The Chosen Ones by Lori Brighton
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I wasn’t sure how many hours went by as I remained seated against the far wall…waiting…waiting for them to return. Waiting…waiting for death. The evening sky had grown dark, my room cold, but my mind remained on Will and Jimmy.
It was only when I heard the soft sound of music floating up through the windows that I stirred. Although it wasn’t quite a full moon yet, the party had begun. As if in a trance, I stood slowly, using the stone wall for support. I could accept my fate, or I could fight to the end. I might not be able to win, but hopefully I could take one or two down with me. Will hadn’t taught me to give up. I would make him proud.
If I was going to fight, I needed to move, stretch my body and prepare. I walked the room, taking in the details as much as I could without any light. I’d be at a huge disadvantage. They could see in the dark, they were stronger, faster. Frustrated, I paced to the window and stared out over the garden. The moon was full, highlighting the woods in the distance, the fields beyond. I was at the back of the building, that much was clear. I leaned further out the window and dropped my gaze to the ground. Something glimmered below….something that looked suspiciously like water.
I pulled back, surprised. Thane had placed me in the very room from where we’d jumped those months ago. My heart hammered madly as I tried to understand what it all meant. Thane wasn’t stupid, far from it. So why had he placed me here? Did he think to mock me, knowing I couldn’t swim? I leaned back out the window. In the dark, the water didn’t look so far, but I knew it was a long, long way down.
Still, this window was my only way out. If I jumped into that water, if I could manage to make it to shore, I might be able to escape again. I had no choice. This time, I wouldn’t have the cumbersome skirts around me. With trembling fingers, I took off my boots, knowing I couldn’t handle the weight. I would gladly run barefoot and naked if need be. Besides, better to die by drowning than by their hands.
Taking in a deep breath, I climbed onto the window sill. The warm air whipped around me, tugging my hair loose from its braid. In that moment everything came rushing back. The day Thane had saved me by forcing me to jump…the fear, the anger, the confusion. But it had all been a ruse. He hadn’t cared. The only person who could save me was myself. Clutching the window sill ledge, I pushed off.
Like that moment those months ago, I flew through the air. I felt oddly calm as I drew my arms in tight and closed my eyes. Until I hit the surface…hard. Cold water surged over my head, dragging me down. I wouldn’t die…I couldn’t. But as the chill water pulled me deeper…deeper…the fear I tried to control overwhelmed.
As I hit the water, and sank further and further into the cold darkness Thane’s voice came to mind. “I have you, Jane. Close your eyes, relax.”
Although the memory of him on the island trying to teach me to swim should have angered me, should have terrified me, oddly enough it calmed me. My panic fled, and I let the water naturally push me back to the surface. When I felt the pressure of the moat ease, I knew I was close. With as much strength as I could muster, I shoved my arms through the surface, breaking through. Frantic, I sucked in a quick gulp of air before I went below again.
Don’t panic, don’t panic.
I focused on my memory of Thane swimming through the ocean after we had jumped off the cliff. The way his body had moved through the sea, his arms surging, his legs kicking. Using my limbs I somehow managed to break the surface once more. This time, I didn’t sink, but surged toward the shore. If I could keep moving, keep paddling, I might make it.
Keep swimming. Keep going.
The shoreline wavered. My limbs trembled with exhaustion, but I kept my attention on that dark shore. The sounds of the party out front mixed with the thunder of my racing heart, urging me onward like the beat of a drum. Forward, forward, forward. I tried not to focus on the fact that they were celebrating my eminent demise and instead concentrated on survival. Closer…the shore seemed so near that I thought maybe I dreamt.
My toes scraped against something soft, something that shifted under the pressure of my feet. The ground. My heart leapt into my throat. Close. So very close. When my feet sank into the bottom, gritty sand seeping through my socks, I almost cried out in relief. But I couldn’t rest. Not now, maybe not ever.
Determined, I somehow managed to drag myself to the shore. But I knew better than to take even a moment to catch my breath. I shoved my wet hair from my face and stumbled toward that rock wall in the distance. Around me, the party continued. The sound of music trilled eerily through the night sky, mixing with the rumble of laughter. I could picture them drinking their blood in wine glasses, laughing and conversing as if nothing out of the ordinary was happening. And somewhere, within that crowd, stood Thane.
Thane.
He would know which way I’d head…toward Kelly. I paused halfway to the wall, fighting for breath. Yes, Thane would know which way I’d flee, which meant once I got over that wall, I needed to go in the opposite direction. I couldn’t go to Kelly, at least not now. The moon shone above, lighting my path, urging me onward. I bolted the last half to the wall. I would make it. I would not die at their hands.
