cover from Google the rest came from my very crazy mind lol

Dark tainted

I took a deep breath and opened my eyes again to take in the breath taking view. The house was bigger then I imagined. There was a super tall red brick wall encasing the property with black gates at the front. Beyond that on a lush green hill was the kings’ mansion. It had to be at least four stories tall and two football fields long making it look huge. The color was a dark gray brick with black trimmings. It looked almost like it was glowing the way the crescent moon shinned behind the house in the dark of night.

The design said it was Gothic with a Victorian influence; windows were dark and had stained glass pictures on them. I was too far away to make out the images thou. There was a tower to the west that was taller than the mansion itself.

It had one window at the top that was open and black curtains were blowing in the wind. No they were blue the light that was shining from the room made them look black. And I could just make out a table with something on it. Maybe it was someone’s room.

“Vampire state your business here!”

I was pulled away from the window and looked at the tall man that was standing guard at the gates. He was a guard. His scythe was like the standard ones humans think of, the straight staff with a sickle on the end. The man was in his reaper state. Most reapers stay in their human disguise but he wasn’t and there really was no reason to hide when you’re at the Reaper kings mansion anyway.

“I am here to sit with Reaper king Bryden black and talk.”

My eyes looked down to his belt. There was a shinny sliver skull on it. My eyes briefly went over the rest of him. He was fair sized looked strong. He wore a plain black shirt that showed off his muscles. And lose black jeans n black shoes. He was pail and had features like all male Reapers. Black eyes that looked larger than his pupil should be with a little white showing around the edge. And that black bar that was on their lower lip.

All Reapers have black tattoo markings on their face; his were of lines going from his forehead down his eyes stopping at his cheek bones. He also had one pair of black feathered wings like all Reapers, except for the royal family who have two or three pairs of wings.

“A vampire wants to see my king? Ha don’t make me laugh. Why would the king or any Reaper for that matter talk to a vampire? We are at war child and I will give you a warning before I have more reason to kill you. Leave now!”

I stood my ground. I hadn’t come all the way to Iceland to see my father just to be sent back by a mire guard. My mother Vampire queen Tasha bloodfang and my father Reaper king Bryden Regina both said that when I was eighteen I was to come see him at his house since I lived with mother. Thinking why did I have to be a tainted I sighed out loud. Then I squared my shoulders lifted my chin like my mother had taught me to do in the council meetings. And with authority I told him.

“I will not, leave Bryden himself has sent for me. And the fact that you dare to threaten me shows you don’t know who I am.”

“A vampire and that tells me you lie about king Bryden’s sending for you. So I don’t care who you are.”

The guard said it with a smirk on his face as he raised his hand and I let him slap me. It didn’t affect me but I was surprised at the fact he would slap me when he could have easily have used his scythe against me. I turned back to the man and stood unmoving.

“A vampire should address the king with more respect. Always call him King Bryden or Reaper king Bryden. Never just Bryden.”

I snorted. Unless you are a member of the royal family and I half am. But you don’t care who I am. I wanted to retort to the man but instead I was cut off by someone else walking up to us.

“Hey Travis what’s going on?"

“Prince Mikhail, this vampire wants to speak with your father.”

Mikhail! He’s my half-brother that I have never met. I looked at him he had the royal family’s tattooing. The three claw marks on his cheeks. His eyes weren’t as big as Travis’s but just as black. His hair was spiky black. The lip mark all male reapers have was there. And the two pairs of black feathered wings royals had proved he was Mikhail. He wore only a sleeveless jacket designed to look like he ripped off the sleeves.

It could zip up n had pockets on it. The seams were red. It showed off his upper body well and the six pack he sported. His trip pants matched the black n red theme of his jacket. And he had black skate shoes with red laces. I was so awestruck by the sight of him I didn’t realize he asked me a question.

“What?”

I said stupidly. I could see the annoyance on his face. I hope I can get inside without blurting it out. Because saying “hey I’m your step sister Bayne and yeah your dad had an affair with a vampire. But not just any vampire it was the queen so basically I’m royalty on both sides and a dark tainted. Can I come in and talk to our dad?” Yeah so not gona happen.

Mikhail yelled at me this time and summoned his scythe and lifted it ready to behead me. It was a double scythe and that meant he was powerful. The staff had a bend in it where his hands went and there was black fabric wrapped around it. His voice was strong and angry.

“I said who are you vampire, what is your name?”
“Oh. Um I need to talk to Bryden.”

“That doesn’t answer my question. I will not let a vampire see my father unless I know who they are.”

“Well I can’t tell you who I am. But Bryden’s can explain who I am and why I’m hear.”

“I will not let you see my father until I know who you are. Now tell me your name or die vampire.”

I knew I couldn’t tell him who I was Bryden said I should keep the secret till we all sat together and talked. But he was going to kill me if I didn’t tell him. But if I defended myself n dodged Travis would fight too, and I can’t hold both of them off without killing someone. But I can’t tell him I promised father. I looked at Mikhail, at least I got to meet my step-brother I wish my step mom was here so I could meet her too before I died. With confidence I faced my step brother and my death.

“I can’t tell you.”

“Very well Venit Subtilis.” (come cleaver)

His Scythe came down and I saw Travis move in to aid him. I closed my eyes and heard Bryden’s voice cry out “NO Mikhail!” that decided it for me I opened my eyes and they shifted. My body vibrated and with the slightest movement shattered into white crystals.

Dark tainted

“Venit Angelus Cacidit.” (come fallen angel)

The sound of metal clashing against metal filled the yard. The sound of something slamming into the brick wall was barely audible. And then it went dead silent. I was glaring at my step-brother Mikhail, and he was yelling at me. Not saying anything just yelling because I was a tainted. Tainted I hated that word.

Just because someone is half vampire and half of some other immortal doesn’t mean were bad, were just different. But tainted are considered vile things among immortal’s n mythical’s, that’s why Mikhail was so discussed when I changed into a Reaper.

“Brother will you shut up!”

I yelled at him. And he went still. I had done it. I slipped up. Brother can only mean that one of his parents had an affair with a vampire. It’s the only way I could be both and he be my Brother. He realized this at the sometime I thought it. And his slack face changed into pure anger.

“No sister of mine is a dark tainted!”

He pressed his double scythe down with all his might on my triple. His top scythe was close to my face because it was longer then the bottom one. But I was still holding him off with one hand. Travis began to squirm from the wall. I looked over at the guard who was pinned to the wall by the other end of my scythe.

