Roses Wither: Into the Darkness
Forty-two

Chase

“Chase?” She turned to me as we walked down the cobblestone street.

“Yes?” Showing her around the secluded island on Lake Como was a little different, but this was my home and I was very pleased that she wanted to see it.

“Azazel said that my father gave you a pretty little house, not an entire island.”

“Yes, he gave me a home in Bucharest,” I gave a nod, “Most of my people are here though. Have you noticed how light and open my home is? It was once a monastery. This island is on hallowed ground and no demons, or the likes, can set foot on it.”

“But, Matthias’s wife is a witch.”

“She is technically a descendant of a witch.” I cleared my throat, "A far descendent."

She huffed a laugh and it made me smile.

“Why did you make them all hide?” Her brow furrowed as she looked around the town, at all of the closed shops and the vampires trying to get peeks of her around shudders the curtains and shutters of their apartments and homes above.

“I just thought that you could use a little time to adjust.” I shrugged.

“I hear them.” She teared up, looking into my eyes, “I can hear them and feel them."

"See," I smiled down at her, "Your vampire never left you. She is a part of you. As is your wolf."

"These people..." Her brow furrowed as she huffed a tearful laugh, "They have no sins, Chase.”

“Most were nuns and men of the cloth," I told her quietly, "Some were friends that had lived peaceful lives, but were harmed in their duties.”

“Please,” Her voice went up just slightly as she circled around, looking at the homes and cobble street stores, “Come out, do not hide because I am here. If it was too much for me, I wouldn’t be much of a Queen. So, please, go about your day.”

I smiled as she did so. I could tell she was taking them all in as they emerged from their homes and reopened their stores. They smiled at her in welcoming and she returned their smiles with obvious amazement.

The first one to come up to us was Corbin. A lovely girl that had lived on a farm in the town I was born. She was only 14 when I turned her. She had been left to die in a stable, after being stabbed with a pitchfork. I later found the young man who did it, and killed him with the pitchfork.

“You are so beautiful.” Corbin smiled at Rose, but spoke in Italian, and I grinned back at the forever teen.

“She is, isn’t she?” I returned in her native tongue, "But she does not speak our language, child."

When I turned to smile at Rose, she was giving me a questioning look.

“You know, the Goddess abilities allow me to read people right?" She questioned me in perfect Italian, "Meaning, I speak their native languages immediately, because I’ve lived their lives in an instant.”

My jaw dropped in awe as Corbin laughed and turned to me, "Wow, sire. She told you."

“Hello, Corbin,” Rose smiled that smile that would make anyone fall to their knees, despite her internal pain, “Tell me, is it always this peaceful here?”

She clasped Corbin’s hands in her’s, like a true Queen, greeting her people, as she spoke in their language. I had never seen this side of her, but I loved it.

In her father’s home she was nervous and tight. In battle she was deadly and ruthless, but now, she greeted her people as though they were friends.

“It can get busy when we open the island for summer guests and house humans, but for the most part, it’s just the clutch. Those of us that live here and those that come and go.”

“How many of you are there?”

“Two-hundred-and-thirty-one.” Corbin grinned.

It was a smaller clutch than her father's, but I kept my people tight. It was easier this way. I knew where to move people, who to keep where and who needed help.

"Do you mind if I ask how you feed here on the island?" She questioned Corbin.

"Chase has blood bags brought in from the mainland. People who donate specifically for us."

"Humans that know about vampires?" Rosa looked between the two of us in shock.

"Yes," I explained, "Like I told you, we have people of faith with us, the monestaries, churches and other, smaller facilities that believe in our cause to live clean. We do not feed from humans. We haven't for over a century."

The look she gave me could only be seen of adoration and it had me grinning.

"He likes to keep us clean, untainted by war and famine." Corbin told her.

“And where do you rank in his sleeve?” She gave Corbin a lopsided grin.

“I am the sixth highest in order.” She gave a slow nod, "I was the first vampire he created."