I shoved my palms onto the rock and lifted myself. With a grunt, I fell atop, the ledge biting into my gut. Desperate, I somehow managed to throw my legs over and tumbled to the other side, landing with a thud to the hard ground. For a brief moment I merely lay there, staring up into the dark, dark night. Soon Thane would realize I had escaped. Soon that bell would ring, warning the others.
I pushed off the ground and darted up the hill. Who knew where I’d go, if I even managed to escape. Somehow I made it through the trees and into a field. When I dared to glance back it was to see the castle aglow in the distance. No warning bells…yet.
My heart told me to head toward Kelly and warn the others. My head told me to get as far away as possible, hide until they stopped looking. Save myself first. I paused for the briefest moment in indecision and that’s when I sensed him. Too late. Suddenly I was tackled to the ground. My body hit the hard earth, that familiar form pinning me to the dirt. Thane’s scent swirled through the air, making me ill. Twisting, I threw my arms up, hoping to at least hit him once before he tore out my throat. But his firm fingers gripped my upper arms and shoved them to the ground.
“Let me go!” I screamed, my voice echoing into the night sky.
“Damn it, Jane, just open your eyes!”
Startled, I paused in my struggle, not realizing I had closed them. Slowly, I lifted my lashes. Thane hovered over me, an overly long lock of hair falling across his scarred cheek. Thane, the man I had cared for. The man I thought had cared for me.
Staring into his glowing eyes tore at my insides, ripping apart my heart piece by broken piece. “I hate you.”
“I know.” He lifted, standing. I didn’t miss the crossbow attached to his back and the daggers at his thighs. He was dressed for war. “And you can, but first I need you to look around.”
Suddenly, I became aware of a pulsing energy around me, as if a thousand hearts beat at once. My entire body buzzed. Confused, I sat up.
Shadowed forms stood near the perimeter of the field. Cold sweat coated my body. Although I trembled like a frightened child, I jumped to my feet, my legs braced apart. I would not die on the ground like a worm.
“Humans, Jane,” Thane said, as if sensing my unease.
I wasn’t quite sure what he meant, until I took in a deep breath and truly looked at the people surrounding me. Thirty, maybe more. Not vampires, but humans. From the group stepped an all too familiar form.
“Will?” I whispered.
I was still trying to understand what had happened when Will headed toward me. He didn’t slow but threw his arms around my waist and drew me up into his warm, familiar body. Stunned, I merely stood there while he hugged me close.
“I’m alive. It’s okay. It was an act. Thane didn’t really kill me.”
&
“No.” He shook his head. I couldn’t help but notice that he, too, was dressed for war. Daggers were strapped to his thighs and his familiar sword was in its sheath on his back. “Thane didn’t tell me until we were out there in the woods.”
“The blood…”
“A deer.”
My heart thundered, my mind spinning as I tried to understand exactly what had happened. Thane had moved toward the others and was quietly giving them orders in that calm way of his. Will was still alive. Thane wasn’t evil. I had somehow escaped. Nothing made sense.
“You’re okay?” He took my chilled hands in his.
Somehow I managed to nod. Although the night was warm, I was still soaked through and growing colder by the minute. My gaze found Thane’s and held. He had tricked me, lied to me. The heart-break, the fear, the anger had been moot. How could he?
“Why would you put us through that?” I demanded, the outrage coming to the forefront. Unable to help myself, I tore my hands from Will and rushed toward Thane. Before he could realize my intent, I punched him in the shoulder. He didn’t even cringe and I was pretty sure I’d hurt my knuckles more than I’d hurt him. The others around us had grown quiet, watchful. I didn’t care, my focus remained on Thane.
“Why?”
“You both wear your feelings on your faces. They would have known,” he explained with no remorse, no guilt. “Besides, they are good at sensing things. Even if the truth hadn’t been obvious on your face, they would have felt your ease.”
Perhaps he was right, but it didn’t make me feel any better. The pain I’d felt had been crushing, almost unbearable. Did he have any idea what he had done to me? I shifted, my wet, stocking-clad feet growing numb from cold. “You put me in the room on purpose so I could jump?”
“I did.”
Will moved to the group, taking over where Thane had left off. Although they were close, it still felt as if only Thane and I stood there. I crossed my arms, trying to keep warm, and glared up at him. “And what if I hadn’t jumped?”
“I knew you would.”
For one long moment we merely stood there, staring at each other. Maybe he knew me better than I knew myself. Or maybe he just didn’t care if I’d made it or not. If I had been caught, or drowned, would he have mourned my death?
“We need to get going,” Will said, interrupting our silent battle.
“Going where?” I turned my back to Thane.
I couldn’t deal with the dhampir right now. Will might have been able to forgive him, and maybe Thane was right, but I was still angry and I didn’t trust myself. Not when it was obvious so many others were on Thane’s side. We had more important things to worry about than my hurt feelings.