His wrist and scythe were in the middle of the curved weapon that attached to an endless chain at the bottom on my triple scythe. If he even tried to move his arm his wrist would be cut off. I pulled up the slack in the chain and Mikhail thought it was an opening.

“Tainted I will kill you.”

“Mikhail would you stop this I came here to tell you about me. Well Bryden was going to tell you. He’s our father and since were both eighteen it was time you knew.”

“When, when did he.”

“When you were a month old.”

Bryden interrupted our conversation. My eyes flashed over to my father and I saw a woman standing behind him. I couldn’t get a good look at her because Mikhail pulled back his scythe to face his father. The tension was radiation off his body. It was obvious that Bryden hadn’t told him about me and it was affecting him badly.

“Why would you cheat on mom and when I was a month old!”

“Son, things got complicated and I had fallen in love with Tasha contraries before you were consummated and before this war began.”

“How could you!”

“Mikhail sweetie please understand.”

The woman had stepped around Bryden and was talking sweetly to Mikhail. But that only made him turn on her. His wings unfurled when his agitation increased and he yelled at the woman. I saw Bryden nodded his head towards the pinned Travis.

“Dimissa Angelus Cecidit.”(dismissed fallen angel)

I said understanding he wanted me to dismiss my scythe and it disappeared in a black cloud like the one it came in when I summoned it to my defense. Travis fell to the ground not expecting me to release him so suddenly. But he scrambled to his feet and took on a defensive stance.

“Mom why aren’t you angry with him like I am! This tainted is an abomination and it hinders the royal Regina line!”

“Mikhail do not call your sister that!”

“Hanna maybe we should take this inside.”

Hanna. That’s what her name is. I starred at her face. It was beautiful, the angles of her cheek bones made her look like a goddess. The pure white eyes and black lips with a white bar on the bottom were standard for female Reapers. Her black curly hair was held back by a blue ribbon but a few strands escaped n framed her face.

The top she wore was like a corset with long trail sleeves. And her black shorts were covered with a black cloth that went to her mid thigh. The inside of her sleeves and cloth were blue like her ribbon. And she had on high heels that wrapped around her calves. Her four black feathered wings unfolded slightly. She really did look like a dark goddess.

“Your right Bryden, come on Mikhail we will discuss your rude behavior in the parlor.”

“No tainted are not allowed into the mansion and she’s no exception.”

Mikhail spun back to me and swung at me again I didn’t have time to summon fallen angel but I didn’t have to. Bryden had wrapped his scythe’s endless chain around Mikhail’s arms so he couldn’t move. And Hanna was in front of me with her scythe holding back Mikhail’s from decapitating me.

Her wing blocked my view of Bryden and his scythe but I could see hers. It was kind of like mine. It had the standard straight staff and sickle but then it had the hook like back sickle and the curved weapon on the end of her staff.

“Dismiss cleaver now.”

Boomed Bryden at Mikhail. I felt like if he didn’t listen he was going to be thrown over a shoulder and hulled off. He glared intensely at me and flexed his arms to see if he could move enough to get away. But he couldn’t even move in his father’s binding chains. He finally gave in and said.

“Dimissa Subtilis.” (dismissed cleaver)

He stomped off into the house grumbling about tainted being horrible creatures. Bryden shook his head in disapproval. That’s when I got a look at his scythe. It was like a mini double scythe there was one in each hand connected by a black chain. I had a chance to look at him to since I wasn’t as guarded from attacks. He was just wearing black jeans, a silver skull with black diamond eyes and his feet were bound with black cloth like a kick boxers.

His six wings moved restlessly as he starred at his son. When he faced me I saw his eyes were pure black like always and he had that black bar on his lip. His hair was medium length and framed his face making him look young. When Hanna spoke she sounded distressed.

“Travis will you please make sure he doesn’t break anything?”

“Yes my lady, Dimissa Puresidio.” (dismissed guard)

Travis dismissed his scythe and jogged after Mikhail in the house. But he was to late I heard a distinct sound of glass crashing several times before Travis made it to the door.

“Dimissa Morte Perptue.” (dismissed endless death)

“Dimissa Regina Atra.” (dismissed dark queen)

Bryden walked over to us slowly as he dismissed his scythe. Hanna dismissed hers and they hugged. Hanna looked at me then and smiled so lovingly it was like I was her daughter and had always lived with her. She extended an elegant hand covered in black fingerless gloves like Mikhail, Bryden’s and mine.

“Reaper princess Bayne Black, my daughter would you please allow me to show you your home.”

I smiled at her and took her hand. She led me into the mansion through a side door I hadn’t seen before. It was on the tower to the west, the door might have been hidden by a bush but it was beautiful, made of stained wood with an intricately designed black iron handle and accents. She let my hand drop because the winding stairwell was very narrow. It would have been really dark if the lights hadn’t been turned on. They were made to look like hanging lamps but it was obviously they were electric.

“Sorry I didn’t take you through the front but Mikhail is so upset that I don’t think it would be a good idea. So I’m taking you to your room we just finished redoing. It was my library but Bryden told me what you liked so we had it redone and some of your things put in. oh I hope you like it.”

“Of course I will and thank you for giving me a room.”

She turned her head to smile at me. We had finally reached the top and she had to open a door that looked just like the one outside but bigger. She walked into the room and I was stuck at the door taking in the room. It was amazing the walls were black with red trim. A black fan with red gothic designs on it and black gothic lights hung in the middle of the ceiling.

To the left of the door was a bed with three pillows on it and my dragon comforter. A lamp with the same design as the fan lights sat on a dark wood table by the window seat. Hanna walked over to the window and shut it and letting the curtains hang, they were black. She picked up the books that were on the table.

“Vampire Queen Maria sent over your books and things these are the last ones I haven’t gotten on the shelves.”

Shelves? I looked to the right and on the wall were my dragon posters and on the floor my Washburn guitar with my black saucer chair folded up beside it. Closer to the door was a closet, I walked over to it and opened it and walked in all my clothes were there.

“Do you like the closet? I know there’s more than enough space in there but I was hoping maybe we could go shopping sometime and get to know each other.”

“I’d love to.”

