Antithesis: The Vampire Alliance Book Three - FIRST DRAFT COMPLETED

Antithesis Chapter 7: Eve Blakethorn-Sullivan May 2013

Eve Blakethorn-Sullivan, May 2013

In the days following Donal’s demise the Senate upped my status back to “kill on sight”. There’s no question about being taken dead or alive now, they just want me dead, pure and simple. I guess now they have my blood and venom they’ve determined that I’m once again more of a hindrance than a help. Or perhaps I accomplished my goal of scaring Hardy Charleston?

Personally, I’d rather be killed than captured anyway, so I’m not overly worried over Upton issuing yet another death warrant. The Senate have played with my life for long enough and, as with previous occasions, I’ll just do my best to stay alive. This is my life. It’s how I’ve existed for years. The status the Senate attaches to me has very little meaning anymore.

Craig claps me on the back as I walk into the Briefing Room, grinning broadly. “Kid,” he laughs, “you’re a reckless little time-bomb, but you’re bloody amazing. You really went back into the grounds of Charleston’s house again, on your own, and got out with your life?”

Giving a polite cough, Johan indicates to our seats. Taking my usual place between Tul and Rob I only manage to meet Johan’s eye with a degree of uncertainty. He understands all too well what a threat Donal had been but that hasn’t prevented him regretting the death of one of his line. He’ll come to terms with it, but for now I don’t want to gloat over Donal’s death. Not that death is ever anything to gloat over.

Tul’s arm slips around my shoulders as Rob takes my hand as we wait for the briefing to begin. This is why I endure. As love swells in my chest it doesn’t escape me that this makes me happier than I’ve been in a long while. Just having them both beside me brings me so much joy. I still worry that one day they’ll realise they don’t want to share me but right now this is all I could ask for. Feeling my emotions Tul leans over and kisses my cheek. I smile as Rob then presses his lips to the hand he’s holding. We’re good, for now at least.

Johan places a floor plan on the table and I can’t help but shudder as I recognise the map of the Science facility. 1352’s handwritten note to Tul is still plainly visible, the note that had made me question who 1352 really was. “I don’t intend this to be our next target but sooner or later we are going to have to do something about this place.”

The urge to stand up and walk out is almost unbearable. Nothing on Earth, short of the capture and incarceration of Rob or Tul, will ever make me want to go back into that place. Nothing. “You said we weren’t strong enough to attack the Senate directly,” I murmur, “that’s why we went after a farm.”

“Call the farm a test, a test which you passed. Plus we’ve noticed a rise in both the numbers of Paladins and Senate Strix on the streets in the last few days, no doubt in response to our attack on the farm. Or possibly in response to the retribution you wrought on Donal. Either way, things are worse now than the way before we decide to up our game.

With that in mind I’ve been in talks with the leaders of our other facilities. We’re all in agreement that the Science Facility is a major concern at present,” Johan answers me. “The Senate’s creation of super soldiers could threaten our ability to resist, it changes everything and we can’t sit back any longer. We need to stop the process even though it’ll be a risky mission. To alleviate some of the risk we’re going to have extra men and women arriving from our other facilities to help with the operation. We’ll have plenty of people when the time comes.”

He considers me, scrutinising my resistant expression and anxious scowl. “I quite appreciate that you may not want to go in there. I’ll leave it to your discretion to determine whether or not you’re able to cope with being deployed. If you would rather not take part, that’s fine. It’s perfectly understandable. However, they have Strix sand o we need Strix in on this too.  Ideally, because this is going to be a direct assault, I’d like to involve all three of you. However, if you choose to stay behind I’ll still require Robert and Tulloch to take part. Robert knows the facility, at least parts of it, that’s too useful to ignore.”

He’s correct and the logical part of me knows it. It will take our strongest to get in there and do any damage, and having someone there who’s previously walked around the facility is an undeniably valuable resource. That doesn’t stop the tortured woman in me, the woman who’d been beaten and forced to commit atrocities, from feeling any less like rebelling. It does, however, stop my feelings from being vocalised. Instead I simply concede, “You know if they go, I do.”

“As expected,” our leader admits. He knows me well enough to be able to predict my decision making, at least some of it. “But I thought I’d give you the choice.”
That was nice of him, my thoughts taunt sarcastically.

