Revolution (Risen Series Bk2)
Chapter 9 ~ Heads Will Roll

Silver light shimmered over my skin and the candle Una held flickered briefly before the flame died out. I let out a whoosh of air, my body slumping. It had taken all my energy to manage even that small flame and Una sighed. Tonight hadn't been going as well as either of us had hoped.

"Well. . .that was something," she said, leaning forward in the armchair.

I could only glare at the candle, my hands fisting in frustration. Yesterday I'd managed easily but after my strange dream last night, my focus was skewed. Una had wanted to move onto something else but I'd halted our progress.

"Try again," Una demanded, clasping the candle between her hands.

I gave her a pleading look. "I'm tired-"

"Again, Shylah," she repeated firmly. "We won't stop until you do it."

Running a hand through my hair, I closed my eyes briefly. The bond between mates is easier to break than the bond between vampire and maker. My eyes flew open but there was nobody standing next to me despite feeling the breath of those whispered words on my skin. I looked at Una but she was simply watching me expectantly.

Gods that dream had really fucked me up today.

I gave myself a shake and focused my attention once more on the candle. Tugging on the thrum of magic inside me, I imagined the flicker of a flame in my mind's eye, the heat of fire against my skin, the colours, the way it moved. Letting out a slow breath, I forced my magic out towards the candle again and this time it flickered and held its flame. I couldn't muster the same joy I had yesterday when I'd finally managed it. Una gave me a half smile but I could see that she too was distracted today.

Last night had been rough for all of us when Padraig called to tell Atanas that another body had been found before even the news channels broadcasted it. A child, so torn and bloodied that he hadn't known whether it was a little girl or boy. I'd burned hot with rage, unable to contain it as it flurried out in a wave of power that rattled the windows. Even the uncaring Thierry looked like he was struggling to hold it together as he held a sobbing Elaine. It seemed to have hit her worse than the rest of us and I wondered if she'd been a mother before she was turned.

"You're less snarky than you usually are," Una jibed but I could only manage a small smile.

"I've got a lot on my mind," I answered.

She laughed, flicking long, black hair over her shoulder. "That's never stopped you before."

That much was true. As a mater of fact, my sarcasm usually came out more when I was feeling stressed. Una blew out the candle and set it on the coffee table before clapping her hands together. "Right. Now you've got a little control, we can try something else-"

A piercing scream cut her off. The sound was so full of grief and horror that the hair on my neck stood on end, my skin prickling as if someone had poured an icy bucket of water over me. I stood at the same time Una did, both of us racing for the door as the commotion from downstairs got louder. Screaming, yelling, someone sobbing. Panic grew until my stomach was twisting and rolling and I shoved my way past those who had also come to see what was going on.

I spotted Atanas near the front door and his gaze caught mine when I reached the bottom step. The look in his eyes filled me with dread.

"Move!" I snapped, growing frustrated with elbowing my way to the front. My voice carried far and a path quickly cleared for me.

Everything seemed to go in slow motion as I reached Atanas' side. He grabbed my arm, saying something that didn't quite reach through the white noise deafening me. I tugged my arm free of him, my gaze settling on Nadia. She was kneeling on the front step outside, her cries harsh and raw. Zena was trying to tug her back inside but she hissed in fury, her fangs warning her off. It was Kincaid who braved her anger and managed to drag her back inside.

"Someone could be watching," he whispered to her. "We're safer in here."

My hand flew to my mouth when they moved, revealing what Nadia had been sobbing over. She allowed Kincaid to guide her back inside and he shut the door quickly after her. In Nadia's blood stained hands rested Erik's head. Wide, unseeing blue eyes stared blankly up at me, his lips parted in a silent scream. Bile rose to burn my throat and it was only Atanas wrapping an arm around me, shielding me with his body, that stopped me from throwing up. Every inhale brought the sickening scent of rot to me.

"Gods," I rasped, squeezing my eyes shut to try and rid myself of the image that was now scorched into my brain.

Atanas kept me close as he turned to face the gathered crowd. Kincaid and Nadia had disappeared along with Zena. Our people were grim faced and scared, looking at my mate for his guidance.

