Immortal Ch. 06

Gabriella jerked her wrist from Athos, growling at him as the door at the other end of the room closed and sealed them in. "You touch me again, you slimy degenerate and I will no hesitate to remove your head from your shoulders." Her voice was a growl, teeth bared like a wild dog as Athos simply smiled back at her.

"Try it, little vampire. Just try it once." He was taunting, his disgusting yellow eyes lighting up with glee as she growled again and backed away, knowing that Xander would destroy her if she hurt his favorite pet. All she could do was stay and wait.

Lost in her own world that she was still struggling to understand, Elizabeth didn't hear the call down the hall as a man's voice echoed off the stone walls. Hearing the door to her chamber open, she glanced up to stare at the man that darkened her doorway, her eyes drawn to the hard plains of his chest beneath his tunic. He was handsome, she thought to herself, startled as he began to laugh beneath his breath.

There was something about his laughter that set her on edge; her mind warring with bowing at his feet or spitting on the ground that he stood on. Either way, she found herself drawing to her feet, no matter how weak she was, and curling her lips back to bare her teeth.

"Such a pretty girl." He murmured, his dark voice practically rumbling the walls of her room. He stepped forward, his hands reaching for her, a smirk of playfulness crossing his face as she stepped away, backing herself into a corner. "It's a shame what they did, but I guess perhaps, this should not be viewed as such a bad thing."

"You know nothing," She calmed insisted, her voice a hiss through clenched teeth.

In an instant, her throat was being crushed beneath his ice cold hand, her head thrown back hard in the wall. "I know I could kill you in an instant." He hissed back to the dazed woman in his hands, her wide eyes staring at him with a mixture of disbelief and murder. "Your courage is absolutely charming. Too bad it could be broken so easily."

She was suddenly tossed aside like a rag doll, landing across the floor on her stomach before she scrambled to her feet and pressed against the opposite wall. "I'll never give you the satisfaction." Elizabeth had no idea where this tempest inside of her came from, the need to defend so intensely strong that it put her on edge, like a cat ready to jump on its prey.

"Your words are brave, but your heart trembles." Xander was thoroughly amused by this creature. Something was different about her; something that he couldn't quite explain. "Tell me, dear, why are you thought of in such a horrible light?"

"I killed a man." She said straightforward, her chin tipping upwards in a defiant gesture. "And I enjoyed it." The menace was clear and the laughter began a new from the ancient vampire.

"Of course you enjoyed it; you're a creature of the night. We all enjoy it and believe me, it won't be your last." He watched as the horror rose in her eyes, her skin turning even paler as she thought about it. "I knew it was an act. There's nothing better than a fresh kill, feeling their life beat from their bodies and into yours until the heart just stops."

Elizabeth licked at her suddenly dry lips, his voice hypnotic and intoxicating as he stalked towards her. He couldn't be right; she knew better than to kill again. It was the whole reason behind this mess they were in now and she couldn't do that to Lothie and Gabriella.

"I'm not like you." She whispered, her body pressing against the cool stone in and attempt to melt between the mortar and disappear.

"You're just like me." Xander whispered, his face inches from hers as his hand traced over a hip, feeling the way her breath came so fast that her body trembled. "How long can you last, little one? It's not so easy."

Elizabeth panicked, not wanting his hands upon her body; his mind within hers. She let out a choking sob, the words of a song coming to her lips; a prayer from her childhood. Closing her eyes, she imagined herself away, the song spilling over numb lips as she felt his cool breath upon her face.

It began as a buzzing in his mind, an errant bee stinging at his brain until he could think no further. He stared in confusion as the words of her song wrapped around his mind and squeezed until his head threatened to explode. He let out a loud growl, startling the girl before him as he pushed away like he was being burned.

Elizabeth stared in confusion, the song never stopping as she watched Xander twist and turn around, hands firmly attached to his head as he called for her to stop. She sang louder, her voice filling the room, the walls humming with power as he shrieked, clawing at his ears to make the torture stop. He stumbled from the room, throwing the door shut with a ferocity, his ears bleeding as he staggered down the hall, finally clear of the accursed noise.