Turning the plan towards us, Johan elaborates, “We need to destroy the labs and this room here, that’s a vault,” he adds, pointing to a highlighted area of the map. “We think it’s where they store samples and important research. That too needs to be destroyed, maybe more so than the labs. It’ll take a while to assemble everything we need, but after our colleagues have been briefed this will be your primary objective.”

Biting my lip nervously I warn him, “Within the next two months that place will be crawling with Enforcers seeking conversion.” At my prediction the others look up at me in curiosity but I simply shrug, and point out, “If we’re going to do this it should be before that, before it’s too late.”

Craig tilts his head as he assesses my ability to predict the future. “While useful to know, that skill of yours is still creepy.”

Laughing, I shake my head at his accusation. “No it’s not. If I were to tell you that wearing the shirt you have laid out for your date tonight will cost you an evening of sex, then it’s creepy. Knowing that the Senate are planning to speed up their creation of Strix is simply useful.”

His eyes widen in surprise and his mouth drops open for a moment before he manages to control his astonishment. “How do you even know that?” His exclamation is quickly forgotten, though, as he asks instead, “Do you know what I should wear instead?”

Rolling my eyes at his expectant query is the best I can give him on that front. “It’s only since fighting Donal I’ve even managed to look into the future with any consistent success. I’m not going to try to look into every possible future you have to decide which shirt you should pick,” I inform him with a chuckle. “But I will tell you not to do the serious rebel routine, for some truly bizarre reason Felicity prefers your humour. Though how that’s even possible is beyond me.”

I don’t get to hear the answer Craig is about to give as the intercom on Johan’s desk crackles to life and Zach’s voice interrupts us. “Johan, there’s a woman at the gates claiming the right to challenge the murderer of her sire, Donal Murphy.”

My brows jump in surprise. While I know vampires can challenge anyone who’d been involved in the murder of their sire it very rarely happens. Ok, I’d pretty much done so myself, but it’s such an archaic right that generally the justice system, for what it’s worth, sees to the punishments of those who break the law. To actually face a challenge myself is unexpected. “Wow.”

Rob raises a brow at me, “This is a ‘wow’ moment?”

Shrugging I point out, “Well there’s little else to say about it.”

Johan shakes his head at me but dismisses everyone except Rob, Tul and myself. Flicking on the monitor on his desk he opens up the CCTV feed and turns the screen to us. Both of my husbands tense, astonishment and dismay colouring their emotions, their expressions, their scents. Their reactions are enough to increase my anxiety even before my challenger speaks. Although when she does she doesn’t help matters.

The woman on the screen stares directly up at the CCTV camera for a second before announcing, “I am Tess March. I have been told that my sire’s murderer shelters here and I demand justice.”

Tess March?

The Tess March?

The Tess March who had been engaged to Tul and had an affair with Rob back when they were human?

“You have got to be kidding me,” I murmur, trying to decide whether to be appalled or simply not believe it, despite the evidence placed before me.  Her claim would certainly explain the reaction of the men either side of me. Tess March is hardly a welcome problem, all things considered, not after what happened with Helen.

Pressing the button on his desk, Johan speaks into the microphone which will relay his message to the speakers at the gate. “Under our laws those who have been turned for less than ten years are not required to respond to challenges. Donal died for his crimes and was killed by a vampire too young to be held accountable for her response to his previous actions. We can’t help you.”

Most vampires are extremely emotionally volatile in their first decade. That flaw is so much a part of our nature that most archaic laws regarding punishment are not applied to newly made vampires who are still under their sire’s care. That leads to a secondary problem however, and one that I certainly don’t want to witness.

Tess scowls but isn’t overly perturbed, unfortunately. “Then I wish to see his murderer so that I might challenge said person’s sire. I presume if the killer is so young then her sire also shelters here?”

The same out-dated law which makes a challenge legal also makes the actions of a young vampire the responsibility of the person who turned them. A sire can be challenged in the place of a newly-turned vampire of their line and while no such duel has taken place in the last five centuries it’s still legal to request it.

Not for anything would I place Tulloch in such a position.

While he may no longer love his ex-fiancée I highly doubt he wants to face her in a challenge. Plus I don’t want him to be placed in a situation which may compromise his willingness to defend himself, not again, not after last time.

