Caitlin flew from St. Michael's Mount, holding the third key in her hand, the vampire’s final words still ringing in her head. She felt a sense of ominousness as she flew through the morning, through thick, black storm clouds, racing to find Violet.Aiden had told her about Violet’s castle—Bodium Castle—located in the far northern corner of England, and she raced towards it with all she had. Thunder erupted in the warm September sky, as she flew right into thick, black storm clouds. But she didn't slow. She had to get there, for all she was worth.Caitlin felt her father's three keys in her pocket, and felt so torn. On the one hand, she felt as if she were shirking her duties to him, and to her race. On the other hand, she knew there was no way she could go back in time without Caleb and Scarlet. She would rather forgo the mission than do that.Caitlin would do whatever it took to get the antidote. But her heart was pounding at the thought of having to go and meet Caleb’s ex-lover a
"Daddy, wake up!"Caleb slowly opened his eyes. They were so heavy. They had never felt so heavy, and it took all the effort of the world to open them.There, standing over his bed, was his son. Jade.Jade was smiling down, and filled with light. There was light all around him, and a shining light behind him, and Jade had the most angelic smile on his face."Daddy," he said, "it's time for you to come play with me!”Caleb slowly sat up in bed, every muscle in his body aching, and he reached out his hand, to touch Jade. Jade's hand felt warm, and his smile widened. It felt so good to touch Jade again, to see his son in the flesh. Caleb was overwhelmed with emotion."Jade? I thought you were dead?”Jade simply smiled back."It's time for us to be together again," he said.Caleb closed his eyes and felt a sense of peace, of comfort. He felt his whole world slowly beginning to drift away, becoming brighter and brighter, slowly enveloped in a white light.To see Jade again. Yes. H
Kyle had never been so elated. His plan was working perfectly. He had put his crew of vampires to good work, and had managed to spark fires all throughout London; he had also managed to spread the plague himself, causing chaos, havoc and devastation beyond what he had even hoped for. He grinned widely.It was so easy, in this primitive time, to cause destruction. There were no fire departments, there was no organized police force, there was no internet, and everything was built to be flammable. It was almost too easy, like dropping a match inside a pile of hay. He loved watching the expressions on the faces of the countless humans burned alive, running to and fro, spreading the fire even further.As if all that weren't enough, the ones who survived the fire were scratching their ankles from flea bites and covered with welts from head to toe. One way or another, nearly all of humanity down there was suffering. Kyle felt like a little kid all over again.It had served his purpose well
Caitlin flew through the night sky, racing for all she was worth. In one hand, she clutched the three keys, feeling her father's presence with her strongly. In the other, she clutched the vial holding Violet's blood, feeling the energy pulsing through it, praying, hoping beyond hope that this small vial of blood could save Caleb's life. And praying that then, somehow, they could figure out how to save Scarlet’s life, too.On her way from Bodium Castle to Warwick, Caitlin had to fly over London, and as she approached it, she was completely caught off guard. On the horizon, even from this great distance, she could tell something was terribly wrong. Huge clouds of fire rose up into the sky, and as she got closer, she could already feel the heat.The sight below her took her breath away. The entire city seemed to be a great ball of fire. The few survivors she could spot ran through the streets, screaming, shouting. Others lay in the streets, lifeless, looking as if they had been infected
Sam dove down low in the night sky, aiming right for Arundel Castle. It was exactly where he had sensed it would be, and he could feel Polly's energy strongly. He felt Polly in distress, and the feeling coursed through his entire body; he was surprised by the intensity with which it had struck him. He was surprised to recognize how deeply he felt for Polly, almost as if she were a part of him.At first, he been angry, jealous, and resentful to hear that she had flown off with Sergei. He’d had a hard time getting over the fact, and at first assumed that it could only mean that she still had feelings for him.But the more he dwelt on it, and the more he felt her true feelings of distress, the more he began to realize that maybe it was something else. That maybe she had been duped. Or captured.Sam had felt nervous to leave Caleb and Scarlet alone with Lily, but he reasoned he’d be back in just a few hours, and that they were safe, and that Polly's life was in definite, immediate dange
Kyle and Caitlin dove for each other, each in a murderous rage.Caitlin met him head-on, and they crashed together like a pair of charging rams. They grappled, grabbing onto each other's shoulders. They tore and clawed at each other, and it was a tremendous meeting of strength. Kyle was twice her size, but Caitlin could feel a strength burning through her beyond what she’d ever known. And strangely enough, even in the midst of such a heated battle, she no longer felt overwhelmed by her emotions. She felt calm, clearheaded. In control. She focused on her breathing, on her inner strength, on the life force coursing through her.Caitlin could sense Kyle’s hatred, his fury. But she was surprised that she could also, as she turned in, sense something deeper underneath: fear. She was shocked to sense that Kyle was afraid. Of her.After minutes of grappling, Caitlin got the upper hand. She turned and threw him, and he went flying across the room, slamming into a stone wall.Kyle stood the
