SPIRIT BOND: Anna and Vladimir's story

CHAPTER 21: Raging Darkness

###Hi guys so I just want to thank you all for reading this story. I'm so happy it's finally reached 500 reads. And special thank you to the readers that voted it means a lot. Now let's start the next chapter. DEDICATED TO THE READERS!!###

Anna's POV

Valeria and I hurriedly jumped on two black horses, before riding off leaving the carriage behind. Our job was simple we were the scouts, riding out front to warn and protect the carriage from any danger. The thought of being in a dangerous situation awakened my senses to a whole norther level. Adrenaline was pumping through my veins as the wind hit my face. I loved the feeling of freedom, danger and solitude. It gave me time to think, something I really needed.

I looked over to Valeria she too seemed lost in her own thoughts as we moved further away from the rest. I hated being trapped in a carriage filled with snobby royals. Alexandra might be different, but Claire and Maksimov were as bad as royals could get and they were getting on my nerves. "Anna are you alright?" Valeria's question startled me "Yes, I'm fine. Why do you ask?" She smiled "You just seem different" I looked forward "Maybe I am" I clicked my heels making the horse go faster. I didn't need anyone questioning my moods, I just wanted to ride and have a break from those royals.

A familiar feeling of nausea hit me hard as we passed a crossing and I knew there were strigoi and not just one, but a few. "Valeria head back, warn them there's strigoi ahead and a lot of them" She frowned "How do you know?" I turned to her "Please go! You have to trust me". Her eyes held mine a few seconds longer before she spun her horse around heading back to the carriage. I moved forward, two strigoi jumped down from a nearby tree, frightening my horse. I managed to hold my grip on the reins as they came after us. In a matter of seconds I had about twelve strigoi following me. I tried picking up speed as I rounded a corner, but two more strigoi jumped in my path startling my horse. The horse jumped up in the air as my grip on the reins slipped. I fell to the ground hard.

My vision blurred as I hurriedly yet unstably got up pulling out my stake. I was surrounded by fourteen menacing strigoi. Each one looking more dead than the next. "Such a shame. A pretty little thing like you about to be nothing more than a meal" I scrunched my nose in disgust as they moved skilfully around "Not in this lifetime" I said before moving forward towards the talkative strigoi. I knew in my state that I wouldn't be able to kill them all, but I had to try. I had to protect Vladimir and the others. I kicked him down, dodging another attack from the left. I plunged my stake into his chest, before moving to the next. I kicked, punched, slashed and staked my way through the circle of strigoi. After staking three of them I broke free of their circle.

They stood huddled together ready for round two "Marina won't like it if we fail" One commented as they watched me carefully "Who cares for her orders?" Another said before running up towards me I barely missed a punch before I got kicked into a tree. My head receiving another punishing blow. Instead of seeing one strigoi leering down at me, I saw two. I jumped up praying I hit the real strigoi and not the fake one. I kicked him in the head and he fell back before I jumped one him staking him. I had killed six of the fourteen strigoi when I heard shouts getting nearer. I needed to kill them faster, I needed to protect the moroi, I had to protect anyone else from dying.

In my desperate state I closed my eyes and tapped into the cloud of darkness that hid inside me. With strength I didn't know I had and anger locked deep within me erupting. I got up fighting fiercely. A loud scream escaped my lips as a wave of silver light shot like a ring from my body knocking the strigoi to the ground. Some were screaming, some howling in pain and some lay motionless, already dead. Those that got up watched me with scarlet eyes, they hesitated to move, not understanding how I'd done it. Four of them charged and I was ready. I kicked one into the other sending them flying into a tree, I dodged the other's attempt to grab me and staked him from behind. The other tried to grab me from behind, but I spun around slashing him across the face. As he stepped back yelling I ducked underneath his arm slamming the stake into his heart.

I hurriedly pulled a second stake from my boot as the two I had kicked into to the tree came at me. In one swift motion I spun in a circular motion jamming the stakes into their hearts. I turned ready to face more of them, but there weren't any left for me to fight. I fell on my hands and knees breathing hard as I heard hooves, footsteps and voice. "Anna!" Danila cried as he ran towards me "Anna, what happened?" I didn't look at him "I fought them" I replied between breaths "Why'd you fight them alone Anna! You could have been killed!" The anger in his voice was evident "I didn't have a choice. My horse threw me and they surrounded me". I heard the others get nearer "Fourteen. She killed fourteen strigoi all on her own" The disbelieve in Valeria's voice was thick. "Get her to the carriage. She needs rest. Jagger you take her place" The head guardian to the queen, Jonathan De Lane, shouted his orders. Danila picked me up and headed to the carriage.

"Danila what happened? Is she alright?" I heard Vladimir's concerned voice "I think so. She just seems tired. She killed fourteen strigoi" I heard the silence as Danila put me down and Vladimir pulled me into his arms "Anna can you hear me?" I faintly nodded my head at his question as I felt the carriage move. "Open your eyes" I struggled to overcome the sudden exhaustion that came over me. Eventually I got my eyes open enough to see Vladimir's eyes looking into mine. I felt his emotions forming to shock and amazement."Vladimir..her eyes they're....silver" Rina said watching me "That's impossible" Alexandra said moving closer. Vladimir didn't say a word, he just kept looking into my eyes "Darkness" He finally whispered. I didn't have enough energy left to answer him. I closed my eyes as I felt him pull me closer to his chest 'Rest my beautiful Shadow Kissed. It's my turn to protect and watch over you' Vladimir's thoughts was the last thing I heard as a deep sleep enveloped me.

###Song for this chapter is: Empathic- I Am Stronger###