For Centuries - Season 3 [Completed]

Episode 29

"Seven Devils", Florence + The Machine

The ballroom's walls were covered with mirrors which gave the impression the room was far bigger than it was. There were crystal chandeliers and antique pieces of furniture. And, facing us, at the opposite side of the room, a throne where Stanislas sat. If we would not have been surrounded by vampires scowling at us and showing their fangs, I would have probably rolled my eyes.

The old vampire did not stand up and did little more than smile at us. "To what do I owe the pleasure?" He said, and then he added with a smirk: "Oh right, you got my message."

"This ends here, Stanislas," I said.

"We'll see about that." And he waved at the vampires in the room, who threw themselves at us.

Aidan, James, Amaury, Abosede, and Jimena formed a circle around me and then spread in all directions in the room to free a path for me to reach Stanislas. Our swords and daggers were cutting through the crowd, though my friends were still avoiding killing. Some young vampires were thrown against the walls and fell down heavily on the wooden floor, others crashed on priceless pieces of furniture. A few mirrors exploded in a myriad of glass shards under the impact. In the midst of this chaos, I walked slowly across the room, pushing away the vampires who managed to reach me.

When I was close enough to Stanislas, he stood up and reached for a sword he kept near him. "Had you not had enough last time?" He said.

"I am stronger now," I replied with a smile.

He attacked me, and our blades crossed. He was a skilled fighter, incredibly strong, and in terms of my physical state, I was still not at the peak of my abilities. I needed to avoid his attacks or he could throw me across the room with one punch. My advantage, though, was my speed and my agility. His sword wounded me just above the hip, and the sight and smell of blood darkened his features, making him even more aggressive. But then I retaliated and harmed his leg and his arm.

He took a step back, and I knew suddenly what I had to do, or more exactly what I could do. It was not even a real thought; it was a feeling. I let down my katana on the floor and I rose my hand in front of Stanislas. He froze, unable to move, and he dropped his weapon. Little by little, the room grew silent and everyone stopped fighting looking at us in confusion.

I took a step forward with my hand still in the same position toward Stanislas. The old vampire shivered, more and more violently, before he started to vomit all the blood he had in him.

"You need a fresh start, honey. There is no other way," I said, in the now complete silence of the room.

He stood up panting and stumbled until his back hit the wall. I locked my eyes on him. He was terrified. Then I walked toward him and stopped when I was almost touching him. I released my power and light wrapped us both for a moment. After that, his eyes were wide open in shock, tears rolling down his cheeks, and he fell to his knees.

When I kneeled carefully and hugged the sobbing vampire, I heard a gasp from everyone else present in the room. Stanislas did not touch me, his arms lying on both sides of his body, but he leaned on my embrace, shaking.

I whispered in his ear so that only he could hear me. "I told you: all this ends now. If you need help, I will be there. But if you approach my loved ones or try to hurt anyone again, it will be another story."

Then I pulled away, and his head ducked toward the floor. When I turned back to face the room, I saw terror in the eyes of every vampire, and all of them fled at the sight of their leader's defeat. We left the building quietly after having helped the humans.

Nobody said anything on our way back. We sat in my apartment and Aidan finally broke the silence. "He seemed terrified," he said.

"What did you do to him?" James asked.

"I showed him he could be loved." They were stunned. "I also dried him out of human blood."

They all looked at each other, trying to understand what to do with what I had just said.

"Well, it was not what I expected but... I must say I found that oddly satisfying," James said. "You?"

"I agree," Aidan replied. "I... I really feel like I'm free from him now. Finally."

"Am?"

"I would have preferred to see his stupid face smashed against the wall, but if you're all happy, I'm happy."

I smiled. "Abosede, Jimena, thank you so much for your help," I said.

"Our pleasure. I would not have missed that for the world," Jimena said, with a grin.

And before Abosede could add something, James turned towards me again. "Okay, but the real question is: what the fuck are you now? Are you some kind of angel or something?"

"I don't think Elise is something different from an immortal," Abosede said.

I nodded and shrugged. "I agree. I just came back with a new understanding of what is possible to do, I guess."

"Yeah, right. A new understanding. Sure." He rolled his eyes. "But can you fly, or I don't know, breathe underwater or transform into a human torch?"

"I do not think I have powers. It is just an enhancement of what my mind could do before. At least, that is what it seems to be. I do not know. Honestly, it scares me a bit."

"Well, what you did was pretty impressive," Aidan said with a smile as he wrapped his arms around me. I relaxed against him and I felt safer.