Never in his long life had he ever met someone that could disarm him and bring him to his knees in such a way, but it seemed that this young vampire had a way. Xander was seething mad, the single thought in his mind that Lothian had created this girl to do away with him. He'd never let the Siren finish him off and he'd make her his to accomplish this task if that's what it took.

Gabriella was surprised at Xander's disheveled appearance when he reappeared, his eyes narrowed and hands shaking as he threw on his great coat once more. She couldn't help but notice the blood that began at his ear and traveled down his neck. "Is there anything else I can help you with, Xander?" She asked, watching as Athos slithered from the shadows like the snake that he was to stand beside his master.

Turning to glare at her with a dark glare, he merely hissed for a moment before he gathered himself enough to speak. "If she does not come around, it's your head I'll take."

"Come around?" Gabriella asked, truly confused at what he spoke of. "I don't understand..."

"You've created something unknown, Gabriella, and unless she submits there is no way in heaven nor hell that she will survive." Xander's voice was full of menace and Athos hissed to underline his master's threat.

Gabriella stared dumbfounded at the two, simply nodding in agreement as they turned to leave. She found herself glancing towards the hallway that led to her room, wondering just what Elizabeth had done to instill that fear in the most feared vampire that anyone had ever known. Her hands wrung the expensive velvet of her skirt, ruining the fabric as she clenched her fists tight, praying that Lothie was having better luck with the Immortals. Her hands seemed to act out of their own accord, crossing her body in the Catholic nature, murmuring a prayer for her everlasting soul. For the first time in her twilight, Gabriella truly believed that she'd need it.

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Lothie hurried down the hall behind the young servant that worked in the castle, his eyes trained on the faces of those he passed, knowing some were Immortals and some were merely human. It was hard to spot them, but for the tell tale mark upon their bodies, a mistake that he now knew was in his best interest to avoid.

Shown into the study, Lothie paused for just one moment when he saw his friend, unchanged from the last time even though it had been decades. He stood behind a great wooden table, staring at a book carefully placed upon a cloth. His coal black hair was closely cropped to his head; his aquiline nose and olive complexion belying his Roman heritage. He was young in appearance, but Lothie knew that although he didn't look a day over 30, he was almost as old as time itself.

"Good evening, Alexander." He said as the door closed behind him, leaving him alone to his fate.

"I am not happy with you in this moment, Lothian." Alexander's voice was brisk, his eyes never leaving the book before him as he carefully turned the page, treating it like the most precious object in the world.

"News travels fast, I see." He glanced around at all the books, the smell of leather rich and permeating the air. "Who told you?"

"Dmitri, just this morning." He finally lifted his gaze; his dark brown eyes showing the depths of his displeasure. "You have nothing to say for yourself?"

"I acted purely out of selfishness. I had to possess her, so I did. She was dying. I couldn't allow that."

Alexander simply shook his head at that, turning towards his bookcases, hands crossing behind his back as he slowly walked past the stacks, taking them in. "She was meant to die."

"It's not as if I've committed a sin." Lothie tried to defend himself and his decisions. "There's something about her that draws you in; the depth of her sadness is intoxicating. It's uncharted territory as there's never been a vampire that use to be an Immortal. We need help, Gabriella and I, in guiding her."

"You took one of our own from us, Lothian. That is a very serious transgression." Alexander said as he skimmed the titles of the books before him with a studious eye, plucking a thick leather tome from the shelf and sitting it carefully on a table. "I'm afraid we can offer you no assistance in the matter."

"Alexander, we're old friends. There has to be something you can do." Lothie tried to reason, met with a hard glare from the Immortal leader as he looked up from his book, his face showing anger as he let his intent be known.

"Lothian, it does not matter what we are. You have taken one from us and that's not something we can over look. Her path was set, from the beginning of time, intertwined with that of the other and now all of that will have to be changed. Do you know how hard that is? It's not like snapping your fingers and then it's done. It takes planning and cunning, something that we do not have time for, especially with the rumblings of war on the horizon."

