Coveted [New/Revised Version]

BROKEN BROTHERS

Valentine felt every ounce of pain coming from Anna but couldn't do anything about it. He didn't know what Zairian wanted so he could only suffer along with her. The inability to move, not to be able to do anything helpful, made his blood boil. He was helpless and left with no other option than to watch Zairian continue his slow attacks on Anna, breaking bones in her arms and legs. He knew Zairian was prolonging her death to make it even more excruciating.

"Stop it! We don't have what you're looking for!" Valentine screamed through his agony. "Let her go you sick bastard!"

Zairian had a foreboding smile plastered on his face. With every cry or plea Anna gave, it only grew. There were several audible cracking sounds in the room and soon the pain of the fiend snapping her spinal cord shuddered through Valentine. A bloodcurdling shriek rippled through Annabelle as she reacted to the unendurable agony coursing through her fragile body.

Valentine writhed when he sensed himself losing the grasp he had on his connection with Anna. He knew it in the deepest depths of his mind at that moment that even if Zairian did let her go, she wouldn't make it very far. Searing tears welled up in his eyes.

"Stop it!" He sobbed despite himself. "We don't even know what you want."

"No?" Zairian's acerbic laughter filled the room. "Perhaps you're speaking for yourself. Skylark, are you as clueless as well?"

There were words exchanged between the two but all Valentine could focus on was Anna—his dear, sweet Annabelle who wasn't deserving of any of this. She was mute from her earlier anguishes but he felt it all in its entirety. His eyes rested solely on her blotched, tearstained face. Their eyes met and her lip began quivering with the cries she could no longer voice.

On its own accord, Valentine's hand extended as though he were reaching for her. But it was too late. Seizing Anna by her long tresses, Zairian moved speedily. Valentine felt it when his fangs drove into her flesh and tore her throat. Words failed to describe the horrendous sensation before he went for the jugular.

Blood bespattered the room, a generous portion of it landing on Valentine. He didn't know whether it was chance or out of the hybrid's spite but he didn't care anymore. Besides the warm, slick liquid that now covered his face and shirt, Valentine merely felt hollowness. His eyes followed Anna's inert body as it fell from Zairian's arms.

Zairian walked toward them, stopping directly in front of Sky. Valentine's brain barely processed his words.

"This was my warning, next time I won't be as humane." His tone was both low and nasty.

He left with his adherents flanking him. It was several minutes before Valentine felt a weight had lifted from his shoulders. His older brother moved immediately to inspect Anna's body, but he remained immobile—emotionless. The amount of time that passed after Anna's death was immeasurable. At some point in time, Valentine's eyes became unseeing and he reverted into himself.

His senses barely picked up on Sky's mumbled words. He hardly saw Iris and Leo come in minutes later. The policemen and coroners were a haze. His eyes refused to register Anna's cadaver in a body bag. He denied himself the luxury of accepting Iris' words of commiseration.

He heard it all. Hollowly, but he heard every word uttered to him, about him, around him. There were explanations as to what could and couldn't be done. None of the Cassidys or Penelope was strong enough to pull off necromancy. Mae couldn't either. Lisa was never mentioned.

Somewhere along the line someone, either Sky or Leo, led him out of the study and placed him in the foyer. He sat numbly on one of the sofas. Everything was happening around him but he could care less. He was vaguely aware of the wetness flooding his face every so often.