She was so nice to me she sounded like a friend more than a step mom. I was turning to leave when I noticed a mirror on the back of the door. I shut it slightly and I saw how much I looked like Hanna. I had never looked much like Maria but standing next to Hanna it was obvious where I got my looks because she and Bryden had similar facial features. I turned my head to get a better look.

Our face was the same but unlike her curly hair mine was spiky and had trails in the front. They were bound by white fabric. My outfit consisted of a black corset with white string in the front, a black skirt that went to my knees and had a designed ripped pattern at the bottom.

I also had on a white bleat that held black diamonds angling down on side. My feet were like Bryden’s no shoes just biding like a kick boxers. And the fingerless gloves finished off my outfit. I folded my single pair of wings close to my back and opened the door again.

“I didn’t see any shelves.”

“There on the first floor of the tower.”

“But isn’t this the first? I didn’t see a door on the way up here.”

“That’s what the stairs are for.”

She walked to the middle of the room under the fan. I didn’t see any stairs either she pulled back the corner of a pretty red and black carpet. There was a trap door under it that she lifted up and then I saw the stairs. She flipped a switch and the stairway light up. She began to descend the winding stairs; they weren’t as narrow as the others so I could almost walk next to her. It wasn’t a long walk and there was a door at the end like the other two it was stained and had black iron accents and handle.

“This is where your books and statues are kept.”

She flipped on another switch and it had the same fan and lights as my room. The walls were lined with shelves my books and dragons were on them. The ones with my dragons had glass on the front, which was half of the shelves. There was a gap in the shelves at the front of the room where another door was and a gap at the back off the room. It had a red window seat but there was no window just a brick wall.

“There is a window there; it’s just one way and behind a panel. If you push on the left book case and the bottom above the seat it will click. Push it back and there’s a button. Push that and the panel goes up revealing the window.”

“Wow that’s really cool but kind of odd for a library to have don’t you think?”

“Yes it is weird to have all the secret passage ways and such but Mikhail loved to explore as a boy and so we put things in like this for him.”

“That was cool of you guys.”

She smiled in response. I tested the window panel. And it did move when I pushed the button. I saw the back yard which meant this was the back of the tower. The winding stairs had me all confused. I was going to shut the window but Hanna hadn’t told me how. So with a guess I pushed the button again and the panel came down.

“Very good, now if you want to go to the roof there is a ladder in the closet ceiling. I would show you but I have to go tend to something’s. This door leads to the west hallway; if you follow it all the way down it joins to the main hallway. And that will lead to the main entrance if you need help ask Henry. I guess you could call him our butler.”

She was telling me all of this as she opened the door. She stopped and came back to hug me.

“I’m so glad you came here Bayne.”

“Me to mom.”

She squeezed me and left.

Wolf Tainted

“Get down there wolf tainted.”

“My name is Beowulf not wolf tainted!”

“Shut up I don’t care what you are called it won’t matter in a month at the blood festival.”

The vampire guard shoved me hard down the stairs and I hit them repeatedly on my way down. I felt my ribs fracture and by the time I fell down the twenty five steps, yes I counted them, my ribs had begun to heal, bonus for being half werewolf. When I stopped rolling the guard came over and drug me to the end of the damp basement and let me drop to the floor painfully hard. I heard chains rattle n then clicking.

“You’re going to love it down here tainted”
“Beowulf.”

I stayed on my side drawing my arms in to me that’s when I saw heavy chains on my wrists. I started to shake I felt my eyes shift and my body burst into white crystals as I lunged full force for the vampire. He jumped back to the bottom of the steps he was almost in biting distance.

In five more inches I would have him and then I went down hard on the floor face first. I yelped and flipped end over end. After a second I remembered that I was chained and growled an angry response and the vampire while rolling over to stand up.

“You tricked me vampire.”

“Ha! You are a dumb mutt.”

I was fall way up when he kicked me in my ribs. I yelped again because there were two that weren’t totally healed and my trip messed them up again. And I still had small amounts of sliver running through my body from there interrogation earlier. I fell to the cold floor painting and he kicked me again and again. By the fifth blow I had shut my eyes and concentrated on the coldness seeping through my fur to my skin instead of the pain.

“Kincaid what the-“

The female voice cut off and I heard bodies hit and one fall to the floor. Then the man, Kincaid, screamed. With a good deal of effort I rose to my side but my head dropped to the floor. I still had a view of Kincaid looking at horror at the female who was standing over him. She wasn’t doing anything she was just, standing there with her hands on her hips. Yet he was scarred senseless. I whimpered as pain flared through me that caught her attention.

“Are you ok? I’m sorry Kincaid is so horrible. I was to take you down here but Camille had me doing another errand. But I’m glad I came to see if he was done.”

“Yes I’m fine thank you?”

She confused me. Vampires hated tainted of any kind because we weren’t true vampires and we diluted their blood lines. Yet this one was nice to me why? I got my answer when she turned her head. Her eyes where pure white one second and then shifted to a light blue.

“Tainted.”

I breathed the word but she smiled and nodded. I kept starring at her as she turned back to Kincaid and yelled at him for treating me so bad. I didn’t know what kind of tainted she was but she had to be strong if a vampire was scarred of her. I looked to Kincaid and he looked angry now instead of scarred but the fear was still in his eyes.

“You stupid tainted stick together I’m out of here.”

He said it hatefully and got up to leave. The woman shook her head and turned to me. She was walking over to me so I tried to sit up and succeeded. But when I lifted my head to look at her face I saw Kincaid walk back down from the corner of my eye. The woman must have heard him because she turned back to him. He had a gun pointed at her.

“Actually I think you should die now and we can kill him at the festival. The less tainted around here the better. Bye Bayne hated meeting you.”

He pulled back the hammer and I lunged forward knocking the woman down, she had helped me so I was returning that favor. I was able to knock her to the ground just as a bullet sung past my ear. The woman was looking at me in shock. We both heard clicking again as Kincaid pulled the hammer back again aiming for her heart.

I growled deep and low that drawled his attention and he pointed it at me. Flattening my ears down and baring my teeth I continued to growl at him, lady get out of here he said he won’t kill me. When she got up she moved toward him instead of away.

“Kincaid what is with you? You know you will only get Tasha’s rath if you harm me. And Bryden will come after you.”

“Then I’ll run away where the queen can’t fine me and I’ll kill him.”

“HA! Kill a reaper, the king reaper, you’re suicidal.”

“At least I’m not a tainted!”

