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Chapter 14: Eavesdropping
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2024-10-29 19:42:56Related chapters
The Last Amato Sacrifice Chapter 15: Blood and Control
It didn't take too long for someone to knock on Sidia's door. She had been dozing on and off, exhausted by her encounter with Julia but too anxious about everything else to truly sleep. "Who is it?" Sidia called out."It's Marcus." Sidia shot out of bed and straightened her hair and clothes. While checking her appearance in the mirror, she froze. Why did she care what she looked like? At this rate, she didn't have any reason to trust Marcus or want him. He was the reason Helena was ripped away from the love of her life. He spied on Sidia her entire life. He might not approve of his brother's methods, but he did carry out his brother's orders. He was no better.And yet, Marcus was the one who asked if she was okay after Julia's attack. He clearly cared about her in some way. "Sidia? Are you all right?" Marcus called through the door again."Yes. I'm fine. You may enter." She couldn't help combing her fingers through her unruly hair as the door opened.Marcus wasn't dressed in
The Last Amato Sacrifice Chapter 16: Blood Oath
It explains everything, Sidia thought to herself. Now, she just needed to find out how to end the spell. The book clearly stated that the spell could only end with the death of the caster, but how could she possibly manage that? Even if she knew how to kill a vampire and could successfully do so, did she really have the stomach for it? Because of Sidia's upbringing and her faith, of course she regarded vampires as evil creatures. Their origin was supposedly unholy, and they had unnatural powers and fed on innocent people. But, these vampires were clearly under a spell. She now realized Marcus had been trying to help her. He was just unable to directly intervene or go against his brother. Perhaps that was why he rejected her attempted kiss in the library. A romantic encounter with her would be a direct betrayal of his brother, and depending on the phrasing of the oath he made to Severus, there may not be a way around it. Still, there was too much she didn't know about the coven and
The Last Amato Sacrifice Chapter 17: Shattered Stone
Sidia fought a wave of nausea as they made their way to the throne room. Everyone was unbearably quiet, and the anxiety made Sidia practically itch. She had no idea what she was walking into, and it was more than obvious that Catarina wasn't allowed to give her any details. Eventually, they crossed under one of the archways, and the cavernous throne greeted them. Instead of decorations, soft lighting, and music as it was for the feast, a huge crowd surrounded the throne. The gold and jewels had been stored away. Only the throne stood on the granite platform, imposing in its solitude. Even more worrisome was the terribly calm face of Severus as he sat perfectly straight. He turned as Sidia entered and smiled in a way that frightened her. It was so out of place in this current atmosphere."My dear Empress! You look well rested. Please, come stand by side." Severus called out.The rest of the court turned to watch her, and she walked around the edge of the crowd, making her way to the
The Last Amato Sacrifice Chapter 18: The Necessities of Ruling and Empire
Julia jolted, screeching as her arm shattered at the elbow. She was only restrained by her other arm now, and the force of Severus's kick flung her back. She was nothing but a shaking heap on the floor of the throne room. Sidia covered her mouth in shock and sank to her knees. Tears flowed freely down her horrified face, and she choked back her sobs. "You didn't have to do that!" Sidia wailed. Severus ignored her. Instead, he approached his mother and removed the other shackle. He lifted the injured woman into his arms and held her close, swaying from side to side as he hummed to her. Instead of fighting him off, however, Julia wrapped her good arm around his neck and clung to him. Sidia was baffled by her reaction.After a few moments, Severus placed Julia on her feet. She was haggard, her face drawn and eyes listless. She turned her attention to Sidia."It was necessary, Your Grace." Her voice was raspy from screaming. "I know you are not used to such things. You were not rai
The Last Amato Sacrifice Chapter 19: I'm Not Your Enemy
Sidia started shaking as a strange smile broke across his face, spreading to his eyes. He uncrossed his arms and clasped them in front of his chest, leaning forward and causing the thick waves of his hair to fall over his shoulders and frame his frighteningly happy face."I cannot say I'm pleased with you, because I am absolutely delighted!" Severus exclaimed."What?" Sidia went dizzy, trying to keep herself together. What was he talking about?"You have unexpectedly proven yourself. I never anticipated a situation such as this, but I am touched by the way you responded to everything. Most humans would be more than happy to punish a vampire who nearly killed them, but you defended my mother." Severus whirled around and approached a small side table covered in neatly arranged crystal containers full of thick, red liquid. Now that it was clear Severus didn't plan on doing anything nefarious, Sidia relaxed her shoulders and took a real look around the room.Every wall was covered wi
The Last Amato Sacrifice Chapter 20: Show Me
Severus easily gripped both of Sidia's arms at the wrist as she tried to push him away. He forced her arms behind her back and pressed himself to her, grinning the entire time. This close to his face, Sidia was overwhelmed by the scent of lavender."Do you know how hard it is to resist you?" Severus whispered, his voice husky. What? Sidia realized then that he wasn't angry with her. No, he was . . . lustful. His mouth hovered so close to hers. He enjoyed her defiance. Why?Just as quickly as he had grabbed her, he let go and stepped back. "I'm sorry. I was just so overcome.""What do you mean?" Sidia stammered."You are everything I want. I admit I haven't spent much time with you, and I debated bringing you here now. It's so difficult to control myself." Severus stepped forward again, but this time, he only cupped her face. Sidia didn't push him away this time. She didn't want to give into him. No, she had seen too much. There was no way she could ever fully support Severus. W