My chair grates as I slide it back and walk to the console Johan is leaning over. Pressing the intercom button I speak slowly, clearly, as I tell my challenger, “My name is Eve Blakethorn-Sullivan, sired by Tulloch Sullivan. I fought and killed Donal Murphy for the murder of my parents and the suffering he wrought on both my first husband, Robert Blakethorn, and on my sire and second husband. I personally accept your challenge, Tess March.”

Surprise flickers in her expression as I watch her gazing up at the CCTV camera. She hadn’t been told exactly who’d killed Donal then, only that it had been an Alliance attack. The Senate no doubt resents my notoriety, perhaps they don’t want to feed my reputation by admitting who’d killed one of their Strix. For a moment my heart hopes the announcement of my line will sway her from her challenge but my luck has never been great.

Tess’ glare doesn’t falter as she stares up at the camera. “I look forward to taking your head, Eve Blakethorn-Sullivan,” she spits my surnames and I can understand the emotion in her expression as clearly as if it was also contaminating the air.

“Excellent,” my tone is dry, “another jealous ex-lover. With that on top of wanting me dead for her sire’s demise I can tell she’s going to be about as charming as Helen.”

“You know challenges are to the death, don’t you?” Johan prompts me ignoring my sarcasm. “If she’s an ordinary vampire then you’ll have to kill her. If Donal turned her into a Strix...”

“I’ll have to kill her all the same,” I interrupt, “I know.” What’s one more life, really? What’s one more action which shows me to be a monster? That’s the question, really, isn’t it?

“You should have let me...” Tul begins earnestly, wishing I’d let him take my place.
Kissing him lightly I force a smile, “No, I shouldn’t.”

The scowl which cools his eyes is irritated, frustrated, as he sighs, “You have to stop thinking I’m not capable of fighting.”

“That’s not why she accepted the challenge,” Rob answers for me. “She would have done the same if I was being challenged rather than you. She did it so that you wouldn’t feel conflicted over fighting or killing Tess.”

If anything that only makes Tul scowl more, frowning deeply as his confusion and bitterness fragrance each breath I take. “Why would I feel conflicted? The woman betrayed me.”

“So did Donal.” Studying the floor, my eyes don’t meet his as I point out, “You paused because he’d meant something to you once. If you’d been a colder, harder man you wouldn’t have paused before firing. You’re a good man, Tul, and I’d like to preserve that.”

His fingertips touch my chin, raising my head so I have to look at him. “You’re a good woman, maybe I want to preserve that too.” The words are gently, earnestly spoken even if I can’t see them as truth.

“Not so good, between the murders and the torture victims...” I murmur, perhaps a little more sadly than I would have liked to show. “You’re over-estimating me again.” I can feel both Rob and Tul preparing to argue but moving purposefully towards the door I don’t give them the chance. “Come on, let’s just get it over with.”

News spreads fast and more than a few curious colleagues follow us out of the base when Johan powers down the electrified doors. Most of the spectators stay behind the new electric fencing, all except Rob, Tul and Johan who follow me out of the gates.
“So, you’re her?” Tess, laughs disdainfully, her eyes scanning up and down my body in a way that tells me she’s unimpressed.

“Her?” I repeat, curious as to what she’s based her expectations on.

Her lips twitch in a scornful sneer, “The girl who took a vampire’s punishment and lived. The most vampire partial turned in history. What an assortment of titles you’ve acquired. Those two are better than ‘whore’ I guess, certainly better than adulteress and murderer.”

“I know, but at least my adultery was unplanned rather than fortune hunting, eh?” Her hazel eyes swirl at my retort, silvering at the question as I tell her breezily, “If I ever decide I need help with my morals it won’t be you I’ll ask for advice.”

Tess averts her eyes from me, her disgust flavouring the air. She glances at Rob and Tul, scorn clear in her expression. “Seriously, you decided that she was worth sharing?” That’s when she catches sight of Tul’s arm. Her eyes widen in surprise as she stares a moment, her mouth hanging open. Perhaps she did really care once upon a time. Perhaps she still does care on some level.

“Your sire did that,” my hissed words are chilly. “He caused the scar on Rob’s neck too and the graves where my parents and sister lie. Do you still insist on challenging me because Donal Murphy got what was coming to him?”

