Tears of the Fallen Ch. 22

"All clear my end," she announced as she exited the trees to where he was waiting for her.

"Same here," he answered, his gaze already sliding from hers as if irresistibly drawn to the hidden structure waiting for them. "Time to go home," he murmured, and she followed him forward towards where the Vampire Queen had once held her court.

The decay of thousands of years couldn't diminish the beauty of his former home. Everywhere Gard's gaze fell, he remembered another time and the magnificence that was his Queen's Palace. As he and Rayne threaded their way passed thick foliage into the clearing that had once been the Palace's great courtyard, he slipped back in time to see the breath-taking vision it had once been.

They halted by a crumbling wall that was now at mere ankle height, however his mind's eye saw the gracefully curving crescent moon construction that had been three feet high and made of the palest limestone. In a hushed voice he spoke, bringing to life an era long passed to his silent mate. "The crescent moon was our family's crest. All who saw it knew it signified the Royal House of Ardweni, our great grandmother, and the first of the Vampire Queens. It was the symbol of all that was right in our world, of all that was good about our people."

He breathed deeply, closing his eyes as he let it out slowly. "This wall here used to stand three feet high. It curved towards the main door to the palace and was flanked by urns full of the most beautiful flowers to scent the air. Many a night Anakatrine and I sat on that very wall, mapping out the stars above, as night bled into early dawn."

His lips quirked in an affectionate smile, reliving memories long passed but still greatly treasured. "Ana was fascinated with the sky above us, she couldn't get enough of it. She used to lament often that she couldn't soar through the skies like a birds above, and I had to often remind her that it would be considered unseemly for a Queen to frolic in the air."

Rayne laughed quietly, threading her arm through his and resting her head on his shoulder. "How old was she at the time?"

"She was six." He sighed as he said it, a trace of sadness in his voice. "It was after our mother had passed and Ana had ascended to the throne. I was barely a man at the time, and yet I had more freedom then than she would ever have again. I tried to give her as many moments where she could be just a child, but often my role was always to remind her she was a Queen. She did not have much of a childhood."

"I'm sure whatever childhood she had with you was treasured, my love. She would not have turned out to be one of the greatest living Queens if that had not been the case. I am sure that even at that young age she was aware that she was speaking flights of fancy. That you would sit with her and listen shows that you were the perfect Guardian for your young Queen."

"I loved to hear her laugh," he admitted, smiling down at her. "If only you could have known her, Rayne, and heard her laughter. That one day when you did meet, Ana was so full of sorrow at what was to come. You would have loved her and she you, I am certain of that."

When she merely smiled, his gaze turned back to the courtyard. "You can just about make out the grid pattern the mosaic tiles were set in leading up to the main door." He pointed to the ground and she could almost make out what he meant though time had done too much damage to get a clear picture.

"The tiles were blues and greens with accents of silver and golds," he continued. "Each tile was a mini image in itself but grouped together they created an underwater vista of what life must have looked like beneath the waves of the sea. In those days our people were very artistic."

"It sounds amazing." For some unknown reason Rayne found she couldn't speak in anything above a near whisper. The expression on her mate's face was so full of awe it touched her heart that he was sharing this part of his life with her. It seemed out of place to talk normally and she didn't want to break the spell he was weaving all around them.

"There were two great pillars beside the entrance into the hallway. The Roman's adopted the same style later on, but I'm sure there was a vampire at the heart of that architecture." Gard was standing by a crumbled wall so decayed it was hard to see there had ever been a doorway there. He walked forward, onto a large expense of moss that was growing unevenly.

"Beneath our feet were more limestone tiles in fractal patterns. They were shades of reds, pinks and purples. Visitors often stood in the hallway for hours at time just admiring the many different hues. Our mother eventually placed seating in the hallways for those guests who took their time appreciating the beauty that surrounded them."

