Thirty-Six…

Thirty-Six: Declaration of War

This chapter is told from a few different POVs.

Warning: disturbing dialogue later in the chapter.

After months of iciness between the two clans, the night of decision arrived.

…but not in the way Vaclav expected.

He sat with his subordinates as each discussed what to do with the Shadows and Jakub.

 

“If I declare war right now, I’m afraid it’ll be for all the wrong reasons,” he said. “Before, war meant achieving the ultimate goal of controlling Shadowvale, but now it only means vengeance.” 

Abruptly, one of the Haas members burst through the doors.  

All glowing eyes were on him. He walked over to Vaclav.

“Sorry to interrupt, but it’s very important,” he began.

“Aubrey is missing again, and I’ve reason to believe the Shadows are behind it.”  

 Speechless, Vaclav gawked at him.

Then he stood. “Aubrey is missing?”

“Your son hasn’t been seen as well. Likely, he also has something to do with it. I think he’s helping the enemy,” the vampire said. 

Vaclav stood in silence, disbelieving every word the immortal had uttered.

From head to toe, a sickening sensation swept over him.

“I’m sorry,” the other vampire said.

Vaclav turned to regard his clan.

“Get the rogues ready to invade the Shadows’ lair. Ultimately, I want every Shadow dead, including Shawn. But if you find Jakub, leave him be. I will deal with him myself.”

Hours later, the Second-in-Command led a small army into the Shadows’ headquarters.

Several miles away, Aubrey tried finding a way out of her small prison. She ran her hands over the boulder that blocked the entry.

Pushing, shoving, pulling. She’d tried everything. She simply wasn’t strong enough.

Growing frustrated, she’d been at it for hours. It didn’t help that she was hungry.

She recoiled as the rock slid over.

Who was behind it?

A Shadow stood at the opening, a tray perched in one hand.

He was the same Shadow who’d once saved her from Jakub.

Excitement made her heart pound; but disappointment soon halted it.

He acted as though he didn’t know her, merely going into the room and placing the tray on a table.

“Don’t you remember me?” she mumbled.

“No.”

Oh, God… please! You have to remember me!

He started to leave.

“Please help me.”

He walked back to her.

“Yes I remember you,” he admitted. “But I can’t help you. Not this time.”

“You have to help me! They’re going to use me—for breeding.”

“Yeah, I know.” His eyes lowered for a second. “I’m sorry.”

“Why me? Why can’t they use someone else to breed with?”

“It’s all part of their plan to execute revenge against Vaclav,” he said. “That’s why they want to use you, because they know how devoted Vaclav is to you. They know how much it would hurt him. Also, female vampires can’t carry and birth children. They can get pregnant, but it always leads to disaster.”

“They planned to wait for your next fertile period; then the witch will make you drink something that will cause you to fall in love with Jakub. Once he’s finished, it takes a few hours for the spell to wear off. And once you’re pregnant, you’ll stay right here until the baby’s ready to be born.”

“What if the baby’s a girl?”

“I really don’t want to say…”

Aubrey wanted to vomit. Just the insinuation was nauseating, disgusting. The Shadows were a horrible, inhumane bunch of fuckers. How could she be related to such vile filth?

“Please help me get out of here,” she pleaded. “Please.”

“I’ll see what I can do.”

“Thank you. Really, I owe you so much…”

“Yeah. Um, I’ll have to come up with a plan, but I’ll get back to you,” he said.

“How long is it until your next fertile period?”

Aubrey’s face grew hot.

“I have about… ten to twenty more days.”

“Okay. Good. That gives us plenty of time to think.”

“I have to go. They’re probably already suspicious,” he said exiting the room.

“Thank you—again.”

He shoved the boulder back into place.

Meanwhile, Lucius and the rogues stormed the Shadows’ lair.

Vampiric troops forged a path to the leader’s quarters, fighting and killing any Shadow who got in their way.

Lucius stood behind and watched.

“You’re not getting into that room,” a Shadow growled.

The rogue merely hissed in reply; then clocked him in the stomach. The Shadow hunched over, groaning.

Another Shadow lunged forward.

A rogue tossed the Shadow over his shoulder, sending the enemy careening.

His head smashed into the wall, blood spattering.

The rogues arrived at the doors. One kicked it in.

Catching up, Lucius halted their progression as he peered inside the room.

He was shocked to discover a human in the room… and no sign of the leader.

She was Aubrey’s grandmother, the Holy Bible in her hands.

What the…

Lucius advanced, motioning for his troops to wait near the doors.

“Rebecca Cooper?” Lucius said.

Silence.

                                                               …

“Rebecca.”

She finally looked up, but her eyes weren’t truly seeing.

“Where’s Shawn?” he asked.

“And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.
And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead,” she recited a quote from Revelation.

“For shit’s sake, old lady! Where the fuck is Shawn?!”

“Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.
I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord.”

Lucius sighed.

“Focus, Rebecca. Focus,” he slowly enunciated. “Now, where is Shawn Taylor?”

She stared at him; then said, “And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand. Revelation 14:9.”

Lucius’ fangs pierced his tongue. The pain was better than dealing with Aubrey’s grandmother.

“The Apocalypse has come,” she droned. “The angels and arch-angels have descended upon us.”

Lucius stepped down, tuning out any further ramblings from Rebecca.

“Shawn has gone into hiding. We must track him down!”

“I want two of you to stay here. The rest, you come with me,” he said.

They headed out of the building.

Vaclav returned home to see his children.

Immediately, both crawled away from the butler and toward their father.

Kat excitedly rushed toward him; then squealed at his feet.

He scooped them both up.

“Da–dad,” Kat babbled.

“Mommy,” Reznik whined, breaking Vaclav’s heart.

Vaclav left the children and went upstairs.

He sat down on the altar; then leaned back.

Hopefully his plan would work.

He closed his eyes, cleared his mind and concentrated on the possible whereabouts of Aubrey.

He tried to induce psychic visions instead of waiting for them to come.

It seemed like an hour passed when he began to see.

It was a long tunnel, illuminated near the end. He willed his mind’s eye to go further.

He got closer…

There was a room littered with debris.

His beloved sat near a skeleton. Fear flickered in her eyes.

Thank God she’s still alive.

Struggling, Vaclav tried to see the exact location.  

…but someone blocked the pathway to his mind, his crimson eyes glaring.

Who was he?

Vaclav bolted upright, tortured thoughts resonating through his mind…

I’m going to lose her to a Shadow.

Candle lights twinkled and fizzled out.

                                                             ****

Thanks for reading! hehe. ♫  

Important message: I hate to say it, but soon I’ll probably go back to posting ONE chapter every week, instead of two. Like every Friday. It’s just too time-consuming to keep posting two chapters per week, and I’m also afraid I’ll get burned out on my story if I keep doing that. I do NOT want to get burned out on this story.  Also, the more readers I get, the more nervous I get about how good each chapter turns out… so if I only do one chapter a week, it gives me more time to edit and just do better on the story in general.  Also it’ll give me more time to come up with ideas.

This Monday and Friday I will post new chapters as usual, but then afterward I’ll only release a new chapter every Friday. I hope you all understand… at least this way I’m less likely to get burned out and Bloodlust won’t end.