The Count Sister - RE-WRITING

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Chapter Twenty-Nine

“What do we do now?” Cyrus finally asked.

  They had been sat around for hours. Not really talking, looking or even moving. Julian was cradling Gwin’s head on his lap, stroking her hair every now and then, but she was regenerating. Every nearly made vampire goes through that state, went Cyrus became a full vampire at 19, he fell into a coma like sleep until he had gained his full powers and every benefit that came with being a vampire. Luka, unfortunately, had woken up before the full process had been completed because they had had to flee their kingdom that was why he wasn’t a strong healer like Aubrey.

  Vladimir was sat in his armchair, and beside him sat Aubrey. She was in her mother’s chair, resting her head on her father’s arm. He was stroking her hair gently but his mind was elsewhere. Everyone had their heads somewhere else; Cyrus was the only one brave enough to ask the question they were all thinking. Dimitri and Isaac had gone off to secure all the windows and doors, making sure no more rogue vampires or in fact Van Helsing came looking for them. The hunters knew something; Cyrus wasn’t sure if they knew where they were now, but he knew that the hunters were looking for them and sooner or later would find them all. They would finish the job they failed to do long ago; kill every last vampire.

  Luka was sat on another sofa with Armanthia on his right and Lamia on his left, both had their heads rested on his shoulder. His eyes were closed but Cyrus knew he wasn’t asleep; he was thinking. Of what he was thinking, Cyrus didn’t know, but he wasn’t going to pry.

   Quinn was still asleep on the last sofa which meant Alex and Cyrus were the only ones still standing and pacing, waiting, then pacing some more.

“They will be looking for her.” Vladimir finally spoke up. Everyone looked at him. Cyrus noticed that he was no longer stroking Aubrey’s hair; he was resting head in his free hand, slowly rubbing his temple.

  Aubrey sat up from his other arm, and he pulled it in, rubbing the other side of his head. “Looking for who father?” Lamia and Armanthia were also sat up now, even Luka. The only ones still resting was Gwin and Quintessa.

“Gwineva.” He stated. They all looked briefly at her sleeping form and then back at him. Julian looked worried at that moment and he clung to Gwin as if someone or something would smash in through the window and snatch her up as if she was a piece of meat. “She is a very powerful half vampire; she has a gift I cannot read but a gift I know they will want.”

“Who?” Julian asked. “They can’t have her; I won’t let them have her!”

  Vladimir looked at Cyrus’ brother than, and for the first time in years Cyrus saw the Count smile, a sweet, innocent and caring smile. “I promise you my boy,” He even sounded genuine. All the brothers looked at him in that moment as if for the first time the old Vladimir, the one they knew as kids, was back for good. “I will not let them take her away from you, I know how that feels and they will not rip my children apart anymore.”

“Why will they be after her?” Alex asked. Cyrus sat on the table in front of Aubrey and reached out for her hands, she placed them gently in his. He slowly raised them to his lips and kissed lightly, before placing them on his lap. She leaned forward and pressed her forehead to his. “I thought they still wanted Violet?”

  At some point Luka had left the room, Cyrus knew what his brother was doing. He was calling their father, he wanted the Master here and they wanted violet. She was another key to this madness, another piece that helps the hunters knock out the queen and take the king. The hunters wanted to be the first ones to say; checkmate.

  “On the contrary,” Vladimir continued, still holding his head up by his hands. “They do still want Violet, just like they wanted your sister…”

  All the brothers’ hearts clenched at that moment. Not only did they have the guilt for forgetting her but the sadness. It had been years since they spoke out their sister, and over those years Cyrus slowly started to forget her face. He could barely remember her sweet voice, but he could remember the smell of rosemary and peach. She always smelled like that, he closed his eyes and smiled as he remembered that smell. He felt the tear roll down his cheek the moment Aubrey kissed it away.

“Our sister is dead.” Julian spat it out; like it was some sort of venom between his teeth.  Cyrus knew Julian had been close to their sister, they all had, but once their sister had died he had replaced her with Aubrey. Cyrus never really liked how quickly he moved on; Cyrus grieved for years when their father first told them. The only one who never cried was Alex.

   Cyrus looked over at him and he looked different, like he was hiding something, maybe a secret he had kept. “Yes, a tragic loss.” The Count sounded sincere, he had loved their sister like his own and he had been distraught when he had heard the news of her death.  “She was a beautiful vampire, kind; caring…She was the top of the key, the part that allowed them a firm grip into our world. But that doesn’t matter now,” He dismissed her like she was nothing; like she was dead. Cyrus would do anything just to see her face again; just one smile. She had been the glue to their family and without one warning; she had been peeled off by a hot iron and dumped at the bottom of a lake. When the brothers had gone down to recover her body; the tide had washed too far out. It was harder to stop mourning over someone when you had no body to bury, but they had buried some of her clothes. “They know the middle is already here and b y now the end of the key will have gotten out; Gwin is the end of the key, the part that allows entry. One way or another they will find their way in and that will be it.”

  “He’s right,” They all straightened, except one. Vladimir’s eyes shot open and he looked into nothing. “They’ll want her power.” The Master walked out from around the corner, and behind him stood Dimitri, Isaac and Luka. This was going to end badly.