Roses Wither: Into the Darkness
Thirty

Chase

I could feel the power vibrating between Rosa and me. The whole room was drenched in an electrical charge.

Somehow, I felt stronger, lighter and I could truly feel. Everything around me felt open and airy, as the scent of the Earth wafted in through the door we had left open in our haste.

Her little hand left the imprint of vibrating power, as it moved slowly up my chest, and it made me grin. This was what I had woken up to and I wasn’t about to stop her, as she woke and stretched in my arms.

"Wow.” I could hear her thinking and it was music to my ears. “This is some powerful shit!”

I could now see all of her past, from her first memories. It was as if I had been her. I felt all of her emotions, her loves, her pains and I truly felt as though her memories were my own. They breathed life into me and warmed my soul. They weren’t all innocent, but they were natural and amazingly precious, compared to my own.

Could she see my history as well? If she had, she may not look at me the same, but I had to open my eyes. I had to see her face. I knew her expression would tell me how she felt about my own memories.

When opened my eyes and she realized that she was caught, she smiled up at me. Her gray eyes lit up, from the light shining though the tower and I let out a breath I didn’t even notice taking, or need to take.

It was dawn now, and we were still on the floor of the sparring room, naked, with my jeans under my head as a pillow. She hadn't needed a pillow, since she had fallen asleep on my chest.

“Well, hello there.” I grinned down at her. This felt good, so good. How could this feel so amazing? I had never felt this before.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you up.”

Her lips grazed the side of my chest as she spoke and sent a warmth through my body that I had never felt before.

“Well, you did.” I rolled to my side, to take in my beautiful bound.

"Your eyes are gray again." I grinned down at her.

"Your's are brown again." Her returning smile was so beautiful that it had my grin going wider. I loved this smile. It was so pure and sweet.

“I can hear you, you know.” Her smile turned shy as she tried to bury her face in my side.

"Don't hide," I cupped her chin, pulling her head to face me again, "I am in love with this smile. It is the one I see in your memories. It is rare and so beautiful."

“I did get your memories, but not many," she bit her lower lip nervously, "Only some of the ones after you were changed.”

“What?” How did she not get them all?

“I still can’t hear everything you're thinking either,” She shook her head, “It’s like it’s all there, just fuzzy, with low volume.”

“I don’t know why,” I shrugged, still confused, “My life was a soldiers life though. It was full of war and coldness. I had no real thought, maybe that is why?”

I moved in for a kiss and she deepened it, her leg wrapping around my hip, pulling me toward her.

She was so lush and inviting that I wanted her again, but rolled to cover her when I heard the footsteps on the upper level.

“I could wake up like this more often.”

I grinned down at her, making sure to take in the site of her breasts as well, before the were blanketed with my body.

Then the sounds of thoughts came to me, as there was a pause in the footsteps at the top of the staircase.

"What?”

“This could go two ways.”

“Oooh, dirty fun.”

“In My-!”

“Shit! My clothes!” She hissed as the footsteps picked up and both of us shot to our garments that were strewn about the room.

“Don’t have time!” She hissed, fumbling with her shirt.

“Here.” I threw mine at her with a wink, as I slid my pants on.

“Thanks.” She grinned as the door opened and all of them gaped at us.

Nico’s gaze silvered over as he took in our disheveled appearance and began to glare at me.

Vlad stood there, examining us, while Nico’s sire Mihul stared between the two and my idiot brother began clapping.

I stiffened as I listened to their thoughts.

“Curious...” Vlad thought, "The Guard was the one..."

“Oh, this isn’t good.” Mihul watched Nico closely, “Not good at all.”

“Bravo, brother. Doing it in style.”

And the worst one was Nico’s. It was all visions of the ways he wanted me to suffer.

Oh, that was nice.

“Seriously?!” Rosa’s thoughts pulled me back in as she snorted at her father.

“Oh, now this is interesting.” Matthias chuckled, “Please, carry on. Where were we, just waking up? Rolling around on the floor? Oh! Is this a new way of sparring? My wife may not be happy with this one, but I will make it work. You know, for the greater good and all.”

“Are you two done?” Nico’s words were cold, but there was a mild banter behind his eyes that I had noticed that he only had for his daughter.

“Yes, Sire,” I cleared my throat and met Rosa’s amused stare.

“Relax.” She mentally told me.

“Well, he’s not going to kill anyone...” Grandsire thought, then leaned against the doorframe and spoke, “So, how long has this been a thing? The princess, that I didn’t know anything about, and The Guard.”

“Only since last night.” Matthias gave me a lopsided grin as he teased, “I smell blood. Were knives involved? Did we interrupt you?”

Nicolae swore under his breath.

I saw in Matthias's mind, what he meant by the comment about the blood. I was too large for her. Considering that I may have hurt Rosa, I turned to check on her. I hadn’t even thought about it.

“I’m fine.” She giggled, “Trust me.”

Hearing Rosa’s carefree twinkle enlightened me. It made me want to hear it more.

“You did actually,” I gave him a silly grin, “And you know how Rosa likes her darts. I wouldn’t want to deny her any fun.”

Rosa’s laughter was infectious. She leaned into me and I kissed the top of her head, wrapping her in my arms, where she belonged and felt so good.

“He did it.” My brother grinned at me, mentally noting my happiness, "He's awake."

“Can we get out of here?” Rosa asked me through our link.

“As you can tell, we are moving along quickly, aside from the annoyance of bystanders.” I smiled at her and the laughter of her Grandsire only grew.

I ushered her to the door, but her Grandsire didn’t move.

“Can we-uh-?” Rose put her little hand in the air and waived it as if to rush them along.

