Taming an Immortal Ch. 10

Hey everyone, what! Not a single comment on the last chapter? Tsk. How is a writer to be motivated *sobs*

And thus, this chapter will be shorter!

No, just kidding. I'm just wrapping up this scene. Next chapter is already at MS Word page 22. So Enjoy!

***

"My Lord, there are too many of them." This came from Eulalie; the wolf coming to an abrupt halt as her ears twitched.

"Then we take down as many as we can," he said before turning to the soldiers behind him. "Do not hesitate to kill - but make it a swift one when you do." He did not care for their deaths. Such lowly creatures do not deserve a second more of his time nor his blade.

Reigning in Alduin, he pressed on.

"Archers!" The command was blasted into the minds of his Noble soldiers; each marksman pulling back their arrow. "Now."

His archers were trained to shoot even at a blind range and their training proved useful. The hyenas would not even know what hit them until they advanced much further, closing the hundred feet gap. All he needed was to draw as many hyena soldiers away from the city walls until reinforcements arrived. But till then...

"Be on your guard."

The swarm of hyena Changelings, aware of the small squad of enemies in their rear, broke away from the main congregation; charging at them with uniformed spears, swords and axes.

Etienne's first thought was how organised they were to have matching artillery; their attack patterns almost coordinated and yet their leader was nowhere in sight. But as they neared, he could scent something strange in them -almost as though they were undead; the stink of rotting flesh so subtle underneath their skin.

What were these hybrids and could they be killed?

Even as he swept through the flood of enemies, he kept that thought in mind as his seven branched sword continued to be laced with the filthy blood of the hyenas - their cries silenced with every blow he delivered.

But it was not enough.

For every one hyena he managed to slay, at least two of his Nobles and the wolf Changelings were wounded; some, even killed with every small advance they made towards the castle. It was not possible to fight them all.

As he warded off an oncoming hyena soldier, Etienne was about to charge forward when the slight scent of impending death caught his attention. His eyes swirled wildly trying to find the source.

"Princess!"

Her face was smug as she struck down her enemy with her sword; not a drop of blood tainting her flawless features. But her arrogance was short lived -an arrow, slicing through the air, caught her mid-chuckle as it imbedded itself deep in her back, forcing the wolf to her knees.

"Out... of... my... way!" he roared, each word punctuated by a slash of his sword as he swam across the bodies of attacking hyenas towards Eulalie. There was no way she was going to die on his watch.

Without hesitation, Etienne drew his other sword from its sheath on his back even as he reached forward to pull the offending arrow from her back.

"Don't you dare die on me Princess - or I will kill you myself," he snarled, bringing Masamune down on her.

"Your sword... my Lord..." she whispered; eyes fixated on the glowing metal.

Masamune?

Looking around, he roared an order for his soldiers to close ranks. He didn't know how, but he knew it was the right thing to do.

As the Nobles and the wolf Changelings retreated, they formed a close circle around their Lord and Princess, still keeping within formation with their weapons facing out.

Holding Masamune with both hands at the hilt, he thrust the sword into the earth, feeling the warm blue of its glow radiating along his arms and then outwards in circles. Etienne could feel a large expanse of his Vampiric powers sucked out from within as Masamune pulsed rhythmically in his hands.

"A barrier..." whispered Eulalie; one hand twisted backwards to channel her own healing powers to her wound.

The bubble of blue would not hold them in for long - but enough to allow the injured to heal. The sacred power imbibed in the sword seemed to be keeping the hyenas at bay, which was admittedly what they needed.

However, from the corner of his eyes, Etienne caught sight of the fallen hyena Changelings that he had slain just minutes ago, getting back on their feet.

Impossible!

And yet, they were stumbling back towards the castle, almost as though they were called by some puppet master.

Etienne's effort at buying time was merely causing the hyenas to return their attention to their original task. From where he stood, he could see that the first row of the hyena infantry had managed to break into the walls of Seurri; the once formidable castle walls crumbling at the impact of the massive boulders flung at its side. As the city archers were slaughtered one by one, ropes were thrown over, signalling the start of the invasion.

Etienne allowed himself just one moment to close his eyes; his nose searching beyond the city walls for the human casualties - 5000 living.

