“Nothing could stop her from going,” Janus worriedly stated to his brother as the two spoke in the library.
“Reversions don’t usually occur this many years later. It’s very odd,” the vampiric brother replied. “But that’s not to say it doesn’t happen. If their old bond was strong enough, then time wouldn’t matter.”
“Is there anyway to stop it?”
“The best way would be to kill Kione, but that’s no easy task. I’d have to do some research, but I believe the silver Guardian swords are made from can be fashioned into jewelery and used to prevent it.”
Janus nodded, looking at his brother. “Thank you, brother.”
“You’re wanting to know something else, or you wouldn’t be so polite.”
“Yes,” the older wolf sighed. “Can he control you, like he does her?”
“He prefers females. He doesn’t want to control me.”
“That’s not an answer, Adian.”
“Brother, that vampire is so old and so powerful that he can control anyone he wants, thrall or not.”
Janus sighed again, frustrated at the indirect “Yes” answer. A moment asked he asked “Do you know what kind of bond was between them?”
“Are you really that dense, Janus?”
“No, but I was hoping I’d be wrong.”
“It does explain a few things, though.”
“Such as?”
Adian paused for a moment to find his words. “Such as how, ahem, ‘good’ she is, or so I hear. And how she never failed to seduce someone when needed.”
Not comfortable with the subject, Janus attempted to move on. “Anything else?”
“Emerald was a master of blades, especially small ones, like daggers. Where has her proficiency always been?”
“Small blades.” The older brother sighed yet again. “This shall be difficult.”
Adian nodded in agreement. “Yes, but right now, you need to concentrate on her. I don’t mean watching her like a hawk, but you need to be there for her more than ever.”
“What of Kione?”
“I’ll deal with him. If he was to get the idea in his head to get you out of the way first– Shit.”
“What?” Janus asked at his brother’s pause.
“He’s already got the idea in his head. That’s why Anya was here.”
“Do you think he’ll try it again?”
“Most certainly, though he wouldn’t go the same route. It would most likely be something more permanent.”
“I see. Thank you, Adian. I have some thinking to do.” Janus turned and left the small library, headed to his love’s room.
A feline formed Snowhawk met him halfway there. “Janus, what’s going on?”
she asked, concerned over the secretive nature of both her love and his brother the past few days.
Janus just wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close. “Don’t worry, love. We’ll protect you.”
“’We?’” she asked, not exactly pleased with his non-answer.
“Yes, Adian and me.”
She’d not really had a chance to just talk to him lately, and most conversations led her far away from something that had been weighing on her mind. “Adi– Janus,” she began, pulling away from his slightly, “I think there’s something you need to know.”
Janus sighed and pulled her back to him. “If it’s about the other night, I know. Don’t worry, love. I may not understand completely, but I understand enough. And I’ve already kicked my brother’s ass for taking advantage of you.”
Snowhawk chuckled a little at that. “I’m sure,” she replied, resting her head on him.
Janus scooped her slight feline form up, then carried her into their room. “I thought we knew everything about you, love,” the wolf sighed.
“I guess it’s hard to know everything about someone, even if that someone is yourself,” she responded as he placed her on the bed’s edge. “What did you find out?”
“We think we can stop the reversions from happening again, but we need to find a Guardian’s sword.”
“Wh– Why one of those?” she stuttered, nervous about any kind of silver with that kind of potential to harm near her flesh again.
“If we fashion some form of jewelery for you to wear from it, it may work to keep you as you are.”
The question had to come out. “But who is the other Delphin?!”
Janus sighed, knowing the information should be given to her, but still hesitating to say it. “She was Kione’s mate. And an ancestor of yours.”
“Oh shit.”
Janus had to chuckle at her reaction. “That’s what I said.” He stopped once he realized she was staring nervously at the door. “What’s wrong?”
“Someone’s here,” she whispered, backing her way across the bed. She suddenly stopped and dug her claws into the bedspread as she felt someone’s hand on the back of her neck. “Janus, who’s behind me?” she whimpered.
