brother's death.. mom most of all.

“Give me the dagger. And swear allegiance to me.” She said.

“Fuck you, you old, crusty b*tch,” I growled. Tears ran down my face but I wiped them away as fast as they came. I glanced at Viktor. His eyes opened and staring right at me. My baby brother..

“That’s not very nice.. I’m your great-grandmother, you know.” She smirked evilly at me.

“You’re sh*t,” I growled. Before I could lunge at her, snarls filled the room and several wolves and Lycans were standing around me. She was cloaking them

The doors burst open and mom walked in.

“My, my.. look who it is..” Catherine sneered.

I waved my hands and set fire to half of the Lycans and wolves around me.

“What the hell did you do, Catherine?” Mom looked down and saw Viktor’s head laying on the floor.

“It’s well deserved,” Catherine replied without an ounce of remorse In her voice.

“How could you? He was only a child!” I growled.

“You can have him back if you give me the dagger.” She said.

“No,” I growled.

I summoned two daggers, throwing them toward her but she blocked them with her magic.

Mom raised her hands up, pushing them outward and tossing Catherine into the wall.

Catherine stood up and frowned.

“You didn’t learn your lesson, little Josie.. did you? You’re weak. Without your coven you’re nothing.” Catherine snapped. Josie? That’s mom..

“Maybe you should give me the amulet. Then we could be equals.” Mom said. Soon enough, mom's face contorted, and it was revealed that Josephine had pretended to be mom.

“Equals? You do realize I’ve been working with black magic for many years? We will never be equals.” Catherine sneered.

“You really think that just because you use black magic.. that you’re so powerful?” Josephine laughed.

“I don’t think it. I know it.” Catherine raised her hands, and all the wolves and Lycans rushed toward Josephine. I lunged at Catherine but before I could reach her, she raised her hands and held me there. I was unable to move, speak, or even breathe.

“Let her go.” Mom's powerful presence filled the room. She gripped Catherine with her magic, flinging her across the room and slamming her into the wall. I dropped to the floor, choking in air.

Mom glanced at the floor in front of me.. seeing Viktor’s dismembered head on the floor. I could feel her pain as she growled so loud, I swear the walls shook.

Before mom could attack again, Catherine disappeared, then reappeared on the other side of the room. I threw fireballs everywhere she teleported, missing each time except the last throw.

“April I need help!” Josephine shouted, a Lycan was on top of her, snapping its teeth in her face. I used my magic and lifted the Lycan off of her, clasping my hand, and heard whining. I was crushing it.

I wrapped my arms around one of the other wolves, using my powers and incinerating it before it could even think to attack. I reached for Josephine when a wolf bit my arm, shaking its head violently..

I took this moment to turn my body to fire, completely burning the wolf's mouth and it let go. Before he could do anything else, I summoned a hellfire whip, wrapping it around the wolf's throat and pulling hard, effectively removing its head.

Josephine continued fighting the last wolf as I turned to look for mom.

“You killed my son!” Mom roared.

“And you killed my mate,” Catherine growled angrily. She lifted mom off the ground, throwing her around. Mom let fire roll from her hands, and it grazed Catherine’s face.

Catherine dropped mom, and I realized Josephine had the fake dagger in her hands. I ran up to her and grabbed it, turning myself into fire and lunging at Catherine but before I could reach her, she held me mid-air, pulling the dagger from my grasp with her magic, then dropped me back on the ground. My fire quickly died down and I looked at Catherine with such hatred on my face.

“Ahh, there it is.” Catherine smiled. My heart raced frantically, hoping she wouldn’t be able to tell the difference in the dagger.

“Was that really so hard?” Catherine asked. She walked toward us, using her power to hold us where we are. I knew mom could fight it, but she wasn’t trying. She wanted Catherine to use it.

“Stay away from her!” I growled.

“Shut up and respect your elders.” Catherine snapped. My mouth shut in an instant. I tried to open it, yet it wouldn’t budge.

“Respect is earned. Not given.” Mom growled. She stood up and lunged at Catherine, but the second she got close enough.. Catherine buried the dagger in moms heart.

Catherine’s smile quickly faded when she realized it wasn’t working.

“What is this?” Catherine growled. She pulled the dagger out of moms chest and examined it closely. Mom fell on the floor, bleeding everywhere and breathing shallowly.

“A fake?” Catherine asked. She was clearly shocked that she hadn’t even noticed.

snapping her neck in an instant. I knew it would be seconds before mom would wake up.