“We’re attacking the castle.”
“I’m sorry,” I stumbled over my words, confused. “What did you just say? Surely I misheard.”
“You didn’t.”
I jerked my attention to that huge, stone castle glowing in the distance. It looked impenetrable. How would we ever get in? I returned my gaze to the group who was awaiting their next order. From what I could see, most were chosen ones. Some I’d seen in passing during our travels; the majority I didn’t know. But it was when I looked closer that I noticed the glowing eyes dispersed throughout the darkness.
Dhampir.
“So, I guess that was another lie.” I glanced at Thane. “They were willing to work with you after all.”
“No,” Thane replied quite calmly. “Their decision to join us was a recent event.”
I lowered my voice to a whisper. “And you know we can trust them?”
But it didn’t matter how low I spoke, they still heard me and I swore their eyes grew brighter, a few growls peppering the air. I’d offended them.
Thane leaned toward me, his lips brushing my ear and startling me. “As much as you can trust me.”
I flushed, annoyed with his teasing response.
“Let’s go,” Will said. “While they’re celebrating.”
“You know,” Bacchus’ voice carried through the woods. “I really thought more highly of you, Thane. I believed you were smarter than this.”
I spun around. Everywhere I turned, we were surrounded. Vampire after vampire. Their dark forms stepped from the woods, their eyes glowing bright and deadly. The fear that had eased returned full-force.
“That’s where you’re wrong, Bacchus. I was thinking,” Thane said, quite calmly. “That it would be easier to fight you outside the walls.”
So this, too, had been a set up. Thane had wanted them to follow me, to find us. Was anything he did honest?
“Attack!” Bacchus cried out. “Kill them all. I don’t want one left living!”
The vampires surged forward, a blur of bodies, a wall of death. At the same time Thane shoved me back. I fell some feet away, landing on my bottom while the chosen ones, dhampir and blood drinkers crashed together with a roar. Only feet from me a vampire hit a chosen one, taking the man down. Within seconds the chosen one was dead and the vampire had moved on.
His death jerked me from my stupor. This was my chance to live. I crawled to the broken, deceased chosen one and grabbed his sword. He had no use for the weapon. Before I could even stand, from the corner of my eye I saw the shadow leap toward me. I didn’t think, merely swung the sword wide, hitting the vampire. The blade sliced through his side, pausing at bone.
He cried out, stumbling back. Injured but not dead. I pulled the blade free and in one fell swoop, swung it toward his neck. Even if I’d wanted to celebrate, I didn’t have time. As his head fell from his body and blood spurted into a silver arch, another vampire hit me. We fell to the ground and the sword slipped from my fingers.
“No!” I reached for the dagger at my leg, but it wasn’t there. Bacchus had taken it when he’d captured me.
The vampire shoved his hands into my shoulders, pinning me to the ground. His smirk showed those long, pointed canines. I tucked my knees to my chest, keeping them between us in an attempt to prevent the blood drinker from feeding on me. But it didn’t work. While they fought around me, he gripped my ankles and jerked my legs down. His lips lifted, a low growl vibrating in his throat.
I hadn’t come this far to die now.
“Jane!” Suddenly Will was there, always there, sword in hand. The vampire’s head went one way and his body another. Will reached down, grabbed my hand and yanked me to my feet. I swerved, the world around me spinning as my body and mind tried to reconnect with the fact that I still lived.
“You okay?”
I nodded, scooping up my sword. Around us, vampires fought chosen ones and dhampir, people crying out and swearing, swords clanging and blood arching against the moonlight. I tried to figure out who was winning, but it was difficult to tell in the darkness.
“Keep safe,” Will said.
Unwillingly, my gaze went to Thane as Will raced off to fight a vampire. Thane was locked in battle with two. As far as I knew he hadn’t fed in days; would he last long? Frantic, I searched for Bacchus. He stood in the background, merely watching everything unfold exactly as he thought it would. His soldiers were winning.
As much as I wished I could drive my sword through his heart, I knew I couldn’t get to him. His soldiers would never allow it. Will was fighting a vampire, Thane was still holding his own with the two but I could tell he was weakening. Despite the fact that he’d put me in danger and kept me in the dark, I knew I would still put my life on the line to help him. Sword in hand, I raced up behind them and swung, hitting the closest vampire in the neck. Blood spurted across the sky, hitting my shirt. I didn’t wait for, nor did I expect, Thane’s gratitude. He’d saved me, I’d saved him. It was a partnership.
Knowing there were more who needed help, I spun around and suddenly found myself face to face with a dhampir. Frozen in place, I wasn’t sure if he was
“Damn,” I whispered.
He tore the sword from his chest, holding the weapon in his tight grip. “Prepare to die.”