“No one, love,” he replied, “that I can see anyway.”
She leaned down as the hand pressed forward on her, then rolled to her side as it forced her over. “Please, stop,” she softly cried.
Janus again felt utterly helpless. “Goddamned vampire.”
A nearly inaudible chuckle was heard, then Snowhawk felt herself released from the invisible force pressing her into the bed.
“What the fuck was that?!” she exclaimed, crawling back to Janus and holding him tightly.
********
Adian sighed as he stared at the book in front of him. The list of known Guardian swords was short, most having been reclaimed for their metal during the slave uprising. The only ones he could find belonged to Jerome, and the other to Legacy, who he now knew as Quillen. “This shall be difficult. I lost that damn sword in the forest and the son of a bitch still managed to find it. And he almost killed her with it.” He scratched through his short, red hair. “Now what.”
At the bottom of the page, one more weapon was listed as known to exist, written in almost as an afterthought, but the location was in a fuzzy range of coordinates. “I guess that’s as good of a lead as any,” the dark wolf grumbled. “At least it’s possibly close, and in the city. At– Bryce’s old estate,” he realized, checking his map.
He sighed and scribbled the range on his map, then folded it and placed it into his back pocket as he stood. “Then if I can find this damn thing, I need to find someone to work the metal.” He turned from his desk and walked out of his room to try and find the elusive Guardian sword.
*********
Kione chuckled as he watched Snowhawk through a viewing orb. He could still be near her without placing himself in danger. He scowled as he saw her cuddle close to Janus. “Soon, wolf, you will be the one watching, and you’ll never be able to get her back.”
He could just end this all now, Adian had failed to prevent her from being controlled by him. But he was not the type to just take a prize without toying with the rest of the game. He loved to gamble, and he loved a challenge, both of which he could find here.
“So when are you going after her again?” Anya’s voice asked.
Kione turned and glared at the female, for once in her true, dragon-like form. “Three days,” he said to the Avizon, “but why would you care?”
“So I’ll know when I’ll have my wolf! Duh.”
“You’re confident you can take control of him this time?”
“Of course. Once he thinks she’s dead, he’ll be like putty to me,” she said as she flopped across a couch in a very non-ladylike fashion. “So what will you do with her? Keep her as is, or turn her back into Emerald?”
“As interesting as Snowhawk is, Emerald was the only being I ever cared for. It isn’t even a real question at this point. The wolf has no claim to her, past or present self.”
“So how do we do this?”
“I assume you’re still proficient with that crossbow of yours?”
“Of course.”
“You lure Legacy, Quillen, whatever he’s calling himself these days, to Janus’ estate. Make sure he can get in, so keep Adian distracted on this hunt for a Guardian sword. Once there, where ever they have their confrontation, be ready.”
“I get to kill the asshole?”
“Yes.”
“Sweet!”
Kione sighed at her. “Poison the bolts. We don’t want him coming back again. Once he’s down, take Janus out however you choose. I’ll be visible by that point.”
“She’ll have to give in to you once she thinks they’re both dead, as much as she might hate Quillen.”
“She doesn’t hate him, actually. Don’t forget, I’ve been in her head.”
“Oh?”
“She feels pity for him, and is terrified of him at the same time. But there’s no hate for him.”
“Oh that’s even better, seeing him die, knowing he’ll never be redeemed,” she grinned.
“Precisely. Now prepare yourself. You may actually be useful for once.”
Anya grinned at Kione. “I’m always useful, dear vampire, but think of it as a birthday gift.”
*********
Three nights later, Snowhawk slept in Janus’ arms as usual, but their peace was not to last. Janus was awoken by a violent shiver going through Snowhawk’s body, and quickly noticed the look of pain on her equine face. Through the darkness, he could see a sword pointed at the two of them, and he smelled her blood.
“Hand her over, you bastard,” Quillen’s voice commanded.
“Never,” the wolf growled. “What did you do to her?” he continued to growl, noticing her to still be asleep.