Bryden, the Reaper king Bryden, her father reaper king Bryden? Wow no wonder Kincaid was so fearful of her. A reaper can easily kill a vampire but Reapers are immortal and of darkness a vampire can’t harm them. But what does Vampire queen Tasha have to. That’s her mother. She is a princess of both. I never thought that would ever happen with this war. My thoughts were interrupted as another deafening gun shot rang out in the small room.

I lunged forward at him and felt a hot pain in my shoulder. It twisted back and I landed just the length of my muzzle short of his feet. My eyes felt heavy and it was getting dark. I heard the sound of a dog crying in pain like it was dying. I had no idea where it had come from but it was obviously hurt badly. Oh wait I’m that dog.

“Venit Angelus cecidit.” (come fallen angel)

Who was that woman? I couldn’t see anything. I opened my eyes and there was the woman, Bayne, holding Kincaid by the throat. He was off the ground about two feet and struggling. My eyes fell shut again and the last thing I could remember was screaming and a crow cawing. But there was no crow. Or was there? Darkness and sleep took me over and then nothingness.

Wolf Tainted

“It’s ok.”

That voice. My eyes were heavy and didn’t want to open. I moaned and felt someone’s hands on my shoulder press lightly on the wound. I gasped and sat up ready to attack. But I just fell to the ground holding my shoulder and gasping for air.

“Please don’t move a lot. I had to remove the bullet from beside your lungs. And you lost a lot of blood.”

I let her help me sit up but I didn’t have a lot of energy to stay up on my own. She ended up letting me lean against her shoulder with my good one. It took me a few minutes to think of something to say. But then I noticed the white bandages around my shoulder and the other cuts I had from before. And there was no trace of silver in my body. For it to have all disappeared it would take three days.

“How long have I been out?”

“Well you’ve been in and out for four days. I haven’t left because I’m afraid Kincaid might try and finish off the job. So I have to stay here and in my reaper form so the barrier stays up too.”

“Has Kincaid been down here?”

I turned to look at her and I saw that her face was tired like she hadn’t slept in days. She was in her reaper form sitting as straight as possible. That’s when I noticed she was wounded. She had her wings folded around her to keep her warm but I could see the same make shift bandages on her side.

That’s when I came around in front of her on my knees to see her face better. She was pale even for a reaper and kind of sweaty like she was physically exerting herself just sitting there. I looked into her white eyes and saw no hint of pain.

“Did he hurt you? When I was out of it did Kincaid attack you?”

She didn’t answer me but she pulled her wings closer. It hid her body from me but not her face. I sat down in front of her holding myself up with one arm so I didn’t face plant in her lap. That would be embarrassing. I slowly reached out my hand to move her wing so I could see how bad she was hurt. I use to be a doctor when i hid my tainted side from the vampires.

But once I transformed in front of someone they had me in poisoned and tortured. That was why I was here. But I could tell from the way she bandaged me she was experienced at it. And I wanted to make sure she was going to be ok.

“Let me see how bad it is Bayne. I use to-“

She disappeared from in front of me as I touched a black feather. And I was off balance and face planted to the ground again. I might as well marry this stupid floor since I keep kissing it. I thought to myself. Then I sat up and looked around for her. It was so dark in the room I couldn’t see at all.

I shifted my eyes to that of wolves and saw the stairway to the left. The room was empty and I almost missed Bayne when my eyes swept over her. Her wings concealed most of her from me but her face was still visible. I would have gone to her but I could tell I couldn’t stand without falling back to my beloved floor.

“Bayne please I used to be a doctor I know what to do. And I want to know how bad you are hurt. I want to help you and thank you for helping me. And I’d like to do that by tending to your wounds you got because of me.”

I sighed because she made no movement after a few minutes. So I rested my back against the cold hard wall and waited. She must have decided to come back because I heard her wings rustle and but I didn’t see her. I shifted my eyes back to a wolf’s and saw she had collapsed on the floor. No she hadn’t Kincaid was behind her.

I shifted and lunged at him to protect her. But she was too far away from me. I strained on the chains letting them tear into my flesh without concern. I had to get to her. I had to protect her.

“Kincaid leave her be it’s me you want!”

I snarled at him it was so un-human sounding. I strained harder remembering the last four days. As the memories became clear in my mind I could only look at Bayne crumpled on the floor with Kincaid standing over her with a bat. There was blood on the floor from her wound.

I still haven’t had a chance to tend to her wounds! Kincaid stepped closer to me and hit an invisible wall. He bounced off it with such force that he hit the wall half knocking him out and making him dropped the bat.

“Bayne please get up. Come closer to me. You’re in no shape to fight.”

“Says the wolf who’s covering the floor with blood.”

She was standing up and swaying over to me. She slipped and I caught her on my shoulder. I almost went down too in pain but adrenalin was keeping me going. That’s when I got a huge whiff of metallic salt. It was blood, my blood.

She was right my half of the room had a huge puddle of blood around me. Bayne saw Kincaid come like I did. So with my paw I pulled her back against my side and walked back from him. I knew just how far to go because once I reached it Bayne said something in Latin.

“Nigrum adamas franguntque mount. quod proiectus Principe ac minatur suas.” (shatter and bind black diamond that which threatens the princess and her charge)

That’s when the invisible wall shattered and flung itself at Kincaid. A clear glowing black chain wrapped around him and he yelled out in anger. He struggled against them but nothing gave.

“Hey what are you doing to me?”

“Quod sit quod tenetur quo ei ducem.” (take that which is bound to that whom is leader to it)

Then he was levitating a foot above the floor in a black cloud and going out the door. He was yelling at Bayne to get him out of this and when he exited the room all we heard was cries for help becoming fainter and fainter. Then my shoulder gave out and I fell with Bayne on top of me. We were vampires by the time we hit the ground.

“nigrum adamantas mederi uulneribus qui est cor meum.” ( black diamond’s heal the wounds of the one who belongs to my heart)

“What are you rambling about? You know I don’t know Latin.”

“That I want the diamonds to heal you because I love you Beowulf.”

That’s when she kissed me. We became quite close the four days I was out. I just hadn’t remembered till now. That’s why she was so hesitant to let me touch her. She didn’t’ know if I remembered. We kissed a minute longer before we got up to escape.