“And you are only the sixth because of his brothers correct?” Rose turned and cocked a brow at me.

“I can fight, Michael just doesn’t want any if us to.” Corbin was sullen. Obviously.

“Michael?” Rosa's brow furrowed in question, but she must have read the answer in Corbin's mind because she began to nod, "You all call him Michael, as in, God’s angel of war.”

Rosa gave me a once over and turned back to Corbin, “It makes sense." She snorted, "Seriously though? He trained you. I saw it. You’re amazing with a sword.”

“The Five are hard to kill.” I reminded them, which caused Rose to stiffen at my side, “Our loved ones are not in fear of our losses.”

“But,” Rose circled around, looking at the others as more emerged to get a good look at her, “You taught them to fight? All of them?”

“I taught them how to protect themselves, should the war end up on our shores or where they travel. I value them and want them to return home to their loved ones.”

“You taught them both, to guard and to fight. I see it in them. I feel it.” She looked around in awe, “You are all amazingly skilled.”

“We have wanted to help him for centuries.” Salamon told her, “He has always declined.”

“I see his point,” She looked to her feet and cleared her throat, “You all have loved ones. You’ve become a family.”

“I could see how it would hurt you to lose anyone you love, and war is nasty.” I swallowed hard, listening to her words, “But, I can also see your love and adoration for a man who had so little and gave you so much.”

I couldn’t believe she was doing this, not after what had happened. I could tell that she was pushing aside her pain, to do this for my people. Her people.

If I thought she was a beautiful Queen in battle, she was stunning as a Queen amongst her people.

“Watching someone you love die,” She swallowed and looked around the crowd again with a tearful gaze, “Is hard. It kills everything in you and it’s hard to come back from.”

“Yes, Corbin,” She smiled at the centuries old vampire, forever in her teens, “I do.”

She could even hear their thoughts. Her insticts were coming back to her.

“And I do agree with you,” She spoke stoically, but soft, “I bet, in the midsts of a battle, you would be the understatement of a lifetime. No one would suspect you to be a threat, would they?”

“War is hard,” She told them all, “I would never ask you to fight either, but I would never stop you. Any of you. I can feel your love and with love comes strength. More of us could use that.”

Corbin continued to introduce Rose to everyone as I stood back, following them through town.

“She was so young when she was turned.” Rose whispered to me when we were well enough away from the town and closer to our home.

“She was.”

“She was the first you changed.”

“She was an innocent child. Sold into slavery. The family went broke, thought if they killed her, they would have one less hand to feed. They wanted the wolves to get her.”

“All of these people...” She looked behind us, back onto the village, “They’re beautiful.”

“I told you, they lived peaceful lives that would have ended too soon.”

“Thank you.” She smiled up at me, although, it didn’t touch her eyes

“For what?”

“For bringing me here and showing me the beauty in the vampire again.”

“You are welcome.”

We rounded a corner and met Gregorio outside of his coffee shop.

He had sunflowers for sale near the door, and Rose stopped to admire them. I knew from her memories that she loved them and smiled.

“Wow, it’s amazing how, even a world away, some things never change.” She smiled.

I turned to Gregorio, attempting to buy some, I pulled out my wallet, but he pushed it back and walked to the Queen’s side with a bow. Then he picked up the biggest, prettiest one and handed it to her.

“A beautiful, bright sunflower, for a beautiful, bright woman, on a beautiful day.” He grinned as he placed it in her hands.

“Oh, I couldn’t.” She smiled, stepping back, “They are so beautiful, but I can’t take your profits.”

“No, please,” Gregorio’s smile was so warm. It was one of the reasons I had changed him. His smile made me feel closer to my world, “It would be a dishonor, not to present my Queen with something.”

“Okay,” I snorted in Rose’s ear, “When this old man is done with his charm, we can move on.”

She smiled and took the flower, before we moved on.

I spent the rest of the afternoon, introducing her to everyone on the island and weaving through people.