Guardian of the Sacred Fire Ch. 02

Chapter Two: Sacrifice

The next morning came and I longed for a shower. I was thankful Beast had a gas water heater. I let the water wash over me until it was too cold to stand. I could hear the ice hitting the roof outside. I got out and candles filled the bathroom. Every time I thought about Azrael my stomach fluttered for some odd reason. He had left this morning to go for food. During the night I guess he went to my place and grabbed me some clothes. For being a man he did a pretty good job at it. Most guys can't tell what goes with what.

I threw on underwear and sweats. It was too cold for anything else. I went back out to the living room and Beast was still snoring. I read over Azrael's note again.

Anna,

I needed to find food, I brought you clothes, and I knew you would really want them. Your brother is okay, he sends his regards. I told him you and I was staying with a friend. Sorry but I used my will power and made him believe we have been together for a couple of months. It worked. I hope to be back before you wake, if not please don't go outside.

Azrael

Don't go outside. Of course don't go outside, there is only four feet of snow on the ground.

A knock came to the door and Beast was up faster than someone his size should be able to move. He pointed to the hallway and I quickly got out o the line of sight. He opened the door and I could hear hurried talking. I heard the door shut and I came back out. Beast had a note in his hand.

"They have him." Beast said and I took the note from him.

Anastasia Hallow,

As you have learned you are wanted by our coven. Azrael conveniently collected you for us. He has been waiting or the right time to hand you over, but alas, the fool betrayed us. Please, for his safety, come outside.

Uriel, Leader of the Blood Moon Coven.

I looked at Beast and back at the letter. I went back and changed into jeans and a t-shirt. Much more convenient than sweats, and I'll be damned if anyone catches me in sweats. Woman, thy name is vanity.

I slipped on my knee length black coat and Beast was blocking me.

"He will kill me if I let you leave." He said.

"I'll take care of it, but in order for him to kill you, I have to save him." I said and went around him. I walked to the front door and let out a breath. I opened the door and saw three men waiting for me. "You need three vampires to subdue me?" I asked and smirked. I know in this situation I should really keep my mouth shut, but I figured I was about to die, why the hell can't I be sarcastic about it? "Is one of you Uriel?" I asked.

"Uriel is waiting with Azrael." One of them said.

"So are all of you named after angels or just those two?" I walked out into the blistering cold and two more jumped from the roof and grabbed me. I screamed as they took me down to the ground. The snow soaked through my clothes rather quickly. Someone put a blind fold over my eyes and we were off. I was in someone's arms. The wind whooshed passed. Ice pelted my face stinging with each hit. Not being able to see I felt nauseated. It was one of them times that I wanted to tell my equilibrium to fuck off.

I was carried for ten minutes at least before the wind stopped. I knew we were in the country side somewhere. I was traded to someone else and was thrown into a fireman carry, and not gently. It knocked the wind out of me. After five more minutes I could tell we were underground. The place smelled of dirt and mold, I could smell the underground water that made the place full of humidity. I was thrown down on my butt hard. A sharp pain went up my spine.

"Anna." I heard Azrael's voice and the blind fold was taken off. I gasped when I saw him. He was a few feet away in chains. His arms were at awkward angles and one side of his face had a gash, the other side was swollen. His shirt was off and his torso was just covered in blood like a second skin. I crawled the short space between us and touched his face gingerly. He winced.

"They will pay for this." I said quietly.

"And how do you plan on doing that?" A man said and walked up. I looked up at him. He was incredibly tall. His skin was paper white, his black hair reached to the middle of his back and his eyes, pools of black. I felt power wash over him like waves. To be honest, he scared the shit out of me. But I couldn't show it. Don't show fear if you want to seem strong.

"You're just a baby with your powers, you just awoken two days ago, do you expect to beat me woman?" He asked. "You don't even know how to tap into them." He smirked.

I stood up and walked to him. "I'll make a deal with you. I stay, Azrael goes free unhurt today. You want the Flame of God, you got me." I said.

"Deal." He said. I didn't have time to flinch before his teeth were in my neck. He planned on drinking me dry.

"Anna!" I heard Azrael scream.

Uriel gnawed at my neck, his teeth sinking farther in. I screamed in pain and heard chains rattle. My body started going limp, I slumped against Uriel and he had to hold me up. I could feel my heart faltering, trying to pump blood that was no longer there. He laid me in front of Azrael. Darkness ate at my vision and my breath came in short gasps. Dying didn't hurt so much. I just felt tired, so tired. He looked into my eyes. Cerulean was the last thing I saw before the dark void came.

There was no tunnel, no white light, I kind of felt cheated. I woke up to the beeping of a heart monitor. My neck hurt so damn bad. My arm was taped to a board. I opened my eyes slowly. A bag full of blood was being pumped into my veins. I felt power again, but it wasn't vampire power. It was different. It felt alive instead of cold. Someone leaned over me and put a cold stethoscope to my chest. A man with chestnut hair and green eyes looked down at me.

"You're finally awake, you gave us a scare." He said and smiled.

"Azrael?" I croaked out. My throat was so dry. He put a straw to my lips and I drank down water.

"He is okay Anna. Do you know where you are?" He asked.

I shook my head no. I winced at the sharp pain.

"You are in a hospital, you died. There wasn't enough blood in you to fill a paper cut. My question is why didn't you stay dead?"

"You got me doctor." I said.

"My name is Adrian." He said and checked my blood pressure. "This is a hospital for lycanthropes. This isn't a normal hospital, you can tell me." He said.

"I'm the Flame of God supposedly; a vampire wanted me dead for something I just found out about a couple of days ago."

"Make that a few weeks. You have been in a coma for three weeks."

My eyes widened as the door opened. Azrael walked in, he was completely healed. His eyes lit up when he saw me.

"How is she?" he asked.

"Waiting for her to go into shock honestly, but I don't see that it's going to happen. I'll leave you two alone." He left the room after taking the cuff of my arm.

Azrael sat on the bed next to me. "You stupid, stupid, stupid, wonderful girl." He said and kissed my forehead.

"How did I survive?" I asked.

"Your answer is as good as mine."

"How did we escape?"

"After your heart stopped he let me go. He thinks you're dead. But I'm free of him. He has to keep his word. He got what he wanted and he had to fulfill his deal. I thank you but it wasn't worth the ultimate price."

"You're worth it to me." I said.

"No I'm not; you see I'm already dead." He said and put my free hand on his chest. He had no heart beat. He stood up and went to the door. "Thank you Anna for the freedom you have given me. And goodbye."

The goodbye shocked me. I had just met him and he was already saying goodbye. It made my heart ache in a weird way. He was just a friend but more than that. We had saved each other's lives. Friends couldn't cut it. We weren't lovers, so why was I so sad?