London, England(September, 1599)Caleb awoke to the sound of bells. He sat bolt upright and looked all around, breathing heavily. He had been dreaming of Kyle, chasing him, of Caitlin, holding out a hand for help. They had been in a field filled with bats, against a blood-red sun, and it had seemed so real.Now, as he looked around the room, he tried to determine whether it was all real, or if he was truly awake and back in time. After several seconds of listening to his own breathing, of feeling the cool dampness in the air, of listening to the quiet, to his own heartbeat, he realized that it was all a dream. He was truly awake.Caleb realized he was sitting upright inside an open sarcophagus. He looked around the dim, cavernous room and saw that it was filled with sarcophagi. There were low, arched ceilings and narrow slits for windows, through which streamed the smallest amount of sunlight. It was just enough to see by. He squinted at the glare, reached into his pocket, a
Sam woke to the sound of screeching birds. He opened his eyes and saw, high up overhead, several huge vultures circling. There must have been a dozen of them, and they circled lower and lower, seemingly right over him, as if watching him. As if waiting.He suddenly realized they assumed he was dead, and were waiting for their chance to swoop in and eat him.Sam jumped to his feet, and as he did, the birds suddenly flew off, as if startled that the dead could rise again.He looked around, trying to get his bearings. He was in a field, in the midst of rolling hills. As far as he could see, there were more hills, covered in grass and odd bushes. The temperature was perfect, and there was not a cloud in the sky. It was very picturesque, and there was not a single building in sight. It appeared he was in the middle of nowhere.Sam tried to figure out where he was, what time period, and how he’d arrived. He desperately tried to think back. What had happened before he’d gone back in time?
Kyle and Caitlin dove for each other, each in a murderous rage.Caitlin met him head-on, and they crashed together like a pair of charging rams. They grappled, grabbing onto each other's shoulders. They tore and clawed at each other, and it was a tremendous meeting of strength. Kyle was twice her size, but Caitlin could feel a strength burning through her beyond what she’d ever known. And strangely enough, even in the midst of such a heated battle, she no longer felt overwhelmed by her emotions. She felt calm, clearheaded. In control. She focused on her breathing, on her inner strength, on the life force coursing through her.Caitlin could sense Kyle’s hatred, his fury. But she was surprised that she could also, as she turned in, sense something deeper underneath: fear. She was shocked to sense that Kyle was afraid. Of her.After minutes of grappling, Caitlin got the upper hand. She turned and threw him, and he went flying across the room, slamming into a stone wall.Kyle stood the
Sam dove down low in the night sky, aiming right for Arundel Castle. It was exactly where he had sensed it would be, and he could feel Polly's energy strongly. He felt Polly in distress, and the feeling coursed through his entire body; he was surprised by the intensity with which it had struck him. He was surprised to recognize how deeply he felt for Polly, almost as if she were a part of him.At first, he been angry, jealous, and resentful to hear that she had flown off with Sergei. He’d had a hard time getting over the fact, and at first assumed that it could only mean that she still had feelings for him.But the more he dwelt on it, and the more he felt her true feelings of distress, the more he began to realize that maybe it was something else. That maybe she had been duped. Or captured.Sam had felt nervous to leave Caleb and Scarlet alone with Lily, but he reasoned he’d be back in just a few hours, and that they were safe, and that Polly's life was in definite, immediate dange
Caitlin flew through the night sky, racing for all she was worth. In one hand, she clutched the three keys, feeling her father's presence with her strongly. In the other, she clutched the vial holding Violet's blood, feeling the energy pulsing through it, praying, hoping beyond hope that this small vial of blood could save Caleb's life. And praying that then, somehow, they could figure out how to save Scarlet’s life, too.On her way from Bodium Castle to Warwick, Caitlin had to fly over London, and as she approached it, she was completely caught off guard. On the horizon, even from this great distance, she could tell something was terribly wrong. Huge clouds of fire rose up into the sky, and as she got closer, she could already feel the heat.The sight below her took her breath away. The entire city seemed to be a great ball of fire. The few survivors she could spot ran through the streets, screaming, shouting. Others lay in the streets, lifeless, looking as if they had been infected
