My Own Personal Beethoven

Chapter Seventeen

They had been walking for hours now, no sight of anything but trees. Tristan hadn’t reported anything and neither had Antoinette.

“Don’t lose faith; they’re going to be okay.” Sylia said.

“That’s not what I worry about. I worry that we will never find what we’re looking for…and Ceaser has decided to form a two man team with Helen. Anything could happen…although, I trust them.” Claudia said

“I just hope nothing bad happens…obviously, people are going to die…I just wish it didn’t have to be this way.” Hannah said

 “War isn’t pretty. It’s painful and sad.” Sebastian said

“Life is pain, highness. Anyone who says differently is selling something.”

“You’re really going to quote movies at a time like this?”

Sebastian smiled. Oh the army he had…

~ ~ ~

Helen and Ceaser were walking along the North end.

“It’s cruel.” Helen said

“Hm?”

“We’re supposed to live forever, losing the ones we love most.” Helen said

“Yes…it is…and the worst part is when you know the destruction is best served at your own hand.”

“If…it’s still there…I want his heart. It has belonged to me for centuries. I’d like to continue being the owner…” Helen said

“Just be careful. I don’t think Victor would forgive himself if he was here and you were to take an untimely plight.” Ceaser said

Helen smiled sadly at that.

“If he was here, I would be at home protecting him…not out here fighting.”

Before Ceaser could reply, he was tackled to the ground by Antanasia who had her fangs bearing down at him. She had her stake high and was about to strike him when he grabbed her arm.

“Run, Helen! Go!” Ceaser shouted as he fought against the woman he loved.

He pulled his own stake out with his free hand and jabbed her straight on. She looked at him, eyes wide.

“You stabbed me…”

“You deserved it.”

“Ceaser…”

Tears formed in her eyes as she dropped her stake. She grabbed the glass jar that had Victor’s heart in it and held it out to Helen. Helen looked at her, eyes narrowed.

“I swear it is his…I saved it for you…you deserve it…”

And then, Helen grabbed the jar as Antanasia fell over on her side. Ceaser rolled her onto her back, placing her head on his lap.

“If it…is with the last breath I breathe…I utter these words of a truth: I didn’t want to ever hurt you…any of you. I knew about your goddaughter…Hannah…and I realized you had reasoning when I learned about her. We didn’t live happily ever after…and that’s my fault. I should have stayed. I shouldn’t have run from you…I shouldn’t have stabbed you. I’m so sorry, Ceaser. You’ve rightfully returned the…f-favor…I love you…I would have married you.”

Tears leaked out of her eyes. He rested his forehead against hers, tears of his own forming. He shut his eyes. Ceaser motioned for Helen to go.

“Are you sure?”

He nodded. She looked at them before tucking the jar and running. Ceaser grabbed her stake as he sat up straight. Her eyes were lifeless, her body limp, and the smell of her blood very evidently in the air. He kissed her cold lips before driving her stake into his own flesh. He collapsed and closed his eyes.

“I’m sorry Hannah…I’m sorry V…I’m sorry…”

And then everything went black.

~ ~ ~

They were trailing up the North end.

“I’m officially lost…” Sebastian muttered.

“We’ll find our way…is there a river nearby?” Sylia asked

“I think there’s one up…” Hannah froze, her eyes going wide.

“Hannah, what are you…” Claudia stopped.

“We don’t have time to stop. We need to find a river and keep going.” Sebastian said before his eyes landed on what they were looking at.

Hannah walked over to them and saw his lifeless eyes as wide open as his lovers. She swallowed and closed their eyes before searching Ceaser’s pockets. She found a lighter, a note, and a small bottle of whiskey. She smiled at that before dipping her hands in their intermixed blood. She drew the pentagram on their foreheads and said a prayer before putting the items away. She opened the lighter and threw it on their bodies before walking East.

“There was a river this way…” Hannah spoke, voice barely above a whisper.

She could cry about this later. They had a clan to pick a bone with and now…

…now it was finally war.

~ ~ ~

Caleb threw the vampire off of him.

“We need to report to the others…the West end…I’m fine here. Go.” He told Tristan

Tristan was very reluctant to leave his brother behind but he did so anyways. He regretted this later as he managed to gather all of the groups. He came upon his brother bleeding but most of the vampires defeated. Claudia ran over to him and caught him before he collapsed from exhaustion and blood loss. Tears filled her eyes as she held him.

“No…go on….go…we need…we don’t have ti…” “Ssshhh…” Claudia uttered.

Hannah slid in front of him.

“Somebody, get me some water. Sylia, you know the plants of this forest…correct?”

She nodded.

“Find something that will stop the bleeding, please.” Hannah said as Tristan went off to get water.

“We don’t have…time for th…is.” Caleb barely managed to say.

“Caleb Giovanni, you are not getting left behind, so stop it.” Hannah said sternly as water was handed to her in a small bottle

 She pulled a bandana out and dipped it in the water as Sylia returned with some plants.

“Thank you.”

She washed the marks before applying the plant to them.

“Tristan is going to stay behind here with Anthony while Caleb rests. We’ll continue forward.” Sebastian said

“No.” Tristan said as he grabbed Hannah’s hand.

“Tristan…it’s going to be okay.” Hannah said

She kissed him and uttered three words she thought she never would.

“I love you, Tristan…it’s going to be okay…stay here and watch after your brother.”

Tristan swallowed and nodded, letting go of her hand. She motioned for them to move forward.

“Hannah?”

She stopped and looked at him.

“I love you too…”

“Aw! Why couldn’t you guys do this in a less sad setting?” Alison asked

Hannah snorted and smiled at Tristan before heading forward with the others. This was going to take a while and they encountered many vampires on the way but not the one they were looking for…

Fredrik Igorkov.