His hand swept to the left, to the largest shell of wall that still remained standing. "The staircase ran up the left wall, to the Royal suits. It was always guarded fore none could ascend without express Royal permission. Each tread was of the shiniest white marble, a lavender runner lining the middle so no one would accidentally fall down them. Ana loved to sit at the very top peering down at Mother's guests as they arrived. She was impossible to keep in bed when she was a child."

Rayne could see the vista in her mind's eye, a mental image of a little redheaded girl so full of excitement as exotic guests arrived at her home. The wealth of love in Gard's voice was unmistakable, and she was now beginning to understand why he had searched so long for his beloved Anakatrine to be reborn.

He appeared to shake himself out of his reverie for a moment, turning to smile at her and gather her close to his side. "Come, the throne room was this way." Gard led them forward into another overgrown moss area, only this time the walls on either side of them appeared to be more stable.

"Have those walls been pointed?"

Her mate's smile broadened, happiness exuding from his big frame. "When I first awakened Callain I came here," he breathed softly. "I knew Anakatrine would return soon and I longed for our old life together. I started rebuilding the throne room one brick at a time. I wanted her to have her home back once more."

Silence hung around the open room as he stopped talking and Rayne let her eyes sweep across the huge area. "You didn't finish your task though. Why did you stop?"

For the first time since they'd arrived a shadow crossed Gard's face. "I realised that though Ana had returned, she was but an echo of a time long past, and I was holding onto memories that would never come again. Annie isn't Ana, they just share a body and mind. She doesn't want to live up here in the ruins of a Palace long buried, and why should she? Annie's life is with Caleb and the pack. It was wrong of me to presume that she would ever want to stay here."

"I'm sure one day Annie would love to come here, Gard. She would come for Anakatrine so the vampire Queen might one day relive her life here with you."

He shook his head, his smile turning resigned. "No, that life has passed now. I am content with the life that I now live. How could I not be? I have the best of both worlds."

The kiss he gave told her how much he loved her and that he meant everything that he said. When they broke apart, they shared a smile and then her gaze turned back to the room before them. "Tell me of the throne room. Is that a tapestry I see over there?" Rayne truly did want to hear more of the world her mate had loved so much before they had come to know each other.

Gard's smile was once more that of excitement, lighting up his face and making him more beautiful if that was humanly possible. "All the great vampire houses had their own banners. This one is all that remains and it's of the Royal house of Ardweni. I was astounded to find it still in existence after all this time. Ana must have placed a preservation spell on it though it appears to have faded."

Leaning down they stared at the faded cloth. "Can you see the crescent moon shape at the top?" he asked, his fingers hovering a bare inch above the fabric. "Behind the two thrones was a wall of clear glass. Above them was a skylight shaped in the crescent moon. To either side of the audience chamber, the seating also curved in that same crescent moon shape. It was the emblem of the Royal house and just about every area within the throne room echoed with that design."

Rayne gasped, startled eyes flowing to meet his. "The Council chambers...its seating is in the same design..."

Gard laughed, a soft sound echoing through the crumbling walls. "You see what thousands of vampires have never seen despite looking at it each day." His voice was warm with approval and more than a hint of pride. "Yes, my heart, they are unaware but they still hold to traditions of long passed. The vampire nation still bows to the Royal House of Ardweni though they are unaware."

Rayne laughed with him...it was hard not to as she imagined some of the more traditional, hidebound vampires sitting there with all their pomp and arrogance. In their ignorance, they were completely unaware that they had retained a symbol of the most precious thing they had ever lost, their Queen. "Do you think they will ever learn the truth, Gard?"

He was silent for a long moment and then he shrugged his shoulders. "I have no idea what Anakatrine's plans are, though I am fairly certain she has one. She always did know far too much than any one person ever should have. It was what made her the greatest ever vampire Queen and why our people never deserved to have her grace our world."

Rising, Gard let his gaze swing around the room once more and then held out his hand. "While reminiscing is fun, it's not getting the job done we came here to do. Come on, let's check out the area behind the Palace."