Warrior Tainted

I was using the weightlifting equipment Camille had bought me when she walked in my room. She was tall and elegant as always. Today she let her long blonde hair flowed freely down her back. She wore a knee length black dress. I was bench pressing 1300 lbs. while she walked over and got in one more lift before she addressed me and I had to stop. I dropped to one knee and put my fist on the ground and bowed my head in respect.

“Raven, remember that favor I wanted you to do? Did you do it?”

“Mistress Camille I had my crow, Perce, to kill the dark tainted.”

She didn’t look happy and her emerald eyes were mad. She slapped me and I fell on my butt. She will regret that if I can ever get this bracelet off. I thought to myself. I subconsciously raised my left hand and looked at the gold and silver bracelet. There was something in it that inhibited my Valkyrie powers. That’s why I was in this room with vampires instead of Valhalla.

“Mistress?”

“I told you to kill her yourself. Instead you sent that crow and now I have her and that wolf tainted to deal with. I’ll give you one more chance.”

She turned around and left the room. When I couldn’t hear her loud clicking anymore I got up and went to the bulletin board that had my targets taped up on it. I ripped down the picture of a man. He was tall and had black spiky hair with red tips. Next to the picture of his vampire form was a picture of a black wolf with red on its muzzle, for paws and tail.

I put it back on the board and looked at the woman. She was skinny but muscular. Her hair was long and dark brown. Next to her was a grim reaper. I put the picture back because I had looked at it so much before. I had to memorize what she looked like so I could assassinate her at the blood festival. But now that she has freed the wolf tainted I have to kill her tonight, what a pain.

“Tainted Raven, Mistress Camille wants me to sharpen your weapons for a quest she has seat for you.”

“Tania? Fine you can sharpen my arrows and axe. But leave the rest of the weapons for me to tend.”

“Yes Raven.”

I watched as the little Hispanic girl went to my armory and took the arrows and axes off in a big cart. She was Camille’s apprentice I f you could call it that. She basically did whatever Camille ordered her to do and if she didn’t she was lashed. All of that so she could become a vampire and marry Camille’s nephew. There are a number of ways to get Camille’s approval of the wedding but Tania had to choose the hardest.

Most people Camille takes on are killed because she’s so evil. But little Tania was strong and stubborn and she would be the one who would succeed where others haven’t. She left the room quietly and closed the door. I went to sit on my bed for a few minutes before I got ready to hunt Bayne and Beowulf. I Shut my eyes and listened to the sounds outside the window.

“Cawwww.”

My eyes searched for the source of the cawing and I found Perce standing on the mirror. There was dried blood on his beak and fresh blood dripping from under his breast feathers.

“Perce! Oh my god what happened.”

I stretched out my arms to him and he flew down. I cradled him carefully and lifted his feathers. There was a deep cut across his chest. And it was bleeding heavily. I shifted him to one arm and took the sleeve of the other in my mouth and pulled. It ripped off easy. Then I sat Perce down on the table in front of the mirror. He made painful noises but they eased as I wrapped the bandage around him to stop the bleeding. Once I had the bandages on him I cradled him in my arms.

“What happened Perce?”

“Cawww.”

I shifted my eyes and burst into white crystals. I watched myself in the mirror as I changed. My spiky blonde hair grew longer n curly. My vampire blue eyes shifted to a deeper shade. White wings materialized on my head. My work out bra exploded into a metal corset. My pants became a white skirt with a golden belt. Attached to the belt was a double edges sword. And my feet had sandals that wrapped up to my mid claves. This was my Valkyrie form. Once I had totally changed the cawing Perce made became English.

“Dark tainted that I attacked. She defended herself. Kincaid was shooting the wolf with a gun and I made my move. But she saw me n uses her Scythe. I withdrew my straight one attack for her heart n managed to get her side. But she got me with the end of her scythe."

“Perce I told you to be careful that she has a lot of experience.”

“I’m sorry my lady.”

“It’s ok Perce I’m just glad she didn’t kill you. You’re the only friend I have in this place.”

He made a noise n I shifted back. I walked over to his roost and pulled a pillow off my bed n put it under the roost. Gently laying him on the pillow I stroked his feathers till he fell asleep. I will kill her tonight so Perce doesn’t get hurt again helping me. I have others I can call upon. I stood up and walked over to the window. I glanced back at Perce and then jumped out.

Warrior Tainted

In the shadows I waited for the other tainted to come passed where I was hiding. I kneeled on a tree branch ready to strike. The forest that secluded the interrogation houses was perfect for hiding in. I heard the rustle of feathers to the left and right of me. I smiled knowing the crows I called were as restless for a fight as I was. Shifting my stance again I began to flex my hand above my sword.

Come on already they have to come out soon! I had gathered information from Celia and Gus who had a nest by the main interrogation house. That Bayne and Beowulf hadn’t left yet. Just then squawking came from the far side of the building.

“Here, here, here!”

“GO!”

I breathed at the crows. They took flight and in a perfect v shape swooping down to the vampires I could see exiting the building. The crows attacked them and drove them to me. The man, Beowulf, changed into a wolf. It was larger than I expected. His head came up to the Bayne’s shoulders. She jumped on his back and they ran my way. I lurched from the tree screaming and swung my sword down. Bayne jerked her head up and my sword stopped in mid air.

“Venit Angelus Cecidit.” (come fallen angel)

She had changed faster than I could see. And when I heard her speak the words it was already too late. Her scythe held off my sword. And I was falling down to her. I had to move fast or get killed. I kicked my leg out and knocked the end of her scythe up. It freed my sword from the re-curved half of her scythe giving me an opening.

I let my weight bring the sword down hard where her shoulder was. Sparks flew as she used the weapon on the end of the chain to stop my blow. By now Beowulf had realized I was attacking and he turned back to bit me.

“Crows.”

I said and He yelped as some flew down from the circle over our head and pecked at his face. Then he growled and swatted them away. I jerked Bayne by the wing making her fall off. She summer salted to her feet just as my sword came down again, this time aimed for her head, it missed and hit dirt. The crows swarmed Beowulf leaving just me and Bayne to fight.

“Come on.”

She said at me glaring then she vanished. I spun with my sword out anticipation an attack. Instead a bunch of the crows pecking at Beowulf were blown away. Bayne was there standing over the limping bloody wolf. Her wings were extended. She had wrapped them around him and when she opened them it knocked away the crows. She kept her glare on me and charged. Our weapons clashed again almost making her speech inaudible.