"I want whoever left Erik here for us to be found. The trail will be fresh. I want them brought back alive," he demanded, nodding over at Thierry. "Are you up for leading a hunt?"

Theirry smirked and straightened up, Elaine stepping beside him. "Never been more ready."

Atanas nodded then looked back at the crowd who worked out amongst themselves who was going as a few made their way over to Thierry. My mind was still trying to process what I'd seen but I wanted to help too. Before I could even say anything, Atanas tightened his arms around me.

"I need you here," he whispered by my ear.

I nodded numbly, sinking into his side. The front door clicked open as Elaine lead the way out but we were still left with a room full of uncertain vampires. They whispered amongst themselves, one demanding loudly we take further action. Atanas glared at the man, releasing me to stalk towards him. "How do you suggest I take action when we have no idea where our enemy is, Conner?"

Conner faltered then shrugged and Atanas snorted, muttering something under his breath. I could see the stress and worry in his stance even though nobody else would see through the mask Atanas slipped on so easily.

"All we can do for now is keep an eye out and carry on the way we have been," I called out, forcing myself to stand tall. "We will have action soon. We will avenge the human and vampire lives that we have and will lose. Fighting amongst ourselves will only be handing ourselves to Airell on a silver platter. Go back to training, keep an eye on the news, help those that need it. Those on guard tonight, make sure you cover every window and entrance to the house, make sure we're safe here. Airell knows where we are."

They jumped into action pretty quickly after that and a warmth spread in my chest when Calum bowed to me. They'd accepted my orders as eagerly as they did Atanas'. But now wasn't the time to revel in that. My gaze flicked back to the door. Our enemy had been so close, Airell knew where we were, why hadn't he attacked? Why just leave us Erik for us to stumble across? A darker part of me wanted to ask where his body was but I quickly pushed that away. My heart stuttered its next beat when I realised something else I'd missed.

"Gideon." Spinning around, my wide eyes met the sorrow filled blues of my mate. "Atanas, what about Gideon?"

"There was no sign of him but. . ." he trailed off, reaching out for me.

"But what?" I asked desperately.

Atanas sighed and I knew he didn't want to say what he was thinking. I could feel through the bond that he was worried for me. He shook his head, looking around. "Not here. Let's go check on Nadia and then we can discuss everything. Our plans need to change, Shylah."

He was right about that. I couldn't sit here any longer, whether I had control of my magic or not, whether we knew where Airell was or not. Enough was enough. My stomach churned when I imagined waking up tomorrow to replace Gideon's head had also been left for us. I squeezed Atanas' hand, needing to feel his strength and when he squeezed back, the band around my chest loosened slightly.

He lead the way upstairs to what had become our meeting room and I could hear the soft cries of Nadia echoing towards us.

"Do you think she'll be okay?" I whispered.

Atanas nodded, glancing at me briefly with dark blue eyes. "She's survived worse. She will survive this too."

I wasn't so sure. The sound of her scream still echoed in my ears. I'd never heard something like that before, so full of heartbreak and horror. As soon as I thought it, I knew it was a lie. I had heard it before. I'd screamed like that in the beginning. Until I came to understand it was useless.

Fingers sinking into my hair and the sting as they tugged brought me back. It was only when Atanas' face came into focus that I realised I'd stopped walking, my breathing harsh. His brow was furrowed in concern and I appreciated the firm grip he had of me, keeping me anchored. It had been a while since I'd gotten lost in the memories that fueled my darkest nightmares.

"Are you with me again, Libertas Mea?" he asked gently.

"Yes." My voice wavered but the ghosts of the past slowly drifted away and the panic with it.

He nodded, giving me a rough and claiming kiss that only stole the breath from me again. Blood beaded on my lip as he nipped, his tongue sweeping over the cut that quickly healed. When he pulled back, I leaned towards him instinctively but we had things we had to deal with. I felt queasy with guilt for seeking comfort in him but the look he gave me told me not to.

