Chapter 26: Awakening The Beast

WILLOW

Willow is pacing the hallway, her hands rubbing her pant legs in a nervous rhythm. She is waiting for Lira to develop the images, her mind filled with worry. ~What if this doesn’t work? What will I do next?~

She needs her mate. She needs him to help her save not just the vampire race, but all the others as well. She has never wanted to wipe out the vampires completely—only the rogue ones. The ones who are loyal to the king of despair, Mihai.

Lyric, her mother, watches her with concern. She knows that Genisis is already in love with her mate, and Willow is feeling it deeply. If this doesn’t work, she fears what it will do to her daughter’s emotions. Love is such a tangible thing.

Lyric remembers the first stirrings of love she felt for Roman. She glances across the hall, watching him as he speaks in hushed tones to Kaiser and Boris. As if sensing her gaze, he looks up. Kaiser does too.

He sees the sadness in his wife’s eyes and understands. She has a past with Roman. But she is his mate now and always will be. He knows Lyric is only sad because finding love has brought pain. And he knows she is feeling these emotions because she is worried about Willow.

Lyric gives both men a small nod and a smile, then turns her attention back to her daughter as they wait for Lira. Soon, the door opens and Lira emerges, holding four plastic pages of images. She walks over to a lighted display and puts the images up for everyone to see.

“There!” She points to a tiny dark spot on the image. “It’s so small. It’s unbelievable the power this tiny speck can wield over a mighty vampire,” Lira says.

Willow moves closer, scrutinizing all four angles. The sliver is slightly curved and not very wide—maybe as wide as a sliver of her fingernail, but certainly not as long. She studies the images closely.

“Can you see it?” her father asks.

“I can, and I have the image locked into my mind. Genisis says we can do this,” Willow replies with a smile.

“Okay. Let’s take him back to the crypt. I don’t want to wake him here. Anyone could walk through here.”

They agree and quickly move Andrei back to the crypt, sealing the door and lighting the torches for more light.

“Okay everyone. I’m going to speak to him first. Then I want everyone to leave.”

“Willow! I can’t allow that!” her father protests.

“Your father is right. You have no idea what he’ll be like when he wakes up! A Master vampire is not a plaything!” Lyric agrees.

Willow swallows. “He’s my mate. I know he won’t hurt me. Not intentionally. I need to do this and show him we trust him. Please. Honor us in this.” She takes her mother’s hand. “I trust in the Goddess. She wouldn’t bring us this far for no reason.”

Lyric stares into her daughter’s eyes a moment longer, then nods. “We’ll be just outside. Link us if he becomes dangerous.”

Willow gives her a slight smile, then hugs both her parents. Everyone turns to the door. Boris is the last to walk out. He turns to his sister.

“I’ll take his head and his heart if he hurts you,” he says seriously.

“He won’t, I have faith,” she replies, hugging Boris around his neck. “I love you, brother,” she whispers into his ear, then closes and seals the door.

She climbs onto the gurney, positioning herself on top of Andrei’s prone body. She reaches into the mate-link and tells him her plans.

~“Okay Mate! It’s time to wake up. I’m sitting on your chest. I’ll imagine the sliver in my mind and call for it. If this works, the sliver will appear in my hand and set you free. I don’t know how long it will take for your body to be free of the poison, so bear with me. And remember! I’m your mate, not your dinner!”~

She closes her eyes and visualizes the sliver. She smiles softly when the image is there. Then, holding her hand out over his chest, she calls for the sliver. Within seconds, it is lying in the palm of her hand. Not a drop of Andrei’s blood is spilled.

Then, with dizzying speed, a hand is wrapped tightly around her throat, and she is pinned to the crypt wall. Blood-red eyes stare into her nervous ones. Her air is being cut off, and her hands wrap around Andrei’s wrist as it tightens around her throat.

She tries to call Genisis to shift to smoke, but she is losing consciousness. Darkness falls around her, and she hangs limp in his hands. “Andrei,” escapes her lips in a whisper.

He towers over her, then releases his hand and she drops to the crypt floor in a heap. He takes a deep breath and looks around the room to get his bearings. Then his eyes land again on the body of the woman on the floor at his feet.

The red haze that had overtaken him upon waking fades and recognition suddenly hits his conscience. His eyes turn white again and he realizes it is Willow lying prone on the ground.

Suddenly, he scoops her up and lays her on the gurney. “Willow!” he calls in a strained voice. “Oh, Goddess, what have I done?” His hands flutter over her, rubbing up her arms and patting her face. “Please be all right! Please!” he pleads.

He hears her groan, then sees her eyelids flutter. Color starts to return to her cheeks. Then she stills and he feels her breathing pick up. The next thing he knows, he is flying backward as she delivers a punch to his face.

“Don’t you ever do that to me again!” she yells at him.

He is sitting on the ground, a huge grin spreading across his handsome face. “No, my beloved. Never will I lay my hands on you in a violent way,” he agrees.