“Nigra aequora adamantas trahentem lupus sanguinem quo est cor meum. Fac et Soar plumas. quod sit a threat da domina. liga bene faciendi sunt unum fieri.” (Black diamond’s seas that which draws blood from the wolf in which my heart is. Make feathers fly and soar. Take that which is a threat and give it to its mistress. Bind them well make two become one.)

I was going to ask what she was saying when the crows all cried out at once. They were frozen. Then black chains lashed out at them from something on the ground in front of Beowulf. It looked like a crystal or something I was too worried about my crows to look at it any more. They began to come together and towards me.

Bayne jumped up and flew back to Beowulf looking concerned for him. Then I couldn’t see anything because the crows were being wrapped around me. I shrieked it terror as they bound tighter n tighter to me. They were all squawking and straggling.

“Stop, be still crows. And cut the chains. Free yourself and fly away. Away from this battle before you die.”

One by one they stilled and used the metal battle claw covers I gave some of them they cut the chains away. Some stayed back to help others out but they all flew away eventually. I was left there to face them alone. I tensed my right hand and looked for my sword. When I found it I knew there was no way I’d be able to get to it. Beowulf must have seen me looking at my sword because he limped over to it and picked it up in his mouth.

Crap now I’m doomed. I left my bow in my room with Perce. I can never win this fight. But if I fight I will go to Valhalla at least insted of Camille killing me. I drew a deep breath Took one glance at the woods in the direction of my room. I’m sorry Perce. And I went into battle again. I fainted by Bayne and went for Beowulf. He was hurt so he would be an easier target. He saw me coming and tried to bit me again. I let myself fall to the floor on my back and kicked up when his jaw was above me.

He made a strangled growling sound. Hoping that move had surprised him I reached up and wrapped my arms around his muzzle. He made protesting sounds as I got on his back still holding his mouth shut. He shook his head once really hard to throw me off but he was to hurt. He went down with a thud.

“No.”

Someone screeched from afar. I knew that voice and my shock made me loosen my grip enough that Beowulf could open his mouth. He growled loud and I felt him vibrate under me. I snapped out of my frozen state and back flipped off the giant wolf as he snapped at my hands. I landed on the side the voice was coming from.

And then hands were around me. They held my wrists behind me and covered my mouth. I struggled but it was no use. She had me. Beowulf was the closet to me and he was the first to react. He lunged mouth gaping open and flew over my head. Then he yelled and hit the ground.

He rolled about ten feet and came to a stop at the bottom of a tree. Bayne was furious she unfurled her wings and took to the air. Rage was plain on her face. And the way she gripped her scythe made her look like and avenging dark angel.

“You have no reason to be here. Just like the girl. Leave now before I kill you.”

When she spoke her voice was hostile and all traces of anything human, vampire, or grim reaper were gone. It made my skin shiver and my heart race. That voice was like I could kill the world with one command. It was terrifying and for the first time in six hundred years I was truly terrified. The woman, I assumed it was a woman because the hands were strong but not like a man’s. And nails dug into my wrists, tightened her grip on me.

“Ha I have orders to kill you and the wolf if needed. And since Raven has failed to do so I have to kill her to. That was my deal for immortality and Jack’s hand. So now I have to do as Mistress Camille says.”

Oh god no. She didn’t please tell me she didn’t. I went cold at the thought. If it truly was little Tania she was doomed to die. And Camille knew that. A newly changed can’t match up to a vampire who has centuries on her, especially if that vampire is a tainted. Then how is she holding me. She has the charm! I felt it against my skin. It wasn’t her nails that dug in it was the charm.

A special charm that is as old as vampires themselves it’s designed to inhibit there powers like my bracelet inhibits mine. Bayne had snapped when Tania said Camille. She roared in rage and swopped down scythe out to decapitate us both. And then there were black feathers.

Tainted

From behind a tree I watched the events play out in front of him. Perce dove behind Raven’s head and cut Tania’s arm. She shrieked and let go of Raven. Perce cawed and sat on Ravens head making her go down on the ground out of Bayne’s way. That’s when Tania’s head rolled on the ground in front of Raven. I got a good look of the girls face. It showed no signs of fear. She never saw Bayne coming.

“Are you ok?”

Bayne’s sweet voice must have surprised Raven because she jerked at the sound. Perce cawed and hopped on the ground in the middle of the two girls. He was trying to make Bayne go away to no avail. Raven sat up and starred at Bayne like she was trying to figure out if it was a trap or not.

They were just trying to kill each other a minute ago. And now they were saving one another. Bayne held out a hand to Raven and she took it hesitantly. She must have decided Bayne was honest about not trying to kill her anymore because she said she was fine and let her guard down.

“Perce come here.”

She held out her arms the crown and he happily hopped into them. She smoothed out his ruffled feathers and cradled him in her arms. My gaze went to Bayne and her lover Beowulf. He had changed back into a vampire and she was tending to him arm. She looked over at Raven and beckoned her over. She obeyed and Bayne hovered one hand over Perce and one over Beowulf’s arm.

“Nigrum cura denuo adamantas et semel vulnera qui cor meum. et pertinentium ad bellator pinnata. Nam qui fugiunt adiuvat's amicus.” (black diamond’s heal once again and once and for all the wounds of the one who has my heart. And that of those belonging to the feathered warrior. For he who fly's to our aid is a friend)

There was a black light around them and when it disappeared Perce flew onto Raven’s shoulder and Beowulf hugged Bayne. But she wasn’t done because she turned to Raven again. She pointed to the bracelet that gleamed on her wrist.

“May I break its spell?”

Raven light up and smiled wide. It was obvious that she wanted the bracelet off. I tensed up that was the reason I had come here, to get Raven and take her back.

“Yes! Please!”

She flung her wrist up for Bayne to take hold of. Bayne studied it for a minute and then closed her eyes. She inhaled deeply and spoke quickly in the ancient language like it was second nature to her.

“Adamas's nigrum venusta infregerit detinet impedit tegit et vitulorum disabled funesta a semetipso suus. veram potestatem. manus. Nunc id delere." (black diamond’s break this charm that imprisons, hinders, hides, seals, and disabled a tainted it's true self, true power, her power. Now annihilate it)

After a second of complete stillness Bayne opened her eyes and black chains flung themselves at the bracelet from her belt. They tightened and a knife appeared. Bayne gripped its shimmery handle and struck straight down at Raven’s wrist. It didn’t make contact because a white light exploded from the bracelet suspending leaves in the air.