“I challenge you, Mrs Blakethorn-Sullivan,” replies Tess, remaining a slave to her jealousy rather than allowing herself to be guided by reason. She draws a sword as she comes towards me, “Are you ready to die, little girl?”

A snarky response will serve no purpose. On that basis I draw my own weapon in silence, positioning myself opposite my newest enemy. I don’t want to do this. I don’t want to kill someone I have no reason to destroy. All the same, she’s giving me little choice and if she insists on fighting there is little I can do to avoid combat. I doubt she’ll back down now she’s dismissed the opportunity.

She charges at me in an easily anticipated move. Her silver eyes are enough to prove Donal hadn’t upgraded her to his imperfect form of Strix and her sluggishness only goes to further confirm it. It takes no effort to step out of her way and to trip her as she passes me by. Tess falls heavily and I could kill her easily. All it wound take is one stab wound through her heart, one swipe through her neck.

Tul flinches though, as she hits the grassy floor. That’s enough to stay my sword even as it sparks a flare of jealousy. He doesn’t love her I remind myself, I can feel that clearly. Still, the fact he continues to care at all affects me more than I like.

She springs back to her feet and ignores me when I ask again if she wants to continue. Over and over she attacks and I twist or turn and manipulate our bodies into a position that should mean her death. I could easily claim my victory long before she begins to tire. Yet every single time she stumbles I let her up, every single time she falls I hold back.

Some of my spectators yell at me to stop playing with her but most simply watch in silent curiosity. Tul and Rob understand, I think, and they watch in silence as Tess grows more frustrated. This is nothing more than a dance for me. It’s not a fight; it’s never been a fight. This is a simple sequence of practised moves which she forces me to repeat even though I don’t want to kill her. Eventually even I grow bored however, and the next time she falls I press my sword tip to her chest, directly over her heart.

She blinks up at me, afraid now she’s actually facing her defeat, her death. “Please don’t,” she whispers, her tone rough with desperation. “I’m not ready.”

“Very few people are ever ready.” Especially among vampires, I think. “Luckily for you I don’t actually like killing.”  Well, most of the time I don’t, although there have been exceptions. Returning my sword to my side I let Tess up again and shake my head at her. “You have no chance of defeating me like this, just get out of here and move on. Alright?”

Nodding her head quickly, the woman scrambles to her feet and stumbles past me, making her way back towards the tree line. Turning back towards the gates, I’m almost alongside Tul when her sword pierces my back, the force she’d used to throw it driving the blade straight through me until the cross-guard stops its progress. Gasping as my heart stops, as it’s suddenly pierced and split open, my agony is almost unbearable.

My pulse is still, frozen as my heart ceases to beat. Based on human physiology I’ve just died for the second time in recent history. For some reason that thought makes me laugh, which in turn proves to be a bad idea as my chest moves and the sword temporarily shreds a little more of my heart. Looking down at the blood coated blade protruding from my chest I do have to wonder what on Earth I am doing with my life. Seriously, I’m shot and stabbed far too often these days.

Turning on my heel I almost manage a pained smirk at the shock and astonished horror in Tess’ eyes. “What the hell? That’s not... You should be... how?”

“You should run now,” I state slowly, menacingly, with every intention of ripping her limb from limb if she sticks around for a second longer.

This time she takes my advice, fleeing as if the hounds of hell are on her tail. Only once she’s vanished do I let myself drop to my knees, dizzy from blood loss and disorientated by pain.

“Get. It. Out!” Pronouncing each word is a struggle, gasps of pain punctuating the demand.

Obligingly, Rob grips the hilt and tugs the blade from my back. It burns as the silver inlaid markings which run the length of the weapon pass back through my body. Roaring in agony I finally flop to the earth and rest my head on the moss covered soil as I catch my breath. “That really stings.”

“Occasionally mercy is not the wisest option,” Johan comments and at his words a shiver runs the length of my spine, chilling me to the core.

I’ve just made a mistake, I know it. As sure as I know my name, I know that Tess March is going to be a thorn in my side. As I stare into the trees I sigh wearily, “I have a really bad feeling about that woman.”

Dragging myself to my feet I admit softly, “I need blood and then I’m going to bed. I’m sick of this shit and I need a break.”