Hupotasso (Vampire Bachelor Games #2)

42

42

Sauntering towards mother’s rooms to discuss our latest uncomfortable dinner, I jerk my head as a scream pierces the quiet hallways.

The smell of blood hits me almost instantaneously.

As I reach Mother’s room, Jag right behind me, I take in everything in an instant. Asumpta, her sword bloodied and raised, ready to strike again, her boot on Tatyana’s chest where she lies laughing maniacally, one arm basically severed at the shoulder.

And Mother.

“NO!”

Falling to my knees I lift her head gently to my lap and press my hand to the wound in the centre of her chest where a knife protrudes.

I barely glance up as Jag stops Asumpta from dealing the death blow to Tatyana, before cursing loudly as the Russian runs to the window and attempts to smash through and fall to her death. He catches her, throwing her to the ground and shouting that death is too good for her as he and Asumpta pin her down and Asumpta growls that she must be under someone’s control. They both act quickly to stop the assailant from swallowing her tongue and choking herself to death.

As Tatyana struggles, her arm, hanging on by just a few sinews, snaps off completely, and her screams begin, horrified and shocking in their intensity.

Asumpta laughs as Jag slaps the Russian and shouts that if she complies and shuts the fuck up he’ll get her medical aid. She sobs and begs for help before starting to pray in a steady stream of Russian as Jag shoves Asumpta’s blade into the fire.

Prayers won’t help her now. Jag and I will find out whose control she’s under. We’ll find out every secret she’s ever had. But it relies on her not bleeding out. I don’t even look up as Jag pulls the blade from the fire and sears her shoulder. She screams once and lapses into unconsciousness, the smell of roasted pork filling the room. We’ve both been on enough battle fields to know cauterisation will stop the bleeding until she can be seen by a doctor. Providing she doesn’t die of shock.

But right now she’s not my concern.

All around me staff are shouting and running, and I know help is on the way. But I also know Mother’s losing a lot of blood. The knife has either pierced or nicked her heart. I can’t tell from the angle it’s in. Either way, her wound looks fatal. With Father dead and the hupotasso broken she’s mortal now. She can die as easily as any human can.

“Mother,” I whisper.

Opening her eyes she stares up at me, seeming to drift away then come back as though she’s just recognised me.

“Falcon?”

“It’s me, I’m here. You’re safe now.”

“That woman…”

“As good as dead. Jag will find out who sent her and why she did this.”

“Thank God Asumpta was here,” she whispers. “Darling, I have to tell you something.”

“Later, Mother. We need to get you medical help. You can tell me later.”

“I never meant to hurt you,” she sighs. “I only wanted you to know love.”

“Mother,” I groan, “stop, please. Whatever it is, it isn’t important. Save your strength.”

“I…I put Angie in The Games.”

A chill settles over me, and I stare down into her eyes.

“A contact in The Families helped me. God forgive me. I did it because I wanted the best for you. She is the best. I chose her,” she coughs, “for you.”

“Mother, please, don’t.”

“I’m so sorry,” she whispers. “Sorry for what you were put through, and poor Angie.”

I clench my teeth and shake my head. I can’t believe what I’m hearing.

“I told Angelina I would fix it…”

She coughs, and blood bubbles from the corner of her mouth.

“Angie knew?” I can’t keep the shock from my voice.

She nods her head slowly.

“She promised not to tell you. I told her I’d fix the problem,” she gasps. Blood begins to spurt anew from her wound, but she hurries on, “months ago. I told her everything would work out. I begged her not to tell you.”

“All this time…” I whisper.

“I’m so sorry, I, I love….”

I wait for her to finish the sentence, but her heart, previously fluttering, has stopped.

Crying out I lower her to the floor and tear out the knife, despite knowing this will accelerate the bleeding. I begin pumping her heart and breathing into her mouth, cursing the fact she’s human, fragile and mortal. She deserves so much more, this woman who birthed me, protected me, loved me and sheltered me from the monster we lived with.

Her confession has rocked me to the core, but I know that no matter how misguided her actions had been she’d done it for the right reasons.

And now she’s gone.

“I never told you, Mother,” I whisper as I grit my teeth and pump her heart. “But I love you too. Don’t die. Mother, please. Don’t leave me.”