Lothie's head was spinning, his anger stoked at the lack of help with his plight. He reached out and grabbed Alexander's sleeve with an iron grip, bringing the Immortal eye to eye with him as he growled. "I came all of this way and I will not leave without answers. Perhaps there is some charity within your heart to help an old friend."

"You did this with knowledge of what she was, Lothian Moray. You saw the mark upon her body and you still did it." Alexander's voice was low and menacing, a stark contract to the mousy, studious look that he had. Jerking his arm out of Lothie's grip, he picked up his book and started towards the door, pausing in the doorway before he turned to face the vampire. "We should kill you all for what you've done, but I will give you a chance. One slip up, Lothian, just one, and we'll be there to rid this Earth of you, her, and Gabriella. Keep yourself clean."

Lothie stood in the silence of the library, the weight of his guilt crushing him as he thought that the meeting couldn't have gone more wrong. He'd never meant to disturb the friendship that he enjoyed with the Immortals, but it seemed in his over zealousness to possess Elizabeth he'd completely overlooked it. Dragging a hand roughly through his hair, he felt like raging until the library was nothing but a pile of papers and splintered wood, but he knew that would accomplish nothing.

Throwing on his overcoat, he shoved his riding gloves back on as he stalked through the hallway, calling for his horse to be made ready. As soon as it was possible, he mounted the steed and sped across the countryside, the cold air of winter clearing his head, showing him the error of his ways and the path that his future would have to take. Old wounds would be soothed in time, it was the way of the world, but for the moment, they were alone.

When he made it to his manor house, he dismounted and threw the reigns to the stable boy, walking through the halls that seemed filled with an overbearing heaviness. He found Gabriella in the library, her face troubled as she tried to focus on the book in her lap. She glanced up as he stepped in, her hands gently closing the book as she thought about what to say.

"Xander was here." She whispered, giving him a simple look as he stopped, pulling the gloves from his hands as if it were nothing. "Lothie, he's not happy."

"I'd think not."

"The Immortals will help us with this, won't they?" She asked, holding out one last hope that they could work out this entire mess. "Lothie?"

He began pacing the room, his steps measured as Gabriella waited for his answer. He finally stopped, shaking his head with a sigh. "He wanted to kill us for what we did."

"They want to kill us?" Her voice bordered on hysteric, the answer unexpected and unwanted. "Lothie, what shall we do? Elizabeth is suffering."

Lothie moved across the room, kneeling next to his love and taking her chin in his hand. Rubbing his thumb across her cheek, he leaned in and placed a gentle kiss to her neck. "Gabby, we made this decision with full knowledge of what she was. We truly are to blame for all this." He rubbed his nose along her skin, taking in her sweet scent as his cold breath stirring the curls at the nape of her neck. "We can do nothing but rely on ourselves and hope to correct it all soon. I promise, my lovely Gabriella, that nothing bad will ever happen to you nor me."

"She scares him, Lothie." She breathed out, her head tipped back in a passion as he nuzzled against her, the motion stopping the instant that she uttered those words. When her eyes opened once more, his were staring into them, a simple question clear in them. Sighing her frustration she settled back in her chair and related the story as she knew it.

"I do not know what happened, Lothie, but when he returned, the fear was written on his face. Blood was pouring from an ear and he said that it would it be on our heads if she did not come around. She must submit to him."

Lothie swore that he saw red, his jaw tense as he sat back on his heels. Xander was going to try and lay claim to their Elizabeth, but why? In all the years that he'd known of the mythical vampire, there was never any talk of him taking a mate. Just his slimy second in command, Athos, and those that made up his coven.

"I know not what to make of this." He murmured as Gabby's cold fingertips pressed against his cheek, bringing him back to the present.

"Lothie, I believe Elizabeth has been punished enough."

"It's not a punishment, my love. She must learn control or else she'll be attacking the servants." He knew this wasn't true because he could feel the change in the air. Elizabeth had found her peace, extraordinarily quick for someone so young. It usually took others years to come to terms with the decision that they made, but in his mind, he could feel that she was calm.

"At least talk to her." Gabriella tried to reason, her motherly instinct taking over. "Please, Lothie? For me?"