But not one will survive by sunrise.

Rose...

Etienne had to reach the castle walls by nightfall... or else, all was lost. He only hoped that his Purebloods would fly down in time before everything was destroyed.

***

The sun was setting and even as the human soldiers scrambled to get torches, the red wolf Changelings still continued fighting; their sense of smell and sight alone guiding them in the growing darkness.

Rose was starting to feel the strain of battle - the taking of lives so unnatural to her that it stole a part of her essence, draining her more than the physical strain of fighting.

The hyenas had burst through the sewerage tunnels as anticipated but their numbers were beyond their estimation. If not for Merkel, Rose was sure that she would have been dead at least on five occasions.

He was a very good leader and despite the young, inexperienced core of soldiers under his wing, all of them were still alive and currently, taking refuge in a closed off segment of the sewage tunnels.

Merkel had assured them that the pungent smell would mask their human scent long enough for him to come up with an escape plan.

That however, didn't take too long.

"My Lord!"

Rose ducked behind some of the men, hoping she wouldn't be singled out. What was Lord Adam doing here?

"Where is she?" he demanded. Rose retreated further into the shadows behind her comrades.

"My apologies my Lord, but I do not understand." Merkel stepped in front of his soldiers, almost protecting them.

From the view she could see of the scene before them, Rose understood how the human Lord had found her.

"Find her Miria."

There was no point hiding now. Pushing gently past the men, she finally came to the fore, bowing low before Lord Adam.

"Rose, you displease me."

"My Lady! What... why are you dressed like this?" gasped Miria, tugging her close to inspect her for wounds.

Rose dared a sideward glance towards Merkel and gulped when she saw the anger in his eyes.

"I beg forgiveness my Lord," she whispered. "But it was the only way I could protect you and your people."

"By lying?" interrupted the red wolf Changeling. "You could have gotten yourself and all of us killed - my Lady."

"I can hold my own sword." Stubborn chin held up to stare back at him. "What good would that be if I am trapped beneath the castle, hiding in fear!"

"Enough. What matters is that you are safe. Miria, as discussed. Leave now."

Leave? No one was leaving Seurri alive. Not with the sheer number of hyenas storming through their walls as they speak!

Rose caught Lord Adam's blue eyes searching hers before he looked away; the unspoken truth hanging in silence between them.

"We either stay and fight or we die fleeing, "she insisted, looking at Lord Adam solemnly. "You know I'm right."

Even as she stubbornly stared at the aged king, Rose knew she was wasting time. The sewers have to be blown up to shut further access into the city.

"I'm sorry to spoil this reunion but we must go now," said Merkel, lifting Rose up and flinging her over his shoulder. "You, princess are worth so much trouble."

"Let me down!" hissed Rose, banging her fists helplessly on Merkel's broad back. "Miria!"

The Pureblood however was staring at Merkel in what looked like pure fascination. Instead of paying heed to Rose's low cries, she focused her attention on helping the young soldiers down the sewers, away from the prying eyes and scent of the hyenas.

Merkel's ears had perked up suddenly; his neck craning backwards as he spotted the shadows of their enemies just round the bend.

"I can hold them off for only a few seconds at a time," whispered Miria turning to Merkel then to Lord Adam. "Get as far down this path as you can. I will join you once I can."

Knee deep in the water, Miria brought her hands upwards; pushing the water to form a barrier of sorts between the oncoming hyenas and the escaping humans. That wasn't going to hold them back for long.

"Merkel, you can run faster if you let me down!" demanded Rose, wincing as her stomach bounced off his shoulder. "It would be better to carry Lord Adam instead."

For some reason, the red wolf found that extremely amusing for he ground her stomach down harder against his shoulder armour, causing her to let out a strong hiss. Then, to her amazement, he ran slightly forward and scooped up the human king onto his other shoulder.

Rose narrowed her eyes at Lord Adam even as they were both manhandled by the burly wolf as he ran in the darkness, ahead of the others.

"Rose...you must leave before Ealdwin catches a whiff of your presence," said Lord Adam, his sentence breaking up with each bounce.

"Ealdwin? Why would he..." Rose wasn't leaving. Just what in the world was going on?

Bait. She was bait for...

Etienne.