"It doesn't look as dense out there," Rayne mused, scanning the area quickly. "Is that normal?" If Gard had been visiting from the main entrance, which would be the norm for him as that would be the route he was used to entering the site; possibly he may not have approached from the rear.

It appeared her train of thought was echoing in his mind because he tensed a little, a frown on his face. "On the contrary, it should be more overgrown," he muttered, starting to walk forward. "Stay close, Rayne."

She wanted to roll her eyes and make a smart quip about being overprotected, however his tense demeanour dampened down any words she may have uttered. There was a silence about the mountain that didn't feel natural, as if the animals knew something was out there that shouldn't be. Following his lead, she stepped back out into the forest, moving to the left as he signalled his movement to the right.

"Keep in touch at all times. Alert me the instant you see anything that doesn't feel right."

"Maybe we should stay together? If you're so concerned." She didn't asked the question because she was afraid, but more because she knew his focus would be split if he was worrying about her safety.

We'll cover more ground this way," he answered telepathically.

It made sense so she concentrated on her surroundings, looking for any signs of tracks that would indicate anyone had visited the site recently. Rayne had made her way a circuitous route of about a mile from the Palace when she noticed the first indication of trees having been chopped down. The trees had been removed a good fifty or so years ago but given the remoteness of the spot, it was still highly suspicious.

"Gard, I have evidence of someone being here." She expected an instant response and held her breath when all she received was silence. "Gard?"

Again, there was nothing but silence and shiver of unease trickled down her spine. Gard would never leave her alone, especially when what they were tracking was a direct threat to everything they held dear. Had something happened to him and that was why he didn't answer? He'd given her no warning that anything was amiss.

More unease overwhelmed her as she was struck by a sudden thought. Their failsafe! She had to check it was still in place. Turning her thoughts inward, she searched for the great tree she'd placed at the very forefront of her mental defences, and what she found brought her feet to a dead halt. It was gone! In its place was barely a mark that it had ever existed.

Someone had been inside her mind and tampered with her defences. He or she had to be powerful to breach them, and also very close by. Had they gotten to her mate yet, or was he still safe? If Gard tried to reach her and couldn't find her he'd come looking and then they'd be in serious trouble. Spinning on her heels Rayne took off back the way she'd come only she didn't make it two steps before something bit her on the neck and her feet stumbled over a tree root.

She fell forward as her legs gave out, barely able to stop her forehead smashing off the ground as she landed in a heap. Her vision began swimming in an instant, and the strength in her arms gave out as she tried to pull herself up from the ground. "Gard, run!" she screamed in her mind, because her voice wouldn't work despite how hard she tried to make it.

"Trap!" She tried again, knowing that she was close to losing consciousness and he most likely couldn't hear her. Blackness descended though she fought it every step of the way, her heart hammering wildly as she tried to reach her mate. "Run, Gard...run..."

Something wasn't right, he could feel it with every step he took. The area he was traversing was too pristine, too devoid of all tracks. There should have been animal droppings, some indication that something had travelled over the ground and yet there were none and their lack was every bit of a warning sign than if he'd detected footprints.

Gard was certain no one had actually stepped foot on the Palace site but the further he walked towards the rear the more sure he was that someone had visited the area in the last century. He wanted to kick himself for not checking this far back the last time he'd been there but then he supposed he'd had no call to at the time. Now, all he could think about was getting back to the Palace and his mate. They were far too vulnerable up here on their own when they knew nothing of what may be waiting for them.

"Sarayne, head back to the Palace."

He took a couple of steps backwards and then he froze on the spot. "Sarayne!"

Gard spun to his left and took off at supernatural speed. It was the fastest route to her last known location. Dread filled his soul, fear clogging his throat as he ran. There was no way in hell she wouldn't answer him when he called. Something had to have happened to her.

"Sarayne! Answer me!"

Total silence greeted him, and he realised that he could barely feel their mate bond. It was as if someone or something was muting the bond but he knew that was an impossibility. Only they could do that, or Rafe, and their Alpha was thousands of miles away. "Sarayne, where are you?"