He lifted the sword. A soft swoosh whispered overhead, barely audible over the clash of fighting. The arrow pierced him directly in his right eye. The dhampir dropped the sword with a cry of outrage. I rolled out of the way just as the dhampir collapsed. Thane swept past me, crossbow in hand. He didn’t ask if I was okay, but lifted the bow and shot the next vampire coming at us.
I grabbed my sword and scrambled to my feet, following him. “How do I know who is working for us and who isn’t?”
Thane thrust his arm forward, stabbing a vampire, who was fighting a chosen one, in the back. “The enemy are the ones trying to kill you.”
“That helps,” I snapped, lifting my sword and swiping it across the neck of a vampire about to bite into a chosen one. The blade got stuck again. As the vampire cried out in surprise, I jerked my weapon free.
“We’re outnumbered, Thane.”
He lifted his crossbow and pointed it at a vampire fighting Will. “You worry too much.”
I released a harsh laugh. “Yeah, I wonder why that is.”
He released the arrow and the vampire fell. Will quickly cut off its head. “Just wait.”
He paused there in the middle of the clearing. I waited next to him, watching the fight around us and wondering why we weren’t helping. “Look.” Thane nodded toward the right.
I followed his gaze and watched as a vampire knelt beside the body of a dying chosen one. He sank his teeth into the man’s throat. My stomach lurched. “We need to help him.”
“It’s too late, the man’s dying. But keep watching.”
“I don’t want to keep—” The vampire pulled back, gagging like a cat with a hairball. Realization washed over me. “The serum?”
“Yes. We had enough to give it to the men and women fighting today.”
He wasn’t the only vampire who was gagging on human blood. “Even if it prevents a few from feeding, they can still kill us.”
“True, but at least it’s a start.” He snatched the sword from my hand and swung it wide before I even had time to realize a vampire was coming straight at us. The blade hit the blood sucker in the neck and he went down. Thane handed the sword back to me. “Thanks.”
“Sure.” Just like that he was gone, scooping up the sword of some fallen man and heading into the fray.
With no choice, I followed him, protecting his back when he didn’t seem in the least bit concerned. But before I could get to Thane, I tripped, tumbling toward a fighting couple. I stumbled out of the way just as a sword swooshed by me. Off balance, I fell to my knees. Around me the fury of war raged on, but the battle cries faded as I stared into the eyes of a decapitated head. A chosen one. An innocent woman with short, curly hair that reminded me of Kelly.
Gasping, I jumped to my feet. The need to get away from the death and destruction overwhelmed me. I spun around to find someone I knew, needing the grounding familiarity, and that was when I saw Bacchus sweeping across the field. Hell, he was headed straight toward Thane.
“Thane!” I cried out, but he either didn’t hear me or was too busy fighting to care.
Will caught my gaze, saw Bacchus and we both started running. Although Will was fast, I was much closer.
Bacchus scooped up a dagger from a fallen vampire. Thane was battling in the midst of a group: vampire, dhampir and humans entangled in a fight for survival. Bacchus was close. So close.
I leapt over a fallen man and lifted my sword just as Bacchus turned toward me. The blade hit him in the neck as he raised his hand, his dagger sinking into my side. I wasn’t sure who was more surprised.
I stumbled as I landed on my feet. Bacchus gripped his neck, the blood pouring down around his fingers in silver ribbons that glimmered under the moonlight.
“Jane!” Will called out.
Trembling from fear, or perhaps shock, I fumbled to grab my sword as the blood trailed down my side. Bacchus stumbled toward me. Vaguely I was aware of Thane turning our way. I lifted my sword and swung again. It hit Bacchus in the side, sinking into his waist. Injured, he fell to his knees.
I hadn’t killed him, but I had injured him enough for Will or Thane to finish the job. Panting, I merely stood there, my hand pressed to my wounded side as I stared at Bacchus who glared up at me from the ground where he lay bleeding…hopefully dying.
“You saved me?” Thane asked. There was no surprise or even gratitude in his voice, mere curiosity.
I took in a deep, trembling breath and met Thane’s gaze. Now that the shock was fading, pain replaced the numbness, beating in time with my heart. “Despite what you’ve done, I couldn’t let you die.”
It was over. Somehow we had won. Around us, the chosen ones were thriving with help from the dhampir. I could finally rest. Will had grabbed Bacchus’ arms and was holding him to the ground. I wondered why he didn’t just kill him but was too exhausted to care.
“Is she okay?” Will asked Thane.
The sword fell from my fingers as the world around me spun. It was over but I definitely wasn’t okay. My knees buckled. I felt myself sinking toward the ground. Suddenly, Thane’s scent swirled around me, his arms holding me tight.
I didn’t want him to touch me and tried to push away. But he wouldn’t relent and my strength waned. Unable to help myself, I gave into temptation and let the darkness come.
Chapter 19