CHAPTER 1
SNOW GENTLY FALLS AROUND ME as I focus on my opponent. I grip my sword and grin at the sound of my leather gloves as they crunch in the cold. I exhale slowly, watching my breath in the cold winter air. I breathe in slowly, feeling the icy sting of the cold. I lunge at my opponent and slash downwards. He narrowly dodges my blade as it cuts a path in the snow. He quickly counters and brings his double edge long sword up. I lean back and can feel the rush of air from his blade as it sings by. Before I can react he brings his sword back down and I block his attack with the flat of my blade.
I push against my sword and cause my adversary to stumble back. I dash forward and stab straight at his chest. He knocks my blade aside and spins, slashing out as he does. My sword has been knocked too far to the left to counter in time. I move my sword back to the right, even though I know I won't be able to block. His sword digs into the upper part of my right arm and I grit my teeth as his blade cuts into me. I jump back and glance at my arm. The wound doesn't appear to be very serious; his blade only grazed my arm.
I look back up at my opponent and he rushes towards me before I even retake a fighting stance. He stabs at me and I deflect his blade with my sword, just as he did to me a moment before. Instead of spinning into a slash this as he did, I rush forward and hit his blade again. His sword flies out of his hand and skids across the snow covered ground. I bring my sword up, the tip of the blade at his throat.
"You're getting a lot better," I say with a grin.
"Yeah, but I still lost," John sighs.
John is my older brother, and unfortunately he's been pulled into the same world that I now call home. He's accepted that he's never going to return home, but he's still adjusting to a lifestyle of constant fighting. He's had a difficult time controlling his rare ability as a berserker, which is an ability known only to a few humans. I used to have the same ability, but it has been lost to me now for quite some time.
After a close brush with death, I was turned into a vampire. Now I too am coping with change. Now when I am fighting, my vision no longer changes and my strength no longer increases. But it's a small price to pay to be alive and with the person I have come to care deeply about. I have become very close to the vampire that turned me and those same feelings were her reason for turning me. One of the rules of being a vampire is that if a vampire turns someone that person must wish to be turned with their dying breath. Luna, the vampire that turned me, never asked me if I wanted to be turned. I also never asked her to turn me.
Luna broke one of the most sacred rules to the vampires. She turned me without asking me for my permission. Fortunately her father, Marcus, allowed the matter to resolve itself. Luna was worried that I would not forgive her for her actions, but in the end I thanked her.
"I think you're getting faster," John says picking his sword and brushing snow from the hilt.
"Maybe," I sigh as I look at my arm. "You still managed to score a hit on my arm though. You're definitely getting better."
"You going to be all right," John asks as he sheathes his sword.
"Yeah, I'll be fine," I say sheathing my sword as well.
I focus on the wound and it slowly begins to heal. After a few seconds there is no trace of the cut at all, except for the blood and the cut on my sleeve.
"I still wish that you would agree to use training swords," John says as we walk towards a fallen tree.
"Our enemies aren't going to use training swords," I say brushing the snow off a section of the tree. "I need to be ready when I go to Citadel to rescue Luna's mother. If that means I get cut a hundred times in order to be prepared then I'll do it."
"Ivan, you really need to stop being so hard on yourself," John says standing next to me. "It's been almost three months since we got here and you've done nothing but train."
"Because I want to be ready," I say sitting down and kicking the snow in front of me. "I would leave right now if I could."
"What about the rest of us then," John asks.
"You'd be here," I say bluntly.
"You can't be the hero all the time," John says.
"It's not about being a hero," I say. "It's about doing what's right, Victor has Luna's mother imprisoned."
"That's no reason to rush off alone," John says crossing his arms.
"You just don't get it," I sigh. "Luna has thought her mother was dead for years, I can't imagine how painful that must have been. Her entire family has thought she was dead."
"And the fact that it's Luna too, right," John asks with a grin.
"What's that suppose to mean," I ask.
"Come on," John says grinning a little wider. "I know that you like her."
"Yes, I do," I say standing up. "But I'm not doing this to impress her."
"Are you sure about that," John presses.
I turn and walk to a nearby tree without saying a single word. I lean against it and stare down at the snow. I don't want to wait for Marcus to give us the go ahead to rescue Elaina. I understand that he wants to minimize the bloodshed, but not letting us go is driving me crazy. I wonder if I could sneak out without anyone knowing or following me.
"You still didn't answer my question," John says walking up to me.
"I know," I say still staring at the snow. "If you want to keep pressing on the subject of my intentions and Luna, then you probably aren't going to get an answer."
"I don't like seeing you like this," John says. "You're not yourself lately."