But before she could protest, they heard Miria's shouts from behind as she caught up with them.

"Run, run, run!" she ordered, grabbing one of the torches from a soldier and tossing it behind her.

BOOM!

A wave of smelly water came crashing over them; the strong current pushing them forward down the tunnel. Rose barely had time to turn around when she saw the flames and the stone walls crashing down behind them. From the look of it, they might be caved in if they don't escape now!

"Let me go!" she screamed, thumping her fists uselessly on Merkel.

The red wolf only snarled at her before tossing her aside -oh thank god -only to be caught by Miria who immediately clutched her onto her back.

"Trust me my Lady. I can run faster than you," she retorted even before Rose could argue otherwise.

Keeping her lips shut, Rose resigned her fate to the Vampire. Whatever it was, staying alive for as long as possible for the priority. Etienne would come for her. He always would.

***

They made it to the surface by crawling up an unused waste chute at the far end of the castle. Rose almost cried with joy at the smell of fresh air. She didn't even want to think about how she smelled right now.

"The hyenas have taken over the northern wall," said Miria, looking up into the horizon. "The soldiers will not hold them for long."

"Then we must head to the dungeons quickly!" ordered Lord Adam. "At least there is a chance of escape to the mountains..."

Rose knew he was trying to be positive for the young soldiers but she had seen the truth. There is no escape. But if she could barter for their survival - even at the cost of her life, then she would do so.

"My Lord, please go with them." Rose laid a gentle hand on the human king. "I know what Ealdwin wants... so please, let me go to him. Be with your people and leave to safety."

"I do not wish for you to be a pawn in this senseless political game. If he wants my throne, then he can have it. Etienne will never forgive me if anything were to happen to you."

"Neither will I if something does happen to you." Turning to Merkel, she gave a small bow. "Take the king to safety and do not let him out of your sight."

Tugging at her hair, she allowed the tresses to fall free before rubbing her face with her sleeve as best as she could to get the dirt and mud off.

"Goodbye my Lord. Till we meet again on the other side." Gesturing to Miria, she nodded. "Let's go."

***

"Rose... I hope you know what you're doing. Once you go inside, I won't be of a match for him."

Rose had shaken off her armour and was dying for a change of clothes but time was of the essence. In all honesty, she wasn't sure of what she was about to do but there was one thing she was certain of. Etienne would come for her, as he always would and that was what she was counting on. She just needed to survive till then.

Stepping through the majestic doors of the great hall, Rose almost had to rub her eyes when she saw the Pureblood seated at the throne.

Lord Montgomery Arceneaux? He looked exactly like that in the picture, but then she came closer and saw his eyes and knew, this was not him.

Where Montgomery had kind eyes, this Vampire had a soul so hard, his silver eyes were almost dark and impassive slate grey. So this was his twin.

"Finally! It is such a pleasure to meet you, Rose." Flicking his eyes to Miria, he raised a hand and by some invisible force, slammed her hard against an adjacent wall.

"Miria!" cried Rose as she watched her friend's body drooping down lifelessly to the floor.

"Don't mind her Rose. It is me you should be concerned with." The Pureblood bowed somewhat awkwardly as he reached out for her hand. But as he brought her fingers to his lips, Rose saw that he was trying his best not to cringe.

"I do hope your current... state of dress is not a norm. Otherwise, I can see why my nephew is enchanted by you. If you were a Vampire, perhaps I would be tempted too."

He trailed a sharp claw down her jaw, drawing blood before putting it to his lips. As her last thoughts filled his mind, Ealdwin's eyes widened in surprise.

"Oh, but of course! I am not like my brother. I have no kindness, especially not for humans." Ealdwin looked up almost contemplatively. "I always thought Etienne was more like me... but it seems, I stand corrected."

Closing the gap between them, he whipped her around so quickly, Rose barely felt her feet lift the ground before her body was propped against his - her back to his chest; a sharp dagger at her throat.

"You know what to do Rose. Scream for him. Scream for your mate."

Her mate?

"You are very much mistaken," she seethed, feeling the slight prick of the dagger on her neck. "Lord Etienne has already made his choice. He is marrying Zahara. I am staying here with the humans where I belong."

