MATURE AUDIENCES
THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS VIOLENCE AND ABUSE, IT IS ADVISED FOR MATURE AUDIENCES ONLY
"Carys..." Alexandre's voice broke "I love you."
"Eternally" I whispered as Luc angrily ripped the phone from my hands and dashed it against the ground. The tears slid down my cheeks, mingling with Luc's blood, still running from his wrist. He tossed my head against the ground again with disgust, and I felt the dizziness overtake me. Even if I wanted to run at this point, my brain was too scrambled. I was pretty sure I had a concussion. My side was killing me, I might have broken a rib, and I was afraid for my baby's life. I could feel the blood pouring from my abdomen and my ears were still ringing. I willed my vampire healing abilities to concentrate on my daughter, and shut my eyes, hoping if I just lay still for a little while, the dizziness would stop.
Luc left me laying there for a while, then I heard the sound of chair legs on marble, which made me groan as it echoed through my skull. When it stopped I opened my eyes to see he had dragged a chair from the library and was now seated in it with one long leg draped over an arm, staring at the door. I tried to speak, but my voice was just a croak so I cleared my throat.
"You know it could be days before he walks through that door. IF he chooses that one." I said quietly.
"Shut up." Luc snarled. I tried to lift my head, but the room spun.
"What made you hate Alexandre so much that you would kill an innocent child?" I whispered.
"I said, shut up!" Luc growled, throwing himself from the chair and racing at me to kick me in the ribs. I heard another snap and coughed as I screamed, blood poured from my mouth. I rolled into a ball and tried to move away from his feet. He wiped his shoe on my clothes and then returned to the chair, leg once again dangling off the arm.
"Innocent child." He scoffed. "As if anything that comes in contact with Alexandre could ever be innocent." He sneered. "Even you are now tainted." My head spun and I felt like I couldn't get enough air. I wheezed and coughed again, more blood spilled onto the floor. I was relatively certain Luc had broken a rib and possibly punctured one of my lungs. The baby was still kicking, which I hoped was a good thing, but she kept hitting the fresh sore spot Luc had created, setting off new bouts of bloody coughing.
"If you don't stop with that racket, I will kick you again." Luc snarled.
"I think you punctured my lung." I wheezed and he just stared at me as if it didn't make a difference. I tried to stifle the coughing.
"At least bring me some blood, so I can heal." I begged. Luc sneered.
"Yes, so you can attack me again when my back is turned." He shook his head with a condescending smile. "I don't think so." Stifling my coughing made my breathing worse, and soon I felt lightheaded and like I couldn't breathe well. I was getting dizzier, gasping for breath, delirious. I tried to crawl towards the kitchen. Luc came over and crouched in front of me.
"Where are you going?" He asked apathetically.
"Blood." I whispered. I could see my skin drying out on my outstretched hand, just a little bit of cracking on the backs of my knuckles right now, but I knew it was bad news. Luck stood, tutting, and stepped on my hand. I heard the fingers snap. I screamed until I passed out.
When I woke next, my skin felt too tight, like I had a sunburn. My ribs still ached, as did my hand, stomach and head. The baby wasn't moving. It was dark, but I couldn't tell if it was the same night or a different one. I moved my head to look around, noting the trail of blood behind me. It looked tasty, even though it was mostly dry, and mostly mine. I was desperate.
"You're awake." Luc stated nonchalantly. I winced. If I could get to my feet...
"Ah, ah ah..." Luc said. "You don't want me to break the other hand, do you?" I gritted my teeth. Luc's footsteps came around and crouched in front of me. He tsked.
"Yes, you already look quite dehydrated. Another break might actually spell doom for you or the child." He tilted his head. "Has it stopped moving?" I snarled lightly at him and the baby moved weakly. I sighed in relief. She was ok, right?
"Where exactly did Alexandre go? It's already been a whole day and night and he hasn't appeared. I thought he loved you..." Luc tsked again. I shrugged and then groaned in pain.
"I don't know." I panted "Personal business, trying to keep us safe." I responded and Luc laughed.
"Well, he did a great job of that now, didn't he?" Luc shook his head and stood. I coughed and a clot of blood landed on the floor. Luc looked at me dispassionately.
"I thought I told you to stop doing that?" He remarked. I spit blood on his shoe and felt his foot impact with my face. The world disappeared.
There was suddenly too much light. I rolled over slightly to see the doors flung wide. Once I could get my eyes to focus, I could see Alexandre was standing in the light, his eyes followed the trail of blood and came to rest on me.
"Carys!" He screamed, I smiled. He looked like an Angel with the light shining behind him, but I was forgetting something important...
"Hello Alexandre." Sneered Luc.
"What have you done?" Alexandre raged, taking several steps towards me.
"Nothing worse than you allowed to happen to our sister." Luc replied with a shrug. I closed my eyes. I was so tired. "Oh I wouldn't do that, she's not in a very stable condition right now. I think the baby might have broken her spine and I definitely broke several ribs, plus her hand..and her head, punctured a lung, messed up her face..." Luc's voice was nonchalant. Alexandre roared and I opened my eyes to see him racing straight at his brother. I wanted to yell and tell him to stop, Luc was too strong, but all that came out was a weak gasp.
Alexandre got in the first blow before Luc tossed him back onto the floor beside me. Luc wiped a thumb across his lip, removing the blood welling up there.
"You're fast, but not fast enough." Luc observed. Alexandre groaned and I reached out a hand for him. He stood up as Luc approached. Alexandre circled his brother and Luc waited patiently. Luc was too calm and it scared me. I wanted to call Alexandre's name, but all I managed was a moan, which seemed to enrage Alexandre even more. He rushed Luc and struck at him again. Luc easily blocked the strike, but Alexandre slashed under his block and I heard blood splatter to the floor. Luc looked wryly at his chest before swinging at Alexandre, tossing him against the wall. I heard a crunch and Alexandre coughed, blood trickling from his mouth as he hit the floor. Luc approached him.
"Nooo." I moaned, trying desperately to move, and then a cool hand settled on my chest.
"Wait." A soft voice breathed, and then a bleeding wrist was shoved to my mouth for an instant and I nearly choked on the quickly flowing blood. I tasted raspberry tea.
"Cornelius..." I whispered. I had forgotten him. He smoothed my hair gently.
"Just drink, quickly." He said quietly and I gulped as fast as I could. Then Luc was on Alexandre again and Cornelius was suddenly gone. He grabbed Luc from behind and flung him onto the marble stairs. There was a snap and Luc let out a wheezing gasp.
"This fight..does not concern you.." Luc rasped.
"On the contrary, you have threatened my family." Cornelius said calmly, straightening his shirt sleeves.
"Family?" Luc's eyes darted between the three of us. "That's impossible..vampires can't survive in covens, they rip each other apart." Luc wheezed, trying to sit up.
"Perhaps." Cornelius replied. "Oh, I'd be careful if I were you, I may have fractured a vertebrae or two, you don't want to become paralyzed in the middle of a fight." Cornelius sounded offhanded as he turned his back and helped Alexandre to his feet. He placed his bleeding wrist against Alexandre's mouth next, and within a few short mouthfuls Alexandre had pushed him away.
"Help Carys, I'm still on a blood high from our kill, I'll be alright in a few minutes." Alexandre growled and advanced on his brother.