Kyle had never been so elated. His plan was working perfectly. He had put his crew of vampires to good work, and had managed to spark fires all throughout London; he had also managed to spread the plague himself, causing chaos, havoc and devastation beyond what he had even hoped for. He grinned widely.It was so easy, in this primitive time, to cause destruction. There were no fire departments, there was no organized police force, there was no internet, and everything was built to be flammable. It was almost too easy, like dropping a match inside a pile of hay. He loved watching the expressions on the faces of the countless humans burned alive, running to and fro, spreading the fire even further.As if all that weren't enough, the ones who survived the fire were scratching their ankles from flea bites and covered with welts from head to toe. One way or another, nearly all of humanity down there was suffering. Kyle felt like a little kid all over again.It had served his purpose well
"Daddy, wake up!"Caleb slowly opened his eyes. They were so heavy. They had never felt so heavy, and it took all the effort of the world to open them.There, standing over his bed, was his son. Jade.Jade was smiling down, and filled with light. There was light all around him, and a shining light behind him, and Jade had the most angelic smile on his face."Daddy," he said, "it's time for you to come play with me!”Caleb slowly sat up in bed, every muscle in his body aching, and he reached out his hand, to touch Jade. Jade's hand felt warm, and his smile widened. It felt so good to touch Jade again, to see his son in the flesh. Caleb was overwhelmed with emotion."Jade? I thought you were dead?”Jade simply smiled back."It's time for us to be together again," he said.Caleb closed his eyes and felt a sense of peace, of comfort. He felt his whole world slowly beginning to drift away, becoming brighter and brighter, slowly enveloped in a white light.To see Jade again. Yes. H
Caitlin flew from St. Michael's Mount, holding the third key in her hand, the vampire’s final words still ringing in her head. She felt a sense of ominousness as she flew through the morning, through thick, black storm clouds, racing to find Violet.Aiden had told her about Violet’s castle—Bodium Castle—located in the far northern corner of England, and she raced towards it with all she had. Thunder erupted in the warm September sky, as she flew right into thick, black storm clouds. But she didn't slow. She had to get there, for all she was worth.Caitlin felt her father's three keys in her pocket, and felt so torn. On the one hand, she felt as if she were shirking her duties to him, and to her race. On the other hand, she knew there was no way she could go back in time without Caleb and Scarlet. She would rather forgo the mission than do that.Caitlin would do whatever it took to get the antidote. But her heart was pounding at the thought of having to go and meet Caleb’s ex-lover a
Sam kept his vigil at Caleb and Scarlet's bedside, crisscrossing the room as he squeezed out a cloth in a bucket of cold water and applied it to Caleb's forehead. Lily did the same for Scarlet.Sam was beginning to feel more and more anxious that Polly had not returned. She had said that she was stepping out of the room for just a moment, and he’d expected her to be back at least an hour ago. He was finding himself increasingly impatient, and was no longer able to contain his worry for her.Sitting in this room, watching Caleb and Scarlet so sick, did not help to relieve his anxiety, either. Nor did the fact that he was still worried about his sister, and longed to be out there, protecting her. He didn’t want to be sitting here, acting as a nurse. He felt that he could be put to better use, and his impatience was building.He looked up at Lily, who was kneeling on the far side of the bed and applying a cloth to Scarlet’s head."Can you watch them both for a few minutes?" he asked.
Polly flew behind Sergei, following him as they sped through the night. It felt to her like they’d been flying for hours, and she had an increasingly bad feeling as they went.As dawn finally broke, a structure became apparent in the distance. He suddenly dove down low, and she followed.Polly's eyes open wide in surprise, as the structure came into view. There, spread before them, was a magnificent castle, one of the largest she had ever seen, shaped in a huge horseshoe pattern, with high walls, and parapets crowning each of them. In the center, was a semicircular courtyard, with a circle in the middle, atop a knoll, and a grass hill at its far end."Arundel Castle," Sergei announced. "It is where I live."Without a word, he dove down low, right into the courtyard, and Polly hesitated for a moment. She was beginning to feel inside of her that something was wrong. She wondered once again whether she could trust him. But once again, a part of her desperately wanted to try anything f
Caitlin flew through the night, flying faster than she ever had, using her wings to try to gain maximum speed, as she flew alone in the darkness. The night sky was filled with stars, and the rural landscape of England lay far beneath her.She felt so alone. After having flown so much recently with large groups of people—Caleb, Scarlet, Ruth, Sam, Polly, Lily and Aiden's coven members—now, she felt the loneliness. She felt as if she were traveling a path meant only for only her to travel, deep into the universe.She reflected back on all of the places she'd seen, the times she’d lived, and she remembered what she’d learned, time and again: that the path of the warrior was always one that had to be traveled alone. When she was truly alone, carving out new territory, that was when she knew that she was leading, not following. That was when she was becoming a warrior. That was what Aiden had taught her. And now, it felt more true than ever.Every bone in her body wanted to race to get t