"Oh... I promise you Rose," he whispered back, nuzzling his nose at the crook of her neck. "I can scent Etienne so strongly on you, there is no denying it. Come on my lovely, scream for me."

Breathing was already difficult for her due to his tight grip on her chest but to scream? Her own larynx would expand right into the tip of the blade, effectively rendering her mute.

"Scream!" Ealdwin shook her; one hand grabbing fistful of her hair and yanking it back. "Now human filth."

Rose closed her eyes as the blade pressed closer to her throat. It was now or never.

But before her voice left her, Rose felt a sharp pain searing through her body; a fire eating her from within as her body started bleeding from the inside -

The wetness dripping between her legs; warm and sticky.

Etienne...

***

The sun cast its final rays; a nonchalant farewell upon the death that happened under its watch.

Etienne knew that in the cover of the night, the city of Seurri -if not already lost -would perish. He didn't know if he could hold on any longer. The barrier held by Masamune was slowly starting to crack with every sword, ax and arrow aimed at its bubble.

"Those still healing, regroup in the middle. The others, be on your guard," ordered Etienne as he felt the encircling cocoon slowly disintegrating around them.

The oncoming attacks were merciless -hyenas, hungry for the taste of blood, previously denied to them, aimed ruthlessly at his soldiers. Weary from the long battles, some of the younger inexperienced Nobles fell back, leaving a wide open path towards his wounded.

Brandishing his seven-branched sword down on the five vermins who were bold enough to challenge him, Etienne then leaped into the air to land within the inner circle of his formation. His blade sliced effortlessly through the flesh of his enemies, holding them off as long as he could.

"My Lord! There's just too many!" The princess, though still healing, was already on the offensive - the hyenas scenting a treat in her royal blood. One had even dared to venture a bite on her calves, drawing blood even as she brought her sword down through his neck.

Etienne had to make a decision. The city walls were not far but he would not make it by nightfall as he wanted. Already he had lost a third of his men while the hyenas seemed to only multiply by the minute.

Rose would have to wait a little longer.

Fall back. Retreat towards the ocean.

His Nobles wasted no time gathering their wounded. The wolves, though not privy to the mental commands of the Pureblood, understood the fall back formation and followed the Nobles, backing as a unit.

Even as they retreated, the hyenas continued to come at them.

That was when Etienne felt him.

The flurry of bright lights above them was nothing compared to the single golden streak leading the Purebloods in the sky, his aura alone casting a blinding light that turned the dusk into day.

Etienne didn't need to see him up close to remember his face -a single jagged gash on each side of the cheek and one down the middle of his forehead. And eyes of pure gold with hair so white it flowed like snow in the wind.

As the swarm of reinforcement came brutally down on the hyenas, Etienne released the breath he hadn't realised he was holding. Before him was a Pureblood that had lived for so long that his skin was almost translucent; wings no longer of fire but that of white ash spread across skin.

An Ancient.

His body acquiesced under the great power before him, forcing him into a bow. Zahara had sent help as he had requested and had, through some power of hers summoned her grandfather -an Ancient thought to be buried so deep in the mountains, no one had seen him for centuries until now.

Johannes Arceneaux returned the bow with a curt nod but said nothing as he turned his attention to an oncoming battalion of hyenas; wings spread open as he leapt into the sky.

Following his lead, Etienne too mounted his own wings.

"Princess, take the wounded to safety," was his last command before going straight to battle, head on into the darkness. Etienne felt a renewed surge of power from within, no doubt fed from the Purebloods around him with an Ancient by his side.

At speeds so fast they were but a blur of light, the Pureblood army swept through the hyenas; swords mercifully killing what was necessary to get pass the hurdles leading up to the gates of Seurri.

That was when he heard her -her scent calling out to him, her scream piercing his concentration.

Slashing his sword done for a final time, Etienne then sheathed it behind him before leaping into the air once more; only one thing on his mind as he raced towards the Southern castle -Rose. She had cried for him; a sudden pain causing her to bleed. It didn't matter how he knew but just sensing her pain had stopped him mid battle to rush to her side.

With his wings flared behind him, Etienne had sensed the aura of the Ancient trailing not far behind, as though he too was affected by the sudden change in the air. It took all his pride to quell the shame of being at the mercy of a woman; a human.