Twenty-Two…

Twenty-Two: Righteous & Wicked

First, this will be told from Vaclav’s POV; then Aubrey’s POV. Contains violence and language.

Vaclav’s mind worked overtime for over six weeks, wondering where Aubrey was. What happened? Jakub said the last he saw her, she followed a wolf outside the property. It was as though she’d been hypnotized, Jakub had said.

Vaclav also looked for her. He just knew the Shadows had something to do with it, yet no trail led to the rival clan.

Could it be an inside job?

He stood pondering in the piano room when a sharp pain shot through his skull.

Vaclav dropped to his knees… it was the same thing that happened whenever Aubrey was having sex with Shawn, whenever Aubrey gave birth to her son, whenever Aubrey was in any great pain (or pleasure)… her pain became Vaclav’s, and Vaclav could see everything happening to her; if only for a few moments.

Those visions were not something he could control.

John Lansing crouched over Aubrey, his fingers like talons as they reached for her.

“I believe I know where Aubrey is,” Vaclav told Shawn. “Are you coming?”

“Where is she?”

“I don’t have time for this shit. Are you coming or not?”

“No I’m not. Just go,” he shot back. “Go save your fuck buddy.”

“You’re lucky Aubrey loves you. If she didn’t, I would’ve killed you a long time ago.”

“I wish you would have. I’d be dead right now if you hadn’t had one of your underlings bring me back. Or did you already forget about that?”

“I have to go… but this isn’t over,” he warned.

“So fuckin’ kill me, Vaclav! I want to die!” Shawn yelled.

“Be careful what you wish for,” Vaclav muttered walking away.

“Jakub!” he called.

“I know where Aubrey is. John Lansing has her,” he said. “Are you coming?”

“Can’t you see I’m a little busy, Dad?” he replied.

Fucking unbelievable.

Vaclav spun around and left the house.

Shoving thoughts of Shawn and Jakub’s petulance from his mind, he focused solely on what he was prepared to do to John Lansing…

It was not going to be pretty.

Moments later, he arrived at John’s house.

John hovered above Aubrey like a predator over his prey.

The scene lit a fire of fury inside Vaclav.

John turned around. Aubrey’s blood marred his lips. “Of all the luck, Vaclav. You and Shawn get to taste this every night,” John said.

Vaclav headed toward him. That fiery rage grew to an inferno.

Vaclav’s fist shot forward…

propelling John across the room. Unfazed, he laughed and mocked Vaclav, looking like a sadistic clown.

He smacked against the wall and slid to the floor.

Not yet finished, Vaclav sprinted over and kicked him.

John didn’t move, but Vaclav knew he wasn’t dead.

Regardless, there were other pressing matters.

He knelt over Aubrey.

God, please let her be alright. It’d been over a century since he prayed; since his small daughter became infected with TB and slept at death’s door.

He felt her neck for a pulse… a pulse that no longer existed.

“Oh, fuck no,” he moaned in disbelief.

One hand cradled her face.

Don’t panic, he told himself. But what about the baby? What about the baby?! How much time did she have?!

His hands moved to her chest, where he began CPR.

If only his lungs could take in oxygen, he could breathe into her mouth. But Vaclav hadn’t efficiently used his lungs in centuries.

He continued the chest compressions, tears flooding his eyes; another thing he hadn’t done since his daughter died: cry.

“Damnit, Aubrey! Come on!”

It’s all my fault… all my fault. I never should’ve lured you here to Shadowvale.

Gasping for air, she bolted upright.

His arms tightly enclosed her. Relief flooded his entire body, his mind praising God.

“Blood,” she rasped.

“What?” he asked.

“I need… blood.”

He darted to the kitchen and threw open the refrigerator.

John’s stash of blood packets.

Holding a mouthful of blood, Vaclav returned to find Aubrey lying supine again.

Bending over, he opened his lips over hers. Blood slowly trickled into her mouth.

*Aubrey’s point of view*

A rush of warm blood entered her mouth. It smoothed down to her stomach, filling her with sudden vitality.

She awakened with Vaclav’s lips over hers, like a dark Prince Charming.

She rose.

“Is she moving?” Vaclav worriedly asked. “Is the baby okay?”

“Yes,” she answered falling into his arms. As if the blood rejuvenated the fetus as well, she squirmed and kicked.

“Thank God,” Vaclav cried. “I thought I’d lost you both.”

He lifted her up and cradled her to and fro.

“I love you so much,” he told her.

His words sent chills up her spine, as a cluster of butterflies danced in her stomach. The baby joined their flittering movements.

John gradually stood in the corner.

Levitating, he glided over to Aubrey and Vaclav.

A twisted, sardonic smile etched his face, the blood making him look even more macabre.

“I must admit, your chivalry is impressive,” he mocked. “Care to fight to the death now? It’s time for you to defend the heroine’s honor.” He laughed.

In one swift motion, Vaclav leapt forward while pulling a knife from his jeans. He swung the blade.

“Oh… my…”

John’s headless body slumped to the floor, the head rolling next to it.  Aubrey quickly looked away.

“You were saying?” Vaclav muttered at the corpse.

He returned to Aubrey.

“So… Shawn decided not to come with you?” she asked. What she really wanted to ask was why he hadn’t come.

“Shawn… was busy. I’m sorry.”

His hand slipped beneath hers.

Even though she told herself how much she hated Shawn, it didn’t make his nonchalance any less painful. Didn’t she mean anything to him?

As for Vaclav, he saved her life; and the life of her baby. She held an entirely new respect for him.

The sun rose, leaving the couple trapped in John’s home.

“Come on,” Aubrey prodded. “I want to show you what’s down here.”

Vaclav followed her to the basement, and then to the nightclub beyond. Meanwhile, Aubrey told Vaclav about the rogue she’d befriended.

“This is where several of the rogues are kept,” he said motioning at the door. “Whenever there’s war, the rogues are herded into here and trained to fight like soldiers. This must be where John found Lars.”

“That’s why there’s a huge door with a secretive trigger separating this area from the nightclub,” he continued. “To keep out the Shadow Clan.” He paused and then said: “as to why John built an underground tunnel leading here, I don’t know.”

“Regardless, I’m not going back to that house. I won’t sleep in the same place John did, or sleep near a headless body. I’m scared shitless.”

“I can’t blame you for that,” he muttered looking at the room. “I’ll find us somewhere to sleep.”

He dragged out a huge coffin.

“I’m not sleeping in that.”

“There’s only three choices,” he muttered getting in. “This, the floor, or John’s bed.”

“It’s really not so bad,” he said. “In fact, it’s very comfortable.”

“Come on, Aubrey. Don’t be afraid… and don’t be shy. I won’t bite.”

Was there a seductive undertone to his statement?

She stared down at him.

Reluctantly, she climbed in.

He nestled close, softly kissing her shoulder.

He draped his arm around her as they drifted to sleep.

I love you too, she thought.

*

Thanks for reading!! ♥ Chapter 23 coming this Monday!