The Last Amato Sacrifice Chapter 21: Yearning
"You truly mean it?" Severus gasped. "Yes, I do." Sidia nodded."That's wonderful!" Severus clapped his hands together and started pacing behind the desk. "I was so worried after what happened with my mother that you would hate me.""About that," Sidia replied. "I don't want to see such an act of violence again. I know this is the way you have ruled your empire, but it's not the way the world works anymore. If you want to bring humans and vampires together, then you must adapt."Severus kept pacing, his face unreadable in his hurried movements."Did you hear me?" Sidia asked."Yes, I heard you." He abruptly stopped. "We can discuss this and come to a better solution for handling such matters. I will not renounce my mother's punishment for the time being, especially since she consented to it. I am still the emperor, and even if you disagree with me, I will need you to respect that."Dread at that statement stabbed at Sidia, but she ignored it. People could change their minds. If
The Last Amato Sacrifice Chapter 22: Alone With Her Thoughts
Sidia's cheeks were still flushed as she thought about Marcus' finger pressed against her lips. She had so many other things to worry about, and her physical desires should have been the least of her concerns. However, there was simply no way she could focus on anything else besides the way Severus had touched her, the way she so desperately wanted Marcus to touch her. Practically feverish, her gut aching endlessly, she decided a bath would relax her. She quickly undressed and slipped into the hot water, sinking up to her neck before leaning back and floating in the stone tub. She tried to clear her thoughts, but they only persisted.She wanted Marcus. Unable to stop thinking about it, she finally gave in and closed her eyes, letting her mind picture everything. He would suddenly be at the edge of the tub, watching her body in the clear water. At first, she would be embarrassed and try to cover herself, but their eyes would meet and she would see the hunger lurking there. He would
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The Last Amato Sacrifice Chapter 50: Eternity
CESARE'S POV, 150 YEARS LATERThe ocean waves crashed against Cesare, flooding his mouth with tangy salt water. He didn't mind the taste so much. He loved swimming through the vast depths far from the coast. He had spent most of the day underwater. The ocean water filling his lungs was a strange sensation that he would never quite get used to, but the wonder of exploring the seas made up for it. So many whales, sharks, jellyfish, and strange creatures dazzled him. There was never a dull day in the ocean.He let the tide wash him ashore, the sun almost completely set behind the peak of the mountains. Cesare coughed hard, expelling the last of the ocean from his lungs before stretching and looking around the coast. It was exceedingly difficult to find quiet and empty places along the shore. So many people had left the cities of Italy for the peace and beauty of the coastal towns. Monterosso had done fairly well over the decades. Without the protection of the vampire coven, there had
The Last Amato Sacrifice Chapter 49: One More Thing
The next few days sped past Sidia. There was so much to do. After destroying the throne, the coven gathered the remains of Julia and Severus and held a ceremony for them. Marcus grieved his mother, and even though he was overwhelmed with love and happiness for his freedom, he had lost something so precious. Sidia spent many moments holding him while he sobbed, so utterly saddened by his loss. He would be okay, and he would pull through. Sidia knew he just needed time.As the coven found its new rhythm and settled into a new way of life, Sidia was finally able to speak with Helena openly and freely. Helena explained that Severus obtained her Oath because she didn't want him to hurt the true love of her life, Francesco. She pledged her loyalty and became a vampire to save their village and make sure Francesco had a good life. Now that she was free of her oath, Helena wanted to find out if Francesco was still alive and if he had lived the life she wanted for him. Sidia also met with th
The Last Amato Sacrifice Chapter 48: I Want to See My Family
The cracking sound was the wooden stake piercing Severus' skin. Sidia watched in a mix of relief and horror as fissures formed in his skin, little lines breaking apart. Severus let out one final scream as he literally fell apart, disintegrating.The room fell silent once more, everyone staring at the two piles of dust on the throne room floor. Helena dropped the stake and sank to her knees, sobbing."After all these years," she cried. "I'm finally free of him.""We're all free," Catarina left Julia's corpse to sit beside Helena, wrapping her arms around her. The two women held each other and softly wept.Sidia looked up at Marcus, trying her best to wipe the tears from his face, but the blood only streaked. "I'm so sorry I kissed him. I was just trying to get out of the chains. I wanted to do something, anything to stop him," Sidia heard the breaking of her voice, felt her own tears. All the stress and adrenaline left her body, and she was weak and exhausted."Hush, my love," Ma
The Last Amato Sacrifice Chapter 47: We Renounce You