“I should be asking you, you manipulative prick. Now back away from her.”
Janus sat up, pulling Snowhawk further away from Quillen. “What part of ‘never’ did you not understand?”
“Back. Away,” warned the former Guardian, advancing toward the two of them, until he was blocked by an invisible wall.
“The fuck?”
“Neither of us belong to you, Quillen,” said Snowhawk’s voice, accompanied by another, unknown female.
“Who the hell–”
The latter voice continued. “I am Emerald, the heiress to the Delphin Empire, and the first Royal Delphin to be killed by the slavers. The battle began with me, and it will end with her, my descendant. You have no business here.”
“I think I do,” he growled. “He stole my mate.”
“Then you were a weak fool. You have no business here, now, leave!”
“She is the mother of my son!”
“You treat her like a toy. An object. Not a mate or mother,” she glared.
Quillen had nothing to say to that. “Hand her over, wolf.”
“You will do no such thing, Lupino,” Emerald’s voice commanded.
Janus was utterly confused. Not about the decision to turn Snowhawk over to the angered, former Guardian, but over how a long dead Delphin could be controlling Snowhawk’s actions, without changing back into her old form. Her eyes were again, half open and dull, as they had been a few nights ago. How can they inhabit the same body?
“I don’t have time for this,” Quillen growled. “I will have what is mine!” He quickly lifted and swung the heavy sword in his hands toward Snowhawk. As expected, Janus, not knowing the strength of the shield, pulled her back onto the bed and out of the way. This broke Emerald’s hold over Snowhawk, dropping the shield, and allowing Quillen to quickly pull Snowhawk away from the Lupino, dropping his sword in the process. It was left behind as he ran from the room.
The male Delphin sprinted into the courtyard in front of the estate, grinning. “Finally, after so long, you are mine again and no one can stop me this time.”
But, he would be stopped by a crossbow bolt to the thigh. He screamed in pain, falling to his knees, then screamed again as another smooth, poisoned bolt embedded itself into his shoulder, missing Snowhawk by a hair’s breadth. He glared in the direction the bolts came from, as Anya’s draconic silhouette could be seen loading another bolt into the crossbow. Unable to hold on anymore, he finally let Snowhawk fall from his grasp, only to have her vanish before his eyes. She reappeared a moment later, in the arms of a man he didn’t recognize. One of his arms was around her waist, the other across her chest, and his hand was high on her throat, pointing her head toward him. “And just who are you?!” he panted, the poison beginning to take effect.
“It makes no difference, you’ll be dead soon enough,” Kione grinned. “Wake up, dear,” he told Snowhawk, who lightly shook her head and began to take in what was going on around her, from the site of a bloodied Quillen struggling to stand before her, and the hand of the vampire on her neck.
“Let me go!” she pleaded, struggling against the vampire’s grasp.
Ignoring her pleas, Kione kept his attention on the Guardian before him, who had finally managed to stand back up. “Don’t like pain so much now, do you?”
“Hand her over.”
“You just don’t get it do you? You aren’t meant to win. You’re just a pawn. She,” Kione said, referring to the struggling female in his arms, “was never meant to be yours.” Anya fired a third bolt toward Quillen, this one finding it’s home in his neck. “And now, you will die. For good this time.”
“No!” Snowhawk cried out, now struggling more. “He could have been saved!” she exclaimed as Quillen crumpled to the ground.
“There was no saving that one, dear Delphin.” She slumped a little his his arms, her legs going weak and tears beginning to fall over what she had just witnessed. “This shall be over soon, we’re just waiting on the next player.”
Soon after, Janus finally ran into the courtyard, limping, and having injured himself in trying to save Snowhawk earlier. He stopped several yards from them and immediately saw the vampire holding her, and the lifeless body of her former Guardian on the ground. He took only a few steps before a bolt from Anya’s crossbow found it’s mark in his side.
Struggling again, terrified of what would happen to Janus, she cried out to him though her tears. “Stop! They’ll kill you too!”