Blowing their hair back and letting it hang in the air like a freeze frame of that moment. And just like that it was gone. The chains and knife disappeared and the bracelet fell to the ground.

“Thank you so much Bayne.”

Raven said as she hugged her. Beowulf bent over to pick up the cracked and singed metal that use to be a bracelet. He threw it away into the forest. It just happened to be in my direction I caught and dropped it before it hit me in the face. That’s when I decided I had waited long enough and emerged from the shadows of the trees and looked right at Raven.

Everyone froze Bayne and Beowulf took on defensive stances. Raven began to cry. Perce cawed and tried to make her feel better but they weren’t tears of sorrow she was crying. They were happy tears.

“Ma- Matt what are you doing here?”

“I’m here to take you home.”

Bayne nodded her head and smiled when I finished. She totally relaxed and held out her hand to shake mine, I took it. Beowulf did the same but he was still one edge. I couldn’t really blame him since we were all in danger still. I guess neither us will feel safe until we leave this place. I took Raven’s had in mine and tugged it.

She nodded her head and lifted her arm for Perce to land on. He had flown away when she ran toward me. He soared down with my crow Hans’. Perce was uneasy and Hans’ was cawing at me. I shifted my eyes and changed so I could understand him.

“She’s coming and she knows. I’ll hold her off while you get away with Raven.”

Once he was sure I understood, him and Perce flew off in the direction in which they came. Beowulf looked at me like he knew something was wrong. He walked toward me when I began to frown.

“What is it?”

“Camille.”

I breathed her name. And it agitated him he growled and shifted his eyes. As he turned into a wolf, still growling deep in his chest, he looked at Bayne. She had changed too, into a reaper. The tension in her body was visible. She flicked her fingers out at her side and said something in Latin I couldn’t catch. But a black cloud appeared and then a scythe.

Her face morphed into a mask of nothingness. And it gave me the creeps. Even thou she had no expression her eyes said it all. Someone was going die and that person was Camille. It was the look of a true reaper on the job. I felt Raven shiver at my side, she was watching Bayne too.

“You guys go. We’ll take care of her. I have some unfinished business to attend to anyway.”

The way she said it was scarier than if she would have laughed evilly. Her voice was smooth and even like she wasn’t about to kill someone. All I could do was nod and take Raven’s arm. We walked off as Bayne and Beowulf ran in the direction Hans’ and Perce went. We were about half way through the forest when Raven stopped. Making our hands break apart.

“We have to help them. She saved me and freed me I have to help her somehow.”

Tainted

She turned and ran back the way we came. I chased after her tripping over the underbrush and roots that were hidden under leaves. Wait why am I running after her. I stopped and stretched out my arms. Looking to the sky I called out.

“Hans’ hear my call fly to me. And fly me to battle.”

After a minute Hans’ appeared in the sky he cawed and shimmered. His wings grew longer and bleached out. His clawed feet became cloven hooves. And his head became like a horses. When he landed on the ground he was a white Pegasus. He took to the air when I was on his back.

This is a Valkyir thing we are associated with crows and swans. But we ride Pegasus’s like our ancestor did. They stay if bird form so they can stay with us and protect us. But when we enter battle we call out there true forms.

“Follow Raven.”

Han’s whinnied and turned to the battle I could hear ahead. I could hear the battle befor I saw it. There were sounds of growling and metal clashing. When Hans’ broke through the heavy canopy of the forest I heard someone yell. It was Bayne, she was divining down at Camille. One of her wings was misshapen and bleeding. Well she was covered in blood so I assumed her wing was bleeding.

Her whole right side was bathed in blood. She continued her battle cry as she made contact with a sword. Camille had a double edged sword she was defending herself with. Bayne growled in frustration. I looked around quickly for Raven. When I found her she was on the far side of the blood stained field with Beowulf and Perce in horse form.

“Raven, Beowulf, Perce.”

I yelled over to them. That caught Camille’s attention and she pushed Bayne away to turn to me and strike. I didn’t have time to dodge. I saw her coming for me and behind her Raven yelling my name with tears in her eyes. And then I saw blood. There was a pressure on my arm a light weight feeling and then I crashed to the ground. The pressure on my arm released and Raven was on me crying fluttering her hands over me.

“Oh Matt oh are you ok? Thank you Bayne oh Matt.”

Bayne? I looked over at her. There was a new cut on her back next to her good wing. She stood in front protecting us. She clenched her scythe and threw the chain end at Camille who dodged it with a little effort. She spun and flung her sword at Bayne.

I saw Bayne tense and dodge but out of nowhere her body flung backwards and slammed into a tree. Her scythe clattered next to me on the ground. She gasped out as a sickening crunch filled the clearing. Bayne bowed her head forward n coughed blood.

“Now now Bayne don’t die just yet. I thought you wanted to kill me.”

Camille was over her in no time. Pulling the sword from her wing and holding her to the tree by her throat. Raven helped me up and supported me on her shoulder. She began to pull me back to the end where she was when I first arrived. She motioned Hans’ over and I got onto his back.

Perce came over to letting Raven on. I gassed into her eyes and saw that she was determined to do something. She gave me a slight smile and tugged Perce’s main so head turn toward Camille and Bayne.

“Hey Camille come and get me.”

Raven charged Camille with her Valkyrie spear from Perce’s saddle. Camille shrieked as it dove into her back and ripped through her other side. She grew angry and broke Raven’s spear. Perce took to the air as Camille whipped around to slick Raven down. Hans’ charged at Camille next and I strung my bow that was in Hans’ saddle.

Just befor Camille lashed out with her sword Hans’ took to the air and I planted the arrow in her sword arm. She shrieked again. As Hans’ climbed higher in the sky I looked down and saw Raven getting Beowulf. Perce fallowed me up and I caught a glimpse of Bayne’s wings disappearing in a black cloud. I looked over at Raven and questioned her.

“What are we doing?”

“What Bayne wanted us to she said that if you came and she was in trouble to get you to the corner of the clearing where we were.”

“Why that corner?”

“You will see soon enough, let’s go back to the clearing.”

Beowulf interrupted us. He seemed on edge more then was necessary even if we were if a battle. His face was grim, he knew something we didn’t. Hans’ and Perce slowly spiraled down through the clouds. The air was cool and moist till we came to the bottom half of the clouds then it became warm n dry. We circled down to the corner that Raven and Beowulf were at befor.