“Go shower?” Grandsire snickered again, but let us pass.

“Do you feel the power between the two of them?” Matthias grinned, “It really is like a live wire. They’re meant to be together.”

“Maybe without so many witnesses.” Rose glared at my brother.

Nico cussed again and Grandsire began to full-heartedly laugh, moving out of our way.

“We will train outside today.” Nico stated coldly, “Shower, get dressed and meet us.”

He turned to walk away, giving orders to the guard to wash the room down, while the others followed, Matthias laughing.

“That was embarrassing.” Rosa paused and buried her face in my chest.

“You know what’s more embarrassing?” I smiled down at her.

“What could possibly be worse than that?!” She gaped up at me, but her held smile creased her eyes at the corners.

“I can think of a couple things.” I shrugged, not moving anything but my shoulder, “The first being that I am still very hard, and the second, we have to spar against each other.”

“What if we just happen to miss today’s activities?” She swayed into me.

“You are sore," I pointed out, trying but not succeeding to put some distance between us, "I saw it in your thoughts.”

“Then you also know it’s a good sore and I want more.” The lust seeped into her eyes and I could feel it and smell it in the air.

Later that evening, we lay in my bed, holding one another.

“Is it always like this?” I asked as she followed the lines of my chest with her finger, “This vibration of power? And all the voices?”

“You mean people’s thoughts?” I could hear the sad smile in her voice.

“Yes.” I pulled her tighter, hearing her mental trepidation.

“It gets easier.” She sighed, “Can you see their lives too?"

"You can see their lives?" My brow furrowed as I looked at the top of her little head. Her crimson hair was a tangled mess, but neither of cared right now.

If she had seen people's lives, how did she not hate me?

"Yeah," She mumbled, "As if I had lived it myself."

"Like I did with your memories..."

"I guess so," She shrugged, "I still can't see your's though, and your brother is a blank slate entirely.”

“I can hear him.” I told her, “I couldn’t before, but now I can.”

“Really?” Her head popped up as she questioned.

“Yes,” I searched her beautiful sky hazel eyes. They appeared more gray than green or blue today, “Clearly, and I’m not a fan of the way his brain works.”

I was annoyed with how my brother was constantly in my head, with the enjoyment of his knowing what we were up to.

“That’s really odd.” Her little brow furrowed, “He’s not a vampire.”

“I know, and I don’t blame you for closing down, if you hear this all day.”

“You’re forgetting, I don’t hear your brother.” I clasped our hands, lacing our fingers as she spoke softly, “But somehow, with you, it’s all I want. To be on and see what goes through your mind.”

“Can you still not see it all?”

“No, and I can’t hear all of your thoughts either, only the loud thoughts,” She snuggled further into me, “But, I feel the emotions, the power between us, and our connection. There just isn’t much more, it’s like I’m being shut out.”

That was a good thing. I didn't need her to see it. Any of it.

I stood still and quietly at attention. It was the way. Follow their orders and not ask questions. We were put on this Earth to serve God’s will. To remove the sinners and demons of the world.

The Father’s eyes moved over me. He was unable to reach my neck, since I had grown taller than the other boys.

“Remove your jacket, boy.” He ordered.

I did as told but something was different. There was something on my arms. I began examining them as he glared.

“Do you see that, boy?”

“I don’t know what it is.” As I spoke in confusion while Father Azazel’s eyes grew wide as he examined me.

“Dismiss the other boys and chain him to the wall.” Father Azazel ordered the others, “He is too strong.”

“What are you going to do to him?” The oldest boy asked.

“Leave us.” Father Azazel hissed.

Once he was gone the father stood back to look at me.

“What did you do?” He asked me.

“I do not know, Father.”

I was confused. I had only ever done what they had asked of me.

I looked down at my arms again. How had this happened? It was in my skin. Under the surface and unable to come off. I had heard of demons getting these, but I had never seen them.

“We cannot give him the blood now. There is too much demon already.” Father Cozzo spoke.

“These are not demon brands. These are from God himself.” He gripped my arm to examine it.

“I don’t understand the rose, but the cross and rosary... Did you kill an innocent? Is that how you got these, boy?” He straitened himself, “I knew you had talent on the battlefield, but you are stronger willed than the others.”

“It is in his blood. We need to destroy him before he destroys us.” Father Fra came up to me with his dagger and dug it into my neck.

“Get your hands off of that boy.” A voice spoke at the opposite end of the barn.

The man from only hours earlier stood at the end of the barn. A flaming pole in one hand and a sword in the other.

“He does not leave here alive.” Father Azazel ordered.

“Try to kill me,” the man stepped forward, “You are no man of God, to do what you have done to these boys.”

The dagger was pulled from my throat and the man paused to look at me, shock marred his features as he looked at my arms.

The priests descended upon him and he flung the flame into the hay.

“Leave, boy.” He shouted and there was only one thing I could do. Follow orders.

It was that day, that would forever be burned into my mind. I didn’t stop there though.

No. I continued our hunts, leading my brothers, as we ventured. We fought in battles, took out numerous demons and fought against the sinners.

My main goal was to get rid of my markings. To replace a way to remove them, and in that, I thought if I killed the vampires, all of them- the creatures I had let live, they would be removed and I would once again, be in God’s graces.

I was wrong. So utterly wrong.

After I met Nico in our second battle, and he turned me, I felt different. I had better clarity and understood my role as a trigger on the battlefield.

I still couldn’t remove the markings, that I believed were brands from the devil, but I did understand one thing. Nico understood. How; I wasn’t sure, but he understood.

He would silently stand and watch me as I sparred with his men. He even watched me on the battlefield, and grew to trust me enough to later leave his daughter and son in my hands.