Lord Valancourt rescues a helpless young woman bound for sacrifice as he hurries to save his Queen!

Hello,

I hope you all had a great Easter holiday?  Here is the next part of my New Adult Gothic Victorian Vampire Romance.  Lord Valancourt rescues a helpless young woman bound for sacrifice as he hurries to save his Queen!

I hope you are enjoying the last chapters of the story.  Please let me know! :)

Happy Reading!

Sara






Knight of Swords

The demons finished their chant.  Their forms seemed to shimmer as the room filled with the loud hissing of snakes.  The black silk cloaks fell away to the floor revealing four giant, red Cobras.  They slithered closer to the table towards a sobbing Juliet.  Their forked tongues slid out at her as though she were a delicious meal they could not wait to consume.   She watched to see which of them would strike first.  But their onslaught of vicious biting was a unified act.

One bit into her throat, another to the top of her breast.  One made his entry close to the wound Sebastian had inflicted in her stomach, the last in her thigh.  Her whole body arched into the air, and she screamed, just as I had seen her do in her mind.  Her agony and distress were too much to bear.  I lost consciousness and fell from my horse, whispering her name.

I woke with a start.  I found myself face down in the snow.  Gabriel and Jason had dismounted their horses, rushing to my aid.  I lifted my face from its cold prison.  Immediately, I remembered Juliet’s torture and quickly sat up.  I put my hand to my spinning head, attempting to access the vision once more.  Nothing.  Juliet’s mind was closed tight.  She was trying to shield me again.  My anguish at the pain she was suffering was unbearable.  I looked up at Gabriel and Jason.  My temper rose when my gaze made contact with Gabriel’s eyes.

‘I saw what they did to her.’  I felt my eyes narrow suspiciously at him as I narrated my vision.  ‘You didn’t tell me they were snakes.  They are monsters.  The pain and terror she is suffering . . . they will all die for it.  Did you already know that Sebastian was really a female hybrid?  Or about her relationship to Juliet?’

‘Sebastian’s psychic gifts were too vast for a male, but I couldn’t be sure.’

‘Until Juliet found out for you,’ I snapped at him, jumping to my feet to brush the snow from my coat.  ‘Is that another reason you wanted to possess Juliet, so you could use her as bait for Sebastian?  She would have made his capture easy for you.’

Gabriel was uncomfortable, angrily so.  He looked me in the eye and spoke eloquently, but I could see the flicker of wariness in his eyes.  ‘That’s a falsehood.  I would never endanger our Queen like that.  It would have served no purpose to tell you about the demons other than to further fire your anger and cause you to lose your focus.’

I moved closer to him until we were almost touching.  I ignored his comment about the demons, sensing guilt in his mind.  ‘That’s why you riled Juliet in her dreamscape.  You already knew her nature.  You knew Juliet would go to Sebastian to rescue the women, just to prove her strength and independence.  In time she would confirm Sebastian’s identity.  You believed her strong enough to endure the pain he would put her through.  It was a calculated risk.  What was next in the plan?  Riding to her rescue to take her for yourself?’

‘That’s a damned lie, Nathan.’

‘You’ve been watching her since she was born, since her name and royal lineage appeared in the Book of Talus.  The book Sebastian stole from you.  I can read your thoughts now, your guard has dropped with the heavy weight of the guilt praying on your mind.  You have endangered the life of our Queen.  You should be executed for your treason.’

‘Someone had to do something to stop Sebastian from enslaving and murdering the female hybrids.  Our race is dying at his hands . . .  We are desperate for mates.  It is not in our nature to live alone.’  Gabriel shouted angrily at me as though I should understand his motives.  It only served to fuel my temper. 

‘Draw your sword.  I would rather kill you in combat than execution.  I want you to suffer . . .’

‘We haven’t got time for this, Nathan.’  Gabriel had recovered his composure.  ‘We can quarrel later,’ he said firmly, putting out his hand to halt my movement.

‘We will make the time.’

I pushed him backwards, hard.  But he kept his balance as I reached for my sword.  His eyes flashed black indicating his readiness for a fight.  I started towards him, but I felt two heavy hands thud against my chest drawing me to an abrupt halt.  Dylan Lysander was obstructing my path.

‘Gabriel is right.  We haven’t got time for this.  Our Queen needs us.  Gabriel will pay for his misconduct when she is safe.’

‘Out of my way.’

The amber in Dylan’s eyes implored me to see sense.  But my anger and frustration were acute.  I could not erase the image of Juliet’s screaming body as it was bitten by the snakes.  It was imprinted on my mind.  She suffered because of Gabriel.  I needed to fight, but reason condemned it.  My will warred with reason.

Dylan’s voice was calm, yet there was a nervousness in his eyes.  He glanced at Gabriel with marked contempt, then back to me.  A friend of Gabriel’s, his eyes were suddenly laden with betrayal.

‘I know you want to hit something.  We all do, but for you it is worse.  Your emotions are running high because you are not yet joined to Juliet.  Challengers threaten you at every turn.  She has been abducted and tortured on account of someone whom you entrusted with her life.  You feel betrayed, we all do.’