Hans’ and Perce changed back to their crow forms. Perce was uneasy and hopped back and forth on Ravens shoulder. I embraced Raven and she snuggled into my chest. She was uneasy too. So I’m the only one out of the loop. Bayne yelled again and drew my attention to her. She didn’t have her wings anymore and she was still covered in blood. Camille was to but not as bad as Bayne.

Bayne’s attack was cut short buy something in Camille’s had. It was a golden ball that had electricity sparking around it. Bolts flew toward her and shocked Bayne making her battle cry turn into screams of pain. The shocks continued till Camille covered the orb with a sleeve.

Bayne dropped to the ground on one knee panting. She flicked the chain at Camille to bind her. It worked and Camille fell to the ground wrapped in chain. Bayne stood up and walked over to us. She broke off a black diamond from her belt and handed it to Beowulf. She whispered.

“Adamas nigrum quomodo mundus moritur et omnes fines tueri pecata caros mihi et qui pecata mihi non sustinet.” (black diamond as the world ends and all dies protect thous who are dear to me and thous who are no threat to me)

“When it glows all of you put a hand on Beowulf. It will protect you. Just do not let go of him until all the feathers disappear. Got it?”

Feathers disappear? What is he talking about? We all nodded at Beowulf. I turned my attention to Bayne walking back to Camille just as she broke free of the chains.

Dark Tainted

I walked back to Camille as she broke the chain end of my scythe. It didn’t matter if she got free or not she was going to die soon anyway. She looked angry and took out the orb again. She was going to shock me again and if she did I was going to die. I dodged one bolt of lightning and tumbled to my scythe.

I stabbed the staff in the ground and threw the chain at Camille. She was too busy making the lighting turn around to strike again to dodge the chain. I grabbed the staff as my body burn to the point I thought I was going to be cooked alive. And then a sharp pain in my left hand and it was gone. I had successfully conducted the lighting to her.

The lightning made Camille scream and I took my chance. Pulling my scythe free I pinned her to the nearest tree. She tried to pull it free from her shoulder but I planted it too deep in the tree. I let out a long breath and prepared myself. Bowing my head I closed my eyes. Letting my hands go limp at my sides and calling my wings back to me, healed, I let them hang limp behind me to. I let Raven argue with Camille as I centered myself.

“Bayne what are you doing you fool. You’ll kill everyone!”

“You’re the fool Camille. With all these relics you’re using to control and kill people. You’re lucky Bayne’s parents didn’t put you in jail for possessing them.”

I finally centered myself. I let my energy course through my body feeling for the power of the diamonds center, looking to unlock the power hidden in me. There! I opened my eyes as I let the energy surge though me. A bright light came from my chest energy radiated out from me.

It disappeared for a moment only to return creating a whirlwind around me. I threw my head back letting the raw forbidden power consume me. My hair whipped around my vision. And then all was still.

“Bayne don’t. don’t you don’t want to kill me do you?”

I looked at the pleading Camille. She was terrified, struggling against my scythe opening a wound in her shoulder. She didn’t care that she was hurting herself she wanted away from me. I saw my reflection in her eyes. My eyes had a thick black ring around the iris. And the normally deep blue of my eyes was a pale grey and looked almost like it was burning.

My hair had grown long and still blowing around me wildly. The black bar on my lip was gone and the three claw marks that where on my face had jagged edges instead of its smooth ones. I looked at Camille with a dead expression like I had no care in the world, like her life was meaningless.

I was still looking in her eyes when I noticed a glow in them. It was the diamond I had given Beowulf. I concentrated on it. He was holding it looking at me through Camille’s eyes while I looked at him. Raven and Matt had a hold of his shoulders and they held Perce and Hans’ in front of them.

All safe. Beowulf nodded like he heard my thoughts. I refocused on my reflection in her eyes. So this is what it looks like. What a Reaper who’s taken the souls of men looks like. It’s scary and real. It’s what I am. My hair blew straight up and I stretched out my wings. I spoke the next word as lifelessly as I looked. And never took my eyes off Camille.

“Armageddon.”

A black humming light surrounded me. In seconds it exploded from me like a bomb. I heard my friends scream but I knew they were safe. Camille on the other hand wasn’t. She screamed as loud as she could. I kept looking into her eyes watching everything play out and watch her realize she was doomed. As the light made it to the trees they blew back, some broke off and flew farther into the forest.

Once the light reached its maximum coverage of eight hundred feet it shot to the sky engulfing it to. Turning whatever the light touched colorless like an old movie. Small flames appeared in different places and colors. The vibrant yellow and red ones were animals and good people. And then there were the one that were purple in the center and faded out toward the edges, the souls Camille’s followers. I had enough of this it was time to end it.

The ground under my feet collapsed and I sunk down about a foot. The wind around me died off and my silver hair fell down against my back. Then it began to rain fire and feathers. The earth burned where ever fire touched it. One landed on Camille and began to burn her hand. She was still screaming but it raised a few pitches as she waved her hand around trying to make the black flames go out.

The black feathers that came down with the fire didn’t float they came down like arrows. Piercing through trees and ground disintegrating anything they touched. My friends were safe because I could see the feathers being deflected and the fire rolling down the barrier the diamond made around them. I held out my hand and my scythe flew to me.

More and more purple flames appeared and wondered around. I held my scythe up and they floated to it like a beacon. I’m sorry you got caught up in this. But she and the other evil ones are at their end. It had to be done. The vibrant souls floated around me a moment and then went up. The purple ones avoided me for as long as possible.

When I looked back at Camille she was still alive but chard on her arms. She looked so scarred and helpless. The purple flames finally floated to me sensing that Camille’s time was over. I nodded my head slightly at her. Her eyes widened for a moment before she was covered in purple flames.

“Bayne you’ll pay!”

That was the last thing she said befor she burst into a purple flame herself. The others circled her and I slashed down with my scythe at the ground. They all were sucked into it even if they fought as hard as they could. I stood up again and the earth closed. I closed my eyes and let it rain feathers. Ending what was begun with death with life.

“Bayne?”

Beowulf ran over to me as I fell to my knees in fresh grass. Were finally free of her hold she won’t kill anyone any more. It’s over.

Impressum

Tag der Veröffentlichung: 28.05.2011

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