Once Betrayed Never Forgotten

Chapter 49: Into the Fire

As we reach the huge water pipe, Luka leaps towards it, embedding his razor sharp claws into the thick tangle of vines and tree roots. We begin to climb towards the light, slowly at first then faster and faster. His talons dig into the roots like grappling hooks, sending chunks of plant material and dirt flying into the air as Luka growls and grunts with the exertion.

Damn, I really hope this pipe holds and doesn’t suddenly collapse under our weight. Luka in his wolf form, a mass of lithe muscles, fur and raw power, easily weighs as much as a horse… plus Mircea and I are adding to the weight. The pipe itself seems sturdy – it must be at least three feet or so wide, and the vines wrapped around its diameter are thick and woody, about a foot in diameter but still, I hear the metal groaning dangerously as we begin to ascend.

My eyes are screwed shut and 1 bury my face in his thick, warm fur. There’s a strange sound from below us, a sort of sloshing sound like waves from inside the cave, so I open my eyes and I look down. Big mistake.

The lake is far below us, at least three hundred yards away, appearing small and distant. To my horror, the dark coiled shape of the Vodoshny is moving again.

Impossible. I saw Luka kill that thing in cold–blood. Its entire head was smashed in. No way could it have survived that.

But miraculously, the giant black serpent is slowly moving through the shallows, towards the centre of the lake. Its movements are strange though, slightly jerky and robotic, like a puppet on strings. It leaves a cloud of pitch black blood like ink in its wake. Once it reaches the centre of the lake, it dips its ruined, mangled head under the water and dives, until its entire snake–like form has disappeared into the depths.

“What the f*ck?” I gasp, holding back a scream. “How is that thing still alive?”

Il stay under the water for months,

“Luka’s attack only weakened it, giving us a chance to get away,” Mircea explains, her voice weary and tired. “It will healing and reforming, and then it will be back. They cannot be killed – the Vodoshny are immortal and eternal.”

I gulp back my terror, turning my attention back up to the roof of the case, which is rapidly approaching Luka’s claws continue to find their grip as we ascend, and the light shining in through the crack in the earth above us grows brighter. I’m not sure if its starlight, or moonlight, or even daylight – but It’s hope.

“Things are about to get hairy,” Luka says as we near the top. “Close your eyes, hold your breath and no matter what, don’t let go. Ok?”

I nod my head, taking one final glimpse up at the cave’s vault, a jumble of tree roots, dirt and sharp stone stalactites hanging down from the stone ceiling, with the warm glow of light shining through in beams of brightness. I screw my eyes shut, and Mircea clings tighter around my waist as we make the final push through to the surface. Tree roots scrape against me, threatening to dislodge me from Luka’s back as he climbs up, up, up through the crack in the ground.

“Finally, he claws his way onto the surface, and I feel the warmth of sunlight on my skin as we emerge from the cave

Except… that delicious warmth isn’t sunlight. It takes me a moment to make sense of the fiery balls of golden light floating all around me in the darkness of night.

These are torches… held aloft by… THE VILLAGERS!

And at the centre of the mob, stands Father Codrin, grinning from ear to ear like he’s just won the lottery. For a few seconds the crowd is silent, breath held in anticipation, and the only sound is the trickling of the enormous stone water fountain behind him. Then, they erupt into noise a raucous. melee, screams of triumph, curses and jubilations, as they surround us, close in on us.

“See, my flock?” Father Codrin shouts above the din, his voice booming through the night. “It is just as I told you – they crawl out from the ground like cockroaches, the infernal bell beasts! Those sounds we heard beneath the earth were our sign, our call to act! Capture them! The wolf first!”

Shit! It’s a trap! And it’s too late for us to avoid this ambush. We are truly, absolutely f*cked. As my mom would say, we’ve jumped out of the frying pan, and into the fire. Dammit. Right back where we started at the mercy of a bunch of angry brainwashed mediaeval lunatics.

A villager wearing heavy armour and chainmail lunges at Luka with an axe, and Luka yells “HOLD ON TIGHT!” to me through our mate bond as he rears up, avoiding the swing of the weapon.

He lands back on all fours and is about to lunge forward and rip the guy to shreds, but he’s not quick enough. Two of the villagers spring upon us from either side, and they grab Mircea and 1, pulling us kicking and screaming away from Luka. They quickly close a thick, heavy ring of silver around Luka’s broad muscular neck, the colour just as bright as his metallic silver fur. Luka makes a strange sound like a yelp of pain, or a whine as they string a set of thick silver chains through the rings on the collar, which are immediately hammered into the ground on either side of him. Luka slumps to his knees, and I feel our mental bond weaken and grow slack, as if he is suddenly very far away.

Chapter 49 Into the Fire

“Luka!” I scream at him, Eghting to free myself from the grip of the two armoured villagers who hold me back. “What’s wrong?! Get up!”

I saw him kill a gigantic snake monster literally minutes ago in the cave but nothing but his powerful jaws and brute strength. Luka is strong, he’s a killer. These villagers are small fry compared to that. How could they have immobilised him?

“Silver…” I hear his voice very weakly and faintly through the mate hond.

Of course. It’s his weakness – especially at the full moon, like tonight.

I look up at the bright orb hanging low and heavy in the sky, close to the horizon. It has a slightly golden luminescence this evening, like a glass of champagne infused with silver moonlight, so beautiful that for a moment I forget about the dire situation and can only see the beauty of the harvest moon shining down on the chaotic scene.

Is my mother standing hand in hand with her new husband on a balcony in the Castle of Endless Night gazing out at this same moon right now, wondering where and how I am? Does she think I’m back in California, starting a new life without her? Does she know the danger I’m in and if so, does she even care right now?

“Codrin, you bastard! Let them go.” Luka manages to growl, despite several of the villagers pulling tight on the silver chains around his neck. “I’m the one you want. These two girls are human. They’re innocent! I’m the only monster here. Kill me in their place.”

“Gah!” Father Codrin sneers, his eyes lighting up with malice. “This golden haired harlot is a vampire bride, the lover of the Accursed One, Aleksandr Vasilievi And Mircea… my sweet, lovely Mircea… no shepherd wishes to lose a precious sheep from his flock, especially one of such rare talents as your own. You have proven yourself to be a heretic and a witch, siding with the abominable enemy. But still, you are one of us. Repent now, and I will save you from the fate of your slut friend.”

“Never!” Mircea says, spitting on the ground as two burly villagers hold her back,

“Fine,” Father Codrin says, the smile never leaving his face. “I thought you might say that. You’ve always had a strong, unwavering spirit. Very well. We will burn your golden haired friend first, while you watch and let your fate sink in. After her body is but a pile of charred ashes, I will ask you again for your repentance. Be grateful that 1 am even giving you thus grace, Mircea.”

He said burn… charred ashes… does that mean…

“Your pyre awaits, whore,” Father Codrin says, grinning joyfully at me while the firelight dances in his eyes. Then he instructs the two men holding me and his words are the exact ones I dreaded, the end of hope, the worst thing imaginable. The worst way I could ever imagine dying,

stake, my servants,” Father Codrin says.

“Take her to the pyre and tie her to the stake, my

They are going to burn me alive.

Chapter Comments

EJ

Now, is it finally time that she’s going to invite Alek in? Man, I thought that would’ve happened chapters ago lol

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