I raised my hands, summoning two hellfire swords and lunging toward Catherine. I swung hard, but she disappeared right before my swords could make contact with her.

“Bring back my Viktor. Swear allegiance, and give me the real dagger.” Catherine said.

“NO!” I growled. I jumped at her again, swinging the swords, and sliced right into her stomach.

She looked up at me with a smirk.

“You idiotic girl.” She shoved her hand into my chest, I felt her fingers wrap around my heart.

“I’m going to kill you. But just know that when you come back, they’ll all be dead.” She said.

I grabbed the vial out of my pocket, pulled it out, and smashed it in my hands. The glass cut into my hands but I didn’t care.. I closed my eyes and screamed in such anger. This will end. And I will make sure of it.

It felt like a tornado was in the room, lighting strikes could be heard loudly outside. And when I opened my eyes, I knew.. I did it.

“V-Viktor?” Catherine stopped dead in her tracks, staring at the man beside us.

“My love.. what have you done?” He replied.

“I-I..” Catherine stammered.

“Let her down,” Viktor growled. Catherine released my heart, pulling her hand from my chest and I dropped to the ground in pain. I clutched my chest and began to heal it.

Please.. I hope none of this has hurt my pup.

“How could you do this?” Viktor asked. He looked at her with such hatred..

“I.. she killed you! I had to get you back.. I had to punish them for what she did.” Catherine said.

“You were supposed to be dead, Catherine. This is why I begged you not to play in the black magic. And she didn’t do anything! I did! I told Genevieve to take my life.. to do it so that she could live.” He said. She reached for him but he pulled away.

“Viktor.. it’s me.. you’re mate.” Catherine’s eyes filled with tears.

“You are not my Catherine. And you are not my mate.” He growled. In one swift motion and stabbed her in the heart. I realized he had the dagger.. I reached down into my boot but the real dagger was no longer there.

Catherine’s skin turned grey as she stared at Viktor. She couldn’t get a word out..

“You need to hurry.” He said to me. I stood up, taking a deep breath. I ripped the amulet from her neck and looked at her.

“You didn’t win,” I said softly as I grazed her cheek with my finger and incinerated her on contact.

I fell to the floor, gripping my heart which was still searing with pain. My great-grandfather leaned down, handing me the dagger and giving me a soft smile.

“I’m sorry for all the pain she has caused you.” He said. I gave him a soft smile.

“Thank you for helping.. it was.. my last resort,” I said.

“I’m glad you had faith in me.” He said.

He stood up, mom looking at him in shock with tears in her eyes. She ran over to him, wrapping her arms around h and holding him tightly. He followed and did the same.

“Goddess, I’ve missed you so much!” She cried. My eyes couldn’t help but wander to my l baby brother.. lying cold and dead on the floor. I stood up, I had to bring him back.. I have to..

I walked over to his head, sobs falling out of my mouth when I picked it up. I felt hands rest on my shoulder.. then the door opened.

“The door was sealed, we couldn’t get in..” Alexei’s voice stopped when he saw what was going on.

“Oh, my gods.. April..” he dropped to his knees.

“Some-one br-bring me his b-body..” I sobbed. I heard feet scuffling on the floor, I couldn’t take my eyes off of my little brothers.

“I could’ve done better..” I cried. Mom kneeled down beside me sobbing hard.

“Everyone felt it.. they stopped fighting because of it..” mom cried. Klaus and Alastair laid my brother's body in front of me.. and I placed his head back where it belongs.

“How could she be so cruel?” I cried.

“It was the book.. the black magic takes over the person completely. That was not the Catherine I once knew.” Viktor said. I placed my hands on my little brother's chest and closed my eyes.

Please.. please come back..

lighting sounded around the outside of the castle. So loud, my ears felt like they might explode at any second.

Then.. then I heard a heartbeat.

My mom gasped, and I opened my eyes. Viktor’s head had completely reattached to his body, his color now back to normal.

He shot up, screaming as loud as he could. He reached up and felt his head, his heart beating frantically in his chest.

“I.. I was..” he began to cry.

“You’re okay now..” mom sobbed. I wrapped my arms around him so tight.. then mom wrapped hers around us both.

“I’m sorry! I should’ve listened..” he said.

“It’s okay.. you’re okay.. it’s over.” I said.

“I love you. I’m sorry. I just wanted to help.” He cried.

“I love you too.. baby brother.”