"If by, myself, you mean the person that you knew before I disappeared, then yeah I'm not myself," I say without looking up.
John stands by me for a moment and then walks back to the training grounds. I understood exactly what he meant by not being myself lately, but I just don't like talking about Luna or her mother to him, or too much of anyone about anything lately. I know that it will be at least another two weeks or more before Marcus will allow us to travel back to Citadel to rescue his wife. I know that I could sneak out of here unnoticed, but what about several people? Luna will want to go, I'm sure of it. Scott will probably go with, just like all of our adventures. A sudden rustling noise above me causes me to look up. A large black dragon lands near the tree that I'm leaning on shaking snow loose from its branches.
"I thought that I might find you here," he says folding his wings.
Arrok is the dragon that I have a pact with. We will protect each other to the death if necessary. Although in a world that is as unstable as this, it pays to have someone that will watch your back, especially if that someone is a dragon.
"How did you know that I would be here," I ask.
"Because this is where you have been everyday for the last few months," Arrok says. "You are rarely seen at the palace and you are neglecting your urge to feed, this is not healthy for you."
"Yeah," I sigh. "I just don't know what's going on with me lately. I just feel numb all of the time."
"That's because of training in the snow for months on end," Arrok chuckles. "Come on."
"Where are we going," I ask as I climb onto Arrok's shoulders.
"We are going to go to someone that will help you with your poor outlook of things," Arrok says as he launches us into the air.
We quickly level off and fly towards the opening to the enormous cavern that leads to the city of Haven. A blast of icy wind tears past me and I shiver. I pull my jacket tighter around me and pull the collar up to protect some of my face against the wind. We fly into the spacious cavern and the wind lessens. As we fly over the city only a portion of it has snow covering it. Only the buildings that are a certain distance within the wall have snow gently being blown onto them. The rest of the city is free of snow, but is just as cold I'm sure.
"So who are we going to see," I ask.
"You'll see," Arrok says.
"It's Luna isn't it," I ask as we pass over the center of the city.
"I never said that," Arrok says glancing back at me.
"But I think that it is," I say flexing my achy fingers.
"I am not going to say," Arrok says. "They will give you a good talking to though I'm sure."
"So it's Marcus then," I say. "He seems more likely to lecture me than Luna."
Marcus is the ruler of this city, and the very person that appointed me Luna's Guardian.
"You will see when we arrive at the palace," Arrok chuckles. "You also seem to be rather impatient lately as well."
I don't reply to Arrok's last comment, I don't feel like talking or exchanging barbs with him. We fly over the last few groups of buildings and over the small wall that separates the palace from the rest of the city. I quickly spot the balcony that leads to our room. Arrok pulls up and beats his wings. He flies past the balcony and continues around the palace.
"You missed our room," I say. "The balcony was back there."
"I never said that I was going to land on that balcony," Arrok says landing on a balcony. "Here we are."
I jump off of Arrok's back and land on the cold marble floor. The larges drapes that lead to the room are pulled shut, probably to keep some measure of heat inside the room. I slip into the room and instantly feel the warmth overtake me. I take my jacket off and hold it over my shoulder. A sudden movement to my right causes me to jump. A dragon with crimson red scales sits on a large mat staring at me. Iris is the dragon that Luna had chosen to make a pact with, like Arrok and I.
"This is an unexpected visit," Iris says. "Are you here to see Luna?"
"Kind of," I say. "Arrok brought me here. He said that I needed to speak with her."
"I am sorry, but she just left a few minutes ago," Iris says. "You can wait for her here if you wish."
"Do you know where she went," I ask.
"I believe that Marcus summoned her," Iris says laying her head back down.
"Thank you," I say. "I think I'll go look for her."
I walk across the room and open the door. As I step into the hallway I glance at Iris, I half expected her to say something about my poor mood lately like Arrok has. I quietly shut the door behind me and the heat of the hallway is greater than Luna's room. I stop walking and take the thin leather gloves off and stuff them into one of the pockets of my jacket. I continue walking down the hallway towards Marcus's room.
It only takes a few minutes for me to reach his room and I notice that something isn't right. His door is slightly ajar and I can hear him talking with someone. Whoever replies sounds irritated and Marcus's response is less than friendly. I gently push the door open with a light creak. I slowly step into the room and set my hand on my sword. I partially draw my sword and press my back against the wall next to the door to Marcus's study.
"It is not going to matter," Marcus says. "You are not going and that is final."
"She is my mother," Luna shouts. "Why will you not let me take part in her rescue?"
I let out a sigh and sheathe my sword. I reach out and knock on the door. There is a silence in the room.
