Chapter 36 - Bianca

After a short rest, we make our way into the midnight landscape.

Rio and I had a long debate about our mode of travel. I insisted that we go beast mode so we could make full use of our heightened senses. He, however, reminded me that we needed something to transport Valentina back in and that would be a tad more time consuming if we didn't have our hands to help. Astrid pointed out the pickup truck parked out front and Rio added that he called Alex to send a helicopter at the break of dawn. In my annoyance, I quipped of how useless all this chatter was if they were already so prepared.

Their conversation and the million little details had me in a mood so I took off in my wolf and they followed with bags and hands and whatever else. I shook my head thinking how useful a truck might be on a steep incline and jagged terrain.

All that doubt fades away about 3 hours into the chase when a blizzard unexpectedly hits.

I look back to see how far the truck is, but my vision is greatly obstructed by the snow and the haziness all around me. So, I continue onwards having no other choice but to.

That's when the distinct stench of death hits.

I crouch low, thankful for the snowy cover, trying to sense out how many of the undead are up ahead. The lack of light adds to my blindness, but I do make out some distinct movement. A low growl turns louder along with its footsteps crunching through the snow. I crane my ears to listen for more. Before I can make out at least two others, a hand swipes at my face.

The vampire is close enough for me to see him and only him, but I worry about the surprise attacks that may follow. I manoeuvre quickly to snap his neck, which leads to another vampire coming into view. The dance continues on and on until the sound of an engine echoes through the night air and a bit of light reveals another village home in front of me.

I hear a door open and shut as two feet turns to four and a tiger emerges beside me. The truck swiftly moves forward through the village where more growls and snarls can be heard. Astrid and I follow suit, cleansing this unfortunate village of the fate it has been dealt.

For the next hour, the number of vampires increases. For what it's worth, the blizzard lets up to snow falling softly all around as I notice the houses increase in floors and stories, upgrading in material and style from wood to concrete. The truck comes to a stop at the second three-storied building as Rio turns the engine off. I walk up to his window enquiring what he sees up ahead.

"I think we've reached a town or city of some sort," he says. "We'll be outnumbered if we continue like this."

I gaze at the empty road up ahead. the buildings are quiet for the most part, but the smell of vampires is hard to miss. Somehow, I know that if we continue, if we can just get over this hurdle, that we'll find Valentina.

"If you insist," Rio breaks me out of my thoughts. "And you think we're headed in the right direction, then I'll drive them out."

Rio tightens his grip on the steering wheel, but a hand stops him before he reaches for the ignition.

"Wait," Astrid says, suddenly shifted back, her back very bare and very naked before me.

She leans in for what I can only presume to be a kiss. I walk away not only to look away at the woman who could never be mine, but also to give them some privacy. They snuck in a whole lot of these small intimate moments back at the house we were sheltered in. Did they think I couldn't hear them? If I could turn red right now, I would, knowing that Rio knows about the secret crush I had been harboring over Astrid. But I shake my head. These stupid feelings are what got me and everyone else into this mess in the first place.

I turn around to find Rio revving the engine and proceeding forward and Astrid still very much human. She shifts back and looks at me. I nod to communicate to her to follow.

We sneak our way deeper into the town, keeping close to the walls. The distraction of the truck seems to work as I lose count of the number of footsteps hitting the snow-covered roads, chasing after the loud vehicle. The truck circles and weaves around for a while, making sure every single vampire knows to follow its beacon, until Rio leads them out onto a wider road onto an open square that runs towards a large administrative building, with grand steps leading up to it.

The newborns look like an army—a swarm—as they chase after the vehicle. He makes a sharp left turn just before the administrative building. Many of the vampires tumble against its steps but continue the chase nonetheless. Astrid and I wait for a few minutes for the sound of the truck and the snarling, hungry vampires to fade out.

But we aren't the only ones waiting for it.

A black-and-white haired woman steps out of the great building, onto its many steps, exactly the way she looked in her silky black pyjamas that fateful night I broke her heart.