I pushed against him in my struggle to reach Gabriel.  He caught the tops of my arms in a firm grip to stop me.  It was a struggle for him to hold me in position, but he did not give up.  He shouted at me as the others watched from their horses. 

‘You must see a fight with Gabriel is futile.  You must conserve your energy for our Queen’s rescue.  Do not lose control of your sanity now.  You are the Knight of Swords, our leader, compose yourself.  Lead us, or someone else will do it for you.  You will have let down Juliet, just as Gabriel has done.’

Jason called out, ‘He is right, Nathan.  The Queen must come first.  Gabriel should be dealt with later.’

The rest of my men murmured their approval, calling for me to lead them on.

My eyes narrowed sharply at Dylan as he glared back at me, courageously defiant.  His words filtered through my burning anger.  I stopped pushing against his hands.  Taking a step back, I issued a command.

‘Mount your horses.  We will continue this at a later date, Gabriel.  I have not finished with you.’

He nodded respectfully and turned to his horse.

I moved away to my own horse.  Once astride the animal I leaned over to Jason.  ‘Watch him.  Do not let him out of your sight.’  Jason obeyed my order, dropping back in our group.  He pulled up beside Gabriel who now rode at the rear, away from the angry stares of my men.  At my request, Dylan took his place alongside me at the front.

We were an army of thirty men, including myself.  As we rode on towards the sand dunes that led to Tristone Bay, I felt we would soon be engaged in combat.  We were too close now.  Sebastian’s men would surely attempt to prevent us reaching the site of the Druid altar in the caves at any cost.

I felt adrenaline surge through my blood.  My appetite for a fight was overwhelming, heightened by Gabriel’s treachery.  I needed to strike out at the enemy.  Without any further delay, I had to begin our confrontation.

We travelled up and over the dunes and down onto the long sands of the bay, emerging from the mist like dark, ethereal phantoms.  The tide was out a fair distance, visible through the blue and grey tinged haze that haunted the pale surface of the beach.  Our horses thundered along.  I felt sand spray against my face as the horses kicked up the fine grains between their hooves.  My exhilaration was at its height.  I felt sure of glory.

Up ahead, I saw a hearse descend a wooden ramp leading onto the beach from a small gulley between the dunes.  The coachman wore funeral garb and served as a frightening spectacle as he cracked his whip high.  He cracked it again with brutal force at the sleek, black horses, and the carriage raced along the beach towards the caves.  It was being driven at a dangerous pace, almost tipping over as a wheel caught momentarily in the sand.  There was a coffin inside.  Juliet.  I prayed it was her, but my sensitive hearing picked up a frantic heartbeat.

I reached out to the mind of the individual trapped in the coffin.  It was a terrified young woman.  She was bound, gagged, and semi-naked.  She was to be part of the ritual, offered as a human sacrifice to the gods for the joining of Sebastian and Juliet.  Disappointment threatened to crush me.

No doubt the young woman was meant as a distraction, a way to slow me down while Sebastian took Juliet to the cliffs at the far end of the beach.  Gabriel had told us of a hidden maze of caves, extending deep within the rock face.  But he did not know to which cave Juliet would be taken.  By the time I found her, I feared the ritual would be complete.

Despite my urgency, I would not let another woman be murdered by Sebastian.  I would not forgive myself if this young woman died.  Neither would Juliet if I did not try to help.  I needed to move fast.

I had just indicated to Dylan my intention to free the girl from the coffin when a large group of men appeared on the ramp.  They turned towards us clearly intent on violence.  I sensed they were hybrids, determined to prevent us from reaching the carriage and the caves.  I rode hard and fast towards them with my knights, unsheathing my sword.  I brandished my weapon elegantly in my hand, amazed how it felt so natural to hold and use.  I held it aloft as I approached the traitor hybrids rushing towards, their own weapons ready.

As our two armies met, I swung my sword in a perfect arc.  The blade cut down against the vulnerable neck of one of the hybrids, severing his head from his shoulders.  It rolled down to be kicked underfoot by his horse that journeyed on, its rider now a headless corpse.

I felt the blackness in my eyes, felt the feral beast rejoice in command of my soul as I took on my next opponent.  I defended myself as he aimed a slash of his blade at my throat.  We clashed, each pushing our sword against the other.  Another hybrid rode at me, his weapon raised high.  My teeth clenched as I increased my pressure against the man, conscious that I needed to remove his threat so I may deal with the other that approached me. 

Had my heart still lived it would surely have burst with the surge of adrenaline pulsing around my veins.  My eyes flicked back and forth from one opponent to the other.  With a more concerted effort, I pushed back at the man seated on his horse, but he was a large man with much weight behind him.  He refused to yield.  I stole a glance ahead at the hearse as it moved further away, and another back at the onrushing rider with his sword ready to strike.  I had to make a move before my head was taken.  But what to do?

The solution was given to me.  Byron Lysander appeared from nowhere, cleanly beheading the approaching hybrid.

I nodded at him, still struggling with the heavy man.  Byron laughed, ‘My pleasure.  I love a good fight.  So glad I could join the party.’  He lifted his sword to engage another hybrid.