"You may enter," Marcus says.
I walk through into the small book cluttered room.
"I did not mean to eavesdrop," I say. "The door was open and I heard an argument, and with all of the recent events I didn't want to take any chances. I am sorry to have entered without permission."
"It is all right," Marcus says. "Is there something that you needed?"
"I wanted to speak with Luna," I say glancing at her. "I didn't mean to interrupt your conversation."
"It does not matter," Luna says glaring at Marcus. "This conversation is over anyway."
"Luna," Marcus says.
Luna turns and walks out of the room without another word. I turn and start to follow her.
"Ivan," Marcus says. "May I speak with you for a moment?"
"Certainly," I say stopping and turning to face him.
"I know that you have become a member of our kind now," Marcus says.
"Yes," I say slowly.
"Yet I do not believe that you understand the severity of your new abilities," Marcus says sternly. "I am sure that you have noticed that you no longer have to eat as often as when you were human."
"Yes," I say. "I went almost three months without feeding, when I was imprisoned at Citadel."
"Yes, I am aware," Marcus says. "It is also because of that, that I believe you don't feed when you feel the urge to."
"I have too many other things to worry about," I say. "If I'm not ready, I won't be of any use when I have to rescue Luna's mother."
"You forget that Elaina is my wife," Marcus says dangerously. "I want her to be here and safe just as much as you or Luna."
"I understand," I say.
"Now back to the matter of your hunger," Marcus says. "How you did not attack the first person that opened that cell door, is beyond me."
"What do you mean," I ask.
"Normally a vampire cannot control his or her cravings once a long period of time has passed like that," Marcus explains. "You experienced pains, did you not?"
"Yes," I say. "Linn said that it was my body beginning to feed on itself."
"Precisely," Marcus says. "In most cases like that, the vampire will lose all control. Many have attacked friends and foe alike to curb their hunger."
"Then why didn't I," I ask.
"I do not know," Marcus says shaking his head.
"Are you suggesting that I will attack someone if I don't feed soon," I ask.
"I am not saying that," Marcus says. "But you cannot overlook the fact that it is possiblity if you continue to press yourself like this."
"I understand," I say. "I thank you for your concern."
"That is not the only thing that I am concerned about at the moment," Marcus says.
"Such as," I ask.
"Do not worry about it," Marcus says waving his hand.
"Well, then I'll be going then," I say turning to leave the room.
"There is one more thing," Marcus says opening a drawer of his desk. "This is a gift from me to you."
Marcus holds out a silver object about the size of his hand.
"What is it," I ask as I reach for it.
"It is a flask," Marcus says.
"Thank you," I say curiously as I take the flask.
"Use it when your need for blood becomes too strong," Marcus says.
"So this is a last resort," I say looking down at the small silver flask in my hand.
"Indeed," Marcus says. "Now you may go, and please think about what I have said."
"Thank you," I say as I walk from the room.
I walk through Marcus's room and out into the hallway. Luna is leaning against the wall across from the doorway.
"What did he wish to speak with you about," Luna asks.
"He's concerned about me not having fed recently," I say. "So he gave me this."
I hold out the silver flask so Luna can see it.
"I see," Luna says looking up at me. "You should know that I am concerned about you as well."
"What do you mean," I ask as we walk down the hallway.
"While you are able to heal and to withstand more strenuous tasks that you were not able to when you were human, you are vulnerable in other ways," Luna says.
"Like what," I ask.
"When you were human if you didn't eat you would become hungry, maybe get a slight pain in your stomach, right," Luna asks.
"Yes," I say. "But what does that have to do with me being a vampire now?"
"You may be able to go longer without feeding, but unlike when you were human, this is dangerous," Luna says stopping and grabbing my hand. "Ivan when is the last time that you have fed?"
"A few weeks," I say looking into Luna's eyes. "I'll be all right, I promise."
"I hope so," Luna says in a worried tone. "Because I have been counting, it has been over a month."
"So what were you and Marcus arguing about," I ask, trying to change the subject.
"He disapproves of me going to Citadel," Luna sighs. "In fact he says that I am not going at all for that matter."
"But he said that I could pick who I wanted to go," I say glancing down at my hand.
Since Luna still hasn't let go of my hand I can see just how much lighter my skin is much than hers. I hope that she doesn't notice it too.
"Perhaps he will change his mind," Luna says squeezing my hand lightly.
"Maybe," I say looking back up at Luna. "The reason that I want you to go is because you seem to have suffered more than Marcus or Lilith."
"I appreciate your concern," Luna says with a smile. "But we have all suffered."
"Then let me ask you, why do you want to go," I ask.