SIDIA'S POVSeveral things happened at once. Marcus screamed at Severus, causing Severus to lose his rage for a moment and stare in disbelief at his brother."How?" Severus screeched.The entire throne room erupted in cries, the shock wearing off as they realized Marcus was free and they fully processed Julia's death. Catarina pushed through to the front, stopping just in front of the square of sunlight, crying out in grief as she stared at the dust that was once Julia.Sidia wanted to run to Marcus, throw herself in between the brothers even though it would mean death. She didn't want any harm to come to Marcus. They glared at each other, the column of sunlight between them. Sidia could see where this was going, and she didn't want Marcus to end up the same as his mother.However, the entire throne room was shaking with anger and grief. To Sidia's surprise, they didn't rush to Severus or try to take down Marcus. Instead, all of them were shaking, their eyes widening and bodies re
The Last Amato Sacrifice Chapter 46: You Are No Longer My Brother
Sidia didn't feel much surprise at the revelation before her, Julia's secret wish to thwart her son's efforts to rule the world. Mothers were generally protective of their sons, suspicious of the women they married, but her murderous intentions had been rather exaggerated. If she just didn't like Sidia, she surely wouldn't have tried multiple times to kill her. "How dare you?" Severus growled. "All the centuries I trusted your judgement. You could have been helping me! But you've been stopping me this entire time?"Sidia finally looked at Marcus again, knowing he would be too preoccupied with what was happening to show any reaction to Sidia's behavior.She was right. Marcus' eyes were incredibly wide. Based on the twitching of his muscles, the way his neck tremored, he was trying to fight against the magical bonds of his oath. Severus had ordered him not to move though. He didn't have a loophole for that. He was stuck, and he was trying to save his mother.What can I do? Sidia tho
The Last Amato Sacrifice Chapter 45: Deadly Loopholes
Severus grinned, but he did look surprised. "Excellent! A kiss first, then I'll move those troublesome chains for a taste of your blood.""Out of curiosity, why not just the bite?" Sidia risked the question. "Do you not want to kiss me?" Severus countered, eyes narrowing once more."I didn't say that, Severus. I'm just surprised that you want to kiss me right now. I want to know your reasoning." Perhaps this questioning would align with the pattern she had already established. She couldn't be too eager and obedient, but she couldn't push too far either. It was such a delicate balance to maintain."That questioning mind of yours," Severus chuckled. "Preliminary test is my reasoning. So few can hide the truth when their lips are locked onto another's. Whatever the lips hide, the blood will further reveal. I'm measuring your honesty and testing your loyalty. Your kiss will show your dedication, and your blood will show me that you're willing to let me know your location, that you're
The Last Amato Sacrifice Chapter 44: A Kiss and a Bite
SIDIA'S POV"After that, I read through what the crazy old man had left behind. His original journal has since crumbled, but I have various copies, all different versions. I didn't want so much powerful information in one place." Severus had relaxed as he told his story, rocking back on his heels."The journal I read, that was Tephyr?" Sidia asked, putting all the pieces together."I assume the journal contained information about Blood Magic and cautionary tales?" Severus raised his eyebrow."Yes, it did," Sidia answered truthfully."You probably found one of my older copies then, a true copy. I added my own edits over the years to spread misinformation. Vampires are notorious for more than their blood thirst. Their thirst for knowledge comes second, and that knowledge is too powerful for others to discover." Severus surprised Sidia by lowering himself completely to the floor. He sat with his legs crossed in front of her, as if they were just having a regular conversation as frien
The Last Amato Sacrifice Chapter 43: Two Thousand Years Ago
SEVERUS' POV TWO THOUSAND YEARS AGOWater. He needed water. His tongue grazed the roof of his mouth, dusty and dry. How long had he been in the tent? Was he still in the tent?"Don't move, Your Grace. You've been wounded." Was that Gaius?"No, don't try to speak, Your Grace. The healer will be here soon."No healer would be able to help him. Severus was certain of that. Death had already slipped its icy fingers around his bones, settled deep in his chest. He knew the end was coming. He could no longer remember what injured him, barely remember he was leagues away from home. All he wanted was to be in his own bed, the warm, salt-tinged air lulling him to sleep. "Who are you? What are you doing here?" Someone was yelling. There was a commotion. "How? How are you doing this?" Who was talking? What was happening? He couldn't see anything.There was more struggling, but Severus barely noticed. The fever had swept over him, and all he could think about was water. He just wante
The Last Amato Sacrifice Chapter 42: Just Tell the Truth
"Severus! She isn't even worth your time. Just kill her and be done with it. You can resume your search with her next generation." Julia waved her hand dismissively at Sidia."None of my ancestors have been allowed to leave, have they?" Sidia hissed. "I'm not terribly surprised. You're all terrible liars.""Shut your stupid little mouth." Severus bared his fangs as he spoke to her."What? No longer trying to befriend me? Did you think I was going to fall in love with you or something?" Sidia had to fight back tears from how hard he was pulling her hair, but she refused to let the pain show. "It would have been so much easier for everyone if you had," Severus retorted. "You just had to keep asking all your silly questions.""Since the pretenses are gone, will you finally tell me the truth? There is no prophecy, is there?" Sidia wanted to keep him talking. She needed to stall him, try to figure something else out."No, there is no prophecy. No seer. I concocted that detail for you