“Hush now,” the vampire said to her, tightening his grip on her throat. Then he looked at the light-furred wolf before him. “Do you want the same to happen to you as him? Will you keep trying to hang onto what is not yours?”
Janus took another step toward them, but soon found himself with a fresh bolt in his shoulder.
“Stop, now, before you are the second person she’s loved to die in front of her tonight.”
“You won’t keep me from her,” Janus growled. “She made that decision months ago.”
“And things have changed since then. I would suggest not moving again.”
“I said you won’t keep me from her, and I mean it!”
“Janus, no!” she quietly pleaded. She was terrified as he took another step toward them.
Soon another cross bow bolt found it’s place in his back. Janus just glared at the vampire. Another step toward them, and another bolt soon found it’s home in his back as well. With this, Janus fell to his knees, and Kione loosened his grip on the Delphin in his arms.
She broke free and ran to Janus, reaching him in time to have him quite literally fall into her lap. She leaned over him, sobbing, as he gently touched her arm, then fell limp under her, his ice blue eyes closing. “No– no, no, no, no. You can’t be gone!” she cried.
Not a moment later, Anya grabbed her horn, pulling her away from his body. “Come on you, I have plans for him.” She half-drug Snowhawk back to Kione, who nearly gleefully took her from the Avizon.
Snowhawk was numb. She couldn’t stand, and was honestly almost grateful for what she knew would come next. “That went well,” Kione grinned as Anya handed the Delphin to him.
“For once. Now, if you’ll excuse me,” she grinned, grabbing Janus’ body and vanishing into the night.
As soon as Anya had vanished with Janus, Adian ran into the courtyard. He bristled at the smell of blood “What the fuck?!” he growled, seeing Kione picking up Snowhawk. “Dammit! Let her go, Kione!” he yelled, running at the elder vampire.
“Wolf, you are as much of a pest as your dead brother.”
Adian stopped in his tracks. “Dead?”
“As is the former guardian. Too bad, you missed the fun. Anya just left with his corpse.”
“You son of a bit–”
“Adi, stop! Just– forget me,” Snowhawk said through her tears. “This is all my fault. Let me go.”
“On my brother’s memory, I can’t allow that.”
“Too bad,” Kione said, vanishing with the Delphin in his arms.
“Goddammit!” Adian howled. He was at a loss. He knelt next to the pool of blood where his brother had died. Snowhawk had been covered in it. “I swear on my life, my new life, that I will not let him win. He will not take her from this world.”
But he would need weapons now, and a quick look showed the former Guardian’s sword to be missing, so Adian hurried inside to find where he felt it may have been left.
*********
Hours later, at Kione’s sea side castle, Snowhawk stood in a darkened room in front of a mirror, apparently alone. She wore only a robe similar to the one she wore when she was first here. I should have stopped him then, she thought to herself, a tears welling up in her eyes. No, I should have given in. Then they would both be alive.
Her legs wobbled slightly as she stood, and her whole body wavered, and once she finally began to collapse, an arm caught her around the waist. She was stood back up, and the other arm again went around her arm and it’s hand held her throat lightly. The hand remained there for only a moment then dropped to the sash around her waist, untying it.
She made no attempt to resist him. The feeling of numbness wouldn’t leave her, and then she heard Adian’s voice in her head. I would do anything to make you happy. “Just forget about me…” she whispered.
The vampire ignored her talking to herself, simply pulling the robe open and off her shoulder, then sinking his teeth into her flesh. He fed on her only for a moment, then released her, never closing the now bleeding wound. He pulled the robe from her body, and removed the sash from it, then fashioned said sash into a halter around her equine head. It was not an unknown look. She often wore a silken halter when she was out with Janus. This brought more tears.
He left her alone for a moment, then a pair of unrecognized white furred hands turned her around. She gasped as she saw a red and white painted Delphin before her, with a long, silvery mane and tail, and glowing golden eyes. “I think we have some unfinished business,” Kione said, pulling her to the bed.