I needed to get to the carriage.  I kicked at my horse’s flank, then twisted my left knee into its shoulder.  The horse responded, turning sharply to the right, giving me the leverage I needed to unbalance my opponent.  He reeled backwards.  With a final sharp shove, he fell sideways from his horse.  I slapped the animal’s rump.  The horse ran off leaving the man unshielded from me. 

He was attempting to stand, dazed.  He saw me circling towards him on my horse and reached for his sword that lay on the ground beside him.  I quickly leaned to place my blade at his throat.  He froze still, then dropped his weapon.  He put his shaking hand out, begging me to stop.

‘No, please.  I don’t want to die.’                      

There was real fear in his eyes.  But I could feel no sympathy for his plight.

‘Why should I spare the life of a traitor to our Queen and our people?  The penalty is death.  I do not bestow mercy upon those guilty of treason.’

His eyes widened with horror as I raised my sword.  I brought it crashing down upon the side of his neck, severing his meaty head from his shoulders.  It left me with a surge of satisfaction.

Byron was close by my side once more.

‘I need to get to the hearse,’ I told him.

Byron grinned.  ‘Understood.  Dylan and I will clear a path for you.’

The brothers took great glee in fending off the hybrids that came in my direction so I could concentrate on the business at hand; rescuing the girl.  It seemed to be effortless to them.  I couldn’t help wondering in what past encounters they had gained such effective skill.

I sheathed my sword and lowered my head so that I could ride more effectively.  I left the battle behind to pursue the hearse.  It was nearing the end of the long beach, close to reaching the caves.  I was running out of time.

My horse did not let me down.  We caught up and pulled alongside the front of the carriage.  The coachman’s nose and mouth were covered by a black scarf to hide his identity.  His eyes glared at me as I made to reach for him.  He cracked his whip at the horses.  The hearse lurched forward in a futile attempt to escape.  I caught hold of the seat and pulled myself across.  For a brief moment my body dangled precariously over the side as the carriage swayed under my weight.  I thought I may drop to become trampled under the wheels.  Using my strength, I managed to pull myself up before the coachman could attack me.

The man aimed the whip at me, but I ducked to avoid its lash.  I stood up on the seat to tackle him.  He was human, easy to overcome.  I dug my sharp incisors swiftly into his throat, ripping it away.  I tossed his dead body over the side and picked up the reins, forcing the horses to slow.  We came to a hurried stop just before we hit the rocks at the end of the bay.

I wiped the blood from my mouth, wishing I had more time to savour it.  I was hungry after the fight.  Jumping down, I hurried to the back of the hearse to free the girl from the coffin.  Byron, Dylan, and the others raced towards me on horseback, the hybrid army successfully dealt with.  I pulled the coffin out to rest it on the sand and levered the lid off the mahogany casket to reveal the sobbing, hysterical girl inside.

I slipped one hand under her head of golden curls and the other under her back, gently lifting her up.  At first she railed against me for her life, but I could only feel relief that I had saved her from Sebastian’s repulsive touch and murder.  I quickly undid her bonds to pull her into my arms, holding her tightly in the hope of giving her comfort.  Her fists beat against me as she cried into my shoulder.  I hushed her with gentle words of reassurance that she was now safe as I guided her out of the coffin.  Barely clothed, she was shivering in the chilly air.  I removed my coat to place it around her.  It swamped her slight body, serving to heighten her vulnerability.  She slumped against me, the fright of her ordeal taking its toll.  I swept the half fainting girl up into my arms as I waited for Dylan to bring his horse to a halt in front of me.

I looked down at the girl who could not have been more than twenty.  Her countenance was pretty and alluring.  She was just the sort of young woman I would have chased and taken to bed once upon a time back in London.   Now the only woman I wanted in my bed and by my side was my beautiful Juliet.

I found my eyes drawn to the girl’s slender, pale throat.  Her head was thrown back over my arm in her fainting spell, displaying its fragility to full affect.  I moistened my lips with my tongue watching her tiny pulse beat as her blood called to me like a siren.  It was a while since I had last taken a satisfying amount of blood, and the hearse driver had whetted my appetite.  I needed to feed.  I fought the craving hard, but could not tear my eyes from her throat.  I would be damned if I would use her in so bad a fashion.  I was not Sebastian.  I would not cause her any further distress.

‘Hungry?’ Dylan said to me.  I turned, startled to find him on his horse in front of me.  He was grinning, raising his eyebrows with amusement at the guilty look on my face that betrayed my thoughts.  ‘What a tasty morsel you have there.  I fed already.  Why don’t I take her from you before you do something you will regret?’

I nodded with relief as he dismounted.  I handed the girl to him.

‘I will give her to one of the men.  He will take her to safety.  I want to be in this battle with Sebastian,’ he informed me.

‘Good.  I would like to have you at my side.’

He appeared surprised at my compliment, but pleased.  He nodded, handing the girl to his man.

I turned towards the rocks.  The entrance to the caves loomed just beyond them, dark and foreboding.  The cliffs towered above.  Dylan, Jason, and Gabriel came to stand beside me.