Lothie raised his eyes and smirked, shaking his head as he cupped her cheek, pressing a harsh kiss to her lips. "How could I say no to you? You bewitch me, madam."

"Well, it did take some practice." She giggled as she said it, blushing as if she were but a girl. "Go and care for her. I'll be waiting for you to return."

"It best be in bed." He growled as he stood, claiming her lips one last time before he retreated from the library to take care of his ward.

Outside her room, he listened to the quiet; the thoughts that slowly crawled through her head as she tried to reason what had happened that evening. He hated to tell her that there was no rhyme nor reason to Xander and he feared it wouldn't be the last time that he tangled with her. He resolved then and there to not mention it until her mind was strong enough to take in the information; the same solution he'd come up with to approach the serious problem of the Immortals.

Pushing open the door, he let the soft candlelight flood the room, watching as Elizabeth shivered, tears pooling in her eyes as she watched a the flames of the fire dancing in the hearth. Stepping forward, he gently placed his hand on her shoulder, watching as she practically cowered away from him, her pale face turning from his to stare at the floor.

"This will all work out, Princess, I promise." He murmured, tracing a thumb along her jaw until he could tip her face towards his, staring deep into her blue eyes as if searching for the truth that he needed. "No one will harm you."

"How do you stand it?" She asked finally, her voice soft and almost unintelligible, childlike in it's pain and sorrow. "To see everything live around you? To feel the beat of a heart and know that you need its blood to survive?"

"You get use to it and before long you hardly notice everything around you. It fades into the background and your left to discover the beauty that this world has to offer."

"What kind of life is worth living if there is nothing there but yourself?" She asked, shaking with the enormity of what was in front of her.

"It's called eternity, Elizabeth, and it isn't easy." He was brutally honest as he lifted the girl in his arms, cradling her against his chest as he placed her upon a soft bed, drawing the covers around her. "I will never leave you, princess. No matter what anyone else says, I'll always be here for you to make that eternity just a little better."

"What did the others say?" She asked, tears burning her eyes as she stared into his, looking for answers. "I thought you said the Immortals would help..." It was then that she knew they were alone, the way a hard sadness took over his face, stealing the breath from her lungs. "They won't help, will they?"

Lothie shook his head, brushing his fingers over her cheek in a soothing motion, brushing the tears that escaped from her eyes. "I'm afraid not, but do not worry for all will be well."

As she stared up at her protector, Elizabeth felt a sense of comfort float through her weary body. She would never be accepted as a vampire, Xander had made that perfectly clear, and she could never go back to being an Immortal, they would kill her in an instant, but maybe she could live outside both worlds, taking comfort in the fact that she'd never be tied to anyone or anything except her creators. She'd always be in their debt for their protection and kindness and perhaps an eternity with them wouldn't be such a bad thing.

"Thank you, Lothie." She murmured as her eyes closed as she lost herself in dark dreams, sighing as she felt his cold hand against her forehead, stroking the hair from her fair skin in a fatherly gesture. It would be alright, she would survive, she would live as best she could ... no matter what.

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New York City, 2007

Always careful to stay within the shadows, she leaned against the brick wall, watching as the sun set amongst the skyscrapers of the city, the glass buildings turned fire red by the dying light before slowly fading to black. Just like the fire that she loved so much, she thought to herself as the air around her turned chilly.

She had come to love this city, no matter her original hesitations when they'd first arrived. There was so much possibility, so many people with dreams bigger than hers, and so many places to hide if the need arose. She could lose herself here and forget for a few single moments the decisions that she'd made that led her to be alone.

She could hear Lothie and Gabriella beginning to stir in their rooms and sighed as she knew that she had to get back to work before the crowds began to show. She was halfway through the second floor hallway when she heard someone knocking on the front door of the bar. With a frown wrinkling her face, she checked her watch, knowing that it was too early for customers.

"Newcomers," She murmured under her breath as she passed by a disheveled Lothie on her way to answer the door. "You'd scare the dead looking like that." She said over her shoulder to her dear friend, laughing as he merely grunted in reply.