All contact with his mate cut off a split second after something stung him in the neck. The huge vampire fell forward with a loud crash, a branch spearing him in the shoulder as he fell. Gard roared out in fury as he toppled forward, fear for Rayne the only thing he could think of. They had been ambushed, of that he was now certain, lulled into a false sense of security at finding the Palace site and front entrance completely undisturbed.

Darkness was descending and he shook his head to try to clear it. He couldn't pass out, not here and now, not when Rayne needed him. "Rayne...Rayne..." Gard lost his fight to stay conscious, inky blackness claiming his last thought of his missing mate.

*****

A cloaked figure entered the cave, his tall frame concealed by the charcoal grey garment. Outside were close to a hundred elder vampires. Inside, were two prone figures bound in chains so thick it would have taken all the assembled vampires to break them. The figure stood peering down at their prey, his lips stretching in the rictus of a smile. It was the only part of the male that could be seen, his hood concealing the majority of his face.

"You have done well," he said telepathically to the lone vampire in the cave with him.

"The formula you provided made the task easy, Master," the bald-headed male replied, bowing low.

"It certainly did work to subdue them; however I will test to ensure that it dulls their magical abilities too. All this will be pointless if the toxin is ineffectual against that." Hunching down beside the bound couple, the Master danced inside their sleeping minds, his psyche flowing down the pristine corridors within until he found the area he was looking for.

The girl's abilities were of the lesser in offensive terms, but he still placed a block around her ability to shadow and shapeshift. As long as she remained dosed with enough of the toxin he'd formulated, she wouldn't be able to break through his block.

Next, he turned his attention to the male, reaching out a gloved hand to brush away a lock of auburn hair that partly obscured his face. He had seen this one around over the centuries and knew that he was a force to be reckoned with. "Well met, Guardian," he whispered tracing a long finger over a chiselled cheekbone. "Long have I yearned for this moment, though I did not expect it to be so soon. I am not yet ready to play my final hand, old one, though I will enjoy watching the chaos your disappearance engenders."

It was the first time the vampire beside him had heard his Master's true voice, and it caused tears of adoration to flow down his face at the sheer beauty of its tone.

With no further words, he entered the Guardian's mind, finding his place of magic and bolting the door firmly shut. It would be disastrous should the male be able to unlock the door while in captivity. His wrath would be like none other and should he escape his bonds...the Master would lose many of his followers should that occur.

He would have to ensure that didn't happen, and made a mental note to stay close until he could determine how long the toxin would keep the couple unconscious.

"No one enters the cave," he instructed the vampire at his side. "No one speaks to them, no one interacts with them. And most definitely no one who has a key to their bonds comes within a hundred feet of this cave. I will remain for another few hours but then I must leave this place. After that, you are in charge of the prisoners, Heathen. Should they escape, your life will be forfeit. Are we clear on that?"

The vampire fell to his knees, fierce determination shining from his mind. "Yes, Master. It will be as you instruct. No one will enter the cave except to administer the toxin."

The cloaked figure stifled down a grimace of disgust at the zeal in the vampire's mental tone. Weaker minds were much easier to subdue but they burnt out faster than he would have liked. He would have to cultivate another to take Heathen's place if the vampire continued down his current rate of decay.

Sweeping passed the kneeling male, the Master strode out of cave and into the early evening air. A hundred vampires all knelt as one, his love, and approval bathing them where they knelt. This was as it should be. This was as it always should have been. Soon now, it would be his time, and the world would quake in fear at his very name.

*****

Thousands of miles away a deep male voice cried out, frantic brown eyes opening in a gasp of pain.

"Rafe?! What's wrong?" Lacey sat up beside her mate, her hands automatically coming around to clutch at her abdomen.

"Gard...Rayne...I can't sense them anymore, Lace. I can't feel them down my Alpha bond!"

"No!" The word choked out, tears filling Lacey's eyes as she stared at her mate. "Are they...?" She couldn't say the word that filled her soul with dread.