Valentina pears around the corner, then looks straight ahead, at the two beasts approaching her. She hesitantly descends the steps as I shift back.

"Bianca!" she exclaims, jumping into my arms.

I embrace her, stifling back my emotions and all the apologies I wish to give her.

Letting go of our embrace, she utters words that leave me stunned.

"Kill me. Please."

"I can't," I whisper, the vulnerability trembling in my voice.

"I'd rather die than be his pawn," she pleads and looks at Astrid, still in her tiger form. "Here," she removes the daylight ring, "take it back."

When neither of us respond, she sucks her teeth in frustration.

"If you don't kill me now, I'll wait for the sun to do it."

She glares straight ahead, behind me. When I turn back, I notice the sliver of light blue in the horizon, signalling dawn to break through within the next hour.

"Valentina," I whisper as my hand grabs hers out of habit. "We—I need you."

"Why?" she asks with almost an accusatory voice.

I fight the empathy that arises in the back of my head, silently reprimanding myself for manipulating her with the 'I need you'.

"We need to take you back to Midnight Shadow to perform a ritual to unbind the Moon Goddess."

She shakes her head. "But I'm compromised. I'll kill you all before we even get there."

"I know," I purse my lips. "And that's why we have to weaken your body so he doesn't come back. At least not until we begin the ritual."

"I'll do anything," she responds desperately.

"We need to drain you of your life source."

She gasps lightly, her breath trembling. Then she clenches her jaws and slits her wrists defiantly. The thick blood oozes out and drizzles everywhere. I wrap her arm around my shoulder to support her and gently lower her down so she doesn't collapse. The blood is cold as it splatters down my shoulder and back.

"I'll do anything," she repeats, weakly.

I proceed to methodically mark a few more spots on her body to help the process faster. The blood flows down the steps but then stops after a while, freezing under the sub-zero temperature. Valentina's eyes are closed now as her breathing slows down immensely and soon, she is gone. For now.

The helicopter approaches as the horizon glows golden behind it.

I sit on the stairs, clothed and exhausted as Rio and Astrid stuff ice into the large bag where Valentina is secured. I try not to think about it too much, though the blood-stained steps to my right serve as a haunting reminder of what was done before Rio arrived back with only the bag and no truck.

All I know is that Valentina is alive, barely though.

I twist the daylight ring I took from her finger for safekeeping as the helicopter lands in the opening below the steps. What a tiny yet powerful thing this object is. An unfair disadvantage to the First Son, but a necessity kept in place by the Moon Goddess to deter him and his power. Judging by the destruction and devastation to innocent human lives, the Goddess was right to keep the balance.

I pocket the ring when the others prompt me to go. We carry the iced bags out and lift off.

The view below me is calm and serene. We leave this place an empty ghost town and I wonder how many more of these there are in this small country. How far has the First Son's devastation reached?

But it's not only this place that has been touched by death.

As I watch the frozen landscape, I listen in on the conversation between Astrid, Rio and Alex about the verdict in the west. Numerous villages east of Moscow were hit a few hours ago, with Alpha Volkov of Crimson Storm calling for help. Rio's Delta, Demi, as acting leader in Midnight Shadow, sent a brigade of fighters that are set to touch down at Crimson Storm any moment now.

I wonder how effective a small group would be against the First Son. Even beyond that, how effective would any of us be altogether in defeating a godly entity.

"Brace yourselves," Rio warns Astrid and I. "Silver Bow could be due in the next hour."

I expected to hear this and I am okay. Okay with must be done, what must be sacrificed. Okay with my parents' fate along with everybody else I grew up with and around back in Silver Bow. I struggle to think of it as home now. It's just another place that I have to disconnect from.

Rio moves to squeeze Astrid's hand in comfort. She nods, relenting to what must be done.

"Are you okay?" she asks me.

"I'm fine."

She reaches a hand out to me, but I flinch and look away to the mass of white below.

That's how I need my mind to be at the moment. White and blank.