One Warm Winter

Viviane- Part 13

I sprung out of bed, something feeling off. The bond. It was the bond. My hands padded the other side of the bed, feeling for warmth, for Kallias. Nothing. I grabbed my knives, a mating gift from Kallias, and slung them around my nightgown. I slipped on a pair of training trousers, and ran out the door. I scoured the castle, up and down. As I prowled the lower levels, I heard breathing behind me, and I sprinted into another hall. I held faelights on top of my fingertips, glowing like candles. My eyes squinted as I saw a fae-like form crumpled on the floor. I rushed forward. It was Kallias. I inhaled sharply, turning my mate's body over. His eyes fluttered open, then closed again. Two blades punctured his torso, blood crusting over them. I pulled out the blades, bile surging up my throat as I felt the clotted blood crack. I felt around his ribs. Two broken. A step sounded behind me. I whipped out two blades, one in each hand, sharpened and honed to a lethal point. A man lunged toward me with his long broadsword. As I dodged, he laughed, the sound like drowning in a frigid river.

"A quick one, are you. But no matter. A woman, no matter how good, will never beat a man. Especially this man." Anger burning in my temples pooled rivers of ice beneath my skin. He lunged again, aiming for my stomach. I rolled, and with one quick slice, I was behind him, and he suddenly found himself lacking a leg. I smirked.

"So... a woman can't beat a man, can she." I shot ice down his gaping mouth, leaving him gasping for air, clawing his throat as he suffocated, painfully, slowly. I turned back to Kallias, sheathing my blades, the battle over. Until I saw a familiar figure crouched over his body, holding a knife dangerously close to Kallias's head. Those chilling green eyes of my nightmares stared at me. Andri. I recounted my vow as anger pounded at my senses. He opened his cocky mouth.

"Oh! Hello Vivi. I see you've become the mate of the most powerful being in the whole court. I wasn't enough, was I. You see, you wronged me-" I cut off his sentence, my fists breaking free. Bone crunched under my strength as I shattered his jaw. Andri growled in pain, pressing the knife harder against Kallias's neck. "Vivi, stop playing games. I have been merciful- f*ck!" I jammed the hilt of my weighted dagger against his nose, feeling bone crack. Every drop of blood, every ounce of pain that fell from- this- creature, was revenge for the years of abuse, wounds, scars, and lies that had been fed to me, forced upon me. Andri dropped his knife, cupping a hand around his nose.

"I'm not your baby-doll to abuse, Andri. You deserve every drop of pain. For me and every woman before," I snarled, lip curling in disgust. Tendrils of ice shot from my palms, twisting around Andri's neck, circling tighter and tighter. 

"Please Viviane, please," he managed to choke out, sputtering. I just squeezed tighter, watching his head slowly go limp. I turned my attention to Kallias. I dropped to my knees. The fight to survive blocked out the worry and fear. I looped his weak arm across my shoulders. I struggled to stand up, muscles straining. I looked around for something that might help me. Nothing. The most logical thing to do would be to get help. I sprinted towards the upper levels, towards the closest guards. I turned corner after corner, until I finally saw a guard.

"Sir! Sir! I need help, Kallias has two blades through his body, and I can't lift him-" I blurted out, panic overtaking me. The guard suddenly snapped to attention.

"Where is he." I led him back to the lower levels, to Kallias. The wounds ran like rivers, drop after drop of life leaking out of Kallias's body, his breathing shallow and wet. I hated seeing him, so weak, so vulnerable. I dropped to my knees in front of him. Kallias's piercing grey, eyes fluttered open, fixing on my own. His trembling hand reached up, stroking my cheek. I kissed his bloodstained forehead, tears filling my eyes. He whispered, so quiet, pain clouding his clear eyes,

"Goodbye, Viv." I started crying, tears streaming down my face. Kallias just wanly smiled, all he could manage. "I love you." 

"I love you too," I sputtered, tears flowing as Kallias slowly took one last breath, those beautiful eyes closing, never to see light again.