With his hand in mine, we headed into the meeting room. Nadia was sat at the table, her whole body trembling, her chestnut hair tangled through her fingers.

Kincaid was doing his best to comfort her but he looked relieved when he saw us. I slipped my hand from Atanas' and gently nudged him towards his friend. He sat next to her and slid his arm around her shoulder. She barely acknowledged him at first, continuing to choke and moan as if physically hurt.

"Nadia, look at me," he ordered gently.

She shook her head, rubbing her eyes, her leg bobbing under the table. My heart broke for her and I shut the door, knowing she wouldn't want anyone else to see her like this. I jumped when my mate growled, my heart skipping a beat in fright but it did the trick. He had Nadia's full attention. His expression softened, his voice dropping low as he he murmured to her in Russian, his accent flawless and full of emotion.

Nadia watched him and the tension dropped from her shoulders as she nodded. They continued talking, their voices soft and while I didn't understand a word, I felt their intention. A small flare of jealousy had me looking away. They shared history I knew nothing of that forged a strong bond between them.

Kincaid touched my arm and I turned to look up at him. His expression was grave and he lead us a little away from Nadia and Atanas. At first I thought it was to give them privacy but I'd never seen him look so shifty before.

"I didn't know what to do with Erick," he whispered, looking uncomfortable. "She wouldn't let go of him and then she wouldn't let me take him out of the room."

I followed his gaze to the corner of the room. On one of the chairs, a blanket was thrown over something and when I inhaled, I caught the scent of rot and old blood again. A shudder wracked through me. Kincaid wanted to know what to do and I didn't have a clue.

"Leave him for now. Atanas will know what to do," I finally answered.

Kincaid nodded, honey eyes watching me. "Are you okay?"

I laughed bitterly, waving a hand. No, I wasn't okay. None of this was okay. He seemed to understand and reached out to squeeze my shoulder.

"I'm going to check up on things. You can stay with your mate or you can come with me," he offered.

"I'll stay. I want to be here when Theirry gets back and Atanas wants to make a new plan," I said, looking over at him.

His head was bent close to Nadia's, his features shadowed by dark hair. She looked calmer now but there was a storm brewing in her eyes. Nadia wasn't one to break down and then simply roll over.

Kincaid promised he'd return soon and while I waited for the others to return, I paced the length of the room. My gaze kept going back to the chair with Erik's head covered with the blanket and every time, I felt ants crawling across my skin. I wanted to know what had happened. How had they been caught? What gave them away? Part of me hoped Gideon hadn't been captured too but I knew we would have heard from him otherwise.

A brisk knock on the door and Theirry walked in, closely followed by Elaine and neither looked pleased. They hadn't found the culprit, I knew that without them having to say a word. Theirry slumped into a seat and shook his head at Atanas' questioning look. My jaw clenched in anger. We should have caught them.

"The trail lead out of the city, Lachlan and a few others are still trying to follow it but I have the feeling whoever it was is long gone now. Nobody recognised the scent. Zena and Una are seeing if they can follow the trail via magic but they didn't look hopeful," Elaine relayed to us, gripping the back of the seat Theirry sat on.

He lifted his hand, brushing his fingers over hers and she relaxed slightly.

"You should have tried harder," Nadia growled, slamming her fist on the table.

Theirry looked down and I began to wonder if he was as heartless as he made himself out to be. There was nothing we could say to ease Nadia's pain. She wanted revenge, I could see that, but I well knew that revenge didn't heal wounds. I doubted that whoever left Erik for us to replace was the one that had killed him. That was something Airell liked to do himself. Or force someone unwilling to do. I swallowed, feeling the room spin. Had he forced Gideon to do it?

"He's not killed Gideon," Atanas assured us all. Of course he'd known where my thoughts had went. "He would have sent us his head too if he had. Gideon is worth far more to him alive than dead, he'll use his powers to his benefit and try to get information about what we've been up to out of him. That's maybe how he found out where we are now."

"Gideon wouldn't do that," Thierry snapped. "I've known him for years, he wouldn't betray us."

I laughed darkly, moving to stand opposite him. Theirry's expression wavered and I bared my fangs. "Do you really think he has a choice? Airell is an artist of torture and interrogation. Gideon is strong and loyal, I know that, but we all have limits and Airell knows how to replace them, how to extort them."

"Gideon would rather die than give us up," he argued but his voice held less conviction.

I bristled, indignation rising and Atanas placed a hand on my back. Thierry held my gaze and Elaine shifted slightly, her weight moving forward. She was ready to defend him.

"Don't you think I'd have rather died when Airell had me?" I hissed.

He glared at me, folding his arms before muttering, "Then maybe you just didn't try hard enough."

I growled, trying to spring forward but Atanas pulled me back just as Elaine slapped Thierry over the back of his head. He grunted and gave her an irritated look, rubbing his head but she only glared.

"Ass," she accused, turning around to walk to the other side of the room.

Thierry watched her walk away, pain in his expression before he looked back to his king. "I take it you don't want to waste resources on saving a traitor? Are we going to let Gideon rot too?"

My jaw clenched but I forced myself to relax reminding myself I had to act like a queen now and not be hotheaded. Elaine had at least smacked him on my behalf.

I didn't like the idea of leaving Gideon in Airell's claws anymore than he did. Airell would chip away at Gideon's sanity just as he had mine and I refused to let him break one of the few friends I'd managed to make. Leaving him was not an option.

"I know nobody wants to think of Gideon as a traitor and believe me when I say, if he gave Airell information, I don't blame him. I know what Airell is capable of. We will replace a way to save him but we can't bicker like this," Atanas said, giving us all a stern look.

"We lost one of our own today. We need to pull together," I agreed quietly, glancing at Nadia.

She'd gone back to staring blankly at the table after her outburst, like we weren't even here, but my words seemed to wake her up again. She moaned as if what I'd said had reminded her that her progeny, her kin, was dead.

"I knew I'd stopped feeling him. Our bond had weakened over the centuries after we parted ways but I felt the very moment it broke. I tried to brush it off but deep down I knew it wasn't right. I knew he was gone," Nadia choked out.

Her crystal eyes sliced right into me, freezing me to the spot. She was right, she had known. That'd been why she'd asked me if I could still feel Airell. I should have realised then but I'd been so preoccupied with my own thoughts that night.

The room went quiet. Each one of us felt her grief, it flowed out of her like a tidal wave. What could any of us say to comfort her? I'd never created another vampire, I'd never wanted to, so I had no idea what it felt to lose someone that was bound to me by blood. Perhaps that was the very reason why I'd never felt the urge to become a maker like so many of our kind.

"How do you want us to retaliate, my king?" Elaine asked gravely, placing a comforting hand on Nadia's shoulder.

Atanas looked at me and I knew exactly what he wanted to do. I didn't need to feel his emotions and hear fragments of his thoughts through the bond to understand, it was as clear as day in the dark blues of his eyes. I knew what I wanted to do now too.

Straightening up to face him, I asked, "Do you still want to leave for the frontlines?"

He sighed heavily and nodded. "I know you don't think it wise but I'm beginning to think it might be the best way. We can't do anything from here. We know Airell best. Between the two of us, we are among the best warriors we have. Once we replace what we need to, we can call on our allies to fight, I'm not saying we need to do it all alone. I know you don't want to leave here, I will go with someone else if you need to stay."

"No," I replied, making Atanas raise an eyebrow. "I'm done sitting about. I won't let him torture Gideon, or kill anymore humans. He won't get what he wants, Atanas. I won't let him no matter what I have to do. What are you thinking?"

He smirked, looking satisfied. "Rome first to deal with the vampire there before our kind end up on the front page of a newspaper. They might know where Airell is hiding if we can dig it out of him. Once we have an exact location, we can gather our allies and then-"

"Heads will roll," I finished then immediatley cringed and looked at Nadia. "I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking."

Nadia shook her head fiercely, her rage palpable as she stood and growled out. "No. You're right. I will have the head of whoever killed my blood."

It was a vicious promise and I swore to myself I would make sure she got her revenge. Just as I would soon have mine.